However, Duberstein — an adviser to Sen. John McCain’s failed 2000 primary bid — added an exclamation point by contrasting the level of vetting Palin reportedly received from the McCain campaign with the hiring process at the nation’s largest fast-food chain.

“I think [Palin] has very much undermined it, the whole question of McCain’s judgment. What Most Americans, I think, realize is that you don’t offer a job, let alone the vice presidency, to a person after one job interview. Even at McDonald’s, you’re interviewed three times before you’re given a job.

So I think the whole question of whether or not she is fit, not to be vice president, but to be president in an emergency on day one, people have resoundingly said, ‘Don’t think so,” including Larry Eagleburger, one of the strong supporters of John McCain. Larry, in a fit of reason, said ‘No, she’s not ready to serve.’”

But in all fairness to McDonald’s employees, flipping burgers and slinging fries is serious business — not like, say, leading the free world.

UPDATE: In an interview today with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, which will air Sunday, Duberstein became the latest high-profile Republican to say he will be voting for Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday.

UPDATE No. 2: Here’s the video (Via Ben Smith)

Third-grader Brandon Garcia asked what Palin thinks the vice president’s job entails. Palin replied:

[T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.

Palin first propounded her expansive views of the vice president’s office during the vice presidential debate with Sen. Joe Biden. When moderator Gwen Ifill asked her if she believes, as Dick Cheney does, that the vice president is not solely a member of the executive branch, Palin responded that there is “much flexibility” in the job.

Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president’s agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we’ll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation.

The whole Colorado interview is worth watching. Palin talks taxes, energy and her views on funding programs for special-needs children. The comment about the role of the vice president is around the 7-minute mark.