Sarah Palin: Tough on polar bears

Not happy. Don't know who to vote for now. McCain messed up big time with this pick. How do I trust her to lead this country if McCain (God forbid) can't finish his term. I don't get it... She is less experienced than Obama. I'm afraid for the country.

Senator McCain flip-flopped on his own criticism that lengthy national service is a prerequisite to the office of the presidency. Sarah Palin experience consists of serving as mayor in a small (9,000 people) town and less than two-years as governor. In that short time, she has come under investigation in a wrongful firing case involving her former sister's former husband. She may have been suitable for a Vogue cover and the former beauty pageant winner is certainly hot, but is she experienced enough to lead the country as the person one heartbeat away from the presidency? And a weak, 73-year-old heartbeat at that? McCain's choice, an obvious ploy to placate women voters, should make us all question his judgment.

"Not happy. Don't know who to vote for now. McCain messed up big time with this pick. How do I trust her to lead this country if McCain (God forbid) can't finish his term. I don't get it... She is less experienced than Obama. I'm afraid for the country."

So, you're gonna be really smart and vote for the person who actually has no experience leading anything.. um... great logic there.

Now it begins. The big bad Republicans have chosen a woman that is so evil that Hillary Clinton looks like Tinkerbell. What happened to fair journalism. I'm so sick of your bias toward anyone that isn't liberal. Your paper is always talking about tolerance but never practices what it preaches.
I guess if I want to find out anything positive about her I'll have to look elsewhere. Isn't it ironic that your paper is cricizing her for her inexperience, but not Obama. According to your paper she is the one to be critical of , but Michelle Obama can have racists feelings toward white people and it's fine.
I could only hope that one day you'll have a fair interpertation of a Republican candidate and stop with the insults.

Who cares about polar bears when we're paying $4 a gallon for gas?

great pick. it's over for obama.

This lady is down for hunting and shooting animals from the air (helicopters), doesn’t think polar bears should be put on the endangered species list because it could hurt hopes of drilling, believes creationism should be taught in schools as an alternative to evolution, voted against women’s right to chose, voted against women’s right for equal pay, had her employees threaten high officials to get them to fire a state trooper (presumably because he divorced her sister). Tearing this woman apart is going to be way easy. She is more against women’s rights then McCain himself.

It's so, so obvious, even a 1st grader could understand the reasons for the Republican party's choice! Being a registered Republican, I am totally ashamed of this base, nearly vile outreach -- treating us as if we actually were still small impressionable children. I'm not quite that naive anymore. The rulers of McCain are going after women's (especially disgruntled Clinton supporters) votes. Mr. simple McCain has nothing to say about it whatsoever.

I truly hope that most women won't fall for this, bury their ethics and vote because of his female VP choice, who goes against all we've stood for for the past 40+years.

As a former Clinton supporter, I am insulted that McCain has thrust this anti-choice, anti-environment, pro-big oil woman in my face as if that's supposed to appease me. There is NO WAY I would vote for McCain after this. Barack, you've got my vote now!

Speaking as a Democrat, McCain might be crazy like a fox with this one, especially with the vice-presidential debates coming up. Joe Biden could be perceived as a bully, thus garnering her sympathy votes. I can't see any other advantage to having her on the ticket other than possibly getting some votes from disgruntled Hillary voters, but even then will there be enough of them to justify this bizarre choice?

Thank you for addressing this. But it's not just the Polar Bears. No, this monster is also after the wolfs, allowing them to be shot from the air!

anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-environment, doesn't believe climate change is caused by humans, under investigation in Alaska.... i guess all of your years of experience led you to make such an inspired choice, mr. mccain. thank you!

First, they came for the polar bears, but I was not a polar bear so I did not care,

...then, they came for the douglas fir trees who had became infested with bark beatles and took out 4 million of them when the temperatures rose over a decade, but I wasn't a douglas fir tree so I did not care...

..then, they came for the environmentalists, but I was not an environmentalist so I did not care...

see ya later,libs

24 hours ago most of us, probably 90% of us, never heard of Sarah Palin. Suddenly after listening to a few broadcasters, many of whom also know little if anything about Ms Palin, we are talking as if we have the truth.

If we are the intellectuals we claim to be, lets do some research on our own. A friend of mine is fond of saying "People tend to do what they have done before". My friends often repeated statement goes along with background checks and common sense. My grandma said I would be judged by the friends I kept. Most of us are influenced by our friends. Who are her friends?

I have a lot of buddies who say "Say what you mean, mean what you say". What has she said? How did that turn out?

When we answered questions like those we have done something with an open mind.

Jim

McCain accused Obama of being willing to loose the war in order to win the election. Now he's willing willing to gamble the country's future in order to win the election. I don't get it.

Dear Hillary supporters;
Jump on the Palin bandwagon...the first Supreme Court justice appointment will tip the scale and you can say goodbye to Roe V. Wade

I was torn between Obama and McCain. Not any more! Obama is my choice after Palin's selection. McCain insults my intelligence as a professional woman with his choice of such a conservative and almost fundamentalist woman. Women in the natural sciences are embarrassed and concerned.

Dr. M, biochemist

Palin is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

Way to go McCain- at least here are 2 people that know what they're talking about, have been around long enough to vote on some important issues, are not ashamed to speak their mind, not mumbling while they create freak policies on the fly, don't issue contradictory hype everyother day. And, both of them have been in SEVERAL public offices longer than a kindergartener.

At last, McCain becomes the "dirty old man" ...congratulations to the Republican endgame! Now a chance to have a future VP with a black hole for the brain...reminds us of our flunky George Bush!

well, it isn't just polar bears either. She had a bounty on wolves to clear the way for profitable hunting in the state. Found that was illegal, she still supports aerial slaughter of wolves. This woman simply does not understand the balance of nature and the impact of mass murder of wildlife for the interest of profit. Drilling in Alaska is not going to solve anyone's problems in the long run, but is only going to continually hurt the environment. I'm in shocked that even McCain would stoop so low as to have a person on his ticket with such an unethical record. Also tired of the lame 'inexperience' argument of both parties. Look at ethics and leadership. What makes a good manager does not always come from years of service.

Of all the big issues Gov. Palin has stood up for, no one is reporting what her platform was when she served as a beauty queen--maybe that's what gives her foreign policy credentials (being a queen, can't hurt!).

To Jim Oase. Sadly you are right in most cases, but I've been watching this woman's career as governor and here continual activities that are dangerous to our environment. She is a dangerous to us all by her fundamental beliefs and barbaric activities to destroy the wildlife in her state. This woman does not speak the voice of any modern women that I know of and I doubt any intelligent female that supported Hilary is going to find her nomination as their shining light. Women might want a woman in the White House, but women want the right woman.

Don't be so quick to dismiss Gov. Palin, my liberal friends. She has fought corruption within her own party, vetoed the Bridge to Nowhere Project and has tried to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by bringing domestic natural gas to the lower 48 states. Liberal supporters of Senator Obama have been so eager to ignore his lack of experience because he is bi-racial and because he opposes the war in Iraq. Take Gov. Palin seriously. Otherwise, you are guilty of a sexist double standard and you might also lose the November election.

A conservative Democrat for McCain & Palin

I first saw her on the Glenn Beck show on CNN and I thought that is the kind of person we need in washington and what do you know here she is!

Don't be so quick to dismiss Gov. Palin, my liberal friends. She has fought corruption within her own party, vetoed the Bridge to Nowhere Project and has tried to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by bringing domestic natural gas to the lower 48 states. Liberal supporters of Senator Obama have been so eager to ignore his lack of experience because he is bi-racial and because he opposes the war in Iraq. Take Gov. Palin seriously. Otherwise, you are guilty of a sexist double standard and you might also lose the November election.

A conservative Democrat for McCain & Palin

i am a hardcore republican. i would this one salin pick one of the biggest blunder by mccain. i am wondering how-much mess up is allowed in the election. first the 5 million for middle income class and then this.. come-on mccain is getting to my final nerve

Hello!!!! Do not be fooled by crusty old republican white guys, dialing in on their modems, who say they were Hilary supporters and will now vote for the lipstick (Palin) that Karl Rove put on the pig (McCain)! They think were dumb enough to be fooled (again) (and maybe we are). Hilary supporters with brains wanted Hilary because she is intelligent, etc., not *merely* because she is a woman! A beauty pageant contestant with only an undergrad journalism degree (!) from Idaho holds no candle to someone as intelligent and well-educated as Hilary! Again, Karl Rove put lipstick on a pig! End of story.

Well now if we can get 90% of American women to vote for McCain/Palin, because Palin is a woman ... just like 90% of blacks voted for Obama because he is black ... this country would be in good shape.

The best a VP candidate can do for a ticket is 1) shore up the base and motivate them to get out and vote, 2) give undecideds a reason to check out the ticket, and 3) display the creative problem-solving skills of the presidential candidate.

Homerun, McCain.

Watch as the Obama supporters ratchet up the sniveling comments and trash-talking over Palin. It's already happening here. I'm ROTFL over comments that Palin is 'not the right kind of woman...'

I'm definitely going to watch the VP candidates debate -- those will be more interesting than watching 'The One' and 'The Other One' go at it. If Palin turns out to be a good debater, the election could be another Bush-Gore squeaker, and dems could get to cry, snivel, and moan for another 4-8 years.

I'm sure if she became President of the United States, since she has very little foreign policy experience, the leaders of the world and terrorists will not try to bully her. They will be very considerate of her feelings and would offer her coaching and a tissue for her tears. So please Senator Joe Biden take it easy on her too. You don't want to look like a bully. You might hurt her feelings.

Courrney posted "Who cares about the polar bear when we are paying $4 a gallon for gas? Well Courtney, I do. I care a lot. It is our massive, never satisfied greedy consumerism that has landed this country where it is. You want to drive your 2 children across town in the biggest SUV you can find, so be it. You will just have to suck it up. I care very deeply about the environment. I care very deeply that she supports the slaughter of wolves. I care greatly that she sued the government to prevent the polar bear being listed as endangered in the name of oil. I think Shakespeare said something about "a serpent's tongue in a flowering face". I believe this flowering face is the facade for very ugly truth's.

As a woman, I think it's insulting. As a Democrat, I think it's hilarious. Most people don't know or care much about politics, but they definitely understand killing cute, Arctic animals. Shooting wolves from helicopters? Buh-bye, Sarah.

A great choice by McCain, and a typical juvenile and biased article by the Boston Globe.

an enemy of the polar bear- a species that is already clinging to survival. recent photographs showed 9 of them swimming in open waters to find stable ice- one was as far out as 65 miles from the ice, obviously drowning is a major problem.

this on top of her apparent over the top love of hunting. she keeps voting to allow aerial shooting of the alaskan grey wolf- for the benefit of game hunters who like to shoot moose & caribou.

She is Fabulous! She has run a 5 BILLION dollar state budget (Neither Obama or McCain have done that) . She has kept oil companies in check, while going after anyone - including her own party who strays from good fiscal government.
She has the experience, poise and intellect which is lacking on the Democrat side.
McCain will be the next President. It is trully undeniable to think Obama is even considered Presidential material.

McCain supports polar bears listing. Who cares you vote for the president.

Being harsh on the environment and and anti-science is more of what the Bush administration has fed us. In my opinion, someone who isn't ready to help the country get away from oil entirely (not just foreign) is a dinosaur and unfit to help set policy at a crucial time in the history of humankind.

I WOULD NEVER EVER VOTE FOR A POLITICIAN THAT WOULD TURN BACK ROE VS WADE. PERIOD. I DO NOT LIKE PRO-LIFERS, PRO DEATH PENALTY PRO GUN POLITICIAN. BEAUTY QUEENS SCARE ME EVEN MORE.

What does it mean that she "fought corruption"? I haven't met anyone necessarily that's "pro-corruption". Does this mean anything, or are these buzz words? A quick google search brought back nothing but (what are to me) conservative news channels mentioning vaguely that she "fought corruption".

Makes no sense for Republicans, but as a Democrat couldn't be happier to see Palin on the ticket. I was on the fence concerning Obama, but no more. I voted for Clinton, but certainly not for Palin. McCain seems really out of touch with what our country needs.

Even though I am voting for Obama I am very disappointed by this choice. I want a good strong debate between the candidates. Mitt Romney is formidable and would have added to the campigns. I am no McCain basher, but his choice is far too cynical for me. And I have nothing at all agains Gov. Palin -- this could ruin her the way it ruined an unprepared Dan Quayle.

This pick by McSame is unbelievable.

Picking a woman like her as a stunt to attract Hillary supporters reminds me of the 1996 campaign when Bob Dole said women in general were unpredictalbe, and he didn't understand them

At least Dole's opinion was stupid and harmless.......this is cynical, stupid and insulting!!

Does McSame REALLY think that progressive female voters will vote for someone who will KISS Roe v. Wade GOODBYE???

Makes me think that at 72 he's lost his marbles.

Apparently. he has!!

Bye, Bye, Exxon John!!!

Palin will be a breath of fresh air! Washington DC needs more people who use common sense and have solid ethics rather than years of experience doing the same ol' same ol'.

She a great pick! It's a suprise pick to sway the female voters. Of course she doesn't have the experience, but it's not about that. It's about obtaining votes so McCain will win. Besides, she's super hot. I like the pick!

As a non-delegate attendee of the Democratic Convention, I was offered a seat in a box at the Invesco Stadium sponsored by a major corporation.

The corporate suits arrived at the box after the end of the workday, at around 5:30 pm. They represented many of the top management of this Denver corporation, which for a variety of reasons I would rather not name in this space.

During most of the program, they sat without applauding as a number of Democratic officeholders made their speeches. During Al Gore's speech, they looked particularly uncomfortable.

However, during Barack Obama's speech they began to show considerable interest. Several started to applaud enthusiastically within a few minutes, although they were noticeably uninterested in most or all of the other speakers of the evening. By the end of the speech, almost all of them were clapping, many were cheering, and some were clearly moved.

I don't think McCain's selection of an Alaska Governor that no one has heard of will mean as much to American voters as Barack Obama's potential to be a particularly effective leader for this nation during a period when on so many fronts, from the economy, to foreign affairs, to the environment, the trends are not looking particularly positive. And no amount of negative ads crafted by Rove and Company will obscure those trends, as the American people are not going to be fooled again. Those who post assuming that Obama is a flash in the pan are likely to be mighty surprised.............

Sarah Palin? She has really nice hair. Silky, manageable hair. She will be the envy of the Oval Office, unless old McCain has health problems mid-term. Imagine Palin v Putin. My gosh, Putin is a polar bear's swim from her home state. Has the Grand Old Party lost all sense?

And what's the nonsense about giving Palin the "sympathy" vote after Biden scorches her in the debates? This is how we pick our leaders? Sympathy votes?

Obama!!! We HAVE TO UNITE AND SUPPORT HIM, HE'S A GOD!!!!! He, and we are the one's we have been waiting for, we WILL SAVE THE WORLD, THANK GOD FOR US!!!!!

Screw the polar bear anyway. The terrorist dont hate bears, they hate us, and right now they are not training polar bears to kill us. They are training women and children to die in order to kill us. You people don't understand what kind of war we are up against for the next hundred years. These religious kooks will stop at nothing to remove us from this planet. Soooooo naive and dumb...... Take some of your money you made in this country and travel the earth to see how many people want you dead. You may be surprised how much our government has done to keep you safe....... You have no idea

I am undecided but this V.P.choice is making me more decided, toward the democratic ticket. She has no experience......maybe a beauty queen but, mostly, tundra trash.

Is that what we seek in someone who could succeed a president who is old and a victim of an unpredictable, unforgiving malignant disease (malignant melanoma)?

Furthermore, McCain's choice was decidedly, to win over the conservatives whose vote he already is sure of. I was hoping he would choose someone to win over MY vote, for I am undecided and I will decide this election....not some shot gun, pro-life conservative, bible bearing self -rightgeous ...

When she answers the phone at the White House at 3 A.M., and it is Vladmir Putin, he will be asking...."So, tell me, what are you wearing.....?".

She is the ULTIMATE MILF hottie candidate. She's got the vote of every pimply face teenage boy from the Atlantic to the Pacific!!!

McOld has really done it now! He's insulted women all around this country by selecting a beauty queen with a degree in journalism and very little experience at anything except changing diapers to become his possible successor. Ever notice how McOld seems to surround himself with Barbie Dolls? Maybe we ought to ask the polar bears what they think of his choice for VP. I'm voting straight Democrat. The more Republicans we can get out of the office, the better.

Jam and Sam - Please, post under the same name. A lot of time on your hands i see.

Sadly, Victor, yes, we do. Remember how the Bushies made sure expectations were so low for George in the debates that when he managed to speak without drooling he got kudos? Do you remember Al Gore and John Kerry getting beat up for being "mean" and "condescending" in their debates, when really, all they did was outthink their opponent?!. Biden will absolutely be accused of bullying Palin - just wait and see. And is anyone else sick to death of hearing this red herring about Obama lack of experience? The guy served 8 years in the Illinois legislature and four years as a US senator. That's 12 years of legislative experience, which should be more than enough to satisfy those who view Washington longevity or years in political office as the key to the presidency - which is ironic, given that most candidates (and the public) always say they want "outsiders" and "change" in Washington. Well, you don't get that from entrenched party members and people who've spent decades in D.C., so which is it that people want? back to Palin, she deserves credit for taking on the republican power structure in her state, but that's it. She is utterly unqualified to be president, a very real possibility as McCain's VP. Moreover, Mccain's selection of this woman was a slap in the face to women of both parties: first to all the experienced republican female politicians out there. And secondly, to all the Hillary supporters and independents like me, who won't be taken in by an evangelical christian who supports creationism (as in religon) in the schools, the overturning of Roe V Wade, denying gays the same rights as other citizens, and who is apparently not very pro the environment. Sorry John, we won't vote for someone just because she is a woman.

Palin decided, because of her "ideals" on contraception and abortion, to bring a life into this world who will not have the resources she was born with. We, the taxpayers, will help this child.

But, oh, that at the age of 42 or 43, she could have just done what we ask of teenagers, squelched her libido, and just said "NO" to her husband, this woman with adult children would not be in the position of bringing a child into this world who will suffer more than most, who will suffer physical/medical conditions that exceed the suffering of his mental status, and who, will be well more needy than most, will suffer his mother being absent to campaigning... let alone be vice president. Poor child. Poor Americans.

GO OBAMA. WE LOVE YOU!!!

"Both Obama and Palin's new running mate have opposed the measure, although McCain has wavered (and did reverse his longtime opposition to offshore drilling this summer)."

Is that a typo? Isn't "Palin's new running mate" McCain?

(Kate, that's no typo. While McCain supports offshore drilling, he is not on record for drilling in ANWR. DB)

McCain,

Surely you can't think because you've tapped someone with female genitals that we women are so stupid we'll vote for someone who is the "polar" opposite of everything Hillary stood for?

Plus: she's currently being investigated! What the hell happens when she gets indicted? AND the official who called for the investigation was a Republican!!

Palin has upset the now mainstream left so she is being called
'discredited, fringe, extreme ...' Oops! Isn't that the left's natural position?
Whatever Palin does that the left doesn't like will be called vile.
Whatever she does that the left likes will be called Obama's idea.
Ummm. As the most well-fed, free and best educated people in the
world because of our chiefly Conservative base, Americans just
might not fall for the hypocrisy.
Palin is an extremely intelligent, willful and effective Conservative
reformer which means that she holds some Conservative values
which I dont like, eg., pro-life. However, she stands with the framers
of the Constitution by protecting our country and rights. She won't
give al Qaida a free pass any more than she will allow the oil
interests to control our energy. McCain will win now that
Palin is here. Now I dont just admire his courage, but his intelligence.

Thank you John McCain! Thank you! Sarah Palin is the perfect choice! It's about time. I'm sure he though long and hard and realized that most of US felt unrepresented. It was a brave calculation and McCain will win for it.

I consider myself conservative, I'm not "into" politics, I admire and respect religion, I know there is a God, I love this country, I love and respect the wilderness, I care more about people than animals, I know that global warming caused by humans is a crock, I am pro-life, I can see the merits in the death penalty and support it, I'm not a Washington "insider", I realize the importance of oil, I deplore crime and corruption, I respect marriage, I have a gun, although I personally don't hunt I have no problem with hunting or fishing, I have kids, I am not the graduate of an Ivy League school, I have and have had a real job, I am Pro-life, I support the NRA, I have common sense, I'm normal, I'm a supporter of the military, my spouse is normal, my kids are normal, I support unions, I'm not some liberal with my head stuck in the sand. Just like Sara Palin and most of the people in this country! I am Sarah Palin and she is me. She is "us". And, that is awesome. This was a masterful move!! Sarah Palin probably expected this less than anyone...there's no way she saw this coming. No way we saw it and it is exhilarating! Barack, who is the "we" in "Yes, we can? I have no idea. Now I know who the "we" is for the rest of Americans. Palin is the "we" and "Yes, WE will." Now, get ready to go back to Detroit or Chicago or Minneapolis,...wherever it is you're from. Kiss Hillary at the airport on your way home. Say 'hi' to Teddy and the rest of your out of touch compatriots.

There are those who say she has no experience...well there are only 50 governors, but there are many, many more legislators. She's had far more executive experience, which is what our leaders need. Barack is a community agitator/activist and a career politician. He has less experience than most of his peers and is all that Palin is not...and that's why I am voting for McCain/Palin (before because there is no way I would ever want Obama...now BECAUSE we have Palin). Barack Obama? Most of us never heard of him only a short while ago, too. Most of us do not even like him. He's phony and it shows. Sure, no doubt she probably plays the "game" back in Alaska, but she is miles more like the majority of American than Barack!

Foreign policy...um, I'm sure she'd do like most of us. Protect our nation....which is more than I can say for Barack and his minion. I'm sure we think more like her than we do like Barack. Oh, and um, for those of you who don't know it...that's why Presidents and Vice-Presidents have advisors and staff. Actually, don't act like you don't know it. Funny... I have the image in my mind of Palin protecting her cubs, fighting for them and us...but i have the image of Barack being knocked out in a play ground fight one second after it started...then having an asthma attack and crying to his mommy (Where is she anyway...probably some spaced out hippie...at least Bubba's mom seemed normal..like Bea Arthur or something). Finally, a REAL person to vote for...a candidate that does have experience, albeit not on a national scale...which is what we need. She will act as we would if we had the power. This country was given over to the power-elite and now it is our time to take a bit of it back. With the right advisors I could play Putin to checkmate myself (Jesus, he made a mess out of that Georgia thing). I bet my testicles we garner respect around the world when McCain/Palin are in. It's the citizen-farmer thing...it's what we are supposed do, what this country was always supposed to be about, exactly as it was laid out by our forefathers....too bad so many have forgotten.

I am 40 and to be honest have NEVER been this excited about a candidate for anything. I'm not "into" politics...I'm "into" my country. As is Palin, very clearly. I don't have to worry about her al Queda ties, her religion (or lack thereof..she doesn't have to convince me she's Christian), her friends (especially the terrorists ones...I bet she's never had a BBQ with a convicted terrorist), her past, her nut-bag pastor, her anti-american biases, her questionable morals, her failure to pay parking tickets in Somerville. It's as if we we are going back toward our roots. Liberals are scared because McCain may have have picked the most normal, sympathetic candidate in recent history...certainly in memory. Someone the normal, God-fearing, flag-waving American will get behind! You liberals know this is killing you. I bet you got a little twinge in your bellies when you found out. Your stomachs fell....how can the liberal democrats compete with a real, honest-to-god American?!? Mrs. Smith goes to Washington, Ali G. to Parliament...it's like a movie, huh? It's going to be great to watch, exciting, good for this country, good for us. Hell, if McCain doesn't live four more years, we'll have a pretty hot president (lot's hotter than Hilderbeast, that's for sure!). I want to see her in the Oval Office.

Hell, I want to see her in a bra and panties. That's not sexist, it's honest. Women don't not have to be repulsive to be admired or respect. They do not have to be unattractive, to lead. We are, first and foremost human beings. She is like some hot librarian. Would I vote for her because she's hot? No. I'll vote for her because of everything else I wrote and feel. I feel bad for the women out there...you guys had Kerry...he looks like a cross between Fred Gwynn and a scarecrow. I remember how much talk the female dems used to do about how dreamy Bill was. How'd he do with that? Oh, that's right...he was scooping the same cashier at the department store was. Sure made his wife happy. Somehow I don't see Palin getting some in the Oval office from some college intern (I like to imagine it her doing 'it', but doubt that would happen).

Biden is going to try to hurt her, show her as weak and I'll bet anyone she wipes the floor with him. Because he, like his brethren, is out of touch with the majority of Americans. Her answers, her manner, her cares and concerns are the same as ours. She will captivate others as she has captivated me. Sure some woman will vote for her because she's a woman and some men will not vote for her for the same reason. I'm voting for the Palin part of McCain/Palin because of what she is and if a man with the same qualities ran, I'd be voting for him. If Barack picked such a person, I'd consider voting for him/her also, even if i had to have Obama for president. Okay, no I wouldn't. This is going to change all politics for the better.

Liberals...it's a sea change. Normal Americans are making a comeback! God Bless Palin. God Bless American and God Bless us! It's about time. God, I love being American. Hey, liberals, remember that YOU do not speak for US. We, Americans, are back. Oh, and it will be cool to see you eat your words when a conservative man votes for a woman...you just backed the wrong horse (I mean that literally for Hilderbeast).

Lets make sure she and others like her are listed on the endangered list of political types.

Let's see, the party that's always squawking about "experience" nominates a woman whose peak political experience is governing a state with the population of Boston. Now I bet her foreign policy 'experience' consists of talking to Russian whalers off the coast of Juneau. This is not someone ready to be a VP, this is a gamble by a man who finds himself running out of ideas.

Finally, someone who has an energy policy which actually produces energy. Polar bears are thriving, btw.

It has become a shock to me to finally understand that here in Massachusetts we DO NOT speak for the country as unlike most of it, WE THINK.
Now Massachusetts we'd better VOTE.
I've just awakened from a nightmare, a crazy, angry pandering old fool just choose a gun toting, bear and wolf killing, bible bimbo with a mere undergrad degree, I need to go back to sleep.

Courtney... very shortsided thinking... gas is actually down to $3.50 now and that occured without destroying a relatively pristine area of our country... how much do you waste on other things that you could save $$ on? How much food do you throw out each week? How about eating out for lunch/dinner?

I'd rather pay .50 extra for gas than destroy more of our fragile environment... Of course, where are out candidates pushing the big auto industries to come up with alternative energies and provide more substantial tax breaks (to all!) for taking advantage of these alternative energy methods... but no... its business as usual..
Think again Courtney... the destruction of this land will not save you $ at the pump!

Sad pathetic ploy, that is totally backfiring.

Also, there are reports that the 5 month old is really her daughters child, and Palin tried to save face by saying it was hers. A repug can't have a teenage pregnant daughter! What would the world think? She didn't tell anyone till the 7 month? There are no pics of her pregnant and her daughter was out of school for months (at the same time) with a bad case of mono.
Hmmmmmmm

After seeing her environmental, stem cell, abortion, evolution views, she seems to be a dangerous ditz who might be more extreme than Bush. Watch out for people who don't like animals, they usually carry that over to people. Hottie? Listening to her for half an hour would probably make me want to toss her off a cliff!

Those of you who choose to are speaking with such authority about Palin, I am amazed since none of you live in Alaska and prior to yesterday - know nothing about her! Amazing!

Let's start with her faith, while she is a devout Christian, she also vetoed a bill that would have denied state benefits to gay couples. As for being a partisan, she ousted corrupt Republicans from key state positions.

While Palin was a former beauty queen, she is also a commercial fisherman. So snide comments about her looks don't work here. (She did beauty contests to pay for college)

As for polar bears and wolves, these animal populations are exploding in Alaska. Part of the reason was the ample game that they were feeding on. But the population of these apex predators have grown so large that they are ravaging the population Elk and Moose. To put wolves and polar bears under federal protection endangers the vitality of Alaska's other indigenous animals. And a crash in the population of the food source for Wolves and Bears would also result a in crash in the bear and wolf population s as well. So managed hunting is a responsible thing to do.

One final thing, Palin might be seen as a cynical ploy to attract women voters, but she plays equally well with men. She is independent, attractive, strong, she hunts, fishes, flies planes and shoots recreationally. She was also an Alaskan sports legend - leading her high school basketball team to a state title with an ankle fracture.

To underestimate Palin is a big mistake for the Dems.

Republicans are playing the "George Bush low expectations in 2000" with Ms Palin
Democrats have to be careful and shoudl start to portray her as a formidable opponent even if she is not. It was sickening to see the game of low expectations with George Buch - look where we are now.

Also Democrats need to bring up how Buch Sr., the Republican VP in 1988 used degarotary language against Ms Ferraro.

Governor Palin choice as a VP will make it easy for the Democrats to make their case and make the choices clear for voters.

Do you want four more years of the same last 8 or not?

if you do, you are likely to vote for McCain/Palin
if you do not, you are likely to vote for Obama/Biden

A relative in Anchorage (who is a fan of Palin as governor) reports that the general concensus in AK, even among those who like her, is that she is in way, way over her head.

Thanks John! Now I'm definitely voting for Obama! As a woman with a Ph.D. in physics, I wouldn't vote for Palin if she was the only candidate!

Teen-pageant princess, sports-announcer, small-city mayor, self-described hockey-mom, environmental Luddite, and first-term governor of Alaska (total pop. 700,000). Sarah Palin sounds more like the female lead in a made-for-cable TV movie than a viable candidate for our nation's second-highest office. If this is McCain's choice for V.P., who is on his short list for Cabinet appointments, should we have the misfortune to see him elected President?

Pro-Life and Pro -gun? Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

Let's stick with the hope and change BS that Cadillac Deval fed us. We don't have to worry about her insulting anyone intelligence in this state. There is none!

Tough on polar bears, moose and sockeye salmon...easy does it with well-healed oil and gas interests. After all I've read it's sounding like she's a card-carrying wing-nut. McBush is truly zany...he's caved to the radical Christian right even while pandering to women.

So McCain decided that she is the best person to run the country, be commander-in-chief of our armed forces, and be the leader of the free world after meeting her ONE TIME in 2006?

Palin may be really special, and I wouldn't underestimate her if I were a Dem.

But McCain has lost his mind making this important decision this way.

Ditto to many comments...my decision has also been made because of this choice for Vice President.

Obama/Biden

Because she led her high school basketball team to a championship despite a fractured ankle, Gov. Palin is an "Alaskan sports legend" ?? And she appeals to male voters for this dubious reason -- along with the fact that she can fly a plane, shoot, and fish??? Let's give the U.S. electorate (male and female) a lot more credit than this. Most of us focus on integrity, leadership, and similar qualities, when we vote for a President and Vice President.

As a female professional, I am almost speachless and insulted with McCains decision to place Palin in as VP. I will not attack her personally, even though I disagree with her views, but this is the first time in my life I have ever become so angry at such a "knee-jerking" self-promoting political decision that McCain has made. Obama has my vote.

Sarah Palin is a joke. She's perhaps the most anti-women's rights candidate McCain could have chosen and her ideas regarding the environment, fossil fuels, and so on are just ridiculous.

It is insulting that the McCain campaign thinks women are dumb enough to regard her and Hillary Clinton interchangably, without paying attention to how their policies on everything are basically opposite.

Sarah Palin is the worst VP choice in history. She might help John McCain get elected. But there is no way in hell that she is ready for the top position in the land.

This was an important decision and McCain blew it. 9 VPs have ascended to the top office on the death of a president. If McCain were to win, his VP could well be the 10th. Is Ms. Palin really what we want in the White House? Would anyone seriously consider her if she were at the top of the ticket?

There are many outstanding Republican women who could have been selected who would have be reasonable choices. However, they apparently wouldn't motivate the segments of the populace that McCain feels he must reach to win. So he compromised the promise of our future for the promise of his employment.

Its not too late. Ms. Palin can still decline the opportunity. If she were to decide not to run, she could fill some of her spare time with the hot new sport, Internet hunting. In this, real, living game animals, such as deer, are lured to a kill zone. A rifle is pre-sighted in on the zone with a web cam to transmit the animal's image to a hunter anywhere in the world. The hunter fire's the rifle remotely using a simple web interface, bringing down his kill. Then the internet hunting service will have the meat dressed or trophy stuffed and shipped. Now there is something Almost Miss Alaska should be able to sink her teeth into. She has the qualifications. And if she needs help, she can probably get it from Dick Cheney, himself an accomplished sportsman.

Ah, yeah. I don't think anybody is insinuating that Governor Palin and Senator Clinton are interchangeable. Did you express outrage when Mondale chose Ferarro as a running mate? Doubt it. Do you want to see a woman in the White House? What's more important, gender or party? All you outraged female professionals need to take a deep breath, and think about where your real interests lie, rather than piling on McCain as a cynic and an opportunist. There's not likely to be a significant difference between the administrations of McCain and Obama, frankly, or between either or them and Biden for that matter. But the possibility of Palin as CEO, that's a change worth considering. Who knows when that opportunity will come again.

All I can say is OH MY GOD! I cannot believe there are people out there that actually think that this was a good pick for VP and furthermore to be one heartbeat away from leading this country in what is truly a HUGE election. Polar bears are thriving? Ice isnt melting? Democrats can't protect us? btw FDR was a dem! HELLO she has NO experience oh wait she was Mayor of 9000 people and Gov for 20 months I'm comfortable with that....OH MY GOD!! I cannot fathom that there are people out there that actually think a 72 year old senile man (which if elected would be the oldest first term pres EVER!! ) can run this country..I guess they will have no problem when we invade Iran and furthermore when the draft is implemented....This country is on the brink of change and if for one minute you misguided repubs think Mccain/Pahlin is going to OH MY GOD!! that change will be for the worst....we need people who can bridge differences, bring new ideas into this god forsaken world..has Mccain done that? Can Pahlin.. wait she's from Alaska and thats right next to Russia she definately has the experience please...Joe Biden has been to Iran Iraq etc..On the Senate Arms committee ..wrote into law the bill for womens rights aginst abuse (sorry dont know the correct name) Thats a Leader who can make a difference thats someone who can help me make this world better for my children... not someone whos a MILF or a hottie OH MY GOD if she gets elected on those policies....If we don't get this election right ...GOD HELP US ALL...as a wise saint once said ..LIVING IS EASY WITH EYES CLOSED, MISUNDERSTANDING ALL YOU SEE...and that my friends is why this country will be forever in termoil and division just a sad sad shame...I pray for all those individuals who think global warming isnt real.. I pray for all those who are afraid of Obama...and I pray that one day we will all come together and be as one and bring our country and planet into harmony....Mccain I'm sorry will not do that..and that is the long and short of it..Peace Love and Happiness to all because we certainly need all we can get.......

Hey, Eskimo Bill, you moron. How many elk and moose are polar bears killing? How about some proof, for once, from your side? Really, polar bears killing elk and moose? You are an idiot.

IF ANYONE should know about the Alaska climate and ecology, it would be the Gov of Alaska. She has admitted to climate change. IF ANYONE should know about energy and our resources, it is her. She governs the state that is most responsible for delivering everything that we need to be independent from the Middle East. That is why she is buildng the natural gas pipeline. She wants to drill where we have a lot of oil, to help NOW. She wants to develop altertanive energy at the same time so we will be off of oil because she knows it is limited. She wants a band-aid (which we NEED, I commute a lot for work and it sucks but I HAVE TO) and she has a long-term plan to get away from our oil dependence because she knows it is limited.

WAKE UP people......we need both, not one or the other. And she KNOWS it won't kill the Polar Bears - she grew up there!!!! How can ANYONE that didn't grow up there tell her otherwise? PPL are dumb and want to play 'I know better'. Try living there. You might learn something. She is smart and she knows her environment. I am sure most other politicians in this country DON'T KNOW their environment. Unless you live in an enerty rich environmentally concerned state as Alaska. OH WAIT.Oregon thinks they are all that. They don't know the depth of Alaska. I have been there, it is beautiful, and it is untapped....unlike all our cities. She knows what she is talking about.

Why is it an obviously sexist Republican VP selection gets everyone so riled? This is the same party that incredibly got that dunce Bush elected not once but twice! How could THAT happen? Who in their right mind voted for HIM? The 2000 election was obviously stolen but still, a whole flock of simpletons DID vote for that dolt then and in 2004, so is anybody actually surprised by this selection? The Republican Party says jump, the idiots beg to know how high. BTW, someone please tell Palin how to spell potato before she goes on the campaign trail.

My, Oh my! PHDs who look down their noses at someone with a simple undergraduate degree, professionals (who can't spell speechless) and other miscellaneous haters who can only vent their emotional prejudices....... you represent the worst of American politics. Are wolves and polar bears really your most important issues or just a means of attacking someone you really know little about? Have you already forgotten that B. Clinton was nothing but a mediocre Governor of a midwestern state? Leadership is a function of character. This is America. Listen with something of an open mind. Read The Federalist. For God's sake, read The Federalist. Learn something, even a little, of how, why and based on what principles this country was founded. Then vote.

It is obvious that Senator McCain likes to surround himself with younger and cute, perky women....but as a choice for VP? I find it insulting. He "picked" her --like a date for a prom...and she is just as giddy.
McCain has betrayed himself--and all of you who supported him.
We need a change, and not more of the same patronizing politics.

It's funny, how the Republicans are touting this as a brilliant move on McCain's part to get votes.

It might work, it might not, but it shouldn't have happened. A VP choice generally doesn't mean an awful lot in an election. That's because USUALLY, the candidate picks someone that *makes sense.* So, if you like Candidate X, and he chooses his VP and that VP makes sense, you still like Candidate X, and since the VP pick aligns with the Candidate, the whole question of the VP becoming President for some reason, you'd be comfortable with it. People that don't like Candidate X still won't like Candidate X.

In this case, however, things could be different. Women probably won't vote for McCain because his VP pick is a woman, but I've been getting the distinct feeling that women are very turned off by this stunt. And, on the right-leaning people, there's a lot of backlash because they do NOT feel comfortable with the prospect of this woman becoming President because she's NOT qualified.

Personally, I don't think you need 20 years experience in Congress or the Senate to become president, and in some ways I think it's almost good at this point if you don't. But a Mayor of 8,000 and a Governor of the 48th smallest population state for under two years? That's pushing it a little.

PS: Don't be a singular issue person. CRAP do I hate it when I see people that will vote one way or another because of ONE issue. The world is a big f'ing place and the world is VERY COMPLICATED. One issue means nothing! Start using that brain that god gave you, and get interested in the process. You're screwing up our country!

Sarah Palin makes Dan Quayle look positively prepared to become President.
I agree that McCain has shot himself in the foot with this pick. If he were smart about playing his gender card, he should have asked Elizabeth Dole...but she probably would have laughed him outta town. She's plenty smarter than he is.

Some of us don't believe in killing babies; do believe
in God (the Creator), etc. As for as the statement that
if you are intelligent you don't believe these things, it
only shows a 'book educated' low IQ.

Thank You Mr. McCain As a father of 4 daughters they finally have a REAL female role model. She is a and always has been a WINNER! Congrats

McCain is losing it. His choice for VP is the worst decision ever. I would have thought more of him if he selected Romney. This woman has no experience and there were other Republican women he could have chosen. It's obvious he wants the women to vote for her because she is a woman and that is not how I vote. I look at: who is going to fix the economy? Bring down gas prices, Who has the experience to work on foreign policy and I come up with the Obama/Biden ticket. She is a former beauty queen like Cindy. We know where McCain's head is.

Sooo..let me think here . Mc Cain is going to "teach" this hockey Mom, who kills animals for fun, governor of 9000, foreign policy while in the White House!!!

I will not even go into her contradicting ideas and policies..

Get a reality check America! And SAVE AMERICA from her and Mc Cain.. before we all go down the sinkhole further.

Obama and Biden are the only sane level headed choice now.

Hi
Joedogs I agree 100%, I am not a political person but I am done with the liberals blaming the government for all its problems. Gas is so high blame Bush, The cost of gas can not be fixed by one man. The economy is in a recession Blame bush its because of a lot of different factors than the war and Obama is not going to care about the Americans that have fought long and hard to land good jobs and become great. Obama wants to make them pay. Stop whining about your lot in life and take some responsiblity for yourself!! Government should do one thing...GOVERN!! They will not in my lifetime I hope tell me how to live, how to eat, how to raise my chidlren. (Thankfully Hilary is out) I am torn right down the middle for abortion. I am not ok with woman using it as a form of birth control but I am not 100% against it either so that point Palin and I can disagree on. Obama is a god...Umm not really. An empty suit making more promises he can't keep. Stop whining about the state of the Country and do something about it. Screw polar bears if it take us digging in there terrain to stop relying so much on foreign oil so be it, they are not an endangered species anyway. I think its totally cool that she shoots animals as long as you do it within reason. I mean honestly Wolf hunting...Cool. They are not endangered last time I checked. Vote for a good VP. Palin is a great pick. I just hope she is a good public speaker and the maverick they say she really is and they will have my vote!! Oh and I dont vote for a white woman because she is a woman its because she is RIGHT!!

LOVE this pick. Shaking things up in politics, it's time a woman, a real woman - was on a Republican ticket! From another lowly undergraduate degree Mom of 3..... she's a mom of 5, that IMHO makes her more qualified than most in this election!

I want to pay more in taxes and I want the government to be bigger and more involved in my life...this is what I want and why I am going to vote for Obama....NOT!! He has been campaigning for longer than he was in office..he has said that he is for change and then picks a deep-rooted Washington insider as VP...Do you really know what he stands for? Are you really that slow to believe the marketing? I would think the answer is yes, because you are the ones who voted for Patrick...how is that going?

It is an insult to democracy at this late stage to add an unknown to the ticket. How are we expected to make an informed choice?

All I’ve have been able to find out:
Her age 42
Governor of Alaska for 20 months (just 0.2% of US population)
Commanded Alaska National Guard (1850 members)
Mayor of Wasilla (The 2004 census gives the city a population of 7,738)
One heart beat away (and it could be any day he is 72, has cancer and his medical records are 5,000 pages)
Can we trust McCain’s judgment.

#83 --

Country comes before gender or party.

Before I die, I hope to see a viable female candidate win her party's primary, accept her party's nomination, and win a majority of the Electoral College votes. I do not want to see woman ascend to the presidency because she was picked to help the older, more frail male president win the election.

This pick is an insult to America and an insult to all the women all over the country who have FOUGHT and EARNED what they have in life.

I can only assume that the few voices here singing Ms. Palin's praises want to give her the benefit of the doubt, which I can respect. However, this nominee is by no means a world-class candidate for the second-highest office in the land:

* Palin has a history of firing and/or suing people she doesn't like. She seems to match McCain's fiery temperament, which should give everyone pause;

* She left her post as mayor of Wasilla after putting that town's budget deeply in the red;

* I;m not sure what kind of experience managing Alaska for 18 months -- with its homoegenous and rural population -- actually brings to the table. It doesn't appear that she's traveled much.

* Never mind her experience, her education has been very thin.

* I hear folks saying that Palin has more 'executive experience' than Obama/Biden. Using that measure, she also has more than McCain. And so do I. Maybe I should be nominated. Given GWB's alleged 'executive experience', I think it's time for another tactic.

I suggest we have a beer with her and call it a day, and elect the committed public servants instead.

Courtney: "Who cares about polar bears when we're paying $4 a gallon for gas?" Let me explain some things to you, Courtney.

a. You are an idiot.
b. There are other creatures on this earth besides us and we depend on their existence for our survival. Ecosystems are complicated things which you, obviously, wouldn't understand.
c. We are paying $4 for gasoline because we are unbelievably wasteful in the US, using twice as much energy per person as any other developed society. What do you drive, Courtney? A Prius? A small fuel-efficient car? If you did, you wouldn't be complaining about $4 gas. So, by your behavior, it's likely you drive a gas hog, and thus your first step re the price of gasoline is to SHUT UP. Since the fastest way to reduce the price of gasoline in this country is to stop wasting it, your next step, instead of displaying your stupidity on a blog, is to go out and buy a fuel-efficient car.

We love Sarah Palin. It is about time someone put some sanity back into the environmental movement. Global warming theory minions have taken over our country's leaders; they have convinced the uneducated that the theory of global warming is reality and that somehow we have control. Sarah Palin brings common sense back to politics.

Our government can't solve alll people's problems like Barack Hussein Obama wants to do. He proposes free health insurance, no war, no global warming, higher taxes on such a small number of voters that he doesn't care--yet.

Liberals don't get it. They don't realize that not everyone wants the government to control our finances, our resources and ultimately our lives.

I like Palin! The news about her just keeps geting better & better! McCain made a terrific pick.. To Courtney- you are NOT an idiot. Rather, you are merely realistic. Don Allen does not have conflict resolution skills, so he resorted to name callilng, in responding to your comment. Don't take what he said personally. Even if you rode a bicycle & NEVER owned a car, too many people in this country DO waste. Americans waste everything. Just look at the massive amounts of food people leave on their plates, to be thrown away at restaurants. Don is frustrated by that mindset, and rightfully so. Americans need a change of heart, being grateful for our blessings and abandoning that sense of "entitlement" that has come to pervade our culture, to the detriment of everyone & everything.. including bears.

Don Allen:

I don't necessarily agree that we are "SO WASTEFUL" in the US. Sure, smaller cars will help, and it's starting to happen finally, but we use more electricity and gas because we have a higher quality of life than much of the world. That quality of live requires energy.

They use less electricity in developing countries because they can't afford to live in homes with electricity. They don't use gas because they can't afford cars, and they can't afford the road infrastructure to use them.

I don't want to live in a mud hut, and I don't want to drink infested water, so that means I'm going to use more energy.

I'm a Democrat, but I don't drink the cool-aid like you do. We need more oil and gasoline, and we need to make hard decisions. If we can't have access to the gas, our society collapses, and we could be looking at a world war. I'm willing to (responsibly) tap into oil resources that we badly need until we can viably use alternatives.

Use your brain.

ps. People with small cars still have problems with $4 gas. Sorry to break that to you. If we do nothing, it doesn't matter how small your car is; $10 gas could be a possibility in the not to distant future.. if we do nothing.

I don't like McCain. But i like Sarah. He's old and may not finish his term.
She could be just what is needed . I was going to vote for Ron Paul as a write in , but now I will reconsider.

Absolutely thrilled with this pick! She will be wonderful. Can't wait for the 1st debates when she's asked about "Bridge to Nowhere" how she said "thanks but no thanks" and has to admit she was all for it until federal funding was pulled. Can not wait for the photos and films of arial shooting and denning of wolves that the majority of Alaskans are against. Bring on the polar bears!!
What does it say about the arrogance and irresponsibility of a 43 yr old who already has 4 children to have another when she knows the high risk of Down's syndrom? To pick a VP who's under investigation for abuse of power?? seems old "song bird" McCain has really lost it this time. It is a total insult to all women and especially Hillary Clinton supporters to think we would vote for this bimbo who stands for everything that Hillary and other way more qualified women have fought for. Is this the best the republicans can offer? Can only think they feel this will placate the right wing religious nut cases that appear to be their base.

Drive less, use public transportation. We pay $4.00 per gallon because we choose to pay that amount. Whatever the price is, we pay it.

I agree $4.00 is outrageouus. All we do is complain about it and then drive and pay whatever the price is at the pump.

Ironically, if we did drill in Alaska the price would not go down. Most don't drive less at $4.00 a gallon so why lower the price? The oil from Alaska is just more that they can sell at $4 or $5 a gallon.

It's funny how the Dems are howling on the experience of Palin, when she has executive experience running one of the states as Governor for the past 1 1/2 years, while Obama has been a freshman back-bencher Senator for 3 1/2 years. Palin runs the state and makes all the executive decisions, under a structure that is much more in line with the skill set required in the executive branch as the Vice-President.

Obama, on the other hand, with no history of bucking his own party (like Palin), or offering any memorable legislation, all he has really done in his time in the US Senate is to ask Harry Reid (the Democratic Majority Leader) each morning "Harry, how am I supposed to vote today?".

So who is it again that has more experience?

The criticism of Governor Palin shows an extreme flaw in feminism. If a woman doesn't fit into a stereotype suitable for the feminists, it is considered a problem even an insult to women everywhere. How strange. A woman like the Governor who is successful on her own merits should be judged on her merits, not her fitting into a flawed ideal that a woman can only be considered successful if she acts or thinks in certain ways.

I am reminded of Martin Luther King's belief in that someday a person would be judged on content of character not color of skin. That thought can be expanded to include gender. But many women who are deservedly successful in their lives, holding prominent positions in government and business are quick to condemn Palin because she doesn't fit into the narrow focus of what they feel a modern American woman should be in our society. That is insulting and does nothing to promote the cause of American women.

Just as many blacks are not voting for Obama, many women won't vote or support a ticket with Palin on it. That's fine if they are doing so becasue of their personal beliefs and opinions on issues. That's what the American process is about. Voting against someone solely because of their gender or race sets America back into the stone age days of JIm Crow and other prejudicial attitudes towards gender and race.

I am about as lilly white and male as a person could be and I am not voting for Obama because he offers nothing except historically bad ideas that really don't work. I am voting for McCain and Palin because I see real evidence of keeping with ideas that are historically successful while pushing towards real change toward an environment where success isn't punished and the Government will not waste money on the ridiculous and hogtie our ability to grow the economy and spread the true meaning of democracy- free trade. Mutually beneficial trade with countries and self sufficiency at home. Countries sending their businesses over here to operate and American businesses doing real business overseas. It won't happen with Obama and Biden but will definitely happen with McCain and Palin.

Now if California would only not reelect Pelosi and a few other states get rid of some dead weight we might have it pretty good in the Country.

Bad choice. With all those babies, Palin won't have the time to change McCain's adult diapers.

This seals the deal for Obama. Notice how many republicans say "she has less experience than Obama!" Of course she has less experience. Obama has 11 years of experience in the Senate. Palin has 2 years of experience governing some caribou. Why even make the comparison? She's nothing like Whitehouse material.

SNL has finally outdone itself....
It's about time someone has injected some humor into this presidential race!

She is a perfect running mate for John McCain.
Do you have any idea how difficult it was to find a candidate less intelligent the John McCain?
Won’t you sleep well knowing her finger on the nuclear button?
MY FRIENDS!.!.!

I keep reading that doing more drilling for oil will create more supply for the US. [see above in support of Palin] I don't think that the market works like that. The worldwide market sets the price. The addition of oil based on ANWR drilling for instance, would be so small compared to worldwide demand from China and India so as to make very little difference in the overall price.

The only beneficiaries would again be big oil - and by the way, most of the oil produced in Alaska goes to Asia anyway.

I live in Florida and I have found all of this very entertaining. One of you said
it best - the Democrats are the party of thinkers. I am an independent but I will
say I have not seen so many intelligent individuals heading the Democratic Party
as there are now. Listening and watching the convention last week convinced
me of that. I can't believe what McCain has done in his choice of Ms. Palin.
He has captured the votes of the righteous right but not us progressive, thinking women out here across this great land of ours. Go Obama!!

Although I will certainly no longer consider to vote for McCain, I have a lot of sympathy for Palin. In other words I feel very sorry for her, she is in way over her head, just being used by the old establishment which has made an extremely patronizing move towards women. She has no hope that she can do a good job on this one and this will reflect badly on her, but also on other women. I would have liked a woman on both of the tickets, but a qualified, proven and experienced professional.
I am very critical of Mrs. Palin's judgement, she should not have taken the offer.
However, some of the rumors circulating about her pregnancy are completely the pits. It is extremely unfair to her daughter. Even if they would be true which I doubt very much, why bring a young girl into it and destroy part of her life ? Lets be honorable grownups and keep this young girl out of it !!

#96 Give me a break. Bush has been in power the last 8 years. Even though congress has been dem the last 21 months, Bush still wields veto power. A big reason for the high price of gas is all the sh1t that has been stirred by Bush prosecuting an illegal war in the worlds main oil producing region. Trying to overthrow Chavez didnt help much either. When Clinton was in power china was booming, but oil was $10 a barrel. Its a market, and markets are about sentiment more than anything. Bush stupidity is a major cause of the negative sentiment.
As for the madness about drilling, even with all offshore allowed, the US accounts for less than 4% of the worlds supply, but consumes 25%. It doesn't take a genius to spot it wont do anything to change the dependence on foreign oil. Reducing consumption will have a FAR bigger effect on the price of gas.

Either this is one of the biggest blunders in the history of politics (ie Dan Quyale), or the pick is brilliant. We won't know until the election. By choosing her he gets the party base excited but loses those Democrats and non-aligned voters who were going to vote Republican. He had Florida locked up but just lost most of the Jewish vote. "She has no experience in foreign policy," is the new popular refrain.

Most voters don't realized how close she is to becoming president. Melanoma is a vicious disease that can return at any time and doctors can't predict when that may occur. Hence, McCain's chances of finishing four years in the White House are significantly diminished.

I'm Catholic but all I have to say is... "Oy vey!" I was already voting for Obama but Lord help us if McSame/Palin are elected.

I was undecided as well. If his choice had been Carly Fiorina, who would have lent credibility to McCain's ticket in terms of business and economic policy, I may have been able to get on board. To pick someone (male or female) with such extreme views is just pandering to a narrow segment of voters while alienating a more mainstream electorate. While I was not strong on Obama, I will now be voting for him as a defensive measure.

It is simple folks. The issues that matter to the evangelical christian voters are abortion, their particular notion of family values, guns, religion in schools and the idea that this is a christian nation that must be maintained as such. The republican party has successfully marketed to these voters since Reagan cozied up with Falwell three decades ago. They were able to successfully define the republican party as not only pro-christian but CHRISTIAN in its very essense. They were further able to sell their constituents a description of the democratic party that includes its being anti-family values, anti-christian, pro-abortion, anti-guns and on and on. It is a long-term strategy that has worked very well for the republican party. Here in Ohio it took the revelation of absolute corruption to get a non-republican govenor. Even as Ohio has suffered economically, as its educational costs have skyrocketed, as it has been amongst the nations leaders in lost jobs and lost homes.....the voters of rural Ohio continue to pull that republican lever again and again. Why? The number one stated issue is guns, followed by the nebulous notion of family values.

They were able to use this strategy-of-redifinition to engineer Bush into the White House for eight years. Voters that thought they were voting for a christian-family-values-conservative actually elected a truely incompetent and inarticulate pawn of the neoconservatives.

Flash forward and the same issues and perceptions will define this election. Obama will be characterized as a Muslim extremist anti-christian. The issue of race will be avoided in public forums even as millions will refuse to vote for a non-white. We just won't talk about it. The republican selection of Sarah Palin will salve the christian consciences of millions of the so-called evangelicals who will vote for HER. The fact that she is in no way qualified to be vice president will not be perceived as relevant because "we" will be told it is not relevant. Challengin her abilities will be defended as criticizing her as a woman. And "we" will believe what we are told to believe.

McCain did not pick Palin. Republican machine did. And yes she is hot and that just sweetens the deal for the cameras.

Wow, somebody posts a comment saying "I am not into politics, I do love my country." Yeah right, and then you go on bashing "liberals" and giving us the traditional right-wing rant and rhetoric...

On thing buddy, if you love America so much, why don't you at least educate yourself on the players in this election and the choices we'll be making??

You have the audacity to say, "and where is Obama's mother anyways? Probably some spaced out hippie...

Dude, she's dead. She died of ovarian cancer at age 52. At least educate yourself before you make such a fool of yourself in front of all of us.

This is all way more serious and intense than any of us realize. Screw the polar bears? Are you kidding me? Have you ever watched a polar bear try to navigate the breaking ice in order to find food for themselves and their young? How they attempt to swim from ice float to ice float only to be forced to swim until they drown from exhaustion? That they are almost half the weight that they used to be because their food sources have either moved on or become completely depleated? That they no longer can produce milk for their young because they barely ate before going into hibernation and have nothing to eat when they emerge? Screw the polar bear, yeah, right...Palin is the sacraficial lamb for a desperate and floundering Republican party. I'm a VERY conservative democrat and in the past, have voted across party lines because I believe in the person who will get the job done - NOT the archaic, useless and disolutioned party system. G.W. has made such a mockery of the nation and the political system as we know it and will go down in history as having had the least successful and most abominable terms in office. She is in way over her head and I am not at all comfortable with her taking over the presidency in the event that Grandpa strokes out and physically becomes the dribbling idiot he already appears to be. The sad thing is I almost voted for McCain the last time because I actually thought he was a moderate maverick who actually had a big enough pair to stand up for something and truly say what he believes, not this Bush-backing nonsense that makes him look like a loon. Hey John - you've got a little something on your nose!!! At this point, it has become the lesser of two evils - and quite frankly folks, McCain is just a little to evil for me.

I love the fact that Miss Palin, along with the conservative media, are portraying her as a saint for having giving birth to a baby with down syndrome instead of terminating the pregnancy when she found out the fetus had a chromosome problem. The baby is 4 months old and the mother is already off campaigning around the country and wants to take on one of the most time demanding jobs in the world. So, she wants to have babies who will need a lifetime of care to survive. She just doesn't want to be the one to be around to give that care? Wonderful example for the young women of this country.
I am not suggesting that she should have terminated, but I think as a mother if you knowingly commit to bringing a child with disabilities into the world, you'd better be ready to care for that child and make him/her your top priority forever, above your career.
Way to go McCain, nice pick! I hope she'll win you votes, but you certainly haven't done our country, or women for that matter, and certainly that child, any favors here.

You liberal idiots (I'm including the NY Times East, aka Boston Globe in that salutation),

Isn't it wonderful that you can take wolf killing and an argument against polar bears, by someone who actually lives there and likely knows way better than you why this is being done, and use that as the basis for not voting for the McCain ticket.

Forget about terrorism, the economy, illegal immigration (oops, sorry Globe - didn't mean to use such a dirty word about such a noble endeavor), or the national debt. Save the animals - vote for Obama!!!

Pa-thetic.

For all of the Dems who are laughing at the Palin choice for VP. Check the Zogby poll. The 8 point bump that the Gallup organization gave to Obama before his speech has evaporated. It is now a statistical dead heat. So being dismissive of Palin and calling other people morons for supporting McCain is not working and Obama/Biden is dead in the water 1 day after Obama's excellent speech. It's going to be tough slogging from this point on for Obama and this race is far from over.

Melanie,

Before you make up your mind about Palin - let's see how she does against Biden in the debates. As for the rumors about her 16 year old daughter, it is simply disgusting and speaks poorly of Obama's supporters.

McCain’s Veep selection has pulled back the curtain and revealed just how much the American Pale-Male supremacist agenda has effected it’s own treasure , the American White-woman. These women have no concern for policies, no allegiances to a women’s right to chose , no regard for either a guy with a thirst for war or a guy with a passion for peace and no regard for Hillary or Sarah, their sole concern is a narcissistic drive to see themselves strike a blow at the Pale-Male hierarchy, which they refer to as the glass-ceiling. The Republican campaign understands the “I want to vote for a woman ,any woman” mentality of these women and now there is no need for them to strike a blow by voting for the Colored-Male, McCain has given them Palin. When the crowds around Obama shout O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma , McCain says that it’s proof that Obama is not for the people and that Obama is solely for himself , the fact that Obama crowds have been shouting “yes WE can“ for almost 2 yrs is over looked . McCain says his crowds shout U-S-A, U-S-A because he puts America first. What will the McCain spin be now that his crowds have started shouting Sa-rah, Sa-rah? The Palin’s are not big on higher education for themselves or their children. Her husband hasn’t graduated college, her son hasn’t graduated college, and her baby-mama teenage daughter doesn’t seem to be on a college track either.
Is this the white, hard -working, gun loving , anti-college family that Republicans feel where Hillary’s strongest supporters? Republicans feel that they can lead the average American in any direction they want because their spin doctors are so much smarter than them. If Palin is unable to track her children into higher education and avoid teenage pregnancy, how can she lead the nation toward an improved standing in the world community.

I've read so many comments, that I can't remember all the comments. But I more than one person considered this choice "genius". That statement is obviously misleading. Using the word genius in reference to John McCain is oxymoronic. Hey John "How many houses you own?" Not even smart enough, or quick enough to say none-my wife owns everything.
If you posess any brains at all, you will see this decision as his first-how can you trust a second. But you gotta admit-he's got great taste in women, regardless of what's between their ears.

I don't think anyone has changed anyone elses mind here. No one is all good or all bad. There have been great democrats and great republicans. I think you need to look at the pros and cons that this woman would bring to the Vice Presidency. I have heard alot of unsubstantiated claims on both sides. What we need are substantiated facts, a voting public who is will to make their decisions based on those facts and a little respect for each other. Thank You

go Sarah!! Fairbanks, Alaska loves you.

It's not just polar bears.

She was paying a $150 bounty to anybody who would bring her a dismembered wolf forefoot, until she was forcibly stopped.

She wants to let hunters shoot the nearly tame Katmai bears who are habituated to humans.

This woman is evil.

VOTE OBAMA

A "rumor" about her daughter no more. Her 17 yr. old daughter is 5 months pregnant. It's no rumor.

Bristol, Piper, Willow, Trig and Trak. These people must stoners.

anyone who believes that polar bears are endangered has been fed the BS from the DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE. Polar Bear populations are more than double what they were 20 years ago. You wouldnt know that because too many people only believe what the DOW is telling them. All the "feel sorry" polar bears swimming because of man made global warming?? those polar bears are swimming because it is part of a NATURAL climate change. Thousands of species of animals go extinct every year.

This is just like the situation in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. I vacation there every year. many people dont know that they have shut down all the most popular spots on the National Seashore because Enviro-whackos claim that people are responsible for killing the threatened piping plovers. there are 21 documented cases of Off Road Vehicles running over the shorebirds. 20 of those by federal vehicles and the other by a volunteer bird watcher!! And those beaches are closed not only to Off Road Vehicles, but PEOPLE ALONE!!! There are businesses going out all over the 60 miles of national seashore because of the BS that the Defenders of Wildlife are telling people. Its not about those birds. Its the rich people who want the beach for themselves. SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET CONTROL OF THIS COUNTRY NOW, and I highly doubt Obama will do that.

Bring on Biden You Liberal whackos!

Great choice, she appeals very strongly with working career women and if she gets 10% of Hillary's supporters it will easily be McCain/Palin. The liberal bloggers and east (BosWash) and west coasters don't get it. The US is much more than their little worlds. These NIMBY users of the country want Alaska presereved as their pristine play ground to visit once or twice in their life. The people of Alaska know best for their state and they are strong believers of home rule. They are rugged outdoors(wo)men. The understand their environment much better than we do. The polar bear population has grown since 1970 and they know how to manage their wildlife and natural resources.

She will sue if the Polar Bear is put on the list of endangered species because she fears a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts? Is this the best example ever of SELF - INTEREST? This woman is the WORST. She is anti-women and anti-environment - if they think they're getting the Clinton voters FORGET IT. We're going with Obama all the way. She is frighteningly ignorant.

How can you expect this woman to have any compassion for living beings like polar bears? If she was a truly compasionat woman she would not have jumped for the vice-presidency and kept her daughter's life private and out of the public eye. Palin is a young enough woman. This is not her last chance to be a VP. I find it interesting that those who spout family and moral values, seem to have the least.

Let's kill all the polar bears, fish and anything else that moves up in Alaska and then strip the landscape of anything valuable, pump out all the oil....and then give the barren, dead state to Canada.

#111 - "he has eleven years in the Senate" . Are you kidding? He has 36 months in the senate, 18 of them used to campaign for president. He has worked exactly 140 days in the senate. This is what I mean when I say that people are stupid, they don't listen, they don't read. He was a state rep. Big deal. Who is your state rep - NOT CONGRESSMAN, now, your local state rep. Ok - that he did for 8 years. while she was mayor of - yes - a small town. Now she's a governeor. Stop lying to yourselves about this, people. The fact of the matter is, she is a poor a candidate AS IS Obama. He should never, ever have been put up, and neither should she. Yes he's smart - great. Yes he's an excellent speaker. But he is not experienced, not so to be leader of the United States. What he is is, he is willing. He has aimed
for this spot for the last 4 years. He wants it, and the party wants him. He is the party's puppet. As far as having a woman on the ticket, hey, great. But I'm thrilled to have someone whose father was Kenyan on the ticket - a different continent for a
change. However, that does not qualify him any more than being female qualifies her.

Who is ready to lead - McCain or Obama? Those are the candidates.
And for the rude people who say McCain will be dead before leaving office, well, um, I think it's just as likely that Obama will be, sad to say in this stinking country we live in.
This is our chance, our one and only chance, to put up a biracial president. This is the height of affirmative action folks- he doesn't deserve it, but he gets to have it because of his Arican roots. As it should be, right my fellow NPR-listening lib?!

Polar bears are not fluffy, cute little bears. We don't see the pictures of the victims of their attacks. But... I bet will see Mrs. Palin and when she comes out... she'll be one mean bitch... because she's a Republican and she's a woman.

The US RACE to the WHITE HOUSE 2008 edition, has gotten America excited about the future of the country... interesting to say the least.

This election should be about experience, putting the country first, and about doing what is right, when it might not be popular. The election shouldn't be about polar bears, 17-year-old pregnant girls, old men dying, race or gender... but I guess the american population think these issues are more important... go figure.

If I could see a video of Sarah Palin shooting at polar bears with a machine gun, I would start paying people to vote for her!

mccain and palin mean war with iran.we do not need a vp from an oil state like bush.alaska and texas were going broke in dec of 1999 when oil was in the 10$ a barrel range.now with bush in office oil hit 149$ (go figure) im voting for obama after voting republican my whole life(i am also a member of the vfw and nra).we cannot destroy america by running up war debt and drilling up the arctic refuge ,we need to take the money we would spend invading iran for israel if mccain wins and invest in renewable energy.war is a last resort and if you are one of the people who wants more war but hasnt served the natl guard has upped its age requierements so go do youre part or shut up.

The most interesting thing about Palin is how she's swung the few genuinely undecided independent voters I know away from the Republican ticket. It's also a failure of McCain personally on two levels- one, he totally caved to the religious right, who "wouldn't let him" pick Lieberman or Ridge, who are both pro-choice, so his reputation as an independent-thinking "maverick" is revealed as less than accurate, since his first "presidential" decision was to pander to an ideologically extreme wing of his own party who he'd previously denounced.

Hot on the tails of caving in to the Dobbses of the world, he picked - without any adequate vetting process - an untested face with questionable and extreme policy positions who will turn off moderates.

I don't care what anyone says, it's a questionable decision to pick someone who is the target of an ongoing ethics investigation, whose daughter is on Myspace toting guns and booze (the boyfriend's Myspace page, where he said he didn't want kids, is history as of yesterday), and who questions basic science, opposes protecting the polar bear (which even the Bush administration agreed was appropriate) and who thinks shooting wolves from helicopters is "great sport", not to mention her previous support of Alaskan secessionists. Adequate vetting should have ruled her out, and the fact that it didn't raises serious questions of judgment and leadership ability.

McCain seems to have committed political suicide with all but the party faithful. It was a condescending move to put a woman in the spot thinking the fact of a vagina would be enough to attract Hillary supporters, when ideologically this woman is as far from Hillary as you can get, and it also undercuts the central argument of the McCain campaign - that Obama lacks experience - to put the former mayor of Mayberry a feeble, old, weak heartbeat away from the presidency. Spectacularly bad judgment, and it's already turned off the few people I know who were genuinely on the fence.

Check out the Bridge to Nowhere and Sarah Palin. She actually approved the project and you can read the news columns in the Anchorage paper confirming this UNTIL Alaska actually received the money. Then she found out the cost of the bridge had risen and the state didn't have enough funding to build it. So she took the money on behalf of Alaska and just spent it other things, like a road to the bridge to nowhere. That's not exactly what she said in her speech. She didn't say thanks but no thanks. She took the money and ran!

Creationism, hunting, lack of any real regard for environmental issues... This woman is so outdated, she should be wearing a corset and driving around in a horse and carriage. If you want someone dynamic in the White House, choose someone with 21st Century awareness and values.

Governor Palin has more management and executive experience than Obama. She is not a Washington insider or a career politician.

How much foreign policy experience did Bill Clinton have as Governor of Arkansas before he was elected president?

Agree with Governor Palin or don't but she clearly has a proven track record...something Senator Obama does not.

Governor Palin will be no meaner than Hillary Clinton is.

this is someone who didn't have a passport until last year. If you were putting together a will, would you entrust your children to someone you've talked to twice? A reckless decision that proves McCain should not be anywhere near the oval office.

"A plank of her first annual State of the Union address: getting the 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge open for drilling and other development."

Let's be accurate here, she supports opening 2000 acres for oil development in ANWAR, not 19 million acres. Why is it that that small detail is always left out of stories like this?

Excellent choice. It sounds like she doesnt believe in killing innocent life through abortion. Believes in our right to keep and bare arms. Believes in our need to lower fuel prices to the American people, by cutting our need for foriegn oil. She isnt afraid to stand up for what she believes. Seems to have been well respected prior to the election, and therefore should be able to weather the storm of the political lies about to be told be her apponents. And yes she is attractive. From what I have observed she has a beautiful soul, is a loving wife and mother and a down right ALL AMERICAN GIRL, that grew up as a middle class working Mom . What more could we ask for? Oh yea I forgot shes a nasty republican. And only the Democrates (SINCE WHEN) look out for the working people. " wake up working class people" I am a union member and I havent seen any more support for us from a Democrate then I have any other politician in my lifetime. Heres our chance to put into office 2 Mavericks that can make a difference. My belief is this. I believe in God. I believe in the sanctity of mariage. The rights of a person over the life of any other creature that God put on this earth. I believe in our constitution, and the protection of it (ALL OF IT). I believe in taking care of our own. I do NOT believe in allowing any outside force to dictate or influence our government, or our people. I am proud to be an American all of the time. I am proud of our Veterans ALL OF THE TIME. I respect the office of the Presidency All of the time. And I believe if YOU ARE NOT, you need to find a new country to live in. I believe Governor Palin has these same beliefs and therefore needs our support .because its OUR TIME.

You have a point there Jeff, better put a hat on it.

The animlas are much smarter than you are, as your writing undeniably supports.

Pedestrian intelligence runs rampant here I see. My apologies to those of you who do realize what a scary time we have arrived at in our history.

A sick bunch of double speak also- rans, defending the very same people carving this country up a little finer amongst themselves, and all the while keeping you in check inside your box of thought, and your playpen of life. Away from the power and the inside track. Politicians could get some people to eat their own grandmothers..all they have to do is write (parrot) the same tired speech patterns that bring a big ole tear to the eye of the impressionable herd. You would follow them into the fire with no fore or afterthought like the pied piper weaving his web. Doomed is the word. Anyone who would shoot pregnant wolves (highly illegal) and go into the den and shoot 14 pups through the head (even more illegal) would have no compunction about doing the same thing to you in various ways.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin

Anything else profuound would be lost on you. Get an education.

Jeff mansfield: You need to go to a doctor

McCain & Sarah are going to gave the White House for the next 12-16 years.

The Dems don't have anyone who can run against her. She'd stomp Hillary. Hillary plays a good regular person but it is an act. Sarah is the real thing

Yes homo sapiens (humans for those that don't speak the lingo) should always come before every other creature on this planet after all god selected US for a reason and that was to overpopulate this planet until all inhabitable (polar ice caps, deserts, wet lands, rain forest, everglades, even outer space) land was used up to the max. By god let there be no food that is not saturated with violate and toxic chemicals and let all water supplies be filled with homo sapiens bacteria and waste matter. Every 15 year old young lady needs to fulfill her biological need and reproduce by god so the planet can have another 7 billion people living upon it at one time. Who cares if the polar bears, whales, elephants, wolves, leopards, and all other ENDANGERED critters don’t have enough food or water so long as homo sapiens do. To Sarah Palin maybe she better get a clue about evolution (since she has a wee bit of science education to her name) and the workings of bacteria, viruses, and other parasites to areas with too many creatures without healthy resources to sustain them. There is a reason why Alaska’s population is so small. If she gets elected heaven help this planet because there will be no resources left after another four years of conservatism.

To Eskimo Bill and jeff mansfield
What if someone told you the only place you could inhabit is a 50 mile radius and you better hope there is enough food and water there to feed you and your family because that is all the room you need and will get. That is what you are telling endangered critters they need. The Prey-Predator cycle for almost all living creatures takes care of itself without human intervention. Polar bears are at the top of the food chain in their habitat which overlap humans never ending need of oil. All living things need food, water, air, shelter and a certain amount of space to survive. If humans overpopulation continues there will be no resources left to sustain any life on this planet much less Christian USA. Thank you Greg for your comments but you are so right many people need a better education and understanding about the world they live in and their own human bodies. Maybe we as a country can hopefully finally get back on track and educate ourselves to planet earth before the next pandemic hits.

Palin is evil incarnate. She blows away beautiful animals, mass murders innocent and necessary predators from the sky to make sure there are plenty more to kill (how "sporting is that?), wears fur, proudly displays bear carcasses, has heads of every animal you could murder on her walls at home, abuses power, changes policies (Bridge to Nowhere flip flop) according to what will get her into the White House, tries to force her former brother in law's firing as a policeman because she doesn't like him, tries to fire a long time librarian because she doesn't like certain books (can you say censorship?), now won't talk to the press or answer any questions because she doesn't have a brilliant script written by a famous author, Matthew Scully, for her. Says she "hasn't focused on the war in Iraq", but it's a "task from God". She wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade because SHE likes to breed. One of the most personal choices an individual can make is how to create her family. But, I won't be surprised if this pitiful excuse for a ticket makes it because we voted in a very dangerous idiot - TWICE! Obama has 20+ years in the Senate AND has solid concrete plans for ecology, health care and other things that matter. She has 20 months as governor and her plan to build a pipline will result in gas in about 15 years that won't be nearly enough to sustain this country. They mayor thing is a joke; 5,500 people. But alas, she is a fomer beauty queen and will be a nice decoration to the White House. Excuse me, I just threw up.

It's kind of difficult to make any type of decision about Ms. Palin. McCain is shielding her from the media, from questioning about her positions, ideas, plans, past record, etc. I read that they are "educating" her right now. Honestly, I'm very uneasy, and I would have loved to support a woman for VP or president. The little bit we are allowed to know about her is not very encouraging. I like that she stood up to crooked Republican politicians (huge Kudos!), but I'm worried that she leans too far towards Big Oil and seems to be anti-science, too. Does she really believe there's no global warming, or is that just the stance she takes in order to protect oil drilling in Alaska? We desperately need new forms of energy!! McCain voted against even wind energy, so I don't see much hope with this ticket and this is a HUGE issue for me. I'm also worried about her lack of knowledge about foreign policy. Would she really be able to handle Russia, Iran, al Qaeda? John McCain's dad and grandpa both died before 70 years of age, so this is a REAL concern for me. I'm also a upset that a woman voted against equal pay for equal work. Why? Does she really want Alaska to secede from the nation? Does the First Dude want that since he IS a member of the party in Alaska that is working towards secession? It would be nice to get some answers from someone who could become our president. I think we have a right to know.

Jones of Nayland wrote: Cruelty to dumb animals is one of the distinguishing vices of the lowest and basest of people-wherever it is found is the certain mark of ignorance and meaness. We don't need an ignorant and mean Sara as vice president, we have enough ignorance and meaness without her.

How can anyone be in favor or Palin as a possible president? That's absolutely ludicrous and even more concerning than ludicrous is the possibity that she could actually become president. McCain doesn't even appear robust and healthy and could drop dead a week after the election. Palin's beliefs and outrageously conservative ideas should have no place in our government and certainly should make all women stop and consider. We have had plenty of conservatism and fundamentalist religion stuffed down our throats the past 8 years and every one of us should say ENOUGH! My vote is Obama/Biden.

FOURTEEN POINTS OF FASCISM:

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism

From the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia.

2. Disdain for the importance of human rights

The regimes themselves viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the objectives of the ruling elite. Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation.

3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause

The most significant common thread among these regimes was the use of scapegoating as a means to divert the people’s attention from other problems, to shift blame for failures, and to channel frustration in controlled directions. The methods of choice—relentless propaganda and disinformation—were usually effective. Often the regimes would incite “spontaneous” acts against the target scapegoats, usually communists, socialists, liberals, Jews, ethnic and racial minorities, traditional national enemies, members of other religions, secularists, homosexuals, and “terrorists.” Active opponents of these regimes were inevitably labeled as terrorists and dealt with accordingly.

4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism

Ruling elites always identified closely with the military and the industrial infrastructure that supported it. A disproportionate share of national resources was allocated to the military, even when domestic needs were acute. The military was seen as an expression of nationalism, and was used whenever possible to assert national goals, intimidate other nations, and increase the power and prestige of the ruling elite.

5. Rampant sexism

Beyond the simple fact that the political elite and the national culture were male-dominated, these regimes inevitably viewed women as second-class citizens. They were adamantly anti-abortion and also homophobic. These attitudes were usually codified in Draconian laws that enjoyed strong support by the orthodox religion of the country, thus lending the regime cover for its abuses.

6. A controlled mass media

Under some of the regimes, the mass media were under strict direct control and could be relied upon never to stray from the party line. Other regimes exercised more subtle power to ensure media orthodoxy. Methods included the control of licensing and access to resources, economic pressure, appeals to patriotism, and implied threats. The leaders of the mass media were often politically compatible with the power elite. The result was usually success in keeping the general public unaware of the regimes’ excesses.

7. Obsession with national security

Inevitably, a national security apparatus was under direct control of the ruling elite. It was usually an instrument of oppression, operating in secret and beyond any constraints. Its actions were justified under the rubric of protecting “national security,” and questioning its activities was portrayed as unpatriotic or even treasonous.

8. Religion and ruling elite tied together

Unlike communist regimes, the fascist and protofascist regimes were never proclaimed as godless by their opponents. In fact, most of the regimes attached themselves to the predominant religion of the country and chose to portray themselves as militant defenders of that religion. The fact that the ruling elite’s behavior was incompatible with the precepts of the religion was generally swept under the rug. Propaganda kept up the illusion that the ruling elites were defenders of the faith and opponents of the “godless.” A perception was manufactured that opposing the power elite was tantamount to an attack on religion.

9. Power of corporations protected

Although the personal life of ordinary citizens was under strict control, the ability of large corporations to operate in relative freedom was not compromised. The ruling elite saw the corporate structure as a way to not only ensure military production (in developed states), but also as an additional means of social control. Members of the economic elite were often pampered by the political elite to ensure a continued mutuality of interests, especially in the repression of “have-not” citizens.

10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated

Since organized labor was seen as the one power center that could challenge the political hegemony of the ruling elite and its corporate allies, it was inevitably crushed or made powerless. The poor formed an underclass, viewed with suspicion or outright contempt. Under some regimes, being poor was considered akin to a vice.

11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts

Intellectuals and the inherent freedom of ideas and expression associated with them were anathema to these regimes. Intellectual and academic freedom were considered subversive to national security and the patriotic ideal. Universities were tightly controlled; politically unreliable faculty harassed or eliminated. Unorthodox ideas or expressions of dissent were strongly attacked, silenced, or crushed. To these regimes, art and literature should serve the national interest or they had no right to exist.

12. Obsession with crime and punishment

Most of these regimes maintained Draconian systems of criminal justice with huge prison populations. The police were often glorified and had almost unchecked power, leading to rampant abuse. “Normal” and political crime were often merged into trumped-up criminal charges and sometimes used against political opponents of the regime. Fear, and hatred, of criminals or “traitors” was often promoted among the population as an excuse for more police power.

13. Rampant cronyism and corruption

Those in business circles and close to the power elite often used their position to enrich themselves. This corruption worked both ways; the power elite would receive financial gifts and property from the economic elite, who in turn would gain the benefit of government favoritism. Members of the power elite were in a position to obtain vast wealth from other sources as well: for example, by stealing national resources. With the national security apparatus under control and the media muzzled, this corruption was largely unconstrained and not well understood by the general population.

14. Fraudulent elections

Elections in the form of plebiscites or public opinion polls were usually bogus. When actual elections with candidates were held, they would usually be perverted by the power elite to get the desired result. Common methods included maintaining control of the election machinery, intimidating and disenfranchising opposition voters, destroying or disallowing legal votes, and, as a last resort, turning to a judiciary beholden to the power elite.

NOTE: The above 14 Points was written in 2004 by Dr. Laurence Britt, a political scientist. Dr. Britt studied the fascist regimes of: Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile).

The woman is dangerous and if all republicans are like her, then we all ought to be very scared...The woman is "pro-life" and yet is pro gun (hence, pro violence); she an anti-environmentalist; she's a notorious hunter; a hyppocrit who's only protecting special interests and her own is on top of the list. Basically, in my book, she's a determined loser with no scrupules, very scary. I am an independent, but I will never vote republican!!!!! She makes me sick to the point I can't even hear or watch her. I hope this pick on the McCain ticket will backfire.

For all of us who support our wildlife, and our environment the choice of Palin as Vice President is ludricrous. She fought against Defenders of Wildlife and other groups, who fought desparately to stop the aerial shooting of wolves. The polar bears have a bad enought battle against surval with global warming and here is a person who refuses to believe there is global warming!

There are so many reasons to keep this person out of the White House, to many to list.

McCain shame on you!

Never in my life have I seen a woman drown the successful advances that we have struggled for so tenaciously in history. She will inject her radical conservative views into America's mainstream and call for the end of a Woman's right to choose. She has made a mockery out of the sacrifices that so many before her have worked so hard to gain for women all over the world. Women will be forced back into the Dark Ages and forced to seek questionable options from back alleys and out of the country and all with devastating results. Women need to be assured that they have a right to safe, reliable health care and that should be a constitutional right to each and every women everywhere. I am sorely afraid for our country if this "woman" gets elected. She claims to be pro-life, yet has no respect for life when out hunting down animals for fun.
She is in denial that global warming is real and feels that we should drill for every last drop of oil so that we can continue to pump billions of tons more CO2 into the environment, further destroying the very "life" of our planet. She represents the very epitome of what we were and NOT what we need to become. We need to come to the realization that the population has doubled in the last 40 years and if we continue on this rampage we will have exhausted all of our resources and will be our own demise. Yes, we are the superior beings on this Earth, BUT God intended us to use our intelligence to be the caretakers of this beautiful planet. I am sure he did not intend for us to kill all of the lesser inhabitants and destroy our planet with toxins and pollution. When are we going to wake up and realize that we need to take this crisis seriously? Are we going to allow 4 more years of wasted time, more of the same Bush politics, more pollution, more succumbing to the oil companies, or are we going to make the hard decisions that may impact our conveniences now so that we don't wake up one day with a planet that has been destroyed beyond repair?

OK so called Liberal Minded thinkers, lets try a little common sense for
a change. Ask yourself: "What role and specific contribution does the polar
bear give back to humanity, other than frolicing in the water slide at a zoo?"
Do the polar bears need over 14 million acres to survive? And about Global
Warming, makes me laugh, Peers to me the earth has taken care of it's self
before man kind and will continue to take care of it's self! Many left wingers
claim Palin lacks experience when compared to all 3 other canidates. But, she
is the only quallified and more experience in the executive branch, for which
contenders for the white house should have!
Jerry Cline, Terra Alta, WV

Ok #166...do you know how the earth takes care of itself when we don't? Ya, that's right one way or another it destroys itself and starts over!!! It is that exact thinking right there that got the world in this trouble to begin with...thinking only of ourselves. Do we need polar bears? No, not really...do we need wolves? No, not really, but does that give us the right to destroy them? NO, not really!!

As for what role do polar bears or any carnivores animal play...Well let's use a little common sense...what do wolves, foxes and others eat...yes, rodents, deer etc...anyone see where I am going with this...so if you get rid of one kind of animal you have an over population in another...How is that for common sense?

Maybe we can get Palin to approve arial hunting of rats...

And as a women...it is insulting to think because she is women I would vote for McCain.
And as a TEXAN...GWB IS NOT A TEXAN!!! and I am not proud of him either

Yeah, the Earth took care of itself just fine before man came along and destroyed it, Jerry Cline from West Virginia!! We're supposed to be caretakers for the Earth, not raping it and paving it over. Where do you plan on moving to when the planet's no longer livable?

People, please educate yourselves! Democrat, Republican, Independent, Green…. Don’t believe what you hear until you research it. Always look at the source and try to get more than one. Before you say something you should be able to cite your source. This is a very important election. Look at the facts, what the candidates say they believe, their plan, and how they voted in the past. PLEASE! I can’t believe the stuff that I am reading on this page.

some one wrote something about not caring about polar bears when we pay $4 a gallon! Ha! well there is your republican right there. Completely ignorant. doesn't care about things in a whole just egocentric. Watch out for your own and screw the rest. As soon as i saw McCain picking up this hussy as his VP i laughed and knew i was watching an old man making desperate decisions! This girl is a joke! A degree in journalism is your shining hope! Hahaha!

I have nothing against Sarah Palin. I admire her rise from PTA mom to governor to vp candidate. What I have a problem with regarding the platform that McCain and Palin are promoting, is that it is just like the platform of the past Republican party and George Bush - from which they are seeking to distance themselves.

Less taxes, greater veto power, personal accountability, reform (deform), Christian values, pretending that Reaganomics could actually work in today's global society...even though we just went thru eight years that proves it cannot. There is nothing Maverick in this supposed new era Republican duo. Its the same old song and dance that it has always been, with a little lipstick added.

BTW, I bet Sarah is also a pretty good dancer. But that doesn't mean we should fall for this "Maverick" song and dance.

In regards to comment # 5.) "Who cares about polar bears when we're paying $4 a gallon for gas?" I will give you $4 to help you with your cost of your own cremation.

I am amazed that any self respecting person claiming to defend democracy could even consider Sarah Palin as a suitable choice for a VP.

Though I do agree that sex should have nothing to do with politics, in this case it is very telling. She is a woman, and considered a success by some standards, and yet she wants to take away pro-choice even in situations of incest or rape, and she sides with McCain in his lack of commitment to equal pay for men and women. Wait a second...are we even sure she is female? I mean her jaw line is pretty prominent.

And her absolute lack of thought or consideration for our environment, the species suffering in it, and her obsession over Alaskan drilling. I think it says so much about a person if they hold true to the belief that we are not responsible for the global warming crisis we find our selves in.

I respect all political beliefs, and that is why for the sake of all republicans and their dignity, I choose to not view Palin as a republican but as a Christian Fundamentalist with her head stuck in the apparently narrow minded sand.

Heed this warning republicans, do not cast your ballot for Palin, I fear that you will be associated with her kind.

Hello? Its 2008.... What about other energy sources?? Yeah, lets just kill everything God put here on this planet for our own greedy consumption instead of using our brains to come up with better alternatives. C'mon people, really? Lets make choices that make a difference and put some value to the world and all its inhabitants. You may have a much better afterlife...

Senetor Palin was only chosen for the womens vote. If Hilary was chosen VP for the democrates, McCain had another choice on hand. The reason Palin doesn't step in front of reporters is because she is going through extensive training on how to answer all the questions she's going to be asked. She is AMAZING at reading a speech!! But start asking her questions at this point she will fold like a beach chair. Sorry to disappoint you Palin supporters but she's not the real deal!

Hottie beauty queen? I must really be missing something. Am I the only one to notice the resemblence to Marge Simpson's ratty hairdo? If you want to know McCain's real feelings toward Palin, just look at his frozen expression and rapidly blinking eyes whenever she rants. If this pair gets into office it will be proof positive that the special interest groups have bought and paid for our country.

I actually like McCain, so it's unfortunate he chose her as his running mate catering to the right wing conservatives. It's also unfortunate that the right wing conservatives have so much clout in American politics. As we've seen over the last 8 years, what a great job their choice in president has done.

I have $4, count me in on the cremation.

Please tell me what is "CHRISTIAN" about Palin's BLATANT disrespect for life?!

Why is it that these fundamentalist religious right wingers thing it is "God's will" to tear up and destroy mother earth and all creatures and life forms that their apparent "God" created? But their warped minds and sense of self-righteousness don't equate this murder and killing as being wrong? Oh but don't touch the "unborn."

How about giving a shit about the life that is already living here on this planet, for a change?

Palin's Campaign Sonag, ironically by Michael Palin

Lumberjack Song

I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.
I sleep all night. I work all day.

Mounties : He's a lumberjack, and he's okay.
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees. I eat my lunch.
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin'
And have buttered scones for tea.

Mounties: He cuts down trees. He eats his lunch.
He goes to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he goes shopping
And has buttered scones for tea.

Chorus : I'm (He's) a lumberjack, and I'm (he's) okay.
I (He) sleep(s) all night and I (he) work(s) all day.

I cut down trees. I skip and jump.
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing
And hang around in bars.

Mounties : He cuts down trees. He skips and jumps.
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing
And hangs around in bars?!

Chorus : I'm (He's) a lumberjack, and I'm (he's) okay.
I (He) sleep(s) all night and I (he) work(s) all day.

I cut down trees. I wear high heels,
Suspendies, and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie,
Just like my dear Mama (or Papa in later versions)

Mounties : He cuts down trees. He wears high heels,
Suspendies, and a bra?!

Chorus : I'm (He's) a lumberjack, and I'm (he's) okay.
I (He) sleep(s) all night and I (he) work(s) all day.

Yes, I'm (He's) a lumberjack, and I'm (he's) ok-a-y.
I (He) sleep(s) all night and I (he) work(s) all day.

Ok folks here's an objective opinion. First of all many people do not understand that all states have restrictions on hunting. There are only a hand full of permits allowed to be bought by hunters every year. Most big game hunters are only allowed one kill in a lifetime if they ever get the permit. As for driling oil and searching for other natural resources in Alaska or anywhere's ellse, guess only time will tell. Why you may ask? Look all over Alaska and other states. Alaska has many oil fields and natural gas stations and the caribou and polar bears are still around. So what limits did we cause thus far? This is not to say it's ok to go hog wild but look at the fact that Sarah Palin used judgement based off what she thought was best for the people of Alaska. How many opther candidates are looking and doing things for us. At least Sarah Palin takes action and steps and deals with the consequesnces later if she's wrong. Either way everything I've read and searched about Sarah Palin always comes back to the same thing. Sarah Palin does her best to make good long term choices for her state and the people that live in it. At least she sticks her neck out and does things to collect her pay check. How many other politicians do you see taking action to help their own states as well as the country as a whole?

Way to go ron!! By the way Sarah palin wants only a small area of the arctic opened to drill.

Great. I have always wanted a polar bear rug..and the eskimo cook book has great recipes..go Sara go...Obama change my shorts..

I wonder how long it will take for the facts about Palin's ex-brotherlaw come out. He should have been thrown in prison. He was caught drinking in his squad car and used his taser on a 12 year old nephew. She just tried to get them to fire him for misconduct that would have gotten others fired but his supervisors refused to do so. I don't agree with all her politics. I keep hearing both sides saying we need change but neither has given a plan for that change or who's going to foot the bill for this change. They know the people in this country are very short sighted and don't typically look at the collateral damage that will happen. For example.....I have spoken to a number of small business owners who have already said they plan to fire some employees if Obama is elected and increases their taxes as he said he would. If many people do that....we get runaway unemployement. Problem is....McCaine isn't much better. We should link thier pay and that of ALL politicians to the economy. If it grows then they get paid more...if it shrinks, then they get a pay cut. No more automatic payraises. Politicians in general have become nothing more than legalized conmen (and women). Whoever can con the most into voting for them or at least not voting for thier opponent wins. This country needs a reset button like a computer, so we can reboot like a laptop on Windows Vista. Hopeful to make this run smoother and stronger than before.

Somebody please tell "Eskimo Bill" to lay off the white lightning.

well...palin turned out to be a total idiot...lol!
i'm happy she was picked by McCain.
Now all the enviromental abuses have been exposed, the federal government needs to step in and protect Alaska from idiots like sarah palin.

Why was Mayor-Governor Palyin' wearing a polar bear pin today and not a flag pin? Come to think of it, why does McFlailin' never wear a flag pin?

I'll betchya that polar bear is a symbol for the anti-American Alaskan Independence Party.

I would LOVE to post my reply here, unfortunately, last time I tried, it did NOT get posted & there was nothing any worse in it, than what you all have written. Who knows?.....

I'm concerned about this economy just like everyone else and the growing prices for petroleum, but disregarding the environment is to me asinine. What are we going to do with low gas prices or affordable and efficient energy, if we can't even breath, or walk out side cause there is a hole in the ozone layer... i guess with all that money we saved we can buy more sun block lotion and pay more to our health insurance with us getting progressively sicker due to poor air supply and drinking water.

I love and care very much about polar bears and if she doesn't consider them endangered then she doesn't have a heart!