Charles Krauthammer, a Barack Obama skeptic, was dismayed by John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as vice presidential running mate. Palin, the unknown with a thin public record, undermines the McCain campaign Obama critique that the first term U.S. Senator and former Illinois state senator is not experienced enough to lead the country.

Krauthammer’s observation was a damning assessment of McCain’s judgment. After 26 years in Washington, is the senator from Arizona qualified to lead based on harebrained choices like Palin as his co-pilot? The answer suggests no.

For McCain to choose Palin, who was not carefully vetted by fellow Republicans is a horrific error. The Alaskan governor is a walking question mark. So much about her is unknown or does not make sense. It’s a puzzler that more Republicans have not spoken up and questioned the appointment.

The national press has been demonized by GOP loyalists because a number of journalists have tried to do the vetting that the McCain team declined to do. For example, why did Palin the alleged reformer and tax cutter get $27 million for her state for a bridge to nowhere yet drop her advocacy when the bridge boondoggle became too controversial? Also, if Palin realized the bridge project was a mistake, why was Alaska allowed to keep the money?

During and since the Republican National Convention, Palin has been screened from the mainstream media, which means she is being protected from standard, tough questions that must be asked in order to determine her ability to lead.

Yes lead, because as historian Doris Kearns Goodwin noted recently on “The Colbert Report,” nine of 43 American presidents were vice presidents who succeeded their commanders in chief. With McCain at age 72, and if elected the oldest person to assume presidency, Palin’s odds of succeeding the boss would be higher than any previous VP.

It was pathetic then to watch U.S. Sen. Joe Leiberman tell a journalist that nothing bad will happen to McCain, so don’t ask the obvious “what if” question about whether Palin would be ready to step in and lead.

Sadly, with Palin sheltered from media scrutiny, the most clear-eyed critique of the governor to date could be the Anne Kilkenny letter that is circulating on the Internet. Yes, a letter written by an Alaskan that she sent to 40 friends family members. It’s gotten wider circulation on the Web. The letter was run through snopes.com, the site for debunking myths, rumors and bald-faced lies, and the letter was deemed credible. Kilkenny’s tone was not that of Palin hater or fan, but citizen who offered an assessment of elected official with a checkered record.

One of the bullet points explains that former Mayor Palin authorized construction of a multimillion dollar recreation center in a community that lacks basic services like a sewerage system and the center became a colossal money loser that burdened taxpayers.

When I read Krauthammer’s commentary in my local newspaper in Virginia, I understood his anguish regarding McCain’s VP choice. I also understood his skepticism of Obama’s light government service resume by previous standards, yet I am more comfortable about the capabilities of the Democratic candidate. In 20 months Obama has demonstrated extraordinary organizing and money raising skills. He has shown that he knows how to set a tone and delegate authority.

Obama outhustled and outmaneuvered an experienced and carefully vetted woman presidential candidate. Obama earned his way to the unlikely position presidential candidate and probable winner.