5 Reasons to worry about Sarah Palin

5. As McCain’s supposed expert on energy issues, she didn’t even know that Alaska doesn’t export any of its oil, nor that Congress doesn’t ban exportation of Alaskan oil. Please — it’s own friggin’ state, the biggest oil-producing behemoth in North America, and she doesn’t even know basics like that? How do you spell “clueless fraud”?

4. She’s like too many people you meet at gatherings in a big business town, e.g., Charlotte: all peppy and overconfident, and as empty-headed as a mannequin.

3. Her backward, medieval religious views. Like everyone else, Palin has an inalienable right to her own religious views, but her right to subscribe to bizarre ideas such as praying away a city’s supposed possession by demons — or taking part in a “blessing” in which she’s “protected from witchcraft” — doesn’t mean that you can’t be scared shitless about such an ill-educated nutcase gaining political power.

2. She is not only opposed to a woman’s right to an abortion even if the woman was raped or the victim of incest, she’s part of a campaign team that has pledged to appoint judges who will help overturn Roe v. Wade.

1. When people have yelled threats against Obama at her rallies — rallies, by the way, at which she plays the part of snarling, sarcastic attack dog — she not only hasn’t urged calm nor even shown concern for the violent level of rhetoric, she just stands there smirking and nodding her head, kind of like Mussolini used to do during his speeches.

Bonus reason: She shoots wolves from helicopters, for Chrissake!

This article appears in Oct 7-14, 2008.