Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Sarah Palin and the University of Idaho

One of the more distasteful aspects of the US presidential election is the obsession in some quarters with Sara Palin's IQ. See here for example. Some have suggested that she is not particularly bright because she graduated from the University of Idaho and not from Columbia or Harvard.

May I point out that the University of Idaho, although it is not Harvard or Columbia, is ranked in the 400s in the Shanghai Jiao Tong rankings, which puts it way above most institutions in the world and in the United States.

May I also point out that Palin, unlike Joe Biden, has not been accused of plagiarism. Also, if we are going to be snobby about universities, one also wonders why Biden, if he were so clever, would plagiarise from Neil Kinnock who had to take his final exams twice at a university that also wasn't Harvard or Columbia

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't believe Palin is stupid because she went to U of Idaho....but for the presidency I'd think we'd have high educational requirements..... a law degree trumps a bachelor's degree every time....and no international travel? Shame on McCain for not picking someone with stronger credentials.

She would never have gotten an executive job in the private sector with her resume.

Anonymous said...

One candidate for the job has graduated magne cum laude from one of the top universities and another who had a non-honorary degree from a regular university. Point is that, other things equal, the first candidate would be much better qualified.

If this would be a regular job, Palin's application would be in the trash.

Anonymous said...

Did Sarah Louise Heath jump from University of Hawaii-Hilo to Hawaii Pacific College to North Idaho [Junior] College to the University of Idaho to Matanuska-Susitna [Junior College then back to U of Idaho because she's smart?

Before you say she was short of money, just add up all the air fares.

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/sarah-palin-education-advocate/

Anonymous said...

Hows that hope and change working for you??