The Palin Puzzle

Maybe Krauthammer isn't as dumb as I thought he was.

Palin is more ready to lead than Obama, and isn't seeking the same job.

Palin is a gift to Obama. Do people feel safe knowing that if McCain gets cancer again and is President she would be ready to lead ? As an Republican I am disgusted

Charles - Keep in mind that the reason the Republicans are in a mess is because they forgot their conservative principles, particularly on fiscal policy. The Democrats have mistaken the lack of popularity in the "generic" Republican politician. They believe they've a mandate for extreme liberalism. They think its a mandate to "rush to the left". I counter that its the exact opposite. We (the conservatives in this country) want our Republicans to be conservative - something Mrs Palin has demonstrated while in a leadership position. Mrs. Palin is exactly what McCain needs to invigorate his core conservative base...

To answer the why: 1-He was afraid the evangelical Republicans, the ones responsible for putting Bush over the top, would sit on their butts come November. It was either this or Pawlenty's wife via Pawlenty. 2-He thinks a hydrocarbon based energy policy will hurt Obama more than the experience attack. He rose in the polls with offshore drilling, not Obama is inexperienced. Palin comes from energy Alaska and is not afraid to advocate for oil and natural gas exploration. 3-After four nights of hearing how McCain voted with Bush somewhere between 90 & 95 percent of the time, it is nice to have someone with no opportunity to vote with Bush and who came by the Governorship via the defeat of a Republican Governor on the ticket. This reminds people why they liked McCain, he is supposed to be a maverick. She really is a maverick. At least up until she had her brother-in-law fired.

Actually Charlie, Sarah is good choice and not because she is a woman.

Sarah shores up McCain relations with his conservative base. She is smart and articulate as well as photogenic. I know because I interviewed her on Talk radio in Kenai, Alaska during her run for governor.

Not only does talk the talk about being opposed to abortion she walks it. She knew well before the birth of her last child that he had downs syndrome. It was not obvious that she was pregnant, so she could have aborted without the knowledge getting out. Instead, she gave birth knowing the hard road ahead. That is character!

As far as experience, she just completed a 17 billion dollar deal to buld a natural gas pipepline to the lower 48 over the objections of Big Oil. What deals has Obama really done other than some shady ones?

While I am not wild about her abortion position, she is qualified to be veep. Should circumstances demand it, she'll be ready to step in and get the job done, and likely better than Biden would do.

PS: Oh, charlie, I actually voted for one of her opponents for governor in the general.

McCain had LOST as of last night. Palin is just the last nail on his coffin. Personally, I can't wait to see Lieberman;s face when he tries to promote this Bible thumping, home-schooling, pro-choice ticket.

I thought it couldn't get better after last night, but now I am 100% confident of an Obama win come November.

Palin has a degree in journalism and was able to run a state with abundant natural resources and a tiny population. That hardly qualifies her as “experienced.” That’s like thinking the CEO of a 20 person start-up can run a Fortune 500 company. Alaska is the boondocks of politics and her qualifications wouldn’t even allow her to be mayor of a major city like LA, Chicago or New York.

Palin looks great on paper but her experience in the backwaters of the country are nothing compared to negotiating politics in a place like Chicago.

Can you imagine Putin dealing with Palin? Wolf meet chicken coop.

Palin has a degree in journalism and was able to run a state with abundant natural resources and a tiny population. That hardly qualifies her as “experienced.” That’s like thinking the CEO of a 20 person start-up can run a Fortune 500 company. Alaska is the boondocks of politics and her qualifications wouldn’t even allow her to be mayor of a major city like LA, Chicago or New York.

Palin looks great on paper but her experience in the backwaters of the country are nothing compared to negotiating politics in a place like Chicago.

Can you imagine Putin dealing with Palin? Wolf meet chicken coop.

I think that John McCain brings Washington experience and a desire to effect reform. Sarah Palin is the outsider, also with a desire to reform, who can bring a fresh viewpoint to Washington.

They may be able to forge an alliance that draws on the best of both of their backgrounds.

I agree with Krauthammer about undercutting the experience question,
But a corruption fighter?
Palin is under investigation for ethics violations in Alaska.
Also, does McCain think women are interchangable? That one is as good as another? How little he must think of women.

Obama/Biden '08!

Palin maybe a fine local Alaskan product, may even become an accomplished Governor, but a VP candidate, she is not. Charles Krauthammer is no idiot,he is biased towards the Republicans, yet he thinks this is the wrong move.
Just what I thought of McCain's pick-dumb, dumber and dumbest.

Maybe Krauthammer isn't as dumb as I thought he was.

Posted by: William Madden | August 29, 2008 4:40 PM

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No, Krauthammer is as dumd as you thought. It just so happens that McCain is even dumber.

I am reminded for some reason of Monica Goodling.

She is quoted as saying she has no idea what the VP of the United States does. She also is quoted as saying Hilary Clinton is a whiner. The first part is insulting to anyone's intelligence the second may be true but if the McCain camp wants to attract Clinton democrats this does not help.

She may indeed be able to rise above the low expectations everyone one has for her but even in 2004 with a massive social conservative turnout the election was pretty close. If Kerry had a few more votes in Ohio he wins the election.

Not impressed with this choice. Should have picked Rommney.

McCain + "Palin" = "Nail In" coffin.

The obsession with the death of the candidates is interesting.

Question: which candidate has a living parent?

Doesn't it make you feel comfortable that she just could be our Commander-in-Chief to fight wars in Iraq and dealing with Afghanistan, China, North Korea and Putin?

McCain's campaign managers and advisors will be working at McDonalds when this thing is over. The ones with a good head on their shoulders oughtta jump ship now. Holy, crap. What are they doing?

"Charles - Keep in mind that the reason the Republicans are in a mess is because they forgot their conservative principles, particularly on fiscal policy."

Incorrect. The reason the Republicans are in a mess is because their party is run by a bunch of incompetent, imperialistic, corrupt blowhards who couldn't govern their way out of a wet paper bag. Ideology always trumps common sense, and money always trumps ideology.

Was Palin in favor of the Bridge to No Where in Alaska that your taxes helped pay for with a Senator Steven ear mark ?

Also she makes for a good soap opera: "Palin is under investigation for her firing of a state official, Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. She has been instructed to hand over documents and recordings of telephone conversations as part of the probe, which grew out of allegations she sacked Monegan for refusing to fire her former brother-in-law from the state police."

"She has denied any wrongdoing, But Palin acknowledged that a member of her staff made a call to a trooper in which the staffer suggested he was speaking for the governor."

"Palin has admitted that the call could be interpreted as pressure to fire state trooper Mike Wooten, who was locked in a child-custody battle with Palin's sister. She suspended the staffer who made the call."

Sounds just what we need for the country in these times... a good soap opera.

John McCain's vacuous choice for his Vice Present leaves the two major parties with pathetic tickets. We, the people, need a real 3rd party ticket: Hillary (for President) and Obama (for Vice President). Let the momentum begin!

I agree completely with the first comment by William Madden. Remarkable. Maybe when Krauthammer is stunned he forgets to be partisan.

For once, I agree with Krauth.

They had a solid selection: Pawlenty. But they've decided to take the crazy train to Alaskan Republican politics.

It'll be a fun show to watch, but they're on a track straight for the cliff now

I think McCain may recognize the campaing is lost without the hail mary, last night clinched that. The nomination as I see it is two-fold:

1. Try to steal the mantle of change enough to make the race winnable, homping everything goes perfectly (which it needs to) and he gets a little luck too.

2. Reframe the Republican brand for the good of its future. Palin, Jindal, and other young Republican reformers are the future of the party- take Palin under his wing now, and McCain can use that to steer the future of the party more in his image. A more conventional candidate would leave him little influence or legacy once the race is over.

I applaud selecting someone with pro-life credentials.

I have to say though... no one votes for the VP spot. I would have prefered someone with more economic clout. It would have balanced the ticket.

McCain is turning into such a wild card its depressing.

Charles and I don't agree on much, but I agree with him here. There are a little over 60 days between now and the general election. Sarah Palin is a near complete unknown. She seems to have a good story, but I am beginning to wonder about McCain's judgement and vetting process.

I normally don't agree with anything Mr. Krauthammer says, but he is right on the mark with this one. I have to think McCain felt desperate to shake things up, but he has lost any ability to criticize the Democrats on the inexperience issue. Think for a minute--a 70+ candidate with health issues. A VP who hasn't even completed one full term as governor of a sparsely populated, remote state, and has no foreign policy or international economic experience. Yikes! Joe Biden is looking better by the minute..

Krautie, Palin is not just about reaching out to Hillary's supporters. As that can be quite a reach. Palin is also an attempt to heal and solidify his base. To get the Republicans out to vote and not just stay home this year.

It's a smart move. Besides two years as a governor beats four years as a senator in most people's mind. And her short resume is quite impressive for what she has done. Not just what she has talked about doing.

I think it was an inspired pick. She will bring independent woman to McCain and has solidified the conservative base. Rush is in, Dobson is in, as will many, many more conservatives.

After I found out, I donated $50.00 to McCain!

Palin Pick, more propitious than perilous:

http://thecommondefense.blogspot.com/2008/08/palin-pick-propitious-or-perilous.html

The hopelessly right-wing Wash Post editorial page asks the right question: "One can debate whether this is good politically for McCain, but the more important question is, Is this good for the country? Can McCain really say that, if he is elected and something happens to him, she is qualified to be Prez? Of course not." And now this sensible comment from Krauthammer. Reminds me so much of Harriette Myers--it takes a lot, but conservatives are capable of saying the right thing when one of their own makes a completely boneheaded move.

Charles K. is upset because fellow neocon Liberman was not selected.... They had high hopes on Joe..

Biden is boring; Palin is not. Palin just won the Catholic vote for McCain. Will that make the difference? Stay tuned.

Scoreboard shocker today--

Stopped clock: 2, Charles Krauthammer: 1

(and the day's not even done. Can Chuck pull an upset?)

McCain must think all voters are like him: suckers for a nice looking R-AK.

Well, Krauthammer, your boy McCain did it. McSame admits that economics isn’t his strong suite. Neither is statesmanship when he wants us to stay in Iraq for the next 100 years while Bush now sets a timetable for withdrawal. McCain now threatens that we should renew the cold war with Russia. And he can’t distinguish Iran from Iraq, or Sunni’s from Shiites. But how can anyone justify picking a nobody from Alaska as your running mate who’s to be there for America if you are incapacitated. Talk about experience for one of the most important jobs in the country! This is really scary stuff. No wonder Krauthammer is worried!

From LA Times:

And hear this: The 44-year-old Palin, a former city councilwoman, Alaskan mayor, star high school basketball player and beauty queen, is a Republican political maverick (does this sound familiar on a McCain ticket?).

She overthrew her own state party's corrupt establishment in 2005-06 to run without its support and win on a reform ticket against a Democratic former governor, Tony Knowles. See video below.

She's been enjoying statewide popularity ratings of 70% to 80%, not least for her down-to-earth touches, like selling the previous governor's jet plane to fly commercially and driving herself to work in the family Jetta. She's worked against government pork barrel projects; again, a familiar phrase.

Palin, the first Alaskan governor born after statehood, was actually born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. She is the mother of five (see family photo below) and is married to a native Alaskan, Todd Palin, who is a seasonal fisherman and an oil field worker offseason. He races snowmobiles on vacation.

The governor is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Assn., an ardent hunter and outdoorswoman (her family has its own float plane) and is a sure bet to please the antiabortion wing of the Republican Party.

When prenatal genetic testing of their fifth child showed he had Down syndrome last spring, the couple went ahead with the birth in May and now talk of him as the joy of their life. (See photo below.) One of ...

... their other four children entered the Army and deploys to Iraq next month.

Palin is also an ardent advocate of developing Alaskan natural oil resources, having recently signed a bill to establish a new trans-Alaska gas pipeline to deliver energy to the lower 48 states.

In the face of opposition from large domestic oil companies, which have ruled Alaska state politics for many years, Palin supported the 1,700-mile gas line proposed by a Canadian firm.

She also likes to point out that Alaska was admitted to the Union 50 years ago in large part for its trove of natural resources, much of them now locked up, while the country sends billions to other oil-rich nations.

She notes that while the controversial Arctic Natural Wildlife Preserve is roughly 19 million acres of protected federal land, the area actually proposed for oil development with directional drilling is smaller than LAX.

Was this a 3:00 a.m. call? And who was on the other end of the line? Karl Rove, Bush, Cheney?

Lack of judgment ...

Things must be getting very strange over there - a Krauthammer piece that actually makes some kind of sense. I know how resentful Americans get when Brits or other foreigners pass comments on US election campaigns, but, however much of a maverick Palin is (and I'm not clear why that's a good thing), she can't be the strongest of the GOP women on offer to pick up votes from disgruntled Hillary supporters.

She looks great... on paper. When people understand that Alaska isn't even as big population wise as many American cities, that Alaska "politics" are a joke, and that she governs with subsidies from Big Oil, she's going to get ripped. Who couldn't be successful getting Big Oil handouts? Most governors WISH they had a setup like Alaska.

But let's REALLY get to the meat of the issue. McCain in at the twilight of his life and there is a good chance he wouldn't end his term. Is Palin the person you want negotiating with Iran, Russia, North Korea? Is Palin the type of person you want dealing with Putin or Kim? What about the Chinese?

This is woman who runs a state with less than a miilion people, with NO experience in foreign affairs, and an executive experience resume that looks good until you realize its entirely in the backwaters of this country. Let's not even examine the more colorful of her positions, including opposing abortion in ALL case and being a "creationist."

Palin doesn't have the credentials to deal on the world stage at ANY level and is a neophyte compared to Obama, who cut his teeth in the ruthless political environment of Chicago, or Biden, with 36 years of experience on the world stage.

It looks nice on paper but, the more you look at it, the worse it gets.

If the Obama-Biden team does not triumph in the presidential election, it will speak volumes about any clout the Evangelicals may have. McSame and Palin and their right wing minions will overturn Roe v. Wade and any other crucial civil rights decisions, not to mention bring back K streeters like Abramoff's ilk, and give Holy rollers like Ralph Greed a cushy office on the Hill so his born-again bozos can steal from the US taxpayers-all in the name of God! Holy Moses, here we go again!!

This is, in a word, AMAZING. I can't recall ever agreeing with something written by Mr. Krauthammer. Just one more reason to enjoy this blessed day!

I never thought I would ever agree with you..but she totally undercuts any strength McCain had. He loses.

Overall, I think it was a shrewd political move for the following reasons:

1) It sucked the air right out of the sails of the Democrats! Coming out of the convention this week, the Democrats were energized by good to spectacular performances by Hillary, Bill, and Barack. This news cycle would have carried on through the weekend, and at least until the Republican convention next week. Now instead, everyone is rushing to the computer to google "Palin"!!

2) There is an outside chance that she may be able to pull in at least some of the Hillary supporters. Combine that with the "closet racists", McCain might just make it! It is still quite a close race.

3) The Republicans now have a scapegoat in the event that McCain loses. Everyone will blame the lack of experience of Palin. Other key Republican contenders like Romney and Guiliani will remain untouched, and will show up again 4 years from now.

4) If I were McCain, I'd push the idea that Obama speaks of change, but when it came time to make his first big decision - i.e. picking a running mate, Obama ran right back to a Washington insider. McCain the maverick also wants change, and his choice of Palin proves that McCain is willing to back up his words with actions.

I read several posts above where people described Palin as the final nail in the coffin. Hopefully, the Democratic brain trust does not share the same hubris.

I agree with Krauth.

Imagine Palin's resumé as a man. She/He would be a joke. This transparent attempt to steal the "change" mantle from Obama seems horribly irresponsible.

There are so many capable Republican candidates who were passed over this person happens to wear a bra. Can you be any more contemptuous to voters (and thinking Republicans) than this???

I agree, if this were football, McCain picking Palin is a desperate hail mary pass from an old doddering fool. Yes, she was a mayor and governor but of Alaska. That state has more reindeer than people. People act like Obama walked off the street and ran for President. Obama was a state senator for 6 years and was elected a US senator and is serving his first term. He was a community organizer before that. Give the man some credit. I have never seen a white man who ran for office be hounded so much as not having enough experience. It is nothing more but a deep seated RACIST belief that black people are stupid. That's what the whites really mean when they say he is unqualified. Lincoln had less experience than Obama and was a GREAT president. So was JFK and Clinton and neither had much experience either. It's not about how long you've been a senator or govenor, it's your leadership skills, your diplomacy, and being able to disagree without being disagreeable. That's why Obama won over Clinton because all she wanted to do was fight with everyone when she didn't get her way. Obama has the perfect personality and character to bring this country back from disaster. I'm so sick of this experience crap. If you look at history there have been presidents with no experience who ran the country well and people with lots of experience who sucked at running the country (Reagan, Bush Sr.). Nothing prepares you to run an entire country so there's no such thing as having the right experience.

In terms of a team, Obama-Biden is so much stronger than McCain-Palin

This pick is a joke. Meg Whitman would have a better novelty pick than Sarah Palin. Sure, Palin may have been an impressive mayor of Wasilla, and her opposition to Alaska's notoriously corrupt GOP is admirable (it was the only way to fend off the Democrats, by the way). But she such a fundamentally unserious pick. Not only is she completely inexperienced (which undermines McCain's main argument), but she has absolutely no national profile, vision or agenda. She's a purely random pick. A decent and intriguing woman and probably an effective governor of a sparsely populated state. But a heartbeat away from the White House? You have got to be kidding me.

I expected a little more open-mindedness from you CK.

I thought this might happen when the Dems dissed Hillary last week in favor of a (second) blow-hard senator. I applaud the move. It is bold and forward-looking. When the media attack her and the Dems dismiss her as a lightweight all those Pavlovian responses will kick in from the Hillary dead-enders and they will love Sarah because it is not the person they adore but the symbol of womanhood under fire.

What does a VP "do" anyway?

I'm celebrating the fact that Kraut must be having a terrible day today. This is even better than USA losing the Iraq war.

What's more American, than baseball, apple pie, and 'Barbie' for vice president. She's the future of the Republican Party and the future is NOW!

The anonymous quote from LA Times---Do you mean to say her baby is just 3 months old and
the joy of her life and now she is going on the campaign trail. That seems kind of odd to me. I am a woman and understand a need to work even though you have small children but
I don't like a woman with a baby committing to a pres. campaign, sorry.

McCain is trying to steal the white woman vote. Is it going to work? Only time will tell.

I like her! I was a little upset at first but I've been reading her accomplishments and have listened to her and she's head and shoulders more prepared than Obama. This woman has actually LED. That's more than Obama can say and he's running for POTUS.

She is the icing on the cake and Obama should just fold his pillared tent and go home. The game is over.

What strategy does McCain use to attack Barack Obama now?
Experience is out. The Seven Houses gaffe also eliminates the argument that Obama is an elitist. I suppose one viable strategy is
The Reverend Wright thing, so I wouldn't be surprised if that started up.

McCain's VP choice is being described also as a surprise and a "roll of the dice." A chilling scenario crosses my mind where I wake up one morning to learn that President McCain has dropped a nuclear bomb on Iran overnight. Another surprise and a "roll of the dice." And I ask not only, "is she ready to lead?" but "does he make you feel safe?" Most assuredly not. He scares me.

It just struck me that there were more people in the Nutter Center than there are in all of Watsilla Alaska

John McCain has an eye for the pretty young women. That going to get him in more trouble than it help him.

Chuck you forgot to add the part about Palin being an undicteed criminal facing possible impeachment for abuse of power!

What kind of a Christian fires the Chief of Police because he won't fire her sister's ex husband trooper?

Oh yeah - I forgot. A HYPOCRITE NEO-CON would do that!

JackESpratt:

It would be more accurate to say that someone there should fold their tent.

I'm guessing McCain's advisors have decided that the "celebrity" attacks are all played out, and want to change the subject to abortion. But the choice of Palin does seem crazy/desperate. (No offense to Governor Palin intended)

Do us a favor Charles. You are a psychiatrist. McCain is impetuous and a gambler. He's also a hothead who can't hold his tongue and gets in physical altercations. Are these traits dangerous in a President? Would you say McCain is a bit unstable? And hasn't he just made a whole new set of people angry?

V.P. Palin wakes up one morning & is informed that she is now the President. Russian tanks are rolling into a former member of the Warsaw Pact. How comfortable are Palin supporters that morning ?

She's a lot less of a lightweight than Gov. Pawlenty. The best choice would have been Cong. Rob Portman, but obviously McCain places more importance on personally "getting along with" over qualifications or Pawlenty & Palin would never have been favored over Portman & Romney.

Sarah Palin is a very interesting & likeable personality & person but she shouldn't be a heartbeat away from a 72 yo Pres. As a commentator on CNBC said this was "irresponsible" of McCain.

It's 3 AM and the phone rings, VP Palin picks up the phone and hears, thump thump, thump thump, thump and then silence. This is a very serious political choice, given McCain's age, his paternal history of father and grandfather dying at young ages and his history of melanoma. What away to put country first.

McCain let the polls make his choice, it shows a deep selfishness. I vehemently reject him now.

if there is no war, krauthy is not happy...

Simple as that, Palin is not a neocon, or at least is not part of the neoconservative movement. It is not enough for me, but she is surely better than Jo 'where do we start the next war' Liebermann.

Obama-Biden 08.

I thought the GOP was the Party of meritocracy, not affirmative action and quotas? Questions of Obama's readiness and experience are fair, but there is no argument how he got where he did. He earned it! He put together the largest and most well-financed political campaign in history. He's now respected on the world stage. This woman is being GIVEN an opportunity by every measure she is completely unqualified for simply because she's a woman. Christi Todd Whitman, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole, just to name a few, are far more qualified. I certainly don't agree with their policies, and would never vote for them, but I would feel assured as an American that if the 72-year-old President with past health problems suddently died, they could take over the management of two wars, Iran's nucelar ambitions, Russian aggression and an economy in shambles, just to name a few of the enourmous challenges we face. And this from a Party that rails against identity politics. Political sport aside, we all have to live in this country. Honestly, would anyone feel safe with this woman leading it? Seriously?

It's Christmas in August!

Since 1964 there have actually been quite a few "stunner" or otherwise unanticipated VP picks. Almost all of them bespoke serious problems with the candidate who did the picking.

1964--Goldwater picks William E. Miller because no one else in the GOP wants to run with him. The ticket goes down to crushing defeat, and Bill Miller is heard from no more.

1967--Nixon picks Spiro-Is-My-Hero Agnew because he wants to play the race card in a typically sneaky way. (Spiro had been elected governor of Maryland two years earlier against a white racist nut and so looke "moderate." No one bothered to find out that he was a crook.)

1972--McGovern picks Tom Eagleton because no other Democrat wants to run with him, and doens't find out until it's too late that Eagleton is a serial drunk and has been subjected to electorshock therapy. Then McGovern, looking (undeservedly) like a fool, has to desperately look for another candidate and comes up with Sargent Shriver after (again) everyone else turns him down. We know the rest.

1984--Walter Mondale, basically a sacrificial lamb candidate against Morning-in-America Reagan, makes the hail-mary pick of Geraldine Ferraro. She has no experience at being anything other than a professional woman politician and turns out to be married to a man with Mafia business connections--and now we know even more about her judgment. But Mondale never had a chance anyway.

1988--George Bush I picks Dan Quayle because he wants a yes-man and needs to appeal to the Christian Right. Quayle makes a fool of himself as president, but fortunately never has to serve as president.

2000--George Bush II picks Dick Cheney because he has no confidence in his own ability to run the presidency and has some kind of Oedipal problem with turning to his father for help. (Dr. Krauthammer, who's a psychiatrist by training, ought to take off his neocon hat and analyze that.)

What's the pattern here? Weak/disastrous VP picks happen because (1) the candidate and everyone else high up in the party realizes that it's a losing cause from the git-go and only a desperate gamble might work (1964, 1972, 1984); and/or (2) no one else who's plausible wants to go down to defeat (1964, 1988); and/or (3) no one bothers to vet the list properly, usually because there's no time (maybe 1968 and certainly 1972); and/or (4) the candidate wants a yes-man and is afraid of a really good advice-giver (1988); and/or (5) the candidate has some sinister scheme in mind (1968, 2000).

McCain's choice of Palin seems to fall into the (1) category. It's a move of desperation. Moreover, the Republicans really are devoid of presidential talent this year. They are out of ideas, out of gas, out of time, out of luck, and (soon to be) out of office.

Candidates who are strong and smart and really think they can win don't make these kinds of mistakes.

Obama picked Joe Biden from the standpoint of strenght and confidence. McCain had to bring on poor Ms. Palin out of utter weakness.

And before we start praising her too much as the brave and principled mom who was willing to carry a Downs child to term--what is going to happen to that child over the next few months when he needs his mother's undivided attention and care? I may admire her for bearing that poor child, but not for neglecting him now to pursue the will-o-the-whisp of the vice presidency. And wasn't she pretty reckless in galavanting all over the Lower 48 when she was on the verge of going into labor? And reckless (perhaps) for getting pregnant again at age 43, when bad things happen? Maybe she's been putting her ambition first?

Stood up to the old guard (read old boy network) and won? One point.

Sold the governor jet and flies commercial. One point.

Drive herself to work. One more point.

Has a son heading to Iraq. Another point.

Stood up to the domestic OIL industry and won. Ten Points!

I am an independent. Also a fiscal conservative of sort. Don't care about abortion. Don't care much about change for change sake. Don't worry that much about Iraq anymore now that the professionals are back in charge. Don't care about Putin. Russia is the new paper tiger. Don't worry about China. America will compete with anybody. Do worry about the economy. Do worry about the runaway budget deficits that can bring down this country in ten or so years once the baby boomers retire in drove.

Like what I've read so far about the lady. If McCain and Palin will promise to balance the budget in their first term, they will get my vote.

Give me doers. Not talkers. Bush talks a good talk too.

McCain's central qualification is that he was a POW. Palin's strong suit is that she didn't have an abortion. The Republican Party is run by lunatics who have no real regard for anything other than winning elections. Clearly they don't give even a passing care about what actually happens to this country. This choice is beyond alarming.

Krauthammer and I agree on something!!! Did hell freeze over?????

McCain's VP choice is absurd. Obama has been vetted by going through the fire in the public eye, and still he manages to inspire millions of people to optimism toward our corrupted government. He chose an excellent VP candidate that makes us all confident that Russia, Iran, North Korea, Israel, and every other nation will be dealt with intelligently, and from a position of strength. But a hockey mom from Alaska? McCain might as well have picked Lieberman, if he wanted to commit political suicide.

I think the distinction between president and vice-president is important in evaluating this. Sarah Palin is at least as qualified as Obama and has the advantage of not running for president. Now, if Obama was in a supportive role to Joe Biden with a chance to learn something and gain experience, that might make more sense. The fact is, however, her nomination for vice-president is an ever present reminder to those who wish to argue her readiness that Obama is himself unqualified for the presidency.

Dems attacking her experience is laughable !

She has been a successful Mayor and an enormously popular reformist Governor .. someone who actually managed more than a Senate staff, managed a multi-billion dollar state budget and thousands of employees.

If Dems think she is unqualified for VP... than surely Obama is COMPLETELY unqualified for President.

Its a no-brainer but the frothing across the Democratic playing field... gee you should have seen Jack Cafferty on CNN today is a wonder to behold... proves the Hillary-dissing Dems are regretting their embrace of The One and rejection of The Hillary.

Krauthammer's already used up the title "Has he lost his mind?" but it is applicable to McCain after his pick of Palin.

Palin will reverse any Bradlee Effect that would have helped McCain carry Virginia, No Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

The guys who don't have a problem with a woman as a potential President are democrats. Democrats from the North, Northeast, and West Coast.

It is a stupid pick, it is a reckless pick, and from this democrat's perspective, it is a pick that makes it much more likely that Barack Obama will become the 44th President of these United States.

Perhaps McCain was an undercover democratic operative all along; more likely, he has lost his mind.

We obviously have enough Senators in the mix already, right? So ... McCain signs on Mrs. Moral Authority.

Perhaps women are not so easily impressed with the idea of the first woman VP, giving rise to the possibility of the first woman president in 2012. Even so, a pro-life, pro-drilling, pro-husband, family woman that is able to go toe-to-toe with the entrenched political establishment to bring about less federalism -- just may be an effective counter-balance to the simple knee-jerk / ethnic-based / socialist / single-issue Democrat voters that will never vote for McCain anyway, no matter who is running against hime and no matter who he picks as VP.

What a complete joke. McCain might now have sewn up the crazy Anti-Choice vote by picking a Creationist Cheerleader who's main qualification is that she is female and decided to have a baby with Down's Syndrome.

Has he lost his mind?

This shows that McCain is more afraid of fundamentalists in the Republican Party than in the Middle East. The choice was shouted down from the Mountain, but it was from Doctor Dobson from Colorado Springs.

I love her! I love McCain for choosing her! No longer ambivalent on McCain, I am now a big fan of McCain-Palin. She brings a breath of fresh air and personality and a background of effective executive leadership and accomplishments. The only dark cloud on this day is reading that one of my favorites, Krauthammer, criticizes the selection of Palin.

I can see that it does hurt the argument that was working for McCain. But I hope it's not wishful thinking as I agree 100% with Redford: "The fact is, however, her nomination for vice-president is an ever present reminder to those who wish to argue her readiness that Obama is himself unqualified for the presidency." I hope that carries the day.

Note to the Obama's supporters, the One has spoken. You need a new line of attack on Palin. Can the no experience talk:

"The fact that she . . . will soon be nominated . . . is one more indicator of this country moving forward . . . one more hit against that glass ceiling," Obama said. "I congratulate her and look forward to a vigorous debate."

Of course, he prefers his own running mate.

"I'm pleased with my choice for vice president, Joe Biden. I think he's the man who can help me guide this country in a better direction and help working families," Obama said.

He also dismissed his campaign's initial statement about Palin that criticized her inexperience.

"I think that, uh, you know campaigns start getting these uh, hair triggers and, uh, the statement that Joe and I put out reflects our sentiments," Obama said, referring to the congratulatory statement that the two candidates issued later this morning.

Must agree with you Charles. McC just flushed one of his strongest differntiaters, experience and readiness to be Commander in Chief. I look forward to VP debates with Joe Biden vs Ms Alaska.

I have to agree with Charles. McCain has lost his mind.

If she is devoting so much time to politics, why is she having more babies? Who is taking care of her down's syndrome baby. That baby needs its mother even more than normal babies. Easy to pop the babies out, but not so easy to be a real mother to them. This will not go over with conservative base. If you are going to have all these babies, then stay home and take care of them!

I am thrilled with McCain's choice. Palin has the experience to be VP. She has worked her way up from PTA member to Govenor of Alaska. Two years as Commander of the Alaska National Guard is certainly more experience than Obama or Biden has in leadership. She has actual executive leadership in running a government, unlike Biden and Obama, and for that matter McCain. She is a true conservative. She likeable. She is a mom, a wife, someone who has worked outside of Washington and politics. She is one of us, a real person, not one of the phoney slick politicians that we see on TV. I love his choice!

To believe that Palin ,in case of need, would be ready to lead the most powerful Nation on Earth is preposterous and arrogant. To maintain all along that Obama is not ready and make this kind of a choice makes me, a long time Republican,baffled and disappointed. I,like many of my friends, will stay home coming November 4.

It's great to see Mr. Krauthammer with both feet on the ground. Hope he stays here with us.

Executive experience? Puh-leese. There are plenty of cities with more people than the entire state of Alaska.

Another Harriet Miers, but this nomination won't last a week. Look for the exposes in Sunday's paper, and the withdrawal on Wednesday.

The Palin choice is interesting. Barry talked alot about "hope and change" (probably unicorns too) but when it came down to his VP choice....established white guy Senator. Safe choice. With Palin I think we are getting offered something real, something authentic, something that hasn't been manufactured and promoted by Oprah, the media, etc.

Whether its going to work, not sure. But I have a feeling that Barak and his team, having come so close to their being annointed, may be a little nervous.

I mean, the woman hunts Moose.

I was afraid that McBush would have picked Pawlenty, even I, a radical liberal, think Pawlenty is a good and solid politician, but thanks God, McBush had another "senior moment" and screwed up royally.

Hey, wasn't her at some time a beauty pageant? I bet some topless pictures are going to surface any time now...how delicious!

K is right. how dumb can he be to think that the path to victory is to pander to the religious right? and think that he can get the feminist Hillary vote with a creationist prolifer who thinks our daughters should aspire to enter beauty contests and be sex objects for men and read Genesis for their science class?

The experience question didn’t work for HRC, and it wouldn’t have worked for McCain either. Romney didn’t connect with anyone in the primaries, and the far right in the Repub base (I am not one of them) wouldn’t gel with Romney either. McCain has to roll the dice to win anyway, so why not go all the way? If you take some time to read up on what she’s done, I’d say that underestimating her would be a mistake, just like HRC did with Barry. The bigger joke is Barry’s tax cut for “95% of Americans”, in which he is of course including those who don’t make enough to pay any taxes. If he wins, all the Barry lemmings (especially the middle class ones) will be whining in two years when they realize has has raised taxes on everyone to embrace the socialist ideals of his man Hugo Chavez. I also think it’s interesting that Barry hammers McCain about the disenfranchised, when tax records reveal that McCain gave away 26% of his 2007 income to charities, and Barry only 6%.

******************************************
Overall, I think it was a shrewd political move for the following reasons:

1) It sucked the air right out of the sails of the Democrats...

Posted by: Geonerd20 | August 29, 2008 5:47 PM
******************************************

It was more like the Democrats were gasping for air. They were too busy rolling on the floor laughing about Dan Qualye with a ponytail.

I rarely agree with this column writer, but he's right. A definite suicidal ploy, for McCain to try to get someone even less vetted than Obama, so close to the presidency.

******************************************
But I have a feeling that Barak and his team, having come so close to their being annointed, may be a little nervous.

I mean, the woman hunts Moose.

Posted by: Comrade E | August 29, 2008 7:21 PM
******************************************

...and we all know how good the Republicans (Cheney) are with a shotgun. LOL.

The experience question didn’t work for HRC, and it wouldn’t have worked for McCain either. Romney didn’t connect with anyone in the primaries, and the far right in the Repub base (I am not one of them) wouldn’t gel with Romney either. McCain has to roll the dice to win anyway, so why not go all the way? If you take some time to read up on what she’s done, I’d say that underestimating her would be a mistake, just like HRC did with Barry. The bigger joke is Barry’s tax cut for “95% of Americans”, in which he is of course including those who don’t make enough to pay any taxes. If he wins, all the Barry lemmings (especially the middle class ones) will be whining in two years when they realize has has raised taxes on everyone to embrace the socialist ideals of his man Hugo Chavez. I also think it’s interesting that Barry hammers McCain about the disenfranchised, when tax records reveal that McCain gave away 26% of his 2007 income to charities, and Barry only 6%.

Oh, there is a bad moment coming for Ms Palin.
When the moderator at the VP debate asks her if she believes in evolution, she'll say no.
You're not going to win on the experience question, Chuck, the only people who have experience are ex-presidents, everybody else is learning as they go.

...why a game changer when you’ve been gaining? We have to consider. McCain never expected to win the nomination, he was always comfortable in the underdog role. The thought of actually winning the election has scared him. So he throws in a clunker. There's no time in the next two months, for her to be anything else. I feel a little sorry for him, that he had to go to this extreme to ensure losing.

Her only foreign policy experience is sneaking into Canada for the free health care.

To Mike:

"I also think it’s interesting that Barry hammers McCain about the disenfranchised, when tax records reveal that McCain gave away 26% of his 2007 income to charities, and Barry only 6%."

And McCain STILL made more money than Barack. McCain made, what, TEN TIMES the money. C'mon.

The only thing wrong-wingers have is distortion. Mike, you DO realize that 99% of the country makes less than 250K a year right? To act as if he couldn't cut taxes for that number of people is ridiculous. And when your BS fear-mongering doesn't work, you compare him to a communist.

You guys are liars and cowards.

Can you imagine Palin and Pelosi sitting on their thrones during McCain's State of the Union address? Pelosi would have to share the spotlight with a woman more attractive and younger -- and no doubt SMARTER -- than her. Rowrrrr! What a cat fight.

It's worth voting for McCain just to see this.

it just keeps getting better. they have her quoted as saying she hasn't paid any attention to Iraq. and doesn't know what the VP does. she must have been focused on beauty pageants instead of civics in grade school.

Ohh my god I think this means Pickens will officially support the Democrats. The man preaching alternatives to an oil based economy can’t be happy about this selection.

McCain watch out for the swiftboaters, Pickens may have them after you this election. And that last thing you want is soldiers talking about how the only war (and foreign policy) experience you have is being shot down in a jet and sitting in a jail cell.

All of you worried about her experience -
- Obama was a senator for what? 120 days? All he's done in the Senate is run for president.

Still waiting for a good candidate to come along. Palin seems the best of the 4 so far.

McCain just stealed his own fate by taking this risky move he may think it's going to work but it could just backfire in his face.

I was wondering why did Mccain adopt the Change message so quickly. Could it be he finally woke up and realize Senator Obama was onto something with the change message he decide to try it too? Let me give you some advise McCain what works for Senator Obama won't work for you because "Change" is the opposite of your record.

Can somebody tell me Who is Sarah Palin? and what kind of political experience she has?How long has she been in the Senate? how many laws has she passed? What is her voting record like?

Please....give me a break McCain don't insult the American people's intelligence. Don't you think they can see through this ill attempt to get women voters and undeciders.(no matter how many excuse the republicain pudnits try to cover this up (you know who you are)your disappointed with McCain's choice.

Obama/Biden - 08

Every time someone brings up Palin's relative inexperience it will highlight Obama's comensurate inexperience. The difference is that Obama is the boss on day one.

This was a smart pick. It will solidify the base and steal some female independents.

Losing the experience argument against Obama is not the only problem with this choice. Palin is the subject of an active ethics investigation in Alaska. The media will dig into this issue and she will be asked about it repeatedly during the campaign. The real question is what happens if the investigation concludes that she did abuse her power? Will she be able to remain on the ticket? Why would the McCain campaign roll the dice like this?

Well, K. finally got something right. This is an absolutely stupendous miscalculation by McCain. If he thinks this will help him garner Hillaryite voters, he will soon discover that Hillary-Hard-Core gals belong to an aging demographic who have worked hard, and with dedication, for many years campaigning for their champion.
To think they will join forces with a right wing Republican woman whose party has been trying to destroy their champion for years is preposterous.
They might have fooled themselves into believing that John McCain cared about them in any way, shape, or form, but they are possessed of highly tuned "pander" alert systems and they will be outraged.
Obama will welcome them home and they'll be glad to be there, madder than ever.

To Mr. King:

Sir - Liars and cowards? Is that the best line you can pick up while sipping latte’s at Starbucks? I tie BO to Mr. Chavez to point out that BO’s approach, while stealthed in other terms is in fact socialism, with a strong dose of wealth redistribution. Since you are generalizing, the only thing you lefty Chamberlain’s have is this idea that anyone who makes a decent living (full disclosure - I am one of those making over $250k p.a.) somehow just fell into it or that my daddy gave it to me like GWB, never thinking that like The One, I may have actually come from nothing and earned it. I’m sure you also think it’s fine for all those poor, downtrodden welfare queens to sit around and spend money on getting their nails done while you and I are paying for their 3 illegitimate kids. The only thing I need from my government is to kill the bad guys who want to end our way of life. I can take care of the rest myself. If history has shown us nothing, it has shown us that socialism and pacifism doesn’t work Mr. King.

What's the matter with Charles today? Is he really saying the GOP candidate did something wrong?

I usually don't agree with Charles but this time he's got it right . I don't understand how someone who was part-time mayor of a town of 9,000 people, and ahs been governor for only 18 months is qulaified to become backup for a person who would be our oldest ever elected President ! With all due respect to Alaska, but running Alaska isn't even comparable to running most American cities ! And let's not forget Palin won her Republican primary over a corrupt sitting governor and then was elected in a VERY Republican state.
You're right Charles, the "ready to lead" argument is out the window.

Charles (according to his bio) was one of the principle architechs of the plan to install a PERMANENT satellite US state in the middle east. Why is immaterial, but the fact is McCain supports the plan, Obama does not....and Palin???

Ever the realist, Krauthammer knows that Palin has the potential to become President on day 2 and extremely likely to assume that role in the not too distant future. Krauthammer and other neo-cons would prefer to pick the VP for McCain, not let John Hagee, Dobson, and the religious right do so, but Krauthammer lost out.

Just wait until Hollywood comes out and tries to get some of the spotlight. Obama will not be able to resist the lure of the big celebrity. That always plays well with the housewives in Ohio and Florida.... Thats when the race will get tight.

Lookin' forward to sending her to talk with Putin, McCain?

She's a joke. And everyone knows it, with a big mouth and not as much experience as any female executive in New York walking down the street. And has some ethical problems, some not mentioned yet.

The only story here is that Krauthammer is pretending McCain was any where near closing the gap in the campaign.

And that McCain is a reckless, stupid nasty old man with no judgement AT ALL.

Did anyone watch McCain watching her butt while she spoke?

Can't blame him for being sick and tired of
Cindy, perphaps. But it was so funny, in a
horrid sort of way.

Great choice. A Democrat for 25 years, you can be I will vote for HER.

The MSM and the progressive blogs and their sexist comments day after day after, suck on this.

In Re to Roe V Wade. Overturn the damn thing I don't care. Maybe all those young O supporters, both men and women, need to find out what it is like not to get an abortion on demand or not be able to buy birth control.

The Democratic Party that I knew is dead. The new Democratic Party can kiss my a$$.

To Mike: Sorry I'm not much of a latte drinker. And I would expect someone in your tax bracket to be ignorant and short-sighted.

Your "tinkle down" economics has been discredited as a policy on, now, three occassions, Reagan, Bush I and Bush II.

One of the primary tenets of capitalism is fluidity of markets and capital. Clearly, the fact that wealth has pooled in the upper 1% of population is indicative of a system that is flawed. That works great for people like you but not the other 99%. I think it's laughable that wanting fluid markets and capital is called "communism" or "socialism" when it means going after the ones who've jury-rigged the system.

Even your "welfare queens" comment is ignorant. There are a lot of people out there who have lost their jobs and homes who only want the opportunity to make an honest living and provide for their families. You are INDEED a coward because you hide behind labels and brand anyone who wants their fair share of success as a "welfare queen." BTW, I guess you never realized that WHITES make up the majority of welfare cases.

The fact that someone like you, who is obviously ignorant, has become financially successful does more to illuminate the problems with our current system than I ever could.

Who put the gun to McCain's head and Why??

Just this morning Charles was glorying in the fact Obama was an inexperienced, unknown candidate so at least he is being consistent.

This a calculated risk by McCain. It is Hail Mary attempt to pick off disgruntled Clinton supporters which actually reveals the McCain close position in the polls is puddle deep or the handlers still can't control his off the cuff decisions.

He is also taking the chance that he may be putting a couple more red states in play because the people who would never vote for a woman are just as hidden and undetectable but certainly as real as those who would never vote for a black.

Nevada and Utah with their large Morman populations certainly come to mind.

I think if McCain was going to take this kind of risk he should picked Bobby Jaindal.

Who put the gun to McCain's head and Why??

Dr. Krauthammer, I frequently disagree with you on issues but this time I think we are in complete agreement on this one issue. What was John McCain thinking? He was beating Obama to death with the only issue that resonated with voters - not ready to lead. Now he has basically contradicted himself on the very same issue because of a pretty face. Does John McCain think with his head or another part of his anatomy?

anybody that thinks and acts the way this woman does is ready to lead.

Chuck you hit the nail on the head. McCain would have won with a sane choice for VP but this will undoubtedly leave him out in the cold this fall. What a boneheaded play...!

This shows how erratic and unreliable John McCain really is, despite all his vaunted "experience."

Reading the garbage posted here drove me to donate to the McCain-Palin campaign.

Obama=change=socialism

As usual when I read Krauthammer, I am left with questions: why are pontificators who haven't generated an original idea or correct prediction in years still paid to hold forth on matters of national concern as if they had more insight than the average local party central committee member? Why do reputable newspapers continue to give a forum to the same "pundits" who were wrong about the Iraq war and almost every other issue they've touched? Why doesn't Krauthammer retire? Surely he's been paid enough for his invariably wrong analyses of issues he knows nothing about to secure a comfortable retirement income?

When will the Washington Post and other members of the press start publishing the opinions of the many experts who actually have a record of being right about issues? People like Greg Palast and Juan Cole?

Oh, wait. These people don't reflect the agenda of the corporations whose advertising is essential to the survival of the mainstream press.

That video interview of Paulin on YouTube where she asks "what does a Vice President actually do?" with that deer-in-the-headlights look at the cameras is priceless, good for a SNL spoof. I hope the Dems use it illustrate the point that this woman does not have a clue!! Obama has been in Congress for what 8 years? Actually *legislating* over the issues that affect our homeland. Sarah Paulin has been a Governor for what 1 1/2 years? In a state that has more polar bears and moose than people? This VP pick is laughable--he's really senile. Republican women may be really dumb, but we the ones who actually have a brain and can see through Cain's gimmick will give Obama our votes.

"Reading the garbage posted here drove me to donate to the McCain-Palin campaign.

Obama=change=socialism"

Yes, I'm sure you were DRIVEN to donate to the McCain campaign. As if you would have ever voted for Obama anyway.

I'd like to make a personal appeal to all of my followers. We need Barrack Obama as President. Imagine the epic and pageantry of His arrival at the White House. The presidential limo arrives with a coon tail on the radio antenna and plastic dice on the rearview mirror. Obama steps out wearing a broad-brimmed white hat, a wide-lapelled white suit and carrying a boom box that is blasting out a hip-hop 'Hail to the Chief'. The entourage follows him to the Rose Garden for a lunch of fried chicken, chitlins, collard greens and watermelon. Our forefathers and foremothers will be extremely proud.

I was already scared to death at the prospect of the totally inexperienced Obama at the helm.To say that Palin is a "risky" choice is the utter height of hypocrisy.

Those ugly Dems are crying and screaming about how scared they would be if Sarah Palin answers the 3am phone call.

ROTFLMAO!!!

The Dems were truly scared about that call. That's the reason they picked Joe Biden: to answer that damn call (because Nobama can't do it).

McCain's VP pick couldn't be better for the Dems. That's perfect timing. While Obama is talking about judgement, McCain is showing his lack of. It's just too transparent - he picks someone that he believes will help him win, but that pick is not in the country's best interest. At his age and with his health history, he needs a more qualified running mate. It really doesn't make any difference because he wasn't going to win the election anyway. Obama just seems like a better leader, and right now the country really needs to get the Republicans out of the White House. I've voted Republican in every election for the last 40 years, but this time I'm voting Obama.

There are as many people in Memphis, Tennessee as there are in all of Alaska...

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE!!!!!

Does that mean the mayor of Memphis should be Veep?

She's ding-y. She has the look of someone enchanted with herself. She and the GOP are using her tiny Downs Syndrome son. She has little experience, is under investigation, and bumped better-qualified people off the list. Why? Is McCain that threatened by grown up men? Hillary supporters see her as the smarty-pants collaborateur girl with good handwriting who boosted her scores with extra-credit work rather than a sound first round performance.

If evangelical women like her, she will join a cast of Holy Stepford prayer breakfast-goes. But no way a Hillary supporter (Yale law school, law practice, non-profit advocacy, United States Senator) is going to want this whirly-eyed opportunist who hates polar bears and arctic wilderness and LOVES all things oily.

Of course, who thought we would elect a b-movie actor and redbaiter president, or the former head of our secret police?

There's no reason this experiment of the USA has to succeed for the long term. We seem to already be in our decadent phase. Our grandchildren will curse us.

OK. Palin is not ready to lead. She has said openly, "I don't know much about national politics of foreign policy." She's been a mayor of a small town in Alaska and the Governor of that State for little over a year.

HOW IS THAT READY TO LEAD??????

Not to mention she's a militant right winger. I check her bookshelf for the "Turner Diaries"

To Mr. King:

Sir - You may say what you want about trickle down economics, but if you think that Uncle Sam, under any party, spends money more efficiently than you or I, you have lost it. Reality check - When BO raises my taxes by 30%, our gardner and our maid (who make less than you I’m sure but who seem very happy with the way this country us treating them) will be out of jobs, such that BO can waste it trying to make everyone happy. Who wins then? You have the right to call me ignorant, but imply that I am a racist is silly. My point sir was that I am against handouts for those who do not wish to work, period, of any color. I fully support, and do so now, those who have lower income jobs and who need assistance making ends meet. It is the right thing to do. It is however wrong to position the state as the magic pixie dust for all those who feel disenfranchised, especially when a good number of them, of all races won’t get off their hiney’s and get a job. You may impugn my intelligence and it’s relativity to my income level all you want, but all it does is magnify your own self loathing, and your loathing of this country. I’ll not apologize for working hard to get what I have, any more than you should for expecting it to be given to you.

Maybe I don't know football enough, but I always thought you threw a "Hail Mary" pass when you're desperate, not when you're being bold.

If something happens to McCain are we supposed to believe that Palin is ready to deal with Putin, Kim Jong il, Ahmadinejad, Chavez, China, etc?

I think this choice of VP is so selfish of McCain, really, it is the single most selfish act of a politician I have ever seen and that is saying something.

Also, her only academic credential is a BA from the U of IDAHO for journalism...I just don't see how this can get any worse.

What this says about McCain is what's interesting. One down side to John McCain is that he's haphazard and capricious. He makes emotional decisions. The truth about Obama is that he's cautious and deliberate. You can take your choice, it's a free country.

Mr. Krauthhammer, I respect your journalistic opinion but in this point (Palin as VP) I feel you are wrong. What a great pick for Senator McCain. I don't agree with everything she brings but I like the possibility of a woman in the white house. Good luck to her and the senator.

I'm stunned that Krauthammer didn't write a column extolling her virtues. For example, she was a beauty queen contestant, thought that Hilary whined too much, wears furs, doesn't know what the vice president does (leaving her open for shaping), and has no foreign policy (leaving her open for shaping).

Let's review some history.

Republicans thought that Clarence Thomas was the lawyer best qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. They thought Michael D. Brown was best qualified to head FEMA, Donald Rumsfeld was best qualified to manage the war in Iraq, and Paul Bremer was best qualified to manage the occupation.

So why are we surprised that McCain thinks Sarah Palin is qualified to be president?

Paris Hilton would have been a better choice.I question mcsames judgement.

Charles - I'm afraid you've been in Washington too long yourself. Everyone I know applauds this choice. I try a fair amount of jury trials, and its those "experts" that never see it coming that get surprised - and I'm talking about you.

mccain's judgement is horrible. as the story about him in today's post indicates, he changed 20 schools, almost got booted out of the navy where he graduated at the bottom of his class(425 out of 441) and being a poor pilot crashed two planes,endangering lives in spain. he was interested in the 'decline of rome' and now threatens to continue bush's work-take america further down the path of decline. mccain call's himself a maverick and 'independant from bush'.it is nonsense and only dumb republicans like him believe it. he was a total looser and his dad decided to send him to the navy. he quarreled and brawled wherever he went and the navy wanted to kick him out. they did not,but only because his dad was an admiral.mccain visited a stripper for sexual pleasure.then he married curvaceous carol, who he dumped later when she was crippled.

the republicans lack talent and ideas, and the VP is a figure head. but now mccain has selected a political non-entity for VP, to seduce voters-and get the votes of disaffected hillary supporters in particular. the republicans routinely send reporters with nice legs to the tv shows-hoping to seduce voters. all mccain cares about is getting into the white house.economics is beyond him and it will be four more disastrous republican years in the white house if he is elected.

mccain's 26 years of experience is a useless piece of history-he is a mentally and emotionally disturbed person who never learned how to think. his foreign policy is a disaster-he is still fighting the vietnam and cold war like the crazy japanese stuck on an island who did not know world war 2 was over till '75.

mccain and the republicans are loosers. it is a pity that they are dragging the country down with them.

Unlike Mr K, the McCain campaign has grasped that the American electoral system (admittedly bizarre, but the one in which this drama is taking place, according to the best sources) takes no account whatever of the accumulated national vote total, in which McCain was creeping forward. Obama has always maintained a stout lead where it counts, in the electoral college. Hence the motive for what is in fact, and here he has got it right, even if by accident, the most deliriously splendid act of public self-evisceration in recent memory.

I think she's hot.

Obama is running for the president and his weak record, added to all his other appalling character flaws and questionable past, have far more significance than a lack of experience in a vp candidate. Furthermore, Palin has some characteristics that Obama woefully lacks--ethics, courage, tenacity, real actions that brought positive change, as opposed to Obama's empty talk, and she's real in a way that most Americans, especially women, can relate to. Obama is a fraud who needs a second-in-command--a corrupt old white politician--to teach him how to do his job. Palin would be learning from her commander-in-chief, who may be an old white guy, but he's not corrupt, as are Obama and Biden. The McCain/Palin ticket is a far superior choice for this country than that empty suit and his jaded, aged running mate.

A political joke!!!!

Alaska and Delaware have more or less the same population. So, those ignorants who attempt to diminish Sarah Palin's achievements in Alaska should first take a look at Joe Biden's home state.

But why a game changer when you’ve been gaining? To gratuitously undercut the remarkably successful "Is he ready to lead" line of attack seems near suicidal."

OH, CK, WHY? THIS SEWARD'S FOLLY IS TRULY MCCAIN'S FOLLY! WHY DID HE DO IT?

HE WILL, I HOPE, LIVE TO REGRET IT.

can mccain be serious ?? all the talk of ready to lead . obama speech was inspiring and moving. did it scare him into a stupid choice. thanks johnny!!!!

To Mike: Sorry but you are wrong:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR2008082802851.html

As for "self loathing," you are incredible. My spouse is a director and was project manager of a 3 million dollar program that was brought in on time and on budget. She improved efficiencies by over 1000 PERCENT and had ROI in ONE YEAR of creating her software infrastructure. She had to leave her company because of ethics problems at the executive level. It took her FOUR MONTHS to get another job. She sent out over 200 resumes and got ONE interview and was fortunate to get the position. She is STILL getting rejections from her applications and it has been almost 8 months later. And this is a woman who used to turn down job offers in the 90's. She's one of the lucky ones.

Even Warren Buffett has acknowledged that the government is returning capital to the uber wealthy faster than they can use it to make opportunities. If the world's greatest capitalist is acknowledging a problem, then there is definitely a problem.

From what I know of Barack's plan, he intends to turn the tax rates for the wealthy back to the way they were during the Clinton era. From what I understand, that would only be a 5-8% increase. You may lose a bit more on the closing of loopholes but I highly doubt it will change your lifestyle, especially if you can afford staff. However, me and my spouse have a young child, make more money than we did in the 90s and actually have FAR LESS disposable income with little change in our lifestyle. And we are very fortunate. There are many out there who have lost EVERYTHING.

Compassion is free. You should get yourself some.

Yeah, there are hundreds of mayors and dozens of governors around the country.

Among them all, only Sarah Palin has given birth to -and is raising- FIVE CHILDREN.

And none of them look as amazing as Sarah Palin.

Those ugly Dems in panic mode right now!!!

ROTFLMAO !!!!

If McCain wanted a woman, why didn't he pick one with more experience (since that's his pit against Obama) like Kay Bailey Hutchison, or Susan Collins, or Olympia Snowe (who's is a maverick and would attract independants)? Instead he picks a woman with less than two years as govenor but looks great in a fitted skirt suit. As a woman I am insulted by this blatant tokenism, a man with her resume would never have been picked. This isn't a feminist decision at all but a cheap manipulation of identity politics.

I live and work in Juneau, Alaska. I know Sarah and many others that know and work with her everyday. We are shocked by this pick. She is an interesting person and did step into a difficult role as a new governor in a state being run by old boys that had lost touch with the people and were making deals behind closed doors. However, we also know this is over her head. She could be ready to do the job in many year but she doesn't have what it takes to do it now and more so on "day one." I say this as someone that knows her, voted for her and have voted for most of the republicans in Alaska for over 14 years. She is not as "perfect" as McCain will attempt to market her! There is meat on the bones of the mess she is in with the state trooper issue. It may not be that big a deal but it is true. We (locals) also wonder why she waited 7 months to even tell the public, including her staff, she was about to have a baby. The rumors in town are many and complex. But at this point they are still just rumors. McCain will say she is popular and I know the numbers say she is rated well. However, this is in part because she followed a governor that was out of touch and didn't care about us. She also just gave us all a $1200 energy dividend on top of our normal dividend. You will also hear that she cut the budget, but that isn't true. The total budget went up 30% this year and she did it by taking advantage of the higher oil revenues and a new tax on oil companies. This will appeal to some dems but I know personally local reps are not happy with it. There is just too many issues and questions that only we in Juneau know about to outline here but I must say knowing her like we do it likely has far more to do with her "look" and being a "women" and he thinks he can market her to win some votes. Bad pick from where I sit and right now that is looking out my window at her governor's house.

mccain, kiss your butt goodbye

"but he's not corrupt, as are Obama and Biden."

NOT EVEN NEARLY. PARTICULARLY WITH THESE LATEST APPALLING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT BIDEN'S VOTING RECORD CONFLICTS WITH HIS SONS' BUSINESS INTERESTS! BIDEN STINKS! AND THE CULT STAR IS STRAIGHT UP SCARY! SCARY!

OH WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO US, MCCAIN? THIS DOES NOT SPEAK WELL FOR YOUR JUDGMENT! IT WAS CINDY, WASN'T IT? I BELIEVE SHE WAS THE ONE WHO WANTED THIS! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE MILLIONS OF DEMS. CROSSING TO VOTE FOR YOU MCCAIN, NOT NOW! YOU'LL HAVE TO BE CONTENT WITH THE RIGHT WING CHRISTIAN FASCISTS! NOT A VERY APPEALING CROWD, OR THAT LARGE, BY ANY MEASURE!

O WEH MIR!

are we being punked?????

Oh, this just gets better and better.

OK Neocons, answer me this-- how does 2 years as a mayor of a town of 8000 and 1 1/2 years as a governor of a backwater (no offense) state with a population less than that of the entire city of Milwaukee possibly have ANY more executive experience than a a person who served IN WASHINGTON for 4 years AND in the Illinois state legislature for 6 years AND was president of the Harvard Law Review?

This is a joke and I, as a woman, do not find it the least bit funny. But I can't say I am horrifically dismayed either. This was such a blatantly desperate move by the RNC, and the nail in the coffin. And the media can spin it ALL they want--but Palin will end up being the Harriette Myers of 2008.

Kraphammer must be tired of trashing Obama in every column. I would bet all the idiots in the White House that he will go back to that course in his next full column.

If I were any presidential candidate, I wouldn't choose a running mate with event the smallest cloud drifting over their head. I remember what happened to George McGovern with his first running mate, Tom Eagleton, resigned after word of his mental health record leaked out.

Interesting observations, akwatcher-thanks for that... I guess.

are we being punked ?????

This time you're wrong, Dr. Krauthammer! I'm so excited I just gave McCain/Palin $2,300 and I challenge all Americans to do the same or as much as they are able...
https://secure.johnmccain.com/Contribute/ContributeB.aspx?guid=aa60f933-6b64-449a-80af-0a52994863dd

Oh, this just gets better and better.

OK Neocons, answer me this-- how does 2 years as a mayor of a town of 8000 and 1 1/2 years as a governor of a backwater (no offense) state with a population less than that of the entire city of Milwaukee possibly have ANY more executive experience than a a person who served IN WASHINGTON for 4 years AND in the Illinois state legislature for 6 years AND was president of the Harvard Law Review?

This is a joke and I, as a woman, do not find it the least bit funny. But I can't say I am horrifically dismayed either. This was such a blatantly desperate move by the RNC, and the nail in the coffin. And the media can spin it ALL they want--but Palin will end up being the Harriette Myers of 2008.

are we being punked ?????

From Anonymous
Palin is more ready to lead than Obama, and isn't seeking the same job.

#######################################

That's like having a co-pilot in the cockpit who really isn't there to fly the plane. It's his or her job to assume the presidency at any moment without any warning.

Maybe he should have nominated Michelle Obama. She's more qualified.

But the Republicans do love their women barefoot an pregnant.

Careful what you say, folks. Some of those videos today showed Gov. Palin as very competent with a fully lit M-16 combat style rifle and in Alaska, groundless insults can be taken personally.

As an Independent, anyone who does not have either the neolib OR neocon Washington mind set would be an improvement, especially since she appears quite able to think without the help of either. Since the 40 million of us Independents didn't have much say about the presidential candidates, we will have to start getting the neolib and neocon 'earmarkers' out of Congress.

You said it all donna - Palin being the Harriet Myers of 'O8. I can't wait for Biden to rip her Stepford Wife image apart in the debates, if she even agrees to a debate.

You said it all donna - Palin being the Harriet Myers of 'O8. I can't wait for Biden to rip her Stepford Wife image apart in the debates, if she even agrees to a debate.

Please tell me today is April 1st.

This is a brilliant choice! Not only does Sarah Palin look great. She IS great: a mother of five (no abortions); she has a handsome husband who happens to be a unionized blue-collar worker; they are both outdoor athletes and conservationists; they have wonderful kids, one serving in the military. On politics, she has been a successful reformer. She walks the talk of reform. No empty suits here.

We have seen what happens when a President is in over their head. But Sarah Palin makes George Bush look like FDR! We have seen what happens when single issue voters put Bush in office. Have we forgotten the last 8 years? These are exactly the kind of people who are trying again to make us think black is white and up is down, and are jumping up and down because Palin is anti-abortion! They deserve a dope slap to shock them out of it.

If nothing else Obama has been vetted on the campaign trail. He has withstood heavy pressure. He has travelled to Russia and other countries as part of a successful drive to pass nuclear non-proliferation bills. Could you imagine one week after the election, McCain keels over with a heart attack, and Palin has her finger on the nuclear button? IT IS LUDICROUS!

The only possible reason for McCain to do this now is to shore up his base. If he needs so badly to do that now, he has lost. Earth to McCain: we're in the general now! The anti-abortionists will jump up and down, but everyone else will run as fast as possible for the exits. Don't you people realize that your single-issue willingness to put reality aside will not work any more? You think Clinton voters are so stupid as to equate this nobody with Clinton's experience? That's why they voted for her, not because she's female! You are truly sick puppies.

Disagree, Charles. There are many constituencies that this pick pleases and some of them are not Republican.

Sarah Palin could quickly become a superstar in national politics. Her biography, her story, her courage, her abilities and active lifestyle, her refusal to abort a handicapped child, all these things set her apart from the run of the mill female politician in Washington.

She's unschooled in the ways of Washington and that may be an asset in this campaign, since the other three candidates are all smooth operators there.

Hillary is down with the vapors tonight.

Yesterday, I believe, Krauthammer argued that Obama had made a very effective acceptance speech, shifting from a lofty rhetoric that was wearing thin to a more prosaic, old-line Democratic, message. Krauthammer argued that the shift was brilliant since the lofty rhetoric had won him the primary but couldn't beat McCain. Moreover, he argue, the conventional Democratic message to which Obama was shifting could hardly lose in a year in which Republicans were in such clear disfavor.

Now he says McCain made a mistake by shifting from that which was working by choosing a running mate whose selection undercut the "Obama has no experience" argument. So, one day he says Obama's new strategy is unstoppable, and the next day he says he is mystified by McCains shift. I'm mystified by Dr. Krauthammers contradiction.

The Experience argument probably wasn't going to work for McCain once Biden was chosen, and McCain decided to attack Obama's weakness (no Hillary) rather than his former weakness (no experience.)

Anyhow, McCain probably isn't intending to die any time soon, and he probably figures that by the time he does (if he does die in office) Palin will be ready. She is as ready as Obama is today.

Krauthammer's argument fails because his very premise is wrong. McCain hasn't been gaining on Obama; Obama has been falling back to McCain. To this point, McCain had been running a campaign very much like John Kerry: no excitement, nothing exceptional, just let the opponent beat himself. McCain had done virtually nothing (as the public was well aware) to cut into Obama's lead. Obama was simply losing his mystique by becoming just another candidate. McCain's taking a gamble here, but if Palin proves competent, he will have made a great move.

Unless VP candidates are truly awful, voters don't generally vote on VP candidates but on Pres. candidates. McCain could have went with a safe candidate and continued to run the same ho-hum campaign, waited for Obama to fade and lose key states, and backed into the White House, but that's not a winning strategy against Obama. Instead, he chose someone who doesn't have many negatives that Obama doesn't already have, as well as someone who will bring attention and excitement to the McCain campaign, an asset far more important to the campaign than appealing to blue-collar voters in Pennsylvania or pro-choice conservatives.

Overwhelmingly, criticism of Palin has come from Obama supporters (with the exception of C.K., who in no surprise to anyone was hoping for a strong conservative white male), which says a lot given that THEIR candidate accepted the nomination before 84,000 people yesterday. Indeed, is ANYONE in the media still reflecting on the 84,000 at Invesco Field?

McCain picked a VP who can draw attention to his campaign like Obama can to his own, but with the paucity of record of a David Souter.

There is no question that Palin will be groomed solely for the purpose of solid campaigning and faring respectably against Joe Biden in debate. If she succeeds in these areas, she will have been an outstanding choice. McCain's ability to compete against Obama is not dependent upon acquiring Hillary supporters; it is dependent upon his ability to lead a campaign that is not a corpse like that of Bob Dole in '96. As Obama continues to lose his mystique and abandons the positions that made him a candidate for change in the past, McCain now has a chance to, for the first time, make gains against him.

This was a desparate bone toss to the radical right. McCain has not only destroyed his most effective argument against Obama (experience; ready to be commander-in-chief), he has opened up valid questions about his judgment.

"Alaska and Delaware have more or less the same population. So, those ignorants who attempt to diminish Sarah Palin's achievements in Alaska should first take a look at Joe Biden's home state.Posted by: aaron87"

___Faulty analysis. Biden is one of 100 people responsible for running the Senate's constitutional, nationwide mandates. He may be sent from Delaware, but he participates in governing the entire country.

Delaware is also an older and more diverse state - with regard to population, industry, urban and rural issues - you name it, Delaware has to deal with it without a bushel full of oil revenue and oil taxes. In short, it's more like the rest of America than is Alaska. And even if you're not a unionist, you've got to give years of service some weight.

The point ought not to be to win verbal volleys - it ought to be to figure out what is true and what is worthwhile.

McCain + Palin = Worse Than Bush = Even Worse Than The Same = Failure

And remember...

ANTI-CHOICE = ANTI-CONTRACEPTION

Well, the Republicans just out "minoritied" the Democrats! Now, the choise is you are "racist" if you don't vote for Obama, and you are "sexist" if you don't vote for Palin. What a great choise to fight the Democrate politics of divisiveness.

What a team ---

Noun-Verb-P.O.W

Noun-Verb-Mother-of-Five

Whose hands would you prefer at the nuclear button?

a) The hands of an experienced hunter, who happens to have her son in the military?

OR

b) The hands of someone who just "missed" the button 129 times when voting in the Illinois Senate?

Yeah, it's a big joke, alphadoor. Real big joke. Why don't you just volunteer for President? Hey anyone knows how a button works, right? Even you.

Let's hear what Karl Rove had to say about something like this:
Referring to Gov. Tim Kaine, someone with considerably more experience:

"So if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, `You know what? I'm really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States? What I'm concerned about is, can he bring me the electoral votes of the state of Virginia, the 13 electoral votes in Virginia?'"

In this case it is even worse. It is shoring up the base. The desperation of you folks to generate some excitement is palpable. Let's just look at what happens when reality sets in.

Charles is right on the money as usual. For weeks, Karl Rove has been saying that Obama would select his running mate based on politcal expediency and not the ability to govern. He was proven totally wrong. Now McCain has decided to pander to Democrats. What say you now Karl? Obama will win with 350 electoral votes. And if it is true McCain only met with Palin once as reported this evening,then I seriously question his judgment. I have spoken with my dentist more in the past year than he has with a prospective commander in chief!

"Anyhow, McCain probably isn't intending to die any time soon, and he probably figures that by the time he does (if he does die in office) Palin will be ready. She is as ready as Obama is today."

******************

No one ever "intends" do die. After 9/11 how can anyone in the US imagine that a vice presidential pick is anything other than critical from the word GO> she is about as qualified as George Bush was when he was elected. Look where that got us.

***********************************

It's worth voting for McCain just to see this.

Posted by: lory | August 29, 2008 7:53 PM

***********************************

For the love of all things sacred, please do not gamble the future of this country just to "see" what would happen.

It is hard to see Palin as a serious pick for the Vice President of the United States. This choice seems more like a gimmick for McCain to try and gain some of the 18 million votes that Hillary Rodham Clinton received in the primaries. As a woman, I feel offended that Senator McCain and his camp believe women are stupid enough to fall for this gimmick. Yes, women should be empowered knowing that barriers are being broken, but is this really the wisest choice? Is this the right choice for our country right now?

John McCain, has thrown a hail Mary in order to try and get
some of the Hillary Clinton vote.
We have now moved from a contest to a farce.
The only pick up with Palin on the ticket is 13 year old boys who will
abandoned visions of screwing either the "Hot Mom" next door or their own actual
mothers. Great demographic if you want to sell Miley Cyrus posters or Britnet Spears atire but to young to vote just yet.
Hillary voters would vote for Rick Santorum and Ralph Reed before they'd
pull the lever for McCain/Palin.
In fact, any of the potential Hillary cross over might be insulted by
McCain's pandering and either vote their party out of respect for Hillary
and the quality of Democratic party's candidates or just skip this one
altogether. The third possibility is that they will be reenergized and turn
out in large numbers for Obaba and that is the one I think most likely.
Democrats don't just want to win this one. They want to crush the life out
of the Republican's and a big chunk of America - Dem and Repub alike - feel
the same way. Bushco has really pissed people off.

It's clear now that there was a real reason McCain graduated at the bottom
of his Academy class.
He just isn't very bright - or in his own words - "It doesn't take a lot of
talent to get shot down. I was able to intercept a surface-to-air missile
with my own airplane." - John S. McCain

Johnson/Goldwater might end up looking like a relatively close race compared
to Obama's margin over McCain.

Just my 2c but this was stupid.

JC

What kind of a monster would seek national office having given birth to a baby with Down Syndrome a mere five months ago. This mommy thing has two edges.

I am always amazed at people who use the "he/she is one of us" argument to support a presidential/VP candidate. I do NOT want someone like me (and with two doctorate degrees, I'm no dummy) running this country; I want someone brilliant and thoughtful and dedicated to public service. More to the point, I ESPECIALLY don't want someone like Joe Blow "sits on my lazy ass wasting my life away watching Dancing with Stars" America running this country. Madness.

McCain's designation of an utterly unqualified right-wing Evangelical ideologue as candidate for vice-president is yet another sad example of how representative democracy in the country is in decline.

Krauthammer has nailed this one. McCain has been poorly advised. This will immediately raise the issue of his health. His father and grandfather both passed away in their early 60's, although his Mom is still going strong. At least even if he did not like Romney, he could at least put Michigan in his column. This choice will assuage the base of the GOP, but that is it. Once Hillary and the national press get on Palin, she is a goner, and so by extension,is McCain.

John McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate means that
Spiro Agnew is no longer the least qualified Vice Presidential selection in modern political history.

Agnew was elected Baltimore County Executive as a reformer and Republican outsider in 1962. Four years later he was elected Governor of Maryland and served in that position for two years until he was selected by Richard M. Nixon as his choice for Vice President. (Pat Buchanan can tell you all about Agnew.)

On October 10, 1973, Spiro Agnew became the second Vice President to resign the office and then pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to criminal charges of tax evasion and money laundering a plea deal to avoid indictment for taking bribes during his tenure as governor of Maryland. If that had not happened Agnew, and not Gerald Ford, would have become President upon Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974.

John McCain is 72 years old and a cancer survivor. The country barely escaped a President Agnew. Are we ready for a President Palin? Senator McCain, do you really believe that the Governor is qualified to serve as President of the United States?

tut, tut, let's not have gratuitous comments about how dumb Krautheimer is. He is very smart...probably smarter than any person on this blog.

She took on the oil companies and kicked butt, raised taxes on the oil companies, turned down earmarks(bridge to nowhere) lowered working peoples taxes, gave $1200 to every working family, isn't a rich millionare, is married to a union member, fights for the common man against corruption in politics, gets coppupt government officals(Republicans)removed from office, belives in protecting individual's rights, and she's a women. Easy to see why the Dems are so scared and hate her. She's the opposate of everything they belive in. If she and McCain were as weak as they say they wouldn't be acting like scared, 12yr old bullies on the playground. Let the sexist, bigoted attacks on the elderly and women begin, the party of inclusion and tollerance is now the new nazi party in America.

HAHAHAHA! Charles is right. For a change -- but then, even a stoped clock is right twice a day. Game, set and match. This election is over, baby. McSame has just commited hari-kari!

McCain: Putting. Country. Last

To "Mom":

Delaware has the most corporate-friendly laws in the United States of America. If you do some research, you may find how many Big-Businesses are incorporated in Delaware.

Wilmington (Joe Biden's hometowm) is the LEGAL center of corporate America, very much like Wall Street is the financial center. Wilmington's main activity is corporate litigation. Delaware attorneys make millions fighting FOR corporate America.

Delaware's carrots for Big Businesses go even further: there are NO SALES TAXES IN DELAWARE. Isn't it wonderful??? Of course, public services need to be financed somehow: through higher income taxes. So, employees pay higher taxes while corporations are tax-excempted. Wonderful!!

Anyway, I think Joe Biden is a good person and a good Senator.

But my original point was very clear: DON'T TRY TO DIMINISH SARAH PALIN'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY MOCKING ALASKA; JOE BIDEN'S DELAWARE IS SMALL -AND HAS SOME ISSUES- TOO.

P.S. I attended grad school at the University of Delaware.

This is laughable, the whole theme of the GOP convention next week was speaker after speaker saying Obama is not ready to lead.When I first heard rumors of this on tv this early this morning, I thought the McCain campaign was just trying to jerk the press around before he announced Romney or Pawlenty. When it was confirmed, I was stunned. She is not known and they will need to spend half of the next 65 days just introducing her, giving the Dems and press time to circle her like birds of prey. I actually feel sorry for the woman and her family. This will make Quayle look like an inspired pick.

John McCain is a reckless man. A vain and
pompous man.
Suggestion: Let Palin withdraw just like Harriet-Meiers.

Choose Rommney.
Think about the country stupid not about the elections,of course the Republican's are going to win any way.Simply because that there are more rednecks than liberals in this country.

LOL. Sarah Palin can cook. She can clean. She can fish. She can hunt. She can play point guard. She can balance the state budget. She took on the old boy network. She faced down the oil industry in a state where they are the industry. She sold the state jet and flies commercial. She drives herself to work every day. She's nursing a baby while sending a son to go fight in Iraq. She's giving a 1200 dollar oil dividend to her state citizens. She even looks hot in a suit!

You Dems are in BIG trouble. Looks like old McCain has picked Wonder Woman for the job.

I thank Almighty God that I had the good sense not to contribute to McCain's campaign. Just think of all those well meaning folks who were duped into contributing to an old, out of touch candidate who has such enormously poor judgment, and whose shelf life has expired some time ago.

She is Wonder Woman alright. When you see her you say, I wonder if that woman could be President; and just as quickly you say, thanks, but no thanks.

To Anon: If you think the majority of people criticizing Palin are Obama supporters, you haven't been paying attention.

Wrong-wingers are VERY upset with this pick... and rightly so. She would make an excellent Veep for the ReThugs... TEN YEARS from now. I just can't see her having anything in the tank against some of today's world leaders. Those guys are PROS and no "hockey mom" is going to be able to handle guys who are not considered hard-core criminals simply because they own their own legal system. Putin would kick Bush and Cheney's ass TOGETHER in a dark alley, blow their heads off, and then try to pick up Laura at the funeral. These guys are RUTHLESS. And Palin is JUST NOT QUALIFIED to deal with them. If it's any consolation, Pawlenty would have had the same problem (besides the obvious issue of sounding like a breakfast cereal).

It is inconceivable to me how McCain made this choice. He met with her ONCE before offering her the place on the ticket. He has now lost the elction, and his mind.

Three points:

1. Why did she have prenatal testing if she WASN'T considering aborting her child? There is no valid medical reason to risk the fetus by having an amniocentesis EXCEPT if the idea of terminating the pregnancy is acceptable.

2. I can see the hulking, lurkers (Cheney, Rove et al) smirking in the background behind this pick.

3. The electorate should INSIST that John McCain undergo neuro-psychological testing. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease rises significantly with each decade after age 60. We need to know before he's elected that he truly is demented.

mccain has no credibility left. he is now saying that obama's experience is an issue but sarah's is not. he went to church for the first time the day he declared his plans to run for president. he is anti-abortion and wants to overturn roe vs wade; he believes that the church and government have the right to intrude into a woman's privacy and women cannot be trusted;he does not believe in equal rights for women after all. a man does not have to justify his personal decisions to the church or government. but mccain wants the women votes. hiring a woman conservative is a sure sign. he was for illegal immigration and then opposed to it;now he is hounding immigrants. and against bush tax cuts before he was for it. he was for bush 90 percent of the time and now claims he is 'his own man'.

Anonymous - you are a dangerously deluded idiot and simply wrong on every issue. Correct me, prove me wrong, tell me that you are not a creationist and a global warming denier.

The man is off his meds. Mr. Krauthammer has not seen anything yet, wait until George and Schieffer get a hold of her on Sunday shows. Lets recap ,McCain finds her qualified to lead the largest economy and military in the world and still raise 5 children. McCain has often said the only job of the VP is to inquire of the health of the President on a daily basis. This being the case, he just lost my vote.

Anonymous - you are a dangerously deluded idiot and simply wrong on every issue. Correct me, prove me wrong, tell me that you are not a creationist and a global warming denier.

William Madden wrote:

Maybe Krauthammer isn't as dumb as I thought he was.

Krauthammer is an intelligent and accomplished man.

That doesn't mean he's right.

Where was Allen Funt and Candid Camera when this announcement was made? It's a joke, right?

Oh boy, as a BO/JB supporter, the next couple months should be fun as the Repubs twist and squirm their way through this one :-) This selection "pales in" (pun intended) comparison to the selection of Quayle.

Now we ALL know that Hillary needs to come after Obama. Will women really switch to McCain for this ONLY because she is a woman? HILLARY NEEDS TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT. Hillary needs to rip this woman apart as only she can. I voted for Hillary and is now for Obama but I KNOW that after Obama she will run again and will have NO COMPETITION. Like me, don't ypu think only Hillary deserves to be the first female president?

Oh boy, as a BO/JB supporter, the next couple months should be fun as the Repubs twist and squirm their way through this one :-) The Quayle selection "pales in" (pun intended) comparison to this one. (See what happens when one tries to be funny ;)

Krauthammer is usually correct, but he blew it this time. When voters have to choose between a ticket with an unexperienced and risky #1 (Obama) and a ticket with an unexperienced and risky #2 (Palin), it is clear what the more sensible choice will be in November.

McCain and Palin will win.

McCain lost my vote and I am a woman. Two years as governor of a state with less people than in Chicago does not qualify Palin for the executive.

After skewering Obama for making his VP choice high drama, McCain one-ups him.

After basing his campaign on Obama's lack of experience McCain picks a woman whose experience is non-existant. Republicans should be outraged that their candidate is pandering to left-over Hillary supporters. Shameful. Irresponsible. Grandstanding. Pandering.

Wow! Am I glad I moved away from D.C. From the replies here, it sure looks like there's something in the water there.

McCain has locked up the presidency with this choice. As much as some might dislike it, conservatives will now turn out in droves.

Furthermore, again whether some like it or not, there are Hillary voters looking away from Obama. They have waited a long time to vote for a woman.

Whereas Biden brings no votes to Obama, Palin could pull 2-3% in states all across the country.

Consider how many states are nail biters on election day. Does Obama want to give away 2-3% in those states?

In sum, McCain's choice was a master stroke. He's selected a running mate whose experience exceeds Obama's. Obama is actually #4 in experience in the pool that incudes McCain, Biden, Palin and Obama.

That's not a position for victory.

Sarah Palin is McCain's Harriet Miers.

Sarah Palin is McCain's Harriet Miers.

halmin.........who are you to call someone else an idiot? Not everyone else falls for your evolution and global warming nonsense. Perhaps you need to look in the mirror when you start calling others names.

I usually agree with Dr. Krauthammer, but I must take exception with his opinion on Mrs. Paline. It is a brilliant selection. In the coming days, we will learn much more about her.

I predict a much more considerable bounce in the polls than Obama's selection of Biden (which was miniscule at best). Obama's main weakness is his experience and national security. I'm sorry, but being a "street organizer", President of the Havard Law Review and a few years as an absent and ineffectual legislator is not a good resume for leader of the free world. The media and democrats immediately pounce o Mrs Paline for her lack of experience - this is losing argument for them because it mirrors Obama's deficiencies...he is just as inexperienced! People will say that the inexperience claim was HRC's strategy and that failed. On the contrary, we all forget just how close the primary actually was and that Obama failed to win nearly every large state.

The voracity of the liberal blogger's comments on this page shows how nervous they are about this pick. Instead of discussing how great and wonderful Obama's speech was supposed to be, we are discussing McCain instead. Obama will be behind nationally by 5 points this time next week.

His pick had to do two things:
1. Solidify and energize a wary base. Done.
2. Pick somebody young. (The inexperienced charge will be less damaging than a ticket with over 150 yrs of experience). Done.
3. Somebody in touch with the common man. Done. This really undercuts Obama's charges against Mc.

There really wasn't any good choices...
1. Romney. A liar, too smooth and polished. Too wealthy???
2. Lieberman. He's a liberal democrat!
3. Tom Ridge. Too vanilla, no personality.
4. Tim Pawlenty. Who?
5. Jeb Bush. Good, but bad last name.
6. John Bolton. Perfect! But not a politician.
7. Olympia Snowe / Susan Collins. Are you kidding! Disaster!
8. C.T. Whitman. Maybe...

By the way, don't be too optimistic that this state trooper thing will bring down the nomination. If that's the worst you guys dig up on her, then I can't wait for November 4.

Kelley Eidem....you're right. There are going to be a LOT of long faces in the D.C. area....and the Obama-Biden camp..... when McCain and Palin take the oath of office next January.

Acccording to what I found on Intelius, Palin has never lived outside of the state Alaska except for her time in college. She's apparently has not lived anywhere else in Alaska but her hometown except for a short stint in Anchorage while she was doing TV sports. Her husband's even more provincial. In all seriousness, can this woman relate to anyone with any kind of ethnic diversity, foreign or domestic? McCain just ran away from any ethnic minority in this country and galvanized the Republican party's "all white" image. Bush, with all his failings, at least tried to give the appearance of being an inclusive president.

The point is simple: . .
1) McCain told us that experience was sooo important.
2) McCain then chooses a VP who has less experience than Obama. Let's face it, Wassilla was run by the city planner not by the mayor. That's the way it is in those small Alaskian towns. The mayor has one vote in the assembly and is a ribbon cutter. Palin's real experience was a Governor of a state whose population is over 2 million less than Chicago. But 16 months as Alaskian Governor does not prepare you like three years in the U.S. Senate. But still there's no question that both are very short on experience.
3)THE BIGGEST QUESTION is really: . . Why was McCain talking to us Americans out of both sides of his mouth??!

For once, Krauthammer is right. McCain probably just handed the election to Obama.

Palin is a game-changer, alright.

Why didn't McCain add Hillary Clinton to his ticket if he wanted a woman? What a real coup that would be! McCain ran a commercial about how qualified she is and how she garnered 18 million votes yet Obama didn't choose her. So why didn't he "reach across the aisle" and choose her?

Instead he picks a candidate ONLY because she is a woman, not because she is a qualified woman and not because she earned 18 million supporters.

What a stupendous lack of judgement on McCain's part.

She's red meat for the religious right. Wait till this comes out. She's a real flat-Earther: anti-abortion, anti-gun-control, anti-evolution, anti-science, anti-polar-bear, and anti-moose (except in the stewpot). And she only, apparently, loves pre-born babies, 'cause she's willing to put her Down syndrome child in the care of a nanny. No self-respecting woman, pro-choice or pro-life, would vote for this.

The Maverick continues his instinct politics!! I trust McCain's instincts and judgement. While I also am a big fan of Krauthhammer, I think once the dust settles and the campaigns get under way, the wisdom of McCain's selection will become apparent. I believe that a Governor has more experience "leading" than a Senator. A Senator manages a relatively small staff and does not have to play hard ball with the real players. They have others summarize bills for them and get catered to by lobbyists. I believe Palin's job as Governor exemplifies true "management and leadership" in comparison to Obama's. Governors balance budgets, deal with unions, control state military units, etc. Palin is an outsider and exactly what McCain's needs. I trust the future cabinet and surrounding players of the McCain/Palin ticket much more than Obama/Biden's. We don't even know where Obama gets all of his political donations from after he flopped on campaign finance. While he makes excellent speeches and is an inspiration to our country, who is grinning and gunning for positions within his camp? That unknown is more troublesome to me. In politics, people expect favors to be cashed in, and Obama seems to have made promises in just about every direction possible (he's a politican not a diety after all). Also, Obama's eagerness to debate McCain on the "temperment and judgement to lead" is empty-handed. McCain has been asking Obama to debate for over a year, only to be repeatedly turned down. There is no doubt that Obama is a brillant politican, but the time for McCain's leadership and wisdom is now. I belive we are all in for an eye-opener when Palin wipes the floor with the naysayers. McCain/Palin can and will deliver!!

The Maverick continues his instinct politics!! I trust McCain's instincts and judgement. While I also am a big fan of Krauthhammer, I think once the dust settles and the campaigns get under way, the wisdom of McCain's selection will become apparent. I believe that a Governor has more experience "leading" than a Senator. A Senator manages a relatively small staff and does not have to play hard ball with the real players. They have others summarize bills for them and get catered to by lobbyists. I believe Palin's job as Governor exemplifies true "management and leadership" in comparison to Obama's. Governors balance budgets, deal with unions, control state military units, etc. Palin is an outsider and exactly what McCain's needs. I trust the future cabinet and surrounding players of the McCain/Palin ticket much more than Obama/Biden's. We don't even know where Obama gets all of his political donations from after he flopped on campaign finance. While he makes excellent speeches and is an inspiration to our country, who is grinning and gunning for positions within his camp? That unknown is more troublesome to me. In politics, people expect favors to be cashed in, and Obama seems to have made promises in just about every direction possible (he's a politican not a diety after all). Also, Obama's eagerness to debate McCain on the "temperment and judgement to lead" is empty-handed. McCain has been asking Obama to debate for over a year, only to be repeatedly turned down. There is no doubt that Obama is a brillant politican, but the time for McCain's leadership and wisdom is now. I belive we are all in for an eye-opener when Palin wipes the floor with the naysayers. McCain/Palin can and will deliver!!

Oh sure. Women everywhere are just champing at the bit to vote for the ticket that has a woman on as second fiddle. So this is what passes for Republican strategy this election.

Do you really think that merely scraping the corruption and filth off of Republicanism is going to satisfy the electorate? Nobody cares about Abramoff, because the legitimate parts of the conservative agenda are such a disaster.

I am insulted that the Republican leadership thinks that women just want a woman in office ... regardless of qualifications. And if they felt they had to go for a woman, are they serious that this is the best they could find? Poor John McCain; he even looked puzzled at his own choice when he was standing next to her. Give me a break--reminds me of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court and Stockdale as Ross Perot's Veep. No one can honestly say she is ready to be one heart beat away...This is a disaster & I for one will not budge out of my chair come election day.

The key word for liberals today is "heartbeat". In a heartbeat, she could become president. This is really just an agist attack in McCain. The last a elected vice-president to assume the presidency was LBJ, 45 years ago! It must have been difficult for McCain to find somebody with "even less experience" than Obama! Again, I think the 'experience' debate is an overall winner for McCain.

It'll be now difficult for McCain to argue Obama's inexperience is a shortcoming. At the same time, Obama camp can not argue that Palin's too inexperienced to be a Vice-President. Hillary Clinton ran on the platform of experienced vs. inexperienced and look what happened.

The Republicans can learn a lesson from Obama before its too late - 'THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT CHANGE'. Besides Palin, is there any other Republican candidate out there who is about 'CHANGE', excites the conservative base and may even appeal to some disillusioned women voters - all at the same time?

McMansions was at the stick a fork in 'em stage already. Palin is NOT the weak link, McPOW is. The most likely explanation is that no one else wanted to do it. Say, anyone remember her from Moscow, ID and the good ol' Idaho Vandals? Since the MSM will not bother to report it, use iReport to let us know, will you? She had to know that this is the way the a campaign is played now. If the only argument is going to be character, since the experience argument is now gone, you are sunk. (R)'s can't win unless they go down and dirty, so reThugs, go for it but be ready for it to ricochet. the citizenry is awake and paying attention, lies don't work anymore.

Maverick? McCain votes with Bush 90% of the time.

Krauty's right. The experience issue is officially off the table.

With this pick, McCain just announced this election is about Change.
It's all over. I smell a landslide.
Fillibuster proof Congress.

Yeeessss!!!!

Alaska has been on the frontier of national security since the second world war. It's central to the economic debate because of its energy resources and the envirnmental debate for the same reason. I was as stunned as anybody at first but starting to think it may be a very clever move.

Plus shes totally hot!

The Dems have jumped the shark. They nominated a totally unelectable candidate and they know it.

I just read every post on this page. Fascinating. The most right-on one:

We have seen what happens when a President is in over their head. But Sarah Palin makes George Bush look like FDR! We have seen what happens when single issue voters put Bush in office. Have we forgotten the last 8 years? These are exactly the kind of people who are trying again to make us think black is white and up is down, and are jumping up and down because Palin is anti-abortion! They deserve a dope slap to shock them out of it.

If nothing else Obama has been vetted on the campaign trail. He has withstood heavy pressure. He has travelled to Russia and other countries as part of a successful drive to pass nuclear non-proliferation bills. Could you imagine one week after the election, McCain keels over with a heart attack, and Palin has her finger on the nuclear button? IT IS LUDICROUS!

The only possible reason for McCain to do this now is to shore up his base. If he needs so badly to do that now, he has lost. Earth to McCain: we're in the general now! The anti-abortionists will jump up and down, but everyone else will run as fast as possible for the exits. Don't you people realize that your single-issue willingness to put reality aside will not work any more? You think Clinton voters are so stupid as to equate this nobody with Clinton's experience? That's why they voted for her, not because she's female! You are truly sick puppies.

Posted by: orrg1 | August 29, 2008 10:03 PM

i have been grumpy for months after Mcain anounced Sarah i was jumping around like a school boy and haven't stoped smiling

For once I feel Krauthammer's pain :(

http://askaboutpolitics.blogspot.com/

The conservative spin machine must be pretty good because they've latched on to a candidate that is BY NO MEANS capable of being VP. Period. Not even debatable. She has zero foreign affairs experience, has operated with a Big Oil safety net, and supports positions that the majority of women DON'T support. How is this a good thing again?

"the time for McCain's leadership and wisdom is now"

No, you're confused. The time for all that was when he still had his marbles, back in the hey-day of borrow-and-squander movement conservatism. Those days are over. McCain is a hopeless flip-flopper.

in 2006 obama voted with bush 49% of the time

James King wrote: "Palin has a degree in journalism and was able to run a state with abundant natural resources and a tiny population. That hardly qualifies her as “experienced.” That’s like thinking the CEO of a 20 person start-up can run a Fortune 500 company."

But that's just the way republicans do things when they give crony appointments. Remember 35 year old Julie Meyers who Bush appointed as head of ICE with no experience in running anything significant or dealing with law enforcement, but was a niece of General Meyers? This seems more like the usual crony appointment.

Here's my take: the republicans are trying to save Ted Stevens. He's gonna need a pardon, so what does would governor want in exchange for a pardon?

Makes more sense than being ready for the VP job. Check out how she handled the Creamery Council in order to save a failing Dairy. She seems more like a loose cannon to me. I can see her now firing everyone at NOAA if it rained on her birthday.

Can McCain really say that Palin is more qualified to be president than Lieberman, Pawlenty, Romney, or any myriad of other candidates?

He picked Palin, not because he thought she was the best person for the job, but because she was the best person for the campaign.

That is not putting the country first, but his own political ambition.

I am surprised to hear Krauthammer express some honest feelings (probably for the first time in his life) about McCain's pick. Maybe Charlie forgot to take his stupid meds last night.

I am so happy to see John McCain make the pick of his life. He has shown himself to be a bigger idiot than we all thought.

To pick Palin was the utmost in stupidity. Points:

1) He picks someone who praised Clinton yet just a few months ago said Clinton was a whiner.

2) He picked someone who is under investigation for abuse of power...hmmm shreds of Bush.

3) He picked someone who said she had no idea what a VP does.

4) He picked someone so right wing that it will in no way pick up the women he all of a sudden cares for.

5) He picked someone he only met 2 times...Maverick...no compulsive and desperate.

6) He threw away the one card that was working against Obama.

I thought he should have picked Romney. Though he cannot stand Romney, he would have been the one who could go toe to toe against Biden. He threw that away.

What a complete idiot.

Until Friday morning, Americans' top issue continued to be... THE ECONOMY, STUPID.

On Friday morning, McCain announced his pick for VP: a Governor who has balanced the State's budget, cut wasteful spending, slashed taxes, reigned on Big Businesses, and sent tax rebates to poor families. All this while successfully fighting corruption and reforming government.

No wonder Democrats are in panic.

I am aghast at this pick -- and I'm a (fearful & female) Democrat. Experience means a lot to me -- I was a Biden backer all along. To me, Biden was vastly more qualified to be president than any candidate of either party. The fact that Obama chose him, and said he wanted a VP who would challenge his thinking and help run the country, made me much more comfortable with the thought of an Obama presidency. McCain has picked someone he would NEVER consult with -- why would he? He only met her once, 6 months ago! She won't even know what's going on in the White House. In the unlikely event he won, McCain would be an isolationist "decider" and god help us -- he's even more like Bush than I thought. He seems to have chosen a potential First Lady, not VP! This is madness. I have stood up for McCain for one reason only: he was the first person of either party to say that what was happening at Guantanamo Bay was wrong. But with this VP pick, he has shown his judgement can't be trusted. So disaffected Republican voters, I say stay home or vote Biden, I mean Obama.

I don't knpw why we are complaining. The latest is word is that McSame, Chaney and Bush have decided to camp at an Oil site in Alska and Palin is going to cook fresh fish for them.

Go Obama-Biden 08

Sounds to me like "Little jr" is already squirming like a little jr.nazi who just messed his pants, and is afraid his mommy might be angry, would explain the fear of strong women. Your party of intolerant, sexist hate is going to lose yet another one you had in the bag. I can't belive the incompetance of you guys in running for the office of the President. You really know how to pick winners-inmagine, getting beat by McSame and a Chick.

The VP pick is supposed to give a bounce and help the campaign. I'm sure that we'll all soon see that Sarah Palin is more than a skirt (as some have alluded to on this very page). Indeed, she may be quite formidable...

The Most Popular Governor
Alaska's Sarah Palin is the GOP's newest star.
by Fred Barnes
07/16/2007, Volume 012, Issue 41

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp

Shame on McCain. His VP choice is an insult to all Americans. This was clearly a political tactical choice, and had NOTHING to do with what would be a good fit for him or best for the country. It's more Republican deceit and game playing. Why does Krautie find that so surprising? Has he not figured out the people he shills for everyday are nothing but con artists, far more interested in their own power than the welfare of the country? Grow up Krautie and stop being so naive.
I lost respect for McCain some time ago, but this really seals it. The more I see of McSame, the more he disgusts me.

The election is not just about making the experience argument. Its about policy and principles.

McCain made several critical errors in judgement in selecting Palin. While right-wing evangelicals might be "estatic", Palin's views and lack of qualifications to serve as vice-president will motivate more Americans to show up to vote against her than for her. Conservative intellectuals cannot honestly support her candidancy. And Obama-Biden suddenly appear as a far more credible team for the future.

This pick is an insult to women. To think that female voters that were attracted to Hillary would now run to the Palin camp is absurd. Do you think woman are too stupid to understand the difference between supremely qualified Hillary Clinton and ridiculously unqualified Palin? McCain has no respect for women if he believes we are stupid enough to fall for this pathetic ploy. Insulting.

Choosing the untested Palin is playing Russian Roulette with our national security.

Does Mr. McCain feel so invulnerable that he considers the consequences if something happens to him?

As an Obama supporter I was so ecstatic with McCain's choice that I nearly soiled myself.

Anonymous says, "Palin is more ready to lead than Obama ..."

What proof would you have to back this up?

Does her being mayor for two years of a small town with a population of 9,000 -in Alaska make her more ready to lead?

Does her being Governor for 20 months of the 47th most populated state make her more ready to lead?

Does her being a beauty queen and runner-up for Miss Alaska, or her being an NRA member, or anti-choice advocate make her more ready to lead?

Does her having five kids make her more ready to lead?

Does her flip flopping on the "bridge to nowhere" make her more ready to lead?

Can you really see her in the oval office?

If you can, I want whatever it is you're smoking -it's gotta be good.

I see the yrs. in a POW camp have finally caught up with him. Not only has he been showing signs of dementia, but whatever good judgement he had left is totally gone now. Lieberman has his work cut out for him, not only does he have to be the puppet master for John, but now has to educate the gov. of Alaska on foreign policy & economics. Good thing she still has her guns by her side.

Sarah Palin - hmmm, anti-abortion, Pat Buchanan supporter - I'm not sure where the wooing of Hilary supporters comes in - ah wait, here, she wants creationism taught in schools, no, that's not going to do it, ok, here's a quote from her on the death penalty - "hang 'em high" - well, now - that's not going to work either, is it?
Does McCain really believe that the women of this country (myself included) are going to vote for president/vice president based solely on gender? He really
"doesn't get it".
If I had enough respect for McCain, I'd be insulted; I'm simply amused.
He's delivered a gift - on behalf of Obama supporters everywhere - Thank you.
Thank you very much.

Face it Krauthammer, McCain may very well be McNotEntirelySane. It is not too late to repent and help wrestle this ship away from the drunk drivers who would ram it into the ice bergs straight ahead.

As to the "why a game changer" point my guess is that private polling shows McCain in trouble. They know they have limited ad money now and that they have zero ground game. If their internal analysis is that they are going to lose big, the choice makes sense -- Sort of...
The real problem here is that McCain himself barely knows her. Met her briefly at a governor's meeting a year ago and talked to her once on the phone. That is offensive. You wouldn't pick a VP of Marketing on that basis. This part of the story is virtually a scandal. Is this how he will make key decisions as President?

McCain-----the gift that keeps on giving.

gooooooooooo Obama

I think Palin is actually a better candidate than McCain and outshines him in public appearances before a large audience. Witness McCain's agitated and restless body language during Palin's speech, particularly his hands.

So Palin will actually leave McCain looking worse than he was without her, relatively speaking. In view of her career being even thinner than Obama's, McCain simply loses every hand he has dealt himself.

they had to go to alaska to find someone they were sure wasn't a co-conspirator.

McCain is running for President and Palin for VP. Everybody keeps talking about McCain as if they know that he is going to die tomorrow or something.

Let me remind these people that Obama's odd of dying are equal to McCain's. McCain may very well outlive him.

Everytime someone says that Palin is not qualified to be VP on TV it gets people thinking than what makes Obama qualified to be president. Each time that happens it's a good day for McCain. Palin doesn't take the experience issue off the table she makes it front and center. That's the genuis of McCain.

And these people doubting his choice today were the very same people doubting him when he supported the surge and said it would fail. So go ahead underestimate his judgment. He'll see you all in the oval office in January.

So let me get this straight...2yrs in elected office (as a chief executive mind you) is no qualification for VP. Do you brain-dead Dems have any clue what that says about your PRESIDENTIAL candidate? You kill me!

I think people should give Palin at least 24 hours before passing judgement, although her accomplishments are certainly well documented. The country has given Barack an entire campaign, and still, we know nothing about him or what he's accomplished.

Krauthammer, you always see exactly what's going on, even though you don't admit it. Look, can we put down the partisan hammers and agree that this is a really worrying pick? 20 months in office, unresolved scandal, wasn't thinking about Iraq a year ago, poor favorability among those in the know? I'm seeing a lot of anecdotes of independents moving to Obama. I'm not seeing a lot of people hopping to McCain outside of the Hillaryis44 crowd, now only a few in number.

Wow, if shriveled homunculus Krauty isn't ready to suck up to whatever Senile Baby-Killer McCancerface has decided, there's something wrong. Increase the Kool-Aid flow rate in Krauty's IV drip to 250 ml/hour, nurse!

Of all the accomplished Republican women, he chose someone who makes him look like a cradle-robber. They look really creepy together, not matched at all. She emphasizes the most dangerous thing...his elderliness. Standing between her and Cindy, they look like two daughters going to visit Dad in the nursing home or take him on an outing. Why not Kay Hutchison, or Meg Whitman, Condi Rice, or even Liddy Dole...I'm so disappointed at the pandering...and the tokenism.

I couldn't disagree with Krauthammer more. Selecting Sarah Palin is a wise move and one that will set Obama back further. She is qualified much more than Obama could ever be. A trumped up investigation will go nowhere. Her conservative credentials give energy to the base that McCain nearly lost.

Asking if Obama is prepared to lead is still in play as Palin is not to be the leader, but the Vice President.

18 months as governor of Alaska trumps 142 days in the Senate running a presidential campaign.

If Sen. McCain had picked Kay Bailey Hutchison or Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins to share the Republican ticket with him, women would have had a reason to take his pick more seriously, as they took Hillary Clinton's candidacy seriously. Instead, they will have to endure a new voice that screeches, like a fingernail on a blackboard, "you cannot be trusted to make your own family decisions; I will make them for you." Sounds suspiciously like the Taliban, no? Shooting innocent moose doesn't inspire me much.

Charles: Aren't you concerned that Palin was a supporter of Pat Buchanan for President with his anti-Israel platform? Did McCain not vet this? Who is the one that actually picked this person?

I thought this was a joke when I heard the news!

The one thing McCain had right in this election is that experience and judgment matter in our leaders.

Palin has almost zero experience in government; McCain has been running his current presidential campaign for longer that she has been governor of Alaska!

This, and she's already shown a lack of good jodgment; Palin is facing charges of abusing her power as governor by firing her brother-in-law from his job as a honorable state trooper.

McCain has just conceded the election.

Sarah Palin does not have to win the debate against Biden. She just has to survive it and exceed expectations. That's how the game is played. The GOP has already written their talking points:
1) Joe was mean to her
2) She was upbeat and positive
3) She's a woman.

Have you Demo-homies aready forgotten Retzo(dare compare this convicted thug tied to a notorious Syrian gangster wanted in France for two years with some family affair that has to do with getting rid of some black sheep groupie)?...."'God damn America!"Wright"? Ayers/Dohrn and the stink-to-high-heavens CAC money laundering scandal cum botty-buddying with terrorists?
Plus BHO's notorious stand as the most bloody abortionist since Margaret Sanger? And if you call that two week vacation in Europe and grandstanding in Berlin "foreign policy experience",y'all deserve the real HISTORIC MOMENT that's coming~ its called a REALIGNMENT ELECTION(look it up)!

Just one more thought...I don't understand, just what do you do with a four-month old infant with special needs while you're running a national campaign that requires almost 3 months of 20 hour days. Who's the primary caregiver? How is this representative of the conservative, homeschooling mothers they hope to attract? Won't they be put off by the naked ambition that would either...

1. Drag said infant around from day to day as a ready-made pro-life prop? (exploitation, ugh) OR...

2. Leave the special needs child at home (with whom, if her husband is a fisherman and oil worker). What happens to those crucial months when the mother-child bonding is supposed to occur, something so important in disabled infants...The more I think about this, the more it bears examining. What am I missing?

A gutsy, chess like move to intercept Obama. This move by McCain tells you what kind of a president he will make. She is an excellent choice. Even if they don't win she is refreshing and tough. Not more of the same old stuff. She is more experienced then Obama who has only had 100+ days in the Senate and for the last several months he has not even showed up. Plus Obama had to pick someone to tell him how to do the job. (Biden).GO TEAM USA

The amazing thing about mccain's pick of palin? Not once did he mention he was a POW, that for 5-1/2 years he couldn't pick a woman running mate. That's a first for a john ("I don't want to talk about my captivity.") mccain.
Does Palin last longer than Eagleton before getting dumped? Is Lieberman out of the country? Mccain doesn't speak for the mccain campaign.
BTW mike, that 26% mccain donates-most of it goes to his own foundation. Nothing like giving money to yourself and getting a tax writeoff.

I would rather prefer the "inexperienced" in foreign policy Ms. Palin than "experienced" but almost always wrong Mr. Biden, who's wacky foreign policy ideas are rivaling only to Mr. Obama's. Just remember Obama's willingness to invade Pakistan and Mr. Biden's to split Iraq into 3 countries in violation of their territorial integrity. They are not smart - just arrogant.

Krauthammer, you always see exactly what's going on, even though you don't admit it. Look, can we put down the partisan hammers and agree that this is a really worrying pick? 20 months in office, unresolved scandal, wasn't thinking about Iraq a year ago, poor favorability among those in the know? I'm seeing a lot of anecdotes of independents moving to Obama. I'm not seeing a lot of people hopping to McCain outside of the Hillaryis44 crowd, now only a few in number.

I agree with Chuck. Bad pick. I was for Romney because he had lots of executive experience. Obama may have none...but he comes from the same place as McCain, the Senate. The voters picked the inexperienced Obama from a small handful. McCain could have had anyone he wanted. His selection shows questionable judgment. I was surprised by this. There were much better candidates. Listening to my fellow conservatives drone on and on about this pick really gives you a snapshot of where they have been the last eight years: Unable to be critical of anything done by a Republican. That's not us. That's not the Reagen era I grew up in. This blind uncritical view of our own party has left it dead in the front yard. :(

This is actually is a calculated choice for Republicans

They have no platform or message to promote. Obama is a far superior candidate in every aspect.

So they go for the Hail Mary. Hoping to appeal to the easily manipulated and emotional (and a bit racist and exclusionist crowd) isn't that how GWB was elected twice? And the guy is not smart enough to finish a complete sentence.

No Mr. Kraut, you should know more anyone how your party thinks

The world is laughing at us right now. This story is making headlines everywhere. A the gun-toting beauty queen for president? What was McCain thinking?

Mr. Krauthammer got it right, and I confess to not being a big fan of his column. McCain and his conservative advisors are living yesterday. Sarah Palin will only move the needle for the now jubilant "conservative base." But they won't decide the election anyway, it'll be decided by the approx. 3% of voters who are independent, the majority of whom voted for Bush in 2004 and 2000. I admit I was one of them and don't plan to throw away my vote again. Sarah Palin will be one reason (not the only reason) the majority of independent voters will not vote for McCain in Nov. -- and why he will lose. This "bold," ideologically pure choice tells all of us that the same behind-the-scenes, conservative, political geniuses who engineered the prior two Bush victories (and then proved themselves totally incompetent at governing) are still at it, "helping" McCain. Bill Clinton was right in his speech the other night -- the third time will not be the charm. We have too many serious problems that Bush has left us -- weak economy, unemployment, a financial system which nearly collapsed and needs new oversight, skyrocketing energy and food prices, unresolved war in Iraq etc. etc. Bring in the Governor from Alaska to help John McCain? Obama wins in Nov.

OH JEZUS MOTHER MARIA WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME I AM ABLE TO AGREE WITH RITEWING CHARLES K.
SHOULD I HAVE MYSELF LOCKED-UP IN THE LOONEY HOUSE??
PLEASE DEAR WAPO READERS GIVE ME YOUR ADVISE!!

Krauthammer appears puzzled about the Palin
choice. Has he not been watching the amazing transformation of McCain from a maverick
critic of red meat conservatives to a charicature of them in his new identity?

Palin is LITERALLY married to Big Oil.

Because McCain's a brilliant tactician.

Most are looking at this from a real world perspective….our press operates in something very different. In a real world Obama would never be considered for president.
Her lack of experience regardless of quality gives the press something they have to compare Obama to….without her, he would never be compared to anyone Mc Cain picked…….. no matter how qualified.
In her short time in politics she has shown real leadership , Obama has nothing except the pie in the sky dream world. Again when comparing her short but accomplished almost heroic career it takes some of his glitter away.
If you look at the electoral college its going to be close no matter what, if Mc Cain gets some of those angry Hillary women., its got to help.
Obamas attack dog Biden is going to look mean when he attacks her….which ultimately will backfire, especially to the pissed off and cheated Hillary women.
Obamas taking change, she has made REAL change.

Victor Carter

It's amusing when liberals-Democrats look the other way regarding things like Hillary Clinton and her sniper-fire-in-Bosnia honesty (or lack thereof) and Barack Obama's ludicrous embrace of a bigoted fanatic like Jeremiah Wright, and then feel so entitled to snag on Sarah Palin.

Stupid liberals. Oh, excuse me. Make that stupid "progressives."

McPhony has argued chapter and verse that his opponent lacks the experience to be Commander and Chief. Then he picks the part-time Mayor of a town with less than 9000 people, now Governor for less than 2 years with zero foreign policy experience, to be a heart beat away from the Presidency. If McPhony wins, and drops dead of a heart attack at age 72, we have exactly what he has spent all summer arguing against. Great judgment McPhony. Why not the head of the local chapter of the PTA instead? Oh that's right, he never meant any of the lack of experience argument in the first place. All aboard for the double talk express.

The Republicans have been brutally attacking Nancy Pelosi for years without a problem. Don't think Biden will hold back when it comes to Palin.

You Republicans are liars.

Obama is not inexperienced. He has 12 years of Senate experience - 8 in Illinois, 4 in Washington.

Sarah Palin's "executive experience consists of the following:

She was the mayor of her hometown - of 9,000 people and has been Gov. of Alaska for a measly 16 MONTHS!

And she's already facing TWO investigations of abuse of power! LOL

16 MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE VS. 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IS NO COMPARISON.

AND NO, I'm not including her time as a VOLUNTEER city councilwoman or HEAD OF THE PTA as elected experience (although Sean Hannity counts it!!!) LOLOLOL

There are more people in Ft. Worth Texas than in her entire state of Alaska!

THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN OBAMA'S SOUTH SIDE CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD THAN THERE ARE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF ALASKA!

LOL

There were more people in the stadium where John McCain introduced her than there are people in her entire city of Wasilla, Alaska!!!

LOLOLOL

Thank you, John McCain!!

If Russia invades Georgia tomorrow, would YOU send Sarah Palin to negotiate one-on-one with Vladimir Putin?

Can you picture it --

The Beauty Queen vs. The Butcher of South Ossetia?

The former hometown sportscaster (what teams does Alaska have anyway?) vs. the former head of the KGB?

HAHAHA I am rolling on the floor laughing. Without a doubt, the worst VP pick of all time!

ABC is reporting that McCain switched his VP selection in response to Obama's speech last night. Palin wasn't even vetted!

Obama said he was ready for a debate about 'temperament'. Then McCain makes his most important decision as a candidate like this: desperate, impulsive, rash, and incredibly stupid.

The thought of McCain as president is frightening.

It scares me that are thoughts are similar. john McCain is hope for the best expect the worst. Because that is how he is running his campaign. " Let's take our best argument against our opponenet and neutralize it." My goodness maybe he is dumber tthan George Bush. Hard to Believe

From our perspective in Ohio (where our votes count more than those in most states), this was a brilliant VP choice for McCain.

1) she will pick up maybe 15% of Hilary voters, maybe even 20% - a big deal in a close election;

2) it will get some votes from independent women who are tired of the lip service that the Democrats pay them only to perpetually shaft them in the end.

3) she will pick up votes from senior citizen women, who will vote for her because they want to see a woman in the White House before they die and this may be their last chance;

4) it unites and motives conservatives who were lukewarm and distrustful of McCain.

5) just like Repubs being the party who put the first woman on the US Supreme Court, the Repubs will put the first woman in the White House. The historic opportunity to do so will mute some folks who were motivated to make history by voting for Nobama.

The people who think this was a poor choice are the same people who hated Ronald Reagan, whom history rightfully regards as a great president.

Sarah will do just fine. She will outshine the plagiarizing Biden in a debate.

Adios, Barack Hussein O'Bama. You should be 20 points ahead in the polls right now -but you are not for a reason. You're relegated to the dustbin of history where you can join the likes of Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, and John Kerry.

John McCain's candidacy could be referred to as the "PIG." Sarah Palin, lovely woman that she is, is just lipstick for the "PIG." Nothing will change.

Congressional approval rating was 9% at the beginning of July. So how did it come to pass that both presidential candidates and one VP pick are senators? Palin's approval rating among Alaskans is 80%. She's the only one in this race with executive experience. Perhaps the McCain/Palin ticket should be reversed.

Obama has been running for president for the same amount of time Palin has been governor of Alaska.

There were ten times as many people at Obama's nomination speech as in Palin's town where she was mayor.

Wow! What an impulsive decision by McCain! His choice for a VP running mate should have been a candidate with promising economic credentials to complement his own foreign policy credentials. This election was about National Security and the Economy, right? His choice doesn't provide sufficient experience with either.

McCain with Romney would have been a decent ticket. I wouldn't even consider McCain and Palin.

I will trust the Obama and Biden ticket to do great things for America. I will trust Obama and Biden to restore America's respect with the International community, to restore American's confidence in their government, and to restore American's confidence in themselves.

ChaeGordon

Simple: Voters approval for both VP candidates for current job held.
: Joe Biden 16 pct Gov Palin 80 plus.
Executive Mgt Experience: Biden 0. Gov Palin 20 months.

Ready to become Commander In Cheif: Biden 0, Gov Palin currently holds this position for the Military of Alaska(National Guard.
Any questions?

If the claim is that Mrs. Palin has insufficient experience, what does that say about Mr. Obama? In comparison, Mrs. Palin has executive experience as governor; Mr. Obama has none. Mrs. Palin has private sector experience, having run an enterprise and met a payroll; Mr. Obama has no such thing. In fact, Mrs. Palin has more experience in those two categories than all the three other gentlemen combined: Mr. McCain, Mr. Biden and Mr. Obama all three combined have ZERO executive experience and ZERO private sector experience.

It works for a couple of demographics. Hillarites not among them. Those who think it a remote possibility have forgotten the hundreds of crimes Republican politicians accused the Clintons of, and the thousands more that came out in the Republican press. They wont vote Republican, they'll vote Obama or stay home.
McCain is trying to be the fifty one percent president. Gin up the base and pick off enough red independents to win the electoral. It's Rovian.
Unfair to hammer Palin about her kids, we don't expect the same from male politicians.
Unfair to hammer her about unproven charges.
It's enough she's an extremist, the Dems will drive that home to the electorate.
It doesn't look good for the Repubs, but this wasn't supposed to be a good year for them anyway.

So CK frankly I think Sen John McCain made
a brillant move and an outstanding pick in
AK Gov Sarah Palin,as we need new blood like her in Washington DC and I like her
already and feel Sarah Palin has all the
qualifications it takes to be Vice President and even President as well. And
hey doubters Gov Palin also happens to be
the Commander in Chief of the Alaskan Army
and Air National Guard so yep Palin even
has military experience more then military
service Chicago Community Organizer (whatever the Hell that is?) Messiah and
Peacenik Empty Suit Barack Hussein Obama
and much better looking then ugly old big
mouth Joe Biden. Gov Sarah Palin is a truly
amazing young woman and Im proud to be able
to vote for both John McCain and Sarah Palin on Election Day and I'm one more
Independent Female Voter that likes Gov
Sarah Palin and her qualifications!

McSame caved, and the GOP is intellectually bankrupt. Obama proved last night that he is the only sensible leader running.

I already have a mommy. I want a President.

It's not Wonder Woman ... it's Beauty and the Beast! Great pick -- for once I completely agree with the Kraut man. Take the best argument you have and throw it out the window ... lol! Fabulous ... and if you're looking for another laugh, check out this video parody of Cindy ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT4tbdoZMmc

"Sarah shores up McCain relations with his conservative base..."

Those relations needed zero "shoring up." The conservatives had no one else. It was McCain or stay home and give Obama a half vote.

"She is smart and articulate as well as photogenic."

She's a born-again creationist bible thumping whacko who's solidly against abortion has the track record of a first year law clerk.

As for photogenic, she'll make McCain, in photo ops together, look like a large, scaly lizard dying of cancer.

Thanks, John, for simply conceding. I can't believe he picked this lightweight, a 20 month governor of Alaska, where almost every politician, especially Senator Ted Stevens' family, is under investigation or indictment for taking bribes and other Spiro Agnew-like crimes.

A home run, John! ...for Obama.

What matters more? That the person we elect President is ready to lead, or that the VP is ready to lead? The choice of a VP is rarely about substance, and I don't think the choice of Palin takes the "ready to lead" argument off the table.

For symbolism, McCain hit a home run - female, small town, husband is Native American AND a member of the Steelworkers Union. McCain doesn't need her to pontificate on the finer points of diplomacy in South Asia or Eastern Europe. Hell, we elected W and he could'nt answer a question about the leaders of various countries when asked during the 2000 election.

The danger for the Dems in this pick, and we are already seeing it in the comments posted here, is to belittle the accomplishments of a small town woman and her working class husband. Make fun of her for being Mayor of a town of 7,000. Make fun of her for liking to hunt and fish, for being a Mom of 5, etc, etc. This is what got Obama into trouble during the Pa Primary, when his comments about "bitter" Americans holding on to their beliefs surfaced. What many of us who live in big East Coast cities forget is, these are the majority of Americans - small town and generally inward focused.

If Gov Palin can hold her own with the Press and in a debate with Biden, she'll look like a brilliant choice. It's going to be a very fun election.

Palin isn't qualified to run a lemonade stand, let alone be vice president and possibly president. Before today, I was leaning toward McCain. Now, I'm 100% decided on Obama. Palin is just shockingly unqualified to assume the presidency and that's kind of important when the man at the top of the ticket is a 72-year-old with a history of ill-health. A reckless, irresponsible pick by McCain that will cost him the election.

"Independent Female Voter that likes Gov
Sarah Palin and her qualifications!"

Which qualifications would those be? That she's a misogynist?...A gun-toting creationist against abortion in EVERY case, even in cases of rape or threat to pregnant woman's health?...The fact she's a 20-month governor of state with less population than the little ol' Denver metro area, who spends her time receiving oil company handouts...yet as V.P., will supposedly deal with foreign leaders about Iraq, terrorists, Russia turning back to a dictatorship, etc. ad nauseum? Maybe there was some other qualification I missed.

She'll sure win over the chauvinist Promise Keeper types who like their women bruised and in the kitchen, if that's what McCain was looking for.

Good luck getting even one Hillary supporter.

A ludicrous choice. This woman is not prepared to be president, and is probably the least qualified vice presidential nominee in the last 50 years.

The reasoning behind the choice is obvious. She's a woman and she's right-wing.

But given the current political situation, all Obama has to do is win the registered Democratic vote. This woman won't appeal to Hillary voters, she's too conservative.

Then there's the scandal involving firing the trooper, which will be in the air.

If Obama weren't black, I'd call this election over today.

Every time some Obama supporter raises Palin's lack of experience, it simply calls attention to, and reinforces, the fact that Obama suffers from a similar lack of experience - The difference being that it's better to have lack of experience at the Veep slot than at the top slot.

At first I thought that McCain had finally lost all his marbles,in picking a rank amateur with no national experience. After doing a little research, however, and after watching Maria Bartiromo's interview with the new Governor of Alaska, it is apparent to me that the old man did not make this choice after all.

The choice was made for him by the same people that brought us George Bush and Dick Cheney- None other than the people who brought us the war in Iraq. Big oil.

The whole Bartiromo/Palin interview is propaganda for big oil. and drilling in the Anwr. She is simply a shill for the big oil companies posing as a hockey mom. Her husband has worked for British Petroleum for over 20 years, and she was put into office to carry out their policies.

Drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge is environmenatally courting disaster, and it simply won't lower the price of oil.

It is extremely costly to drill this way, and to have the oil travel thousands of miles through a pipeline that must be heated and constantly monitored is expensive and dangerous. It can never be cost competitive over sources in the middle east which can pump their oil at a fraction of the cost of either Anwr or offshore. The price of oil indeed is not determined by short term supply and demand as Sarah says, but by the hedge fund speculators and the obscene profits that the majors have decided that they can get away with in Bush's last days in office.

When Bush started the war in Iraq the price was $1.75 per gallon. Iraq was pumping over 3,000,000 gallons a day and selling it outside the OPEC cartel. When we invaded, it took the cheap oil off the market allowing OPEC to raise the price. It was indeed a war about the control of oil- not about WMD's, freedom, or the security of America.

Palin uses all the oil trade slang like "oil hungry," to make the case for her persistent call for expanded drilling. Has she forgotten what the Exxon Valdez did to the Native American fishermen? It will happen again.

Big oil made Bush governor of Texas, then President of the United States. Now it is trying to put McSame and Palin in office to carry out their business for them.

It is not about electing a woman, it is simply about electing people friendly to the oil cartels.

Not this time.

One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is that, should McCain win and then die before inauguration, this woman would become president automatically.

Is anyone here really comfortable with that scenario? I'm not.

There are very serious consequences in this world, and John McCain has shown he really does not understand the consequences of his actions.

Good lord, McCain is 72 years old and he wants this person to be one heartbeat away from the White House? To compare her with Dan Quayle is unfair to Quayle, who at least had experience in the U.S. Senate. She was mayor of a small Alaska town just 18 months ago. Is this really the best he could do?

To all you naysayers- not even your gloom and doom can dampen my enthusiasm! Wow- are you all missing the boat!
McCain was not my first choice but I've been warming up to him, especially given the "empty suit" alternative. I was ready to "settle" for anyone on the short list but Lieberman...some of them would have been reasonable, run-of-the-mill picks- solid, steady, typical, not instantly inspiring. Never did I dream a McCain ticket could even meet my expectations, let alone surpass them by a mile!!
She is fabulous...capable, successful but also relateable. One Senator/former Governor commenting on "experience" stated that he made "more decisions in ONE MONTH as governor than he has in TWO YEARS as a Senator"...her executive level experience trumps Obama by TYPE if not by time.
She's dealt with Russia re: international waters issues, Canada with transportation issues, and the federal government on homeland security issues. And yes..I'd put her up against Putin or any other world leader...she's no shrinking violet, but she's not off-putting or abrasive, either.
She complements McCain- isn't a carbon copy of him, or anyone else for that matter, but agrees enough with him on core issues it won't be a nightmare for them to work together.
She's done everything from winning a state championship in basketball, to compete in a beauty pageant, to earning a journalism degree, to sportscasting, to fishing/hunting, to working in her husband's business, to governing towns and states, and raising children...how many of you have that varied a list of life experiences? All of these things are either learning experiences, skill developers and/or opportunities to be a contributor.
And, as a side issue, the fact that the McCain campaign could keep this out of the media in this day and age...the strategizing and planning involved, the build up of anticipation, the pleasant surprise that it wasn't as predicted ...today I am just as jazzed by them as I am about their VP pick.
I had a college professor who claimed Mondale/Ferraro lost because America wasn't ready for a woman in leadership...nonsense! We just didn't want a liberal woman, nor the uninspiring guy she was with on the ticket. I always knew the GOP would be the first to slate a woman who was truly likeable, capable and electable.

Thursday night- we were offered all style, no substance.
Friday afternoon- we got the whole package.

Fired Up GOP Woman in Illinois

To all you naysayers- not even your gloom and doom can dampen my enthusiasm! Wow- are you all missing the boat!
McCain was not my first choice but I've been warming up to him, especially given the "empty suit" alternative. I was ready to "settle" for anyone on the short list but Lieberman...some of them would have been reasonable, run-of-the-mill picks- solid, steady, typical, not instantly inspiring. Never did I dream a McCain ticket could even meet my expectations, let alone surpass them by a mile!!
She is fabulous...capable, successful but also relateable. One Senator/former Governor commenting on "experience" stated that he made "more decisions in ONE MONTH as governor than he has in TWO YEARS as a Senator"...her executive level experience trumps Obama by TYPE if not by time.
She's dealt with Russia re: international waters issues, Canada with transportation issues, and the federal government on homeland security issues. And yes..I'd put her up against Putin or any other world leader...she's no shrinking violet, but she's not off-putting or abrasive, either.
She complements McCain- isn't a carbon copy of him, or anyone else for that matter, but agrees enough with him on core issues it won't be a nightmare for them to work together.
She's done everything from winning a state championship in basketball, to compete in a beauty pageant, to earning a journalism degree, to sportscasting, to fishing/hunting, to working in her husband's business, to governing towns and states, and raising children...how many of you have that varied a list of life experiences? All of these things are either learning experiences, skill developers and/or opportunities to be a contributor.
And, as a side issue, the fact that the McCain campaign could keep this out of the media in this day and age...the strategizing and planning involved, the build up of anticipation, the pleasant surprise that it wasn't as predicted ...today I am just as jazzed by them as I am about their VP pick.
I had a college professor who claimed Mondale/Ferraro lost because America wasn't ready for a woman in leadership...nonsense! We just didn't want a liberal woman, nor the uninspiring guy she was with on the ticket. I always knew the GOP would be the first to slate a woman who was truly likeable, capable and electable.

Thursday night- we were offered all style, no substance.
Friday afternoon- we got the whole package.

Fired Up GOP Woman in Illinois

Can anyone even argue with a straight face that McCain would have picked Palin if she were a man? I didn't think so.

Can anyone even argue with a straight face that McCain would have picked Palin if she were a man? I didn't think so. What a lightweight, and such an obvious gimmick by McCain to recruit Hillary supporters. Krauthammer is absolutely correct, and just wait until this firing scandal gets some traction. Palin might be this year's Eagleton.

To all you naysayers- not even your gloom and doom can dampen my enthusiasm! Wow- are you all missing the boat!
McCain was not my first choice but I've been warming up to him, especially given the "empty suit" alternative. I was ready to "settle" for anyone on the short list but Lieberman...some of them would have been reasonable, run-of-the-mill picks- solid, steady, typical, not instantly inspiring. Never did I dream a McCain ticket could even meet my expectations, let alone surpass them by a mile!!
She is fabulous...capable, successful but also relateable. One Senator/former Governor commenting on "experience" stated that he made "more decisions in ONE MONTH as governor than he has in TWO YEARS as a Senator"...her executive level experience trumps Obama by TYPE if not by time.
She's dealt with Russia re: international waters issues, Canada with transportation issues, and the federal government on homeland security issues. And yes..I'd put her up against Putin or any other world leader...she's no shrinking violet, but she's not off-putting or abrasive, either.
She complements McCain- isn't a carbon copy of him, or anyone else for that matter, but agrees enough with him on core issues it won't be a nightmare for them to work together.
She's done everything from winning a state championship in basketball, to compete in a beauty pageant, to earning a journalism degree, to sportscasting, to fishing/hunting, to working in her husband's business, to governing towns and states, and raising children...how many of you have that varied a list of life experiences? All of these things are either learning experiences, skill developers and/or opportunities to be a contributor.
And, as a side issue, the fact that the McCain campaign could keep this out of the media in this day and age...the strategizing and planning involved, the build up of anticipation, the pleasant surprise that it wasn't as predicted ...today I am just as jazzed by them as I am about their VP pick.
I had a college professor who claimed Mondale/Ferraro lost because America wasn't ready for a woman in leadership...nonsense! We just didn't want a liberal woman, nor the uninspiring guy she was with on the ticket. I always knew the GOP would be the first to slate a woman who was truly likeable, capable and electable.

Thursday night- we were offered all style, no substance.
Friday afternoon- we got the whole package.

Fired Up GOP Woman in Illinois

John McOld should be mentally evaluated asap! This fool hase made his first most important decision and picks this Palin woman? He has insulted many women by doing this both Republicans and Democrats as well as independents what a total loser MCold is! He just handed Obama the election! MCold is not fit to be president and Palin is not fit to be Vice-President!

To all you naysayers- not even your gloom and doom can dampen my enthusiasm! Wow- are you all missing the boat!
McCain was not my first choice but I've been warming up to him, especially given the "empty suit" alternative. I was ready to "settle" for anyone on the short list but Lieberman...some of them would have been reasonable, run-of-the-mill picks- solid, steady, typical, not instantly inspiring. Never did I dream a McCain ticket could even meet my expectations, let alone surpass them by a mile!!
She is fabulous...capable, successful but also relateable. One Senator/former Governor commenting on "experience" stated that he made "more decisions in ONE MONTH as governor than he has in TWO YEARS as a Senator"...her executive level experience trumps Obama by TYPE if not by time.
She's dealt with Russia re: international waters issues, Canada with transportation issues, and the federal government on homeland security issues. And yes..I'd put her up against Putin or any other world leader...she's no shrinking violet, but she's not off-putting or abrasive, either.
She complements McCain- isn't a carbon copy of him, or anyone else for that matter, but agrees enough with him on core issues it won't be a nightmare for them to work together.
She's done everything from winning a state championship in basketball, to compete in a beauty pageant, to earning a journalism degree, to sportscasting, to fishing/hunting, to working in her husband's business, to governing towns and states, and raising children...how many of you have that varied a list of life experiences? All of these things are either learning experiences, skill developers and/or opportunities to be a contributor.
And, as a side issue, the fact that the McCain campaign could keep this out of the media in this day and age...the strategizing and planning involved, the build up of anticipation, the pleasant surprise that it wasn't as predicted ...today I am just as jazzed by them as I am about their VP pick.
I had a college professor who claimed Mondale/Ferraro lost because America wasn't ready for a woman in leadership...nonsense! We just didn't want a liberal woman, nor the uninspiring guy she was with on the ticket. I always knew the GOP would be the first to slate a woman who was truly likeable, capable and electable.

Thursday night- we were offered all style, no substance.
Friday afternoon- we got the whole package.

Fired Up GOP Woman in Illinois

She hadn't enough common sense to use contraception despite having four children and being 43 years old when she conceived. The chances of having a Down syndrome child at 44 are one in forty! (Contrast that to a woman 20 years younger whose chances are one in 1,400.) She flew to a Texas convention when she was about eight months pregnant. Her water broke during the plane's return trip.

She claimed that she stopped the building of the "Bridge to Nowhere" and implied savings. The bridge was long ago removed from earmarks, but money was allocated in lieu of earmarks. She merely diverted the money to other projects.

She's seen as a "reformer" but her credentials are rather thin. She recently rapidly called for the resignation of a lame duck, seriously ailing state senator, but this is a first for her in a tidal wave of indictments. She signed an ethics bill passed in the wake of the scandals, but it would have passed over her veto anyway.

She is the focus of a current scandal involving misuse of her power to get her state trooper former brother-in-law fired. An investigation is underway concerning misuse of power and unauthorized access to personnel records. She fired an experienced and competent Commissioner of Public Safety, who refused to go along with the illegal firing, replacing him with a small town cop/sexual harasser who lasted two weeks and was given a $10,000 severance pay check.

She cut pork from the state budget but left the pork in her old bailiwick intact. She obviously only against the pork of others.

She has only 20 months experience as governor, and previously was the mayor of a very small town where she fired the very competent police chief as her first official act. She presently is clearly beyond her level in the Governor's job.

She has been taking considerable funding from the very oil companies and indicted officials she supposedly has been standing up against.

She just gave every resident of the state a gift of $1,200. On top of the state dividend of $2,000 this year, a family of five would receive $16,000 from the state. That buys a lot of popularity but is hardly fiscal conservatism. During this giveaway, state pension systems are grossly underfunded.

She is a scientific illiterate, ignoring signs of global warming evident to any observant six-year-old. She's fought the listing of polar bears as endangered, as their habitat it collapsing at an astounding rate. She believes "Intelligent Design," "Creationism in a tuxedo" should be taught in public schools.

Interviewed a month ago, she confessed no knowledge as to the duties of a vice president. It is nearly inconceivable that anyone who has experienced Dick Cheney for the last 7 1/2 years could be so ignorant.

She was brought on to attract disaffected Hillary voters but has characterized her as a "whiner" and "whiney." That kind of language got Phil Gramm bounced last month.

This is the person who would be a step away from the presidency of a 72-year-old victim of melanomas.

Chuck didn't you get the e-mail from Billy, go along with this thing damnit or we won't get to put Missile defenses in Poland. We'll only get to send the Polish money and not get the missiles in there, with a chance to further incite war with Russia. Then how will we build and sell weapons and rent out our private contractor armies to fledgling democracies?

Disaster of a pick! Why? She looks rediculous next to him, he looks like her grandpa.

To see Charles upset confirms my suspicion that Dick Cheney's got a hand up Pawlenty's back. He was poised and ready to be a neoCon puppet VP, and John McCain bucked it. That's funny, everyone is playing the neoCons now. The Iraqi PM is waiting out the Bush administration... Putin spits in Bush's eye... I wonder if this is to allow Cheney and Bush to collect their 'blind' trusts without scrutiny of a Democratic gov't that might want a piece of that action, and might want the information of... How much money did Dick Cheney and George Bush make off of the Iraq/Afghan wars in their 'blind' trusts?

John from Cleveland | August 30, 2008 2:01 AM WROTE:
“4) it unites and motives conservatives who were lukewarm and distrustful of McCain.”

Yep – it brings out all the far-right creationists who also do not recognize that the USA is no longer a leader in the world in science and engineering. ETC Dogma has a place of course – but religious dogma should not control our government.

John also wrote: “ 3) she will pick up votes from senior citizen women, who will vote for her because they want to see a woman in the White House before they die and this may be their last chance; “

Dear John : BALONEY. This woman is indeed impressive—at the STATE level, and of course in our culture “beautiful people” are revered beyond reason. Let her grow in her own space – don’t force more fanatical creationism on our country and don’t elect a bloodthirsty person who thinks its okay to hunt wolves and other wildlife from helicopters! She might be more dangerous than Cheney in the field —and know abysmally less.

I am 72, and have voted in EVERY election since I was eligible to vote—local-to-national—except when a baby arrived early and once when I got caught on a job in Europe without time to get home to vote.

I VOTE FOR COMPETENCE – that is, competence for the role/job. I am embarrassed for this nice young woman – a great speaker so far, and perhaps gutsy, but she said “I don’t really know what the Vice President does!”

IMHO, she is being USED like a Barbie doll and so far she is letting it happen because it gives her a great soapbox for her personal beliefs.
I would not vote for this woman based on gender alone. And I do not know any other old (or middle-aged, or younger) women who would vote on gender only. WOW!

Other bits of arrogance illustrated by this man are that his Ohio vote counts more than others and that he knows what EVERYone thought about Reagan.

Profiler extraordinaire, begone!

Sour Grapes and Spin. Governors in the United States are in charge of the National Guard. What stand's out about the Governor from Alaska is her character. She has personal integrity and it appears doesn't compromise it. Her record of service to the State of Alaska indicates that she is willing to make tough decision even at the expense of her job. You may recall she resign as a Commissioner over unethical practices. She many of Senator McCains core values such low taxes, alternate fuels, support for our troops and Pork Barrell spending. So what makes her such a bad candidate, she is a woman and the Democratic Party doesn't have one anyone. This fact is new ammo for those who don't support Senator McCain and leads to flawed analysis such as this article. Unless you talk to Republicans you can't know what we think and as the "Silent Majority" weren't know to run around the streets voicing our opinions to every individual who dis's the candidate we are supporting. I am always amazed at folks who consider Senator McCain to be a President Bush clone because he supported the War and the Surge. He and the Governor share the common bond of having a child in uniform in the time of War, and Senator McCain's child is currently doing a tour in Iraq. This is not a claim, the President, Senator Obama, or Senator Biden can make and still because he understands the nature of the threat to current and future generations of Americans, he does what is not popular, to protect those who don't fully understand what is at stake. Neither the Senator from Arizona or the Govenor of Alaska flaunt childern's service in any way I know of especially not political gain. Again, it is a sign of character and in the end it is the character of the individual who occupies the oval office that strengthens or weakens America's standing in the World so I applaud Senator McCain for his choosing Govenor Palin. Even though he only met her once, his staff has been seriously analyizing potential candidates for weeks, which is dog years at this point in a Presidential Campaign year. And anyway, what was one of the biggest hurdles that the Pundits through in front of the Democratic Candidate for President, no name recognition, nobody knew anything about him, blah, blah, blah, blah. I would have loved to been in the Democrats War Room when Senator McCain announced his choice because regardless of the words he spoke, all anyone in that room heard was John McCains voice saying, "And who's the most powerful piece on this game, THE QUEEN! Obama, Joe, Hillary, Bill, Ted, I believe you just blinked!

Krauthammer has a brain. He gets it. McCain is the unready one!

Look Dr CK face it all the Obamabot Democrats are running around in circles and
blowing their gaskets at even the very thought that Sen John McCain would dare to
name such a talented,intelligent,young,
outstanding beatiful woman like AK Gov.
Sarah Palin as his Vice President and the
Obamafreaks are freaking out as they realize how goofy Messiah Barack Hussein Obama was to not name Hillary Clinton for
Obama's Veep! I heard Michelle Obama wouldn't let him! Bye Bye Obama & Biden!

Oh well I can't resist adding that I think
Sarah Palin is Hot and Sexy as well as
Stunningly Beautiful and Extremely Talented
Woman! McCain/Palin 2008! NOBAMA!

She can swing one of Hillary's supporters - Bill Clinton.

If McCain wanted to make a bold choice and select a woman as his running mate there were several that were qualified and ready to lead should it be required. Kay Bailey Hutchinston, Olympia Snowe, Condi Rice, Christine Todd Whitman, and several others would have truly given McCain back his maverick credentials and he would have offered a substantive history making alternative on his ticket. Instead there is a decided lack of respect towards women with this notion that we are interchangeable and can easily be manipulated into supporting a woman who is woefully unqualifed for the position merely because we share the same gender. It shows a clear lack of judgment on his part and makes me afraid for the country should he be elected. He has loudly and steadily criticized Obama about his relatively light foreign policy experience, and his judgment in general. And yet in McCain's first executive decision he decided it was more important to win an election than to keep our country secure. That is not putting country first. He needed to show he was different from George Bush, but by putting Karl Rove in charge of his selection he simply gave credence to the notion that he in fact does represent the third Bush term. Rather than choose a moderate he chose someone who doesn't believe in evolution, the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, global warming, etc. It is a decided step backwards for the GOP and independents and moderates should be horrified at his selection. The straight talk express has officially gone off the track.

As an Alaskan, pro-business Republican and someone who has worked with the Palin administration intimately since her election, I'm shocked and extremely disappointed by this selection. Gov Palin is totally unqualified to be Vice President and if this is any indication of McCain's executive decision making skills, we're all in serious trouble. Did anyone vet this selection?

Fiscal conservative? Excuse me. Sarah Palin has increased the state operating budget by 34% in just two years! Tax cutter? Excuse me? In a state that has no income tax, no state-wide sales tax, and in which most residents pay no local sales tax, Palin pushed through the largest corporate tax increase in state history. This impacted the state's only real taxpayers - BP, ConocoPhillips and Exxon. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. The activities of these 3 companies account for almost all of Alaska's economy and 85% of the state's operating revenue (the same operating revenue that Palin is rapidly squandering on unsustainable bureaucratic growth). Less than a year after this hike (which increased the marginal tax rate to almost 90%), what did she do? She pushed through a $1,200 per resident cash "rebate". $780 mill in cash giveaways to the residents of the largest entitlement state in the country. Without the federal government and the oil industry, there is no Alaskan economy. There's a reason Palin's followers have been dubbed "Palinistas". Hugo Chavez would be proud of what she has accomplished in 18 short months. I only hope Palin's veneer is peeled before it's too late.

Hey, Kraut! If she turns out to be mainly a "corruption fighter", whose corruption will she root out?

The Democrats who gave us FEMA? The democrats who gave us Iraq? The Dems who gave us Iraq contractor$? The Dems who gave us Abramoff? Ney? DeLay? Lott? Cunningham? The Dems who fired the IG's at Corps of Engineers? Who tried to fire David Walker? I could go on.

Maybe they will show up and testify not under oath with no transcript.

To all of the Republicans who believe that Dems are spinning in circles, have you read up on Palin? She is in the midst of two investigations for ethics violations. She is in bed with the same oil companies that have hijacked our energy policy. Part of her speech today was littered with inaccuracies including her supposed rejection of the bridge to nowhere and her on the record diss of Hillary Clinton earlier in the year. You know that same Hillary Clinton that she praised today. It is beyond clear that she was not fully vetted and this was a move intended to shift away from the blockbuster Democratic convention. It is fine to run with the narrative that she is the mother of five children, but what does that have to with being a heartbeat away from the presidency? Many moms will be moved by her story but at the end of the day they are going to ask themselves do they trust Sarah Palin as the number two to a 72 year old guy whose had 4 bouts with cancer. She may be charming and relatable, but I want a President and a Vice President who are more than cute and bubbly. The media may be enamored with her style, her love of moose burgers, and the fact that she was in beauty pageants, but does anyone really believe that she came across as a viable candidate with a grasp of the pressing issues facing this country? Could you honestly imagine her sitting with world leaders? I want a nominee who actually knows what the Vice President does and who also knows what her running mate's Iraq policy is. Especially considering that we are currently in war on two fronts. It is a sad day when a VP is selected simply to steal the spotlight from your opponent.

McCain has gone InSane.

If Krauthammer thinks its a bad pick, it just might be a good pick.

McCain gets it! Please give me a soccer mom who has run a small business over any of the career politicians inside of the Beltway! The same pundits who argue about "Washington Experience" would also argue to the death over the number of angels that could dance on the head of a pin. As the career politicians become more insular and self-serving, the Washington DC insider experience becomes more arrogant and irrelevant to the American People. Hooray for Gov. Palin!!

Sarah Palin. ...Harriet Miers spunky little sis.

Kraut, I'll explain why you're so not seeing through this issue and how to see through it.

You're not seeing through the issue because of your sexist bias that is preventing you from seeing Palin as a valid VP for reasons other than strategy or experience. This is the same kind of bias that helped men not see that Clinton was subjected to sexism and misogyny. If your bias were removed, you'd through the Sarah Palin "inexperience" argument trap.

The way to see through this argument is that it doesn't matter how little experience Sarah Palin has or doesn't have. (I feel she has more executive relevant experience than Obama). Let's say that Sarah Palin has about the same level of "experience perception tenuousness" as Barack Obama. That doesn't neutralize the argument against Obama, because the argument had been ignored and waved off. At minimum, by nominating someone who has about the same level of experience tenuousness as Obama, and by the opposition attacking her on experience, McCain has caused the ignored debate over experience to be reopened and it's the Democrats who are stupidly reopening it.

He couldn't get traction or heard with his experience arguments, as Clinton could not either. Now, the Democrats themselves are insisting on experience as an issue, and as they do so, renewed discussion about Obama's inexperience is taking place.

There is no way for Democrats to attack the inexperience on the secondary slot on the Republican ticket without there being renewed looks at the inexperience on the primary slot of the Democratic ticket. And as an added bonus, the Democrats sound like total hypocrites when they insist that (for no really coherent reason) it's different for Obama to be inexperienced than it is for Palin as VP. And for Clinton supporters, it reminds them that experience didn't matter for her being eliminated for an under-qualified male.

It will be more useful to comment on this and other sites when all the netroots like DailyKos activists who pose as real readers/posters, stop bombing sites with faux posts.

To "Saddened"-
Wake up! Contrary to mainstream media portrayals, MOST of us don't "believe" in the crackpot theory of evolution...it is a scientific "theory", not a scientific "law". There are scientific criteria that have to be met for a theory to become a law, and Darwin fails to meet the standard.
The minimum wage...more govt interference in privately owned business that gums up the works of free enterprise.
Equal pay:
go here-http://delawarepolitics.net/2008/08/29/mccain-on-palin/
read this- on 29 Aug 2008 at 4:07 pm9Hube
She is all for equal pay for equal work. She just doesn’t believe in comparable worth which is government mandated equal pay for unequal work.

I’m SOOO glad someone mentioned this! That whole “equal pay” nonsense the Dems are harping on is such incredible garbage. David has it exactly right — it’s government mandated equal pay for unequal work. The canard that libs bring up — “75 cents to a dollar made by men” — is pure nonsense. That stat is derived from looking at the average salaries of ALL professions. In general, women earn less because they CHOOSE lesser paying jobs on the whole (like education). When same jobs w/same experience are compared, the stat becomes more like 99 cents to the dollar.

As for Palin on global warming, go here:
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/092307/hom_20070923005.shtml
In summary, she formed a sub-cabinet to prepare a climate change strategy for the state of Alaska.
So cheer up, Saddened! It turns out she's on the money and you are the one whose off base...and you aren't our candidate!

Hey, Drop-jawed-Republican: Can you send me permission to cite your letter? Logans@javacs.com

Clearly, giving Palin the nod is a capitulation in acknowledging that the experience card wasn't going to close the deal (see: Clinton's campaign for clues on how exp. v. change is playing out this year).

There is a pandering element to it, so I don't see bitter Hillary gals flocking to this anti-choice advocate. If anything, this could be the final push they needed to get back in line.

Also, I have to wonder if someone of a truly conservative temperament would be put off by what by all appearances was a hastily-arranged, firing from the hip, decision.

I dunno, but to me this smells desperate.

Until Friday morning, Americans' top issue continued to be... THE ECONOMY, STUPID.

On Friday morning, McCain announced his pick for VP: a Governor who has balanced the State's budget, cut wasteful spending, slashed taxes, reigned on Big Businesses, and sent tax rebates to poor families. All this while successfully fighting corruption and reforming government.

No wonder Democrats are in panic.

Posted by: madagascar | August 30, 2008 12:11 AM
-----------------------
the economy in Alaska is all oil money, not because of successful businesses. Alaskan citizens are paid by the states oil revenues. No other citizens of any state receives that kind of easy money. if every state had this oil revenue and a small population like Alaska every state would be in great shape. no state would have a problem. what does she know about the problems of states with real economies based on diverse business interests: little to nothing.
i think the comment about what is going to happen to her 4 month old son with special needs is quite revealing. She won't be able to devote the time needed to the child. She won't suffer, but the child will.
Biden, on the other hand, was refusing to accept his Senate seat,when first elected to the Senate, to care for his two sons seriously injured in a car accident that killed his wife and young daughter. He had to be talked into keeping it and was sworn in at the hospital bedside of his seriously injured sons. her interests are in her career not the "pro life" position she tries to project otherwise that young baby would be her main concern.

Yeah, not a smart choice!! This is going to be an interesting show to say the least!!!

Just for starters-

The issue with the ex brother in law is still under investigation.

She has JUST recently sent a probe to find out why we are still paying 4.45 for a gallon of gas... (Price gouging)Mind you, there is a refinery in North Pole, Ak

Highest energy costs around, do you pay over 250 for a SMALL 2 bedroom home in the summer just for electric?

She signed a bill for an energy "rebate" pretty unfairly- due to "not enough time" There’s mannnny people that have been in AK just short of qualifying for the PFD, but of course she short cut to save time... (Which I’m sure we all know why now!) so that the people that are truly struggling, won’t get help... but 2 year old toddlers that were born here will get $3200.00 dollar check in just a few days!!! Now... do you want her short cutting to save time with government money? Oh heck...the federal government doesn’t have that sort of budget? It should be alright, I was told she doesn’t know what the job entails anyway…
Like I said- should prove to be an interesting show….

Nice how the libs have to attack her as a mother and bring her child into it. Real classy. Maybe they should ask Barry about his brother living in a one room hut in Kenya and whether he's seen any hope and change and rainbow farting unicorns

Stay classy democrats.

So when the reporters find enough dirt, and we all know they will-will she still have a job at all?

Nice how the libs have to attack her as a mother and bring her child into it. Real classy. Maybe they should ask Barry about his brother living in a one room hut in Kenya and whether he's seen any hope and change and rainbow farting unicorns

Stay classy democrats.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 5:21 AM
---------------------
i'm an independent looking objectively at the facts. What about the kid? how can she campaign and deal with an infant with special needs. mothers with newborns with no special needs get time, by law, to spend with their newborns. Classy would be saying, "i can't accept the nomination because i have a child with special needs who is going to need my complete attention."

USA is a sexist country, when a young woman goes as VP, is a serious problem ...
Please, as if she isn't ready.
She is mother of 5 children, a wife and Gov. Alaska, Only men believe she is incapable of being a VP.
Sexist!

i'm an independent looking objectively at the facts. What about the kid? how can she campaign and deal with an infant with special needs. mothers with newborns with no special needs get time, by law, to spend with their newborns. Classy would be saying, "i can't accept the nomination because i have a child with special needs who is going to need my complete attention."

Posted by: what? | August 30, 2008 5:29 AM

At 4 months old, what do you think this child needs other than to be fed, changed and loved? There will be greater challenges down the road, but for now it's pretty much the same as with any infant. She has a husband and older children who are capable of pitching in and from the looks of it, none of them have to be asked and this baby doesn't lack for attention. Given her position the past few years, I'm guessing she's already got a support network of friends and family in place.
Babies are portable and she is obviously already skilled at multi-tasking. She doesn't strike me as one who would neglect her child for a position of authority. And really, it seems that she's intelligent enough to assess her own circumstances and determine where to draw the lines- not really our business to meddle in unless and until it's affecting her job performance.
I think she has been blessed with the gift to manage her family and leadership. Not everyone can do what she's doing...but that's why she's the candidate for VP while others are not.

how exactly is caving to Rush and picking the darling of the right wing religious evangelical creationist nutjob crowd to shore up the party's conservative base acting like a maverick? seems more like acting like a coward. and a manipulative one at that

I for one will not vote for McCain. His VP pick shows terrible judgement.

At 4 months old, what do you think this child needs other than to be fed, changed and loved? There will be greater challenges down the road, but for now it's pretty much the same as with any infant. She has a husband and older children who are capable of pitching in and from the looks of it, none of them have to be asked and this baby doesn't lack for attention. Given her position the past few years, I'm guessing she's already got a support network of friends and family in place.
Babies are portable and she is obviously already skilled at multi-tasking. She doesn't strike me as one who would neglect her child for a position of authority. And really, it seems that she's intelligent enough to assess her own circumstances and determine where to draw the lines- not really our business to meddle in unless and until it's affecting her job performance.
I think she has been blessed with the gift to manage her family and leadership. Not everyone can do what she's doing...but that's why she's the candidate for VP while others are not.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 5:46 AM
----------------------------
thats a lot of rationalizations! The child knows his mothers voice, heartbeat, body nuances(you do know babies spend 9 months in their mothers bodies.)This child will know his mother is not there. This child cannot say at 4 months, "i need my mommy".
Mothers are also more in tune with what a non-speaking infants needs are. But she won't be there. You must be man.
You would trust a 4 month old that has Downe's syndrome with "older children"? The first couple of years even with kids without special needs are critical.
I didn't say she was devoid of good qualities. I questioned her judgment.
And her commitment to life since she promotes herself as pro-life. What? pro-life only matters to the unborn to her and you. once they are born their life is secondary? This is the "choice" she is making. Career over family. Since when is that a Republican or conservative value?
Also i notice you didn't comment on the economic arguments i raised. Clearly, they are all valid. The economic questions i raised are enough to highlight how much she can't know about the problems of the other 49 states, which have virtually no comparison to the wealthy and sparsely populated Alaska.

JoeT-
Those of us who believe humans have always been humans are "nutjobs", but those of you who think we started as apes or some genetic soup are full of wisdom??

And by the way, it was a "maverick" choice because she's unlike the typical candidate, even if you take her gender off the table.
Not even the great Obama took a calculated risk with his VP, and he certainly didn't get his #1 choice (Sebelius- would have made Hillary's supporters mad)- so he caved in, settled for less and demonstrated he has no leadership skills.

I don't think any other Veep pick in the history of this country has so reeked of desperation.

He's endangering our country with a manifestly unqualified person to be President.

18 months ago she was the mayor of a town with 7,000 citizens.

Mind boggling, absolutely mind boggling.

This guy (Krauthammer)is always quick to show the thumbs up for anything (or anyone) as long as the GOP label is on it!
So it is heartening to see that he has come to his senses and acknowledges the pandering aspect of John McCain's VP selection.

It is so pathetic for McCain to think that Palin can be a substitute for Hillary. It is an insult to Mrs Clinton for McCain to believe that all it takes is a woman, any woman, to shatter the highest and hardest glass ceiling!

Krauthammer is right that Palin is not a game changer that McCain hopes her to be. But he is dead wrong in his conclusion that McBush was gaining over Obama on the question of who can lead and who cannot.

Well she will certainly remind of us the totally corrupt Republican party of Alaska - and other places - and with all the indictments going on it should keep things stirred up. And I hear she did a mean bakesale in Wasilla, Alaska (population 5,000)while she was mayor. Maybe its because of her experience with urban problems and international relations and her 18-months as Governor of a state with fewer people than Baltimore.

The choice is an insult to the American people, especially women. It shows despiration & reminds me of Mondale picking Ferraro in 1984. Bye-bye Republican Party. 40-million people watched Obama on Thursday - bet its half that for McCain. Its like the Petroleum Industry commercial that says it can fuel 50-million cars for 60-years. Small problem - there are 200 million cars - so is it worth it for 15-years? And why haven't they drilled on the 70-million acres they haven't touched. The public isn't that dumb any more.

Charles,

You are distraught becauseMcCain is throwing out the Neo-Cons and growing his lot with the deeply Christian conservatives. McCain seems to have decided to try and win this election on the Bush/Rove stategy of 50% +1. He therefore needs to inspire the evangelicals, and will try and pry off a couple % of extra female support to get over the finish line. But in adpoting this strategy, he is effectively dropping his heretofore main argument taken straight from the Neo-Con playbook. For Krauthammer, Kristol, et. al., this is obviously deeply disappointing.
I think as a political strategy, however,the Palin choice is inspired.
I will relish, however, seeing Sen. Lieberman staunchly supporting the new VP candidate.

"I'd like to make a personal appeal to all of my followers. We need Barrack Obama as President. Imagine the epic and pageantry of His arrival at the White House. The presidential limo arrives with a coon tail on the radio antenna and plastic dice on the rearview mirror. Obama steps out wearing a broad-brimmed white hat, a wide-lapelled white suit and carrying a boom box that is blasting out a hip-hop 'Hail to the Chief'. The entourage follows him to the Rose Garden for a lunch of fried chicken, chitlins, collard greens and watermelon. Our forefathers and foremothers will be extremely proud.

Posted by: Reverend E. Raleigh Pimperton III | August 29, 2008 9:04 PM"

Whoever you are, if this is supposed to be a reason to vote for McCain, then McCain has more to worry about than an inadequate VP choice. How dare you print this racist trash? Have you any idea how depraved this post is? Thank you for giving us such a stark example of the difference between the moral vision of people like Obama and the cesspool Bush, Rove et al have been stirring up for the past 8 years.

It's been said many times, but it can't be said enough: this goes to McCain's judgment, which has sort of been Obama's point all along.

to What?
No, I am not a man...I'm a stay at home mom of 3 kids. So much for your insight.

These are not rationalizations...the baby will be with her while she campaigns...not too hard to figure out. (You do know you can take babies on airplanes and bring a diaper bag and other supplies?) Just because the baby might not be "on stage" doesn't mean mom and baby are in different states. So there goes your argument about the older kids...I didn't say they were substitute parents miles apart from one another== they are helpful siblings who can hold the baby or change a diaper...any baby with siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, godparents, etc has had some caregiving from hands other than mom. Sometimes moms and babies can spend several hours apart and everything is just fine. I'm sure Trig will spend more time with his mom while she's campaigning than other children do who are in daycare from 9-5.
Apparently, your "economic issues" were raised in an earlier post...sorry to have missed them. Last I knew, no candidate in any election has ever had first hand knowledge of each and every individual state's unique economic circumstances. And really, economic issues are influenced and determined by Congress...which is why Obama (or any other candidate) can't deliver on his laundry list- all Presidents and VPs are constrained by the legislature. In fact, it was kind of designed that way- it's called checks and balances so no one branch of government gets too powerful.
But really, it's pretty simple as stated by Hugh Hewitt:
win the war
confirm the judges
cut the taxes
control the spending
secure the border
I think running a state pretty much gets you experience in all the fundamentals.
When you look at election history, most of the winners have had executive experience of some kind...those who come out of the Senate generally lose. So, McCain got someone with executive experience, Obama did not.
You would think that someone who has won several local/state elections already, is popular in her home state, who runs her household in a committed, loving marriage with her husband and who raises 5 kids would be commended for her skill and ability...she's already been doing all of the above- she's just going to start doing it on a larger stage.

McCain’s selection of Palin comes across as a sick joke, a reckless act of flagrant pandering and a too-cute-by-far gimmick that only the true right-wing wing nuts will applaud. This is a flagrant bid to gain female voters and to appeal to the Republicans’ remaining social conservatives, AKA, wing nuts. Palin’s pathetic attempt to play the feminist card in her inaugural speech is already being derided for the nonsense that it is. In fact, the whole idea that her selection could somehow gain points among Hillary’s supporters shows a monstrous lack of judgment by McCain and by her. It actually does the opposite of its intention. It shows that neither is qualified to be President.

It’s ludicrous on its face to say this person is qualified to be President of the United States. Two overwhelming analogies come to mind: George the First’s choice of Dan Quayle—and the Republican Party’s choice of an inexperienced governor to be its presidential standard bearer: George W. Bush. In one foul swoop, John McCain has managed to ape two of the worst choices the Republicans ever made.

The idea that Palin is as ready as Barack Obama is as hollow as a tin drum. Obama soared to national prominence with a speech that showed his oneness with the American dream and the type of oratorical skills any president needs to lead. His leadership qualities were then forged in the fires of a grueling 19-month long national campaign—against other candidates of presidential timber and, in the end, against two of the most powerful politicians in the country. He showed his mettle in speech after speech and debate after debate, and not only survived, but soared in the face of relentless questioning by the country’s top journalists. He was put to the test on every major policy facing America. He showed his ability to mobilize a national following, to build a near-flawless campaign organization, and to raise mega bucks without pandering solely to big-buck contributors.

In the end, he won. The campaign itself demonstrated conclusive proof of Obama’s intelligence, organizational skills, and executive abilities—in short, his readiness to be President.

What has Palin proved comparable to all that? Absolutely nothing. Let me try this. A football team is in the market for a new quarterback. A rookie in a farm team plays his heart out in the only arena that matters—on the field, calling the shots game after game. The rookie wins game after game, showing that he has the qualities to be a great quarterback in the major leagues. He does this for enough seasons to equal 19 months—would that be four or five seasons? Then, a few weeks before the choice is to be made, the team’s owner suddenly announces that after one conversation with another wannabe who has mainly sat the bench, the owner has decided that the wannabe is every bit as qualified as the by now experienced rookie to be quarterback!!! Need I go on?

But the Republicans’ attempt to justify this wretched choice presents another shining example of something very strange about them. That is Republicans’ increasing reliance on the argument: “We’re no different than the Democrats. We’re only doing what the Democrats have done.” But weren’t the Republicans supposed to be BETTER than the Democrats? If the major saving grace of Republicans is that they are NO DIFFERENT than the Democrats, why vote for any Republican to begin with?

To everyone who thinks this pick was to draw in Hillary supporters...sorry to disappoint you. We really don't give a whit about Hillary supporters and that wasn't the point of picking Palin. Neither liberal or conservative women will vote for a woman just because she's a woman. The issues matter and neither side will abandon their views because of the gender of the candidate.
The point was to fire up conservatives and it worked. It also helps that it totally made Obama a non-issue the day after his "performance".
Please don't insult Palin by calling her an attempted substitute for Hillary...the point is that she is the anti-Hillary and she's a lot more in tune with the majority of women than Hillary can ever hope to be.

The Good Doctor deserves all of this and more. PWNED

GeorgiaSon-
I think you meant to say Obama rose to prominence because of his oratorical hogwash and meaningless blather.
This man is empty and offers nothing but a phony facade. Where are the stories from those he's truly impacted, not just dazzled with his pretty words?
So he can imitate a preacher and play to people's emotions...that doesn't make him a leader, it makes him a pretender.

There are two possible explanations for this pick. A desperate attempt to win the 'women' vote, or McCain has lost his mind. With Tom Ridge, Condi Rice, Gov. Crist, Tom Davis, Mike Huckabee, etc. there were many sensible choices for McCain to accentuate his appeal over Obama-Biden. This pick I feel is the electoral 'nail in the coffin' for the GOP this November. Just as other demographic groups cannot be broad brushed, neither can the 'women' vote. Gov. Palin is no Hillary Clinton. That may please the right wing part of the GOP, but not the Clinton Dems. Just because someone is a woman doesn't mean she mindlessly will vote for a woman. In fact it shows McCain thinks of women as all the same when it comes to voting. It is a gamble that has played right into the hands of the Dems, and gives Obama-Biden the advantage, IMO.

God help us if this woman becomes President. She makes Bush look like an intellectual heavyweight.

to What?
No, I am not a man...I'm a stay at home mom of 3 kids. So much for your insight.

These are not rationalizations...the baby will be with her while she campaigns...not too hard to figure out. (You do know you can take babies on airplanes and bring a diaper bag and other supplies?) Just because the baby might not be "on stage" doesn't mean mom and baby are in different states. So there goes your argument about the older kids...I didn't say they were substitute parents miles apart from one another== they are helpful siblings who can hold the baby or change a diaper...any baby with siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, godparents, etc has had some caregiving from hands other than mom. Sometimes moms and babies can spend several hours apart and everything is just fine. I'm sure Trig will spend more time with his mom while she's campaigning than other children do who are in daycare from 9-5.
Apparently, your "economic issues" were raised in an earlier post...sorry to have missed them. Last I knew, no candidate in any election has ever had first hand knowledge of each and every individual state's unique economic circumstances. And really, economic issues are influenced and determined by Congress...which is why Obama (or any other candidate) can't deliver on his laundry list- all Presidents and VPs are constrained by the legislature. In fact, it was kind of designed that way- it's called checks and balances so no one branch of government gets too powerful.
But really, it's pretty simple as stated by Hugh Hewitt:
win the war
confirm the judges
cut the taxes
control the spending
secure the border
I think running a state pretty much gets you experience in all the fundamentals.
When you look at election history, most of the winners have had executive experience of some kind...those who come out of the Senate generally lose. So, McCain got someone with executive experience, Obama did not.
You would think that someone who has won several local/state elections already, is popular in her home state, who runs her household in a committed, loving marriage with her husband and who raises 5 kids would be commended for her skill and ability...she's already been doing all of the above- she's just going to start doing it on a larger stage.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 6:38 AM
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more rationalizations. and you're getting pretty defensive.
for starter the economic issues were in the same post. in fact they were the lead in to the post. too much trouble for you to look back even when i raise the issue to you. your ignoring whatever facts you want demonstrate the lack of validity of your positions. not reading my post or choosing to ignore it demonstrate this.
saying you are a man doesn't make you one. You're a stay at home mom? but you support her as a non stay at home mom with an infant with Downe's Syndrome.
So when she when she is doing her official duties as VP she going to have the baby right their and change its diaper and attend to its emotional needs when she is meeting other heads of state. if you are a mother, who has taken babies on planes or been on a plane with babies, then you should know bringing infants on planes is not the best thing for them. They don't respond to well to the changes in pressure for one thing.
you can exaggerate her limited experience all you want to. Again Alaska is a wealthy sparsely populated state with very little to do with the problems of the other 49. Vice President is a national office. Presidential candidates are routinely grilled on how much they know about he economics of the different states. So are Vice Presidents. Your emotional appeals have no practical value and only show how little knowledge she brings to the table.
If Congress will be the determining factor as you say then she cannot deliver either. What is she going to show up in a swimsuit and parade before Congress to achieve all these miraculous achievements that exist in your imagination. i've been researching her achievements all day. "running a state". 19 months? She is small potatoes.
As far as your Senate argument goes. it is well known people vote for President not Vice President so what exactly are you talking about. Both Obama and McCain are from the Senate. you are just an ideologue and facts really don't matter to ideologues.

McCain is despicable, from his smear and fear campaign to his cynical choice for VP. Women will be offended by this attempt to woo them with a female running mate. Like most Republicans he uses identity politics while at the same time pretending to abhor the same. Women are not stupid, despite what McCain thinks. They will not vote for a woman who has Neanderthal views on women's issues simply because of her gender. McCain is ignorant (self proclaimed on many issues from the economy to computers), a cynic, and a bigot (his Gooks comments about the Vietnamese are legendary). Like most Republicans, his only ideology is winning and holding power. I will enjoy watching him and his phony VP running mate go down in flames.

I have never seen so may folks from DU outside of their site in one place as are piosting here. The exact same quotes from these lefties have been posted all over DU today. Same disgusting sexist quotes from the Obamabots who are sick in the head from all that Kool-aid they've been drinking. If she is good enough for Rush and Levin then she is good enough for me.
Way to go McCain, you sealed it!!!

Jane- you don't get it. McCain doesn't think of all women as the same...he knows they aren't and knows more of us (meaning the majority) like someone like Palin and can't stand the likes of Hillary. He's going to get more votes because she isn't Hillary, not because Hillary supporters will switch sides.
Actually, the nail is in the coffin for Obama-Biden and the advantage is to McCain-Palin big time. Look how much enthusiasm she's already generated...and it's only going to grow as she demonstrates her competance and abilities.

I'm not surprised that you don't get it, Chuckie. You're as much a Beltway Insider as anyone alive; this move by McCain is totally outside your comfort zone, so you dismiss it as "theme stealing" or "pandering to women." While I'd frankly like to see the ticket reversed, McCain's selection has forced me to take a second look at an election I was planning to skip due to the lack of qualified candidates.

The story to be investigated here is not Sarah Palin, but Todd Palin and his place in her administration in Alaska. I understand his fingerprints are all over everything, including some things that should have been confidential.

You might also want to look at the little town she was mayor of, which I hear she left in a financial shambles due to bad management.

There's experience, and there's experience.

I haven't yet figured out if Palin's selection is brilliant or a serious mistake. Observing her future actions will be the most important issue. Some Democrats immediately pointed to her lack of experience but if one compares it to Obama's,she has had more useful experiences since his claim to fame is his speaking ability - nothing more.

Experience is not important as being qualified. If I had a heart condition I would rather visit a newly graduated heart specialist than a nurse who has 30 years experience. Sarah's experience does not woryy me so much as her belief we should teach the Adam and Eve story as scientific fact in schools.
Conservatives spin some weird logic sometimes. Barack irritates them beyond belief. If he would only act like a house negro and change his name to Uncle Tom he'd be acceptable... which means not having uppity aspirations like running for President.

Neocons somehow conclude that if you are articulate, dignified, good at oratory and appealing to young people, then you could not possibly be a good administrator. Actually being good at oratory, far from indicating superficiality, bespeaks clarity of thought and intention. If you think clearly and are well planned, the speeches will come out in an orderly and appealing manner. Being good at speeches and verbal expression is a sign of depth of intelligence- not glib superficiality. If Barack is an empty suit because he is a good speaker then I am Abraham Lincoln. He is not an empty suit at all but a brilliant and intelligent leader. I would like to see the people who trot out the hackneyed "empty suit" cliche get up on a stage in front of 80,000 people plus countless millions throughout the world and deliver a speech like that... any speech in fact. If he is so empty and superficial, then see if you could do it. And he delivered this superb speech with barely

Sarah Palin as commander in chief if 72-old president gets sick? Are you kidding me?

Maybe McCain is approaching senility? The choice is so wacky and absurd I totally question his judgment.

Now I'm 100% sure I'm voting for Obama.

Obama-Biden is actually the safer choice.

I am troubled by this pick. McCain is more experienced than Obama and that is a strength. But he is old and has some health issues, so for McCain the VP pick is more than some hypothetical. I'm sorry but this woman was a small town mayor just two years ago! I cannot believe Romney (solid economic and governing experience) was passed over for this "game changer"... as if this is all a game, all just a campaign, and not about who is prepared to lead the United States of America. I was leaning to McCain but now am back on fence again. Ugh.

This to me just proves that McCain is not a very bright man. I mean he graduated something like 6th to last in his huge class. That should tell people something right there. This VP pick again shows an overall lack of intelligence. We've spent the last 8 years with this same problem. We need a leader with enough brains and courage to bring hope and change back to this once great country. Obama is our only hope, anyone with an IQ over 100 can see that.

Obama was the editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Some of you anti-intellectual hillbillies might not realize this, but this is actually a very competitive, prestigious position.

This woman has a BA in journalism, one of the phoniest majors outside of Communications.

Under two years ago, she was the mayor of a backwater town in Alaska, pop. 6000. Being a beauty queen doesn't could as solid presidential experience.

Amazing, funny, and sad all at once from these right wingers.

>>the point is that she is the anti-Hillary and she's a lot more in tune with the majority of women than Hillary can ever hope to be.<<
Her position on abortion is supported by 18% of the population.
Her position on creationism has roughly the same appeal.
Her position on global warming is limited to her, and the board of Directors of the five largest oil companies.
She's about as extreme as they come. Just keep watching the polls for the "Palin Pop" that's never going to come.

What's your problem Krauthammer and most of y'all?
Obama has spent all his years as univ. professor asking touchy questions while careing to never decide what would be the answer to any of them -- running from decisions, publications, paper trails and responsibilities.

So Obama's problems stem rather from his character of calculated evasiveness, poor judgement and opportunism all evident from his relations with Rev. Wright, Farrakhan, a former terrorist and much less from his inexperience.

Sarah Palin has a perfectly opposite character to that of Obama's with its plusses and minuses, but she will prove to all the open minded scheptics that she could be VP or even president who is up to deal with the nuovo-rich, corrupt and bully Putin and four-month experienced Medvedev.

As a stay at home mom, Sarah Palin seems like a hypocrite to me. She had a baby in April and went back to work, 3 days later!!!! Now, she is running for VP of the most powerful country on the planet. What happened to conservative family values when ambition came calling? I cannot support her. I think she put her political ambitions above her family. If Hillary had a young, disabled baby at home, I would say the same thing about her. Call me old fashioned, but I think mothers should stay home with their children for the first two years. Some women have no other choice but to work long hours--but Palin is not one of them.

The crucial difference is this:

The inexperienced Sarah Palin is up for the #2 spot, Vice President. She's got executive experience and she will have a chance to learn the rest, firsthand.

The Democrat's most INexperienced person is up for the #1 spot, PRESIDENT. As Hillary implied, he is not ready to hit the ground running on day one.

Huge difference!!

McCain just finished the joke on himself. After railing for months about so called "experience", he nuked his own arguments with Palin's selection.

Tariq

I thought all along it made sense for McCain to pick a woman. But this lady? She seems nice enough, but the whole thing with her brother-in-law the state trooper plays out like something from "Soap", which is disturbing.

And she is a "creationist"? And doesn't believe in Global Warming? How many Americans are really ready to vote for someone who doesn't believe in science? I dunno.

It will be interesting to see how she does in interviews, when people ask her questions about civil rights, equal rights, the military, war and peace, public schools and the like. She will do interviews, won't she?

Best wishes to her as a person, she is entering the meat grinder!!

What? is a good posting name for you because that's what your comments make a person think...
Yes I am a stay at home mom thrilled beyond belief at this choice...not everyone has to structure their life like mine- it's called freedom.
Actually, I did go back to read your economic issues comments which make no sense...just because Alaska is unique doesn't mean there aren't basic principles about economics, governance and leadership that carry over to other states or federal government. Mitt Romney used his governing and business experience to oversee the Olympics...not exactly the same situations but experience in one helps in the other.
You also assume she won't study or educate herself along the way...no leader knows everything and the best ones are the ones who know they can't know it all, gather as much info as they can, and surround themselves with competent advisors who are experts in different areas pertaining to issues they'll be facing in their position. She's already head and shoulders above Obama who hasn't done anything but groom himself for the spotlight. Most of his time as Senator has been spent campaining, not legislating.
And no she won't have the baby "their" (which is really "there" in this usage)in a meeting with someone...doesn't mean the baby can't be attended to by a family member or friend in the next room or back at an embassy or hotel until she is done with her meeting.
I have no idea what on earth a swimsuit has to do with anything in this discussion. And yes, she and McCain will also be limited in their goals and plans by what will pass in Congress. Doesn't mean they aren't the better choice. Their leadership can also result in more success working with Congress.
Don't get your last rant...my point was historically the candidate who wins comes from executive experience...McCain picked a running mate who has that- which he is lacking, Obama picked another Senator like himself so neither one on their ticket has governed, only legislated..and not that well.
Apparently you are an idealogue, too, because the fact is she has run a family, a business with her husband, a town, and a state...just because that state has lots of land and not as many people doesn't make the governance of it any less valid. They do have cities in Alaska, not just wilderness. They make laws, change laws, appoint judges, practice medicine and law...they even have schools and businesses- and those are regulated at some level by the state and local governments. It all functions the same way, and even if it's on a smaller scale, it still beats Obama's experience.
You demonstrate how little knowledge you bring to the table.

Simply put reagrading the experience issue:
Palin:
City Council member, Mayor for 5 years, Governor which includes the titles, Chief Executive, Commander in Chief, reputation for fighting corruption, has strong conservative credentials,a strong record of reaching across the aisle without compromising her beliefs, etc. etc.

Obama: Senator for 3 years of which he spent 1 1/2 compaigning for President, reputation for associating with the corrupted, has strong liberal credentials,no reaching across the aisle record to speak of. Prior to that chaired a community outreach committee (WOW)........

Picking Palin does not make Obama any more experienced. Lets look. Executive experience

Obama-managed his office staff - maybe 25 people
Biden - managed his office staff - maybe 25 people
McCain - squadron commander - maybe 1200 people
Palin, Gov. of largest state.

Fundamentally, basing the VP decision on a gimmick is irresponsible. Obama-Biden is a sound ticket. McCain-Palin is a nothingburger. In February 2009 Pop Pop gets sick and then what do we have? Don't be surprised if Cheney and Rove show up working as houseboys in the Residence.

Odd Choice !
Die-hard Hillaryites are serious feminists, likely to be appalled at a woman so pro-life as to insist that if her daughter was raped she should have the child !
The ultra conservative bear hunters to whom she may appeal, would never have voted for Obama anyway...and I'm not sure if this group of Neanderthals will vote for any woman; no matter how good she is with a gun !
Then there is the misuse of political power for which she is under investigation.
Again.
Very Odd Choice !

Will you Republicans kindly tell us why an unknown VP candidate's pro-life credentials are more important than the security of this country?

Then perhaps you can explain why the people living near almost any significant terrorist target overwhelmingly vote Democratic?

Hint: You're all bluster, smoke and mirrors.

Scientists Continue to Sign Petition Opposed to Global Warming
Salem-News.com
Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine says a "flood of Scientists oppose what they describe as, "Global Warming Alarmism."

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - As the Senate prepares for floor debate on global warming legislation, the list of scientist signatories to the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine's petition against global warming alarmism is growing by about 35 signatures every day, announced OISM's Art Robinson.

On May 19th 2008, OISM announced that over 31,000 scientists, including more than 9,000 with Ph.D.s, signed a petition that states, "... There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane or other greenhouse gases is causing, or will cause in the future, catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate..."

Signatories include such luminaries as theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson, MIT's atmospheric physicist Richard Lindzen and first National Academy of Sciences president Frederick Seitz. More than 40 signatories are members of the prestigious national Academy of Sciences.

The purpose of the Petition Project is to demonstrate that the claim of "settled science" and an overwhelming "consensus" in favor of the hypothesis of human-caused global warming and consequent climatological damage is wrong. No such consensus or settled science exists. As indicated by the petition text and signatory list, a very large number of American scientists reject this hypothesis.

The petition's web site is petitionproject.org. You can visit their Website at: oism.org/

I am amazed that someone has written here that since Obama was editor of the "Prestigious Harvard Law Review" that qualifies him more than someone who has only a degree in Journalism. I am a "hillbilly" from Illinois who had the opportunity to observe Obama's legislative performance in Illinois. There was none to observe. He was elected U.S. Senator because we had an unbelievably corrupt Republican Governor who tainted the whole party. It seems that being editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review may well be detrimental.

Sarah Barracuda was chosen by McCain after one meeting. This means McCain knows nothing of her personally or about her qualifications to be President. She was the Mayor of a small town in Alaska with 9,000 people and has no foreign or domestic policy experience except for oil. Barack Obama should be celebrating today. Now the next month of the election will focus on Sarah Barracuda and her qualifications. Whether she impresses or bombs it will not matter because people vote for President not Vice-President. McCain has just thrown away the experience argument and all scrutiny of Barack Obama as issues.

Reese Witherspoon for VP!

Palin may motivate the GOP base, but is probably a non-starter for most swing voters. Older white women, except maybe the staunch Catholics, will dislike Palin's stunning looks.

Latino vote? Yeah, they're Catholic, but they ain't stupid. Plus Andy Stern of Change to Win has got their ear.

McCain's pick of Palin is a "pander pick". Nothing more or less. Palin was chosen purely to steal the Hillary votes. If I was a woman, I'd be offended by his assumption. Palin is ANTI-CHOICE, people, and woefully INEXPERIENCED. McCain, you old man, you should be ashamed of yourself for thinking the women's vote is based solely on gender. They vote the issues like everyone else.

This choice just speaks to McSurge's serious lack of judgement. Even this Kraut guy who has written so many glowing columns about McSame has to see what a dumb move this was. McCain was never a match for Obama, now he has tied a ribbon on the gift of the Presidency and handed it to Obama. Thanks McSenile.

Palin won less that 115,000 votes to become Governor of Alaska. I was at Free Republic today and they are damning her with faint praise. Few people posted comments about the choice, very few. And half of those were negative. I really don't see anybody energized. I see a lot of people stunned, including me. I thought I could sleep at night with McCain in the White House, if he picked Romney for VP or Huckabee. But, this is very unsettling indeed. Biden has been vetted, Palin hasn't. I would hate to see her forced to withdraw, as I hear she is being deposed soon in an abuse of power probe in her home state. With Palin, you can take talk of inexperience off the table. I am not hearing it anymore. Neither are a lot of people. McCain can't spin out of this one. His judgement is extremely poor. Add to that, he is a hypocrite.

The reason Palin was picked was truly political, after all McCain met her only once before the vetting process began. Palin is intended to serve as the sacrificial lamb. If McCain loses, Palin goes back to Alaska and life goes on up there as it always has (ending corruption my foot!). The rising stars who represent the futue of the party are still available in 2012 untainted by a 'loser' tag. Remember, only Nixon lost a run for the Presidency, came back to on a second try.

If McCain wins, the party gets what they want, a one term President and a sham primary in 2012, with a hard right conservative at the helm.

Charles Krauthammer needs to take off his neocon glasses and look hard at who in the Republican party is controlling this pick. These are the same forces who would push Monica Goodling for attorney general, or as seat on the federal appeals court.

I truly believe that McCain is not just dumb, which is pretty obvious, but growing senile. I'd wager he resisted advice from some advisers to pick someone from outside caribou country. Two years ago she was mayor of a rinky-dink town in Alaska. Yep, sure sounds ready to go mano a mano with Putin, the Chinese, etc. Astoundingly bad pick, worse than Quayle even. At least that airhead had been a senator.

To the person who still hasn't educated himself on Obama's record...he served 8 years in the senate in ILL. and 4 in Washington..that's 12 years of elected office compared to Palins 8 years of elected office to the city council of a 6000 plus city and a year and half as Gov. where she has put the state into massive debt. Go check out some of the local and state newspapers. Throw in her ethics charge that may completely change this election if she is found guilty? and McCain shows once again that he has no clue....and even with his money? he apparently can't buy one.

What does it say about the value of the family to uproot several young children from Juno and move them to the glare of Wash. DC and an absentee mom. Great, dad is probably great and should take his share of the family responsibility but a downs syndrom baby and other small chilren still need a big dose of mother.

Was Harry S Truman ready to lead when he was nominated as VP to a dying President? Was Jimmy Carter ready to lead when he was elected President? Is Barack H Obama ready to lead as the democratic nominee? Mrs. Palin has as much or more executive experience than all three put together and she is not at the top of the Republican ticket like BHO.

Vetting process? There was NO vetting process with Palin. As a Republican? I will NOT vote to put our country into the hands of someone who has ethical issues and hasn't the experience to keep this country safe!
I will vote for the Democratic ticket for the first time in my 50 years.
I am just sickened!

McCain had better choices to make for his VP pick, and he refused to make them. Instead, he showed us his compulsive side. Grossly and completely incompetent. McCain talks out of both sides of his mouth at once. Any card carrying Republican has to be shaking their head in bewilderment.

Remember where you heard it first.

Democratic LANDSLIDE.

With Obama, we wouldn't have to wait for someone to die some day for an amateur to become president.

if McCain wanted a woman, he should have picked Lieberman!

What's the big deal? It's only the vice-presidency of
the United States. Don't you realize that it is the
corporations that make the big decisions?
It's all window dressing...all of it.

As an older female I am very wary of Palin - her experience - or lack thereof - with NATIONAL issues, her knowledge - or lack thereof - of INTERNATIONAL issues, oh yes she's the governor of the largest (and one of the least populated) state which is also a state vital to the BIG OIL industry; her belief in Creationism; her activity with the so-called Feminists for Life - Do I really care if this woman can gut a moose? That's not relevent unless of course we send her to Georgia (Sarah, that's the country we're talking about, not the Southern US State)where she can wrangle with Bush's buddy, Pootie-Poot.

What's the big deal? It's only the vice-presidency of
the United States. Don't you realize that it is the
corporations that make the big decisions?
It's all window dressing...all of it.

The Palin pick makes perfect sense -- but only in the disfigured bizarro world that is today's Republican Party.

A former beauty queen and local PTA Most Valuable Mom does not a potential leader of the planet's superpower make. Cookie bakes are not adequate training for the complexities on our national economy.

My oh my.

Blow all the smoke you want regarding her experience but your credibility goes into the toilet. She has no experience in the areas that keep this country safe. Economy and the ability to keep us out of another useless war.
Her support of Stevens shows her ability to side with theives and her ethics charge show the state is ready to throw her out of office.
Go read the local papers and check out where she has spent money. It's laughable. She cut 600 thousand from the police force and gave the moeny for lights at a stadium. That's just one of her "achievements" in that poor state.

I seldom agree with Charlie but he hit this one on the nail. Probably because unlike the faithful he writes for who are swooning over this, he's sophisticated enough to realize McCain has just blown it. The one credible argument, the only one, McCain had against Obama was his relative lack of experience although he has been through the crucible of a searing 18 month primary campaign. Now he's taken that off the table, put his own age back on the table, and confirmed a underlying image of erratic judgement. This was a doozy and Charlie knows it even if the far right conservatives who think this is such a great idea don't get it.

If this is the Republicans answer to Hillary Clinton? They have insulted the Clinton supporters.

Flex- pay attention to earlier posts...we've already covered that Palin isn't the pick in order to draw liberals who voted for Hillary. Palin isn't ANTI-CHOICE she's PRO-LIFE...none of us want a candidate that would appeal to Hillary supporters. Palin was picked because she energizes the base, which is what you are all afraid of---if we are energized, we won't need to siphon off votes from your side.
For all you pro-choicers out there, the "Neanderthal" view is that it's ok to kill babies in the womb, or partially out of the womb by stabbing them in the back of the head, or by just letting them die outside the womb when they are "aborted" but end up still living and they are given no medical attention.
If it's not a baby, your not pregnant..too bad if it's not convenient- at least let the child live and another family can raise it. You don't punish the child for circumstances they had no say in.
That's the most Inconvenient Truth about a barbaric act committed in a supposedly civilized society. Some of you posters are inconvenient, but it doesn't make it ok to kill you.
And stop calling it a "women's issue"...women don't get pregnant alone. Not every man is worthy of having a say about his child, but then again, neither is every woman.

John McCain has shown his ability to shoot it out in a war....only problem? With his pick of Palin as his VP he has shot himself in the foot.

Abortion is the only deciding factor for you in this election? God helps us if people like you vote.

The Obama convention was a once in a lifetime event...and on the heels of it we get this from John McCain? Here American, I could care less about your staying safe so let me pick a person as inexperienced as I can find but hey! She has a vagina!

After reading the vitriolic posts of the left-wingers here, I have decided to volunteer for the McCain campaign and make a sizable donation. It is amazing how quickly the left has stooped to smear tactics of the worst kind. I am optimistic that Governor Palin will prove herself.

What a sight to see...a maverick nutures himself......on full display and in a year when the costs were as serious as they have ever been.
McCain is nothing more than shetland pony being ridden by a former beauty queen down the streets of American.

You go right ahead and send money...and if McCain passes, God forbid, and we wind up with that unexperienced woman, who has ethical issues that she may very well be found guilty of, as President? I hope you learn that supporting the party isn't always the safe bet.

One has to wonder if McCains parents were breeding for stupid?

All this talk of experiance and you forget history. Please name any Presidents who have first been senators? Now governors? The woman has 7? + years as an executive. She RAN something! Governor Palin is better qualified to be President of the United States then eather democrate candidate.

McCain picked Palin after meeting her once! In their VP selection processes, McCain and Obama have shown that there is a careful and conservative candidate for President and a willful and reckless one. In picking Palin with almost no deliberation, McCain shows his the really risky choice for President and not what we need in a dangerous world.

OBAMA:
President of the Harvard Law Review.
- (He isn't just a Harvard Lawyer - but President of the Law Review)
- CEO of the most effective Presidential Campaign in US History -with $50 million/month revenues.
- Best Selling and Visionary Political Treatise outlining all matters of Governance: "Audacity of Hope"

OBAMA was accused of inexperience 19 months ago - and had to PROVE his mettle, by defeating the mighty Clinton Machine.

Sarah PALIN would not be here - if she had been
"Steve" PALIN.

CHANGE = NO MORE REPUBLICAN TOKENISM

China won almost double our Gold Medals. This is no time to put a former beauty queen mayor of a town of
8,000 - a heartbeat away from the Presidency!

OBAMA proved himself in 19 months, and earned his candidacy by defeating the Clinton Machine. PALIN has been given an irresponsible benefit of the doubt.

First, Ms. Palin seems like an affiable person, so I will not castigate her blindly.

Second, why do people automatically assume that her limited experience in government is absolutely sterling without knowing for certain what she has done? Didn't anybody learn from the mistakes of Hurricane Katrina in regards to improper vetting?

Third, how can people honestly cross-compare her and her life experiences to Sen. Obama and his life experiences? At best, their profiles are apples and oranges.

One thing I would simply remind people is: For all of your bluster and cloaked beliefs about Obama, he has done something that not one single republican can claim:

He has taken on the Clinton machine, in a fair and protracted battle, and WON. Republicans can only dream, scheme, and salivate about achieving that, lol.

After former Pres. Clinton's speech at the convention, it is clear that not a single republican candidate could beat him in a fair and open election today.

So, in my mind, these arguments of inexperience, incompetance and extremism are hollow, baseless attacks from a losing, power hungry bunch of misfits and failures, ones unable to grasp reality, but with the blind ambition to carry forward anyway.

Irrespect of her politics and ambitions, I do feel bad for Ms. Palin and her family for what is about to happen to them. This promises to get very ugly, as the grounds for her selection seem improper in their roots.

Have you even checked to see the condition she left that small town in? LOL I thought not. Experience running a town of 6000 (into the ground according to them and the record) cannot compare to elected office in Washington where they deal with tougher issues that how many lights does the downtown need!
This is not a democrat/republican issue. This is a safty issue when one candidate is 72 and has had recurring bouts of cancer!

Imagine his making a choice to bomb some country using the same deliberation he used in deciding his VP. It shows that he will do ANYTHING to get elected even if it means putting this country in danger...and Palin as VP? One heartbeat away from the Presidency? Is putting this country at risk for his political ambitions.

It's an exciting pick with a huge upside. Palin presents a very interesting counterpoint to Obama. I don't see how the debate of whether Palin or Obama is more qualified to deal with foreign policy helps Obama. It sublimly puts Obama where he should be in this race -- as a vice presidential candidate. After all, wasn't Obama clearly less qualified than Palin is today when he declared himself a presidential candidate. The only downside is if Palin makes a big blunder early on. She was terrific on Friday. I think McCain might be prove to be a lucky prospector. Think big Charles.

Don't you get it, there is another more devastating attack about to hit Obama... the October surprise will come in September. BTW watch Obama eating watermelon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eitsutpOc

We have had enough of the right and they're "Reindeer Games"...

Romney and his supporters, all the Republican Senators, Gov. of Florida and the seniors of Florida must all be enraged at the cynical way that McSlime is treating the Party and the American voters. McSlime is contemptuous of us ordinary American voters. He believes we are shallow, dumb, and easy to fool. Pick any woman VP and we Hillary supporters who only want an excuse not to vote for a black man will vote for her/McSlime. This is the Republican Clarence Thomas playbook, and it brought our proud country almost to our knees in New Orleans, in Iraq and in the gloabl economy. The Republicans are against identity politics but use it to mask their failures of ideas and policies. They have attacked Hillary and now want us to vote for a woman who may very well be the President when 72-year-old, near-dementia leaves office prematurely. She is anti-choice, will pack the Supreme Court with more Clarences, knows zero abour foreign policy--let's ask her how many countries she has visited, how much she knows about othet heads of states, about the Middle East, etc. The Repubs attacked Obama for not visiting Iraq often enough and they have put a woman who has never been to iraq by that red telephone at 3 am in the morning. Hillary supporters are insulted that the McSlimes think we find Palin a good enough surrogate for the real thing. Palin will prove a Pain to the McSlime ticket.

Here are just "some" of her insane decisions while in elected office.
Cuts $130,000 for Anchorage police station, funds $100,000 for Houston (Mat-Su) football field lights.

Cuts $500,000 for Anchorage fire station, funds $630,000 for Wasilla Sports Complex Kitchen.

Cuts $200,000 for roads in South Anchorage, funds $100,000 for bleachers at Palmer High School.

In addition to having no experience on the national stage, she has a voice like fingernails on a chalkboard. I can't listen to her without cringing. When she talked about the shattering glass ceiling she literally sounded the part. I can't wait for November to get her off the media. Yow!!!

October surprise? More Larry Johnson tellings? LOL The surprise in October will be that an election isn't going to happen because Obama is so far ahead of McCain after this surprise.
Check out all the new utubes on Palin. So much material to play with and they have been putting it to good use.

I knew Dan Quayle. Dan Quayle was a friend of mine. Sarah Palin is no Dan Quayle

I like the comment about the Maverick now being a Shetland Pony being ridden down the streets of American by a former beauty queen..but she lost so is she still considered a beauty queen?..and she was beat by a black woman....oh my!

If John McCain thinks he has selected a centrist and regained a maverick status by picking a woman that wants to overturn 40 years of constitutional law, is a life member of the NRA, and is has yet to make up her mind if the climate crisis is "real" or not, he is only kidding himself

You all forget she can deliver Alaska's 3 electoral votes!

Summed up by Republican friend on way to St.Paul "We're toast"

I agree with this article. McCain gave up the best hold card he had in his hand when he gave up the experience card. Perhaps it's time for the Republican party to get someone else ready to accept at the convention. They need to do something or they are going to lose in a land slide.

I am insulted that McCain thinks that because she is female - women will vote for her. The republicans must be scratching their heads. This shows a total lack of judgment. When you see the two of them on TV -McCain seems stiffer than usual and there is no chemistry - probably because they just met on a blind date- oh I mean blind republican presidential ticket - Bizarre only begins to describe this pick. I really didn't think Obama has a chance but now we will see how racist our country still is - because there is no comparison. When we wake up on November 5th we will use this rejoinder
This is America! The first part will be totally dependent on the election.
I won't write it here because some journalist will steal it and use it as his/her own.
WOW!

Toast is right unless the party steps in to stop this joke. He cannot be allowed to accept the party's nomination. They must put someone else up for the delegates to vote on!!!!!!

Can I just ask, did Margaret Thatcher have any real experience before she took office?

Anonymous wrote:

"Here are just "some" of her insane decisions while in elected office.
Cuts $130,000 for Anchorage police station, funds $100,000 for Houston (Mat-Su) football field lights.

Cuts $500,000 for Anchorage fire station, funds $630,000 for Wasilla Sports Complex Kitchen.

Cuts $200,000 for roads in South Anchorage, funds $100,000 for bleachers at Palmer High School."

Well, she IS a soccer mom!!

Deanna-
I live in IL...Obama taking up space in the legislature doesn't mean he achieved anything or demonstrated leadership. You've all had classroom teachers- you can tell the ones who are skilled, gifted and interested in being there from the ones who are just there because it's a paycheck or a stepping stone to something else, like an administrative position.
Just because McCain and Palin only met face to face once doesn't mean they didn't do a ton of research and reading and investigating her...sorry you aren't privvy to all the details. They know the press will do their darndest to dig up dirt, so they cover all those bases ahead of time.
If you are a mayor or governor, you are handling budgets and other economic issues. A Senator/former governor of Idaho said he made more decisions in a month as gov than he did in 2 years in the Senate...you can't compare Palin and Obama in terms of time...you have to compare them in terms of type of experience.
The "useless" war as you call it has kept us free from more terrorist attacks on our soil, and rid the world of quite a list of lousy murderers and thugs. Not to mention, as governor, Sarah Palin has had to interact with the Dept of Homeland Security...all that open land so close to Russia (that some of you think is such a piece of cake to be in charge of) has to be monitored and kept secure.
One sure fire way to know this is a good pick is to see all you liberals so riled about it...this isn't the Republican ANSWER to Hillary...it's the Republican ALTERNATIVE to Hillary/Obama. You all think way too much of yourselves to think you are the motivation behind the choice. Palin is the nominee because of what Republicans stand for, to appeal to the core of the party who weren't totally happy about McCain- so Palin obviously can't appeal to disgruntled Hillary supporters, and she isn't meant to. And since you libs are so into "choice", you'd think you'd be happy there is one...distinction between the candidates gives us 2 different options, not 2 who are so similar you can't tell them apart.

Women everywhere are insulted.
McCain made his pick because she is female, has 5 kids and one of them with Down's, and because she was a former beauty queen...matter of fact it is also an insult to men thinking they would vote on looks.
He has proven he really dosn't get it.

I was born and lived in Chicago most of my life and the state? LOVES Obama. He has worked hard for the state and his record proves it. As a republican I would expect you to take the line your taking but the facts speak for theirself. Ethics? He has no peer. Experience? He has proven that 12 years in elected office have helped shape his judgement. We could start with the war issue or his push for ethics that has become law under his hand.
Write all you want but when your done? A quick trip to Obama.com can tell you more than I ever could. The lies the republicans have been spreading since day one have a way of shrinking once the light is on.
Your being from IL? tells me nothing since I live there also...I just happen to be someone who likes to make educated decisons.

Uh-oh, someone wrote a column before he read his talking points. While I agree with Chuck's premise, I believe it will be just a matter of time before his next editorial will come out about meeting with Gov. Palin and how she is the right person for the job!

This pick was so transparent it is unreal. Just an attempt to grab Hillary voters, even though Palin stands against about everything Hillary stands for. And she is under investigation for using her political power to seek personal revenge, hmmm, she may be the right person to continue the Bush legacy after all.

I know people don't vote for the vice president but with McCain's age and health concerns that changes the dynamic of the importance of the pick this time. Some may argue that she has executive experience but if she is all of a sudden thrust into the presidency her lack of foreign policy experience could be dangerous to our country. Also it has been rumored that McCain would be a one term president, that would put Ms. Palin as the republican front runner in 2012. I can hardly believe that the republican party is overjoyed with that scenario.

The republicans came out against Edwards staying in the race after his wife's cancer returned - "how could he concentrate on the job if elected, he's terrible, he should be home with his sick wife"

If this was the dem's pick, oh boy the right wing pundits would be all over it - "She has a child with Downs Syndrome at home, she should be devoting her time to him" - "what kind of leader would she be if she is so cold hearted that she would leave her special needs infant child to gain political power and the spot light" - "she puts personal gain first and her child second" and on and on it would go. They would also be screaming that - ...the democrats would do anything to win, even using an unqualified woman in a position of power to get votes -
"She voted for the "bridge to nowhere" before she voted against it" - "how could he make her the choice after meeting her only once!" - "How can they pick someone who has a BA in journalism and was a sportscaster for such an important position?" - "How could they select her if she is still under investigation corruption, for using her office for personal revenge" - " Agin, the Democrats didn't put our country first, they put politics first!" - And on and on it would go in a never ending cycle.

They say the presidential candidate's first big test is his choice of the VP. If that's the case then McCain failed that test. He chose someone who has no foreign policy experience, that is not qualified to step into the job at a moments notice. His first big decision was a big reach to try and get female votes, not select the best person for the job, or at least a qualified person.

Even Stevie Wonder can see through the reason for McCain's' choice.

I don't think that Krauthammer is adequately considering the fact that voters don't give the same weight to presidential and vice-presidential candidates. It's just a simple truth that people will cut some slack on vice-presidential candidates that they won't on presidential candidates.

Moreover, you can still use the "is he ready to lead?" attack, because the main way McCain has done so is by using the words of Democrats (including Obama himself) to raise questions about his qualifications. To the best of my knowledge, there are no equivalent soundbits about Palin.

That leaves the Democrats in the position of attacking her accomplishments, which is problematic for several reasons. The first is that it feeds into existing negative narratives about Obama. Denigrating her as a small town mayor translates into "small towns suck," which is not someplace Obama should go, given the controversy over his "bitter clingers" comments earlier this year. Also, the Obama campaign's first response, by fixating on her time as mayor and largely ignoring her governorship, came across as denigrating her accomplishments. Some women already have issues with Obama over the treatment of Hillary, so being dismissive of another woman doesn't seem smart to me.

The second reason is that she actually has some pretty good accomplishments: fighting corruption in the Republican Party and a record of fiscal toughness, particularly against pork. Two of the principal problems with the Republicans causing them to lose control of Congress in 2006 were their appearance of corruption and their freespending ways. On the basis of his record McCain was in a good position to negate those problems, and this choice magnifies and focuses much needed attention on that negation (yes, I know about the investigation into the firing of a state official in AK, but a) she's been pretty outfront of that, so I don't think the charge of coverup (which is usually what does in politicians) is going to happen, and b) I think the details of the situation tend to generate some sympathy for Palin's side (the brother-in-law trooper had threatened her father's life and tasered his 11 year old stepson))

And the third and final reason is that look at the coverage: the experience issue is creating comparisons to Obama, not Biden, and does the Obama campaign really want to go there? And specifically, again, Palin's rep comes from fighting corruption within her own party. Does Obama, a product of the famously sordid Chicago Democratic machine, really want to get into that issue?

Is she a perfect candidate? No; it would be better if she were a two term or more governor and this investigation were out of the way (the fact that the report on it comes out mere days before the election means any criticism of her, no matter how mild, could be effectively spun). But I don't think the imperfections are what Krauthammer thinks they are.

"Here are just "some" of her insane decisions while in elected office.
Cuts $130,000 for Anchorage police station, funds $100,000 for Houston (Mat-Su) football field lights.

Cuts $500,000 for Anchorage fire station, funds $630,000 for Wasilla Sports Complex Kitchen.

Cuts $200,000 for roads in South Anchorage, funds $100,000 for bleachers at Palmer High School."

Too bad our country isn't a soccer field.....

Palin is qualified to run the local high school PTA, the country not so much.

When the candidate is 72 and has had reaccuring bouts of cancer? ANY educated person better give weight to the VP pick!

Dear Red Menace,

In re: My friend Margaret Thatcher.

Born in Grantham in Lincolnshire, England, she went on to read chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford and to train as a barrister. She was selected as Conservative candidate for Finchley in 1958 and won the seat in the general election the following year. When Edward Heath formed a government in 1970, he appointed Thatcher as Secretary of State for Education and Science. In 1974, she backed Sir Keith Joseph in his bid to become Conservative party leader, but he was forced to drop out of the election. Thatcher entered the contest herself and became leader of the Conservative party in 1975. As the Conservative party maintained leads in most polls, Thatcher went on to become Britain's Prime Minister in the 1979 General Election.

Even an old party hack like Kraphammer sees this for what it is: John Insane just shot himself in the foot.

When all the MSM dust settles -- and the glamor has worn off this story -- the reality will beging to unfold.

Everyone will look at McSame and see a man who is 72 and has so many health "issues" that only 1,200 pages of his medical records -- for the last 8 years ONLY! -- have been released for public scrutiny -- and then only for 4 hours!

Then, they will look at the person who's supposed to take over the country if anything happens to the prez, and see . . . Sarah Palin????!!!! -- an ideolog whose mindset is more Medieval than modern when it comes to . . . everything! -- from morals to the environment.

I don't think soooooooo! The Rethuglicans can stay in the Middle Ages all they want. The rest of us are moving on to the 21st century.

It's like Obama siad the other night at the convention. This election isn't about Democrats and Republicans. It's about doing what is right for the times and 4 more years of the last 8 cannot be tolerated. Palin? Is a worse alternative than the last 8 years because her inexperience can cost us even more!

"As the Senate prepares for floor debate on global warming legislation, the list of scientist signatories to the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine's petition against global warming alarmism is growing by about 35 signatures every day, announced OISM's Art Robinson."

There are "scientists" that support Creationism too.

It is amazing to me how many of you "progressive" and "high-minded" liberals skip over all of Palin's positions of authority...a mayor and a governor regardless of geography...and try to condense her to a mere "beauty queen". First of all, she was the first runner up so you don't even have it right, and being in a beauty pageant is not cause for derision anyway. Second, whether you like it or not, she ran campaigns and won elections, including some against the establishment of her own party.
So really, feminism isn't about equality and respect for all women...it's just about cheering for liberal women and being as nasty as possible toward conservative women.

To all you brave anonymous posters:

One thing: "You're doing a helluva job Brownie"

So, i feel a little better now knowing that this WAS the actual intention of the whole republican party, instead of a momentary mistake in judgment. Better we know its just bad, non-executive judgment now, than latter, when it will really matter.

Re to wit: Ted Stevens and the Alaska machine have been targets of the Bush Justice Department for what, 4 years? So it don't take alot of courage to attack a sinking ship when its bow is already submerged, lol.

Maybe research all the flip-flopping going on up there also about the bridge to nowhere...This is going to get ugly....

The facts stand alone.
She has NO experience running anything other than s state that has a low population. She won with only 151 thousand votes. In her short, less than 2 years, at bat she has now become the central figure in an ethics violation.
She has 5 children and the last one who is only months old has Down's and she intends to leave him to be raised by who? Not his Mother! She is Pro Life but I guess that life only matters to her when it's still in the womb.

Dr. Krauthamer,

Now I see the side of the Dr and not Mr...U are absolutely correct.

John was gaining and seems like he would...but he and his cronies intent to apply the same swift boat method used against John K... four years ago is one of his major downfall - to stop and think.

Sarah Palin maybe an honest hard working mother of five but do we want her to be at the helm, god forbid, should John not be able to carry on, in his first year.

"Palin is more ready to lead than Obama, and isn't seeking the same job."

Is she really? Forgetting their education - she a BA in Journalism from a midling school, he a superstar from our finest Universities (Columbia and Harvard Law School), she a beauty queen contestant, he a constitutional scholar - I say forgetting because Republican's celebrate their anti-intellectualism with the sneer of "elitism",not only has Obama traveled this nation - extensively (57 states, if you believe him!) - he's also traveled and lived around the world and met with world leaders. She has spent her life in a tiny state with a white bread population (75 percent) and little contact with the rest of America and very little traveloutside her own realm - she did go to iraq, though in the context of hanging with the troops, there is NO footage of her actually meeting any regular citizens of that country - so her world view is considerably limited. Obama - for eight years, represented a district that rivals the STATE of Alaska in population, and then was sent to the US Senate representing our 5th largest state. This is a man who was a community organizer as well as teacher - she? She was a mayor of a tiny town with a single street running through it. The idea that she's a more proven leader than Obama - who commands a gift of communication and focus and organization like few we've ever seen - is not only laughable, it's an insult to Republicans (the most) and democrats and Americans. She MAY be a great leader, but there is no evidence of that - and is currently under investigation for abusing her office - a trait many Republicans may deem a winner. has she ever read the constitution? Who knows - and, apparnetly - who cares? She's a fundamental Christian who believes Global warming is a hoax, who believes evolution is a hoax, who believes that abortion is only a last resort to save a dying mother - rape and incest victims need not apply!
That's YOUR idea of a leader?
good luck!

Question: Was John McCain thinking about the welfare of the nation when he made this choice? The question answers itself!

Does John McCain *understand* the primary role of the VP is to take over as president, should he become incapacitated?

This has never been a contest about "experience". It is now and has always been about getting out of the awful situation, both domestically and abroad, that President Bush and the GOP have put us in.

Senator McCain stands a chance at winning only to the extent that the policies he promotes represent a change from those of the GOP. And, alas, they really, really don't.

I suspect that Senator Obama will win this election. You don't need two years of "experience" as governor of Alaska to govern the Executive Branch of the huge federal government. In fact, I suspect it would mislead a governor into THINKING he or she could use the same techniques that worked there. How much "experience" does any governor have with clandestine operations of the CIA? With daily briefings on the Russian invasion of South Ossetia?

Indeed, how much "experience" does anyone, including a sitting Vice President, have with the enormous pressures that arise without warning at any given moment when you are President?

Listen and watch Senator Obama. This is not just a "politician". And he certainly isn't just a "celebrity". He has shown, if nothing else, from the way he has run this campaign, that he has enormous skills at figuring out what you need to do under pressure, AND he is able to inspire and convince millions--around the world-- that he will find better ways to solve problems.

That's pretty important. That's what made previous Presidents successful.

I see no evidence that prior "experience" as a governor, senator, or anything else, correlates with success or failure as President.

She doesn't understand global warming. Palin is Admiral Stockdale in a dress.

"What is your take on global warming and how is it affecting our country?

A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made."

http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126139.html

Sarah Palin is a social, religious, and economic conservative. She is also both principled and inexperienced. If you like that mix, vote for her. If you don't, vote for Obama & Biden.

None of us are privy to the motivations behind McCain's selection of Sarah Palin. He's 72. He's had two bouts of cancer. If this choice was intended to comfort anyone other than the extreme right of the Republican Party, it won't. My guess is that in the end, this will strengthen Democratic chances in November.

Yonkers, New York
30 August 2008

Probably simply to regain his reputation as a "maverick" and a "straight shooter," John McCain has impetuously and recklessly chosen Sarah Phalin (who?) as his running mate.

This is a dumb choice, but one with dire implications for the United States of Ameerica.

But this is not the first time that John McCain has made quixotic choices. He keeps on making them, even at this late hour!

Mariano Patalinjug
MarPatalinjug@aol.com

Right . . . that worked well for Hillary.

McCain was gaining on experience v. change. Now he has removed Obama's claim to having a corner on "change." And McCain is still considerably more experienced. Besides that, Palin has executive experience and has stood up to her own party, something Obama has never done. Brilliant choice. The reason McCain needs a game changer is because he's not aiming to tie Obama, he's aiming to beat him.

I think this choice highlighted Obama's speech perfectly. Judgment? In 24 hours, we got another sampling of McCain's judgment - and it ain't pretty (though Ms. Palin cuts a nice figure out there)

As a liberal man in his early thirties, I was impressed with Barack's speech on thursday night and was thoroughly upset when I heard McCain was going to try and steal the afterglow of one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard.

However, 24 hours later, I feel sick reading the comments posted by my fellow democrats. The condescening tone towards Alaska, the dismissal of a successful, working mother (who should be a feminists daydream), and the ridiculous notion of "outrage" democrat women are voicing towards a woman who is GOVERNOR of a state needs to stop. Yes, it is probably pandering, but she is the Barack Obama of their party, and while I dont tolerate people who dismiss Baracks experience, I certainly wont for people who rip apart Palin.

Dems, we are better than this. I am 100% in disagreement with 99% of the repubs views, but we need to understand we were wrong abou the surge and now we are wrong to diminish this successful woman.

I'll still be voting for Barack, because he is who this country needs, but I will do so with a heavy heart.

No, IL does not LOVE Obama...the liberals might, but there is a whole lot more to IL than liberals, especially outside the Chicagoland area.
And if your "educated decision" comes from a life time immersed in Chicago, that explains a lot...ethics?? Have you not heard of Tony Rezko? Bill Ayers?? Jeremiah Wright? He lied about not hearing Wright's hate-filled rhetoric and then dropped his so called "mentor" like a hot potato. More will come re: Ayers.
Obama has ethics like the Clintons have ethics....and they don't even bother hiding it anymore. Bill can't stand Obama but gets up and gives his speech- for what? To preserve Hillary's chances of running in '12.
And for those who say "it's only a VP, people vote for the President"...not only do people care about both parts of the ticket, they care about spouses, too...the likes of Teresa H. Kerry, Michelle Obama are a detriment to their husbands chances.

The inexperience argument against Obama remains stronger than the same rap against Palin. Obama has to be ready on Day 1 (Hillary was right). He will not have the luxury of being an understudy. Palin will have time to learn the ins and outs of the shark-infested waters of the Tidal Basin. She's a heartbeat away, but so were many others.

Look back to 1952. A 39 year-old congressman with a mere 4 years in the House and less than 2 in the Senate is selected by a war hero to be his vice presidential running mate. Experienced Republicans press to have Eisenhower remove him from the ticket. He doesn't. Ike wins by a landslide anyway. Twice.

And from what I read about Palin, she's no Nixon.

Kraut, I am with YOU on this one, which is historical!

I am a former Hillary supporter, but McCain's choosing Palin will NOT get MY vote!

MY COUNTRY comes first, and I shudder at the thought of Palin as President, which could happen if McCain wins, and then dies!
He IS 72, and looks to be on death's doorstep more and more every day!

Of ALL the QUALIFIED VP's McCain could have chosen, he pandered to the Wingnuts, hoping to scoop up former Hillary supporters by his IRRESPONSIBLE selection of Palin! Tom Ridge OR Mitt Romney would have made sense.....but.... Sarah PALIN????

McCain, you JUST DON'T GET IT! We are NOT the stupid female Hillary supporters you made us out to be! We will NOT be voting for YOU OR PALIN! Talk about using good judgement!!!!

Why would a republican pick a qualified VP? The entire party seems bent on proving its ideolgical point that government does not work. With another storm bearing in on NO, who can forget how this line of thinking played out a few years back...good job Brownie!

"The devastating line of attack was, 'Is he ready to lead?'"

I don't hear that half as much as I hear, "Is he losing his mind?" Today it's the Republicans who are saying it.

You should just recycle your article formulating a graceful withdrawal for this veep choice before she is confirmed in a few day, Charles. Just insert her name over Harriet Myers, VP over Supreme Court nomineee and gear you remarks towrd McCain instead of Bush. They followed your advice last time, but it sounds like you already threw in the towel.

Amanda...you are the one who doesn't get it. McCain didn't pick Palin to try to get your vote...read prior posts- it's not about you!!!

McCain just lost my vote. I was a strong supporteer but I cannot vote for someone who displays such bad judgement. I like Ms. Palin but I don't want her, or the mayor of Hooterville, or any small time political operator a breath away from running my country. Romney was the only responsible choice. He had the experience and business background to turn this bus around. I guess I'll just stay home on election day.

This is all great stuff, I can't wait to see the made-for-tv movie about the 2008 campaign, with James Garner in the McCain role and America Ferrera as Palin.

Your upside argument for Palin is Nixon???? In the Washington Post of all places.

Wow. You attempt to correlate Obama to Nixon, beating a lberal over the head with more republican mismanagement and poor judgment. Then, attempt to vindicate Palin with the counter?

Beam me up Scotty.

Once in a while I read a Krauthammer piece that I agree with. This is one of those. Palin is a horrible selection. Shes governed a state of 1 million people for 2 years! Thats it! The selection reeks of Palin reeks of political pandering to the disenchanted PUMAs!

Does McCain really expect us to think of Palin as a substitute for Hillary? C'mon? How dumb does he think we women are?

Is Clarence Thomas a sutstitute for Thurgood Marshall?

I'm not buying...in fact I'm offended.

Palin is "inexperienced" so all of a sudden Obama's lack of credetials are off the table? I don't get you libs and your logic!

Good attitude, James...because Obama, who is a small time political operator dressed up to look and sound nice, will end up even closer than a breath away from running the country.
At the very least, remember our military personnel who far and away want McCain, a fellow soldier, as their Commander in Chief, and get out there and vote for McCain in their honor.

"Blue" wrote, "Obama has to be ready on Day 1 (Hillary was right). He will not have the luxury of being an understudy. Palin will have time to learn the ins and outs of the shark-infested waters of the Tidal Basin. She's a heartbeat away, but so were many others."

Um....William Henry Harrison died after 30 days in office.

Think that's enough time to be an "understudy"?

I don't.

We don't elect leaders because of their "experience"--NONE of them has the "experience" needed to be President.

We elect people based on vision, on judgment, on the ability to communicate ideas and purpose. So far, Senator Obama is winning that fight hands down.

One of the great things about a new political face is that it doesn't come with baggage that provides an avenue for attack. This advantage has worked marvelously for Obama. Since the main political goal of choosing a vice presidential candidate is not to make a huge mistake, a newbie's virtues shine brightly.

Palin doesn't come with a lot of baggage. She brightens up the ticket, adding executive experience, and an identity shared by 50% of the electorate.

Since the battle between the #1s completely overshadows the battle of #2s in the presidential election, the experience card is still in play. In fact, bringing the subject up just highlights the difference between McCain and Obama.

I disagree with this analysis. Palin's limited experience only forces Obama to underscore his: How can he attack her for lack of experience without doing so from the thin, shaky foundation of his own? He'll either make himself out to be a hypocrite by attacking her, or giving her greater gravitas by ignoring it. I think she was an ingenious choice, and an extremely artful poilitical manuever. Whether she'll make a good VP remains to be seen (I'm not necessarily convinced that Biden will, either). The shocking truth is, of course, that Palin has far more executive experience than ANY of the three other candidates.

Cinema Paradise: That's good, but I don't see James Garner in that role. How about William Shatner?

Novaexpat...you are dumb because you didn't bother reading all the previous posts about McCain not intending Palin to be a draw for you...this is about rallying the Republicans (for the umpteenth time)...
And actually, Clarence Thomas is a far superior alternative to Marshall. But Republicans make choices for their own constituency, their own core beliefs and values, not to try and gain the favor of their opposition.

It will be more useful to comment on this and other sites when all the netroots like DailyKos activists who pose as real readers/posters, stop bombing sites with faux posts.

Posted by: AsperGirl
******************
Shut the f**k up about faux posters. People are seriously concerned about this pick and do not need a lecture from a basement dweller who spends 24 hours a day posting on WAPO.

Is experience important to John McCain or not? If you put this lady up against Biden, as nice as she may be, she is pound for pound, a novice, banterweight.

Worse, being that John McCain became a U.S. Senator when Barrack was 12 years old, he cannot argue her to be an outsider necessary for reform on the Hill without looping himself, as a long time Senator, in her wonder lasso (I'm sorry, she just reminds me of Diana Prince-Linda Carter- the alter-ego of Wonderwoman).

I think this was an irresponsible pick for 72 year old McCain who has had 4 bouts with cancer. I have family serving in Iraq and that she, in the face of sending her own child to Iraq, says "I haven't been following the war" is concerning, ok for a hockey mom not particularly interest in the political affairs of the day, but NOT ok for a VP.

I think that she is, when the fluff wears away, going to be his greatest liability.

And what is this with her desire to push "creationist" teaching into public schools?

One thing is for certain. We must give them more to do in Alaska. They have too much free time on their hands.

To AsperGirl and the rest of the Anonymous wrong-wing posters:

I keep reading about how Palin has more "executive" experience than Obama and how she is "more qualified" as a result...

By that spurious thinking, she is more qualified than MCCAIN, who also has no national "executive" experience. But no wrong-wingers would make the stupid claim that she is better suited to be President than McCain.

As for her "DC outsider" cred and how it's going to help her against Biden, there's a huge difference between him and Palin... one of them has spent over 30 years on the national and international stage, learning to develop consensus, dealing with foreign affairs, challenging some of the toughest problems we face, balancing the interests of diverse groups, etc... while the other is Sarah Palin. Her experience in the backwater is nothing compared to navigating DC politics. As I've stated before, that's like asking the CEO of a 20-man startup to run a Fortune 500 company.

Which brings me to her "executive" experience... running a cash flush state with the total population of a mid-sized American city. Memphis, Tennessee has the same number of people as all of Alaska... MEMPHIS! Does that make the mayor of Memphis qualified to by Veep? S/he DOES have "executive" experience after all. By that standard, ANYONE who runs ANY city with more than 700,000 people is more qualified to be PRESIDENT than MCCAIN HIMSELF, who has never run anything on a national level. That's dangerous ground on which to walk.

As for Alaska, it's so wash in Big Oil money, EVERY GETS A SUBSIDY CHECK!!!! You GET PAID just to live in the state! Do you think most of the governors in this country wouldn't cut taxes if they had cash rolling in from ANYWHERE? They be in office FOR LIFE. Why do you think Alaska politics are so corrupt. I also understand that Alaska gets a ton of that farm subsidy change too.

Guess what? The U.S. isn't cash flush. In fact, it runs MASSIVE deficits and has a multi-TRILLION dollar debt. Am I to expect that someone who only has experience dealing with perpetual cash surpluses qualified to figure out how to keep this country running on FOREIGN CREDIT? Dirty little secret... we BORROW MONEY FROM OUR RIVALS! Yes, it's true. How will Mrs. Palin like learning to take from Peter to pay Paul?

And this isn't even the tip of the iceberg. I STILL haven't addressed her personal politics, which are best described as "fringe."

This woman SIMPLY ISN'T QUALIFIED... PERIOD. Obama has to deal with issues on a national and international stage in the Senate... anyone who thinks Palin's experience is even close doesn't know politics.

I find it ironic that the posters that were spending time screaming about Obama's inexperience are performing twists and turns worthy of Cirque d'solei in trying to cast her as a strong VP choice. I am so disgusted about this choice. I cannot believe that I ever considered McCain. What is the matter with him?

Mr. Green,

The issue was never about experience (McCain has zero executive experience just like Obama), it's about judgment and/or hypocrisy in its lieu.

Say what you will, Obama just figured out how to defeat the Clintons in a fair election. Have you or your brethern ever been able to do that?

Second, McCain hammers away this summer that the whole issue is about judgment and experience. And then turns around and does this. Can you not see the hypocrisy in this line of progression?

There is a video available of McCain stating the needs for choosing an experienced VP in ciculation. Also, research the Rove attack on the possible Tim Caine selection about misjudgment in the choice of a VP....

So, some are simply calling your party out for your own statements made prior to the Dem convenetion. Do you practise what you preach? Or do you just hold others to higher standards? WE need to know...

Somehow Kraut didn't get the talking points from the Zionist central at the Weekly Standard: Kristol is all for Palin.

I absolutely love watching the democrats gyrate, squirm, and self flagellate with the Palin pick.

I had the same first reaction, but all McCain needs to do is steal away some Independent women from Obama. According to Gallup, McCain and Obama are tied among independent white women. McCain has a huge lead among white men (independent and republican). Obama is of course winning among people of color regardless of gender. So, the target audience for him is independent women. He wouldnt be able to move people of color, and staunchly liberal women are going to have a hard time voting for him. Moderate and independent women are probably movable, however, and perhaps Palin can create the excitement needed to do this. PLUS, she has rallied the conservative base. She has 5 kids, one of which has Downs Syndrome, and she is pro-life, a fiscal conservative, and she wants to drill drill drill for oil -- but not take away too much hunting ground!

Palin is a brilliant choice.

First it shows that McCain is a progressive, willing to take risks, supports and believes in giving women positions of power and responsibility, wants to bring in outsiders into Washington and that he wants real change (and creates change by his selection of a VP).
Whereas Obama chose a VP that is the ultimate Washington insider, plus the guy is old.
McCain thinks outside the Washington box, Obama jumps in it.

Palin herself? Smart, independent, sharp, attractive and a self-made woman (as opposed to the ride-the-coattails-of-her-husband Hillary).
She is the only Washington outsider on either ticket.
Plus with with Governor background experience and mother of 5 children She is a much better role model for women than Hllary or wife of Obama.
More women can identify with Palin that Michell Obama or Hillary.
We will have to see how she does in the press and on the campaign, but so far what I have seen she is impressive.
The Democrats are scared. Watch the sexist remarks begin. (How soon will Joe Biden's smart mouth,loose lips sink Obama's ship?)

The contrast between McCain and Obama on foreign policy experience is still there. Mit Romney has no obvious foreign policy experience. It is far from obvious that Mit Romney actually has an advantage in administrative experience. Even if he does, it is hard to believe that it would make any difference to the voters that McCain needs to win. Whether or not Palin contributes enough to the Repulican ticket to make the difference for victory remains to be seen. But the bust side of the equation is very hard to understand. The only ones missing Mit Romney are some old Republican men who can not give up the idea that somehow they could achieve another round. Somehow I doubt that very many of them will be quick to vote for Obama.

I agree Charles and I don’t agree with you often.

The nomination of Sara Palin for the Vice Presidency of the Republican Party is totally insane. And, it depicts a total lack of judgment on the part of John McCain. While OBama had a vetting committee of the likes of Caroline Kennedy and other important notables, John McCain has met Sara Palin only once prior to the big announcement.

And, then folk like Kay Bailey Hutchison are forced to go out there to try to frame Palin's nomination to the American people. All the while, I am thinking why not Kay Bailey. She, and other republicans, would have at least indicated some small level of concern for our country.

Instead, we are expected to believe that John McCain really considered the enormous issues facing our country when selecting Palin as his nominee. Given that the job of President of the United States, inherently requires leadership, good judgment, and complex decision making capabilities, sadly, now, I don’t think John McCain is ready to lead.

Charles Krauthammer has certainly established his anti-Obama credentials, and I don't like what he's been saying. But I give the man a lot of credit for saying what he really believes about the selection of Palin. It boosts his credibility. I'll pay more attention to him now knowing that he's saying what he really believes.

You guys need to drop the "executive experience" mantra. When Bush and Cheney got to the White House they had more exec experience than any other Pres-Veep team in history (with the possible exception of our military-hero Presidents, e.g. Washington, Grant, Ike--but then again those guys never had "other priorities" when it came to putting on a uniform). Remember January 2001 when we were getting our first "MBA" president and how great that was going to be? Sure was great, wasn't it?

McCain's pick of Palin for VP is like Bush's pick of Harriet Meirs for Supreme court justice. Neither one is qualified, much less the most qualified for the job. Maybe McCain has dementia like Reagan did.

Palin will end up being the pick of pro-choice women voters. Many of these women will end up rethinking their position on abortion. It is easy to depersonalize abortion, but with Palin the pain of choosing is right in your face, and she did the right thing. She is an example for all of us and if nothing more makes us really think about the ease which pro-choice cast value of life as secondary to the right to choose.

Actually, Mr. King, several posters have made the comment that they'd prefer Palin on the top of the ticket and McCain as the VP.
Apparently, the DNC has made "Memphis" the city of the day for talking points...this is not the first time I've read this comparison, or the diatribe on Alaska residents getting a subsidy...
I think had McCain picked one of the people whose names were floating around in discussion of the short list, there would have been 10 mins devoted to it and hardly a blip of commentary here or anywhere...expected, typical candidates. The reason this is getting so much play is because she is a viable candidate who shortened Obama's "moment" and who suddenly poses a challenge, an obstacle to Obama claiming his mantle...if she were the fluff and nothing you all wish she was, you'd have no reason for concern.

I absolutely love watching the democrats gyrate, squirm, and self flagellate with the Palin pick.

Posted by: D Man
***********************
with laughter...are you serious? You got every repub operative on every news station trying to sell this woman - all of them with panicky eyes.

Sara Palin is going to rally an entire nation of closet pro-lifers!

"And, then folk like Kay Bailey Hutchison are forced to go out there to try to frame Palin's nomination to the American people. All the while, I am thinking why not Kay Bailey. She, and other republicans, would have at least indicated some small level of concern for our country."

I believe Kay Bailey was approached and declined to serve more than once...and you know what, every single candidate on either side has drawbacks...there's always something you'd like to tweak or remove, so there won't be an election where you don't have to give up something to gain the victory...

It is very interesting reading all these various comments,but what is basically important here is how has this vote affected YOUR vote? If you were committed to OBAMA or McCAIN before their choices has their choices changed your vote? Did the choice of Biden make any difference in your vote?or if you were not committed to either one,has McCAINs choice convinced you that you should vote for one or the other?? Let us here from the UNDECIDED her rather than than the partisans who are filling this space!!

There is truth to the view that McCain is undercutting his strongest argument against Obama by selecting Sarah Palin. It is also a high risk move to have her face Biden in a debate.
Other considerations weigh more in Mrs. Palin's favor, however. To this point, the Republican base has been notably lukewarm regarding the McCain candidacy. There is no doubt Mrs. Palin will generate heretofore lacking enthusiasm within their ranks. I don't think she will win over many of the feminists who voted for Mrs. Clinton, but she might be effective in winning over many of the socially moderate and conservative Democrats who voted for her. Moreover, her presence on the ticket has already goaded the left-liberals into making foolish, sneering statements about small-town and rural America (e.g., Mrs. Palin is related to most of the people in Wasilla, when in fact she wasn't even born in Alaska). Such remarks could cost the Democrats dearly on election day.

To Anonymous (gee, that's a shock) - I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but I think being concerned about someone who is DANGEROUSLY UNQUALIFIED to be VP is normal. Wrong-wingers think Dems are running scared because of the Palin pick...

and we are. AWAY.

As are many ReThugs who have the common sense to see that Palin is VP material. Maybe in 10 years she'll be... but not now.

I realize that everything is black and white for wrong-wingers and they can't understand why people would be concerned about a woman with ZERO national and international experience being chosen as a VP candidate. After all, this is the party that continues to insist that "tinkle down" economics works when it has been discredited in three Republican presidencies.

Say what you want about Obama, but he had to establish himself in a city that is over THREE TIMES the size of Alaska with politics that are many times more cutthroat. And then he went on to the national and international stage in the Senate. To say that Palin is more qualified is a myth and a dangerous one at that.

BTW, I don't work for any organization. So the fact that I can point out holes in Palin's resume should tell you something about her.

For what its worth, Bill Clinton told the world that Obama is ready to lead. In most Republican circles that doesn't amount to much but either way it still resonates with some core voters out there, Democrat and Republican alike.

Between Clinton's endorsement and the addition of Joe Biden, the experience card would probably be better left at home from here on out - Hillary tried the same tactic and look where it got her. Ironically, its now the McCain camp that will need to fend off allegations of inexperience - though have a fairly good argument in Obama's lack of experience if backed into a corner.

Palin, we're hoping, is going to represent the REAL change Washington needs while rallying the conservatives around McCain. Her selection as VP vindicates McCain's maveric image, though not much help is needed if you dive in to the details, but for voters that don't know him he's now genuine.

Bosworth, your question is well-taken, but the problem is, it can easily be turned around. How can McCain say that Obama doesn't have enough experience to lead the country when his own running mate has even less?

Bottom line: If Palin has enough experience, then Obama has enough. It may well be the case that neither does. But McCain can no longer credibly use the issue against Obama.

Which is why I agree with Krauthammer entirely. I have never seen any politician so devastatingly undercut his own best argument against his opponent.

And for what? To galvanize the Republicans' conservative religious base? In the end, they could be counted on to vote for him anyway.

This is not the case, however, for right-of-center independents and even for many moderate Republicans disappointed by the Bush administration. Many of them have been genuinely conflicted about which way to go in this election. And McCain's choice may resolve the conflict just the opposite of how he wants.

To judge so far, albeit on the basis of local and anecdotal evidence (but local and anecdotal evidence in a so-called "red state"), Palin is going to be an extremely hard sell.

IF there was any fence-sitting for me, it is done now. Palin is inexcusably inexperienced, far less so than Barack, no matter how they try to spin it.

And worse, she has a 4 month old with Down's syndrome. How can a parent of a very young special needs child have time to be Vice President AND a mother?

One of those positions will go unfulfilled, and that does NOT impress me.

To "Anonymous" - If you've seen the Memphis comparison before, then I'm happy... because "I" was the first one who made it.

For what its worth, Bill Clinton told the world that Obama is ready to lead. In most Republican circles that doesn't amount to much but either way it still resonates with some core voters out there, Democrat and Republican alike.

Between Clinton's endorsement and the addition of Joe Biden, the experience card would probably be better left at home from here on out - Hillary tried the same tactic and look where it got her. Ironically, its now the McCain camp that will need to fend off allegations of inexperience - though have a fairly good argument in Obama's lack of experience if backed into a corner.

Palin, we're hoping, is going to represent the REAL change Washington needs while rallying the conservatives around McCain. Her selection as VP vindicates McCain's maveric image, though not much help is needed if you dive in to the details, but for voters that don't know him he's now genuine.

Lol.

Democrats are not the ones doing the gyrating. Have you seen Faye Buchanan on TV recently?

If Obama is smart, he will stick to the line of congratulating Palin on her nomination, then, move on to the central issues. Make them own it.

This nomination was clearly done to reduce this election into its basest, most vulgar terms. Grounds where republicans always win.

That is McCain's best hope and chance, that democrats will abandon their moral authority to fix this perpetual disaster, and start slinging mud.

And on that I agree, nobody slings mud and assasinates characters, attacks peoples' spouses and children, like these brave republican shills. Rove is the undisputed king of vulgar.

Don't get suckered into his game.

Lol.

Democrats are not the ones doing the gyrating. Have you seen Faye Buchanan on TV recently?

If Obama is smart, he will stick to the line of congratulating Palin on her nomination, then, move on to the central issues. Make them own it.

This nomination was clearly done to reduce this election into its basest, most vulgar terms. Grounds where republicans always win.

That is McCain's best hope and chance, that democrats will abandon their moral authority to fix this perpetual disaster, and start slinging mud.

And on that I agree, nobody slings mud and assasinates characters, attacks peoples' spouses and children, like these brave republican shills. Rove is the undisputed king of vulgar.

Don't get suckered into his game.

Why bother debating the delusionals praising McCain's choice for Veep? These are obviously the proud 26% who still support W and voted for his re-election. There's no reaching them but thank goodness they are about to be marginalized for at least the next generation. The religious-right is about to return to the fringes of society, where they belong.

Lol.

Democrats are not the ones doing the gyrating. Have you seen Faye Buchanan on TV recently?

If Obama is smart, he will stick to the line of congratulating Palin on her nomination, then, move on to the central issues. Make them own it.

This nomination was clearly done to reduce this election into its basest, most vulgar terms. Grounds where republicans always win.

That is McCain's best hope and chance, that democrats will abandon their moral authority to fix this perpetual disaster, and start slinging mud.

And on that I agree, nobody slings mud and assasinates characters, attacks peoples' spouses and children, like these brave republican shills. Rove is the undisputed king of vulgar.

Don't get drawn into his game.

For what its worth, Bill Clinton told the world that Obama is ready to lead. In most Republican circles that doesn't amount to much but either way it still resonates with some core voters out there, Democrat and Republican alike.

Between Clinton's endorsement and the addition of Joe Biden, the experience card would probably be better left at home from here on out - Hillary tried the same tactic and look where it got her. Ironically, its now the McCain camp that will need to fend off allegations of inexperience - though have a fairly good argument in Obama's lack of experience if backed into a corner.

Palin, we're hoping, is going to represent the REAL change Washington needs while rallying the conservatives around McCain. Her selection as VP vindicates McCain's maveric image, though not much help is needed if you dive in to the details, but for voters that don't know him he's now genuine.

People,

Call it like it is, McCain thinks of this election as a game, just to try to get Hillary voters...

Shows how out of touch McCain is, McCain is only playing politics..

Actually it's an insult to conservative voters...

I guess "Anonymous" is out of talking points.

"Her selection as VP vindicates McCain's maveric image..."

No, it vindicates McCain's image as dangerously impulsive.

The obsession with the death of the candidates is interesting.

Question: which candidate has a living parent?

Posted by: hm | August 29, 2008 5:02 PM

Which candidate is 72-years old and is a cancer survivor? So far, that is.

It's hardly an obssession to look at McCain's health.

Pigs are flying because Ole Crater Face actually said something I agree with. Time to take a long shower with lots of soap.

"I absolutely love watching the democrats gyrate, squirm, and self flagellate with the Palin pick."
-- D Man

Well, of course you do. The pseudo-conservative totalitarians of the Bushist party machine always get a kick out of making people's lives more difficult, both politically and substantively.

At least this time around we're not being subjected to lies that this false conservatism has anything to do with being "compassionate."

What kind of state governor can't even get her ex brother-in-law fired?

Don't have the time to read every comment but take note of CK's column on Friday highlighting that Obama had few personal friends as witnesses to his career. Here is Palin who McCain spoke with for a total of 20 minutes prior to the meeting at his ranch. I see why CK is upset - it contradicts the logic underlying his previous column. McCain has no idea how this person will operate and will be given a role as VP reflecting this.

PS - Last time a state governor with limited experience was picked as VP candidate in a major party? Agnew? History repeats itself.

In making his bold rash decision for the VP slot McCain failed to notice how much Palin resembles a poor female version of Governor George W Bush from Texas.

Totally unkown to the nation, it is impossible for anyone including Palin herself to know how she will hold up in the campaign or under the intense national coverage.

The first question she will have to answer is why the rest of country (outside McCain's head) should accept that she is qualified (all the other candidates faced this question during the primary, why should she be excepted?).

The second question she will have to answer is how will she lead the country in a different direction from the unpopular incumbent Republican administration led by a Christian Fundamentalist Governor from Texas who was wildly popular in his state also before he came to washington and screwed it up.

All the candidates for office have been held under continuous coverage by the national press for more than a year now. Why should this nationally unkown be given a free pass at this point in the election?

In making his bold rash decision for the VP slot McCain failed to notice how much Palin resembles a poor female version of Governor George W Bush from Texas.

Totally unkown to the nation, it is impossible for anyone including Palin herself to know how she will hold up in the campaign or under the intense national coverage.

The first question she will have to answer is why the rest of country (outside McCain's head) should accept that she is qualified (all the other candidates faced this question during the primary, why should she be excepted?).

The second question she will have to answer is how will she lead the country in a different direction from the unpopular incumbent Republican administration led by a Christian Fundamentalist Governor from Texas who was wildly popular in his state also before he came to washington and screwed it up.

All the candidates for office have been held under continuous coverage by the national press for more than a year now. Why should this nationally unkown be given a free pass at this point in the election?

Don't have the time to read every comment but take note of CK's column on Friday highlighting that Obama had few personal friends as witnesses to his career. Here is Palin who McCain spoke with for a total of 20 minutes prior to the meeting at his ranch. I see why CK is upset - it contradicts the logic underlying his previous column. McCain has no idea how this person will operate and will be given a role as VP reflecting this.

PS - Last time a state governor with limited experience was picked as VP candidate in a major party? Agnew? History repeats itself.

How does naming a right-wing, fundamentalist vindicate McCain as a maverick, and suddenly, make him genuine? Didn't his previous 72 years of experience have anything to do with that?

So what changes can we expect in Washington if McCain is elected? Can you please elobarate, because all I have heard from republicans is noise about the evil and untested Obama.

Please, what is the actual republcan agenda that begins on Jan. 29, 2009? What is John's plan for the first 100 days? Why is this such a closely held secret (other than being deployed in Iraq for the next 100 years), given he needs the independents and moderates to come onboard.

Shouldn't he publish his positions so the undecideds can make a fair choice?

Please, I'm all ears....

What kind of governor can't even get her scary, creepy ex brother-in-law fired? Girl's not ready by a long shot.

I didn't think I'd ever see Mr. Krauthammer go against the grain. Ms. Palin may have more on the ball than Dan Quayle, but whatever Mr. Biden's faults, its difficult to see her as more presidential.

That's why they call him "McSame." He is following in his leader's footsteps like when he nominated Harriet Meyers.

Sarah Palin? See: Miers, Harriet.

Apparently you have no concern that Obama is DANGEROUSLY UNQUALIFIED to be President and has no love for this country. I find the hatred he listened to from Wright for 20 years far more disgusting than those who mistakenly hammer at his relatives' Muslim background. As for the "Memphis" comparison, go ahead and boast if you want...it's still meaningless.
If the VP pick is the first "test" of a Presidential candidate, let's compare:
Obama wanted Sebelius, but didn't have the guts to be the "winner" of the election and make his choice, he had to factor in the Hillary supporters (and it is understandable why he wouldn't want her as VP- not wanting to deal with her and Bill returning to the WH and ending up in their shadow when you are the Pres) ..which led him to settle for Biden who is the exact opposite of the change Obama has been promising, who engenders no excitement even within the rank and file, and who may put his foot in his mouth any minute. That's not leadership.
On the other hand, McCain considered the usual options, all the while keeping Palin under the radar. He did have the courage to take a risk, one that many have pointed out also has great returns, and he ends up with someone his party is fired up about, who has taken the focus off the extravaganza in Denver, and who, as a bonus, may pull in some voters who hadn't committed to either candidate yet.
That IS leadership!
And Dave? The Democrats have no moral authority to abandon.

Look closely at the difference in the overall behavior and presentation of John McCain since he last ran against W. Compare the older video clips of him then to what we see now.

There are obvious signifcant changes in his demeanor, speaking style, physical movement and decision making. None of these changes are for the better.

He's had cancer removed several times and he is over seventy years old. It leads me to wonder if there is not some serious age related physical and mental deterioration going on. This choice of VP will send his party down the tubes in November. Who the hell is supposed to be minding this guy???

Sure they do. When the republicans let New Orleans drown through mismanagment and total unpreparedness to manage American affairs, they defaulted it to the democrats.

By giving tax breaks to corporations to take manufacturing offshore, republicans show how little regard they actually have for national security, as the winner of every serious armed conflict since the Amercian Civil War has been to the one who can produce the fastest.

By profiting from abandoning Amercian manufacturing (and jobs), republicans have seriously defaulted on their own moral authority. Profit now, over future security, is a serious issue that must be fixed.

So are the foxes really going to re-position America to be strong? I have very serious reservations Mr. or Mrs. Anonymus...

MCCAIN SELECTS A ULTRA RIGHT WINGER IN ORDER TO PLEASE THE LUNATIC REPUBLICAN EVANGELICAL BASE AND HE IS CALLED MAVERICK FOR THAT. ONLY OUR EVER SHALLOW MEDIA COULD BUY THIS FOLLY, BALTZ YOU ARE A JOKER

Sure they do. When the republicans let New Orleans drown through mismanagment and total unpreparedness to manage American affairs, they defaulted it to the democrats.

By giving tax breaks to corporations to take manufacturing offshore, republicans show how little regard they actually have for national security, as the winner of every serious armed conflict since the Amercian Civil War has been to the one who can produce the fastest.

By profiting from abandoning Amercian manufacturing (and jobs), republicans have seriously defaulted on their own moral authority. Profit now, over future security, is a serious issue that must be fixed.

So are the foxes really going to re-position America to be strong? I have very serious reservations Mr. or Mrs. Anonymus...

Honestly, the women I know are even less likely to vote for McCain now because this choice seems to be a signal he thinks they are stupid and will vote for him JUST because he chose a woman for VP.

When I see "Wright,""Rezko,"or "Muslim," that's when I know the discussion is over. When all you have are discredited lies and distortions, then you have no position.

The Palin pick did what it was designed to do... create a smokescreen. But, when the smokescreen clears, then you'll have to sell Palin's record. Guess what? Ain't gonna happen. Do you think the public would rather have a JD from Harvard running the government or a JOURNALISM major from the University of Idaho, a TIER 3 school? A Senator from a city of THREE MILLION people or a governor of a state of 700,000? Like I stated before, the MAYOR OF NEW YORK has more power and credibility than Palin.

Honestly, the women I know are even less likely to vote for McCain now because this choice seems to be a signal he thinks they are stupid and will vote for him JUST because he chose a woman for VP.

Against birth control---even among married adults
Against abortion in ALL instances including rape and incest
Favors teaching voodoo "science" of creationism in public schools
Didn't know what a VP does
Didn't have time to think about the Iraq War (even though her son's going)
Currently involved in a Republican led investigation of abuse of power.

Yet she extols Ferraro and Clinton

This is going to get better and better as the press corps books its flights to Alaska...stay tuned.

The Republican party has become a party of fatcats, rednecks and evangalicals who do not even beleive in Science. This party will bring our country to it's knees and needs to be cut to shreds so that a new one can arise.

The first duty of the President is to protect and defend the United States. We are at war in two countries, lending our power in Georgia to stave off war in a third. We are fighting the spead of nuclear weapons to Iran and terrorism across the world.

Let's assume that the President dies a few months into office. It has happened before. I may not agree with all Biden says but he clearly has the kind of experience and knowledge that we expect of a President. He arguably is qualified.

Palin does not now and would not then be qualified. There is no honest counter-argument.

McCain's choice is cynical politics, winning at all costs. It's the "win today and let the country suffer" way to govern.

It's been said elsewhere and it sadly is becoming true: McCain. Putting.Country.Last.

The Republican party has become a party of fatcats, rednecks and evangalicals who do not even beleive in Science. This party will bring our country to it's knees and needs to be cut to shreds so that a new one can arise.

The first duty of the President is to protect and defend the United States. We are at war in two countries, lending our power in Georgia to stave off war in a third. We are fighting the spead of nuclear weapons to Iran and terrorism across the world.

Let's assume that the President dies a few months into office. It has happened before. I may not agree with all Biden says but he clearly has the kind of experience and knowledge that we expect of a President. He arguably is qualified.

Palin does not now and would not then be qualified. There is no honest counter-argument.

McCain's choice is cynical politics, winning at all costs. It's the "win today and let the country suffer" way to govern.

It's been said elsewhere and it sadly is becoming true: McCain. Putting.Country.Last.

The Anti-Science Party is full of Moron Cons.

Uh, Dave? The people who screwed up in New Orleans were Nagin, Blanco and Landrieu, Democrats all. President Bush declared the state of emergency 2 days before Katrina made landfall and when Brown messed up with FEMA, he was gone and replaced within 8 days.
You might have noticed that the people of Louisiana rectified part of their problem by putting Jindal at the reigns.
And did anyone notice that when Californians needed to flee the fires and take shelter in one of their stadiums, there was no violence, looting or destruction? There were other issues in NO besides government response.
Maybe if the Dems didn't punish corporations with unfair tax burdens, or if unions hadn't strayed so far from their original purpose, they could run their businesses here at reasonable costs. Just because a company is large, it's not a non-entity, it's made up of individual employees who are being robbed of their earnings, even if the company stays in the US.

Let's see now. The ghouls on the left
ask: "what if McCain dies in office.
It would be far less ghoulish to ask,
"what if Obama doesn't"

Would you rather have "no foreign policy"
in the wings, or in the White House

Let's see now. The ghouls on the left
ask: "what if McCain dies in office.
It would be far less ghoulish to ask,
"what if Obama doesn't"

Would you rather have "no foreign policy"
in the wings, or in the White House

"Hello, my name is..."

Palin and McCain have been in the same room only once before the nomination?

McCain checking out Sarah Palin's notes (or was it her butt?) and forcing a weak smile was priceless

McCain new slogan:

McCain First
Country Second

McCain/Palin ROADKILL '08

I nominate...my daughter's shool crossing guard monitor for VP

McCain/Palin ROADKILL '08

@ William Madden

Nope. Krauthammer is still as dumb as you thought. His opinion only reflects the magnitude of McCain's mistake. Even Krauthammer can appreciate it for the disaster that it is.

She will be roasted by teachers and their unions over homeschooling; she will be trashed by PETA people for shooting moose; she will be investigated by all realms of the press ver firing her brothr-in-law; it will be pointed out that she was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it; women possession IQs of 90+ will not vote anti-choice, especially with a plank including incest of children and rape victims; Finally, this choice will not appeal to disaffected Hillary voters as a number of my friends are, but, rather, as an insult which panders to political craftiness over genuinely caring about women's issues such as healthcare, equal pay, illness leave, and childcare.
She didn't break any glass ceiling; Ferraro did 24 years ago as a Democrat.

It makes no sense to compare Obama's experience with Palin's. Obama's experience is that of defeating every single Democrat who ran for president this cycle, which pretty much trumps length of time in high office. Palin was plucked unripe and thrust into the spotlight, and people are right to scratch their heads. Her speech showed a lack of breath control that says "I haven't been doing this very long." She would seem to be a rising star in her party, and in desperate times you might put them in before they're ready, roll the dice, and hope you have enough time to bring them along. Being a governor is a huge deal, even in a state with a tiny population. That she got in as young as she did, in a macho state without some family dynasty greasing the skids for her, all says she bears watching. If she's well prepped for her debate she might surprise everyone, but I think Biden's only real challenge will be to hold back enough not to look like a bully in a mismatch. She might sell as the wide-eyed ingenue who will score more points for smart and likable than he will for smart and experienced.

Palin's husband. It needs to be said, he's adorable. He needs to dump Sarah Palin and marry me. Which wouldn't be relevant except for his possible ability to get the attention of women who respond to major cuteness. I'm not saying this to insult my own gender, but in that vast sea of women voters that sliver could become a swing group.

I don't get your disdain for journalism as a college major...most of the media is on your side and what do you think they majored in?
Law degrees are a dime a dozen these days and those who hold them are esteemed at the same level as used car salesmen...you have heard lawyer jokes, haven't you?
Harvard has long since lost it's standing as the be all and end all of education. Most of the time, and especially in this case, I'd take the Idaho grad.
The reality is, it doesn't matter what or where you studied...that's only part of what makes you a person of substance.

For those who think McCain's choice of this particular woman for his running mate is a good one...

You've got to be kidding!

Do you still think that if you say the same thing over and over and over again (ad nauseum), that those Americans who really understand how incompetent John McCain is will somehow believe you????

Think again...

I'm baffled by the choice; yet I plan to give the story a few days to develop and Gov. Plain a few days to show her mettle. Since, as everyone says, we know little of her, how come everyone is so ready to pass judgment before Gov. Plain has had even one chance to face the national spotlight?

To those who denigrate her college degree, since when has a qualification been that one needed a degree from an Ivy League school to qualify for Office? Some of our presidents would qualify as no more than home-schooled.

To those who keep citing the fact that Gov. Palin is quoted as saying she has no idea what the VP of the United States does: please tell me who does? There is no job description for the position at all. The US Constitution establishes that the VP succeeds the Pres. under specific circumstances; and establishes that the VP acts as president of the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes. Beyond that, nothing is set; the duties and responsibilities that the VP will carry out are entirely up to the Pres. These will change from administration to administration.

Spin away your troubles anonymous. I'm not buying your line, sorry.

If a corporation decides on their own to abandon America, so be it. We don't have to reward their behavior. Also, most large Amercian corporations pay little or no tax as it stands now. So what do you want to give them next?

The Feds knee-capped everybody in New Orleans, including blocking charitable supplies from Amercian Red Cross and others. Central command was in Washington, not in the parishes.

Blaming it all on the local offices is so pathetic, revisionist, and irresponsible. "You're doing a helluva job, Anonymous"

BTW, John McCain voted against every single measure congress attempted in regards to looking into the affairs of the federal government over the handling of Katrina. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. Loved the picture of him and Bush eating cake while it was going down. Perfect. Leadership we count on (well, provided we believe in voodoo science and think it goes 1..3..6..2).

I had the same first reaction, but all McCain needs to do is steal away some Independent women from Obama. According to Gallup, McCain and Obama are tied among independent white women. McCain has a huge lead among white men (independent and republican). Obama is of course winning among people of color regardless of gender. So, the target audience for him is independent women. He wouldnt be able to move people of color, and staunchly liberal women are going to have a hard time voting for him. Moderate and independent women are probably movable, however, and perhaps Palin can create the excitement needed to do this. PLUS, she has rallied the conservative base. She has 5 kids, one of which has Downs Syndrome, and she is pro-life, a fiscal conservative, and she wants to drill drill drill for oil -- but not take away too much hunting ground!

Going from the PTA to meeting with Putin--real Maverick choice. So is bungy jumping.
This is desperation. She hasn't had time to be vetted. He will have to let the American press and the DNC do that and he's not going to like what happens next.
He has handed Obama the victory.

I'm baffled by the choice; yet I plan to give the story a few days to develop and Gov. Plain a few days to show her mettle. Since, as everyone says, we know little of her, how come everyone is so ready to pass judgment before Gov. Plain has had even one chance to face the national spotlight?

To those who denigrate her college degree, since when has a qualification been that one needed a degree from an Ivy League school to qualify for Office? Some of our presidents would qualify as no more than home-schooled.

To those who keep citing the fact that Gov. Palin is quoted as saying she has no idea what the VP of the United States does: please tell me who does? There is no job description for the position at all. The US Constitution establishes that the VP succeeds the Pres. under specific circumstances; and establishes that the VP acts as president of the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes. Beyond that, nothing is set; the duties and responsibilities that the VP will carry out are entirely up to the Pres. These will change from administration to administration.

Going from the PTA to meeting with Putin--real Maverick choice. So is bungy jumping.
This is desperation. She hasn't had time to be vetted. He will have to let the American press and the DNC do that and he's not going to like what happens next.
He has handed Obama the victory.

How can Palin be a reformer when she doesn't know what needs to be reformed or any of the players in Washington?

John McCain is Insane.
Oh, My God; Judgement has fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason.

Great choice McCain - Time we see some 'real Americans' in politics. We can all relate to this Lady.

Bosworth wrote:

"I disagree with this analysis. Palin's limited experience only forces Obama to underscore his: How can he attack her for lack of experience without doing so from the thin, shaky foundation of his own? He'll either make himself out to be a hypocrite by attacking her, or giving her greater gravitas by ignoring it. I think she was an ingenious choice, and an extremely artful poilitical manuever. Whether she'll make a good VP remains to be seen (I'm not necessarily convinced that Biden will, either). The shocking truth is, of course, that Palin has far more executive experience than ANY of the three other candidates."

Exactly, look at George W. Bush, Governor of Texas with all of his experience. Look what is got us.

Mr. Anonymous,

You really need to get out more, read more. Harvard just retook the number #1 position within the last week, lol.

It really does pay to be informed. Just saying, lol. Maybe, expand your horizons past the F-word News Network. Amazing what you can find out if you only look around alittle.

In real science, it goes (1..2..3..4, etc.)

It has been truly amazing to watch the Alice In Wonderland-brand of logic that has quickly blanketed this dialectic as the stampede continues to discredit and belittle Gov. Palin. How curious it is that no one is willing to point out her work w/Canada on Alaska's new natural gas pipeline. That work alone gives her more foreign policy experience than the Democrats' presidential nominee. Sarah Palin has actual executive accomplishments, and regardless of how many or few they are in number, they are EXACTLY that many in number more than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined.

I see Charlie has some fellow travellers on the right. Frum and Ponnaru are already expressing misgivings about the sacrifice of the experience and country first arguments for the very unlikely possibility he's going to attract a lot of women with Palin who has views that are about the same as Cheney's. A lot of Republican 'strategists' are calling this a risky pick which is code for omg. I had lunch with a couple of staunch Republican businessmen yesterday and they laughed at this pick, I emailed a couple of my staunch Republican friends in the south this morning who are basically normal and their reaction was McCain must be crazy to throw away the only card he held to attract a load of extreme rightists who were going to vote for him anyway. I repeat this is already looking like a doozy by the end of the week it's going to be Leno material.

Bosworth wrote:

"I disagree with this analysis. Palin's limited experience only forces Obama to underscore his: How can he attack her for lack of experience without doing so from the thin, shaky foundation of his own? He'll either make himself out to be a hypocrite by attacking her, or giving her greater gravitas by ignoring it. I think she was an ingenious choice, and an extremely artful poilitical manuever. Whether she'll make a good VP remains to be seen (I'm not necessarily convinced that Biden will, either). The shocking truth is, of course, that Palin has far more executive experience than ANY of the three other candidates."

Exactly, look at George W. Bush, Governor of Texas with all of his experienca. Look what it got us.

It has been truly amazing to watch the Alice In Wonderland-brand of logic that has quickly blanketed this dialectic as the stampede continues to discredit and belittle Gov. Palin. How curious it is that no one is willing to point out her work w/Canada on Alaska's new natural gas pipeline. That work alone gives her more foreign policy experience than the Democrats' presidential nominee. Sarah Palin has actual executive accomplishments, and regardless of how many or few they are in number, they are EXACTLY that many in number more than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined.

AT LEAST SHE CAN SHOT MOOSE AND EAT IT , DICK ONLY KILLS DUCKS JUST FOR FUN. THIS PARTY IS REALLY GETTING BETTER

Bosworth wrote:

"I disagree with this analysis. Palin's limited experience only forces Obama to underscore his: How can he attack her for lack of experience without doing so from the thin, shaky foundation of his own? He'll either make himself out to be a hypocrite by attacking her, or giving her greater gravitas by ignoring it. I think she was an ingenious choice, and an extremely artful poilitical manuever. Whether she'll make a good VP remains to be seen (I'm not necessarily convinced that Biden will, either). The shocking truth is, of course, that Palin has far more executive experience than ANY of the three other candidates."

Exactly, look at George W. Bush, Governor of Texas with all of his experienca. Look what it got us.

While Palin might give a slight boost among radically disaffected Hilary voters, her role in shoring up the conservative base seems like a horrible miscalculation. Looking at the electoral map, McCain doesn't need to shore up the conservative base. He needs to win--and win big--with independents. And Palin's arch-conservatism seems much more likely to doom that effort than aid it.

She's a hugely exciting pick, for the sheer out-there quality of it. But the more I think about it, the more this seems like a huge bet on a very low-odds, low-pay out position.

AT LEAST SHE CAN SHOT MOOSE AND EAT IT , DICK ONLY KILLS DUCKS JUST FOR FUN. THIS PARTY IS REALLY GETTING BETTER

The Palin VP nomination smacks of desperation on behalf of the McCain campaign. Palin's primary weakness is her lack of name recognition with the electorate. Simply put, the majority of voters don't know who the hell she is. McCain is 72 years old, this in and of itself it not a problem; but there are young 72 year olds, and there are old 72 year olds. McCain is a member of the latter. Were McCain to be elected president, that would put Palin perilously close to being president, a heartbeat away, which is scary considering the condition of the elderly McCain's heart. The American voter is savvy enough to figure this out. Republicans will rue the day McCain saw fit to nominate an unknown governor from a sparsely populated extreme northern state. For chrissakes, stick to vp candidates the public knows, and from the lower 48 states. This is politics. Not rocket science.

McCain showed in his first decision he is not qualified to be the next President. The pick was a cynical choice based on his appeal to the Republican right and his hope of garnishing some of Hilary's supporters. Choosing Palin completely undercuts his message of experience.

It has been truly amazing to watch the Alice In Wonderland-brand of logic that has quickly blanketed this dialectic as the stampede continues to discredit and belittle Gov. Palin. How curious it is that no one is willing to point out her work w/Canada on Alaska's new natural gas pipeline. That work alone gives her more foreign policy experience than the Democrats' presidential nominee. Sarah Palin has actual executive accomplishments, and regardless of how many or few they are in number, they are EXACTLY that many in number more than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined.

Will wonders never cease; in my 35 years as a voting citizen (yes, I'm 83) this week has aroused in me two unfamiliar emotions: sympathy for the Republican Party, and agreement with Charles Krauthammer on any issue.

AT LEAST SHE CAN SHOT MOOSE AND EAT IT , DICK ONLY KILLS DUCKS JUST FOR FUN. THIS PARTY IS REALLY GETTING BETTER

Lauren,
If anything, Ferraro delayed a woman becoming a candidate again it was such a dismal failure.
Homeschooling is not the liability you'd like it to be...colleges actually have application instructions for those who are homeschooled and actively court those who were homeschooled because they are good students and contribute positively to campus life. And no, I did not homeschool my kids...
Teachers' unions are a farce...my husband has to pay dues without a choice (I thought Democrats were for choice?) or he doesn't get to be under contract. All the union does is sustain it's own functioning and add more bureaucracy to the system.
PETA? Please...I'm pretty certain she can handle their ilk.
Plenty of women of intelligence will enthusiastically vote pro-life. Do you even realize the original suffragettes were pro-life? Here's their quotes:
"When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit." - Elizabeth Cady Stanton in a letter to Julia Ward Howe, October 16, 1873. Recorded in Howe's diary at Harvard University Library.

"Guilty? Yes. No matter what the motive, love of ease, or a desire to save from suffering the unborn innocent, the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed. It will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death; but oh, thrice guilty is he who...drove her to the desperation which impelled her to the crime!" –Susan B. Anthony in The Revolution, 1869

Alice Paul, the original author of the Equal Rights Amendment, and Victoria Woodhull, the first female Presidential candidate (long before Hillary!), both deplored abortion:

"Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women." -Alice Paul

"Every woman knows that if she were free, she would never bear an unwished-for child, nor think of murdering one before its birth."

-Victoria Woodhull in the Wheeling, West Virginia Evening Standard November 17, 1875

Wow! Don't remember this long a post of comments on another oped or online piece. I am a member of the crowd that seldom agrees with Charles Krauthammer, but applaud him for "straight talk".

However, after reading only a small portion of the comments, the pot is stirring and it will be an interesting campaign

While Palin might give a slight boost among radically disaffected Hilary voters, her role in shoring up the conservative base seems like a horrible miscalculation. Looking at the electoral map, McCain doesn't need to shore up the conservative base. He needs to win--and win big--with independents. And Palin's arch-conservatism seems much more likely to doom that effort than aid it.

She's a hugely exciting pick, for the sheer out-there quality of it. But the more I think about it, the more this seems like a huge bet on a very low-odds, low-pay out position.

She was complimentary about Hill' but clearly trying to appropriate her supporters. Will Biden say in the vp debate

'I've worked with Hillary, she's a friend of mine, Governor, you're no Hillary Clinton.'

Wow! Don't remember this long a post of comments on another oped or online piece. I am a member of the crowd that seldom agrees with Charles Krauthammer, but applaud him for "straight talk".

However, after reading only a small portion of the comments, the pot is stirring and it will be an interesting campaign

See Lynn Swann vs. Ed Rendell in PA. The GOP knew they weren't going to win and they didn't want to burn a future candidate's chances.

Hutchinson: Current Senator, hopeful TX governor

Pawlenty: Minn. governor, hopeful Pres bid in 2012.

Romney: Mass. governor, front runner for Pres bid in 2012

Why would these good choices for VP want to hurt their own chances for the future for high/better offices.

See Lynn Swann vs. Ed Rendell in PA. The GOP knew they weren't going to win and they didn't want to burn a future candidate's chances.

Hutchinson: Current Senator, hopeful TX governor

Pawlenty: Minn. governor, hopeful Pres bid in 2012.

Romney: Mass. governor, front runner for Pres bid in 2012

Why would these good choices for VP want to hurt their own chances for the future for high/better offices.

Noam Chomsky on Concision in the media:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cceC3DeFcY

If you REALLY want to know what sort of person Palin is, listen to her laugh and giggle as another Republican from her hometown, WHO IS A CANCER SURVIVOR, is viciously ridiculed by some radio show host.

It's an audiotape of Palin being interviewed on YouTube:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/82113/4808/746/579971

Even the right wing lunatics on this site should check this out and ask themselves if this is the kind of person they want as VP.

DISGUSTING.

Bless her poor hearth!!!

I am sure that all of Hillary supporters are lining up to vote for McCain now,what a joke, republicans kept arguing experience and the best you could come up is Sara Barracuda? McCain undercut his message I've been watching all this republicans on tv and on radio claiming that She does have executive experience but Obama and Biden do not, excuse me but neither does the head of the Ticket McCain.

If it were not for the seriousness of the future of our country this would be a good April's fools joke.

I smell desperation.

Bless her poor hearth!!!

I am sure that all of Hillary supporters are lining up to vote for McCain now,what a joke, republicans kept arguing experience and the best you could come up is Sara Barracuda? McCain undercut his message I've been watching all this republicans on tv and on radio claiming that She does have executive experience but Obama and Biden do not, excuse me but neither does the head of the Ticket McCain.

If it were not for the seriousness of the future of our country this would be a good April's fools joke.

I smell desperation.

This is insane! How can anyone seriously suggest this lady is qualified to become commander in chief? The Repubs were screaming about Obama's lack of experience and were actually casuing a lot of voters to pause and consider the argument. Now the Repubs are admitting they didn't really believe a word of it. The hypocracy! And to hear the talking heads them embarrass themselves gushing on about Palin's extensive executive experience is painful. McCain deserves to lose.

While Bush has validly been branded with the label "stupid", McCain takes the notion to new heights. I would never vote for this bozo, but he would at least have salvaged some personal respect from me if he chose a decent running mate. There were several good candidates from which to choose and he took one that shouldn't even have been on the list. He's not going to attract women not already in his camp with Palin, so he's left with the female version of Bobby Jindal (no insult to Bobby intended) without the desirable attributes. McCain is truly stupid, and the call of his libido is very apparent in his choice of Sarah Palin. Good luck Republicans and good luck America if McCain should win it all in November.

Palin competes against Paris Hilton. Both are hot. I vote for both. On the other hand I would not vote for either Obama or McCain. They are not hot! Everyone loves a beauty contest.

Within 2 weeks, Palin is out as V.P., Ahnnnold S.is in. Guns blazin!!!

oh i can't wait for president palin. mccain has an aneuryism the day he is inaugurated and we get a hockey mom running the country. you think things couldn't get more ridiculous, never say never!

If I were McCain, i would have picked Condi.
At least she has good taste in shoes and plays the piano well.

I don't usually agree with this nutcase that wrote this article but I have to agree with him now! I am happy because I'm democrat but I'm also scared! Suppose we don't win? We will be in some serious trouble! With Obama we know he surrounds himself with only the best top notched individuals to help him but with McCain he has only surrounded himself with the ones that got Bush elected and now he has chosen a VP that supported Buchanan adamantly and has LESS experience than Obama and is under investigation! And actually she was for the bridge to no where before she was against it and was only against it when it would not be paid for! McCain scares me, I don't talk much about his age because of respect but I truly am scared that just maybe he is loosing his faculties!!!

Palin is McCain's suicide weapon…

I can just see the dottering, emotionally unstable old fool *insisting* on this woman he'd met only once over the aghast protestations of his cabal. "It's my party and I'll implode if I want to!"

Obama should challenge McCain to take an 'MMPI' and publish the results.

The Deadliest Catch, bgladd.com/McSameStore/GOPdeadliestcatch.jpg

Good luck guys. You just gave us the elections. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's so obviously a political pick and it makes McCain look unserious and risky. John McCain just swiftboated himself. Nicely done.

I love this comment (which was echoed by others):

"The idea that Palin is as ready as Barack Obama is as hollow as a tin drum. Obama soared to national prominence with a speech that showed his oneness with the American dream and the type of oratorical skills any president needs to lead. His leadership qualities were then forged in the fires of a grueling 19-month long national campaign..."

So all it takes to be president is to make a pretty speech and win a national campaign. Hmm. So to get herself qualified, Palin has to make a) a pretty speech (preferably at the convention next week); and b) win the election with McCain. That doesn't strike me as an impossibly high bar to clear.

The reality is that the choice of Palin will come down to the debate with Biden. If she can hold her own with him or even win, the issue will be settled. Can she do that? Perhaps; everything I've seen about her suggests she's smart and tough, and, even more importantly, Biden can lose by being arrogant and condescending, two adjectives which I have to say, after observing him for decades, pretty accurately apply to the senator from Delaware.

Were I a Democrat, I would be more worried about the McCain/Obama debates, however. Obama can give a great speech (which, again, is apparently one of the two qualifications for president), but is pretty bad when speaking off the cuff.

She really has not been a competent leader. She has a huge amount of money to work with all the oil royalties so she has not been tested. As mayor, she messed up a huge project with that sports complex she started building before the city even owned the land. Then she had to resort to eminent domain, which I've heard that conservatives despise and it ended up in federal court costing an extra 1 million or so in costs. For a small town, that was a disaster. I don't think this woman was the right woman considering there were better Republican women to choose from.

1. Does working with Canada on a pipeline truly constitute "foreign policy experience?" 2. Am I the only one who feels like many republicans are suspending their sense of reality to find a reason to think this is a good pick? (think: in the event of a lost president, do i want Palin vs. Putin in a new cold war? - a potential scenario. i think I'd actually prefer Biden) 3. Isn't it extremely strange that no one wants to acknowledge the soon-to-be-well-known whispers that her teenage daughter is the actual mother of the child with down syndrome - republicans would be smart to PRAY that the news doesn't get out!! (Pls do your own research on that one before excoriating me on the suggestion, as many republicans did when it was suggested that the rationale for a war in Iraq might have been "cooked up" -- which we now know was true after all!! but i digress....

Another bad day for the Baracky Hussein Obama campaign.

Every single day, he sounds more and more like a Republican. Saying anything that he thinks will gain him votes – he is a poll watcher with no convictions.

Baracky Hussein Obama has an extremely liberal voting record – he cannot run and hide from that fact.

Even his running mate and Hillary Clinton have stated, that he is not qualified to be President.

I hope that all Hispanic voters realize, that they will be at the bottom of the barrel if Baracky Hussein Obama is elected.

Baracky Hussein Obama will have to pacify the Black voters, after receiving 99 % of their vote in November.

Democrats for John McCain in 2008 – The Maverick is back.

This is good choice for McCain, no? That's what I think, not good choice. When it comes time for VEEP Palin to choose subordinates she will follow McCain guidance. Too bad, I think she may cause a big run on the ranks of high school cheerleaders. Yahoo! More T&A in American politics, that's what US and world need to get straight (Ha! Ha! ... get it?). Thanks for good insights Krauth.

Dave,
You mistakenly assume that people with the smarts to evaluate colleges, candidates or issues from their own perspective give a rip about rankings, polls or public opinion surveys. So, someone gave Harvard a #1..doesn't mean there isn't liberal bias in the poll, survey, questionnaire and/or the school.
Doesn't mean their grads are the only ones qualified for leadership. Personally, I'd take a service academy grad first and foremost...that whole honor and duty mindset is a huge plus.
And, guess what? The numbers 1..2..3..4, and those from your earlier post( "voodoo science and think it goes 1..3..6..2")--
those are actually from a subject called arithmetic, or math, which may be used in science but the numbers are not called science....

Even as an Obama supported, I am disappointed with John McCain's choice. I'm sure this candidate is talented and on the rise, but this is a light-weight choice. It would have been tough for the dems to talk down Lieberman or Romney, and both would have "hit-the-ground running." This is a choice for the TV age. If Sen. McCain did this merely to take the focus from Obama, then that is a despicable and cynical decision that could hurt our nation should McCain win. I honestly feel like this choice is insulting to all of us.

Someone said "take Palin under his wing"! Oh no do you remember how old McCain is? I am not someone to make fun of anyone's age, I respect the elderly, my father is 73! McCain is liable to kill over at anytime! Grant it that is the case for anyone but it is more at risk for him because of his past medical history and age! WAKE UP AMERICA! This was a very poor choice and risky for our children's future! I'm scared! McCain has shown very poor judgment and I am so mad at him that he would risk mine and my children's future by picking someone that he only met once and who is under investigation because of ABUSE OF POWER!

If the choice of Palin isn't clear evidence that John McCain has poor judgement and is reckless, I don't know what is. He had one important decision to make before the election and he blew it.

While Palin might give a slight boost among radically disaffected Hilary voters, her role in shoring up the conservative base seems like a horrible miscalculation. Looking at the electoral map, McCain doesn't need to shore up the conservative base. He needs to win--and win big--with independents. And Palin's arch-conservatism seems much more likely to doom that effort than aid it.

She's a hugely exciting pick, for the sheer out-there quality of it. But the more I think about it, the more this seems like a huge bet on a very low-odds, low-pay out position.

Right, hated...she knows the baby is secretly her daughter's, knows the VP selection will put her under the microscope and give her a rectal exam, but she crosses her fingers and jumps in, hoping it all stays under wraps....hardly.
When you have a 17 yr old and a 44 yr old, chances are greater a Downs Syndrome child will be born to the older woman.
I highly doubt she would have accepted the nomination to the ticket if this were true...she would know it would cause trouble and that they would dig it up. And, if it were true, she could have declined- no one would really know she'd even been offered the job and the family could continue on in Alaska with the coverup story re: the baby.
Think of all the people who would have to be part of keeping the deception- family members, medical personnel, all the people working in the governor's office and other branches of Alaska government.
And, if it were true, her number one concern would be to continue protecting her daughter...the risk of taking the VP slot and all the scrutiny that comes with it, especially as the first Republican woman, wouldn't be worth the risk.

McCain has gambled with mine and my children's lives and I'm mad! McCain has shown evidence that he is not ready to be commander-in-chief! He was already going to get the support of the conservative's! Now he has just given up on the independent's! This woman his far right! She was a cheerleader for Buchanan for chrissakes! We will be doomed if McCain get's in office!!!

Thanks Scott for being worried about the poor democrats, lol.

I'm worried for the poor republicans, given their blatant, but misguided, attempts to always under-estimate and villify their adversaries. By villifying the opposiion, you only weaken yourself. See, Karl never got it before he went down this rabbit hole.

"Mission Accomplished". And how's that $50billion expenditure to vindicate Bush's daddy working out for you? Last estimate was it was over $750billion and counting...Who exactly is going to pay for THAT? And what exactly, have we received in return for our investment?

Do you really want to have a debate on sound judgment and fiscal responsibility? OK, but this time it's going to be reality based. No more fairy tales from Cheneyland, lol.

Ah, a new shooter is coming out. Come on lucky 7, baby needs a new pair of shoes. Craps.

Great choice McCain - Time we see some 'real Americans' in politics. We can all relate to this Lady.

Posted by: annie-disgusted democrat | August 30, 2008 11:34 AM
***********************

What utter nonsense! I am a member of PUMA and I will never vote to put this woman so close to the presidency. The very last thing I want to see is a fundamentalist in office again. You say you are a disgusted democrat. I really doubt that. I can't relate to this woman at all! She believes in creationism? No abortion for victims of rape or incest? She'd be better off living in the times of witch burning! No feminist or Clinton supporter would vote for McCain now, not a chance in a million. No, now I have no real choice but to vote for Obama. I'll just have to hold my nose while voting. But vote for Obama I WILL!

Why is Vincent Bugliosi being blacklisted by the Washington Post and other media outlets?

you bring up some very valid points, anonymous.. for Palin's sake I hope you're right. question: Why is there not a single photo of her as a visibly pregnant woman? How weird is that? ..especially for a woman in the public eye!!

McCain just showed what bad judgment he has.You people who think Palin is so great aren't thinking about what a disaster Iraq and the middle east are or the huge national debt that Bush has run up'the million's of jobs lost in the past 8 years'more bankruptcy's and foreclosers than since the great depression just to name a few and you want a ininexperienced governor who won that election with only 115000 votes to be in a position to be in the most powerful job in the world?Obama would be bad enough but at least he has Joe Biden who should be president to guide him and who is an expert in foreign affairs.John McCain is a disaster and putting Palin on the ticket makes it a catastrophe.

kudos dave-- spot on.

McCain just showed what bad judgment he has.You people who think Palin is so great aren't thinking about what a disaster Iraq and the middle east are or the huge national debt that Bush has run up'the million's of jobs lost in the past 8 years'more bankruptcy's and foreclosers than since the great depression just to name a few and you want a ininexperienced governor who won that election with only 115000 votes to be in a position to be in the most powerful job in the world?Obama would be bad enough but at least he has Joe Biden who should be president to guide him and who is an expert in foreign affairs.John McCain is a disaster and putting Palin on the ticket makes it a catastrophe.

McCain, by designating Palin, handed Democrats exactly what they need -- a way to challenge his fitness for command without questioning his legacy as P.O.W. No person of sound mind will find her qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Palin's extreme right-wing, authoritarian views on everything from abortion to the environment to polar bears must be exposed to safeguard the republic.

Krauthammer is an intelligent analyst but something of a stiff...unable to think outside the box. If I'm up against it (and anyone who does not realize the odds against McCain is really out of touch), I much prefer John McCain's gut to all the wisdom of the neocon analysts.

The monkey on McCain's back is George Bush...the antithesis of Barack Obama. Never mind that if Bush had Obama's eloquence, he'd have a 60% approval rating. Teddy Roosevelt made the mistake of picking William Howard Taft for VP. McCain has clearly reminded us that he's a maverick and nothing could more clearly indicate that than the choice of Palin: nothing could be further from the physical corpulence of Taft or the verbal incoherence of Bush.

And, as for the "experience" question, let's not forget that Palin has more experience than Obama and she's not running for the top spot and he is!

This is the dumbest, most irresponsible VP pick I have ever seen. Would you make a person you met ONCE the guardian of your children? Doubt it. So why would John McCain pick a person he only met ONCE as the guardian of the country if he dies in office? Oh, and Charles is right, McCain will never be able to raise questions about Obama's readiness ever again. He's most powerful arguement is gone. If John McCain picked Palin because she comes from an energy producing state all of that will be washed away once the American people know that Alaska sells the majority of it's oil to Japan. If we drill in the Artic Reserve that will just mean more oil for Japan not America. Palin is clearly not the most qualified woman he could have picked either, so I don't want to hear any crap about affrimative action coming out of his mouth or the Republicans to smear Obama, because this was a Geraldine Ferraro/Harriete Miers pick.

He may have gotten some "buzz", but now the buzzsaws come out. She's going to get a real vetting now from the press and the Dems. A Joe Biden won't have to go all attack dog to beat her in a debate either. Based on her own comments about the Iraq war and not knowing what the VP does, she'll do herself in. And women aren't stupid, this woman is no Hillary Clinton. Not in experience or ideology. Having a handicapped child is not a qualification to be VP. At least we'll know she'll be up at 3:00am with her kid.

The diversity question.

Remember, Palin has no experience in that area at all. There are no black people in Alaska, no urban issues like crime and homelessness and urban blight and the usual big city stuff we endure in central states.

She lives in an insulated position.

This selection of Palin is a cross between Harriet Meirs and Dan Quayle. Like both above, there were very good reasons neither was on anyone's radar.

Unfortunately the Rove camp are trying to micromanage McCain's candidacy and in doing so are losing that what made McCain special.

Not only does Palin not have any credentials to serve one heartbeat away from the presidency, she has forfeited her right to be called a good mother by abandoning her new baby for the campaign trail. She should have said thanks, but no thanks, but self-serving ambition clearly got the best of her.

I'm stunned and exhilarated by Palin's nomination. As Krauthammer states, it undercuts McCain's most effective argument against Obama. I'm enthusiastically for Obama, but I enjoy objective political analysis - this is an objectively stupid move by McCain.

People would feel safe with ANYONE when compared to Obama. Palin is a plus.

bgladd.com/McSameStore/GOPdeadliestcatch.jpg
........

whoever posted this, I THANK YOU !!

You liberals love to bash good, hard working women, but love your terrorists like Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright.

Your boy Michael Moore gives socialist valentines to the lot of you.

McCain has shown more clearly than ever that he will do anything to win. Someone who truly loves his country would not have made this VP pick.

I am a woman, so I am offended both as an American and as a woman.

I supported Clinton, but not because she was a woman. That was a bonus. There is no way in hell I'd vote for someone simply because she's a woman, and this particular Alaskan woman has anti-woman attitudes, plus she's a creationist, pro-life, etc.

That McCain would designate a wholly unqualified candidate for vice-president who espouses extreme right-wing views demonstrates the considerable extent to which representative democracy in the United States is in decline. The world now looks to Europe for leadership.

Most likely I will get a wack in the head from my wife but regarding PUMA.....
Has anyone watched the interview Larry King had with that young lady from Boston ?
Can't PUMA put up a " better " candidate on national TV ?
By the way, I still think the " dream ticket " would be Hilary with Obama as VP.

It doesn't matter who he chooses. You and George Will will still pull the GOP lever. The difference is he can now get the single or dual minded voter to the booth. Abortion and NRA!

That is all that is important!

Reese Witherspoon for VP!

We know that she must toe the line for the sake of her political future but I'd like to know what Hillary is really thinking right now. Here she gets stiffed by an empty suit with a pretty speech and along comes a much younger woman with roughly comparable experience to the guy who just iced her, who may capitalize on her misfortune.

Charles, I think that you have overlooked an obvious fact: the McCain campaign is cynically using Palin to implement a divide-and-conquer strategy on the already divided Democratic party. Tensions may have been smoothed over between the Clinton and Obama factions when Hillary gave her speech in Denver, but now McCain may have captured once and for the bloc of women voters that were: 1) always prepared to vote for Clinton because she is a woman, and; 2) prepared to vote for McCain out of spite over Hillay's loss. These are the kind of voters that are pro-choice but will nonetheless vote for a pro-life candidate strictly by virtue of her gender.

This Palin thing goes to show just how far Republicans will go to pander to evangelicals while placing the country at risk. It's time for the majority to stand up, vote, and JUST SAY NO!!

McCain's VP pick couldn't be better for the Dems. That's perfect timing. While Obama is talking about judgement, McCain is showing his lack of. It's just too transparent - he picks someone that he believes will help him win, but that pick is not in the country's best interest. At his age and with his health history, he needs a more qualified running mate. It really doesn't make any difference because he wasn't going to win the election anyway. Obama just seems like a better leader, and right now the country really needs to get the Republicans out of the White House. I've voted Republican in every election for the last 40 years, but this time I'm voting Obama.

Posted by: left is right sometimes | August 29, 2008 9:08 PM
-----------------------
Nice post, I totally agree. I'm a life-long Republican who's never voted for a Democrat, but Obama has my vote this time around. GW Bush has made a total mess of this country, and McCain looks like he would be even worse.

I know Republicans are delusional when they write things like, "[Palin will] be ready to step in and get the job done, and likely better than Biden would do."

A two-year governor of a tiny (population) rural state vs. a respected-on-both-sides-of-the-aisle senior Senator with 30 years of federal experience? I can't wait for the veep debate.

Then there's the two-faced argument: "Obama's not ready to lead"....uh, but Palin is" [resounding silence].

Krauthammer's got this one right. McCain just lost the election.

As a hockey mom and basketball coach, Sarah Palin is uniquely qualified to become President of the United States in the event of a vacancy in office. Her experience as the mayor of a community of 7,000 and almost two years as governor of a state of almost 700,000 is more than adequate to govern a nation of 300 million. She has been tested in that most rigorous of American contests, the beauty pageant. She has lived side-by-side with the people of both Canada and Russia and, as an experienced hunter and member of the NRA, knows how to protect our borders. As a staunch opponent of abortion and proponent of teaching creation science she is uniquely qualified to fill vacancies on the supreme court. As a local television sports reporter she has the experience necessary to communicate with the people of the United States. Her personal charm and vivacity guarantees success in dealing with Vladimir Putin. Her Christian fundamentalism and future interactions with People of the Book will entrance Ehud Olmert and will convince Mahoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Khamenei to be good boys. In the Republican Christian tradition, she need only look into their eyes to see their souls.

Righto Mr. Krauthammer. Hee heee heeeee. Obama will will with absolute certainty now. Ha ha ha

Very perceptive analysis. Apparently you are not a party hack, Charles, unless the party stalwarts would be happy to see John go down in flames. At least you are honest enough to not repeat McCain's claim that Palin has more experience than both Biden and Obamma. McCain is clearly in his dotage.

"But why a game changer when you’ve been gaining?"

Because he was peaked out?
(And because Obama was poised to take off once he got himself properly introduced)

Because she energizes a suspicious base?

Because Ohio is so close that any Hillary crossover can make the difference?

Because she take the winds out of the McSame argument?

BTW - congrats on consistently yanking enough chains to own the comment response volume. Good job!

Black women, let the truth be known . . . she's a witch!

Mr. Krusse -- Rev. Wright, a TERRORIST? do you know what a TERRORIST is? did you serve your country in the military for 6 years like Wright did?

So I guess Biden is a subversive, for criticizing Bush as well? And what is valerie plame? a communist double-agent?

over-the-top name-callers like you make repubs look bad. you should respect the TRUE threats to this country instead of name-calling anyone who criticizes the status quo (which is a VERY AMERICAN thing to do, btw...

gosh..some neocons really remind me of 1940's-era nazis...or Salem witch-hunters caught up in some twisted fervor..

If Krauty doesn't like it, means it's a good pick by McCain!

I am Canadian, and I think she is a great choice for Canada. She gave TransCanada a $30 Billion contract (plus $500 Million in government subsidies). At least now we have a US politician on a Presidential ticket that actually takes us seriously and does not look down on us. McCain could not have picked a better choice for Canadians.

Mr. Anonymous,

So in other words, the liberal media is in conspiracy again to prop up Harvard in order to defeat the misinformation you espoused earlier about Harvard being basically a failed institution?

See, this is where I have serious problems with this type of discourse. Harvard, an institution older than the country itself, is a fine institution on its own measure, that needs no propping up from any media.

The argument that somehow a Harvard degree is not worth something came from you. I find this type of thinking disturbing. Mainly, because most of the American media outlets are owned by conservative interests, and consolidated down to about 5 owners nationwide.

After the last 8 years, don't you think hiding behind this often used shield is getting tired, and more than just a little irrelevent?

See, until people stop hiding behind such things, our national stock is going to continue to spiral downward until WE become meaningless on the international scene. This, at a time, when globalism is taking a more significant role in our world.

If you must know, I am an independent, and have been since 1980. I'm also a computer scientist who has been involved with both defense systems and international networking on a massive scale.

So, yes, I have a science degree from one of those big schools you have a problem with, lol. And in regards math, sorry to burst ytour bubble, but "math" is the language of science.

At a time when the rest of the world is pushing hard to advance their science and engineering capabilities, why are we retreating from the forefront?

Is this the right path for a stronger, safer, more resilient America? Hell no. You folks should be ashamed for devaluing education. It is the gateway to the future and always has been. Given the choice to follow Einstein or Rush Limbaugh, I'm sticking with Albert. Why aren't YOU?

Following McCain, Palin and Rush leads us as a country to absolutely nowhere. Returning to eduation and all its long proven foundations, leads us back to a positive future.

Wow. I can't believe I agree with Krauthammer. Good to see he did not keep up the Sean Hannity/FOX News talking points of how good this is for McCain.

I still don't like him but at least he is not a complete idiot.

You can tell how nervous the Palin gambit is making the WP audience by all the "McCain is doomed" talk, whistling past the graveyard lest McCain rise from the dead again.

The simple fact is that if Palin works out, he will squeak out a narrow victory in a year when no Democrat could lose. And if it does not work, he will lose by a landslide. The point is that a 50% chance for a victory, however narrow, is a large improvement over the 0% chance he had going in if he made the same sort of defensive and unimaginative pick that Obama made.

So you Obamites keep whistling, the louder it gets, the more it validates McCain's gutty choice.

I cannot fathom McCain will stick with her. This has landed like a bomb. Maybe evangelicals are happy, but they weren't leaving the party anyway. I am one of those disgruntled feminists angry at the MSM and dem party for their treatment of Hillary. I would have given my vote to Nadar, never McCain, but this pick is such an insult to women that I am voting Obama now. How dare he thinks we are so facile that we aren't concerned with leadership; that we simply want a uterus in the highest office, even if she does a Clarence Thomas on us. McCain will dump her after she admits this is too much for her (not furthering women's cause) and Ridge will take over.

To be honest, I was slightly leaning toward Obama before, but for the last month I had been moving toward McCain steadily. This choice, while I suppose logical in the "must win the election at all costs" criteria, is completely perplexing in the "greater good of the nation" one. Mrs. Palin is probably a fine individual and deeply believes what she says, but the "one heartbeat" argument is a very, very powerful one at this point. This selection is rightfully described as a "gamble" for his campaign, and he's more than entitled to do just that. But if he wins, his personal gamble translates into a national gamble.

I just don't see how I can vote McCain now.

Yeah Charles, but has Barack Obama ever fired a M16, or relentlessly bullied his subordinates into doing possibly illegal acts by firing civil employees because they were going through a difficult divorce with a sibling?

Now that's the true test of a "Maverick" and a leader in the GOP Party.

But isn't that Party politics as usual, rather than “change?”

True GOP Party Politics, the real "Change We Can Believe In."

The misognyists who threw verbal rocks at Hillary are already at it again trying to destroy another woman(Palin) who has the audacity to attempt a national political run. She can give birth to five children, sucessfully run a State government, shoot a caribou, skin and cook it---but is she strong enough to answer a 3 am telephone call? Go back to your caves, guys.

McCain would have drawn more Hillary supporters to himself if he hadn't picked Palin. Sure, there are Republican Hillary supporters that will go back to the party's nominee now that Hillary is out of the picture. However, an independent woman voter or a democratic woman voter who supported Hillary is only going to vote Republican if they are absolutely one issue obsessed, i.e., any woman will do. No woman who is pro-choice or is not totally against abortion, e.g., opposed even if the mother's life is at risk, is going to vote Republican becasue McCain chose Palin. Also it is hard to believe that many soccer moms are going to warm up to Palin popping away with a sub-machine gun; the Republicans already have full support from gun lovers. John is not pereceived as a dogmatist, but now he hs added one to his ticket. He has drawn a line in the sand.

This is taking time to sink in for me. Having a difficult time digesting this.

Does she really expect her husband to stay in Washington? How do you go from wilderness life to a city as DC. That is like taking a deer and have them live on Pa Avenue. Plus this women has a baby and is it 3 children to be raised yet or 4? I know one son is in the military.

The people that move to Alaska to live is cause they like what its all about there. They do not like cities and pollution and everything we do like living in the city. I have a family member who moved there and that is a cold desolate quiet place but he loves it--not me give me people.

I think that "cracked" glass ceiling just broke. Honey we women cannot do it all and we are not Superwomen but we can have it all but in due time --there is a time and place in life for all things we wish to do its just not all at once. This young women stated she hoped they had work for her to do as vice president cause she keeps very busy up there in Alaska. I am sure McCain will appoint people to keep you busy and out of his way since you are just being used to get Hillary's votes which you can't come close too. Either way I wish the lady the best cause I do feel sorry for her but see that is the way it is the way I am in my old age.

If we were not already concerned about McCain's temperament and decision making process, this should keep us up at night. It's the same "I feel comfortable with this guy (gal)", and "my gut says we can relate, so I'm chosing him/her regardless of any advice to the contrary from anyone" that we have seen from George W. Bush.

The Harriett Myers nomination comes to mind. Or L. Paul Bremer, the father of de-Baathification. Or Brownie. Or Bush's friend "Vladmir", for that matter. It's going with your gut instead of using your brain.

What kind of judgment did WcCain show hiring someone for the 2nd most important job in America after having only met her once in person six months ago?

What kind of judgment does he show by claiming that Palin is the most qualified and experienced person the GOP has to offer?

Picking a VP as a political stunt does not show judgment....

Palin IS more ready to lead than Obama - more ready to lead a bake sale.

At least this selection will make for some good late night comedy sketches.

I've noticed that Krauthammer is generally wrong. This article is no exception.

Palin was a gamble, but possibly a brilliant one. She's pretty tough and well spoken. Those who criticize her lack of experience should look a bit closer at Obama's resume. He gives a nice speech, but he's never run anything.

I voted for Bush / Cheaney. I voted for Bush I... there is no way I will vote for either candidate now.

This is insulting to my intelligence and most people's intelligence. To think that Palin potentially will have to sit down across the table with an Iranian delegation or North Korea or the like is beyond the pale.

Her credentials as a working mom are great but there are millions of working mom's across America doing what she does...does that make them eligible for President ? Absolutly not.

She was the major of a small town in Alaska. I was the class President of my high school. Population 3500...does that mean I have executive experience ? NO.

I can;t believe he made this choice. He should have picked Romney. This is unreal.

Her shine will come off in a week or two and then when people go to the polls and realize that she has a chance to be President when we are fighting 2 wars they will vote for Obama. I can't stand the thought but I am resigned to not voting this year....

As an Obama supporter, I would have been concerned if McCain chose Romney for the VP slot. McCain/Romney would have given Obama/Biden a run for their money, given Romney's managerial experience and the state of the economy. But, per usual, McCain mucked things up and made a desperation play. Thanks McCain!

Chuck I finally agree with you. Hell has fozen over.

Palin is not going to help McCain one bit. Only the crazies are going to be in line with this pick and he already had them, they would have forced themselves to the voting booth to vote for him.

When asked: "Do You Feel Ready To Be A Heartbeat Away From The Presidency?"
Palin responded: "Absolutely. Yup, Yup..."

What a fricking joke!

Palin laughs as a fellow GOP congresswoman from her hometown, a CANCER SURVIVOR, is ridiculed by a radio show host.

Is this is the kind of woman you want a heart beat away from the presidency of the United States?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKkydrUnBZE&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/30/82113/4808/746/579971

Hah, Charles is usually a dumb neocon, but this time, he actually makes a valid point. Palin is one of the best gifts McBush could have given Obama. Republicans are in full panic mode!

Charles is right...look for Obama to take a commanding lead in the polls and never look back...voters should be offended by Boss Rove and company making a mockery of the Executive Branch and our sacred American right to vote -- they should be ashamed of themselves...McCain wanted Lieberman -- and Boss Rove said NO!...Americans already see through the politics of pandering to the religious right with this pick that, God forbid McCain wins, will put our nation at risk -- just wait until the press gets a look into her husband's background...no thinking person -- even a conservative one -- believes this woman is qualified to be one heart beat away from the Presidency...wouldn't surprise me if she's removed from the ticket before November.

Palin sure sounds like a Republican. Pro Life, pro NRA. She comes from Alaska which is where the oil is. I guess Obama folks are trying their best to make her look bad, which is normal. Obama made the Clintons out to be racists just before the South Carolina primary.
Palin probably knows more more about domestic oil and natural gas than Obama and Biden combined. Isn't money spent on "energy" one of the biggest factors in determining our economy? Obama, the democratic turncoat, is already looking into offshore drilling. Maybe he needs to sit down with Palin and see what our options are.
This woman turned the Obama PR machine off quicker than I can say "Obama no longer wants to get out of Iraq in a hurry".
Richard Morse

Can we vote please and get this bullsh*t overwith?

McCain's selection of Palin, who would ban abortion even for victims of rape and incest, will mobilize Hillary supporters and bring them into the Obama/Biden camp. Pro-choice advocates now have a potent issue that resonates as far more specific and personal for many, especially the parents of adolescent daughters, than the fate of the Supreme Court. The money will flow!

I wonder what the senior Republican women in the Senate and elsewhere think about this choice? Wouldn't Kay Bailey Hutchinson have been more qualified AND also from an "energy" state AND very conservative AND a touch debater? I'm a DEmocratic, a Liberal Democrat, just to be clear. But I do think this choice shows the reckless side of McCain...very irresponsible choice, in my mind.

Obama isnt ready to lead eh...Hmmm seems to me Dubya is now following the same Iraq pullout plan Obama has been touting for over 6 months now. You remember Bush and McCain saying timelines only help the enemy. How many times have you seen the White House do what a presidential candidate from the other party has been proposing?

By picking Palin, McCain just lubed up and bent over for Obama.

You can tell how nervous the Palin gambit is making the WP audience by all the "McCain is doomed" talk, whistling past the graveyard lest McCain rise from the dead again.

The simple fact is that if Palin works out, he will squeak out a narrow victory in a year when no Democrat could lose. And if it does not work, so what...so he will lose by a landslide. The point is that a 50% chance for a victory, however narrow, is a large improvement over the 0% chance he had going in if he made the same sort of defensive and unimaginative pick that Obama made.

So you Obamites keep whistling: the louder it gets, the more it validates the old fighter pilot's incredibly gutty choice in this dog fight.

I'm no bible-thumping right wing nutcase but I'm so encouraged by this move I just had to salute it by sending the first political contribution I've made this year. Maybe we can avoid the Obama disaster after all.

Sarah Palin is a flip-flopper. She was FOR the "bridge to nowhere" before she was against it. Palin made annual trips to DC to ask Congress to fund the bridge with $300 million+ in American taxpayer dollars. It was only after Congress said no that Palin changed course and struck it from the Alaska transportation plan, saying the state couldn't afford it without help from Congress. Paylin is a typical opportunistic politician.

==================================
This is a brilliant choice! Not only does Sarah Palin look great. She IS great: a mother of five (no abortions); she has a handsome husband who happens to be a unionized blue-collar worker; they are both outdoor athletes and conservationists; they have wonderful kids, one serving in the military. On politics, she has been a successful reformer. She walks the talk of reform. No empty suits here.
==================================
AND THIS QUALIFIES HER TO BE 2ND IN LINE TO THE PRESIDENCY BECAUSE?

My interpretation of Sour Kraut's criticism is he's disappointed someone like him didn't get the nod.

I think, Mr. K, after defending the moron Bush for years and years, you're finally going to have to admit that the GOP is not a party for serious, intelligent people anymore.
They are a joke - but a very dangerous one.

The Obama people must have been toasting one another after they heard McCain's selection of Palin yesterday. I now have serious doubts about McCain's judgment and decision-making. I think I'm going to write in Mitt Romney's name when I vote in November!

Read the blogs coming out of Wasilla. She ran the town's finances into the ground

The Obama people must have been toasting one another after they heard McCain's selection of Palin yesterday. I now have serious doubts about McCain's judgment and decision-making ability. I think I'm going to write in Mitt Romney's name when I vote in November!

You could see a woman coming the way the McCain commercials sympathizing with Hillary were playing...not to choose a woman himself would have shown them to be insincere. I would prefer Meg Whitman for her business experience and being totally outside politics and Washington. But I understand that every choice has its downsides and there is a lot to be said for Palin. She has infinitely more executive experience than either Obama or Biden. It's interesting that the "change" candidate made a blase perfunctory choice while McCain has been the bold one...once again reminding us that he is the maverick and Obama is a speech. Obama is now going to pay dearly for shunning Hillary. Pride goeth before the fall and this is going to be one huge fall.

All the concern voiced about Governor Sarah Palin's lack of experience is surely intended to mask Senator Barak H. Obama's executive experience which is a blank page unless his time as Chairman
of the Chicago based Annenberg Project run actually by former Weather Underground leader and unrepentant terrorist bomber Bill Ayers is included. To date this period of his work experience has been written in invisible ink. And the BHO campaign is going to extreme efforts to insure that the records of this phase of his executive experience are buried and remain invisible.
What else is buried about BHO's past, besides Ayers,Wright, Resco? Could it be the identity of "Frank' his mentor for a period of time in Hawaii? Could the following Frank be the one and shouldn't the American people be told:
http://www.postchronicle.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=82&num=161327.
The secrecy surrounding BHO's past belies his attempt to portray himself as a 'new' and 'different' politician. And his speech filled with a litany of 'to dos' is the same old same old liberal/socialist agenda tax, tax, spend, spend on more and more government programs so the American people become dependent on the government for everything, the new USSA , United Socialist States of America

McCain's selection of Palin, who would ban abortion even for victims of rape and incest, will mobilize Hillary supporters and bring them into the Obama/Biden camp. Pro-choice advocates now have a potent issue that resonates as far more specific and personal for many, especially the parents of adolescent daughters, than the fate of the Supreme Court. The money will flow!

Posted by: EHP | August 30, 2008 1:50 PM
************************
You got that right! I've alrady shifted to the Obama/Biden ticket. Palin is an idiot of world class proportions. She's an insult to all hard-working, independent women who care about the future of this country, this world and future generations. She's a closed-minded nitwit.
McCain is going to lose bigtime.

We all know Obama is a great speech maker. However I still can't find anything this guy has done in his 3 years as a senator. Chicago is probably the most corrupt city and he has done nothing on ethics reform. He talks about education for everyone yet Chicago schools have some of the worst education records in the country. He has zero experience in foreign affairs. To talk about Palin and her lack of experience puts the light right back on Obama's lack of experience...and he's running for President not Vice President.

In a 50-50 election, it's all about the Hillary voters.

Palin's pro-life views will play very well with Hillary supporters in culturally conservative OH, PA etc. I belong to a different demographic of Hillary suporters, but I love Sarah Palin. I've also been appalled at how the DNC and Obama treated Hillary during the primaries; it caused me to change my affiliation to Independent in June.

I'm definitely voting McCain/Palin.

MacCain, You are...A Stroke of a Genius...in choosing Sarah Palin.

Take this country back to where it belongs:
JOHN & SARAH...the roots of this great nation...can not be put to the hands of an unknown quasi-muslim Barrack Hussein Obama.

Take America back to it's sense! John & Sarah!

Thank you!

Yes Patrick49, because "free market" economics is working out so well.

Oh that's right, it's not.

That's the ReThug strategy... anyone who actually wants to IMPROVE the fluidity of markets and capital is a "socialist." Do you believe in the boogey-man too, Pat?

America is going down, down, down. The Great Depression will seem like good times compared to what is ahead for Democrats and Republicans alike. Don't any of you people see it coming? Osama's favorite dream cannot even compare to the impending nightmare to be faced by all the ignorant voters of all stripes. Economic collapse, riots, racial fighting, you name it. Every gun at the ready, and laws ignored.

The irony is that we have brought it on ourselves. Ignoring the earth, the heart, and living in pods with hate filling us. No other country on earth lives like we do, so richly in treasure and so poor in spirit. Brainwashed at every turn by TV, pollsters, pundits and people who talk too much and feel too little. We have looked outwards and never inwards, and those of us who do find little to share with others other than platitudes.

The USA is nearing its termination as a society we can trust in, not from the likes of external religious wars (they're a delusion and illusion at the same time), but from internal economic collapse and resulting warfare between and amongst its peoples. Don't any of you see it coming?

Don't worry, Krauthammer's going to support McCain anyway.

Go OKC Potatoes!!!

For Cincinnati Rick:

The full text of Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (New International Version) (Hebrew: לפני-שבר גאון, ולפני כשלון גבה רוח

Sarah Palin appears to have a haughty spirit.

What ever happened to the art of vetting? Or maybe just googling? Hundreds of people who could probably be seen as reasonable choices, and McCain picks someone under investigation for abuse of power?

I heard from reliable sources that McCain was considering Angelina Jolie but picked Palin instead. Better legs.

I would rather have Michael Palin as Vice President.

As for Obama's leadership credentials...

The Bush administration has adopted almost every position Obama has recommended for Iraq/ Afghanistan. All of the ones McCain OPPOSED.

So much for "inexperience."

The issue isn't whether Palin is ready, but whether she's qualified.

I don't know whether I can take any more shocks of this magnitude on successive days for a while:

First John McCain picks Sarah Palin. Then Charles Krauthammer deviates into sense.

At a time when real oilmen are telling us we cannot drill our way out of this (higher gasoline prices), why do the republicans keep pushing more drilling as a false hope to bring down the price of gas at the pump?

Even if we tattoe the entire California coast wth oil rigs, we cannot supply even 1% of the daily global demand for oil. How does this lead us to significant price reductions at the pump? It doesn't; oil is a global commodity, not a domestic, lol.

Same with ANWAR. Even if we drill it out completely, it does not significantly over-supply the global market to the point of achieving significant price reductions at your local pump.

So why should Obama have to sit down with Ms. Palin to get a lesson in failed national economics and policies? We have had enough failed republic policies for one generation thank you very much.

As govenor of Alaska, it is in her interest to expand drilling simply because it raises the oil subsidy for native Alaskans, thereby, offsetting their outlay for gas. It doesn't get reflected at the pump people, because it amounts to such a small amount of global demand.

See, xenophobia is a bad thing, as when you fail to look at the world around you, this blunts your ability to make sound decisions in an international arena that you don't even know exists.

Obama would be better served talking to T. Boone Pickens about stop-gapping wind and solar with clean natural gas(oh, he has 50 years experience in the oil business, so Palin's 2 years as a subsidy governor is more valuble, lol). CNG costs about $2.20/gal in California as I write this, and is available now.

Can we afford 4 more years of failed policy while the republics learn this through failed oil speculation offshore or on the North Slope?

McCain's actions can only be explained away by the fact that he must be high. And when this apparent hang-over fades, the GOP is going to be sorry. It couldn't have handed Obama/Biden a more beautifully wrapped gift. This Palin character looks as if she escaped the YFZ ranch. She and McCain should be ashamed.

I keep waiting for the Republicans to run the old Dem ads from the last 2 campaigns - Like "who do you want as commander in chief- someone who is a decorated veteran or someone who never served overseas?"(from Bush v Kerry)
Or, perhaps they should have asked Kerry how many houses his wife owned -Or questioned if someone close to him profited from making ketchup a vegetable on school lunch menus
At least Palin was elected without having to have all the opponents tossed off the ballot.(unlike Obama)

you know, he wanted Lieberman, they told him no, therefore we get this instead. You always go with your gut.

On the ethics front - its been stated by Palin that one person on her staff made an inappropriate phone call. It's been reported that 14 people on her staff made 20 phone calls to the commissioner of public safety regarding the employment of the brother-in-law state trooper that was involved in the divorce. Two investigations are being carried out by the Alaska legislature. It's likely that she will be deposed by in one of those investigations. The investigators report is due on October 31. What incredible timing - 4 days before the election. This is an issue that will haunt Palin and McCain. Regardless of how you feel about Palin, this reflects badly on McCain decision making and gives support to the "tempermant" issue that Obama raised in his speech. Coupled with the comments from the Mississippi Senator about McCain scaring the hell out of him we can see the strategy of the Obama campaign will be to brand McCain as a "loose cannon". Is there a possibility that the famous McCain temper will be displayed at some point furthering the perception that McCain is too dangerous to be President. Without the "lack of experience" arguement that he just weakened I don't a compelling case that McCain can make for his election.

She's the best thing on either ticket. I've read elsewhere - and I agree - that the other three are two empty suits and an empty head. The biggest challenge she'll face won't be from the likes of Chrissy ("Oooo! My leg!") Matthews and Keith ("Arf! Arf!") Dobermann but from loose-cannon John McCain himself.

This choice kind of makes you wonder if all of the other VP candidates on McCain's short list turned him down at the last minute.

Although I don't know whether McCain will stop using the "He's not ready" argument against Obama, I think it still applies. What's Obama's defense, "I more ready than her." Maybe just a little, though that's not clear. But enough to be president? I think McCain should continue with the "He's not ready" argument

All I know is that I'm registering to vote for Palin. I don't care about McCain, but I haven't seen one thing about Sarah Palin to suggest she's anything but strong. I have zero respect for the Washington establishment. Sarah Palin is the first candidate that speaks to what I believe enough that I'll register to vote. My guess is that I'm not the only one.

How many elections has "Sauerkraut" won or even dared enter? It's a good thing on Fox he's on with the Beltway Boobs. They make him look good.

Oh how funny all the Democrat Liberals and
all of the crazy 2700 paid poster vicious
little naive young Obamafools are going wild and acting crazy as the freak out and
launch their "mean spritied,politics of
self-destruction,insane,jealous personal
attacks on both fanastic AK Gov Sarah Palin
and Senator John McCain. And after McCain
made his historic announcement about how
McCain picked a well qualified,intelligent
successful,working mother of five,truly a
politcal reformer,NRA member, hunter and
sports enthusiast,experienced,brainy,bright
and witty,classy,sexy,beautiful woman Gov
Sarah Palin for his Vice President.

And especially since the Liberal Democrats
and Obama's 2700 Paid Naive Kool Aid Drunk
young Obamafool Attack Dogs are at their
rabid best attacking a well qualified GOP
female success story like Gov Sarah Palin
on clearly Messiah Barack Hussein Obama's
Direct Orders,even as two face lying sleazy
phony empty suit shifty eye Obama denies it
and his fellow empty suit old senile loud
mouth windbag Joe Biden is fighting back the tears know he will never be Veep and
the Obama/Biden ticket is another Democrat
loser in a long endless line of losers.

Go John McCain and Sarah Plain You Have MY
Vote Already! Great Choice For America!
McCain/Palin 2008!

With Gov. Palin on the ticket, the "Straight Talk Express" finally acquires substance. No one really understands what McCain's talking about. However it's clear his running mate intends putting gays where they belong, back in the closet. I'm for more "Straight Talk" from her.

The "liberal" media:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cceC3DeFcY

McCain by choosing Palin probably is only purchasing a life and impeachment insurance policy as I doubt seriously if this woman knows the difference between the Knesset and a codfish. Something unsettling to the neocons. Right Charles?

Don't forget that McCain is running against the 1st and 3rd most liberal Senators in the country. All he needed here was to help himself with some slice of the electorate and he clearly did -- whether that slice is (1) more energized conservatives' (2) women (well, at lease SOME more women will vote Republican this year); or (3) votes in hockey-playing state (not to be sniffed at: WI, MI, and MN could all figure in this race).

If nothing else, McCain has completely neutralized the ignorant 'make history' voting bloc: those voters whose only incentive for voting for Obama was the desire to make history now have two choices.

Who is Sarah Palin?

www.andrewhalcro.com

Two years worth of honest reporting on the Palin administration from one of the most knowledgeable and articulate political pundits in Alaska.

She was a mayor and then Governor. She turned down the money for the bridge to nowhere...she got the oil companies to pay a huge tax increase and was able to give Alaskans a $1200 rebate!!!!! That's a heck of a lot more than Obama the glamor boy. If Biden was so qualified why didn't he do better than 9000 votes when HE ran for president...not to mention...why isn't HE the top of the ticket?

I think Palin is a great choice because alot of American people are obviously not looking at experience otherwise Obama would not be the Democratic nominee and leading McCain in the polls. But, Americans are looking at their wallets and gas prices and they want people who will get in there and get OUR oil out of the ground. Also, Palin can hopefully slow the degradation we have in our culture such as abortion on demand, gay marriage, etc. This is the cake, the icing is that she is a woman.

On "capitalism":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFxYyXGMfZM&feature=related

IT'S A HEAD FAKE! I just figured it out. In a few days Palin is going to withdraw from being the VP candidate. She is going to say that she never thought she would be chosen as the VP candidate, and since being chosen has realized the full implications of campaigning and holding office. She will say she has realized she cannot devote that sort of attention and time away from her baby that campaigning requires.

This will allow McCain to choose Romney and will have endeared himself with the conservative base. Plus, McCain will have stolen media attention from Obama's campaign.

I hope I am right!

I noticed that the wrong-wingers have stepped-up the pro-Palin nonsense. I guess their candidate is having a few issues.

No, Jerry @ 5:06. sorry to disappoint you but she was AGAINST the bridge to nowhere and said "If we needed this bridge, we'd build it ourselves. Take your money and leave, feds." It's on the record. boo hoo.

Dear Anonymous:

You are EXACTLY right: "Palin is more ready to lead than Obama, and isn't seeking the same job."

To Dine 5152: Sorry, you're wrong:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/08/29/did-palin-really-fight-the-bridge-to-nowhere.aspx

Both Obama and Palin are ready to lead. The question is: Which one do you want to lead you?

To me this choice shines a harsh light on the differences between Obama and McCain:

Obama picked as VP an individual with experience, views of his own and the ability to forcefully represent them and, most importantly, a guy with an independent power base consisting of his many longterm connections in Congress.

McCain picks an appealing woman whose broader views have yet to be formed and who has nothing in terms of a base that would allow her to effectively represent a position that differs from that of the cantankerous old guy. It's a choice based on expected comfort.

It says a world about the self-confidence of the two main actors.

To John: On the basis of what?

Barack is a Senator with years of national and international experience.

Palin governs a backwater state that has fewer people than many cities.

OK.

As far as Palin's investigation goes, I want to know which Democrat is going to fault her for trying to get rid of an abusive cop in a domestic violence situation? Which Democrat is going to tell 18 million Hilliary supporters that Palin was wrong for doing that especially in this elecion year? Palin is pefect choice in '08

What an insult to think that women will be fooled into voting for McCain just because he put a woman on the ticket. If this doesn't convince people that McCain lacks judgment, I don't know what does. What other incompetents is he going to surround himself with? I'm not against working mothers, having been one myself, but having an infant with special needs requires plenty of "mom time". That daughter of hers had better get used to taking care of that baby because she is going to be surrogate mother for the whole family.

The fact that many Alaskans are pissed that they might lose her, indicates she is the right choice. She must be doing something right up there.

Notice how the wrong-wingers never bring facts to the table and, the few who do, get shot down really quickly?

Palin's record doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Holy molly,

Is this the same Krautauthor who habitually litters these pages with narrow minded and vexing venom?

Clearly, the earth's axis has shifted. I can't believe I actually caught myself nodding my head in agreement as I read his entry. Good Golly! What's next, objective non-partisan analysis? One can always hope... I have a dream...

Good heavens! What kind of zealous ambition would drive a young middle class woman to abandon her retarded baby to run for the nation's second highest office for which she is far from qualified to deny a woman's right to choose, to destroy public lands, and to serve the economic interests of the rich? I feel freightened for our country.

And do you want her finger on the button?

The comments about Obama's alleged lack of experience in foreign affairs are unreal. Obama has, at a minimum, exercised judgment and reached a conclusion on three critical issues: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the question of talks with enemies.

1. He voted against war with Iraq--when McCain and other Washington veterans were screaming their approval.
2. He advocated more attention on Afghanistan and an increase in our military activity there--while McCain the Republican establishment remained fixated on Iraq.
3. He called for talks with our sworn enemies, like Iran.

Obama's judgment and decisions have been completely vindicated. Events have proven his foresight. The best proof of that is the fact that events have forced George Bush to come around to Obama’s viewpoints. Iraq and the U.S. have reached an agreement on the withdrawal of American troops. The Administration has been forced to pay more attention to an Afghanistan that was going to hell in a hand basket. Bush has authorized a meeting allowing for talks between U.S. and Iranian officials and reached a negotiated agreement with North Korea on its nuclear disarmament.

On all these fronts, Obama has been more right than his supposedly more experienced colleagues.

Now, over to you propagandists spreading the new Republican Big Lie about the comparability of Obama and Palin's experience. Pray, cite her recent record of decisions on foreign policy issues.

So we're concerned that a VP candidate lacks experience but not so much that the Democratic presidential candidate is even less experienced? Interesting. I think many will be surprised at how well she appeals to voters, esp women. Finally, a bright, successful, tough political role model for young women. Great choice by McCain. The only thing desperate here is the Democrat reaction. They can't stand it when Republicans buck their comfy conservative stereotypes.

Palin was FOR "bridge to nowhere" before she was against it. She is a flip-flopper, a political opportunist. Read the record.