Palin interview commentary lacks actionable leads

Defining Intelligence 147 Couric: Can you think of any? Palin: Well, I could think of .. . any again, that could be best dealt with on a more local level. Maybe I would take issue with. But, you know, as mayor, and then as governor and even as a vice president, if I’m so privileged to serve, wouldn't be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today. So little of what Palin says makes sense that this interview was seen as a national embarrassment, provoking multiple explanations for it from the Palin camp, none of which said: She is just stupid and ignorant. Obviously that is what her detractors were thinking. But is it true? Is she stupid and ignorant? How can we find out? Look at this next piece of the Couric interview: Couric: .. . people have questioned your readiness since that interview. And I’m curious to hear your reaction. Palin: Well, not only am I ready but willing and able to serve as vice president with Senator McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them, ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas, not only with my résumé proving that readiness, but I think the important thing here is that John McCain and I, we share a vision for America that includes energy independence. What could be clearer than the idea that she is simply out of her league and that it was a foolish idea to promote her as a possible vice president? Why cynical politicians decide this is OK to do is not my problem. The question I want to address is what makes one intelli- gent, apart from genetics. Looking at what we have seen here, we can think about our 12 cognitive processes one more time. Which of them are critical to the everyday assessment of the intelligence of another person that most people do on a daily basis? Let’s start by eliminating some. Being able to evaluate something, or having a set of values you believe in, has very little to do with basic intelligence. The samples of stupidity that I cite above do not indicate that any of this ability—determining what is important—is missing in the people being interviewed. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_023893