Expertise by Proximity

Regular correspondent Otis Jefferson Brown inquires whether, in lieu of the precedent by which Sarah Palin claims expertise in foreign affairs because she can almost see Russian from Alaska, he is now a rocket scientist because, through his bedroom window, he can, on starry nights, see the moon.

Otis, I'm sorry to say,  does not grasp the precedent.  Of course he's not a rocket scientist, because he's not educated or practiced in that difficult field.  However, he is certainly qualified, by the principle of expertise by proximity, to become the head of NASA, for which position I urge him to immediately apply, especially if he attended high school with Sarah.

Is each and every Alaskan equally qualified to be Vice President?  Of course they are, but with a caveat.  Those who live in the western part of the state are obviously more knowledgeable and are to be preferred to dwellers in the Alaskan interior.  Eastern Alaskans have not achieved more significant expertise by proximity than what would prepare them to serve as trade representative to the Yukon, or perhaps, ambassador to Canada. 

Comments

[Axel Sprengtporten]

Do you realize what this means? Putin is Plasticman!

[Otis Jefferson Brown]

An excerpt from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric to be aired later tonight on the CBS Evening News:

COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land-- boundary that we have with-- Canada. It-- it's funny that a comment like that was-- kind of made to-- cari-- I don't know, you know? Reporters--

COURIC: Mock?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our-- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia--

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state.

September 25, 2008

[Axel Sprengtporten]

Heckuva job, Otis.