Can anybody recall Campbell Brown pestering Democrat officials over Barack Obama's lack of not only foreign policy experience but overall experience? I sure can't but here is Brown hectoring McCain Political Director Mike Duhaime about her sudden concern over lack of experience. Here is a transcript of the interrogation but to get the full flavor of Brown's attitude complete with cynical facial expressions, be sure to watch the video (emphasis mine):
BROWN: Political insiders were pretty impressed when there was all this talk about who was on McCain's short list of V.P. candidates, most pretty well-known Republicans, but he didn't choose any of them. Instead, everybody now getting to know Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tonight.
And Michael DuHaime is McCain's political director. And he is joining me to talk about what some are calling a pretty risky move by Senator McCain.
Mike, John McCain has said that he would pick a running mate who would be able to step into the president's shoes on day one. I don't have to tell you, Sarah Palin's only been governor for less than two years. Of all the Republicans out there, is she really the most qualified person to be commander in chief in a crisis?
MIKE DUHAIME, MCCAIN CAMPAIGN MANAGER POLITICAL DIRECTOR: She was a great governor and is ready, will be ready on day one to be president of the United States.
As you can see, what she did in government in Alaska, as governor, she was a true reform governor. And that's what John McCain was looking for, somebody who shared his values, shared his vision, basically a maverick, like himself, somebody who passed landmark ethics reform.
This is somebody who did two years -- did more in two years as governor than most people we're talking about in government in either party.
BROWN: But, Mike, we're fighting two wars right now. She has no foreign policy experience.
(CROSSTALK)
DUHAIME: Well, she's the commander of chief of the Alaska National Guard and has a son going to Iraq.
I think that's somebody who has great perspective on what's going on in this world and what is going on in this country and how it affects real people in America. So, I think she is ready. I think she brings a different perspective maybe than a U.S. senator who can put 80,000 people in the stands.
I think that's a different perspective, what she brings as an executive, as a governor, as somebody who sent troops to Iraq, as someone who has her own son in the Army. I think that's a different perspective, and I think it's one that Americans are going to respect.
BROWN: So much of your campaign's case against Senator Obama has focused on how little time that he's been in the Senate and how inexperienced he is on matters of international affairs, on military affairs.
I mean, doesn't naming Governor Palin as his running mate really undermine your entire argument against Senator Obama?
DUHAIME: I don't think so at all.
I think, right now, what you're talking about is Senator Obama's inexperience. I will actually match up Governor Palin's experience vs. his any day. He started to run for president when he had been in the U.S. Senate for two years. I would say that his accomplishments, next to Governor Palin's, are relatively insignificant.
This is someone who had no record of crossing party lines, no record of significant accomplishment in the U.S. Senate, vs. somebody who actually made government work, made change, took on power structures of both parties and big business. This is somebody who really was an effective governor.
Hillary Clinton said that Barack Obama was a speech.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Mike, just give me a reality check here. She hasn't even been governor for two years. Prior to that, she was mayor of a town of less than 8,000 people.
DUHAIME: Campbell, I mean, that's, I think, one of the problems with the Democrat Party and maybe with big media, that you think only smart people come out of maybe New York, L.A., Chicago.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: I'm not suggesting that at all. A lot of people come from small towns. What I'm saying is, she's managed, as mayor and governor, not on a substantial level. I mean, you understand. Look at John McCain. No one has ever questioned his experience, what he has gone through.
DUHAIME: Campbell, rightly so. Rightly so, you shouldn't question his experience.
BROWN: So, compare the two. I mean, compare John McCain to her experience. You're comparing her to Barack Obama.
(CROSSTALK)
DUHAIME: Campbell, I realize you're very upset about this, obviously. This is somebody who...
BROWN: Nobody's upset about it. But I'm asking you to try to be honest with here -- let's cut through the bull and give me an honest answer. What I think is that she may bring many, many qualities to the ticket, many wonderful qualities to the ticket.
DUHAIME: She does. Yes, she does.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: But a long wealth of experience probably isn't one of them. If you can be honest with me, you have got to concede that point, right?
DUHAIME: We can be honest.
BROWN: And I'm not by any means arguing that Barack Obama brings all this experience to the ticket either. But I'm saying they're both in a position of not bringing a lot of experience. And maybe other things outweigh that. But can you concede that point and just be honest with me on that?
DUHAIME: No, I will not concede that point, and, yet, I'm still being honest, as fascinating as that may sound to you.
BROWN: OK. All right. I know.
DUHAIME: She's somebody who's done incredible work as a governor. She was a fantastic governor, brought real reform. And that's what John McCain is looking for, somebody who mirrors the way he wants to bring reform to government.
You're talking about Barack Obama, who chose a senator who has been -- a U.S. senator who's been there for 30 years, taken another person out of the old boys network, vs. John McCain, who has taken a governor, someone who has been a reform governor, somebody who is from outside of Washington. I think she's going to connect with the American people because she is going to -- she would be a good vice president, as she has been a great governor.
BROWN: OK. Well, how did he come to decide on her? Because they met, as I understand it, just one time, right, before he chose her.
I mean, John King was just talking about this, and John McCain has been up front about this, how important personal relationships are to him, knowing and trusting the people he works with and spends time with. It's a bit of a roll of the dice, from his perspective, isn't it, given how he barely knows her?
DUHAIME: Well, I think John McCain is somebody who has been around leaders his entire life.
This is somebody who understands leadership and knows a leader when he meets one. And this is somebody who, as I said, if you just look at her record, she is somebody who is a leader, because she didn't just go along to get along when she won in Alaska. She took on people of both parties. She took on big business in her state because she wanted real reform. She passed a landmark ethics reform.
This is somebody who really governs the way John McCain would govern. And I think that's what he's looking for. And I think -- I certainly trust his instincts. He knows a leader.
BROWN: All right, Mike Duhaime, we appreciate your time tonight. Thanks for coming on and chatting with us.
Suddenly the liberal media types, including Campbell Brown, are concerned about "experience." Something they didn't think was all that important with Barack Obama who as yet has no executive experience which Palin does. And kudos to Mike DuHaime for his great replies to the suddenly concerned Campbell Brown.
