Palin Fails a Third Graders Question on the Role of the VP- interview in Colorado

[Ichingcarpenter]

Palin Claims The Vice President Is ‘In Charge Of The U.S. Senate’»


Yesterday, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sat for an interview with KUSA, an NBC affiliate in Colorado. In response to a question sent to the network by a third grader at a local elementary school about what the Vice President does, Palin erroneously argued that the Vice President is “in charge of the United States Senate“:

Q: Brandon Garcia wants to know, “What does the Vice President do?”

PALIN: That’s something that Piper would ask me! … hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.

Indeed, while Palin suggests that questions about what the Vice President does is something only her daughter Piper would ask, Palin herself asked this very question on national television in July. Apparently, she still hasn’t learned the correct answer.

Article I of the Constitution establishes an exceptionally limited role for the Vice President — giving the office holder a vote only when the Senate is “equally divided”:

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

Moreover, the U.S. Senate website explains that the modern role of Vice Presidents has been to preside over the Senate “only on ceremonial occasions.” ThinkProgress contacted Senior Assistant Paliamentarian Peter Robinson, who also disputed Palin’s characterization of the Vice President’s role:

In modern practice the Vice President doesn’t really control the Senate. … If anyone has a responsibility to try to govern the Senate, it’s the responsibility of the two leaders.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/21/palin-vp-senate/

[SoonerPride]

1. Worse than misspelling potato(e)

Not knowing the Constitution which she would purportedly swear to uphold.

Disgraceful.

[Aloha Spirit]

4. I strongly agree. This sort of nonsense will make a lot of voters a lot more "decided". nt

[central scrutinizer]

Wow, let's give a shout out, you betcha

Let's shout out the wrong fucking answer

[Sequoia]

12. Hey, doncha know....

I'm still a perky coed.

[LisaM]

2. I think it's how she envisions her role.

She's already stated that she wants to expand the VP powers - though how anyone could expand the office more than Cheney has is beyond me.

[DrToast]

11. Yeah, she didn't mess up. That's what she thinks! Scary. (nm)

*

[Quantess]

19. Yes, and didn't she already give this same, wrong answer in a previous interview?

Most people would learn the right answers from their flubbed interview. That she did not learn the correct definition of VP, means that she thinks she can change the definiton once she is in office.

[Dr. Death]

23. Exactly - this is no mistake, it's her desire

During the debate with Biden, and again in this interview, America gets a glimpse into Palin's plans. She really believes that, if elected, she will be able to control the Senate and make policy.

Not only is this unconstitutional, it's also laughable - imagine a moran like Palin trying to lecture Robert Byrd?

And it ain't gonna happen. We're going to win, and this just shows why we must win.

[kansasblue]

24. She's a student of Cheney's School of Govt.

That's a concern, not a screw up. Her vision.

[JaneQPublic]

25. Gosh, someone should let Harry Reid know (nt)

[Debi]

32. He knows...update @ the link from the OP

Update

ThinkProgress obtained the following statement from Jim Manley, spokesman to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV):

This comment is all the more puzzling because this is at least the 2nd time she has said this. Gov Palin needs to re-read or perhaps read for the first time the Constitution. While the Vice President presides over the Senate, he or she is not in charge of it. Article 1 says The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate is part of a co-equal branch of the federal government.

[npincus]

3. video link?

[ej510]

5. LMFAO!

:rofl:

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Its in the link at Think Progress

What an ignorant dumb ass she is.

[Democrats_win]

7. But she IS improving. Has the "No Child Left Behind" criteria been met?

Previously she didn't mention the VP's role in the senate.

In 9 years, she very well could be qualified to graduate from High School.

[Essene]

8. oh.... my.... god....

:rofl:

[vanderBeth]

9. I think if you want a role in this government, you should know how it works.

But that's just me.
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[onefreespiritedchick]

10. I would like to know why the media doesn't cover this? n/t

[JenniferJuniper]

13. What does "hey're" mean?

Who or what are "hey" and what "are" they supposed to be doing?
Is it a typo?
Alaskan speak?
Palin speak?
Or some sort of new hybrid being or beings?

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. She didn't pronounce her t in the word they're

I want more interviews! She's doin great!

[Barack_America]

14. You think she'd let the Constitution stop her?

She's already said she's all for expanding the VP's powers.

In her mind, she would run the Senate.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. While I'm sure Palin doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about,

It should be noted that Dick Cheney has greatly expanded the role of VP, in terms of driving policy.

[SDJay]

16. This is pretty important.

The dumbass still doesn't know, and doesn't care to learn, what her job will be or is supposed to be. She'll just decide how to be VP, much like she decided what questions to answer during her debate. How idiotic is it that a VP candidate STILL doesn't know what her job is? Too bad the MSM won't touch this one, as they're too busy covering the "Palin factor" and "Palin on SNL." You know, really important aspects of her candidacy.

Damn. How this does not disqualify her immediately with millions of people is beyond me. Anyone here ever apply for and interview for a job and not have a friggin' clue what the basic job duties were? What a joke, and what a joke that the American public will never hear.

[Overseas]

17. K&R to highlight the incurious factor. Didn't know in July and still doesn't.! ///nt

[EastTennesseeDem]

20. I know that negativity isn't Barack's prerogative

but why, WHY can they not talk about stuff, not even mention it? I'm sure voters would respond better to the lack of knowledge on the part of the McCain/Palin ticket than Obama's connections with an ancient, rehabilitated terrorist.

[bullwinkle428]

21. "Are you smarter than a third-grader?" The computer says "NOOOOOOOOOO"!

[cliffordu]

22. K&R

[WindRiverMan]

26. In charge of the Senate? WTF?

Sarah,

Read a civics book please. Getting to break a tie-vote is a far cry from "being in charge". You little Bush wannabe, you!

[doublethink]

27. I'd say Alaska isn't far enough away to send her back to when all is said and done.

Let's start a petition to send her to Siberia Nov 5th when this is all over. Let's see if she can see Alaska from Russia instead. What say you.

[mokawanis]

28. And people think she'll run in 2012????

I'd love to hear her description of the President's duties.

[Swede]

29. What a mavericky answer.

[crossroads]

30. Wooooaaahh! Keep talking Sarah!

[grantcart]

31. I love my 17 year old daughter but she isn't really that interested in history or politics

Everytime somebody asks Palin a question - like this one, or the one on the Supreme Court decisions, I call her in and repeat the question and my lovely-bored-with-politics has a better answer than Sarah Palin.

rec

[tanyev]

33. Sarah, maybe you should ask Piper.

I'm starting to think she knows more than you do.

[Ichingcarpenter]

34. Keith is gonna handle this story right after the break

'ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A THIRD GRADER?"

[Ichingcarpenter]

35. Kick ..... Keith has a special comment.

[bluedawg12]

36. KO showing the original statement by the wolf killer

in July when she had no idea of what the veep does, as she still does not.

Someone please send her an unopened ( as they all are) copy of the pocket US Constitution from the repigs, by now she ought to know what she is running for.

Oh, queen sarah the wolf killah from wassilah wants an imperial vice presidency because she is so qualified.

what a maron, you betcha Cherlie.

[Ichingcarpenter]

37. I was laughing my ass off.... He has all the tapes too of her stupidity and

power hungry ignorance.

[bluedawg12]

40. Like dumbya, off script she is a total joke. n/t

[Top Cat]

38. Palin is an embarrassment and a dumb Bitch to boot

[Ichingcarpenter]

39. She is not dumb she's just like you and me and shops at Wal-Mart

BTW...... I'm not a female and some have called me a bastard, and I don't mind that

My understanding is 'bitch'' is off limits here unless talking about an alfa female wolf
from Alaska that gets shot by hunters from airplanes..

[Ian_rd]

41. Oh God. "President Sarah Palin." Jesus Christ, can you imagine?

If they win this thing, I'll be praying daily for McCain's health - might even start a presidential prayer team dedicated to preventing this brick-stupid moron from ... running ... oh my God ... the nation. In charge of our military? Our Justice Department?

The thought of McCain winning is bad indeed. But the idea of him winning and then dying or becoming severely ill is nothing short of FUCKING TERRIFYING. More so, I'd say, than either of Bush's terms.