By now you’ve noticed that anytime executive experience is called into question, the Obamabots always draw the comparison between Obama’s leading of the campaign and Palin’s leading the town of Wasilla. In fact, listening to Obama on Anderson Cooper, you would’ve thought that Gov. Palin was still the mayor of the small town. (Also, mad props for continuing to minimize the small towns of America. That’s right in line with the bitter “flyover country” comments made during the first Bush election, and is sure to draw so many more to the party of sour grapes.)

Sure, at face value the Obama’s 17 months experienced campaigning looks more impressive than being mayor of a small town, but there’s two things of importance here.

First, heading a campaign full of staff and volunteers that weep when you speak isn’t much. Well, it is worthwhile and certainly says something, but it’s nothing like being head of a government. The weepers were clearly devoted already, they all showed up to support the candidate, and the whole thing will be gone once the election’s over. His agenda is their agenda, and they can be fired at any time. Getting fanatics to all move together in one direction isn’t terribly impressive, even if Obama had been able to do it. Unfortunately, he seems to throw his own staffers under the bus for misrepresenting him with startling regularity. (Also, the entire argument that he heads the campaign is misguided. He’s the talking head. Axelrod runs the campaign.)

Second, she’s not mayor anymore. Since being mayor of Wasilla, she was at the top of a state agency that regulated the multi-billion dollar natural resources of the oil and gas companies. Not only did she not have adoring fans there, she made some real enemies in rooting out the corruption. Now she’s Governor. Granted, she hasn’t been there long (only slightly longer than Obama’s been campaigning), but she’s already shaken things up there, with enemies all around her to boot. She’s getting things done in a major way despite the lack of adoring fans at every corner. (Don’t hear me wrong, the people of Alaska LOVE her; just look at her approval ratings. But the people she has to work with to pass legislation–those members of the established political order–are not quite as thrilled with her.)

I do hope the Dems keep drawing a comparison between the Republican VP pick and the head of their ticket. It makes him look like he’s running for Vice President, and he only ends up looking favorable against her to people who are resigned to vote for him anyway. What does it say about Palin that the entire Obamanation is in a frenzy trying to prove their guy can edge out the Republican #2? Want to compare apples to apples, VP to VP?

Sarah Palin received more votes for mayor of Wasilla, AK than did Joe Biden when he ran for president of the US.

On the other hand,

When Joe Biden ran for the office of President of the United States earlier this year, about 98.5% of Democrats rejected him, yet Obama ignored their opinions and place [sic] Biden in a position to be a heartbeat away from the presidency if elected.

To the disaffected conservative base, this woman was a Godsend. So I suppose they’re quite right in saying she was a terrible pick… for the Democrats.