Sarah Palin on faith, life and creation

This is a very scary moment for the United States of America.

We--ALL of us--must work diligently to ensure that the only time McCain and Palin see the White House is at the request of President Barack Obama.

she sounds backward or should i say drawkcab?

Frightening.

This is extremely scary.

Mr. Goldstein-Why are McCain and Palin so scary? Who is Obama's minister? Is he scary?

O my God!

Please America, Don't let this happen

I love her already! Anxious to know more, but so far an excellent choice.

George W. McCain clearly is pandering to women and to the in-your-bedroom evangelicals with this pick. But wow, what an enormous mistake.
Two things just happened:
1. McCain no longer can hold the "experience" argument over Obama's head.
2. All of those moderate "Hillary" women McCain had been courting have just been alienated.

Frightening? Backwards? Scary?

Wow...if that be the case, you just described more than half the population of the U.S.
Mother of 5, Son headed to Iraq, PRO ENVIRONMENT, Sanctity of human life, Fiscal conservative, Ethics reformer and suddenly these are ALL radical stances?

I think she is a breath of fresh air. Why are you so afraid of common sense?

SEPERATION of CHURCH and STATE !!!!!!!!! PERIOD.....

To quote her about her son " What ios normal, what is perfect" why is gay not normal or perfect but her RETARD of a son is !!!!!!!!!

He picked a crazy lady!!!

It scares me that she might be in the White House.... we've already taken so many steps backward as a nation

Why is everyone so afraid of the Godly principle's that started this country in the first place? Why is it that Christians have to keep their opinions to themselves, but all the liberals, gays, and other opponents to wholesome morals feel like their rights are the only rights that should be upheld in the U.S.? I say cheers to a woman who has values and morals and not afraid to stand up for what is right! You go girl!

This woman's an absolute moron. How can you run to lead a country that's based on equality for all and really believe that not only should same sex partners not be able to marry but they shouldn't receive equal benefits???? And that you're actually going to put energy towards making sure that we remain an elitist, ignorant, backwards country??? Our public schools are in shambles without books, paper, pencils, desks, chairs, and qualified teachers, but let's focus on teaching religious BELIEFS not FACTS to our students. McCain is bad enough wanting to take money from public education and using it towards private education, but with this wh*re, whatever money goes towards public education will be given towards teaching a Christian belief. I'll be in Canada by February...

duo get elected due to the ignorance of many Americans who fear an educated black man leading our shamble of a country.

Why is this viewed as scary. If you would like others to embrace and respect your views, you should be willing to respect others and maintain an open mind. As Ms Palin stated, why not present as much information as possible and let individuals decide for themselves. It was not long ago that an African American running for president would have been viewed as scary.

Mr. Obama has many wonderful qualities. So does Mr McCain and Ms. Palin. I think we should be open minded to listen to what both sides have to say in order to make the best decision. Dismissing one view in an off-handed comment is more scary to me.

works for me!

Very clever move. Will Hillary Clinton sourpusses now vote for an anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-science potential president?
Carmen

Aww, look at all the fearmongering conservative-hating bigots. SO CUTE.

Where's the nearest bus to Canada??

Umm . . . Is being Christian bad? Catholic? Jesish? Budhist? Is having a faith somehow evil? It is scarey that she went to bible school? Wjat matters is whether she is competent and belives in the Consititution. One can talk about religion and even creationism and not favor an official state religion. Are any of you who are frightened of Sarah Palin, frightened of Barak Obama, who invokes God consistently in his speeches and far more than John McCain, who is almost irreligious. Chill out and try to be good listeners.

REFRESHING!! Sara Palin has a 'Get 'R Done" attitude and will bring lots of debate as to whether she can fulfill the job, as McCain's V.P Select.

I suggest you read her history, listen to a couple of Videos, so you can hear the enthusiam and "can do" attitude in her voice. Listen how proud she is of her kids and Husband. Especially the last little guy who has Down Syndrome and her son who is in Iraq fighting for America.

So go ahead and slam her - Sara has been slammed before and she just comes back for more.

There are a few things that I like about Sara, and one of them is she isn't afraid to use the word God in a sentence and mean it....

So God Bless us all that we in America still has someone who isn't afraid to say "God Bless you".

Breath of Fresh air? Common sense? ...not even if we were in the dark ages would these statements be true.

McCain has just clearly demonstrated that he is nothing more than the same hate and fear based politics that we've had to live with for the last eight years.

God help us all

Does "common sense" =

Against a woman's right to choose?
Discrimination based on sexual orientation?
Teaching content in schools ("creationism") that flies in the face of ALL current scientific theories around the origin of our planet?

That doesn't sound like common sense to me.

Post #11 is offensive and disgusting. How could you post that? Is anyone moderating comments here? Please remove. Thanks.

What a breath of fresh air! After the choreographed, carefully worded, and ridiculously hypocritical support ( from Bill and Hillary- who no doubt will be rewarded for their dramatic performance in the Obama administration) , Palin is so real.And after Nancy Pelosi's moronic comments about abortion last week ( from a "practicing Catholic, she stupidly bragged), Palin's firm belief in the sanctity of every life is powerful- and she's NOT Catholic. The Democrats must have a maximum IQ level which they cannot exceed because they are a conglomerate of such ignorant fools. They treat the voters like trained seals- and unfortunately most of them are unaware they are being insulted- until it's too late. I will be very proud of McCain and Palin representing the United States.

Well, it is obvious # 22 and 23 that you like to read into things and simply see life as a black or white, right or wrong issue. Talk about the dark ages, Petrarch.

Post #11 is disgusting. I hope this is not the mentality of Mr. Obama's supporters.

So, now it is official.
To be considered Christian in the United States, you must be an Evangelical Christian and buy into the dogma of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Ralph Reed, Rick Warren and Bill Hybels. You must be well-versed in Saddleback Church, give money to Liberty University or Wheaton College in Illinois. You must be intolerant of any views or positions not espoused by the above names. And you must learn to rationalize your way around your lack of support for the "Love thy Neighbor" commandment.
If you are Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, you are not Christian. And if you are Jewish, anything orthodox, Muslim, agnostic or atheist, well ...
So welcome to the new Republican America, which now clearly advocates a state religion.

I think she was the smartest decision McCain has made. Being indipendent and on the fence, I think having Palin on the ticket has pushed me to the McCain/Palin side!!! (And I am a male who would NOT have voted for Hillary)

OK, so beyond the blatant pandering to youth, women and religious conservatives, take a look at her experience or lack there of. She has been a governor for less than 2 years. Prior to that She was a mayor of a community of 5500 people.
How in God's name, or yours and mine, is she ready to lead the United States?

wow. i agree. it's a step backwards in beliefs and the way things should be. she sounds like a nice person and has done some good things here and there but honestly what she stands for after reading all of this is that our country will still be similar to how bush is running it. this is just a copp-out from mccain, just doing it to try to steal clinton (women power) supporters. we called your bluff. it's a decoy to get people to forget that he wants to run the country just like Bush. if there was going to be a woman president or vice president, the only one elegible would have been Hilary Clinton.

To # 24..I agree with you 100 % that's it's disgusting....That's why I wrote it...it's also disgusting to take rights away from Tax Paying Americans because of sexual orientaion...just trying to make a point that all HATE is WRONG !!!!!!!! all HATE is WRONG !!

What is frightening? Decision-makers who hold so much power but are unable to distinguish between scientific facts and religious beliefs. A President who does not know enough, but is so dogmatic, he (or she) fails to consider alternatives. Faith is a source of great strength, but should not override rationality and logic when making important scientific, medical, and especially military decisions.
That was one of the great failings of the Bush Presidency. Bush firmly believed in the rightness of his views, no matter what logic and physical evidence said about the non-existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. We are now still mired in a war seven years later. I have lost a friend in this war, and I will never again trust ideological zealots to run the country I swore to protect. Palin might be a nice mom, and a terrific lady, but I do not think she is fit to fill in as Cmdr-in- Chief.

“I believe in a President whose views on religion are his own private affair, neither imposed upon him by the nation, nor imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office." – John F. Kennedy, 1960

Actually, she vetoed a bill which would have banned same-sex benefits, so she's actually been pretty good on gay rights as far as republicans go.

She is a female face, that will likely gain the ignorant supporters of Clinton that would only vote based on a vagina, not on facts. The true Clinton supporters will likely stay with Obama. Let's all hope that the women of this country will put aside our feminist hopes for a female in office and vote for the true change this country needs....which is not in the McCain/Palin ticket.
P.S. Palin was a former "Miss Alaska". Although there's nothing wrong with it, she seems to fit perfectly with McCain's stepford wife and 'perfect' republican office he envisions.

Separation of church and state? Neither side has that. Barack is happy to quote the Bible "I am my brother's keeper" at will. We tend not to see this in the media, but he goes to black churches and 'preaches' his speeches. And he invokes the Civil Rights movement all that time. And during that time, leaders like MLK quoted Jesus and his teachings all the time.

Nobody is moderating the offensive Post because the Globe is all for Osama , just like all media are in love with him , follw him around like love sick schoolgirls . GOD forbid if someone says something about the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ !!!
get ready for more taxes !!!

And he was killed...wow this country's done

You are who you associate yourself with. For Barack, we know about his minister from Chicago, but wait until more information comes out about his relationship with William Ayers. I guess there is a sucker born every minute.

Um - Joe - in answer to your question - if McCain wins, we'll have a SEVENTY TWO year old President taking office with a significant history of cancer. We'll have a vice president with exactly TWO years of gubernatorial experience (before which she was the Mayor of a town with 6,500 people).

That should scare anyone with a brain.

John McCain, the Manchurian Candidate, has now partnered with Sarah Palin, a Stepford Wife. Get me rewrite, please!!

Wow, Ashamed to be an American! If what you wrote is not hate speech toward Gov. Palin, I don't know how to define it! Why suffer in this "elist, ignorant, backward country" any longer? Why not leave for Canada now?
Liberals ought to be giddy! There has never been a clearer choice for American voters than we have this year, and the choice of Gov. Palin by Sen. McCain only makes the lines clearer and sharper as did the choice of Sen. Biden by Sen. Obama. If America is as enlightened as liberals think, then Obama/Biden is a slam dunk! Yet McCain and Obama are practically even in the polls, even with Bush hanging around McCain's neck.

I'm thrilled that John McCain has chosen a true conservative as his running mate.

But Obama's religious allusions don't result in women not being able to make their own choices, men and women not being able to share their life with whom they want, or our public education going down the tubes even further than it is.

JN Boston you and your elitist attitude should get off this board! I guess you're happy with the Bush regime and want more of the same. Are you happy that you paid for a war that the leaders of this country used to profit personally? If your answer is 'yes' then you are no patriot. For Sarah Palin to be fine with abortion because 'what is normal' - but opposed to gay marriage, etc. is hypocricy at its finest. So, if McCain wins we'll have an inexperience backup who contradicts herself as VP. Nice move Republicans! You just sunk your campaign.

I have no problem if they teach creationism as the creation myth that it is, alongside the creation myth of the aboriginals, the navajos and every other culture that has one.

It's not science. It's a belief in a myth, a story.

#25. is that the only thing you look at to represent this country. go ahead and base everything on one belief. obviously, it looks like the past 8 years have been brainwashed ignorant republican fools voting Bush into office, not just once but twice! the past two terms have been the trained seals of republicans! The only reason why anyone would vote mccain and palin is because they are for corporate america. they want all of the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, forcing the middle class to step it up for both. also, i guess all the republicans believe in the fake war in iraq. we never went there for the right reasons. it was oil, large corporations, and finish something his daddy didn't do. Bush Sr. is much smarter because he knew we would be facing the problem that we are facing now in iraq. let mccain instill fear into your minds for another 4-8 years like bush.

The statement in the article that she opposed benefits to same-sex couples in AK is wrong, she supported such measures on a number of occasions, although she also supported the people's right to a referendum on the issue and does oppose same sex marriage. As does the vast majority of the voting public. But I guess they're "scary" too when they don't adhere to the far left agenda in everything.

#32, then why are you so hateful?

And most of you are making a decision about a woman based on one article in the Globe? As I recall, she supports a woman's right to have an abortion if there is a threat to a woman's life. Are you suggesting that abortion be used as a form of birth control? I do not believe for a moment that most women who support abortion rights feel that way. Are you also suggesting that religion isn't something that should be discussed at all in schools? I think it leads to healthy debate. So, it is okay for kids to go to school and learn science, but not okay for them to learn about religion? She is not saying she only believes in creationism, she is saying it is okay to debate this. I think that debate about issues leads to understanding and tolerance (except on this blog) What is the problem with healthy debate? I certainly believe in science, I am in science. But I also go to church. Hmmm.....does that make me odd and a rightwinger? Guess again, I am an independent who voted for Obama. You zealots need to get a clue.

If I belong to a group that believes the Universe was created by the great Flying Spaghetti Monster (and there is such a group), do we get to teach that also in Science class? Or, more seriously, do we start teaching Hindu and Buddhist views of creation, as well?

After all, why be afraid of an idea, right?

tis a sad time to be a human in this land. barack is intelligent and open minded but the rove-machine has the diebold voting machines rigged. wake up. there's no chance of any hope for hope or change in this gulag called amerika inc.

Excellent choice! You see that it is republicans who respect women and minority, in actions, not just in words. Democrats threw away their perfect chance to nominate a women candidate.

Barack's Biography: Boch Used Cars - 1988-Present - Salesman of the Year Award for 20 years straight.

She may chose not to abort a Downs fetus. But why should her personal choice in this matter be forced onto others.

OTOH, she does support the second amendment. To us "leftnecks" , freedom of choice includes the right to keep and bear arms, should we chose.

Hey all of you ashamed Americans. Go back to the US we don't want you here in Canada. Were Christian's too you know and were proud of it!!!

God bless Canada.

#34, exactly, religion should be a persons private affair. Yet Sara Palin wants the government to teach her religion in the classroom (creationism) and discriminate against people whom her religion has problems with (gays and lesbians). If she wants to be privatly religious, fine, but thats not what she said. She wants to push her religion in our classrooms (there are a lot of different creation myths for various religions, not just christianities, is she up for teaching all of them in science class?) Just because her religion is bigoted towards gays, that can be her private belief, but she is saying she wants the government to only allow people who her religion likes to be able to share health insurance. Get your facts straight.

The hatchet job has already started on this woman. Despite everything she has accomplished in her relatively short career this story tries to immediately label her as "evangelical"... "creationist".. Ooooh scary!

As governor she has one of the highest approval ratings in the nation. She must be doing something right!

FYI---Also comments interesting

Her beliefs are not her problems. The problem lies in the fact that she LEGISLATES her beliefs. She wants to legislate acts that will make America less free. She wants to take away choice, except for creationism. In that respect, she wants to force it to be studied when it is absolutely proven false, whereas evolution is scientifically proven. She wants to outright ban abortion except in one case - well, lawmakers have zero right to legislate one's own body. She wants to ban stem cell research when we can research it using wisdom teeth, cord blood, among others nowadays, and banning stem cell research equates to murder. People who want to ban stem cell research make me laugh - they are OK with letting people currently alive suffer and not have cures for diseases; but they are not OK with a mass of cells being used in tests. It doesn't make any sense. She wants to ban same-sex marriage and benefits rights, which is wrong. It limits our freedoms, which is unpatriotic. If she did not legislate her beliefs, she would be fine. But because she legislates her beliefs which are non-beneficial, she is a horrible choice for VP.

the only reason why mccain is even close to obama in the polls is because people are affraid to vote for a black man (african-american to be politically correct). caucasians are affraid that a black man might out-shine them. obama has many great ideas, many of which are very similar to clinton's presidency. hopefully he'll turn the country around like clinton did.

Anyone who thinks that a narrow religious view (creationism) should be taught alongside science, is not fit to be VP and especially not President. Christians are scary because they are obsessed with their Jesus and the supernatural.

This shows McCain's lack of good judgment. He picked someone with even less experience than Obama and alienated all of the moderate women he has been courting.

Check Mate!!!!

NOBAMA ! NOWAY!

I believe that once again the silent majority in America will silently leave their expensive well maintained homes in their nice expensive cars with their happy well educated (private school) children. Vote for McCain and then go to their good high paying job.

And McCain will win like Bush did. The silent majority will accomplish more than all the gumflappers in the country can. Talk is cheap and the people who do the most of it have way too much time.

@50

*no one is saying Abortion should be considered birth control.. Regardless it isn't the governments place to ban it.

* and why should anything remotely religious be taught in schools? maybe a seperate and electable class where kids can learn about all religions and other mythology.

What a terrific choice! Pour it on McCain!

1-20-2009 McCain!

An anti-choice neocon former beauty queen with no experience? Wow, that should make women come running to McBush. How dumb do the Republicans think women are?

This is a huge miscalculation on the part of McCain. If he thinks that he'll grab the votes of all of those disillusioned Hillary backers with this VP pick, he really doesn't get it. This will send all of those voters scurrying toward Obama.

For those of you who ask what is wrong w/ religion. Here is the answer. There is nothing wrong with religion and or religous beliefs. Religion turns bad when it is forced into our government as has been the case with the Bush White House. Religous people in general are intolerant of other beliefs and intolerant of scientific fact. Ms. Palins statements regarding the teaching of the creationist theory in public schools is absolutely alarming. All you have to do is look towards the Middle East to see how other country's function when religion is a big part of government. The educated industrialized world laughs at our country when it comes to how we try and mix politics and religion!!!!

to #27.....I agree it is offensive and disgusting, I couldn't agree more ......all HATE and descrimination is disgusting and offensive, isn't it.....with less hate and more tollerance it would be a much better country

To #11/#32...then your hate for Mrs. Palin is not wrong? Or is only wrong to hate those things you believe in?

BTW, can you please explain to me the concept of the separation of church and state, and please be sure to point out where exactly it is in the Consititution.

Fantastic choice - exactly what we need

Hey J.P.

She has more executive experience and real world leadership experience than Obama. AND, she will gain experience as VP without being the President (unless McCain died on his first day in office).

Like Biden said, the PRESIDENCY is no place for on the job training. Sarah Palin can learn from the experience of McCain and prepare to take over as President.

The Democrats are goofballs. They applaud the selection of Biden because he can fill the experience void of Obama, and then criticize the lack of experience of the Republican VP candidate. That's really dumb.

The election is still McCain vs. Obama, and when it comes to experience, McCain wins hands down.

To all the Obama haters who don't like what Reverend Wright said about America:

Let's look back to September 13, 2001. While the WTC and Pentagon rubble was still falling and burning, leaders of the crazy evangelical christian right used Bin Laden's terrorist acts to promote their own religious radical agenda.

Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blamed America for 9/11. According to them, it was our fault because of our political leanings.

Just think, these cooks had heavy influence over the GOP and White House. I wonder how many of you Reverend Wright bashers were appalled by them. At least Reverend Wright has an argument (that I don't totally agree with) about our foreign policy coming back to bite us in the butt. Falwell and Robertson simply blamed all of us.

Where was the phony conservative Limbaugh type rage then.

Obama walked away from his nut job pastor, McCain pandered to these evangelical jihadist nuts.

That is where McCain lost my support. Go Obama!

Remove #11 Please! Who is moderating these comments?

A very savvy move on John McCain's part. He's selected someone who will zip up the radical right vote cuz they were so wigged out about Mitt and also appeal to the women who were for Hillary and feel they would be "cheating on her" to vote for her opponent. The uninformed may vote for them based on the vote for a woman or a Christian etc. Anybody looking at her experience? Her ability to lead the country in the event that something happens to McCain who's elderly and has had recurrent cancers? How does she plan to manage that with 5 kids, the youngest of whom is less than 6 months old and special needs? What kind of Mom walks away from that kind of obligation and commitment anyway? She's a token talking head.......

She is doing something right. She smiles pretty for the camera...even better than Mitt..that is why he picked her. Image over experience. Form over substance. Republicans have become masterminds at packaging. Shame on most of America for falling for it. I don't know whether to be relieved he picked such a lame partner or frightened that they might win.

#57...and where would this country be if Christians just kept to themselves? Well first of all we would probably not be a country, but rather still under British rule. Secondly (assuming we went forward with the revolution) we would very likely still have legalized slavery as Christians were hugely important in the abolitionist movement.

What we would definately have more of would be...abortions, homosexuality, unwed mothers. So tell me, just what has the "Great Society" experiment done for us in the past 40 years?

Palin praised Obama's energy plan
Posted: Friday, August 29, 2008 12:27 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, McCain
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Earlier this month, Gov. Palin praised parts of Obama's energy plan. The link to the press release was not working as of 12:30 p.m. ET. But Google saves everything.

Palin Pleased with Obama's Energy Plan
Includes Alaska's Natural Gas Reserves Print Now Printer Friendly

No. 08-135

August 4, 2008, Fairbanks, Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin today responded to the energy plan put forward by the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

"I am pleased to see Senator Obama acknowledge the huge potential Alaska's natural gas reserves represent in terms of clean energy and sound jobs," Governor Palin said. "The steps taken by the Alaska State Legislature this past week demonstrate that we are ready, willing and able to supply the energy our nation needs."

In a speech given in Lansing, Michigan, Senator Obama called for the completion of the Alaska natural gas pipeline, stating, "Over the next five years, we should also lease more of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for oil and gas production. And we should also tap more of our substantial natural gas reserves and work with the Canadian government to finally build the Alaska natural gas pipeline, delivering clean natural gas and creating good jobs in the process."

Governor Palin also acknowledged the Senator's proposal to offer $1,000 rebates to those struggling with the high cost of energy.

"We in Alaska feel that crunch and are taking steps to address it right here at home," Governor Palin said. "This is a tool that must be on the table to buy us time until our long-term energy plans can be put into place. We have already enjoyed the support of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, and it is gratifying to see Senator Obama get on board."

The Governor did question the means to pay for Obama's proposed rebate - a windfall profits tax on oil companies. In Alaska, the state's resource valuation system, ACES, provides strong incentives for companies to re-invest their profits in new production.

"Windfall profits taxes alone prevent additional investment in domestic production. Without new supplies from American reserves, our dependency and addiction to foreign sources of oil will continue," Governor Palin said

Concerned,

You are a rotten, hateful, despicable human being (and I'm being charitable by calling you a human being).

Don't make foolish excuses for your hate. You are full of hate, and ultimately you will receive what you deserve. You don't believe that HATE is WRONG. You are full of it.

#58 - She's currently under investigation for firing a state commissioner, because the commissioner would not fire a state-trooper. This state trooper was her soon to be ex-brother in law, who was in a nasty custody battle with Palin's sister. That's some accomplishment.

Comment 11 is harsh but consider the point:

What is normal in Palin's mind? Surely her down syndrome kid would deserve equal rights but gays not being "normal" or "perfect" do not? Who else isn't normal in her world I wonder?

Amen to post #34. And that was almost 50 years ago. Have we not progressed at all in that time?! A person's religious views are not an issue, it's the right-wing fundamentalist tendency towards intolerance, outdated dogma and ignorance that's the issue.

Im writing in schwarzenegger for president, I am fed up with the candidates

Re: her approval rating.....She has an 80% approval rating in a state with a lower population than most large cities, a state that skews wayyyy off of the mainstream (Alaska was Ralph Nader's best state in 2000 and Libertarian candidates routinely do well there.....the only three state legislators the Libertarian Party ever elected to office were all in Alaska). She was obviously chosen because of her age, her lack of a Y chromosome, her NRA membership, and the fact that she's a sitting governor (no matter that she's only been in the job for a year and a half), period.

For me (and I don't support either Obama or McCain anyway; I vote Green and am supporting Cynthia McKinney), her statement in an interview two years ago that she is open to schools (public, tax-funded schools, mind you) teaching "creationism," the teaching of which in public schools is so obviously inappropriate that the courts have already rejected it, should be a dealkiller all by itself. I'm sure this ticket will get hammered on its VP candidate being open to the teaching of vague, unsubstantiated religious dogma in public school science classes.

Finally, running two fiercely anti-choice candidates may please conservatives, but they make up a shrinking chunk of the electorate, and it's not going to please the vast majority of voters who are pro-choice.

At first I thought this was a brilliant move by McCain, picking a woman at a time when there are millions of disgruntled Hillary supporters seemingly up for grabs. However her views will only alienate them and push them towards Obama.

Ironic that a poster called the Democrats "ignorant"; most would maintain that ignorance is in trying to push back progress, which is what this woman seems to advocate. Denying benefits to same sex couples and teaching creationism in schools definitely falls in that category. Advocating "more information" is fine for religion class, but not in science which relies on logic rather than myth for its answers.

dhatcher wrote...Son headed to Iraq, PRO ENVIRONMENT, Sanctity of human life,

So let me understand, going to Iraq to blow things up, poison the air and soil, KILL people, adn that is believing in environmentalism and the sanctity of life? You people ARE the scary ones.

Isn't this the same Sara Palin who as Governor tried to force a state offical to fire her ex-brother in-law from the State police for non specific reasons?

don't remove #11.....1st Amendment!!!!!!!!!!! freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech

Good point, 57. Would she agree with teaching Native American creationism? Or, Buddhist theories of creation? Somehow, I doubt it.

It's unbelievable that there is even a discussion of teaching other than science in a school. There is no place in public education for creationism--period. It has nothing to do with offering differing viewpoints. There is no argument with science. Again, it astounds me that in 2008 we can even be having a serious discussion about this.

My one hope about this pick is that perhaps it will convince my husband to let go of his McCain-crush.

What a horrible decision! This person, God forbid, would be a heartbeat away from the presidency, and all the power of that office. Do we really want to go back to the days when contraception was illegal? I still remember the days when thousands of women died at the hands of quack abortionists working in filthy apartment buildings. Is that what we want to go back to? Do we really want to teach that dinosaurs and humans lived together and the Earth is the center of the universe? Do we really want the United States of America to become a theocracy, just as the Muslim extremists would wish? Please, please consider the consequences before you vote to give this nice woman the power to appoint federal judges and prosecutors. Religion is great, freedom is even greater.

All I can say is: babies, babies, babies=More troops for war!!

Regarding Creationism...are all you people that stupid to think that Christians want simply to teach the first two chapters of Genesis?

What Creationism is about is that we, human beings, are not evolved monkeys. There is also plenty of science behind these theories (and please remember that evolution is still only a THEORY! It has not been proven...unless that is the "missing links" have all been found in the last 30 minutes. I mean can anyone explain to me how an organism can go from not having a circulatory system to having one (especially when it takes 7 different proteins to clot blood and if anyone of the 7 were missing you would bleed to death)?

I believe what you are all afraid of is that if Christians are correct, and there is a Holy and Righteous God, then all of the hedonistic pagans are in BIG, BIG, trouble. But since you are all so open minded, I'm sure you will see the error of your ways and begin to tolerate us Christians and our silly views on the origins of life.

My solution to everyone's problems...

Take Abortion, Creationism, Gay rights, Capital Punishment, Eunthanasia etc... off the national political agenda. Let each state decide for itself!

Then the U.S Government can focus on issues we all can somewhat agree upon or at least carry on a sane civil debate!

"Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?"
Her son, with an extra chromosome is "PERFECT".However,all others with genetic abnormalities,or rather hard wired(genetic) differences that she diapproves of are to be "banned,"barred",etc.-So Sayeth The Moral,Ethical Hypocrite!

The population of Alaska is about the same as the population of the city of Boston. Being governor there, is equivalent to being mayor here.

Post #. 11 is highly OFFENSIVE. To families with disabilities, the "R" word is the same as the "N" word is to African-Americans.

Boston Globe, PLEASE REMOVE POST #11. & please Moderate this discussion for such hateful and bigoted language. Thank you.

"The election is still McCain vs. Obama, and when it comes to experience, McCain wins hands down."

Experience doing what? Kowtowing to special interest groups? McCain's "experience" has led him to back the Bush agenda 90% of the time in votes before Congress since 2004 and NINETY FIVE percent of the time since 2007.

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/is_it_true_john_mccain_voted_with.html

That's NOT the kind of "experience" I'm looking for. As Al Gore noted, we CANNOT settle for incremental changes anymore - which is what McCain represents AT BEST. We cannot be afraid to try to fix this country after 8 years of having it run into the ground. We've seen where the Bush/McCain road leads - and it most assuredly leads to a bankrupt, uneducated, anti-science, anti-progress future.

We cannot settle for more of the same - which is what the McCain agenda represents. I'm sorry, but eight IS enough.

creationism shows that she has no understanding of the scientific theory, the single thing most responsible for the technological advances of the 20th and 21st century.

THIS is the person that should be next in line to be president? THIS is the woman who should maybe be the first female president? what happened to condi rice, olympia snowe, susan collins, liddy dole, kay bailey hutchison, christie whitman......

Dear 1st Amendment-

Would this country be worse of with more homosexuality? I never knew that they caused so many problems in this country. Our prisons must be filled with gays and lesbians. Thanks for the info. And unwed mothers exist because they chose not to have an abortion. How many more will we have to support with welfare if abortion becomes more and more difficult to obtain? And the fact that you credit Christians with any of the little success we've had in this country is comical. If religious beliefs didn't dictate this country we could have a pledge of allegiance that didn't quote "under God," we'd have had equal rights for all including those dangerous homosexuals. We'd have had a woman in power long ago, and we wouldn't be debating over an unqualified white man vs an educated dynamic honest black man!

I don't know who I'm choosing yet, but I have to admit, the fact that they're both (as far as I've read) against abortions and same sex marriages bothers me. Choices should be left up to individuals and not the state. Its our lives, not theirs.

Let me get this straight. If you are liberal it is okay to think it is wrong for Christians to push their “agenda” in school, i.e. creationism, because you think that you impressionable minds might actually believe it. But if you are Christian it is not okay to think it is wrong for liberals and homosexuals in particular, to push their agenda in schools because we believe that young impressionable children may believe it. That’s right because being gay isn’t a choice, people are born that way (unless you are bi-sexual then I can only guess that there must be some choice their). But now I am confused, because if I am to believe in evolution why would nature create organisms who would never reproduce?

Am I just being too logical? Maybe logic is one of the things that the tolerant people just don’t tolerate (along with not tolerating anything they don’t agree with, that is).

She only vetoed a bill that would have banned benefits for same sex copules as a result of her having exhausted all other options available at that time.
I do not agree with the author of #11 's choice of words but fully agree,who decides what is normal? This seems to me to be a grand slam for Obama,all the women who were on the fence over Hillary just heard their 3:00a.m.call,as the right over their own bodies is now on the chopping block. I am not pro-choice but am indeed troubled by this choice. I am one Repubblican who will vote democrat in November,I sense that I won't be alone.

Disgusted republican in N.H.

Wow, we are only one heart beat away from a "hockey mom running the nation".
With all the big money that McCain is paying this is all they could come up with...

Obama has won!

She wants the Bible to rule over non-Christians. She is anti-American.

I love that there's a poster on here actually arguing his views in favor of Creationism. Honestly, that's when you know a conversation has gone straight off the deep end.

Buddy - you can believe WHATEVER you want to believe about the magic man in the sky who snapped his fingers and poof!! there was Man.

But don't you DARE try to legislate that being taught to my kids in their schools. Keep that garbage in your own private church and home. That kind of nonsense has no business in a public setting - and THAT is what this nutjob wants to bring to the table??? PLEASE!!

Wonderful. A lady with conviction and purpose. I like it. McCain Palin 2008.

This woman is a heretic. No woman should be VP. She should keep quiet and let her husband be VP.

1 Corinthians 14:34-36
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Yeah Obama is real honest...

I love how he jumped all over Imus' (stupid) comments and refused to put them into any context (it was after all an attempt at humor, all be it a very poor one lacking in judgement and taste), but implores all of America (at least us typical white people) to put all of the racists comments of Rev. Wright into context.

Yea, that's some serious intellectual honesty...I thought you said he was educated?

BTW, what does being dynamic and black have to do with being qualified to be president?

Still waiting for the explaination on the separation of church and state...

When will liberals make good on their promise and move to Canada when a republican is granted the oval office. You all say you will but I never see it happen. Don't worry Libs, you are still all victims. Congrats Mrs. Palin, give it your best effort for us all.

There is a separation of church and state. I do not want my children to be taught a “magical man is shaping the fate of our world. In addition, God is a fictional character.

For those of you who are afraid of others religious beliefs and what they may do withi them as an elected official, get a grip. Base your vote on competence and an ability to get things done that will get this great country back on track. If you believe Obama/Biden are able to do that, then vote for them. If you think McCain/Palin more likely to get it done, then vote that way. Just be thankful you have the freedom to vote however you choose. Please vote and God bless America.

haha listen to the the wack job liberals! If you hate the U.S.A as it was founded then denounce your citzenship and get out !!! see which country will put up with your BS lol ! all of the liberal social programs are failures as satistics prove !!!
for the homosexual you have a disorder its not natrual ! it does not promote life it works backwords please tell of two men or two women homosexuals who can procreate ?
as for creationism is a scientific theory! as is evoulution is also a theory!
creationisn was taught befor liberal kooks/teacher unions and ativist judges took it upon theirselves to attemp control of the minds of our young

I must say, this woman sounds completely insane.

The fact that she is threatening to take away a womans right to choose whether or not to have a child is what really disturbs me. Not to mention taking away rights from people who because of their sexual orientation are different.

I understand that with politics these days, it's hard not to let your religious beliefs get involved but this woman is taking it over the top when she says we should teach creationism in our schools. It's a parents choice how they want to bring up their children, hence why there are catholic schools etc. in a PUBLIC school, there should be nothing taught of religious beliefs or anything that would interrupt what someone is teaching their child about their beliefs. Once children grow up, they choose on what they want to believe in anyway, but a parent should be able to choose whether or not their children are taught a certain belief.

Also, being leader of the PTA does not give one the experience to become vice president of the country.

Wow Comment #84 really gives me insight into the electoral process and how foreigners really should be given the opportunity to run for president. I wish this historic figure who wrote comment #84 would write a book so that I could learn from his wisdom and in that way make a more informed decision about the election this year. Maybe the real lesson this hero was trying to make was "like cmon" can t we all just get along.

Apparently the Boston Globe now sanctions hate speech. #97 is exactly right. Amazing that a message board called "Articles of Faith" would allow it. I guess we can now all start using the N word for blacks and F or Q words for homosexuals.

Free speech, right? Or just anti-Christian, Conservative free speech?

"But now I am confused, because if I am to believe in evolution why would nature create organisms who would never reproduce?"

1st Ammendment, you can't spell at a 3rd grade level so why should you know basic science? Millions of heterosexual organisms are incapable or reproduction. If a population has too many males and not enough females evolution can alter gender balance or sexual preference. Some animals can even alter themselves between female or male and/or impregnate themselves! Evolution is powerful beyond your limited education and obsolete Biblical knowledge.

To credit Governor Palin with any success is govenor of Alaska is somewhat misleading. Reports are that Alaska is awash in money based on the taxation of oil revenue, which is significant based on record oil company profits(at the expense of the common man//woman.
I don't think Alaska poses the economical, social, cultural, immigration, etc challenges that the govenor of any other state faces. Alaska is not even ethnically diverse, much less culturally diverse
She is as scary as most Republicans, but beware because she is just as ruthless (smilin' while kicking you) as any Republican

All women beware, as well as men who have wives, sisters, daughters, granddaughters and friends who are women! These two are a danger to our health. I would like to know what their punishment would be for a thirteen year old who was sexually assaulted and had an abortion or perhaps a fifty year old whose body just could not endure another pregnancy. Life imprisonment? Perhaps a hundred lashes? This candidate opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Would she write this into law if she could? I believe that women should be able to make their own moral decisions in reproduction and that Bush, McCain and Palin should respect that privilege.

The phrase separation of church and state is generally traced to a letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists, in which he referred to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as creating a "wall of separation" between church and state. The phrase was then quoted by the United States Supreme Court first in 1878, and then in a series of cases starting in 1947. This led to increased popular and political discussion of the concept.

McCain will regret his decision. He will alienate smart, strong women who find the choice an absolute insult. He has chosen Gov. Palin simply because of her gender. He is looking to attract those independent Clinton supporters who are undecided. I was a Clinton supporter ready to support Obama with my vote, but now the Obama campaign will also get my money as well as my time - thanks to McCain.

This is a really risky move. It's an obvious attempt to court the Hillary voters, but what a choice he's given them! You can either vote for a woman who disagrees with everything you stand for, OR vote for the guy you're mad at for taking Hillary from you.

If he really needed a woman to get the Hillary voters, why wouldn't he choose Elizabeth Dole?? She must have said no.

The Democratic party and Obama present themselves as the Party of change, unity, caring for others,tolerance, etc. However, many of the people on here that supposedly represent the views of that party are saying some awfully backbiting, hurtful things, just because they don't agree with John McCain, VP elect Palin, and the Republican party's stance. A public forum is no place for name calling like "scary", "backward", "frightening", "retard", "brainwashed," "ignorant fools", etc
If you can't give your opinion of an artilce without name calling then you should keep your opinions to yourself. It is a sad in our country (which was founded on Judeo/Christian values) that people who hold those values today are vilified and looked upon as evil. If you hate America so much, you could move to China or Cuba where you would be jailed for such talk against your country's politicians.

My opinion---good article. Great choice for McCain!

Okay Will, I don't want my child being taught that homosexuality is a perfectly normal lifestyle choice...but the homosexual lobby is more than happy to shove that down our throats...

BTW, we only "have" separation of church and state as a result of activist judges. It is not actually part of the Constitution!

I am an Obama supporter and I find post #11 disgusting and of poor taste. I don't care who you support, but to talk like that about an inocent child is deplorable. And why is this blog not monitored more closly for this type of behavor?

I like this chick. I'm still voting for Obama, but I like her. I will base my vote on the big picture and refuse to let one issue decide my vote.

~~~ AMERICA ~~~ VOTE for CHANGE ~~~ Thank GOD that we have

~Sarah Palin~~Sarah Palin~~Sarah Palin~~Sarah Palin~~Sarah Palin~

She is a very good candidate for USA who will bring a change to our country.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

You are correct Ashamed...but do you also know that the reason that Jefferson wrote that letter? Because the Danbury Baptists were concerned that the 1st Ammendment would give the government the ability to influence churches. When Jefferson wrote the phrase "separation of church and state" he was discussing the fact that the state would have no role in the church. It was not until 1947 when Jefferson's comment was taken out of context and then used to imply that the church should have no role in the state!

Tina Fey will make a wonderful first lady....oh wait, we're being told that this is actually Governor Sarah Palin (no relation to Monty Python alumnus Michael) of Alaska, home of the "bridge to nowhere". Maybe McCain is a fan of "Desperate Housewives" because he just hired on a HOCKEY MOM to be his VP. A woman with NO foreign policy experience. A woman who has admitted to SMOKING POT frequently as a juvenile in Alaska. A woman who is overzealous about oil, gas, and guns, not to mention her stance on creationism, gay rights, and so much more.
This choice by the McCain camp smacks of such desperation - does he really believe that the Hillary Pantsuit Brigade will make tracks to Sarah Palin? She's been governor less than TWO YEARS for a state that has 1/4 of the population of the city of Boston, and now she's qualified to lead the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA if McCain dies? (And at 72, that's a distinct possibility, especially with his health issues.) Her state government also just signed a multi-billion dollar deal with a Canadian firm to seek out natural gas and oil as well...and her husband works for British Petroleum. Multiple conflicts of interest, perhaps?

Hillary has a hardcore group of morons who vote without their brains. Gender is enough to get their vote regardless of the issues. This religious kook has less federal experience than Obama. McCain undercut his biggest argument against President Obama.

Obama was right to not invade Iraq. Obama was right to do a proper job in Afghanistan. Obama was right Pakistan isn't very co-operative and needs to be dealt with. Obama was right to fund our troops until we set an exit timeline in Iraq. Obama was right talking to Iran is the proper first step to any action. McCain was wrong about all of these.

"For those of you who are afraid of others religious beliefs and what they may do withi them as an elected official, get a grip. Base your vote on competence and an ability to get things done that will get this great country back on track."

Right. Nevermind the fact that these people will put together Supreme Court that ensures our kids are taught wacky junk about Creationist nonsense. Nevermind that we may be ending the legacy of Roe v. Wade.

Forget all of that - just vote for who you think will get this country back on track. You know, the guy who voted with Bush's agenda 90% of the time since 2004.

To Elinor Yeo...and if you are an unborn baby you should fear Obama because he is more than happy to let you be murdered!

Can anyone of the many scientists reading this please provide a rational explanation as to when human life begins?

I'm a public school teacher and it's news to me that we teach homosexuality as anything! Kids are taught that tolerance is vital -tolerance for races, religion, sexual orientation, gender, class, etc! Is it all accepted -of course not! Although a child may be present with his or her teacher more than a parent, we are still influenced by both parents an other adults, media, and peers. I know many homosexuals and never have they tried to shove their lifestyle down my throat, just as I know many Christians who have not tried to shove their lifestyle down my throat (and unfortunately have come across too many Chrstians that have.) Our country is getting further and further behind other countries when it comes to education and we should be more concerned with the fact that 12 year olds can't locate Puerto Rico on a map, that they can't write in full sentences, that in 4 years they are planning to drop out and live off the government. Our efforts should not be in forcing anything but FACT down their throat which would enable them to make their own BELIEFS.

As for the good 'ole Constitution -its outdated anD irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. It states the right to "bear arms" but look how many laws have ammended that right. Why shouldn't marriage be ammended? Why shouldn't religion be separate from politics?

Human life begins when a child takes a breath you close-minded, ignorant fool...

Everyone calm down.

You can't have a healthy debate on evolution vs creationism any more than you can have a healthy debate on economics vs star wars. They don't have anything to do with each other.

Science does not prove, disprove or attack religion. It is neutral. Evolution does not argue that God, god or gods exist or don't exist. Evolution explains what we know has and is happening in the world we live in. Religion explains why we think those things are happening. Anyone who is afraid of evolution only shows their own insecurity about their beliefs.

Tim Kreider, a cartoonist whose work appears in the Baltimore City Paper, once did a cartoon called "Evolution vs Norse Mythology." I encourage you to look it up online and see why the debate over whether to teach creationism in science classes is ridiculous.

Now, let me make this clear: I don't hate religion. I don't hate christianity. But I also don't want my kids wasting time in school being told that religious mythology is equal to fact

This blog should be read by all to understand where the folk who have hijacked the Democratic party stand.

Read their comments and understand what they are trying to accomplish. The Democractic party want change to happen by the govermnent not by the people.

McCain's choice has stronger working class roots than either of the Democratic ticket. Critics say this is pandering to women, at 44 she doesn't have the experience. I would argue she has probably had to do more with the time she has had, then Obama has. She works, He pontificates.

Boston you should be ashamed of your responses.

Those who want to leave the country, please don't let the screen door hit you.

Based on all the negative feedback on this blog about Mrs. Palin I wold think that the Barack supporters are feeling a little threatened. As far as experienced is concerned I would much rather take a Governor than someone who has 6 mos as US Senator. Remember what Biden said, the PRESIDENCY is no place for on the job training, not sure why he said that because it is a definite that Barack will be learning from the get go. Mrs Palin has more combined political and business acumen that Barack and in my book that makes her a good pick.

I am an atheist, a supporter of gay-marriage, and a supporter of Barack Obama. I find comment #11 to be totally reprehensible and inexcusable. Everyone should be offended by such an inhumane remark. I urge the author to retract the statement and for the web-master to remove it.

Wow, Republican voters are pretty much dead from the neck up. All the intelligence of a turnip combined with the independence of a lemming.

1st Ammendment, your posts are hilarious. You don't get a single fact right, then you string your mistakes together in arguments that would make Rain Man sound eloquent. Best of all, you can't even spell your own user name.

Keep 'em coming.

I love it!!! Great Choice. Someone who has actually done something with her stint in politics. She has kicked out corrupt politicians, cleaned up Alaska, helped with Oil Tax breaks for people by levying them on oil companies. She knows how to work hard. McCain isnt going to die people. He has the best healthcare in the world...SIGNIFICANT RISK...and HEARTBEAT away is all you will hear from Dems...I think Obama is a significant risk to do nothing except spew his typical Rhetoric...think Deval Patrick.

This is definetely a risky but insightful choice. I'm on board with McCain now. She can inspire but like McCain she appears to be a straight talker with a history of independence. Obama is to nuanced and I don't trust him. Chalk up three votes (mine, my wife's and daughter) for the future of women in America.

FOR COMMENT NUMBER 11

For the record, I don't like McCain or Obama, however, your comment was down right mean. My niece has down syndrome and she is a very bright and wonderful little girl.

This man is 72. He clearly is no spring chicken as it is and he's attempting to take the reigns over the most stressful job on the planet. He draws full disability from his heroic service in the US Navy, as it is now.

She's one heartbeat away from POTUS and her credentials are that she's been in small town politics and a State Governor for a whopping 2.5 years. Not in New York. Not in California. Not in any highly populated state, but in East Overshoe Alaska.

Yes, that IS scary to me. Not because she's pro-life, or anything else, but because she truly UNQUALIFIED for the job.

hey DT- SP admitted to smoking pot as a kid in Alaska. REally? Have you ever been to Alaska, I haven't but I bet smoking herb is a nice way to relax in such a boring place. Your hero Barry O. spent his time ripping lines of yayo and slinging dime bags. Good choice on your end. At least SP has had to actually sign off on a budget, make decisions on spending. She does that things that Barry O. could never do. Barry O was a "community organizer" whatever the *** that is. And to the person who thinks there is a conflict of interest b/c her husband works for BP, THEY LIVE IN ALASKA. Everyone there works in the oil industry, its a major employer, just like fishing, timber and minor league hockey. You people need to stop looking for conspiracies everywhere. I heard her son has an after school job pumping gas at a Sunoco. Oh not that's a conflict. hahaha

What ever happened to secular government? Raised as a Christian and having adopted atheism as being the most spiritual way of living my life, I truly reject the backward politics of religiousity and an intervening God being thrust down the throats of the American people. The age of enlightenment has regressed back to the thinking in the iron age. Talk about maintaining the status quo......just give me a government with freedom of speech, the rights of women to choose and justice for all , regardless of their sexual orientation!!! It saddens me that the important issues of the world will be overshadowed by religious overtones now injected into the race by the selection of Palin as VP. Independent Voter

dear JLoo,
yes, you are right we should not be afraid of the godly principle while the liberals, gays and other opponents to wholesome morals feel their rights are the only ones that should be held in the US. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, IS THAT WE WHO ARE AS YOU STATE ARE "OPPONENTS OF THE WHOLESOME VALUES" DO NOT TRY TO FORCE OUR BELIEFS ON OTHERS. WE DO NOT FORCE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A CERTAIN WAYS, AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN THAT NATURAL FEELINGS ARE NOT RIGHT...

PLEASE AMERICA.. GO VOTE.!! BUSH WON THE LAST ELECTION BECUASE 40 % VOTERS DID NOT VOTE.. BUT THE CHURCH GOERS WERE OUT THERE... OR SHOULD I SAY THE GODLEY VOTERS.. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW EMPOWERED BY THE EVANGELICAL VOTE. AND I HAVE TO BELEIVE MOST OF THEM DO NOT BELIEVE ALL THAT IS TAUGHT

Also Joe Biden....he is Washington...so there goes all of Barack's Change speach...Joe Biden is the antithisis of change, he is Washington as ususal...go cry to eat other libby libs!!! I didnt voted Dem the last two elections...but this time at least McCain and Palin stand for something, I couldnt tell you what Barack stands for since he has said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Palin's hubby is hot.

Republican Voters - As I read the comment above.. your are about as smart as Mr. Bush, and I can't wait to kick you out of the White House!!

Take your emotional flash point issues with you, we don't buy it anymore! Abama get it, I need to feed my family with a good paying job.

Good Bless America....

EDZ, 72 is by no means old! If he were 82 i would concede your point, but lets face it people, best healthcare in the World, plus the fact that he has access to all hospitals and is under close watch constantly means he will be fine...and last thing i knew, he isnt at risk for a HEART Attack, he had skin cancer, and now he is fine. Hell skin cancer is practically a pet for people living in Arizona.

#11 blog is totallyshameful......how could one individual make such a horrific demeaning comment towards an innocent child like that? Must be from that sinful nature of mankind each of has...you know... the one that is so judgemental, hateful and self-centered......I hope for your sake you can experience the love of God one day my friend...I'm having trouble not being so angry at you but God loves you...that's amazing to me! It inspires me to love others! As we love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, out of that overflow will come a tremendous love for others regardless of their physical or mental conditions, race, gender, nationality, ethnic background, economic situation, or religous preference.....please reconsider your entry ...thank you! ps I like McCains choice for VP.

dhatcher wrote: "Mother of 5, Son headed to Iraq, PRO ENVIRONMENT, Sanctity of human life, Fiscal conservative, Ethics reformer and suddenly these are ALL radical stances?"

With her pipeline, she's not an environmentalist. "Reform" is always a Republican codeword for gutting social programs and the social glue of society. So -- excessive and eco-irresponsible breeding, fiscal conservativism, reform, pro-life, and celebrating military aggression in Iraq have always been radical stances

Creationism?? I thought McCain was looking to win...

best healthcare in the world!!!!!!?????!!!!! my family has lost everything including their pride with the "best healthcare in the world! you are more than wrong; you're naive to believe what the media has tried to thrown in your face....i actually feel sorry for you.

What about letting each person decide for themselves?? I'll be damned if the government is going to tell me what I can and cannot do with my body and my sexual preference if this is really about GOD then she should realize that GOD would have never let us discover the technologies we use for abortion and euthanasia if he didn't want us to do that....someone please send this woman back to alaska!!!

Teaching the Bible's story of creation as a plausible theory of human evolution? Come on now! I received a Catholic education for the majority of my childhood, I've read the Bible. I have nothing against it, a lot of it is a pretty entertaining read. I don't care if kids read the Bible and the story of Creation, just as long as it's given no more weight than any other piece of literature. It's how a certain ancient culture explained man's origins (and how we came to have a seven-day week). It should receive no more recognition than what the ancient Greeks wrote about the origins of the universe. Why are we allowing it to become science? Is modern science and technology perfect? No. Is our theory of evolution perfect? No, there are unfilled gaps. The idea that we evolved over millions of years from single cell organisms and have physical evidence to back this up? That's just silly, yeah we come from monkeys, ha ha. All the bones and fossils that have been found over the years? Trickery by evil science worshippers. No, the universe is only 5,000 years old and was created in six days by an unseen force (that took a day off on the seventh day). Then this force created man at will and woman from a piece of that man and dropped them into a garden paradise. There, doesn't that make more sense? Well, where is some physical evidence of this garden? Um, well, you just have to have faith. Oh, faith, okay! That explains it.

This is a great choice! Citizens who believe in a great America and Capitalism will vote for McCain/Palin.

Socialists, communists, people who love victimhood and so-called Progressives can vote for Obama-Biden. Good Luck.

Actually it is the best healthcare in the world seeing as i have recently had three surgeries to clear blockages in my veins from a blood disorder where the best treatment for it in the world is at Boston's Brigham and Woman's Hospital. So you go look at Universal healthcare in Canada and the UK...see how well it works for them, then look at the life expectancy rates in the US...you will see a large difference. Deeply Saddened you must be saddended becasue you have no intellectual ability and can not think for yourself. You are a sheep that follows the heard.

President Palin....can you imagine that?

This is a perfectly predictable choice for McBush. A perfect combination of laughable "theology" and malevolence against all that is not rich, white and corporate. And a healthy hatred for the common good.

And we need someone with the moral strength and keen insight to take a stand on the current drift to outlaw intelligence in the classroom: "Teach both!"

If you liked Jesus W. Bush, you'd love Doubletalk John McPain.

This choice at least assures us of fodder for the late night comedians. They're all shills for the radical right wing corporate media and the Bush crime family, but this seems too hard for even them to pass up.

Still not understanding why post #11 has not been removed. God I love to listen to you whiney liberals who seem very afraid right now. McCain wont take massachusetts but ohio will be his and so will the presidency. God I love this.

romney with breasts. oh and that w/o the mormon thing. but then religion has the same effect on politics for her, so that doesn't really make a difference.

So this political genius thinks that creationism -- excuse me, "intelligent design" should be taught in our schools so that the children can debate which is correct? I say, let's go even further -- let's present the evidence for things like the flat earth, hollow earth, population of earth by UFOS. After all, if you want to turn science into a democratic exercise, we've got to include ALL scientific theories, right?

There's just one problem, though. Science isn't a democratic exercise where we include all viewpoints just to be fair and to let people decide for themselves. Not one creationist has EVER come up with ONE piece of POSITIVE evidence for creationism. It's all "either life was created or it evolved. Thus, if we can cast doubt on any imperfection in evolutionary theory, we are producing evidence in favor of special creation.

On this point alone (and I could come up with many more), this choice is one of the most appalling choices that a presidential candidate has ever made.

I am Pro Choice, pro drilling offshore, pro alternative means of energy, and although Palin is Pro Life, McCain is pro choice, so in my mind it is balanced. BTW this is what makes the country great, that people have different opinions, there ultimately isnt any right or wrong on opinions, the only think I would like to see from the next Pres is a better economy, new means of energy, and finding OBL(thats Osama not Obama). McCain and Palin get my vote.

According to the Demo-Socialists, its okay for blacks to act religious (sing gospel hymns, praise Jesus, etc.) but if a white person acts this way, he/she is considered a zealot and a person to be feared. It works the same way with Hispanics. You will never hear a Demo-Socialist criticize an Hispanic baseball player for blessing himself before he bats, but if I white player does it he's looked upon in disdain.

Yeah, why would we want to end a legacy that has killed over 30 million Americans? I think that the new Obama bumper sticker should be

30 million and counting...our attempt to reduce welfare!

In one fell swoop McCain has...

1. Wiped out his strongest argument against Obama. Objectively speaking, Obama is marginally qualified but Palin is dangerously unqualified. We're talking two years as gov of an irrelevant, relatively uncomplicated state.

2. Elevated his age from a concern to a major issue. Should McCain become incapacitated during first two years of term the country would be is serious, serious trouble. She knows next to nothing about how our government works and has zero foreign policy experience. Would take a couple of years to figure out what is going on and develop relationships necessary to be effective.

3. Eliminated any supposed advantage he may have enjoyed related to good judgment.

Frankly, I thought the race was over for McCain until seeing all of the gushing posts on this forum. What in the world are you guys thinking. Haven't we seen the damage that an unqualified person in the presidency can do? I am stunned.

Let's not forget Jatravartid people's creationist theory (Douglas Adams)
".. the Jatravartid people of Viltvodle VI believe that the entire Universe was in fact sneezed out of the nose of a being called the Great Green Arkleseizure.
The Jatravartids, who live in perpetual fear of the time they call The Coming of The Great White Handkerchief, are small blue creatures with more than fifty arms each, who are therefore unique in being the only race in history to have invented the aerosol deodorant before the wheel."

Enjoy the week end!

After the last 8 years, the last thing we need as a country is a Vice Presidential Candidate who is already under investigation for abuse of power. Ridiculous.

Obama Bin Biden

enough said...

I just can't imagine her as president! There is no way. But as an added bonus: How is McCain going to attack Obama on his so called lack of experience if he is picking a running mate that has very little. I think the likelihood of Palin having to step in for one reason or another into the presidents spot is pretty high, and she would not be able to run the country, she has zero foreign policy/war experience! I really just don't get this pick! But bottom line: I think when it comes down to experience, a man with less experience would probably be hired for a job vs a woman with the same amount of experience! It's unfortunate but true!

NOTE TO READERS: I agree that the language in comment #11 is ugly and offensive, but my approach to comments on this blog thus far has been to allow people to express their views so long as they do not use obscenities or threats (and yes, I have spiked several comments from this discussion for those reasons). I am new to blogging, and open to rethinking the standards here, but I’m not interested in becoming any more censorial than is absolutely necessary.

One other thing to remember about the theory of evolution -- many people seem to define the word "theory" as if it were synonymous with "guess". That.s wrong. It's not the "hypothesis" of evolution; if it were, their criticisms might have a little more vaildity. It's the theory of evolution -- and in this case, as is the case with all scientific theories, the word "theory" should be defined as the codification of the prevailing scientific evidence. And, don't forget that evolutionary theory can, and in fact has, changed as new knowledge becomes available. Creationists have the whole process backwards -- they start with their desired conclusion, and work from there.

I also find it amusing when creationists accuse the rest of us of being "afraid" of having the theory of evolution disproved. Actually, it is THEY who are afraid. If they allow THEIR theory of creation to be disproved, that knocks an important prop out of their entire belief system. For the rest of us, if the theory of evolution ever got disproved, we'd just accept whichever new theory replaced it and move on with our lives.

From 146: “ ‘Reform’ is always a Republican codeword for gutting social programs and the social glue of society.”

If you think that government programs and a paternal state is “the social glue of society,” not families and neighbors, then we have identified the first flaw in your reasoning.

Sarah Palin has a dismal record on environmental issues.

And to #161, you're just plain stupid. Blessing oneself before an at-bat is not the same thing as telling my children that evolution is an "opinion". Whether you mean Coco or Big Papi or ??...they are baseball players, not legislators or political leaders, and their religious expression is their business.

Separation of Church and State...you can do anything you want, but don't demand that I do it, too.

Creationism in schools? Common sense? Creationist beliefs and the idea that they should be taught as a competing theory to scientific data is appaling and suggests a poor grasp on study of scientific inquiry, mountains upon mountains of data that support and defend evolution as compared to no data at all. Haven't we seen enough of a scientifically illiterate government under Bush to see that ideology, as compared to evidence based medicine, is HARMFUL when it comes to policy?!?! Take PEPFAR: president Bush's plan for combating AIDS in Africa, albeit a commendable endeavor, is comprised of funds to the exclusion of prevention efforts outside of abstinence when data supports funding toward condom use. I don't understand people who cling to ideology because they think if I pray hard enough and wish hard enough all will be right in the world.
A major scary thought is if McCain falls ill during his term, we're left with a creationism-wielding "hockey mom" as PRESIDENT?!?!?!?

I am a hard core Hillary fan but have been planning on voting for Obama. McCain's pick is actually very smart. It's scary to think that the Republican's may have out smarted the Dems. I do not believe in Palin's views at all but I can already see the sexism at play. Everyone already complaining of her inexperience. The VP doesn't usually get much attention but I because it's a woman people are going nuts. Romney and Deval Patrick never held any public office experience before being elected for Governor of MA but no one spoke of either of their lack of experience and instead they were both on the short list for VPs. Deval has been in Office the same amount of time as Palin but she has been a mayor. And lets face it even if it was a small city the Mayor is a tougher job than being Governor. People don't call up the Governor to talk about the school bus being late and the street not being plowed, but the mayor's job never ends. But Deval was black so people think he deserves it.

Great and bold choice for the Repubulican Party. A woman for the 21 st century; she has a career, a family, and her own points of view. Those of you who are disappointed that Obama didn't choose a woman, here's your chance for a real woman. She has courage, integrity and executive experience. Many traits that Clinton doesn't have...

PEOPLE or should I say ignorant imbecils, She does have experience, albeit on a small stage. SHe has done more on that small stage that Obama has done. And she is only the VP, not going to be Pres. And for all of those people saying things about his age, Joe Biden is potentially only one Idiot away from becoming pres if some redneck KKK member tries to kill Obama. So you cant deal in "what ifs" you have to deal in actuallities, and the actuallity is that it is Obama VS McCain, not one Heartbeat. Use your brains

Me: Was the universe created in 7 days?

Palin: I believe so.

Me:

Americans are not all a spoiled lot. Grow up, and fire, or incarcerate those contrary to Law being subject to we the people of the jury. Many are tired of cheerfull idiots who think they are entitled. Nothing happened over night in this country and thats what needs to focused. Its nice to see a person with a backbone once in awhile stand up to the issues of today. There are 40000 registered plus active lobbyist
I hear. Its time we people of the Book choose examine our household, State and Nation. Our nation IS at a crossroads. Look at the world and apply what we know. I am reminded by Martin Niemöller's
"God didn't ask me where I was from 1937 to 1945, he asked me where I was from 1933 to 1937. From 1933 to 1937 I didn't have an answer. Maybe I should have said: I was a brave pastor of the Confessing Church in those years, I risked speaking critically and thus risked freedom and my life? But God didn't ask me about all that. God asked: Where were you from 1933 to 1937, when human beings were being burned here? Those weren't my Christian brothers, who were burned there, those were Communists, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. That's why I didn't do anything." We see the world as it is and we have the backbone to fight where we must only."
Maybe we should focus on Edification and tolerance. We know the price if not.
I have been taxed more this year I need the money for my Family other than larger Government. She has my Family's vote in Michigan. I doubt if anyone can change this American course but maybe two Maverac's should....
I will vote this election now.

Mister Crawford, and all others of your ilk...

McCrawfish and Ms. Pathetic Alaskan Sub-Hillary are so scary because both of them crawled out from under the same miserable rock in the creationist gutter that begat George W. Bush.

Look what eight wretched years has gotten us, under a president who is out to reverse the Scopes Monkey Trial while we working people bleed trillions of dollars straight into Communist China's national treasury.

Eight really is ENOUGH!

"A legislative panel has launched a $100,000 investigation to determine if Palin dismissed Alaska's public safety commissioner because he would not fire the trooper, Mike Wooten," the AP wrote earlier this month. "Wooten went through a messy divorce from Palin's sister. Palin has denied the commissioner's dismissal had anything to do with her former brother-in-law. And she denied orchestrating the dozens of telephone calls made by her husband and members of her administration to Wooten's bosses. Palin said she welcomes the investigation: 'Hold me accountable.'"

How does her staff even know about her problems with her brother-in-law unless she tells them?

Way to go BIG JOHN. You hit a home run. She is young, articulate, forceful and demanding--also honest. What a welcome addition to Washington. She will appeal to the young voters and be a remarkable addition to McCain's ticket.

Palin has just as much experience as Obama. Obama has only been a US Sen for 2 years and he has been running for President half that time. Before that he was a State Sen making a shit load of money. Palin is experienced as much as Obama and Obama is running for Presidient not VP.
I m still voting for Obama but am worried we'll have more years of the ignorant and evil Republicans.

Interesting that Sarah Palin would cause such a large response. It appears that her intellect, executive experience, good looks, and ability to fight the establishment is really scaring the socialists on this board. Good for her!! Her family is a living testimony to the American Dream. She started small and used her brains and talents to grow into the Governorship of Alaska. She has budgets to manage, soldiers to lead, and international issues of trade and territory to worry about. In the end, she's more qualified than the Democrate nominee for President!

By the way, the people on this board are part of the reason that I moved to Ohio. Yeah, that's right... I brought two more Republican votes to Ohio.... a swing state. It's a lot more fun voting in a state that matters!

Surprising choice when heard of it. Heard her speak and was completely impressed. On the fence until now. Will vote for Mccain and look forward to October 2nd debate between the VP's

Not sure McCain could have made a better choice for his party. Smart and tactical move. He will now appeal to the blue collar 'do it yourself' woman (most of America) who just wants change in the White House, and doesn't care enough about Roe v. Wade, Gay Rights, or the Environment to realize what a profound and awful effect putting McCain/Palin at the helm will have. I am scared to say it but he might have just synched Pennsylvania with Palin. Folks, I believe we are in for 4 more years of Republican Rule.

I'm a Liberal but I'm thrilled at the idea of having Palin as the president that will replace McCain should he vanish. I'm hoping her faith would have her kick some butts and knock some heads of the warmongers, oil guzzlers, tree-killers, credit-card slave drivers and abortionists. Go Jesus!

Way to go BIG JOHN. You hit a home run. She is young, articulate, forceful and demanding--also honest. What a welcome addition to Washington. She will appeal to the young voters and be a remarkable addition to McCain's ticket.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Introduction

Two clauses of the First Amendment concern the relationship of government to religion: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. Although the clauses were intended by the framers to serve common values, there is some tension between the two. For example, some people might suggest that providing a military chaplain for troops stationed overseas violates the Establishment Clause, while others might suggest that failing to provide a chaplain violates the Free Exercise Clause rights of the same troops. We will, however, postpone discussion of how the two clauses ought to be reconciled, and begin with an examination of the meaning of the Establishment Clause.
At an absolute minimum, the Establishment Clause was intended to prohibit the federal government from declaring and financially supporting a national religion, such as existed in many other countries at the time of the nation's founding. It is far less clear whether the Establishment Clause was also intended to prevent the federal government from supporting Christianity in general. Proponents of a narrow interpretation of the clause point out that the same First Congress that proposed the Bill of Rights also opened its legislative day with prayer and voted to apportion federal dollars to establish Christian missions in the Indian lands. On the other hand, persons seeing a far broader meaning in the clause point to writings by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison suggesting the need to establish "a wall of separation" between church and state.

Supreme Court interpretation of the Establishment Clause does not begin until 1947 in Everson v Board of Education. Voting 5 to 4, the Court upheld a state law that reimbursed parents for the cost of busing their children to parochial schools. (It was clear from the various opinions in Everson that if the state had reimbursed the parochial schools for the cost of providing the transportation, that it would have been found to violate the Establishment Clause.) Although in his majority opinion Justice Black wrote of the "wall of separation" that the Constitution maintains between church and state, Black viewed the aid in question of serving the state's secular interest in getting kids "safely and expeditiously" to schools. The case is noteworthy for its extensive discussion of the purposes of the Establishment Clause, and for the fact that all nine justices agree that the clause was intended to do far more than merely prohibit the establishment of a state religion.

Subsequent decisions make clear that a majority of justices on the Supreme Court view "the wall" separating church and state more as a shifting, porous barrier. Small factual differences in cases often produce different outcomes. For example, in 1948, the Court found that the practice of inviting religious instructors into public schools to give optional religious instruction violates the Establishment Clause. Then, in the 1952 case of Zorach v Clauson, the Court upheld the practice of giving public school students "release time" so that they could attend religious programs in churches in synagogues. Writing for the Court in Zorach, Justice Douglas said the Constitution does not require "callous indifference to religion."

The question of school-sponsored prayer has, of course, proven highly controversial. In the landmark case of Engel v Vitale in 1962, the Court ruled that New York's practice of beginning school days with a prayer drafted by school officials violated the Establishment Clause. This is the case, the Court said, whether or not students are given the option of not participating in the prayer. Following Engel, the Court has faced a whole series of prayer-related cases in the public school context raising issues such a prayer in special circumstances (e.g., graduation ceremonies), periods for silent meditation or silent prayer, and student-initiated prayer. In general, the Court has demonstrated a willingness to strike down any practices that might be likely to be perceived either as coercive or as a state endorsement of religion.

I would rather have a religious person in office than someone with no moral compass. Also, she is inexperienced but she is only the VP which is much better than having an inexperienced President. McCain made a gutsy move picking Palin. McCain is relying on HIS strength as a President which is the opposite of Obama who is relying on his VP and not himself. Sadly, this democrat may end up voting Republican.

Funny how only some things are discussed, and most of those are twisted in a negative way.

This is blatant pandering of Ex-Hillary voters, as an ex-Hillary voter, I am openly offended by this choice. I supported Hillary for her policies and not HER GENDER!!! Do the republicans really think that we are that stupid that we are simply going to vote for any woman to be in that position!?! I love that Hillary broke the glass celing, but she didn't break it so that the Neo-cons can deliberatly use that as a political ploy against us!!!

I find the comment in post # 11 distasteful, as well, but I am thankful that Michael Paulson as chosen restraint in how comments are to be censored. A wish for polite, decorous behavior seems to have morphed into a dangerous acceptance of hypersensitivity within our society, so much so that not-profane but still dated, slang terms are now considered "offensive" and "hate speech." Get a grip. Le's be mindful of how much we want discourse sanitized by the "thought police." What's next? Will calling someone "stupid" become the next gesture that gets us banned from blogs...or worse?

I fear the aforementioned "thought police" from both sides of the political spectrum far more than I fear the candidates themselves.

If he's trying to get the Hillary people, he's made a big mistake. I don't care if she's a Christian - that's her prerogative. I just don't want her making decisions for the country based on her religious principles. There is a separation of Church and State for a reason, but some politicians haven't gotten the memo yet.

Go, get 'em, John. All the good ol' boys who won't vote for Obama because of his race surely won't vote for a woman, even if she is trying to send women's rights back to the turn of the 20th Century. I think this can only HELP Obama.

It appears that her intellect, executive experience, good looks, and ability to fight the establishment is really scaring the socialists on this board.

It appears that the entire Republican electorate has made a sharp, psychotic break with reality. But we knew that already.

Sarah Palin Comparison provoked such a response because
- Her vasty experience is mostly being mayor of a tiny village and twenty months as governor of a mostly empty state
- She got in trouble with the law for screwing up before the Bible from her swearing-in got cold
- She's an unhinged wingnut who thinks Creationism is science. Hint, even the rightwing Supreme Court recognizes it isn't
- She wants Hillary supporters to vote for her after calling Hillary a "whiner"
- As the new Dan Quayle, she perfectly demonstrates the terrible judgment of Dazed n' Confused McCain

No, she doesn't have as much experience as Obama. Sorry you flunked counting.

Alex H -

How about McCain picked her because she shows a lot of promise. What's not to like about a politician that will call out someone even in their own party? There's too much partisanship in politics. It's very refreshing to see her on the ticket. But I'm guessing from your angry post that your a democrat and no matter who McCain picked you would have knocked him.

This woman WOULD BE scary except that she has virtually no chance of being elected. This is a disastrous pick, McSame desperate to grab the news cycle that he picks a crazy woman who wants to protect zygotes and kill Polar Bears, foul the environment, deny global warming???

Finally, a party ticket that will tell us, and run on, the truth about evil abortion and homosexuality. They will not pander to, and make excuses for, evil the way the democrats do!

With no foreign policy experience, Palin will become a tool of McCain's crackpot national security advisor should the 72-year-old pass the job to her somehow. Former NRA and tobacco lobbyist Randy Scheunemann was a key proponent of the Iraq invasion, even teaming up with conman Ahmed Chalabi and the neocon Project for a New American Century to push the bogus intelligence.

One can only imagine the disastrous recommendations she'd get from McCain's economic advisor, Phil "Nation of Whiners" Gramm.

The two sets of candidates have very different world views; Obama & Biden are urban, drawn to more liberal religious views, pro choice, believe in some type of gun control, etc. McCain and Palin are more rural, influenced by evangelical Christianity, pro life, members of the National Rifle Association. Seems that what is appropriate for certain parts of the country are not appropriate for others, and vice versa. For me, fitness to lead also needs to take temperament into account , and an angry president who has a short fuse is less appropriate than someone who is more even. Both would be tested. Both sets of candidates have strengths and weaknesses, political biases aside. We've had good Republican and good Democratic presidents, and for this one, Obama and Biden are preferable, largely because of who is at the top of the ticket.

Certainly a smart political move by McCain, capitalizing on the remains of Hillary's momentum and to court the Evangelicals.

But sadly, she'd bring little to the Presidency. He now has zero in terms of economic policy and zero in terms of defense (except for his rather weak own personal experience while a low-level officer in the military)

As someone who was for McCain, and who voted for him in the primary, this gives me pause. There are dozens of more experienced candidates - both men and women - that would bring value to a McCain presidency.

McCain is merely focusing in on the presidential election, and not the Presidency. A lousy decision in every way except in terms of courting very specific groups.

Now McCain/Palin will need to really convince me that they'll be a great team to run the country. I may not be a big fan of Obama/Biden, but I know they're very capable guys. McCain/Palin: doubtful.

Let me get this straight… McCain’s VP nomination believes that the creation myth held by certain groups of Christians that the Earth is 7,000-10,000 years old (mostly evangelical Christians and largely limited to the US) should be given the same weight in a science class as the model that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old held by the overwhelming majority of scientists across the world (and of all different religions) and based on overwhelming and cross corroborating evidence from a broad range of scientific disciplines. No… I must have misread something. This is the 21st century, not the 19th.

The discussion of the separation of church and state is an argument on semantics, and I know that both sides here are aware of that and are trying to use it to their defense....

Essentially, the constitution gives us freedom of religion (a big reason why people come here) and is meant to say that government cannot take that away from us or tell us what to believe (in simplest terms)

BUT (and this is a big but)

if it gives us Freedom OF religion, it also gives us Freedom FROM religion!!!!!

When one doctrine creeps into our government and as such into our laws, then we are essentially taking away the freedom of those who do not hold those beliefs to be true. The constitution DOES protect us from that.

Regardless if the majority of people are christian and if this country was founded on christian values.. they saw that they could NOT impose that on ALL or this country would be no better than what they were fighting to remove us from

We have a great and successful example how religion has helped a government rule and thrive in this world and that is the Taliban! Now before you jump down my throat and say that christian values are NOT equatable to the taliban.... That has not ALWAYS been the case and many have died at the hands of Christians keeping the law!

We have "Evolved" as a society past that and we can see it as a backward time and a backward fear based governing power! It is easy to defend a belief being supported by your government when you share that belief. In a FREE society you cannot impose by law your beliefs on the whole!

If you want change it is important to become part of the change! Take action and speak your voice at the same time respecting others right to do the same! Some you will persuade, some will be persuaded!

On a side note.. Where is it said that Hillary supporters supported her solely on her gender? McCains choice of VP will not attract ANYONE who supported Hillary on her principles!

You liberal nuts are actually scared of losing, aren't you?

God bless her.

Hey Senator "who I used to think was a good man" McCain": What happend to you? When did you go nuts and start backing away from the moral high ground that used to seperate you from the right-wing Republicans? Why the pandering to the religious right?... Even with all of that, I COULD have voted for you.. .IF you had picked a SERIOUS running mate, like a Mitt Romney! But to go and pick some unheard-of woman from Alaska... with NO national political experience, and hardly ANY political experience at all.. to be your VP... that just proves to me that you either really ARE nuts, or you have some seriously sicko advisors who you stupidly keep listening to. I KNOW what it's like to have an unqualified, neophyte Woman step into the chief executive's role... I'm from Massachusetts! Can you say Jane Swift??

Thank you for making my once DIFFICULT decision very very clear! I welcome the chance to vote for PRESIDENT OBAMA!

So sad for you McCain.. you once held such promise!

Examples of the relative judgmental qualities of McCain and Obama were given at the Democratic Convention. Today we have a new basis for comparison. The candidates know that, if elected, they must choose a vice president who, in addition to any other qualities. must be capable of immediately stepping in and taking over as president of th United States. Obama chose Joseph Biden for that role; McCain chose Sarah Palin. You be the judge.

Intolerant Christians a fundemental and important part of the the Republican Party.
Those remarks about the first christian Mayor of the town are disgraceful.
Christ said blessed are the meek, not the proud and boastful. I was leaning to McCain but his pandering the the Christian Right shows he is just another tool.

In response to Post 171
Michael,

As someone who also works in media, I appreciate the dilemma. If your free
speech ethos allows a poster to use the "N" word, then I respect that it would
allow the "R" word. Either - or neither, in my opinion. Sincerely,

Chris
Post 11 author, (who personally would allow neither the "N" or "R" words, nor the "F" word for gay people, which are far more offensive than swear words which I would allow).

To answer Don.

Yes a am scared of losing, Another 4/8 years of rebublican mismanagement
would be a disaster.

Her parents taught Science and she dosn't understand why Creationism is not
a scientific theory. Poor trachers, even pooer student.

You want here to lead America. She will lead it into the 18th Century.

Fundementalist Christians Hate the Constitution and everything it stans for.

Btw, she's anti-gay marriage, but has been FOR gay rights in her actions.

But don't let that nuance trouble you.

And at the moment, there isn't much teaching of creationism happening in Alaska. It's not the law like in Kansas.

So it appears in what little we know that what she thinks doesn't necessarily get in the way of her being an effective, reasoned executive.

If you're going to pick on her, make note that she's not being quite truthful on the "bridge to nowhere" thing. Alaska actually kept that money and put it in the general fund.

The number of moonbats that live in this state never ceases to amaze me.

She's pro-life
She's pro-guns
She's pro-capital punishment
She's a fiscal conservative
She wants to drill ANWR
AND she's a hottie

I think I'm in love...

The fact that so many posts on a Boston Globe forum are blasting McCain-Palin gives me hope that they are doing something right.

matt independent: John McCain is NOT pro-choice. How about doing some real research into your candidates before deciding whoto vote for, not just reading their wikipedia page?

Matt Independent,

McCain does have access to the best doctors. So did Reagan. How'd that work out for him?

Doctor's can only do so much, Matt, given what they know AND what patient they have to work with.

McCain is 72. 72 isn't "the new 62" like we'd all like to believe. He is 72. Call it what you want. That is old for this job. Should he win, he will in fact become the oldest first term president in history.

Look at how presidents age in 4 years. This job is constant pressure. And this next president has a truckload of things to fix. All of that will sit squarely on the shoulders of an old man that spent 7 years being constantly tortured by some of the most cruel captors of this era. Those horrific 7 years had to take a toll on him.

It scares me that the second in command to him has no experience in foreign matters, and very little in government as a whole.

anyone that is republican and would still vote republican in this election is just an idiot. just because you chose to be republican, it doesn't mean that you can't stand up and be honest with yourself and others and say my party f*ed up with Bush and is about to f* up with mccain. vote obama, you know it's the right thing to do unless you just want the economy to keep going further into a recession. also, the bush presidency and the large corporations have gotten away with enough over the past 8 years. let's get someone in there that can change things around, no more HUGE profits for these companies. lets start getting back the amendment rights that the Patriots Act took away. vote obama

OK like Joe Biden, who by the way was one of baracks biggest opponents policy wise. And is almost as old as mccain, and is also not healthy,and has been accused of imprper conduct in the bankrupcy law fiasco with MBNA and his son, is somehow a fine pick of a man. But A woman who stands up for what she bleives, fight off the stigma of being a woman republican, has solid family values. has been put to the test with a child with down syndrome.
She has been in goverment for 16 years, and ets see how goo dshe has been. People talk about Michelle obama being such a feeling mother ( whie making 300k a year i might add)

Governor Palin, took her own party's leadership in Alaska, to task, blowing the whistle on improper practices and costing those leaders thier cushy jobs and hefty fines.

Governor Palin, Beat the democratic incumbent Gov, even though the democrats spent way more than she did, to the tune of almost 4 to 1 against her. Yet she prevailed. Her approval rating has always been between 80 to 90%.

SHe is a leader in fighting global warming, and oil dependency. As well as pollution controls and climate change.

Within days of her taking office as governor, she rescinded the appointment of the former crooked democrat governor including his former chief of staf who was then prosecuted for funneling money from oil companies to the former dem governors reelection campaign.

SHe propsed andpassed a bill to create a second natural gas pipeline, which even the dems agreed was a great idea.

she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly and eliminate the gas tax to help withthe energy crunch.

She refused to throw more state money at he horribly bad Gravina island bridge project , which was a laughing stock for overinflated misued pork barrel politics. Saving the residents of alaska hundreds of millions.

Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples based on the fact she knew it was unconstitutional to do otherwise.

She made a campaign promise to cut waste, and sold a jet plane bought bythe previous governor ( again a democrat) for 2.1 million.

She made the largest budget cuts in state history trimming 1.6 billion dollars of wasted construction projects approved by the democratic governor before her.

She has 3 daughters, a son who will be deployed to Iraq in spetember, and a second son with down syndrome. Michele boama has two little girls who are watched by three different nannies on the campaign trail. Governor palin has no nannies. I guess being a real mom, who fights for what is right, doesnt waste money and busts her butt, is nothing compared to Michelles , hearts of her heart..

Get real people. This Lady is a breath of fresh air. She is the epitome of Barack obamas constant yelling about change. Except Governor Sarah Palin,actually has a history of changing things.
I love how the hillary supporters all fell in love with obama all of a sudden. even though Hillary herself said during the campaign, that John MccAinis a hero, a soldier and has a history of leadership, while all Barack Obama has , is a speech. , and thats a direct quote.
So You ladies who think Governor Palin is here to placate you are so far off its not funny. But then again, you accpeted Joe Biden and old unheathy lifelog politican white man, that you so riled against just a few months ago.

i agree with Rich #61. if Obama was not a black man with the same ideas, he would be way ahead of McCain. IT is a shame. folks without a pot to piss in will vote for someone that does not give a rats butt about their life. A man with 8 houses cannot possibly understand the plight of the poor or middle income. Go ahead and vote for McCain. In the 100 year war, it will be your poor kids fighting for the rich. Your economic pl;ight will continue to go down the tubes. Go ahead, let race blur your vision.

What were her agenda and acomplishments while on the PTA? Her favorit postluck dish? Perhaps that might sway me . . .

"I am new to blogging, and open to rethinking the standards here, but I’m not interested in becoming any more censorial than is absolutely necessary.

Posted by Michael Paulson August 29, 08 04:39 PM"

Just thought I might mention that calling an infant with Down's Syndrome a "retard", as noted in post #11, should give you pause to rethink your standards. Please consider that it is HIGHLY offensive to most thinking people; regardless of gender, political view or color. It is okay to disagree about Palin and her views, but her children should be off limits here. Please reconsider removal of that post. I am very upset that the Globe allows such verbal trash. It is simply a hateful statement that serves no other purpose than to offend.

I think #11's point is on, it's just the words used. I am also offended by the "R" word.
But, how can she be against gay rights when being gay is not a choice it's who you are, just like her son. Certainly she should be able to appreciate this since she loves her child for who he is. We should all be respected and have rights, God created all of us ( maybe not Karl Rove.)

So sad that people can't see the light. McCain has chosen the best.

This whole election makes me sick to my stomach. The US is going to hell in a handbag as they say. Neither canidate is right for America. Please, I am sick and tired of hearing African American. No such thing your either one or the other and Obama is both white and black - so why is he being referred to as a black or African American? I guess everybody should start referring to themselves as English American, Puerto Rican American, French American, Dutch American, etc. No more plain American. Wake up people before there is no more United States of America.

How did GW win the presidency? They (Karl the mad genius and his minions) got out the evangelicals to vote for him, believing King George would turn the US into a Christian domicile, enacting laws written from the New Testament. Now, they have found their new evangelical leader who will take us to the Promised Land. Please wake up believers. Gov Palin was chosen to appease one group and squeak by another election. You are being used. Again.
Praise the Lord?

the worst part about this presidential race is that when someone wins,we're all going to lose... we would've been best off with hillary and now that mccain is going to win with this psychotic woman who believes in teaching god in public schools, we're all screwed... all i can say is that when we get bombed next year, i'll be laughing from another country thinking of how stupid the american public is, and how they had it coming... this country has turned into the biggest joke the world has ever seen and i am embarrassed to consider myself an american from birth... how could i be so unlucky?

All one has to do is read a sample of these entries to know what's wrong with America.

The first amendment is indeed wonderful. It does cause one to ponder as to why the right had to come as an "amendment" and wasn't included in the "original". Perhaps the founding fathers questioned whether there should be an intellect provision preceding the declaration.

I have a question for those supporting the McCain/Palin ticket.

If you read the Palin resume/biography and thought it to be a male governor....do you think McCain would have made the same choice?

I don't think so.

I think Palin was picked simply because of her gender....an insult to all progressive women!

Brilliant move by McCain. Sarah Palin is definitely the person we all need as VP.
She is intelligent, capable to lead and a wonderful personality. She will definitely make an impact and woo many women voters. Her experience as Governor of Alaska speaks for itself. A delightful selection.

OMG............FINALLY SOMEONE I CAN BELIEVE IN INSTEAD OSAMA BINBIDEN...

It's frightening to think that a former part-time mayor of a town of 5600 people and a governor of less than 2 years could be a heartbeat away from being president. And, it's insulting to think that the GOP feels that women are so shallow that they'll vote for the ticket because they judge people by their race, religion, and gender. I can't wait to see the Biden-Palin debate!

The word retarded is not offensive. The word retard, used as it was and in CAPS, is offensive to any parent who has ever dealt with a special child.

Michael, please reconsider your editorial standard. I am reasonably sure the Globe style guide and guiance for it's journalists would prohibit the word as used.

Well, nobody can prove that creationism is untrue! Finally, a meaningful choice that reflects reality.

I think we should in fact go much further. In medical schools, students should be taught the traditional process of birth (kids come out of the womb and so on), BUT AT THE SAME TIME, students should also be exposed to the alternative views that babies come out cabbages (and NOT brought through the air by storks, as they mistakenly believe in Europe!)

It is clear that the correct alternative to traditional birth is that babies come out of cabbages because there are NO storks in the US and YET babies are being born every day! (Unless the storks fly across the Atlantic, which I doubt they are strong enough to do.) At any rate, ALL alternatives to how babies are born MUST be discussed in Medical School without fear of intimidation.

Furthermore, Ms Palin should come together with Mr. Romney and agree finaly as to why black people are black. Romney thinks it is because God punishes them for ancient sins. What does Ms Palin think? I assume she does not think it has anything to do with the effect of the Sun, since this would involve EVOLUTION! Does she think it is because *black is beautiful*? I doubt that! Let her tell us precisely why blacks are black, and no genetics please!

How about genetic engineering? Well, we all know that it is perfectly possible that this is nothing but an invention of Genentech to fleece consumers of their income - this view, that genes don't really exist, MUST also be taught in public schools. Genentech is smack in the middle of the Bay Area, which we know is populated by liberal wackos.

Finally, has anyone ever, ever seen a person cut in half???? I haven't! So, on what basis do you believe we have internal organs? The BIBLE DOES NOT SAY SO! The alternative is that we don't have any organs (trees, for example, don't have organs and grow strong and healthy, upwards, in the direction of Heaven, where our Lord lives!)

High school students must be trained to think for themselves and challenge, not accept like blind democratic sheep, what they are told by liberal teachers who just want to corrupt their souls. Young students should be exposed to the fact that we don't have internal organs, we are just like trees, but with flesh rather than wood.

How about whales? Do they have internal organs? YES, THEY DO! Whales are different, THE BIBLE says so! Don't believe me? The Bible, my dear Christian friends, says that Jonah was swallowed by a whale - how could this happen if whales were solid like we are?

Of course, there is no problem reconciling evolution with whales (which have organs) and humans (who are solid). This because God created humans with a very different purpose in mind. God created humans to look like HIM! Now everything should be clear: God does not have internal organs because he does not NEED THEM! But we look like God, don't we? Ergo, we don't have organs, but whales do!

About the rest of creation, Ms Palin should shed some light in this regard. Let's hope that when she is elected (she will be, don't worry), she clarifies her scientific views for the rest of us.

Is it not true that this country was founded by people who, among other longings,
were looking for freedom of religion. The right to believe in the highest of powers as they perceive him or her to be.

Hey Alex H you say you wanted hillary for her stances right? so how come you will vote for Obama? Didnt Hillary say this year. that Mccain has experience as a soldier, a senator and a leader, and Barack Obama only has a speech".
and yet nnow you roll over right to bed with the man she said was worse for the country than the opposing pary nominee. You tell me whos the hypocrite now.
Governor palin is so much more of a woman than michelle obama will ever be.
Michele obama whined bout how her dad was ahrd worker with mS, Governor palin, has raised a child with down syndrome. You tel me is it easier to be the daughter of two parent when one has a physical disability ,or the parent of a chil with a disability of both the mind and body. why dont you get off your high horse and stop insulting the lady. youre repulsive and repugnant. Govenor palin passed billsto give gay couples equal benefits. and for you nut jobs she does not oppose abortions in cases of rape or danger to the mother. Only if the person is under the age of consent they must inform the parents and the state of the father, in cases of rape. which liberals feel is somehow wrong. Which is why all these adult men never got even investigated in gloucester, with all those teenage girls. even though they broke laws. but hey its a liberal loving state, have sex with kids, accept bribes, give out jobs to contributors. yep that our massachusetts. Heaven for the scumbag democratic political machine. Ill tell you what , why fdont yu come to my house and just take my damn wallet from me firsthand. instead of hiding behind you democratic regime buddies.

#206 -- "I KNOW what it's like to have an unqualified, neophyte Woman step into the chief executive's role... I'm from Massachusetts! Can you say Jane Swift??"

Bravo!

Go #11, and the points made!!! Doesn't anyone who thinks that post should be removed understand that the "R" word is a deliberate IRONY, used to point up
the hypocrisy of a woman who believes her son to be perfect, but gays to be
sub-human? #11 calls her on it, and rightly. I am perfectly certain that #11 does not use the "R" word in normal discourse.

Are the words too long for some of you?

NOTE TO READERS: Given the sensitivity that has been expressed on this blog, I am not posting further comments (and I am getting several) in which participants in this discussion call one another, or various groups of voters, "retards.''

Palin sounds like a true blue conservative which makes her diametrically opposite to myself. However, she does represent a consituency in this country and she should be afforded enough respect that we don't call her child the "R" word. That kind of language serves no purpose and represents a disdain that Obama and Biden would find reprehensible.

That said, I do think this was a very poor choice for McCain. Seems to me that McCain made this choice solely for the most cynical of political motives. Unlike Obama, who chose Joe Biden partially because of the substantial good he can do while governing, McCain chose Palin just to get elected. Furthermore, as a woman, I find it insulting that McCain has chosen a woman with almost no experience at all and ezactly zero foreign policy credentials. Aren't there other more qualified Republican women he could have chosen? He seems to think any woman will do. This move was too transparent.

#93 displays an astounding, and unfortunately quite common, misunderstanding of both science itself and the science of evolution. This misunderstanding of how science works by the American public is in part why we have people like Sarah Palin a step from the White House and George Bush in the White House. Please see #172 for what the word "theory" actually means in science. And #93, please inform yourself. With science and technology SO important in today's world, we simply cannot afford to have another administration that rejects science and technology. McCain, for instance, does not use the internet and email, and as we all have been discussing, Palin rejects scientific evidence if it does not fit her world view, or her political ambitions (according to her, polar bears are doing fine).

#110 Comment: he did not want my children to be taught a “magical man is shaping the fate of our world. In addition, God is a fictional character

Even the Smartest Man alive Believe in GOD Albert Einstine: A famous saying of his was "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

My God Bless you on your judgement Day....

Wow! I have never seen so many ignorant responses until now. It's quite obvious that those here who think that she (Palin) is correct about creationism being taught alongside evolution don't really understand science and scientific principles. Sure teach it, but not in a science class. Look up the word "theory" in the dictionary and you will see that it is one of the most misused words by conservatives.

Also, I see so much ignorance regarding history as a nation and what principles we were founded upon. There is a good reason why our forefathers chose to separate church and state. Most of our founders were not Christian, therefore to claim that this country was founded upon on Christian principles is showing your ignorance about our history. Get yourself informed and educated already!

"She smoked marijuana and didn't like it."

Now I know Palin is crazy...and stupid.

It's obvious that McCain doesn't really care about qualifications for the VP position, he just wants votes by whatever means necessary. As a previous writer said, if the background stated for her were that of a man, he wouldn't have even looked at her. So now he's chosen a right-wing, holier-than-thou woman in an attempt strictly to get votes and to appease the party zealots. A female candidate who poses as being religious and feels that her "religious" beliefs are more important than some of the law-abiding and tax-paying citizens of our country having equal constitutional rights. McCain thought this would appeal to Hillary's base? What a fool!

you know what is more scary? On the job training for the one in charge, not the assistant.

#238 - do you find it insulting that you party has chosen a front man with exactly zero zero foreign policy credentials. What was the has state Obama ran, for 1 day or two years?

Predictable religion-hating intolerance from the Massachusetts "progressives", as usual. The only time they don't support the right to speech.
And completely out of step with the rest of the country, as usual.
600,000 aborted little girls every single year, potential voters all, are wondering where their feminist supporters are. And wanting to reduce this is scary?
I'm very thankful that we have some REAL choices this fall.

She is not "anti-science," Carmen. She believe thats creationism should be taught alongside evolution so that students can be exposed to both theories and decide for themselves what is most plausible, or a mix thereof. She is the daughter of a science teacher and clearly has been exposed to both herself so she did not arrive at that decision blindly. Why are liberals so afraid to let people think for themselves? Are you that afraid that someone might go on faith and not on the idea of regulating everyone in the country to high hell?

Yay for this pick!

I'm sure she will give the McCain camp a quick and easy poll bounce, but like Ferraro it will wilt over the next few months. Let's be realistic: there were a number of Republican women out there with far more experience who could have filled this ticket. To pick somebody with less than 2 years as Governor reflects poorly on McCain and takes away his biggest ammunition: Obama's lack of experience. She will not fetch the Clinton supporters as I presume McCain thinks largely due to her abortion and environmental stances.
In short, I think McCain has hurt his own chances for the White House with this pick.

I love this pick as an Obama supporter. McCain has attacked Obama for being to young and to inexperienced. Lets think about this, McCain has a history of cancer issues, God forbid something were to happen to him, do you feel as though Sarah Palin is fit to take office?

I feel much more confident with Joe Biden than Sarah Palin if something were to happen to the President.

Sarah Palin seems very nice, and down to Earth, but it seems to me that Romney would have been the obvious choice, or if he really wanted a woman, Kay Bailey Hutchison or Jodi Rell. But Romney would have been the best choice, I think.

In terms of comparative executive experience, so far Obama has simultaneously run a brilliant national campaign for the presidency and a well regarded U.S. Senate office. I'll bet he has more people working for him than there are state government employees in all of Alaska.

I will miss you science. You were a good friend.

All of you people who are supposedly freaking out that Obama doesn't have the "credentials" to be president are the same folks who went to the polls in droves to vote for George W Bush in 2000, despite his dearth of relevant experience. And why? Because he was a born-again? Certainly not because he is a hard worker, or even because he's intelligent. Good lord, I've met high school wrestling coaches with more going on between the ears than that guy. The economy is in the crapper, most the world hates us, gas is four bucks a gallon, and half of you are probably teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. This is not good governance. If you are voting for McCain, you are mortgaging the futures of the very children that you claim are so precious to you. People are responding to Obama because he wants to try a different approach. Biden is there to help him with foreign policy. Obama will have competent advisors to guide him on economic matters, and all other matters, when he needs it. What is so scary about him? Not much, unless you can't see past the color of his skin, can't see him for who he is, what he's trying to do. He might fail but he will at least try to reroute this disastrous course Captain George has steered us onto. Open your minds and your Christian hearts. Listen. Be decent. As Ghandi said, Be the change that you would like to see in the world.

No, Gary #248, every comment made by the Dems about her experience glares right back in the mirror. She's got more legitimate work experience, and executive experience actually RUNNING things, than Obama. The true Obama-believers, including many of the posters here, aren't going to be persuaded to vote for McCain, or any Republican, anyway. Obama wins Massachusetts, doh! But the election's balance is in the independents and undecideds who aren't sold on him and there are plenty of swing states that aren't hard-left like Mass. Obama is the 4th-place finisher in experience among the 4 people on these tickets. And if you think all of Hillary's supporters are strongly pro-abortion rights, you're very seriously wrong. So...Keep it up, keep it up.

#247: When a person of power only accepts the scientific evidence and data that fits his or her world view, and reject the rest, they are decidedly anti-science in my opinion. The Bush administration has been doing this for 8 years, and Palin has a track record in Alaska of doing precisely the same thing. She rejects the threatened status of the polar bear, despite scientific evidence that strongly suggests that this animal is in trouble. She rejects global climate change, despite vast evidence suggesting that humans are altering their environment. As for evolution-creationism, creationism is NOT an alternative scientific theory. It is not testable, it is not falsifiable, it stymies curiosity, questioning, and critical thinking and it cannot be evaluated in a meaningful scientific way. It is not science and does not belong in a science classroom. You want it taught? Introduce it in a religion or philosophy class along with the myriad other ways humans have tried to understand their position in the Universe.

Brilliant move by McCain!!!!! There's a rumor that Obama made a speech or something last night in Denver.....but haven't really heard anything about it at all today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obama was played like a fiddle. Can't believe that his campaign thought it was a good idea to announce his VP choice at 3am on a Saturday. Dumb move, but typical of the DNC and Howard Dean.

McCain let the news of his VP choice leak at about half-way through the morning commute on the east coast......and in doing so, totally took Obama's rumored speech out of the news cycle!!!! Tremendous timing! BRILLIANT!!!!!

Don't use the "r" word, it is degrading. I know what it means to have a child with a developmental disability and I do not like this word.

i am thrilled that mccain picked her!
that puts obama/biden that much closer to the finish line.
MCCAINE, THANK YOU!

Her views"...on abortion (should be banned for anything other than saving the life of the mother)" Then she better pray hard to her God that none of her daughters gets pregnant from RAPE or INCEST.

By the way, you can't be pro-life if you're pro-war...

GO OBAMA/BIDEN!!!!!

Talking about scary is Obama.
McCain made made an excellent choice. They definately have my vote!

Soooo, #253, you didn't like Bush because he was a lightweight with a "dearth of relevant experience", correct? (Despite being religious & conservative, I tend to agree, & I didn't vote for him). So he put an experienced guy with lots of foreign policy experience on the ticket with him, and they appointed lots of experience around him.
How do you like how THAT turned out?
So now, why are you so excited about Obama? Because he'll surround himself with experienced liberals? That won't be change, friend, it'll be more of the same. I sure don't trust Biden and traditional Dems any more than you trust Cheney and his neocon friends.

How dare you assume we are so stupid as to think telling us to "respect her views!" passes as anything but asinine. Her views are about DISRESPECTING non-Christian, female, and gay views--and illegalizing or oppressing them!! Jeesh, you Cons can be so absurd with your attempts at logic and twisted versions of political correctness. I am convinced you don't know how ridiculous you sound, though. Instead, I imagine you think you are clever! And this country was not founded on religious beliefs, but religious FREEDOM. Read a real FACT-based book, for God's sake. You argue like children ("I'mNOTlisteningNYA NYA NYA..."says the witch-burning Creepy Christian...)
GIVE RESPECT

Yes, she's scary. Because unlike Wright, Palin would love to see the creationism/intelligent design be taught in our schools along side regular biology.
It's the anti-Science movement, which permeates the extreme right-wing. Wright, on the other hand, preached in his church, and while occasionally extreme, wasn't out to indocrinate every child he could get his hands on to believe in something that is contrary to the basic survival of this country. Ignorance is not the answer.
So, yes, she is a potential danger. You might want to check out the Kitzmiller v. Dover, Pa. trial to see just why.

To Posted by Concern..
First off we do not know how one becomes or is gay, but we respect the people no many what, because we are ALL children of God. But some gays "choose" not to be normal as in the area of the marital embrace, (sexual Intercourse) which is abnormal when not used in the biological way that God intended it to be. Hetrosexuals are as guilty in this area too! But a child who is born with a handicap doesn't CHOOSE to be. In fact they may be more normal then those of us who think we are, because we who have a higher intellect choose to do very abnormal things that are contrary to the natural law! Also we can never separate Church and State, because Our Laws are "SUPPOSED" to be grounded in the Laws of God for the good of ALL His people, including the UNBORN! Support for Gay marriages is not for the good of ALL people, infact it opens up a Pandora's box to other perversions, which would only degrade human life more.
I applaud John McCains pick for Vice-President, Sarah Palin, as she will use Christian solutions to an already social and moral decaying Nation.

Also

bbecausew

To all who think this is scary?
You are wrong!
No Bama's associations are scary:
Rev. Jeramiah Wright
William Ayers
Tony Rezko
Father Phlagher
Barack is an empty suit.

This is the most exciting thing that has happened in this Presidential race. Finally, someone who stands up for values! I got cold chills when I heard her speech.

Go Sarah!

Do all Obama supporters not realize that evolution is only a theory and not scientific fact??? We may never know how this planet was created, but by no mean is evolution a scientific fact. People are so quick to make decisions about everything. Good thing the election is still months away for people to think things through.

Whew. Such hate. From all sides.
I am decidedly liberal, former Hillary supporter, now enthusiastic Obama supporter. My views are diametrically opposed to Sarah Palin's, and I am convinced that McCain rather cynically chose her primarily because of her gender and her religious beliefs. She certainly has very, very little experience, which blunts his mantra about Obama not being "ready."
However: The woman has convictions, and stands by them. Does this make her scary? I don't think so. What has been scary is the way the W regime has held similar views but used a sledgehammer to make them known and enforce them in despicably sneaky ways. She's at least an environmentalist, is well spoken, and seems to have a brain in her very attractive head.
Just as it's hateful to call Obama names because you don't agree with him, it's equally hateful to mindlessly denigrate Sarah Palin. I wouldn't have picked her, I won't vote for her, and I don't want her elected, but lay off the hate.

#240. Obviously you are not well learned, or are just an ignorant philistine with a very dumbed down Philosophical view on evolution. Albert Einstein, rejected the idea of a personal God "who would directly influence the actions of individuals or would sit in judgment on creatures of his own creation." Einstein also rejeted the immortality of the soul, noting that "one life is enough for me."

Creationism should not be taught in our schools, as it is just a theory with no facts based around it. If we teach creationism, then we should teach every other absurd idea ever thought of about how the earth was created, since those ideas, such as the flying Spaghetti Monster theory, have as much evidence backing them up as creationism does.

The U.S. is a secularist country, and was founded a secularist country, so religion should not be a part of politics, but you will not get that with the Republican Party

You know that if McCain had chosen Romney he would have been creamed by all of you anti-religion folks. I mean , come on! Poligamy and golden plates!

As far as creationism is concerned,it is merely a belief that some have, not a science. Why can't someone believe in evolution and learn about it and also hear about creationism? It is not devil worship, for goodness sakes. She didn't really say much about it. Most of you have only read the headline for this blog, not the facts. Controversy sells, that is for sure.

If you listen to this blog, you would think the only problems we have in this country are abortion rights and gays not being able to be married. Forget about poverty, healthcare woes, our sinking economy, the war and our ability to ruin the earth. That's Massachusetts for you (the eastern part--is there a western Massachusetts?)

The best part about living in this free nation is that we all have the right to vote and to be heard. The worst part? We all have the right to vote and be heard.

McCain is already older than his father who died suddenly at 70. McCain is also older than his grandfather who died at 61, suddenly. Both were admirals in the Navy. Sound familiar? Palin will likely end up as President since the closet racists will vote McCain into office. We're done.

The bottom line regarding abortion is: you can't give "full rights" to the dependent fetus while still keeping the physical rights of the woman. You have to choose who gets priority. So, you choose either the rights of the actual life or the potential life. The fetus, being incapable of surviving on its own, is potential life only. especially before the final trimester. While I would never choose to get an abortion under any circumstances and I support the fact that abortion is illegal in the third trimester--for scientifically valid reasons--it can live, etc., I do not think it right that you men think you can force me to support something within my body, to risk my body, to suffer pain, to do your bidding with my body, against my will. So CT., as soon as you get yourself a tapeworm and pass a law protecting its life, get your laws and your paws away from my rights over my own damn body.

I'm appalled. Why don't we just start teaching the Flying Spaghetti monster along with evolution too. This country is in real trouble. Science is called science for a reason. Religion can be taught in World Religions or Literature. It is not like we are keeping our students from other viewpoints.

#247 -- perhaps you didn't read any of the earlier posts, so I'll repeat my point here. Science isn't a democratic exercise where we include all viewpoints just to be fair and to let people decide for themselves. Not one creationist has EVER come up with ONE piece of POSITIVE evidence for creationism. It's all "either life was created or it evolved. Thus, if we can cast doubt on any imperfection in evolutionary theory, we are producing evidence in favor of special creation." Teaching creationist theory which start with the desired premise and then searches for evidence to back it up is completely contradictory to the scientific method of "gather the evidence together, and then come with a theory to explain it all".

On this point alone (and I could come up with many more), this choice is one of the most appalling choices that a presidential candidate has ever made. And yes -- I AM afraid of her and McCain winning. We've had eight disastrous years of Dubya; we don't need four years of a guy who talks "maverick" but practices "Bush", with a right-wing lightweight waiting in the wings if this 72-year-old with a history of health problems dies.

Wow, Joyce. So if someone benefits from a right, you better benefit, too, eh? How Christian. BTW, you almost quoted verbatim the old argument against a woman's right to vote with your Pandora's box argument.

finally we will have political leaders who reject science and all its heresies!
may i suggest adding Biblical Astronomy to the discussion? (http://www.atlbible.org/astronomy.htm)

The Bible proves that
the Earth and not the Sun is the center of our "perfect" universe! This has been kept from you by the same people who allow homosexuals in our cities and streets and even churches!

Plus Global Warming cannot possibly be true because it is not in the Bible!

This is the best choice the USA Republicans can make! Thank you!

To poster #86

"I don't think Alaska poses the economical, social, cultural, immigration, etc challenges that the govenor of any other state faces. Alaska is not even ethnically diverse, much less culturally diverse"

You Sir, should clearly educate yourself before passing off your assumptions and preconceived notions of Alaska. Alaska happens to be only 71% white, below the national average of 80% white, and far below the Massachusetts average of 87% white. And while we're at it, we can throw in Illinois which still only comes in at 79.3% white. I guess we all could stand to be as culturally and ethnically diverse as Alaska.

Hey #267 -- you haven't read the earier posts, either, so I'll repeat the gist of one of my others:

One thing to remember about the theory of evolution --any people seem to define the word "theory" as if it were synonymous with "guess". That.s wrong. It's not the "hypothesis" of evolution; if it were, their criticisms might have a little more vaildity. It's the theory of evolution -- and in this case, as is the case with all scientific theories, the word "theory" should be defined as the codification of the prevailing scientific evidence. And, don't forget that evolutionary theory can, and in fact has, changed as new knowledge becomes available. Creationists have the whole process backwards -- they start with their desired conclusion, and work from there. Sorry, friend -- but the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence is that evolution is a fact, not a hypothesis. The theory of evolution is simply our compendium of the best evidence we have found, so far, supporting that fact.

Gov. Palin recently came out against Alaska ballot measure 4, a clean water initiative. It is illegal for the governor to take sides on a ballot initiative, but she did anyway. Measure 4 was aimed at stopping the huge Pebble mine project, which scientists believe has a very high probability of polluting the watershed that drains into the largest salmon producing river system in the world, Bristol Bay. Palin's illegal stand against ballot measure 4, and the millions of dollars of misleading advertising by the two foreign mining companies behind the Pebble, who have a terrible track record of pollution, helped the initiative fail in last Tuesday's election. The Pebble mine, if allowed to proceed, will likely become Alaska's worst environmental disaster. Even the Juneau Empire (owned by a conservative Georgia newspaper chain) came out in favor of last Tuesday's ballot measure 4.

Ballot measure 4 was an attempt to bring back the clean water regulations that were weakened by Palin's predecessor, former Republican governor Frank Murkowski.

Then there is the scandal of her firing Commissioner of Public Safety Walter Monegan who refused to fire a state trooper who was in a nasty custody battle with her sister. The Alaska State Legislature is investigating.

And she is strongly anti-abortion. That's not going to win over many of Hillary's pro-choice women. Did I mention that she has zero foreign policy experience?

240, gravity is a theory, too. Ahem. There are two kinds of theories. Overarching "Theories" that cannot be recreated (would be kind of hard to find a blank planet with oxygen, etc., and test all of evolution on it) but are essentially based on overwhelming evidence, and there are theories that are tested and then proven or disproven. Either way, CREATOINISM is NOT even SCIENCE! And Darwin was not/did not try and explain how life "began," but simply how it physically evolved. He was a Christian... Just another example of right wing ignorance. BTW, if you are vaccinated, you are a hypocrite. Vaccinations are based on the theory of evolution. Seen many cases of small pox in your neighborhood lately? (Or are you going to argue we prayed it away?).

Hey Zac,
I suggest you read the US constitution and read about the American forefathers including the presidents. Fatih was an important part of the US history and continues to be.

There is a God and not beliving in Him doesn't make it any different. If you didn't believe in gravity and jumped of a building you would still be affected by it nonetheless. God is real whether we like it or not.

Cheers.
Joe

Ross Perot was right. There is no difference between the two parties. It is just an illusion paid for by the same people who have always run this country. The Super Rich. The support whomever keeps them in power and rich. Party does not matter to them. Half of Americans do not vote. They get it. Its a game and they choose not to play. Watch C-Span. The real issues that confront this county are discussed by Congressional Investigative hearings that openly talk about how companies like Haleberton kill American citizens to keep the story of how they steal Billions in Iraq for the friends of both parties. It a fact. Look it up. You can't invent this stuff. No candidate is talking about things like that because their parties benefit and it could get them killed. You want scary - just dig a little - open you eyes ears and minds and you will see the truth. Continue worrying about issues of little or no consequence and be happy not knowing the true reality. Want to run to Canada. The Rich play this game world wide. There is no place to run to.

Pretty as a starlet, intellectually light as a feather, anchored in the mythology of dead human beings coming back to life. This is just what the mass of humans in this intellectually, ethically and economically bankrupt country wants and deserves. A brilliat political tour de farce. They will win this election and lead this country to salvation and a more complete and perfect fascisim. Praise the Lord !!

A fair number of posters here seem to be questioning the intelligence of those with whom they disagree. One's view on abortion--pro or con--isn't really a question of intelligence, is it? Seems to be more a factor of one's religious faith.
Nor is one's faith a matter of intelligence; its a matter of the indoctrination of one's youth.

But science is different. It can be tested. It is supported by explanatory theories. So when people say lets teach creationism--a religious myth--in science class, I begin to question their intelligence--or at least their ability to wall off their intellect on certain issues. There is no science in creationism. There is nothing to teach in science class.

I am very impressed with her obvious love for family and country. While I would have preferred Mitt Romney, her commitment to conservative values is admirable. McCain will get my vote.

This is truly a continuation of the American Taliban Forces push to destroy all rational free thinkers, and Scientific Progress. If these forces are allowed to conquer we will revert to the Dark Ages. A quick scan of many of the post's that speak of freedom of information, or equal debate, reveals a fatal flaw in thinking, namely that ALL POINTS OF VIEW ARE NOT OF EQUAL VALUE. You cannot participate in a discussion with anyone who wants to use the scriptures as factual information about anything in the Natural World. Remember it was written by pre-scientific nomadic cultures. It is ridiculus to consider the Earth as the center of the universe, and that it's 6000 years old. Some ideas are just so damm mistaken.

i'm laughing at McCain and his choice for VP nominee because this will definitely ensure OBAMA'S WIN!!!!!! YAYYYYYY :) She has ZEROOOO experience and I totally agree with everyone who said that she is the best example of hypocrisy because she doesn't think there should be a standard for "normal" when it comes to her son with Downs Syndrome, but there should be one when it comes to gays and lesbians!!!! AND I ALSO AGREE WITH....HELLOOOOOO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!!!!!! WHO THE HELL CARES IF SHE WANTS CREATIONISM TAUGHT IN CLASSROOMS?!!! SHE DOESN'T GET TO DECIDE THAT---OUR GOVERNMENT WAS FOUNDED WITH THE INTENTION OF KEEPING RELIGION OUT OF GOVERNMENT!!! P.s. why do you think the Middle East has so many problems?? BECAUSE CHURCH AND STATE ARE ONE IN THE SAME OVER THERE!!!!! McCain is so friggin stupid and America proves once again, that it is stupid too, by voting for Bush's twin, I'M MOVING TO EUROPE!!! I really think that anyone who votes for McCain in November is a masochist---they like to suffer economically, they like paying ridiculously high gas prices, they enjoy hurting our environment, they like to see their children's futures squandered away, they want to lose their children to a war with no purpose, etc. THEY'RE ALL SICK. Luckily, all of the INSANE Mass. conservatives' votes WON'T MATTER because Mass. is an intelligent and Democratic-leaning state. GO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am thankful to live in a country that we are free to think and live freely. Why then do people have to tear others apart because they think differently than they think. It boggles my mind. Why are so many, so angry when people say something they don't agree with. There is no need to be so hard hearted toward one another. We each just need to listen, think it through and vote as we believe we should, let the other person do the same. Take time to make a wise choice and be settled in your own heart. No person is ever going to be able to please everyone and why would you expect them to. Be glad you are able to vote. By the way, do people really like the idea of being given no choice of what is taught in school? I personally prefer to hear and let my own mind process what I believe, What is the fear in that, the real fear I would think, is when that choice is taken away. Just some thoughts.

Just because we don't agree with some people's desire to legislate religion, that does not mean we are anti-religion. I am very religious. Unfortunately Christians once burned some of the predecessors/ancestors of alternate religions...as they would again, if given the chance, by the sounds of it.
Regarding creationism in schools, there are three reasons it should not be taught in science class: It is not science, and science teachers already have tons of material to cover in very little time to properly prepare our children to compete against other nations in the science professions, which, by the way, is important to the economy. Teach it in philosophy class? Fine, but they tried in some southern state and all that led to is different Christian factions fighting about the teacher's "bias" toward her own brand of Evangelical Christianity. Third: Related to 2nd, it is a religiously based subject, and therefore violates separation of church and state.

I am the Mom of two young boys and I have to say--I am completely in disbelief about the nomination of Palin for McCain's V.P. I was a big supporter of Hillary in the primaries, but not because she was a woman. I supported her because she is extremely intelligent, went to the best colleges, spent 8 years in the White House and has proven herself in the Senate. I realize that we've never had a woman president, but I think it's a huge mistake to vote for person simply because she's a nice, feisty good-ole girl woman. I am scared that certain American women will vote for her because they can relate to her--the old "I could have a beer with Bush" syndrome.

This whole situate reminds me of another unqualified, underachieving candidate...one that Bush nominated for the Supreme Court. Harriet Myers. Remember her? Yes, this would be another "Harriet Myers" decision. Ack!

The biggest problem in this country is that we have not learned to lead by example. We have double-standards when it comes to "enforcing morality" around the world. We have not learned to share across the boundaries of race, religion, socio-economic or sexual preference within our own borders. We have not learned to care for the welfare of others, not by giving out charity, but by teaching self-respect and self-reliance. Respect for others will come through this learning as will motivation.

Instead, we have taught people how to shop, buy and have more stuff; how to bring litigation against someone who may have infringed on our "rights" as an individual. And, in many cases, how to sell out to the highest bidder.

Barack Obama brings only one difference to the table in this election. He seems to have the unique quality to call people to shoulder some responsibility for where we have come and MAY be able to influence a generation to get their hands dirty and begin to heal a nation that is in sore need of recognizing that we cannot infringe our ideals onto other countries or cultures, but rather live by the example of that ideal so others will want to emulate it.

Hmmmm....in an above post, the author wrote "human life begins when the infant takes a breath..." so, what about the fully formed fetus, 5 minutes prior to birth...perfectly capable of living outside the womb...is he/she not "human life", now go back a few days, more...fully formed, beating heart, sucking her thumb, sleeping and waking...not human? And what about the embryo...all the human DNA just waiting to unfold. Not human? then what...certainly not bird, or a grasshopper DNA...but human DNA.

And, even out most brilliant scientists cannot explain what caused the Big Bang...or answer the question, "What was there before there was anything?"

The Dalai Lama, a fundamentalist Buddhist is revered by top neuroscientists and even invited to scientific conferences, yet he believes in a system of karma which punishes behavior as a result of past lives. No one calls him crazy.

sorry but this woman has nothing.- she is the governor the state with a quarter of the population of Boston. She's basically equivalent a small town mayor.

McCain is 72 years old. Average life expectancy combined with his cancer history suggests that there is a very high probability that his VP would need to succeed him as Commander and Chief.

Is he kidding? This reckless pandering political gamble will sink his candidacy.

#276 acephalic must be kidding..tell me you are not a real person but the
devils advocate...If McCann..and whatshername win the white house..
we are a nation of fools..and deserve what we get..I can't say anything
more..when people stop thinking...humanity is in a downward spiral..
and if there is more acephalic's around (what does that mean..this
has to be a joke) then I am ready to meet my maker.

Every single presidential and vice-presidential candidate since Truman has either been a

- career lawyer
- career politician/whore
- celebrity or military hero (e.g. Reagan, Kemp, Eisenhower)
- really rich guy (e.g. Alf Landon, Ross Perot)

Even before Truman, candidates who had previously held a real job and didn't come from mthe above categories were few and far between. Real "men of the people". You have to go back to the 19th Century for the most part.

the first "regular Joe" non-career politician running for national office we've had in a long time and that's good enough for me. I don't get why people who claim that they are "fed up" with the middle class getting screwed are so quick to jump on her as "too female", "too hot", "too obscure", "her husband is a fisherman/oil driller--won't be much fun at lobbyist parties", "too middle class", or whatever. Let her stand up on her own merits.

As William F. Buckley said, I'd rather be governed by the first 100 names in the Boston phone directory than by the faculty of Harvard University.

Until today I was a McCain supporter. Now I support Obama.

The issues that Palin holds sacred will cause too much divisiveness in a country already fractured by war. Now more than ever, we need moderation in thought in action. Focusing on pro-life vs. pro-choice and creationism vs. evolution will remove our attention from national security and the American economy, where our attention rightfully belongs.

McCain and Obama would be a GREAT ticket, but that would be like trying to mate a dog and a cat.

Let's put America first, and put the social issues second. Divided we will fall.

I WOULD LIKE TO MEET THE IDIOT THAT POSTED NUMBER 11 FACE TO FACE. IT WOULD SOON BE FACE TO DISTORTED FACE.

this is a brilliant move on mccains part. he understands that the south is where the election is won and they will pick a sexy gun totting, offshore drilling happy, ultra conservative. too bad her skanky pics are all over the internet.

seriously, this man has some bulls or he's either really dumb to try to turn the presidency into a popularity contest that parallels a highschool election. welcome to the newest reality tv show!

she also only has 1 1/2 years exp being a gov.
a few years being the mayor OF AN ALASKAN TOWN OF 7,000 people. so pretty much she can manage trees and furry animals. too bad she hates polar bears and doesnt believe the ice is disappearing.

#267: You need to educate yourself in regards to what a scientific theory actually is. You sound unbelievably ignorant. Gravity is a theory. A Sun-centered solar system is a theory. The cell as a building block of life is a theory. The idea that germs (bacteria/viruses) cause disease is a theory. Biological evolution is a theory. A theory is a unifying scientific concept that both predicts and explains how our world works. "We may never know how this planet was created" you say. Actually, we have a very good idea how planets come to be through years of work by astronomers and geologists. You, and others who have posted here, sound as though the last scientific textbook they read was in 1910. Lots of very exciting stuff has happened since then- it is time to catch up.

You can stick a fork in John McSame - anyone with half a brain (excluding the legion of ditto-heads, Mittheads and O'Reilly sycophants) now realizes what a crass and blatantly political decision it was to select Miss Congeniality as his running mate. How anyone could imagine a disappointed Hillary Clinton supporter casting a vote for Annie Oakley (redux) must've been smoking something green. It'll be interesting to see the "unity" spin the GOP tries to put on next week. Governor Brylcreem must be peeing in his magic underwear. I gotta tell you, if the whole thing was'nt so laughable, I'd be scared sh!tless.

Post #24 is revolting and immoral; could the moderators remove that please? Thanks.

I'm not Llyod Benson, but I think it's fair to say, Sara Palin certainly has no business comparing herself to Hilary Clinton. Give me a break.

Thanks acephalic for your cogent analysis, which most assuredly came from the mountainous border in West Pakistan and was approved by your mullah superiors.

Seriously folks, I look forward to when all the fundamentalists; Afghani, Pakistani, Iraqi, Saudi and our own American fundamentalists return to the caves from which they came.

She's a whacko conservative who hates gays....and I wonder how she would react if one of her 5 children were gay? Hey, the chances are pretty high.....electing McCain and Paulin would be like driving off a cliff.....idiotic.....it would be an injustice to our great Nation.

Folks, you cannot present creationism in a science class with evolution, and here's why:
-Science is a subject that deals with the physical world and things that are testable.

-If you propose that God created all of existence, you must be able to test this proposal for it to be considered "Science".

-Obviously, there is no way to test for this, therefore, creationism doesn't fall into the realm of science. It would be like teaching English in a Mathematics class.

-Feel free to teach creationism in an elective Philosophy class (not mandatory in State funded schools as we have a separation of Church and state)
-If you don't like our countries established precedent of separation of church and state, feel free to leave the country (as you right-wingers are so fond of saying).

A very good pick of Mc's VP.This country is in dire need of politicians that embraces Godly principles like what our founding fathers had. Now, i definitely
vote for GOP.

What a great choice for Vice President. Sen. McCain couldn't have done better. As opposed to the politically correct who think that being cool is being in favor of anything the majority of the world thinks today, Sara Palin chose to not compromise on her values at the risk of not being elected.

As for some of the earlier comments over this issue, one defined "evangelical" as the new religion of America. Perhaps you would like to review your definition of that term. Also, what is wrong with not abiding by what the rest of the world dictates when it comes to moral values. It's about time americans wake up and realize that those changing colors depending who they are with are not necessarily the best thing for the country. Before electing sen. Obama as president next election, find out who he associates with and why.

post 100-

the answer to unwed mothers is abstinence, NOT abortion or MURDER . So SAD how some want to avoid consequences. Choose to make a baby- a human life- then claim to have the right to kill him or her. Such a sad world. Personal responsibility is KEY and you pro abortionists will murder an unborn child you helped create, but then you turn around and refuse to execute evil evil criminals who also destroy innocent lives. you obviously relate to each other. Make a choice deal with the consequence!

She wants to teach creationism in schools? Wow. She's scary. And that makes McCain scary. She believes that humans and dinosaurs lived at the same time (that's what creationism says) - and she's going to end up in the White House? Is this country really filled with so many stupid, ignorant citizens that they could actually elect her to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States?

McCain has made a choice that is an AFFRONT and INSULT to all servicemen and women. The Commander in Cheif has a MORAL OBLIGATION to render expert judgement. She is terribly unqualified and stands a decent chance, if he is elected (heaven forbid) of stepping up to the top some day. What if that is Day One?

What a bunchy of lousy choices. Is this the best America hasto offer?. MCCain cut his own throat choosing her as a running mate... and Obama is a good speaker but he was raised thru Rev. Wright who hates America and now Obama's wife says she's finally proud to be American? WTF? Oh boy!

John McCain soiled himself in public. What a mess.

To those who ask, 'Is being Christian bad?'.... the answer: No. However, when you impose your religious beliefs in toto to others without their consent.... then that's 'bad'. It appears to me that Palin falls under that category.

Also, those who claim she is a Pro-Environment candidate should read up on her record. All in all, I'm feeling better and better about the Obama/Biden ticket. This is a freebie for their campaign.

She's against abortion rights (except to save the life of the mother, I suppose we can be thankful for that), she sued the federal government for listing polar bears as an endangered species, supports Creationism as a valid topic in public school science classes and she is against state benefits (we are not talking marriage here, folks) for same-sex couples and would move to have a constitutional ban on providing such benefits.

Yeah, backwards *and* scary.

THIS IS AWESOME! LOVE McCAIN's CHOICE - FRESH, NEW, STRONG, FIGHTER, and ONE OF US - FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't this the same Sara Palin who as Governor tried to force a state offical to fire her ex-brother in-law from the State police for non specific reasons?

Yes. She's the one who did just that.

wow - all energy here today. I'm a hockey mom so I take offense at all the stabs.
I'm glad she wants to bring a little faith back to our stripped down school system. Maybe some of the problems facing our society (long before Bush) are attributed to all the moral decay, being so phoney with our political correctness so we don't get sued and quick to judge by anyone who can get air time on TV.

Does anyone judge the dad's obligations they might be comprimising with politics? but a woman is still made to feel guilty if she wants to pursue a passion.

We don't need to agree with our leaders beliefs but our leaders need to be fair and respectful of the majority and do what is best for us as a nation.

Smart move on McCain's campaign - just like Bidden is a good strategic move for Obama. It's all about marketing.

AT least we're paying more attention to our values.

Maybe she can help make youth hockey more affordable. Then she'll get my vote.

A brilliant choice! I put the McCain bumper sticker on my car 5 minutes after I found out!

listen to you sheeple, you dont even know her yet and already you have a crush on her..............sheesh.

REGARDING #11 COMMENT...YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. THIS YOUNGSTER PROBABLY HAS MORE SENSE AT THIS YOUNG AGE THAN YOU WILL EVER HAVE.SAME SEX MARRIAGE IS WRONG AND NOT NORMAL THAT IS CLEAR!! EVERYONE DOES HAVE A CHOICE BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE PUSHED ONTO ANYONE ELSE. NO WHERE DOES SHE SAY THAT SHE WOULD DEMAND SOMEONE TO NOT HAVE AN ABORTION BECAUSE OF A DOWN SYNDRONE SHE JUST CHOSE NOT TO. THOSE WHO WANT SAME SEX COHABITATIONS WANT EVERYONE TO CHOOSE IT. BEFORE YOU GO AND SHOOT YOU BIG MOUTH OFF MAYBE YOU HAD BETTER LOOK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND KEEP THE NAME CALLING FOR THE SMALL KIDS. SHAME ON YOU!!!!

Hey #267

Please put down your bible for a couple of minutes and read this:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/2437/theory.htm

I know you know how to use a computer so you can google the big words.

Why introduce creationism as "discussion" but oppose stem-cell research and gay rights? Is this McCain's way to get the conservative support or the female vote - seems at odds somehow.

Any woman worth her salt will not vote for this ticket. It is simply an old opportunists stab at pandering.

Ms. Palin has less experience than I do. As a USMC Vet, the wife of a USMC Vet and one of seven veterans of this generation (all of our brothers and sisters are Veterans), I submit to you that my service and experience is just as valuable as McCains and has more substance than Palin's. Do your work from rotary or fixed wing aircraft, in quonset huts, bunkers and tents where men and women die and tell me what Palin is made of. McShame is making a chump of female voters.

Ever the OPPORTUNIST, this descendant of W.A. McCain (William Alexander McCain, Patriach of this family) is found on the 1860 Carroll County, Mississippi List of SLAVE HOLDERS at

McShame's history with women exemplifies a poor example of a role model. When his first wife, Carol Shepp was left 4 inches shorter and heavier because of an auto accident, he left her and the children during his mid-life crisis for Cindy Hensely (a HOME WRECKER by any standard) with money.

Now he seeks to thrust this Beauty queen and reporter on the American women in an effort to woo Hillary voters.

In an effort to gain the Indian vote, he trots her out. Problem is, she is not an Indian, she married one. I am Indian by birth and find this an affront.

Quite frankly, as a woman, I find this choice of a VP, appalling and insulting.

But what else do I expect from a man with no morals, judgement, or ethics (SEE the KEATING FIVE), who lacks the acumen to distinguish Iraq from Iran, Sudan from Somalia or Sunni from Shia?

As my son (one of six kids) is leaving for the Middle East next month, I do NOT want this duo running the country.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08

How many McCain campaign staffers and/or bribed bloggers are posting on this story?

How can republicans wail on Obama's inexperience in comments areas and then turn around and embrace this woman? She's been governor for 1 1/2 years! Running Alaska is NOT like running the United States. AND she has an ethics probe? AND she wants to teach wishful thinking alongside real science? Hey, here's an idea: let's teach kids that gravity is the result of the the curvature of space time, but also that is the result of giant magnets in our feet, and let them decide! After all, the gravity is only a theory!

Sarah Palin has so far slipped under the radar of complete media scrutiny. Hopefully those who know how to dig up these things will find out what travesty has occurred. For the sake of the American people this ploy must be exposed.

This woman is a Christian Soldier, carefully groomed from high school to her stint at the University of Idaho. She belongs to the Feminist For Life organization(See motherjones.com), and is an advocate for "Creation Science" in public schools. Her husband has been a frequent sit in at various official state meetings and is an employee of BP, a company that has a heavy interest in Alaskan government largess.

Senator McCain has met her for a total of 8 hours and she gets the VP over more deserving members of his party. His head has again been turned by a beauty queen and ego massage. This is a problem he can handle by therapy, but the American people do not have to catch his illness. Joan Venocchi please help us out.

Wow, what is really scary to me is some of the comments on this post.

So Proud of you... go Sarah!!!

Number 11, is so offensive.. take it down.

As a conservative catholic I wish Bush had listened to Pope John Paul II's advice back in 2003 (thru his emissary Cardinal Pio Laghi who told him

On quote: "A decision regarding the use of military force can only be taken within the framework of the United Nations," "but always taking into account the grave consequences of such an armed conflict: the suffering of the people of Iraq and those involved in the military operation, a further instability in the region and a new gulf between Islam and Christianity."

Sure enough 5 yrs later indeed THOUSANDS DEAD, MORE ARE SUFFERING, GREATER DIVIDE especially with fellow Americans (& to think Bush said he's a man of peace and a uniter) and by the way there was no WMD to justify the war & instead we've created more enemies & there's no end in the war that Bush started. (Yet Bush & his camp love Jesus...didn't Jesus say Love Thy Enemies? And discouraged war or violence when he told Peter "If you take up by the sword you will perish by the sword. But the biggest question of all is Where's OSAMA BIN LADIN? how come he's not caught yet?

Also, I wish Bush created and signed an executive order banning abortion to honor his words proving it's not at all rhetoric nor pandering.... WILL McCain do it if he gets elected? (I think not) Yes, I was raised a staunch conservative catholic and adheres to the strict catholic teachings and doctrines and I'm voting for the LESS HYPROCRITE. Afterall, we're all hypocrites. As Jesus said, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone!! (John 8:1-10)

Look at all these self-righteous bigots on this blog. Typical Democrat Bostonians who believe the world revolves around them. Anyone who has a different opinion is either a "moron" or "backwards" or their Down syndrome son is a "Retard" (post #11 will rot in H).

Their leader, Joebama, is willing to kill a child who survives a botched abortion. Look it up - see his Illinois vote on that piece of legislation to ban the practice. Yes, Obama voted to murder children. That's a fact.

Wonder how these bigots would react if we start calling The One the "N" word?

These are the same bigots who are just fine with Rev Wright saying GD America and that we caused 9/11 and brought it on ourselves. And do you know why? Because they believe it themselves.

I taught the 6th grade in California for many years and we studied the major religions as part of our social studies curriculum. This included the study of the myths of creation found in most ,if not all, religions. We studied the Big Bang theory and evolution as part of our science curriculum. Our democracy has been turning into a theocracy in the past eight years. That is scary.

How can people call themselves pro-life and be so willing to kill and maim Iraqi women and children? Actually it is even worse. We have made our brave young women and men do the killing, in our name. Some of those women were pregnant, we aborted that baby when we killed the mother. That is scary.

Do the bashers of creation teaching understand that the Bible's Genesis account of creation can be taught as:

---Indicating God created the world, including light and life, but describing it in majestic and poetic terms and not in exhaustive terms. In other words, Genesis, as a sacred Scripture more than 2500 years old, does not purport to describe ever detail or process used by God in creating the world and does not state that competition within and among species (natural selection) was not one of those processes. After all, 2nd Peter 3:8 states, "one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Clearly, the Bible itself contemplates that the important part of the account of creation in six days is that God created, not how many millenia or decades a "day" is.

---Evolution cannot account for what started it all. Even if there was a "big bang," where did the stellar material come from that preceded the big bang?

---Darwin, in the last page of his Origin of Species, uplifts God as creator and states he, Darwin, is not attempting to specify exactly how natural selection began, whether with a multitude of creatures or with few or one.

Post 1, 3 and 4 on these comments strike me as reflecting writers with very thin skin if someone like Sarah Palin is frightening to them. In fairness to those writers, perhaps they have not read enough of the Bible to know that it often uses words designed to convey a main idea and not designed to fuel dwelling on details like the six in the six days of creation, and perhaps those writers have never read Orign of Species.

Can you just imagine this vapid, primitive hockey-mom directing U.S. foreign policy--and responding to the Putins of the world??
I had always suspected McCain of showing early cognitive dysfunction---please remove the 'early!'

I am thrilled to hear about this wonderful selection.

Good bye "good ole' boy" network.

Ms. Palin is a perfect choice to lead America. She is truly a maverick, a pilot, a commercial fisherwoman, a "kick-ars - take no prisoners" type of leader.

To all the nay-sakers on this forum? Doesn't the governor of Alaska and Arkansas have the same level of responsibility?

The Earth is round... No, No--- The Earth is Flat!

Why not teach "both sides", eh? Sure, seems fair enough.

I was going to vote for McCain. He absolutely blew it with this choice. This is a DANGEROUS choice -the most pathetic and insulting choice imaginable. If McCain dies, (he would be the oldest president in history) this daffy, screechy, corrupt soccer mom would become President of the United States. And, is the media, including the Globe now so corrupt that they don't point this out in commentary? And they allow it to eclipse the Democratic convention? No truth, no balance. I never thought I'd live long enough to see the country I love fall into such a deep abyss. Anyone who says they support this woman they've never heard of is writing on behalf of the McCain campaign. I know how they operate because I worked for them. I'm quitting tomorrow - disgusted. Utterly disgusted.

The Bible tells us:
Genesis 1:25
God made the wild animals according to their kinds,
the livestock according to their kinds,
and all the creatures that move along the ground
according to their kinds.
See: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=1&version=31&context=chapter

Science says:
"The specific complexity of genetic information in the genome does not increase spontaneously. Therefore, there is no natural process whereby reptiles can turn into birds, land mammals into whales, or chimpanzees into human beings."

See: What Does The Catholic Church Teach about Origins?
What Does Cutting-Edge Science Teach about Origins?
http://www.kolbecenter.org/church_teaches.htm

Let's teach the truth,
including when science is in accord with the Bible.

Hey "Concerned" whatever happened to, "No place for hate" ???

Politically a smart choice - Obama / Biden can't attack or they will be accused of being 'anti-women'. However it would appear that McCain is the anti-woman one -if he really believe that her gender will sway voters.

McCain is very vulnerable to renewed attacks, as he should be, on his lack of judgement . Would you trust someone on the basis of ONE meeting? I think not.
We do not need another person in the White House who fits the " You never knew which John [McCain] would show up for work each day"

Let's have prinicipals, not political expediency

Pandering. Complete and total pandering. Disgruntled Hillary supporters will definitely go for Obama now.

#218 I completely agree with you! I will be on the first bus to Canada should McSame win. Has anyone stopped to think about what Palin's qualifications are to run the country should they win and McSame doesnt' survive the 4 years? She hasnt' even been paying attention to the war in Iraq, as she has been more focused on state government in Alaska! Mrs. Palin doesn't seem to know what is happening in the world beyond the borders of Alaska, so the other 49 states, too bad for you if the day ever came and it was up to her to make a decision regarding this country! God help us!

She reminds me of Mrs. Lupus from an old Saturday Night Live skit. Our country is sinking faster than that ship on clear calm April night back in 1912.

38 million people watched the Obama speech last night but it only took a millisecond for Rove/McCain to change the subject this morning.

Sarah Palin,
I knew Dan Quayle.
Dan Quayle was our Vice President,
Sarah Palin,
you make Dan Quayle look like Lincoln, Reagan and FDR, all rolled into one.

McCain was pressured to pick a conservative pro-life woman, not any of the big contenders he wanted. Lieberman, Ridge, etc. Picking this back woods hick, seems to be his way, of saying screw you to the GOP, and in effect, voting for Obama, himself.

To fact or theory (#267),
You are confusing the standard definition of theory, intentionally or not, with the scientific meaning of theory. In science, a theory is a testable model, which, while subject to further testing and revision, is something that is generally proveable. See this link for more info if your mind is open enough.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory

Has anyone noticed she has five kids, including a four month old baby which she's never shown holding - Who is taking care of all those kids? Not the parents, they're both working all day. Now she'll never be around. You don't see this as a creepy disconnect? What's the "value" promoted here - parental neglect? Finally, notice how some writers label plain statements of FACT about Palin as "personal attacks" or "hachet job" . The truth is not an ATTACK, its just the plain truth.

LET THE GOOD TIMES KEEO ROLLING!!! REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES REJOICE!!! WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THE WHITE HOUSE IN OUR HAND AND KEEP THE WHIMPY RAINBOW WAVING FLAG LIBERALS OUT OF THE BIG BOYS CHAIR!!! MCCAIN PALIN 08!!!!!! WHOOOOOYA!!!

McCain could have taken the high road. Instead he selected another extremist whack job. I think we all owe him a big thank you. I guess Rush doesn't have big enough boobs now that he quit the junk.

Scary.
That most people would vote for a president because of a vice president. No election has ever been won because of a vice presidential candidate. Some have lost.
She's an attractive broad, but not to lead this country.
Bush is a moron and I guess McCain is now too.

Yes I am a real person! and No I am not from West Pakistan if there really is that place!

America was founded by spirit filled Christians who came to a barren contintent and prayed over this land and thanked our Lord for the animals and resources that he gave to them. They came here to get away from European science and the elitists who tried to deny our Lord with its lies!

And after the 1960's the democrats came and took away our Lord from the schools and put foreigners and minorities in USA cities, and began to promote abortion, vegetarianism and lesbianism! It's a fact. You can look it up.

And now the European elitist science wants to destroy the gift given to us by our Lord by saying that the hard work and industry of our men is a disease on the planet and causing global warming and the end of the world. Well our men are real men and we KNOW how the world is going to end because it is in the Bible and it happens in Israel. That's why USA supports Israel. You can look it up. Go Sarah!!!

FA

From the comments here, I gather Democrats cannot abide anyone who holds mainstream religious convictions and identifies with the Judeo-Christian origins of this country. Sorry, folks. Those of us who believe in God and country are not yet ready to turn over this land to atheistic, hate-spewing, mind-dead liberals like your good selves.

What I notice is what we have here is a conservative with strong christian values who has a new infant with Down's Syndrome....with a working husband I wonder, even as a Governor ,who is going to have the responsibility of the daily care of her child....if she were elected as the VP would all or most of the care of her baby fall on her older daughters? I am all for women having a professional career but in this case....just seems that a mother would want to be home with her special needs infant ...especially one with such strong christian values...

McCain's pick is a purely political choice. This was a ploy and a gimmick to get more votes and not a choice to do what is best for the country. The VP is supposed to be a person who can stand in if he/she gets called upon. McCain's first huge decision to make and he picks a "soccer mom" that has no national experience. What will she do at a meeting with Putin or Ahmadinejad? These people would eat her for breakfast.
Isn't he supposed to take care of us as the president? If McCain dies and she becomes the leader of the United States.....wow...this is a very bad idea. If these are the decisions McCain makes, he is a selfish fool.
Please get out there and don't let this happen to our country. Vote Obama.

Everybody loves to stop to watch a car wreck - even 38 million people,Let me quickly address a couple points and I'll leave you to vent in frustration. Theres a big difference in supporting relegious tenets in school and believing in creationism. Despite what Obama's people want Americans to believe about Sarah Palin - i.e. "believing in creationism", she does not and never has been a believer that the earth is 6000 years old. I've yet to hear anyone question Obama about the 20 years with Rev. Wright and his belief that there is 2 Gods - 1 for Black people and 1 for White. I think America has so many questions about how much of the Rev. Wrights poison had soaked into Obama over 20 years. 20 years!. 2 Gods, haha now that is crazy. Next point - Obama, in the time he's been Senator has been an absentee for so many votes and the troubled voting "present" so many, many times. He questions her experience. While Obama and the other lofty figureheads were dining and drinking and pondering the vast unknown (What senators have been doing since Rome) Gov. Palin started logging in the hours RUNNING government. Albeit starting with a small alaskan town as mayor but enduring a Governership campaign and winning then having the guts to go after big Guns in her own party and prosecuting them. My point is I honestly believe she has more executive experience than Obama does. Dont think for a second that this woman doesnt have what it takes to lead or that with time she can become mature and get a new take and the experience she needs. Finally I am sick of Obama's ducking the preconvention debates with McCain. I believe Obama is terrified of meeting this man in the town hall format and I wait with great expectation for the 3 TH Debates that Obama owes him. McCain will destroy "The Great Orator" with ease. Everyone rants about Obama's Oratory power - The Man reads off the teleprompter ok BUT he absolutely comes off a weakling when asked difficult or controversial questions adlib...the looks downward, the averted eyes, the number of Uh's and Uhm's and his body language reek of deception and weakness. I do not believe Obama is qualified to be our commander and chief and I do not believe he will win this election.

ROFL!!!!!!!! What a bunch of paranoid buffons. We already have religion in the schools....your religion of Darwinism. "Separation of Church and State?"

READ the entire quote, and don't quote the entire left.

"Gentleman,
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association, give me the highest satisfaction. My duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof thus building a wall of separation between church and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem.
T.W. Jefferson" January 1, 1802

He also said,

"I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises."

Separation is not in the Constitution at all, and never was. It is in the minds of the country because of ignorance, spurred on by the leftstream media. Thanks for proving it. Get over your ignorance received at the hands of the public indoctrination centers (government schools)

The First Amendment :
"Congress shall make ***no law respecting an establishment of religion***, ***or prohibiting the free exercise thereof***; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

The First Amendment :
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, ...

...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

In ANY way. Ever. Libs hate that abd want to change the Constitution.

Funny how the lefty loonies want that FREEDOM of all sorts of "speech" in the First Amendment, but not the freedom of religion in the same article..escept freedom for Muslims, Buddhists, Darwinists, Pagans, Witches and every other loony lefty.

The First Amendment was designed to keep YOU out of my faith, not my faith out of YOUR life.
Stop sliming your "science" on our children at our expense. You lefty loonies all belong in th U.S.S.R......under Darwin's philosophy manifested.

Of all people on earth, liberals hate freedom of speech or anything else in regards to anyone who corrects them, disagrees with them, points out their hypocrisy.

All of which are simple to do.

-Former Evolutionist.

Thank you Carl - (#350) to my 344 - would a Christian Conservative please respond to the disconnect between someone who is essentially wholly abandoning the time requirements and responsiblity of raising a special needs child? She will never be HOME - maybe 6 hours a night, then back in the White House at 5 am. Apparently I don't count as Christian- I'm only a Catholic. I'm pretty sure Convervatives don't embrace the "It Takes a Village" theory - so don't invoke that.

The extent of creationism in our great country is truly embarassing. It certainly has been in the top offices of our government before but the possibility of it being so overtly practiced is mind boggling.

She bears a creepy resemblance to the claims adjusters at CRICO.

Dear 'disappointed americans' You are welcome to canada anytime! That's what being to the left is all about....most of our christians really are. so far, anyway.

Palin is abandoning her responsibility to her 4-month old special needs child. Is this your "values" candidate? Her husband works all day. She will be home maybe 6 hours a night until 5 am then she's up at meetings at the White House. Can a Christian Convervative please respond to this wholesale parental neglect? You have no problem with this? Apparently I'm not considered a "Christian," I'm only a Catholic.

If there's a bottom line for, here it is. Palin, besides being a desperate pandering choice, is the way by which Evangelicals will insure a place in the White House. In fact, maybe their highest place yet (since I doubt Bush is really one).

You know these people, they populated much of the current Administration. The loveable people who gave us Regent University lawyers (e.g., Monica Goodling and 100 others), violated Civil Service laws to pack agencies with marginally competent Evangelical lawyers, hired and fired along those lines, including US Attorneys, and brought scorn and near ruin to the integrity of the Justice Dept. Not to mention agencies like the FDA and EPA. Yeah, Palin is their passport to continued influence. And since McCain will be a one term President, look for her to run in 2012. Oh, sure, she'll be packaged and they'll try and make her
appear benign. They always do.

This is one situation that absolutely must be nipped in the bud for the sake of our democracy, Constitution, and the wishes of the Founding Fathers. And the bud is this November. True Patriots...Arise.

Your son Trig, born with Down Syndrome, is a gift from God. If he were born gay, he would be an abomination.

America was not founded on Christian values. The American Revolution was a reaction to Hanoverian authoritarianism which claimed "divine right", in the north; in the midatlantic colonies, the concern was that the British had negotiated away the Ohio Valley after the Seven Year's War; Southern plantation owners were, in turn, aghast when Britain outlawed the slave trade in 1772. That was enough for a revolutionary coalition - nobody was fighting for "Christian values". (I've read the entire Bible several (many) times; the word "abortion" never pops up. However, the Angel Gabriel does give the Virgin Mary a "choice". We can argue social theology in a different forum, perhaps.) Gov. Palin, no relation to Michael Palin of Monty Python, has been a state governor for less time than John McCain has been running for President. Sen. McCain's relationship with her prior to her selection was nil --they spoke together for the FIRST time yesterday! Evidently the GOP thinks spending five years being brainwashed by communist interrogation experts or being governor just long enough to incur an investigation for interference in police business is sufficient qualification for the leadership of the free world. I do not. I will be voting for Sen. Obama. God save our republic.

This is really interesting..There is an Oprah Book Club selection from a few years back call "Expecting Adam" that was written by a young woman who found herself pregnant with a downs syndrome child while studying at Harvard. She was strongly encouraged to have an abortion by her liberal success driven peers and probably would have aborted except for the spiritual experiences she had surrounding the pregnancy. The book is a beautiful new age story about real connection with Life and Love and God. Perhaps if Sarah Palin would read this book she would understand more about the beautiful nature of her statement that her child is perfect the way he is and it would help her extend that same unconditional love to all people who don't exactly fit norms: for example gay people. Its kinda wacky isn't it: Obama goes to Harvard, his greatest supporter is Oprah, she has a book club that publishes a book about a woman with a downs syndrome child who has a spiritual awakening and doesn't abort, and then this fanatical Christian woman who doesn't abort her downs child runs against Obama and delivers much the same message about the worth of all people in such a small minded way she can't extend it to the rest of the world's unusual creatures because she has been stunted by her religion.

Boy, after reading this, can people please stop routinely referring to Republicans as the 'mean-spirited' ones?

My two cents on abortion: People who support abortion rights treat the unborn as 'inviable tissue masses'; if that is indeed true, why the need to go in and cut them out? Left to themselves, almost all of these 'inviable masses' purge themselves from their host organism in a relatively short amount of time with no long-term ill effects to the mother. To my knowledge, pregancy is not the cause of any known disease, so there is no risk to the mother in letting things run their course, is there? To draw from several posters here, many more women seem to die from botched attempts at abortion than botched attempts at childbirth, so it would seem that medically, abortion surgery is a bad idea.

But people will say that they have a 'right to choose'. Do the people who want to 'keep your laws off my body' realize that reversing the illegality of contraception does just that? But, still, the vast, vast majority of people make the 'choice' to have sex, knowing that one of its most common side-effects is pregnancy? Couldn't your 'choice' have involved a condom, ring, sponge, diaphragm, pill, IUD, consultation with an ovulation chart, or the word 'no'? I'm sorry, but it has always seemed to me that abortion is used primarily are a means of birth control. Be honest - that is is main purpose. Yes, it is true that some women do get pregnant in cases of rape and incest. But truthfully, honestly, what percentage of abortion is that? I sincerely doubt that its even half of one-percent. Not to mention the 'morning-after' pill for rape victims that is routinely administered (a whole other issue, admittedly, but hopefully you get my point).

And, the beauty is, you don't even have to live with the consequences of your 'choice' (or lack thereof) if you don't want to. Check the lists of couples (including, even, 'progressive' 'non-traditional' ones) that are waiting to adopt that baby that you made but don't want. It just doesn't make sense to me that the best solution is to kill it.

We routinely try to kill living things that invade our bodies, like cancer cells and tumors. But cancer cells and tumors won't crawl out of your body in 9 months and leave you alone with no traces of them left behind (other than maybe some stretch marks and temporarily bigger boobs). Does it make sense to attack them the same way? Killing people (sorry, that IS what fetuses tend to turn into) for no other reason than because we don't want them around is what Lenin did. Or Saddam. Or the Nazis. It's genocide - not a 'choice'

Demographically, for what it's worth, I'm a 43 yr-old male, white, college-educated (BS/MEd from UMass-Amherst), public school teacher with a gay brother. I should be a Democrat's wet dream, but most of the party's views make no sense to me at all. Go figure.

I would hate to see McCain win but if he does, I wish him very
good health in the next four years!

Agree totally with thetruthhurtz above. Reactions at the beginning of this scare me - scared, shocked, and thinking our country is lost? Are you not scared that a highly educated professional adult makes a living killing the most helpless, small human lives but rather that a brave woman loves and protects her baby who is less than perfect? We are more than half way down the same road Hitler traveled. As to "teaching creationism" in the classroom, it only shows ignorance of the truth and one-sided indoctrination, as well as total lack of open minded inquiry to consider that evolution is a proven fact of science and anything questioning the modern "flat earth" equivalent is bordering on religious indoctrination. We are so immersed in liberal peer beliefs in modern education that any truth or even honest inquiry doesn't stand a chance. Its sad that people who see themselves as the most open minded and progressive are really as self deceived as the most confused individuals I know on the conservative side. There are more untruths, halftruths, and stereotypes in the posts above than in a kettle of conservative sites. To the point at hand - Sarah Palin is a moral wife and mother and also a strongwilled, capable woman and leader, who is honestly (and that word is hardly reconcilable with many politicians, particularly Democrats) seeking to make a difference for the good through her political role. McCain hit a grand slam with this choice. She will make the bumbling Biden appear lost in his own mind when they debate. Facts will become clear and her capability will not be questioned for long, I expect. Open your ears and your minds and you may finally see the kind of reasoned debate in the next few weeks conservatives have long looked for from our leaders. No empty promises, just honest debate - bring it on.

The number one question should be can Palin govern this country if anything happened to McCain. Does she have the economic and foreign affairs experience?

If McCain is elected he probably will get to chose at least 2 maybe 3 Supreme Court judges. At the Saddleback interview, he named every moderate to liberal judge on the court and said he would get rid of all of them. So we can expect that he would name ultra conservative judges to the court. Our Constitution has been trashed by Bush and McCain will continue the trashing. McCain's court WILL overturn Roe v. Wade. And of course Palin would do the same thing.

Wow -- another attack on freedom of religion in the form of a woman who believes differently than I do. As a historical researcher, I can assure you we are moving back in time to when the Puritans legislated "going to meeting" and the religious authorities were the primary caretakers of Massachusetts law.

Don't tread on my religious freedom, and I won't tread on yours. If you want your kids to learn your "Christian" values, send them to schools that meet your demands. Don't force that down my kids' throats. Separation of church and State came about as the result of severe curtails on others' religions, and, now, as Bush tries to redefine birth control as abortion, we stand to lose all our womanly rights -- even the right to not bear children until we are ready to do so without the threats of sexuality being curtailed.

Give me a break...

"America needs you, Harry Truman..."

I just must state that I am amazed at all the posts about evolution as a proven fact and anything that hints that an intelligent design must have an intelligent designer is religion and fiction. The reason you think that is that is what you were taught, excluding all evidence to the contrary for many years in government schools. It takes as much ignorance and faith to believe that wisdom and selection exist independant of any thought process as it does to believe something as complex as a modern automobile could develop by some natural process, random chance and time. Its just not rational, how does DNA in and of itself add any natural selection of "better" or more viable life forms? It just doesn't add up without a lot of old time religion in the materialism department. In fact some have done honest statistical analysis of the possibility of various life types occuring by the accepted process and determined that it is statistically impossible for ONE complex life form to evolve from non-living matter, much less the hundreds of thousands we see on this one planet. We all have our chosen beliefs. This blog makes it very apparent there are educated and uneducated, intelligent and not so much so, people on both sides of the issue. That being the case, how is it democratic and justifiable that one set of beliefs be considered proven fact, excluding many evidences to the contrary, while an opposing belief system is deemed religious and therefore unworthy of consideration or even equal exploration? What ARE you afraid of, other than evidence which may weaken the reliability of your chosen system of interpreting the world? The platitudes and stereotypes on both sides make one weary with their banality.

#11 is right on! Let it stay.

What if her disables son is gay? what if all her daughters are lesbians? Should the world discriminate against them?

#63 You are wrong McCain is Pro-Life. Palin would force a woman not to abort even if that woman was raped or was subjected to incest. This is even more far right than McCain. Since when is it the government's decision to tell a woman what she can do with her own body. Republicans say they are for small government and want the government out of lives. Since when? The government wants to tell people what they can and cannot do in the privacy of the bedrooms between two consenting adults. I don't hear pro-life people saying that killing 1000's of Iraqi women and children is wrong. Why not. These people have done absolutely nothing to us. Why are you not protesting this. It is hypocritical at it's worst.

# 52 Your comment is patently false. Obama nor any black person believe in two separate Gods. Where do you people get this trash from. It's a smear and you know it.

It is such a joy to hear the painful squeals and screams of conservatives as they feel themselves and their evil ideology going extinct. I just love evolution.

Palin is mentally ill; there are no two sides to explaining life diversity. The notion of creationism has been so thoroughly debunked that anyone who argues in favor of it is readily seen as unfit for any responsible position. I would include in that statement all those who teach false notions (creationism) of life diversity and cosmos creation to innocent young minds. They are committing mental abortion. First they birth their children, then they mentally and morally abort them. ISH! That would include mamas like Palin, of course. More ish! Conservative depravity must be stopped!

Though the kid with Down syndrome would ideally spend time with mama more, Sarah Palin can probably hire nannies to take care of her children should she be elected VP. I don't think she's letting that stop her. These two are made for each other, because there's one thing they have in common with each other. They expoit certain institutions for their own personal gains.

Sarah Palin is under investigation for trying to fire her public service commisioner for not firing her ex-brother-in-law for making some empty threat to kill her family.

John McCain continuously exploits the military for his personal gains. You know why he wants to win in Iraq so badly, because his ego is bruised from four generations of being caught up in all these messes at war. It should make you wonder whether he wants to use our kids and grandkids to solve his personal military grudges from the family lineage, just like ole' Dubya.

I'm still laughing at the McCain/Palin ticket, because I can already hear "she's my cherry pie..." or "Stacy's mom has got it going on" blaring in the background on some MoveOn.org ad. Fellas (and ladies), if you don't want to go to war for the complex, you value your individual liberties, and you're sick of the B.S, vote with your head up there not your head down there. Otherwise, what are our troops fighting for?

Obama/Biden (LBJ x 2) is only slightly better. Clean coal's a dirty lie, sometimes there's nothing wrong with begin "on your own," and we ought to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord with our foreign policy if we expect the Lord to lift us out of this. We've had a history of bullying and we need to stop this.

BARR/ROOT 2008

For me the question is who has the better plan
for the Economy, Healthcare, Military, Foreign Policy, etc.
Obama has laid out a plane. I have yet to hear McCain on specifics for middle class families.
He has duck the questions on policy and have been on negative attacks and gimmicks.

Any sane person can see that the choice of Palin is a GOP VP gimmick. Why? Because there are more capable, God Fearing GOP women politicians who have much more experience than Mrs. Palin. (i.e. Kate Baily Hutchinson)

Those of you who is using the "Christianity" debate are naive in thinking that McCain -who hardly is a Christian, chose Mrs. Palin for her stances on God. Sorry to tell you that God teaches us to take care of our country not to destroy it like McBush-Palin plan to with disregard for law, making the middle class poor, making education less affordable, keep maknig budget deficits and while preaching they so call morales.

And these so called Christian jumped to applaud Mrs. Palin without knowing anything about her. She has been on the national scene only a few hours and you are already ready to vote for her? How shallow?
Can the real Christians please stand up?

This "woman" has to be the most self-loathing hypocritical bubblehead on the planet if she believes in creationism, is anti-choice, opposes even basic benefits for same sex couples, shoots semi automatic weapons for fun, and opposes all stem cell research, which, if Bush had allowed it, might have helped her Down Syndrome son, among millions of others.

I am disgusted that THIS woman is what passes for "women's rights" in the Republican party, but I am not surprised.

I really wish Obama had picked Hillary, then the impact of McCain's choice would have been muted completely.

I'm proud of Hillary, she is a true woman's woman, unlike this self-loathing pretender McCain picked.

Perhaps Palin and Mrs. McCain should enter that Ms. Harley Davidson contest as McCain wanted, and stay out of politics altogether.

Between the 2 of them they have set back women's rights a good century.

I'm no Obama fan, but please God let him win.

Now, let's all take a deep breath and be still for a moment. Ask your self this question. Is it our own so called wisdom that is speaking here, maybe some arrogant pride or stubborn self righteousness? Who do any of us dare to think we are anyway! I will tell you what we really are, myself included, we are nothing more than sinners and we ALL need to humble ourselves and ask God, The true Father and Founder of this great country of ours for forgiveness. At one time this was "ONE NATION UNDER GOD" just ask your grandparents if your still being blessed with there presence in your lives. I am certain they understand, they alway's do. There is wisdom in fearing the Lord. Actually, that is the true beginning of wisdom. Look, I do not mean to preach at you. That is not the true motivation of my heart. The true motivation is to share Faith, Hope and Love. To ask everyone to simply be quiet and still for a moment, and if your heart leads you to your knees............Pray! Then rember to be patient and love one another. God is still merciful and full of Grace. It is not to late America. However, without Him, the fact is we don't stand a chance and there is no hope. Whether you believe it or not, He will accomplish His purposes and His will, will most certainly be done. Cry out to Jesus! He came for sinners like you and me. God bless you all! Please God, bless America.

Awash in Moonie money, the GOP should look in the mirror before beating the Ayers drum.

Palin? Isn't he the guy who played in the Dead Parrot Sketch on Monty Python?

South Pasadena CA

I just can't understand why so many are calling Palin:
"backward", "primitive", "a whack job"?!
So, let me get this right: 'Straight people of faith who believe that life is sacred are scary?'
....way to go gay, liberal, pro-promiscuity, democrats.....! You've come a long way in the last few decades? If someone calls a homosexual "scary", "backward", or "weird" (or even says, "lifestyle" you have a hissy fit and cry!
What scares me, is that my kids will grow up in a world where they will be forced to accept every lifestyle, vice, addiction, or other CHOICE of anyone, they might not see that there is a RIGHT and a WRONG.
Values, morals, religion...it's all good. And the BEST joy anyone can experience in life, is creating a human life with your best friend, knowing that that baby is 'half me and half my spouse' and watching the best and worst of both of you in that growing child. The next greatest joy in life is adopting a child into a real family with both male and female roll model and learning who that child really is. Every child has a mother and a father and every child deserves a mother and a father a family...not a "family"!
I pitty those who are trying to destroy that. Perhaps it is sheer jealousy.
Good for Sarah palin! I keep waiting for her to let down her hair, take off her glasses, and spin around, ending up with a shiny strapless bustier leotard and a pointy gold crown all to the tune of "..Wonder Woman.."
I am still coming to terms with this choice- it should've been Romney...what about the economy???? I'm not sure Sarah is ready to take the helm, should anything happen to McCain (72?!), but I am not sure the VP does anything significant either.

^^ stupid. obama will destroy McCain in debates. obviously. McCain barely graduated from College. Obama graduated at the top of his class from Harvard Law, and was then a law professor. Obama has policies that make sense for improving economy and health care, McCain doesnt.

Why is half of this country ok with the fact that 50 million people don't have health insurance? McCain will continue to make health care unaccessible for these people. Right now, someone with cancer can't buy health insurance FOR ANY PRICE. The person with cancer will just die. Why are you all ok with the death of poor people, when you are so opposed to the death of fetuses?

Wh

Gov. Palin has stated publicly she doesn't believe global warming is caused by human activity. That alone should give us all pause because one of the biggest challenges we face as a nation and as a world is coming to grips with this issue. The thought of having a vice president who isn't even clear on why all the ice all around her in Alaska is melting doesn't exactly give me a warm feeling, no pun intended.

(As an aside, I've just been over reading comments on the NY Times site and for the most part they are have a much more civil tone than the ones here. What's up what that, do you suppose?)

typical response from the left. They criticize because Palin has viewpoints different than theirs and she wants changes made. So they label her, and call her names. What gives them the right to have their beliefs determine what is right. I find it interesting that McCain has chosen someone who is a rebel in her own party, like McCain, has criticized republicans who spend like democrats, etc. Yet, Obama, who says he is for chnage selects one of the most entrenched political hack in Washington as his running mate. A man who has openly criticized Obama for lack of experience. If Obama wanted new look in Washington, why not pick someone less a Washington insider. Obama says he is not a Washington insider, but Palin is truly not.

What's wrong wtih this picture: a christian evangelical woman, who is still having babies, is pro life and probably anti-prophylactics, running to be next in line to a 72 year old? So what's she going to be doing at 3:00 a.m.? Breastfeeding? Having her next baby? Shouldn't she stay home and take care of those kids like a good Christian woman?

Why is this scary?

1) She's a bimbo
2) She could become President
3) The Republican machine would have another puppet
4) John McCain has no respect for American voters
5) It may work

That's why.

The comment below says it all!!!!!!!!!!!! Amen!

Why is everyone so afraid of the Godly principle's that started this country in the first place? Why is it that Christians have to keep their opinions to themselves, but all the liberals, gays, and other opponents to wholesome morals feel like their rights are the only rights that should be upheld in the U.S.? I say cheers to a woman who has values and morals and not afraid to stand up for what is right! You go girl!

As a Pastor of a Protestant CHRISTIAN Church, I have to say that Sarah Palin's views scare the beejeebers out of me. I am deeply offended that conservative evangelical Christians act as though they "own" Christianity and that anyone who opposes their narrow-minded views is surely not a true Christian. Well this ORDAINED CHRISTIAN MINISTER believes that the bottom line of all that Jesus preached and lived is LOVE. God is Love! I am pro-choice (but actively promote adoption), accepts gays and lesbians as my sisters and brothers, and belief that our society needs to focus a whole lot less on pointing out others' sins and a whole lot more on promoting compassion and peace!! I will vote for two fine Christians in November: Barack Obama and Joe Biden!! Enough!

Just another Right-to-(Run Your)-Life Repub! Dumber in Alaska, I guess.

This makes me wonder: Does 72-year-old and cancer-riddled John McCain really HATE America so much that he would saddle us with this jerkette?

Anyone chosen as VP would be criticized. This is a great choice becasue it reaches out to many who have felt disenfranchized. It is interesting to see "open minded" liberals like no. 11, use name calling and cruelty in regard to a Downes syndrome child. WOW! This brings important issues like "civil rights" for all, to the table. This lady seems to have a balanced approach to life and government that has actually worked in her home, her town and her state. She has actually teid the ideas she espouses on several levels. She does not want to experiment on the general populace first.

If you want to call this choice "pandering", you are free to do that. However, a female, evangelical, pro-life, strict constructionist, fiscal conservative who believes in safe environmentally harmonious oil drilling and is not from a population center
certainly will cathch the attention of voters from those constituencies.

What would our media have said about Linclon/Johnson in 1864?

Sarah Palin a breath of fresh air ? A new direction ? Don't you wish ! The Neo-Cons must be drooling unto their war plans . McBush knows exactly what he is doing , in case his co-operation is not available any more there will be another pleasant , personable Commander-in -Chief to do their bidding and sell their schemes as patriotic , approved by God , imperatives .
As to teaching creationism in science class , why not ? The dumber we are the less trouble we will give them . Religious jingoists are the easiest to manipulate .God bless America ? ? God have mercy on her soul !

(Obama has proven he can pile it high and make big promises) vs (Palin has proven she is honest and gets things done for the good of the people),
hmmmm, I guess that ends the debate on who has the most experience!

I'm not as scared as some. But it is WRONG to discuss creationism in Science class. The bible is not a SCIENCE BOOK. It is a book of truth but NOT science. No religion/sect has a right to impose their NARROW religious beliefs on the public schools. By the way, as a Christian, I wish she would show as much tolerance to gays and environmental concerns as she does to religious zealots.

No 372: My post read "No one has questioned Obama further on the 20 years at the church" - Wright made the statement. It is a valid and documented statement. Now I did NOT say "Obama said it" but you have no response or just want to brush off the 20 years that this man spent as Wright's disciple...simple and plain this man was the Obama's mentor! So any questions about Wright's radical, dangerous and white hating views is FAIR game... as far as Debates you spought that "Obama's ready and will beat McCain in the TH format - a JOKE of an assumption. If he so ready and gung-ho then he would have granted McCains countless requests to meet prior to the conventions. Consider the beaten that McCain gave to Obama at Saddleback a "lovetap" compared to the hostile questions coming his way when America gets a chance to grill Barack...hehe, I cannot wait.

I amazed at all the name calling!This is a great choice because many who have felt disenfranchized now feel there is someone representing their views, on a major ticket. This lady has actually run something! She has put her views into action in her home, her town and her state. They have worked. You don't have to agree with her views but to call names with cruelty like N0. 11 did shows just how "open minded" the open minded are! WOW! They seem simply angry. Maybe the reason people seem "scared" is that many people are in her demographic. It is not pandering when she has so many characteristics of a large segment of our population. She is a female, evangelical, strict-constructionist, NRA memeber, pro-life, fiscal conservative, who believes in domestic drilling and does not come
from a population center that panders to fringe groups. Many people fit one or more of these categories. You don't have to like it. You do have to deal with it in
other ways than marginalizing the people who actually make the country work.
She has actually run something successfully. Yes it was small but it worked. How
do people get experience? They move up.

People will decide whether she has enough experience or not. The media should not. What would they have said about Lincoln/Johnson in 1860 and 1864?

I'm a Republican that has become sickened by the cheap tactics of the McCain campaign.
He's done very little to make his case other than saying, "Hey there is Obama, he sucks, I'm not Obama, Vote for me!"

Every day he launches attack after attack instead of saying anything of substance.
Now, He tries this cheap political gimmick by picking some nobody woman with way less experience than the person he's been criticising for having too little experience. Then, Palin's sick pandering by referring to Hillary's 18 million cracks.

Palin is a pawn that would never have been chosen if Hillary were running today. This is a cheap trick to try to just pull women in. This is not what our party is about. These people are shameful.

I think it is time that the democrats take the white house back so that my party can become dignified again. Maybe they'll learn a lesson from this. Besides, I don't agree with McCain on the war anyway.

Never thought I'd say this, but Obama/Biden in '08!

Mc CAIN & PALIN SUPPORT CREATIONISM & INTELLIGENT DESIGN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

Not one Student or school or University should vote for that ticket.
Mc Cain has gone NUTS, & Palin, has turned into a Abortion!
This would turn our Education system, back to Century One.
His VP pick is a insult to the American People!

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/08/mccains-vp-want.html

Pro-family? Five kids but who is raising them? Republicians care for children from conception to birth and that's it. How many Nannies does this woman employ and who will pay their salaries in the White House if God forbid, she is elected. Whose to say she won't be blessed with having more children while VP, she obviously does not believe in family planning? Who will be running the show then. James Dobson? Scary times folks!!

Palin, "My husband's hobby is 2000 mile Alaskan snowmobile races."

Biden, "I once paid a Dominican 50 bucks to change my snowtires."

She looks really sweet, especially the picture of her holding that assault weapon. I think she will make a perfect, perky Veep! Her desire to teach creationism to our students will guarantee them a fulfilling, minimum wage job the rest of their lives. And I don't believe she is totally anti-abortion. I'm sure she would have had one if she knew her last fetus would be gay instead of having Downs Syndrome.

She's Dan Quayle in a dress!

OK, who is going to raise that new little Down's baby? The family dog? I would
defend to the death the right of any woman to carry a known special needs
infant to term, after all, this is what choice is about. However we do have to
make follow on choices, and once you've decided to bear a child like this, your
focus needs to be that child. The Down's children I have known have succeeded
in reaching their full potential as a result of having involved, loving parents who
put them first always. Whatever her other deficiencies (and there are clearly
many) Palin's willingness to divert her attention so stunningly from this infant in pursuit of (unearned) personal advancement condemns her. So like the religious
right. Pop them out. God will provide.

Why would a woman not abort but abandon a baby for her own ambition. Do we think she will have the time to love and nurture an infant with downs. I think not.

I have spent many years counseling post-abortive women and men and witnessed the devestating effects that abortion has on them in 100 percent of the cases. I have also seen the negative effects caused by many homosexuals casual sex towards relationships and disease, As such, I applaud McCain's V.P.choice for a pro-life, pro- family candidate.

There is so much censorship in the Media today, in order to be "politically correct" and so much valuable information they could portray to give everyone the facts and the full picture. Why don't they? Pure and simple...they want to make money from their sponsors, most of who promote these behaviors. How do I know this? I was a Broadcast Journalist major and have worked in both new and advertising for TV and radio. I have seen and experienced the censorship first hand. Everyone politician has a worldview. They should be allowed to express their world view openly. It's going to shape their choices and decisions anyway, which is why we should applaud diversity of opinions in our elections and let the voters decide which worldview they wish to buy into for the good of the country.

Excellent choice. Godless Americans, time to move to France.

It is easy to follow through with a Down Syndrome pregnancy when you have enough money to pay others to help care and educate your child. Her decision is not comparable to those of most American women in the same situation.

Hmmm, let's see...all you Left Coast Liberals hate her. All you Left Coast Liberals are totally out of touch with mainstream America and can not fathom that there is intelligent life beyond your elitist world of Saab Wagons and elite little soccer child droids.

This lady is going to "play in Peoria" people - you know out there in the heartland where the middle class, real and "centered" population lives.

Obama is doomed from this point forward. The silent majority lives.

Oh my goodness, she believes in God (big G). Run for the exits! And, she's against gay-rights! Well people, most Americans do feel this way. I have nothing against gay individuals (I had 3 gay people at my wedding), but I am firmly against special-interest rights. You don't have a right to marry whoever you want...(unless you live in Massachusetts and have social interest judges...)

World view? You make it sound like reality is different for each person. Though our point of reference is different, we all deal with one world. We in America choose to close our eyes to the things that really bother, but we feel helpless to change anything.

The rich and powerful will always have their interests first and foremost.

This VP pick is an example of the sophistication of politicians to read the public and adjust their ideas to get the most votes.

Jimmy Carter, I believe was the only honest president, that is why pols from both parties did everything they could to discredit him.

Can't have real honesty in Washington, D.C..

For all the people who are bashing her and her baby, the odds are she knew beforehand that there was a chance the baby had downs syndrome. You go through all sorts of tests these days, especially if you are over 30, and they can determine the possibilty of these issues before the baby is born. I'm not saying that happened here, but it's certainly a possibility, so think before you stink...

McCain doesn't serve out his term - he's old and has faced down cancer on two separate occasions - Palin becomes President. That is a wildly scary thought. They may like her in Alaska - even that is suspect because the state isn't exactly doing very well right now - but she is NOT qualified to be a heart beat away from the Oval Office. This isn't a Hollywood movie.

Do we really want another person tied to the oil industry in the executive branch? Bush & Cheney love this selection - they're counting on the oil gravy train for another 4 years.
........Mitt Romney was the right choice.

Here

Obama....Wright (wrong) Ties to a terrorist, speacial deals from a convicted felon, no experience other than 130 votes of "present"--had no idea that Russia had veto power in the United Nations. Studders like Daffy Duck.

Biden...plagerist...thinks onyl Indian peolle own 7 11's, called Obama "neat and clean (For a black man)

NOW THAT'S SCARY!

As a mom of a 2 year old son with Down Syndrome.... I'm appauled that she would leave her baby to pursue this. The first year was the hardest...and that baby will need her. Who is going to raise this child...her older daughters? This is not family values!!! As a mother first, professional second... Her first impression to me sucks!!

As a Hillary Clinton supporter.... she is no Hillary. She is sooooooo far removed from everything Hillary stood for! I'm praying that Obama wins....We don't need someone like Palin a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

Who cares about gay rights anyway, don't we have bigger problems than pandering to one percent of the population.

Ms. Palin is not scary because she's a woman of faith, she's scary because she sounded like a ditzy barbie doll in an interview when she said "I don't even know what the VP does- what do they do?" and laughed. It was supposed to be a funny comment but it made me recoil in horror. McMain won't live forever and she's a heartbeat from being leader of the free world.

I embrace her faith but cringe at the thought of a soccer mom and beauty pagent queen running the country.

I am a woman, (and want a woman in office) but one who earned the honor, not a publicity stunt.

I cannot help thinking about that character in the PBS series Brideshead Revisited, who said to Jeremy Irons about the lovely family in the big house, "Beware of ch-ch-charm." That goes for our reactions to the "paladin" sallying forth to claim Dick Cheney's mantle as energy-minded VP.

Palin is a charmer to some, but her substantial beliefs do not hold water. She will probably obstruct those whose ideas do. I noticed in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on MSNBC's business station that she was making even that capitalistic woman's eyes roll. You see, as the governor of the many (not just the oil companies), she has had to talk about Alaskans' rights to the oil and gas under them, their right to royalties. It seems to contradict the notion of oil companies' being the "producers" who have the right to all they "produce". You know what she said (she seems to naively say too much, to talk from her first principles, not being a lawyer) - she said that the nature of capitalism was to extract whatever it could, as fast as it could.

What Palin didn't say, and what was never prompted by Bartiromo (who seemed to be still astonished by this choice of running mate), was that pure capitalism, rather than the pro-Alaska socialism or American exceptionalism, means that oil is just a commodity on the open market whose price is determined by demand, and that it will be sold to all comers with the money for it. ANWAR oil can and will be sold to Asia, for instance, to the Chinese and Indians with all their new cars. As would the Iraq oil.

All the oil issues of Iraq which the Republicans would not make clear come out in Alaska: the right of the people living on the land to claim their "own" oil and the possibility that that oil will ever be cheaper for Americans because it is here.

One thing this very verbal Palin stated is that in Alaska, with their pipeline running (in spite, she says, of Biden) pays (closer to the sources of it) about $10.00/ gallon and $5.00/ gallon throughout the rest of the state. It fits capitalism, but it does not exactly fit what she is telling us about how our oil prices will go down if we will only drill in Alaska for "energy independence." Something is cockeyed in her most intense message.

I suppose her handlers will tell her to stop talking about oil and gas, and switch to family values.

But while we are watching her, while they are playing up her ex-beauty princess credentials, forgetting her prejudiced mayoral campaign (in a city of 6,000 souls), we'll ignore McCain and his disastrous similarity to Bush in foreign policy ("Bomb bomb Iran")

#348-acelaphic-From one Christian to another, you need a history lesson. America was founded by "spirit filled Christians"? Hardly. For a good in-depth study, I point you to Christian writer James Watkins:
http://watkins.gospelcom.net/foundingfathers.htm

Adams was a Unitarian, Franklin a Deist, Jefferson a Deist who denied Christ's Divinity, and went so far as to construct his own New Testament:
"The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels" which essentially removed all supernatural elements from the gospels.

Yes, some of the Founders were devout, but by no means all. Their greatest triumph was incorporating freedom of religion as a bedrock principle. I am very much for separation of Church and State, mainly because I don't want the State in my Church.

Reading over the comments on this board, it is tragic the degree to which the Radical Right has hijacked His teachings. Remember, it was the Conservatives of the day (the Pharisees) that more or less nailed Him up.

ana,
Doesn't She have a husband?

A "healthy debate" about creationism? That's like a healthy debate about whether the Earth is flat, or the Earth is the center of the universe. There is no debate! The theory of evolution is science, and creationism, or "intelligent design," is religion.

McCain is delusional if he thinks Hillary supporters are going to vote for an anti-choice novice whose resume includes governing a town of 6,700. One of his strongest arguments, that Obama lacks experience, is completely out the door.

I cannot believe how the "high-minded" intellectual types are reacting to Sarah Palin. These people are supposed to be the smartest people in the room with the answers to all the worlds toughest questions like how we are going to replace hydrocarbons with clean energy, how a child raised by two dads will grow up unconfused, and how the gaps in evolution can just be ignored. I mean from each according to his ability, to each according to his need, right?

How could it be that the sight a strong willed, well spoken women of accomplishment frightens the ultra left? Maybe it’s because her view of the world is through the lens of Christianity. I thought we were all supposed to "coexist"? I think what is being revealed is that the left is all for strong willed well spoken women, as long as she thinks just like them. The truth is, most of us out here in fly-over country think like her, and nearly all of us live like Sarah Palin.

I can see why they are scared. Either the Democrats or Republicans are going to make history in November
. Regardless of who wins this is good for the United States of America.

Liberal feminists showed their true hypocrisy when they put politics ahead of gender when defending Bill Clinton's indiscretions.

Again, liberal feminists show how phony they are. True feminists should be applauding this great day for their gender . The bold reformer Governor of Alaska, who took on the old-boy corrupt politics in her state. She is a true feminist, a great example for the young women of America.
And the bitter liberal feminists do nothing but attack her...

Hey, 353-"non lib."

Fundamental (no pun intended) flaw in your argument: just because something isn't stated implicitly in the Constitution doesn't mean it's not there, or wasn't intended.

Go ahead, show me where it says you have a "right to a fair trial." Go ahead, I'll wait. .....

Oh yeah, it's NOT THERE. Routinely interpreted that way, but not actually there.

So, following the logic of the "there is no Separation" crowd, if you commit a crime, I should be able to hold a complete kangaroo court, so long as it's speedy, public, with an impartial jury and in the state where the offense was committed. No where does it say it has to be "fair."

Her position on abortion is a bit extreme but I can't disagree with at least limiting the practice and stop using it as a form of birth control like the far left seemingly is AOK with! As far as her character she is definately a breath of fresh air. She WILL shake up the corruption in DC because she has already done so in outing the corruption of Alaska senator Ted Stevens. She has also taken a voluntary pay cut as governer of Alaska and has put the kibosh on the use of private jet transportation. These are all positives.

Sarah Palin fights corruption in Republican politics.... she doesn't plan on doing that or promise to do it, she has already done it.

The fact that some Americans feel the need to call someone a moron for standing up for their beliefs is what really worries me. Honoring diversity of ideas is just as important as honoring diversity of race.

In this as in any election, I hope we all keep our minds open and our mouths shut until be get all the facts. Then, folks, let's try a little grace and mercy ourselves for a change, whichever side we choose.

Hey 418, you are misinformed. Darwin's THEORY of evolution is a THEORY. It is not fully proven and he admitted as much. The scientific community is fascistic in beating this drum and science is supposed to be about unequivocale imperical evidence which the evolutionists are not. Ironically they act much like the Catholic church did in Galileo's time, truly pathetic.

an80sreaganite : I commend you to my post #415.

Personally, I am comfortable with demeanor of Mrs. Palin, I understand her personality (a hard-charging bright woman in a traditional environment for women). I am country-bred and my family is equally divided as to parties. Three out of four of my brothers are Republicans (it's about money). My sister-in-law is Republican because for her it's about faith (her Catholicism has gradually morphed into something resembling Protestant evangelism). I astonished everyone around the dinner table (after grace) when I mentioned that the Democrats were once called, during an election fight for the presidency, the party of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion.

The family is disgusted with the Iraq War (no one in the Republican side is of appropriate age to be in uniform anyway), but they do not want those scary liberals taking over. They feel comfortable with neocon Jews who are warmongers. They just don't feel so good about the other more thoughtful types, unless they are advising them on stock picks.

Palin is not going to concern people who always went off to keggers when it was time to tackle that science course you had to take in order to graduate. Her socialism for Alaskans, they hope, will just "wither away" in the glare of the spotlight. After all, she's gambling she'll never have to endure another Alaskan winter again, with all those people who think they are entitled to a cut of the oil revenues, those living embodiments of the "tragedy of the commons".

But as a person, as someone I would break bread with, Palin is lovely, and very like my own family. I am just careful not to vote for such people.

Sarah Palin looks like the Christian version of LARA CROFT.

She doesn't whine about glass ceilings - she blows them off! Lara would be proud!!

She has come up through the ranks and IS a normal person. Then she kicked it up a notch by taking advantage of the opportunities this country offers everyone willing to go for it.

The majority of us are Christian, hardworking and dedicated to our families, our community and our country. We believe in God, the Bible, freedom, common sense and character.

The next game may well be "SARAH PALIN GOES TO WASHINGTON" to clean up the mess and give us REAL CHANGE.

Congratulations Sarah!

Excellent! Let's see....

creationist? check.
anti-science? check.
former beauty queen? check.
anti-choice? check.
anti-gay rights? check.
anti-polar bear? check. (heh)
former part-time mayor of a tiny Alaskan village? check.
22 months on the job as governor of one of the least populated states in the union? check.
ignorant of what a V.P. does? check.
zero foreign policy experience? check.

As a woman and as a veteran, I'm appalled. While she is surely going to attract the neanderthal vote, I'm hopeful the rest of the nation that possesses at least one firing neuron will do the right thing and vote for Obama/Biden.

She is a scary, scary lady.

It makes me sad to read all these mean cruel things being said about other people. We can disagree in a nice polite way and discuss our opinions without hurting others. Why be so mean?

EVERYBODY READ #100 AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, GO BACK TO YOUR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND ASK FOR A REFUND FOR A HALF BAKED EDUCATION. IF THE WORLD EVER WANTED A LAUGHING STOCK AS A COUNTRY , U.S.A.
LOOK AT BRITISH, FRENCH, INDIAN, GERMAN ELECTION ISSUES. AND THEN LOOK AT U.S.A. ISSUES:

HIS NAME DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MINE
HE IS ELITIST AND HAS A TOP CLASS EDUCATION
HE IS BLACK, EVEN THOUGH HIS MOTHER IS WHITE AS SNOW
HE IS INEXPERIENCED, WELL WHOSE FAULT IS IT, BLACKS JUST STARTED VOTING YESTERDAY AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN STACKED AGAINST THE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
WILL WHITE AMERICA EVER GET PAST THE RACE ISSUE, AS ONE COMMENT APTLY SAID. A LOT OF WHITES ARE REALLY AFRAID THAT A BLACK MAN WOULD BE SO ELOQUENT, REFLECTIVE, INTELLIGENT AND HAS BROKEN SO MANY BARRIERS IN A SHORT POLITICAL CAREER. WAKE UP AMERICA, THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU WITH YOUR SO CALLED IDEALS, VALUE AND MORAL ETHICS. IS THIS THE SAME COUNTRY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON REWARDING DREAMS, HARD WORK AND OVERCOMING IMMENSE ODDS. OBAMA HAS BUILT HIS CAMPAIGN INTO ONE OF THE GREATEST SEEN , AND YOU CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY HIS REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. OBAMA, SON OF THE WORLD, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU AND YOU SHALL GO DOWN IN THE WORLD HISTORY ALONG WITH OTHERS OF YOUR ILK.
AMERICA, EMANCIPATE YOURSELF FROM MENTAL SLAVERY, NON BUT OUR SELVES SHALL FREE OUR MINDS. YES WE CAN!

The idea that "nearly all of us live like Sarah Palin" may or may not be true. But as a supporting argument for readiness for the vice-presidency, it does not stand up to scrutiny. "Nearly all of us" is not qualified for that job. This is not American Idol or Can You Dance Smarter Than 5th Grader. The consequences of the lack of attention paid to the teaching of history and what used to be called "civics" is becoming more and more apparent with each passing year. I'm not sure what "high-minded intellectual types" are supposed to be, but I'd sure like to see less stereotyping and more thought going into this process. The last 8 years have been an unmitigated disaster in so many dimensions (fiscal, foreign policy, emergency preparedness, infrastructure) that we had better pay some serious attention (get away from the TV, the X-Box) or we are going to continue the current decline.

This woman is uninformed about the nation, its economy, the state of our standing in the world. She has said she doesn't know anything about the job of VP, and she has stated she hasn't been following the events in Iraq. Her conservative views haunt me (and I know they are embraced by others), but the facts about her overall knowledge of world affairs should haunt everyone. She is uninformed. We cannot and should not tolerate this. McCain's choice shows a complete lack in judgment and leadership. Is this all a big game to him? A rich man who has the power to play like this? Is this putting country first? The woman is uninformed about the world--as most of us are--yet she would be our Commander in Chief! (NO COMPARISON TO OBAMA ON EDUCATION (she has a bachelor's degree, he has a law degree from Harvard), He has served in the state senate and in congress.) She is uninformed!

Palin Focus of Probe In Police Chief's Firing
Her Family Wanted a Trooper Dismissed, He Says
By James V. Grimaldi and Kimberly Kindy
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, August 30, 2008; Page A11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/29/AR2008082903598.html

Sarah Palin, the bridge to nowhere, and another 'maverick' myth
by kindofblue
Fri Aug 29, 2008 at 12:42:39 PM PDT

Today, we are being told that McCain chose another 'maverick' - someone who would speak out about waste, pet projects and earmarks. McCain's campaign claims: "She put a stop to the 'bridge to nowhere' that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars," speaking about the Gravina Island Bridge.

Palin herself claimed as much in her speech, saying:

I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere.

Did Palin Really Fight The “Bridge To Nowhere”?

Republicans have been heavily touting Sarah Palin's reformist credentials, with her supposed opposition to Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" as Exhibit A. But how hard did she really fight the project? Not very, it seems. Here's what she told the Anchorage Daily News on October 22, 2006, during the race for the governor's seat (via Nexis):

5. Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?

Yes. I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.

So she was very much for the bridge and insisted that Alaska had to act quickly—the party of Ted Stevens and Don Young might soon lose its majority, after all. By that point, the project was endangered for reasons that had nothing to do with Palin—the bridge had become a national laughingstock, Congress had stripped away the offending earmark, shifting the money back to the state's general fund, and future federal support seemed unlikely. True, after Palin was sworn into office that fall, her first budget didn't allocate any money for the bridge. But when the Daily News asked on December 16, 2006, if she now opposed the project, Palin demurred and said she was just trying to figure out where the bridge fit on the state's list of transportation priorities, given the lack of support from Congress. Finally, on September 19, 2007, she decided to redirect funds away from the project altogether with this sorry-sounding statement:

"Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer," said Governor Palin. "Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it's clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island," Governor Palin added. "Much of the public's attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened."

Maybe I've missed something, but it sure looks like she was fine with the bridge in principle, never had a problem with the earmarks, bristled at all the mockery, and only gave up on the project when it was clear that federal support wasn't forthcoming. Now, Charles Homans, who knows Alaska well, says Palin's anti-corruption instincts are fairly solid (she sold off the gubenatorial jet upon taking office, for one), and a casual Nexis search suggests that she's fiscally conservative (insofar as that term makes sense in a quasi-socialist state like Alaska), but this hardly looks like the "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" moment everyone's making it out to be.

I think it is all well and good that you have this wonderful faith that helps you in time of need and gives you spiritual guidance. I, however, do not want your spirituality shoved down my or my daughters throat. My beliefs, or lack of them, are my business. Women, and men, like her feel it is their right to dictate what we are to believe. I normally vote Libertarian, but, I can see myself voting for Obama/Biden just because they are less likely to force their beliefs on me. I can deal with a short time of liberalness a lot easier than the long term evangelicalism I will get stuck with after a McCain/Palin administration.

Aren't we supposed to be digging our way *out* of the stone age? Do we also debate science with the flat earth society or astrologers? And why would we privilege Christian versions of creation if we were to actually debate this? How about Navajo and Hindu versions? And how many semesters will all of this take? Any wonder why we are falling behind culturally and technologically?
Lets Move On, Folks!

re: Dave Hunter, #432....Thanks for your post. It only took 432 posts, but I finally found something informative in here.

Regarding "state health benefits for same-sex partners."
The article says she is against them. SHE ISN'T!!!!
She is against same sex marriage; but, has no problem with partner benefits.

Post #11 isn't couth, but the the point it argues is important. This country would benefit from allowing voluntary abortion and infanticide of disabled children (a la Peter Singer). Ms. Palin supports the rights of disabled children, but yet discriminates against gays and lesbians? Gays and lesbians have the potential to be contributing members of society. A child with down syndrome does not.

Mr Bennett (#362):
You left out a key piece of the story: Martha Beck, the mother you mention and author of the book you reference, left Harvard where she taught and moved to Colorado to spend more time raising her children, including Adam. This is a far cry from going back to work full time three days after birthing her child and months later accepting the nomination of vice president, and in effect, agreeing to accept the job of president while parenting her young children.
Your rendition of the story reminds me of some on the religious right who take pieces of their Bible to tell the story which invokes the truth which, according to them, we all should follow.

It is great that a christian person could be our vice president.
We need prayer back in schools and this could start with the teaching of creationism rather than evolution. Since 1962 when praryer was taken out of the schools acedemics and the morality of our youth has greatly deteriorated.

The thing that worries me the most is stem cell research. John McCain is pro life, but comes down on the side of stem cell researach. I don't think I could vote for someone who is against this. it is so important and humane.

I am all for teahing creationism in the publeic schools, as long as you teach all 273 documented ceation stories, not just the christian one. But of course it takes an advanced degree in anthropology (with a specialty) to cover that.

So , since there is a seperation of church and state you can teach sience or all regions equally!

Just because I wanted Hillary in the white house doesn't mean I wanted a female in office. McCain must think if he chose a female all Hilliary voters would pick her instead. McCain is too old and she is to inexperienced. I wonder about people who wear their religion on their shoulder.

#58 -" She's currently under investigation for firing a state commissioner, because the commissioner would not fire a state-trooper. This state trooper was her soon to be ex-brother in law, who was in a nasty custody battle with Palin's sister. That's some accomplishment."

FYI--On two separate occasions that state trooper threatened to kill Palin's father. The state trooper also tasered his 10 year-old son. This was not about a "nasty custody battle." It was about removing from the state police department a frighteningly disturbed and unstable man.

Palin is indeed scary. She cloaks the teaching of creationism in the seemingly common sense approach, of "teaching the debate". But this is just Religious Right rhetoric. She is the perfect mouthpiece for them, no wonder they are so thrilled. The Religious Right seeks to disenfranchise all non-Christians, and normal, reasonable Christians who believe in equality. This pick is the equivalent of choosing a younger, female George W. Bush. Look where that has gotten us. As a woman, I am at once compelled and appalled at Palin's rise to power. I worked within the schools, bucked the system...clearly Palin has had a lot of help from the Religious Right in her meteoric rise. We should all be so "lucky".
Anyone who is pro-reason, should do all they can to get Obama elected. Biden is a Catholic but he doesn't want to force his personal views on others and use it to trample on everyone else's civil liberties!
Vote Obama-Biden- a vote for reason!

It's shocking that the Republican election team has promoted someone with such thin credentials to the #2 slot; just a heartbeat away from the leadership of the free world.. Mayoralty of a small rural village and 20 months of gubernatorial experience is insufficient evidence that she has the intellectual rigour necessary to wield national and international power. In any event, I am sure that Obama has a cabinet post in mind for Sen. Clinton, adding to the depth of his team. I feel America is at the brink, either we elect an administration with broad experience and wisdom to help guide us out of this morass, or we wrap ourselves in another cynical "faith-based" politician like the one which got us into this mess in the first place.

Evolution is a theory, not fact. Christians like me know how the world came to be. I see nothing wrong with teaching vast different opinions in the classroom. It is disrespectful for anyone with any belief to say the other should be dismissed. The woman's right to choose is law, and yet the Republicans year after year run saying they think its wrong. For 8 years we have had a President elected on "moral" issues. Why did they not make it their mission to overturn the Surpreme Courts desision. The real issue is that Palin should put the law of God first, that is every Christian's duty, but this country was founded with the idea that all of us, irreguardless of belief can live in harmony with each other. The only way for us to go forward as a nation is to stop being offended by others beliefs,and let them express there opinions openly. Let all Americans pursue happiness no matter what there beliefs are. This included Gays, they should be allowed to pursue happiness and have all the benefits alotted to any other American. To vote in anyone who believes in dicriminating against any American is a travasty. Love your neighbors and your enemies. You can not have love without respect. So we must respect the views of every American. Palin might some day understand that, but for right now (just like McCain) she doesn't get it.

She sounds like the Jerry Springer contestant candidate to me - anti-choice, anti-endangered species, anti-evolution, anti-gay rights and trying to use her position as governor to get her brother-in-law fired (however worthy he might be of losing his job). Lied about the bridge to nowhere. John must think that the third former beauty queen is the charm. I sincerely hope not.

I hate the Christian right wing as much as I hate the Islamists! They are both of the same breed!

Born of a vile culture.

Damn y;all Hope y'all rot in hell for ever!

#1 rule of being a conservative: Portray yourself as a victim!

Yes, If we don't let you teach your phony "science" in our schools, we are somehow victimizing you.

You all forget that one the 10 Commandments is Thou Shall Not Lie. Saying creationism or "intelligent design" is legit science is ... just plain old lying.

Also claiming that the founding fathers wanted a theocracy is ... just plain old lying. Check your American history. We had a constitutional convention and they decided on a democracy. Every country in Europe at the time was an oppressive theocracy, and Americans of various religious outlooks did not want a repreat of that. But over 200 years later, the far right wants to undo the wise planning of the founding fathers. If you don't like the US the founding fathers intended ... we're not keeping here against your will are we?

What's REALLY scary is that some lunatic could assassinate John McCain and this beauty queen could end up being our President! Does she know where Tazikstan is? What does she know about Medicare? DHS? YIKES!!

Theocracy NOW!!!!!!!!

- John W. McBush

Hey #424: YOU are misinformed. Understand what a scientific theory IS, not what you think it is, and then join the discussion. From reading these posts, it is clear that scientific illiteracy is disturbingly rampant, which further illustrates why we cannot afford to have another administration so opposed to science and science education. The word "fact" has little value in science (supposed facts change all the time- i.e. pluto as a planet) and the word "proof" has almost no value whatsoever. That is not what we do as scientists. We collect data/evidence to test particular hypotheses. Some ideas are supported by the available data, some are refuted. We are driven by curiosity, questions, and the value of evidence. Creationism by its very nature ENDS the questioning, the curiosity, and cherry-picks the evience. I don't care if you believe in it, just do not dress it up as science.

What is obvious to me, is the excitement on the right, and the fear on the left, Polin's candicy with McCain has generated. Never before have I witnessed such energy from a vice-presidential nomination. McCain nailed it by choosing her. This website must be liberal to allow a comment like #11 to be aired. It was quite offensive. Unlike the commentor, I will sign mine with my name. If the belief that gays are born queer is true, then is it not true that pedophiles are born that way also. It makes no sense. Not knowing the Lord, brings on hate and despair. Mrs. Polin does not hate homosexuals, but believes it is wrong, as sure as adultry is wrong. She is in favor of rights for them, but not marriage. Marriage is a God driven institution which is not supposed to include same sex partners. Period

There are too many Christian idiots here believe that the BOR comes from the 10 Commandments.

These evil people do not realize that the Ameica is founded on secular principles that go all the back to Plato and Aristotle..not the Bible!

But born of a lying vile culture and faith is a lying evil religion (not unlike Islam) they lie and lie an lie and lie.

Too many people confuse Christianity with a type of organized religion. Christianity is a belief in Christ and his teachings and not according to specific organized religions or doctrines. Real Christianity means you are given choices in life and only you are accountable for those sink or swim choices. It is assumed that other than sick psychos or the deranged, people know the basic difference between right and wrong. For those of us who don't believe every thing we read or see on television or everything a political party says without looking back at proven historical data before voting, for those of us who don't adopt our opinions from the media rather than form our own, for those of us who are sick and tired of the same old song and dance and people getting rich by stepping on the less fortunate, for those of us who want a president with faith but doesn't shove fear/white horse tactics down our throats, Obama is the only choice for me. Proven Historical data shows this country is in better shape under the democrats, and in the worst shape under the republicans and now it is in far worst shape than it has been in American history. I don't fully subscribe to Blue or Red but given the state of this country in the 49 years I've been walking the earth, Obama-Biden is the right choice.

Oh my! I was excited when reading the article, then I about cried reading all those hateful comments. I also, agree with another poster's condemning of comment #11.-that's hateful and down right ignorant. As a student of creation-science I am excited about Palin. For those of you who just read creation-science and scoffed or thought I was a crazy right wing religious nut. Watch this video about the space/time/matter continuum and the IMPOSSIBILITY that there is no God.

thewaythetruth.com

Watch the video on the homepage. There's a plethora of other supportive evidence however, this is great argument.

Senator McCain: I wish you would've considered Tom Johnson, the president of our local Little League. He's a smart, handsome guy with lots of common sense, and although he doesn't know much about Iraq or Iran, he heads a government agency that has dozens of employees.

Please don't hesitate to contact me for more information about Tom. He'd make a great chief of staff or maybe a cabinet secretary or department head.

Also, my sister Mary is a hard-working churchgoer who doesn't have much government experience, but she's a real people person with lots of common sense and I think she'd make a good Interior Secretary because she's been a regular hiker and backpacker for about two years.

In fact, I know lots of people who are as qualified as Sarah Palin to serve as your running mate. And for that, I thank you. It's great to know that Tom and Mary and the rest are prepared to be a heartbeat away. This is a great moment in our history.

All liberals unbelievers are on the road to Hell

Someone said this woman is a "breath of fresh air?" This social reactionary, advocate of the NRA, anti-woman's choice, anti-homosexual rights, anti-sex education, anti-evolution. . .a religious nut who believes God has "blessed" her with a brain-damaged child.
Next in line, possibly, as leader of the Free World!
Aaaaaaaahhhhhggggg!!

Posts # 11 and 14 need to be removed - comments are cruel and uncalled for. Sarah's baby son has Down's Syndrome so leave him out of the conversation. Sarah is a married woman and mother of five gainfully employed as a public servant. She is not a "whore". The posters of these 2 comments need to educate themselves firstly about the subjects they are obviously so ignorant of. I have to laugh at "little men" who throw the whore comment at strong women - underscores their insecurity complex!!!
Kudoes to John McCain for his choice of Sarah Palin!! She's a refreshing breath of fresh air! You go girl! I find no need to compare her to Hillary - she is leaps and bounds ahead of Hillary and her baggage. Sarah has ethics and stands up for what is right!!! I am a former Democrat that switched parties because of Obama.....now I'm doubly glad I did - John and Sarah are what our country desperately needs right NOW! My Mayflower and Revolutionary War patriot ancestors founded this country on religious beliefs and it worked!!! The past fifty years of legislation have screwed it all up......we need to get back to constitutional basics before we lose sight of what America is all about.

OMG!!!

This woman sounds like the reincarnation of Jerry Falwell. We are truly doomed if she winds up sitting in the White House some day. If this article is right, she is completely clueless. She must have been out moose hunting when the Dover PA intelligent design fanatics went down in flames.

I am an atheist, but this almost makes me want to start praying to God to save us from McCain, Palin, and their ilk. Fortunately we have other options that actually have a chance of working. Vote Democratic in November!

Go

I've read most of the statements on this page and believe evil, lives on evil. Saying that if you have contempt for something it will fester into deceit. Where do you come off attacking religion and family or the love for a child. Maybe our values have ended up in the gutter where they belong. You call yourself Americans but post statements as these. Let the first perfect person cast the first stone.

I will vote for mccain/palin ticket if she also supports the church of the flying spaghetti monster's theory of creationism in our public school system.

http://www.venganza.org/

To #71 regarding separation of church and state.
The first line of the constitution says "We the people", not God almighty. The framers and writers of the contitution left out references to God on purposes. This country was founded by people, not a deity.

As far as discussing creation in public schools, it surely doesn't belong in a science class. Theories discussed in science class are to be questioned and tested. There is no test for creation, it is a conclusion not a premise. Evolution hasn't been proven 100% but creation can't be proven at all. Creation is valid because someone said so. That hardly seems like a reasonable basis for discussion.

What a breath of fresh air! Being a former Alaskan resident, I can relate to her many experiences and capibilities. She will get the job done and is ably qualified for the position of VP. Congratulations, Senator McCain on a wise choice, although several others on your short list were qualified as well. This is a team that our country needs,

The silly person who is BSing about "Creation science". IF Creation science is true..all it proves is that Hinduism is right on. The Hindus concept of God is right up there in concept with "Creation science"'s concept of an intelligence designer.

The Biblical BS is still BS! not even Creation Science can save that nonsense!

Sarah Palin is brought to you by the same Republican party that thought Dan Quayle was an excellent choice for the first Bush's presidency. She'll be no threat to McCain's ego.

Bottom line she really does not have the right experience. We live in complicated times. If McCain died in office we would have a president with out the real “know how”. I am all for a woman being in the white house... I was a Hillary supporter. But Palin pales in comparison. McCain picked her because it was trendy to do so. His choice is insulting to me as a woman. As well, a lot of people have said that she represents the average American. I don’t want an average American to be president. I want someone far far above average to run our country.

I agree with "D"

"Intelligent Design" is Consciousness. The consciousness that is in all matter. Thats the Hindu and new age philosophy of Deepak Chopra.

The Bible nonsense remains a nonsense comic book story written by goat herders of the Middle east.

To 1Mericat on post #288:
You say "I am thankful to live in a country that we are free to think and live freely. Why then do people have to tear others apart because they think differently than they think."
I agree with you but there comes a point when, like a teacher with unruly students, one must grab the unruly child by his/her ears and say: "study dammit." I'm speaking metaphorically (I'm not advocating corporal punishment!).
Most of the republicans who support these disastrously ignorant candidates are disastrously ignorant themselves. It's as if they never studied, explored, questioned, traveled the world, understood the principles of critical thinking and logic, engaged in discourse with peoples of other nations, etc: in other words, lazy students of life. As a result, the uneducated mind survives on blind authority: it's not surprising that the blindly faithful are also predominant amongst the blindly political.
An educated populace is a thriving populace.

HA HA HA HA

You libs are on the run! Now we conservatives can run amok with respect for life, religion, and the American Family.

You libs have every reason to be scared. You are going to be isolated right back where you belong-in the closet!

Creation science is an oxymoron. Its tenets are in fact quite silly and are easily dismissed with empirical evidence. The notion that it has any legitimacy within the scientific community is simply a lie. Creationism is an expression of faith that explicitly rejects scientific methodology in favor of received wisdom.The evangelical folks who are selling that received wisdom are simply protecting their market share by urging that public funds be spent on teaching such silliness- Even the pope has recanted on the church's earlier postions on evolution. As to those of you commenting on how scary Senator Obama's former pastor is, please remember that Senator McCain's former pastor offered the opinion that Katrina was an expression of god's wrath on New Orleans - who's got the scarier ex-pastor?

To #71 and other backers of your one-world religion based in the U.S.:

This election wil determine whether the U.S. will survive at all. It is abhorrent to keep putting evangelical, anti-science and cultic Republicans in positions of authority. I bet Palin believes we are in the end times and Iran is the battle that will bring Christ back. I am sickened by all things Republican because mentally ill "Christians", including President Bush have deliberately put us on a precipice of their own making. We must have sanity and secularism back in our leadership or one of these misguided freaks is going to cause a nuclear launch.
By accepting the nomination, Palin shows the "love-based" hatred of Americans who think differently from her, that she ascribes to the hatred of the poor, gay people, and unbelievably, she is against stem cell research based on what she heard from her evangelical preacher and other Christians who make a great living preaching Republican, anti-American values and excluding all those who think differently. This nation is a place of incredible diversity and she and McCain embrace an extremely thin slice of American life.
I am so sick of the happy-faced insanity Palin and other evangelicals display. As soon as you learn what they believe, the smile on their faces transforms into a grimace of hate and you realize how dangerous they are.
Bush was never elected president. We should not have ever got to this place where our very future is at stake and the old, tired beliefs of the last disastrous eight years are still around and at play. There is a reason why Bush lost the popular vote in 2000 by millions of votes.
I hope Obama wins, but this election is about saving this country from the Cheney-Bush coup over our laws, courts, and civil liberties. If Obama wasn't in contention, I'd still vote to keep the same GOP morons whose philosophy is to remove the rule of law and reward those who think just like them and punish every other American.
Palin is attractive, yes, but the real problem is she's a cookie-cutter evangelical Christian who would hold the Bible above the U.S. Constitution. We've seen what these people have done based on the Bible from the White House, the Justice Department, the Supreme Court to Congress, based on their professed "Christian" philosophy. They've stripped America of her greatest assets, calling those assets evil, ungodly, and liberal, as if being progressive were a sin.
Let's crush this so-called "Conservative Movement" once and for all by rejecting this man and his little chirpy hater of American ideals.
By the way, to the ernest young lady who sees nothing wrong with teaching creationism next to evolution: surveys show that including Christian teaching next to scientific F A C T confuses children. In Florida, 13 school districts included creationism in biology lessons and wouldn't let science teachers use the word evolution in the classroom. They've been doing it for years. Thousands of school children failed to enter good colleges because they failed the science portion of their entrance exams. Those districts also had the consistently lowest scores on the science portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessement Test. Teaching creationism ruins our students' ability to compete in college and makes them virtual retards when they compete with workers from Asia, Europe, Australia and the rest of the world when they enter the workplace.
To be Christian evangelical is to destroy our nation from every aspect of our lives.
It's a loser proposition to put radical, faith-based, first-century thinker politicians in office. The Taliban brought us 911. An evangelical Christian president will bring us World War III.
To save our very lives, let's reject all politicians who wave the evangelical Christian cross in front of our faces.
freedamerica@Yahoo.com

And once again, I am compelled to repeat myself, to # 369, 424 and 446, as well as the rest of you. Evolution is a FACT. It's been proven to be a fact by all of the scientific evidence discovered over the years. The "theory" of evolution is simply the codification of the best andmost recent colelctions of this evidence -- much of which has been collected since Darwin first enunciated his theory (and even if he said that it wasn't proven -- that was a LONG time ago). Not ONE positive piece of evidence has been produced to show the existence of special creation. Every time a tenet of evolutionary theory has been tested by the laws of science, it has either been proven, or disproven, discarded and replaced by what the new evidence shows.

Keep in mind, too, that evolutionary theory makes no pretense of explaining how all of the matter came into being in the first place, or of questions such as how the "Big Bang" got touched off, or who two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen form an element essential to life. That sort of thing may never be explainable by science -- and it's why I infer that there was indeed some sort of special creation, NOT EXPLAINABLE BY THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND THUS NOT SUITABLE FOR ANY SORT OF SCIENCE CLASS. I have no evidence at all for this idea; but I do suggest, as a point of philosophy or religion but NOT science, that it indeed happened.

Finally, and for the last time, I hope -- science classes are NOT supposed to be democratic exercises where different beliefs are allowed into the classroom for the students to choose from amng them! Creationists also pretend that those who support evolution are afraid of having contrary "beliefs" taught. No! A thousand times, no! We welcome science into the classroom -- but creationism is not, and will never be, science. It starts with the desired premise, and then tries to work backward in a desperate search for evidence which seems to discredit evolution and thus, ipso facto, supprts creationism. It is the creationists who fear contrary ideas; for if they allow themselves to accept evolution,and thus accept that the creation story of Genesis is not literal truth, they are then forced to ask if any more of their beliefs are based on literal truth in a Book that is no longer 100% literally true. The sad thing is that we do not have to abandon our religious beliefs when we accept the fact of evolution. What a wonderful, unfathomable God we have who created the world -- not as as set forth in Genesis, but in His own special way -- and made possible the world we live in.

Governor Palin's creationism argument is very weird. Should we teach Greek mythology as fact and let our kids decide what is real? Zeus be praised! Isn't the whole point of education the acquisition of knowledge? Are we really supposed to confuse our kids with faith-based science?

BREAK THE GLASS CEILING !!!
WOW ... What a great pick!!! America should elect
McCain & Palin for the Whitehouse in November,
for a return to wholesome American values.
An experienced Governor for V.P. vs. a
community organizer for President ... I pick Palin.
No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko,
no mean Michelle, NOBAMA

471 You conservatives have been running amok for the last 12 years. You've respected the slaughter of hundreds of thousand of innocent people, the introduction torture as national policy, the suspension habeus corpus, efforts to ignite world wide religious warfare, attacks on gays and lesbians and you've incurred an almost trillion dollar national debt and bankrupted Social Security doing it - damn right we're scared - Ha Ha Ha???

A "science" teacher's offspring wanting to teach voodoo "theories" such as creationism? What this nation needs is more hard science, math, writing and language being taught in schools so we can compete in the 21st century. If you want Creaationism go to Bible school. Being opposed to health benefits for ANY segment of society brand this self-proclaimed Evangelical Christian as truly anti-Christian in practice. Opposed to any form of birth control? Opposed to abortions in all circumstances (well, it's good to know she believes you can save the mother) including rape and incest: next we'll find out she's against prescription drugs. We already know she's opposed to stem-cell research: will she foreswear any remedies found thereto to cure Down's syndrome? She's tougher on defenseless polar bears than on well-healed utility companies--what a maverick! Another right wing-nut being foisted on the public by a gigolo husband (and self acclaimed Vietnam war criminal, err, "hero") who obviously is attracted to Barbies...Now that's the way to attract the female vote.

To creationist Palin supporters: Why don't you endorse teaching Darwinian evolution in Bible classes at the same time you try to force creationism into science classes? Fair is fair.

For those of you who think race is blurring the issue, I agree -- but not quite in the manner you suspect.

I have relatives who will vote for Obama BECAUSE he is black . Makes them feel liberally superior, I guess.

Race should never be the reason to vote for or against. Rather it should be the beliefs, integrity and solutions being offered by the candidate. Perhaps Obama is down in the polls because while he is an energetic speaker -- he does not say anything. What are his policies? How does he plan to accomplish his broad statements?

Listening to Sarah Palin speak was a breath of fresh air. She is unpretentious and appears to be a go-getter ... with a history of accomplishing what she set out to do.
Why should she not have strong convictions?

We don't vote our leaders into office to have them sway with the rise and fall of Gallup polls or pander to moneyed influences or fall in line with our beliefs. Rather, we expect them to be strong and make decisions that serve the country as a whole.

As for post #11 --
I have a sister who is retarded and a niece with Downs syndrome. Both are very special. Yes, their presence makes life more demanding and more difficult. Like most other life events, we are tested in unexpected ways. But more than anything else, they bring out the best in us.

For me, the word "retarded" is not derogatory. It is simply a designator for a condition. Rather I find the PC work-arounds to be insulting to the family and the individual -- not recognizing our condition but trying to sugar-code it with stupidity.

Palin is correct in her comment : what is normal and what is perfect?

The debates between the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates should be most interesting. I would hope that we all listen to them with receptive minds and hear what is being said before making our decision in November.

Falling into step with a party line on either side for emotional reasons is not the wisest course. We must select whom we believe is most capable. Tho most of us select with our hearts rather than our minds -- me included.

And Posters -- while name-calling and crude language seems to be the norm on the Web these days -- it always leaves a bad taste and never sways anyone's opinion. Where are your manners?

Her views will never attract female or younger voters.

Separation of church and state is clearly defined in my copy of the Constitution of the United States.

No name calling is required here. Sarah Palin is a wonderful mother, and I respect her going ahead with her pregnancy even knowing that the baby would have Downs. I have a daughter with autism and applaud Mrs. Palin's support for the handicapped. That said, I am very concerned about having her anywhere near the White House. She is singularly unqualified to be the President of the United States. She has neither the education nor the experience needed to succeed against a slew of challenges inherited from the worst President in modern memory. Given Senator McCain's age and health, I cannot discount the possibility that his Vice President will be sitting in the Oval Office. We dodged bullets with Spiro Agnew and Dan Quayle. Do we want to bet on a further run of good luck with Mrs. Palin a heartbeat away from the Presidency?

As a Nation have we learned anything from our past deeds...right or wrong! Wars and political gains and personal wealth for a very few, no true threat upon our country(Iraq). Please go back and consider coments---#74,79,80 and 250 in your review, then ask yourself what's important to our nation, Patlin vs Hutchison, in terms of appeal now come-on especially with McCain's past history and females was that a difficult selection---I think not?
America can only be great when we honor people as Americans without regards to color, race, creed and gender. Give it a chance!
The future of America and your children are in your hands with the 2009 election. After posting your vote in 2009 will you be able to return home and face your child with a clear conscience....you voted in the best interest of their future without regards to race and gender of the candidates!!!!!

Unlike Barrack (the one with the fake birth certificate) Sarah has accomplished more in her years as a public servant than Obama. His friends are terrorists, people who hate America, college professors who daily try to brainwash our youth to the advantages of Communism and who wants our official language as Spanish. How about if we teach our children morals, math and science instead.

Gov. Palin doubts that man made carbon dioxide is hastening global warming. Gov. Palin believes that Creationism should be taught as science in public schools. Gov. Palin is opposed to all abortions even for imminent danger to the mother and her probable death. Gov Palin supported Sen. Stevens "bridge to nowhere" when she wanted his support. Now she says she opposed it. Gov. Palin has a college degree in Journalism, but must have forgotten that the journalist's creed is to speak factually and truthfully. She compares herself to Hillary Clinton to get votes. Who is she kidding? Will she support universal health care and provide free maternal health care for all women who need it? Ask Sen McCain? Ha!

For all his crap about "loving and serving America" , John McCain has shown us that he is willing to place his political career above the interests of the country.

Just another Republican hypocrite.

Where do they all come from???

I'll vote for McCain/Palin in November. Not because of party, but because of my own values and convictions.

What Palin & pro-life people don't get is that women will ALWAYS have abortions. People may hate it, but it's an unstoppable fact. (Abortifacients have been used since the dawn of time, and will always continue as most cases are of RAPE). The reality is that if you prevent women from getting safe legal abortions, they'll turn to illegal abortions clinics in back-alleys with no medical licensing out of desperation, and end up getting infections, bleeding out and DYING. Doesn't even the Bible say "save the life of the mother over the baby"??? So who's Palin to set back women 1,000 years, by denying them all access 'cuz the Bible says so... in an eclectic nation where people practice other beliefs. That's like the Saudi's preventing American Christian females from driving cars there, since it's their belief. Do we really wanna follow in the Saudi's footsteps of dogma and ridiculous sexism?

I want to live in a country where our Commander In Chief croaks and the next person in line is a former small town newscaster.... :)

Good Job McCain...talk about sealing the DEAL for Barack and Joe!!!

YES WE CAN!!!
(and WE will!)

I have spent the last hour or so reading these comments. It was an experience far beyond what I expected. That such hateful, insutling comments could come from people who three days ago had never heard of Sarah Palin really disturbs me.
How many of you know that much about Joe Biden? And yet I did not detect vitriolic remarks about him or Mr. Obama. Three years ago, I had never heard of Barack Obama, and yet I could never bring myself to insult him or his people the way these readers have. Such venom has to come from a source beyond the normal discourses of society. We must be careful not to slide down to the level of the Evil One who is roaming the world seeking the ruin of souls. Then regardless of the outcome, we really will have lost...

The evolution debate has been settled for decades. There is NO debate. There is a TON of evidence in its favor- fossils, genetics, behavioral continuities between humans and other species. Steadfast adherence to creationism is either the result of willful blindness to scientific discoveries or ignorance resulting from a colossal failure in education. As Richard Dawkins said, "read a book."

The American educational system MUST focus much more strongly on mathematics and science. Teaching our children fairy tales at school isn't going to help them compete in the increasingly competitive world economy. That the antiquated ideals of Sarah Palin and her party are acceptable to so many Americans only reinforces my fear that our country will fall behind the rest of the world.

Dear Madam Governor;

Faith is not "information." It's B.S.

When the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are part of your so-called "debate," then maybe we can talk about your right-wing, religious, wacko agenda.

Too bad her science teacher father didn't stop at two kids. What a joke.

Seriously; anyone with children over the age of 18 by Election Day, PLEASE, OH PLEASE make sure you get them to the polls to vote for Obama!

Christianity and Islam are not spiritual religions. They are political in nature. They want to expand and consume and destroy other cultures and customs around the world.

Its predatory in nature. They want to establish religous supremacy around the world.

Humans are born WITHOUT sin. That's why many Christians and Muslims are good people for the most part in spite of the spiteful religion they are born into.
However, there are weak and fearful people who get sucked into the worst of these religions.

#14 - Palin's going to make sure "that we remain an elitist, ignorant, backwards country???" - Posted by Ashamed to be an American

#19 - "Where's the nearest bus to Canada??"

#225 - "the worst part about this is that when someone wins, we're all going to lose... i am embarrassed to consider myself an american"

See any pattern? Our country is falling apart. We used to be the best... now our own citizens are embarassed by the actions of our govt favoring the super-rich at the expense of 99% of the American public. We're one step away from a dictatorship. The people have no power anymore.

Even freedom of the press is gone, when Bush mandated that free press is banned on his daughters... step 1 in dictatorship. Even Clinton had his daughter followed everywhere... and it sucks, but that's how it should be 'cuz the people need to know the good, bad, and ugly about the people in office representing us.

It's countries like Cuba that no one can say anything bad about Castro or they'll be killed. We're one step away from having no freedom of speech here too.

from "THENATION.COM" ..."we'll take it from here"

"Iraq, Katrina, record home foreclosures, Gilded Age inequality, corporate cronyism, Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo and more.
Eight years ago, the people gave the right the keys to the country. With a GOP Congress, conservatives had the power to govern on their own terms--and they drove the country off a cliff. America is weaker and more isolated abroad, with our reputation besmirched and our influence blunted. They've made us the world's largest debtor, with our dollar debased and our economy dependent on the generosity of foreign central bankers. Three million manufacturing jobs have been lost. George W. Bush and John McCain say the basics of the economy are strong, but most Americans have fared worse, even when the economy grew. The wealthiest 0.1 percent--those with incomes over the $5 million that McCain says one must earn to be rich--have captured grossly disproportionate rewards from the nation's growth. Corruption and cronyism--Halliburton, Enron, WorldCom, Big Pharma and Big Oil--have plundered billions from our Treasury. The Iraq debacle has squandered more than $1 trillion and counting. Heavy challenges like global warming have been scorned. Our broken healthcare system has deteriorated even further while our civil liberties have been curtailed by an imperial President who disrespects the Republic itself. The right's failure is complete"

Cool! Does this mean that if I move to Alaska and teach, I can teach that the world was created by Sedna, the goddess of the sea? That's the Inuit story. The Hindu story is fascinating and far too complicated to relate here, but wonderful and inspiring. The Quran teaches Moslems that Allah created the world in six days, just as the Bible teaches us He did in the pre-Christian myth we learn. I agree with Sarah Palin that students should study these stories, and learn what they say about who we are and why we believe what we believe. We should never, never, though, consider any of them a literal, historic, or scientific truth.

Gov Palin is the latest proponent, like Gov Mike's statement that the Constitution needs to be altered to align with god, of ideaology gone wild. She should not be the VP....although her views would qualify for a high level position in the gonzo Justice Dept.

My friends it is not her views that scare me. it is that she would use the power of the state to force her views upon us. she would divert your tax dollars, use the courts and support laws & programs regardless of their effectiveness in order to promote her religous opinion. this is the exact opposite of conservatism; it is radicalism closer to the Saudi or Iranian model than the US experiment in personal liberty from govt intrusion.

the reason there is a seperation of church and state is that mixing the two CANNOT RESULT IN ANYTHING BUT CONFLICT.

And what if the Federal government passes an amendment to outlaw abortion as Gov Palin wants? It would not stop abortions but just return to the ugly era pre Roe V Wade, except most families would turn to non medically supervised use of drugs to abort insdtead of surgical procedures. and how would it be enforced? How would the Federal govt seperate an abortion from a miscarriage? How would the Federal govt montior pregnant women who leave the country and come back not pregnant? Texas executes more people then the rest of the nation and still Texas has a huge murder rate. Passing a law doesn't cause results; providing real options does.

There is much we can do to reduce unwanted pregnancies and therefore abortions....like funding contraception in healthplans and using science based sex ed programs. There is much we can do to provide options to pregnant women....like real universal healthcare and not throwing them out of schools.

The candidates need to be grilled on the specifics of their views so that more than just rhetoric is on the record for the voters. For example the difference between Obama's Faith Based Initiatives and the GOP version is that Obama would use give taxpayer dollars to organizations that openly REFUSE to follow federal laws whereas the GOP exempted them.

The same thing is true for refusals to provide service based on a 'moral position'. If someone, like a pharmicist, refuses to follow the laws of dispensing prescribed medicines then they should have their license revoked, not be granted a pass because they claim their decision is based upon religious values. in another era we called it public accomodation....ie you can't open a hotel and then decalre you will not rent a room to Jews because your religion informs you that they are heretics.

Please read Jefferon's Virginia Statute. He obviously understood that merging the power of the state with passion of religion ( the only way man can morally justify killing his fellow man) would have terrible results.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom

in response to #497 ~ Why not consider creationism? There is still no more proof of the teachings of evolution. It is still only a theory that is taught as a truth. That is a travesty to people who are considered educated. The missing link...? I think we could at least be open to other possibilities besides evolution.

When it comes to having children, don't play for small stakes. And why bother with car seats, seat belts or bike helmets? I want a vice president who's willing to roll the dice.

http://www.ds-health.com/risk.htm

Of course, children with Down Syndrome are usually considered a Blessing, so really, at a maternal age of 44, it's your chances of -winning- that are 1 in 30. And this doesn't take into account all the non-chromosomal birth defects, the really cool ones like spinal bifida.

So many of the people posting are repeating what they have read in other posts and, like a good joke at a party, with each utterance, it gets distorted depending on the slant the person speaking wishes to influence. People, especially politicians, have a tendency to repeat and distort information as it suits their needs. Here are some facts:

Obama was sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2005 - that is almost 3 years ago-not 2 as others have said. Before that he was in the Illinois State Senate for 8 years. Illinois has considerably more population and issues than Alaska. He graduated from Columbia University, devoted himself to public service, and graduated from Harvard Law School where he was President of the Harvard Law Review. In the U.S. Senate, he sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, The Veterans Affairs committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. His VP selection, Joe Biden, Graduated from Univ. of Delaware 1965, major-History and Political Science, He graduated Syracuse Univ. College of Law 1968, was City Councilman for 2 years. He was sworn to U.S. Senate 1972 at age of 29, Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, focuses on Terrorism, Drug Policy, Crime bills (Adam Walsh Act, Violence against Women act), and gets bipartisan participation. Former Chair and current member of Senate Judiciary Committee. Sponsored ACCESS (College Affordability Act). He Is adjunct professor of Constitutional Law at Widener Univ. School of Law. These two seem to complement each other and would make a terrific team.

McCain graduated from the U.S.Naval Academy in 1958 became Naval Aviator and was a POW for several years. 1982 he was elected to Congress followed by election to the senate in 1986. Ranking member of Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the Senate Committee on Indian Affiars. He has 7 children and 4 grandchildren. He left his first wife after several years involved in an affair with his current wife and had other extramarital affairs (this speaks of his character and integrity - not to mention honesty). His VP select has a degree in journalism and communication from the Univ of Idaho. She was a Mayor of a town of 5,500 then became governor 2 years ago. Her biggest accomplishments: Defeating the bridge to no where and having 4 children, one of them a Downs Syndrome child, and maintaining a career. Here you have two people with conflicting ideologies, who disagree on many of the fundamentalist issues - one is a cheating chameleon who changes his tune with the way the wind blows, and the other is a novice who is so eager to push her agenda that she has accepted a position for which she knows she is not qualified.

This qualifies her for what? A good job, an entry position somewhere, to run for congress or senate in a few years, but not VP - a heartbeat away from POTUS.

Based on experience, I think the records of Obama and Biden are just as impressive, if not more so than McCain, with Palin bringing up the rear. Obama Biden would be a true partnership as they share common beliefs and causes. McCain/Palin do not agree on many issues and this could be cause for alarm. In addition, Palin is fundamentalist protestant, anti abortion, pro creationism, pro gun rights, and would teach religion in schools using our tax dollars. She is opposed to stem cell research and euthanasia. She is opposed to health benefits for same sex partners and anti gay marriage. If MCCain is 72 - 76 in 4 years, anything could happen and she would be running the country??? She would take us backward even more than we have gone in the last 8 years of GWB. We need to become progressive and stop letting issues of personal nature derail the bigger task of running this country. These are not legislative issues - they are personal beliefs and, like religion, they should not be legislated or controlled by the Federal government.

Not if my vote counts! McCain is pandering to the fence sitters and the women who are middle of the road and feel disenfranchised. He has insulted the intelligence and the determination of those of us who truly care about this country by selecting someone to run with him because she has a uterus and thinking that we disappointed women will flock to support her. If anything, from what I am reading everywhere, I think he has done quite the opposite. Unlike some of the insinuations of others on this blog, I an not anti-religion. I am not crazy flipped out liberal. I simply believe that moral and religious issues are a personal choice and have no business being taught in our schools - they should be taught in the home and the church, synagogue, mosque, temple, cathedral, or wherever it is you go to worship. Health issues should be allowed to progress to allow us to develop treatments and remedies to heal, protect, and save the lives of our citizens. Guns should be licensed and assault rifles are not needed to hunt deer, bear, moose, or alligators - they only end up in the hands of - at the worst - terrorists and at -the least - criminals.

It is generally agreed thatifr the American economy is to be competitive in the 21st century, we need to promote innovation and discovery at home. This requires that we provide high quality education for our youth, especially in math and tscience. What hope is there for the US if a VP, one heart beat (of a 72 year old heart) away from the Presidency thinks we should be teaching creationism in schools. To claim that we should be including creationism in a science class because students should be exposed to 'both sides of the argument' is disingenuous since there is no argument in the scientific community. If a group of people insists the world is flat since it is obvious when you look out across the Great Planes, should we give that thesis equal time in a geography class? Many religious fundamentalists even have abandoned creationsim for intelligent design which is in direct opposition to the Biblical creation story. (Intelligent design is an evolutionary theory driven by an 'Intelligent Designer' for whom there is no evidence.

If you want to teach creationism in schools, then teach it in a religion class. I also suggest we include creation stories from around the word so students can decide for themselves which to believe.

Has anyone seen Dick Cheney? Sounds like Dick Cheney has changed genders and gotten a face transplant. Very, very, very, scarey.

Thans God for the selection of Gov. Palin! God bless Sarah, and God bless America!!

For all you who believe that snakes talk, that a woman was created from a man's rib and some guy who died 2000 years ago is going to come back and take you to some magical place where you will live forever, listen up! This country was not founded on Christian principals. If you would pull you heads out of your butts and read some history books you would know that most the founding fathers, including, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin were atheists and wanted to make sure that supernatural nonsense stayed out of government. Freedom of religion also includes freedom from religion. If you want to believe in nonsense and spend your whole life worshiping former pagan fairy tales, all the power to you but keep that crap out of our schools and g

The majority of voters in America for the last 8 years all scare me...terribly. You are a bunch of trained seals, except seals are smarter and more caring. Religious people scare me when they try to force it on others. It should scare everyone, because YOU could be the next.................. to lose your voice.

To 499--

Why not consider creationism? BECAUSE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CREATIONISM!

The point of science is to make hypothesis, and then to test these hypothesis by gathering data and making inferences and conclusions. That is how scientists have arrived at the theory of evolution. Evolution is the ONLY EXPLANATION that can account for what we observe in the physical world. Attacks on the teaching of evolution in our schools are, in truth, attacks on rationality itself. You are, by definition, an irrational person if you make decisions and form beliefs that are in direct contradiction to facts. Our schools are not in the business of teaching irrationality.

These zealots have to at least accept that the same methods that were used to arrive at our theories of gravity, or of relativity, the same methods that have allowed us to make incredible advances in medicine, are the exact same methods that scientists use in forming their picture of evolution. If you deny evolution, you are, if you wish to be consistent, forced into saying that all other scientific theories are potentially nonsense.

#501 and #502.......you are very impressive....well done!!

When I saw Palin as McCain's choice I was absolutely stunned! Stunned by the the desperation, the political audacity of naming this soccer mom as VP of the U.S. Oh, I've nothing against a woman being president, it is just this was a decision based completely upon image without substance. This most important choice of the McCain presidency only points to the thought that I have been having for quite some time that this man McCain was somehow rattled by his time in Nam and is unstable. Women democrats will not be fooled. Independents will feel embarrassment for her as Biden mops her up and down the floor with his policy experience. The truth be told: the shrill support that I hear from Republicans now, as though praising her to convince themselves of a decision that they secretly know is just not going to hold with the American people. This woman has none of the toughness of Hillary Clinton (whom I did not vote for in the primary). She seems weak, and what we will see is strong support amongst Republican women, and a drop of support amongst Republican men (they could not tolerate a female president of her make-up - get that? makeup? lol). This is a joke that will blow up in McCain's face. She will sink in the debates I tell you. The Rupublican base will get behind her, but the independents will run to Obama. What is this country coming too!

By selecting Sarah Palin, John McCain just won the election. We’ll go through the motions for the next couple of months, but he and Governor Palin will win convincingly. The reason is that selecting a woman of remarkable integrity, a woman of faith and political skill, will awaken the enthusiasm of the conservative Christians in America, and they will carry the vote. For too long Americans have watched as the country, in the name of all that is holy — “inclusiveness” as the basis for same-sex marriage — has gone morally downhill precipitously fast. And she cannot be dismissed as a narrow-minded bigot. She is a true Christian– loving, morally steadfast, and unyielding on what is bad for society. She and McCain have that in common–they don’t much care how many people are marshalled against them; they care only about the rightness of where they stand, and they will not be cowed into silence. Now, the Christians feel, they have a chance of turning the country around. Maybe America won’t lose the family, after all–the institution that is the pillar on which the entire society stands. Maybe we can prevent unbridled abortion on whim, the taking of the most innocent of lives, from advancing further. This selection of her was actually an act of monumental proportions. It is far more important than a president’s selection of Supreme Court justices, for example. John McCain has himself selected the first woman President of the United States. She will either (God forbid) replace him if he dies in office, or be elected and succeed him at the end of his term in office. She’s a capable, smart woman. If McCain is smart, he will keep her at his side, like no President has ever kept a Vice-President before; bring her into every crisis meeting, into every military conference, into each and every decision he makes, and how he makes it. Because he is her mentor, and he owes it to the American people to make sure that when she is the one to face down Iran or North Korea, she is equipped with the political skill, the steel eyes, the knowledge of the immense military force, to do it right the first time. Because that day will come.

RE Post 501.

Thank you and well said. The presidency is an odd symbolic figure head. Though the final executive decision may rest in his hand its the people that surround him that develop the ideas that define the administration. Who are the people that will have the next president's ear. Who will really dictate policy. Its this question that plagues me. McCain made a huge blunder in Palin. When I first heard about the nomination I reacted with a, good for him, this will make for a fun November. Then I heard her acceptance speech. No this just won't do. I'm a registered Republican, a Knight of Columbus and quite conservative. But even I have to draw the line somewhere.

Ms. Palin is not - NOT - a predictable old-school republican. She is exactly - EXACTLY= what my husband and I have been hoping for. Fiscally and socially conservative, yet environmentally concerned, and totally out to serve those who elect her. If she was as scary as so many of these bloggers are making her out to be, her approval rating in Alaska wouldn't be 80%. My family up there tell me that if people will take the time to know her, instead of judging her, they will respect and appreciate her. And - my cousins are all democrats.

Oh...and all that lack-of-experience baloney? FINALLY - someone who has had a life! She's owned a commercial fishing company - BEEN a commercial fisherman, even. They have both union and small business ties - and a balanced understanding of the needs of both for economic growth. Better 2 years in an executive position than three years as a senator with absolutely nothing to show for it.

I FINALLY have a candidate to vote FOR, rather than just voting "against" someone.

#510....I would be hysterically laughing were it not so sad that so many think as you do.....or you all are only trying to convince yourselves....no way is she as qualified as Biden or Obama,,,,refer to #501....READ 501 regardless ...then tell me how thrilled you are again. You all are so ignorant.

#510: You can't honestly think this woman is suitable for a vice presidency postion, do you? Have you seen her speech again today? It was verbatim from yesterday's. Is she not aware that in the continental United States, newscoverage goes national or did she think her audience today didn't hear what she had to say yesterday? One month ago she is quoted as saying "I don't know what the VP does?" Even the reporters pause, with their jaws dropping!
I take it your support for her is solely on her Christian beliefs. That is all well and good, but your allegiance to someone who at this early stage of the game without knowing much about her (democrats and Republicans alike) is frightening. What about some healthy skepticism about her credentials? Is this how Evangelicals pick their candidates on nothing more than whether they have the right religion?
Strategy for Democrats: let her speak, don't attack. She will reveal herself much like a psychotic schizophrenic who puts themselves together for moments at a time, but it is apparent their thoughts are disordered. She will reveal herself (and is already revealing herself) as someone not fit for vice presidency. She is more fit for running the local Evangelical chapter of a hometown PTA (her emphasis, not mine)!

What a great choice Palin is for McCain. I love her conservative views. She knows how to stand up for what she believes in. Thank God for her. This nation has gone too far from God. Read the Bible, every time Israel turned their back on God they brought his judgment upon them, and we are about to do the same. Maybe she will help bring us back to God as a nation before it is too late.

I'm absolutely delighted that Senator McCain has so upset and terrified liberal Democrats with his wonderful choice of Sarah Palin for Vice President. Liberals, you should be worried -- when the country hears Ms. Palin debate Joe Biden, they will love her just as the 80% of Alaskans who approve of her job performance do. I think we're looking at the real possibility of a Republican landslide in 2008, because the evangelical/conservative base of the Republican party is now fired up as never before by a real opportunity to turn this country around for the better. Mrs. Palin is a great leader and will be a marvelous Vice President.

As a mother of two young boys, a supporter of Hillary C, I find the VP choice of Mc Cain very Machiavellian. He picks someone who is clearly unqualified for the position of president in the event of his demise. A man who is in his seventies who has suffered from cancer owes the country a replacement that is not chosen for his political gain but for the security of this country. As Governor Palin may appear to be a very nice woman and mother , she is no Hillary Clinton and lacks both the educational and life experience to take over the role of president

JUST VOTE!

GOD save America & save the world.

Hillary's supporter now McCain/Palin's supporter

Hillary's supporter now McCain/Palin's supporter

I have two Bible in my bathroom.. I use it to wipe myself ...

Obamas view on abortion tells us how he values all life...dispensible.
In his speech on fathers day he said that fatherhood begins at the moment
of conception. When asked on the Saddleback Forum when life begins...he
just didnt know..that was above his paycheck. Its interesting..if fatherhood
begins at conception then that would mean that person is fathering a baby
at conception..Sounds like he is talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Action speaks louder than words. He was the ONLY senator to say a baby
born after a "botched abortion" does not have human rights..ie: wouldnt
have rights to an attending physician...even if the baby made it through that
botched abortion alive. Dont take my word for it, there is a document proving he is the only senator who would not sign the bill to give that baby rights after it was
born. in fact he called that baby a fetus. Excuse me..once the baby has made
it out of the birth canal it is a human being..not a fetus.
This is what Obama is about..big government deciding who can live and who
can die..whatever is more convenient for the government. If the government is going to pay for everyones health care., make sure everyone is going to be able to go to college, etc, etc, who is going to pay for this. He wants to tax the very rich
to pay for this but that still isnt going to be enought money to take care of all
the government handouts. This is what socialism looks like. If the government
is helping in all areas of our lives., they are in control. At the end of a persons life they might just get to decide who lives and who dies...whatever is more monetarily
beneficial to them..CHeck out some socialist countries, see how the people
are living and if they had a choice would they choose socialism or capitalism.

Thank you Sheila Jones for saying what I couldn't possibly have typed. Exactly. I'm one of those on-the-fence people who now has jumped far away from the McCain-Palin ticket. Yes, there is much to admire in Sarah Palin, one of those is her enthusiasm and strong belief in her causes. But let's keep in mind that a good portion of us are centrists and are not crazy liberals or conservative. What about us?

It's about time that we finally get a true American that's one of us, Normal and yet one of use. Ms. Palin is a real breath of fresh air. The "lefties" say she does not have enough experience and yet we have senators like, Boxer, Pelosi, Feinstein and Waters that have been in office but have failed to make a sensible decision ever.
I SAY HURAAAAY !!
McCain has really proven that we can have Change and yes Change comes with Class, Education, Morales and Christianity. We have two true Americans now in the race for what the Constitution was written for. I am proud to say I can finally go to the booth and vote with pride. Go Republicans!

If we continue to erode critical thinking and rationalism we will be left with a flat earth and a dictator who pushes their religion on all of us.

Wake up people!

“Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?" Palin: "No, not if you did not know." Eskimo: "Then why did you tell me?"”

Dear "Concerned": You write "HATE is WRONG" twice. You seem to hate hate, right? Maybe not all hate is wrong, after all? I bet you hate the WRONG that you shout with your all-caps and that you hate "intolerance," as you define it, right?
You too hate but have a hard time acknowledging that in your flat, narrow grasp of reality. You think you are virtuous because you are beyond hating anything; but an absence of hate does not constitute virtue but the indifference of apathy. Some things are to be hated because others are to be loved. Parents hate harm to children they love. Embrace your hate, when it is righteous; without it, you don't love.

She's governed 6,500 people. That's 6,500 more than Obama has even been in charge of. That experience does count.

Secondly, evolution is still just a theory. Yet schools teach it as fact. I'd rather my children be exposed to all arguments, where their point of view is also included, and then they can draw their own conclusions. Why are people such haters sometimes?!

If you don't believe life came from a living God, that's fine. You'll find out soon enough if it was all just a theory or fact indeed.

Gov. Palin opposes gay partnerships, BUT recently vetoed a bill in Alaska that would not let them have benefits. So, she does support that gays should recieve the same equality and benefits.

I think that Sarah Palin is a great choice for VP too. If all of you liberal democrats have the right to express yourselves we conservatives can have someone that speaks up for us too. You show just how very well educated and well mannered you are by comments such as her "retard son". Mentally handicapped people are some of the happiest and simple people in our country. They don't have the ability to smartly lie to themselves and others like many of us normal people do. I thank God that Sarah Palin and her husband chose to give live to their son.

She has only been in the national media view for 2 days! She has in NO WAY even tried to force any of her own beliefs on anyone or has she even talked about them. That's just the media and all you bloggers jumping to conclusions!

Scary? I guess Rev. Wright is normal. What about Bill Ayers? Obama scars me because of his associations and policies? I guess it's o.k. to kill living children if they were meant to be aborted (See Obama's Freedom of Choice Act). Why don't you do some research on Obama?

WE HAVE NO ONE TO VOTE FOR!!! McLame can barely be called the lesser of two evils. Hillary would have destroyed McLame. Now I have to vote 3rd party because I refuse to vote for the war hawk or the crazy terrorist loving, baby killing Obama. By the way, I am from a mixed family and my brother is black.

Those of you who think I am racist because I won't vote for Obama should ask themselves why 98% of blacks will vote for Obama. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE'S BLACK!

WAKE UP AMERICA, WE NEED A THIRD PARTY. DO SOME RESEARCH AND DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THE MEDIA TELLS YOU!!!!!

She is a narrow minded bigot and God forbid that she or anyone like her should ever hold such a high position in this country. She calls herself a Christian. She isn't, for if she were, she would be open to helping as many people as possible without passing judgment or placing impossible demands on their behavior. Why should they pass some impossible guideline to appease her way of thinking? God help us if this stupid woman becomes vice president of anything. McCain has truly lost his mind!

Why don't all you who are being JUDGEMENTAL just wait until she actually tells America her views. All of this blog so far is from people reading a few newspaper articles and forming opinions.....Wait until a Debate before making negative assumptions!

GOOD GRIEF! From some bloggers responses, you would think Palin was trying to overturn Roe vs. Wade! She has her own opinion, made a choice for herself with her child. What mother doesn't think her child is perfect and a blessing!
Go Palin!

I wish Obama would tell us HOW he plans to do all the things he says he is going to do. How is he planning to pay for it. How are we going to pay back our debt to China?
How is he going to implement a better health program? What is he really going to do about welfare reform?
I am tired of paying my tax dollars to those who are too lazy to get out and work themselves, or to stoned or drugged up to work. Then there are the children, they don't do well in school for the most part, and they end up in the same rut. What does Obama plan to do about that? Also what is he going to do about immigration reform. We can't just keep letting people come in who strain our resources and destroy hospitals.

Wow...at least she stands for something. Obama on the other hand, stands for nothing.

I'm leaning towards McCain/Palin.

Guess what #30? Palin won't be running the U.S., because she's running as VP. However, even if she was to run the country, she has more experience as a former mayor and as a current governor than Nobama has. Yet, I don't see you libs complaining about his utter lack of experience. The man has ZERO executive experience. In addition, he only spent 150 days in the U.S. Senate, and has spent the rest of his time campaigning. As an IL Senator, he's done absolutely nothing worthwhile, unless you consider refusing to vote for a law that would protect infants born alive during a botched abortion something to be proud of. The inexperienced, socialist Nobama aligns himself with racists, crooked businessmen, and terrorists, yet you loony libs think he's qualified to be POTUS. Meanwhile, Governor Palin isn't qualified to be VP. Ludicrous!

What ever happened to the Democratic party?? What happened to the party of John and Bobby Kennedy? Bobby was a Roman Catholic and had eleven children. Do any of you honestly believe that he would have been pro abortion??

Will someone please explain to me why the so called, open minded and liberal party, the party of "inclusion" and the "big tent" is so narrow minded and biggotted when it comes to ANYTHING Christian. You people can accept Muslim footbaths in national airports, tripple X rated gay parades on Main St., and applaud environmental wackos sleeping in trees to protect spotted owls. But, let someone proclaim their faith in the most influential figure that ever walked the earth, a man who loved, literally, the whole world, a man who did nothing but preach peace and love for all of mankind, a man who was wrongly put to death, and you people go nuts. Where is your inclusion for the "misguided" Christian brother or sister? Why can't you find room in your hearts for them??

Why is it you people can accept the worst kinds of perversion in the world and then turn around and demonize a sweet woman simply because she believes her Bible.
Y'all may not know this but there are some absolutes in life. If you walk off a cliff, you WILL fall. Put your hand in the fire, and you WILL get burned. The Bible teaches (and so did Jesus) that homosexuality is a sin. (absolute) It's not a greater sin than any other but it is called a sin in the scriptures. Just because you, me, or anyone else is inclined to indulge in the practice of homosexuality (or stealing, or murder, or lying, etc.) doesn't make it right. It was wrong 6000 years ago in the Old Testament, it was wrong 2000 years ago in Jesus' time, and it's still wrong today. (it's an absolute)
Let me try to illustrate this principle for you. Let's say that I am a cleptomaniac. I just can't help myself from taking things that don't belong to me. People have always told me that it's wrong to do it but it just makes me feel so good and right when I do. I really try not to do it but I somehow just don't feel complete unless I do. It's like I'm denying who and what I am. Now, who are all of you to tell me that I can't steal things when that's the way I was made. After all, God wouldn't make me this way if it was wrong. You see, in my view, I'm not wrong, the law is. That's exactly what homosexuals have done in America. They didn't want to conform to God's law so they just got everyone believing that the law was wrong, not them.
I can sum it all up with this: It's just like trying to put a frog into a pot of hot water. He'll just jump out. But if you put the frog into a pot of cold water and turn the gas on under the pot very slowly, you can boil the frog to death and he'll just sit there cause it happens so gradually, he never perceives the change in temperature. You see, many of you younger people cannot discern right from wrong because the world you've grown up in has always been a little bit crazy. You cannot remember anything different or better than the scalding water you've grown up in. You are boiling in the pot and don't even know it. Your sense of morality is all screwed up. The only difference between your generation and mine is that mine can remember when the water was still cool.

Also, when a person accepts Christ as his or her savior, they're taken out of the pot. You see, Christians aren't in the pot. They are on the outside looking in at mankind dying and not even knowing they're dying. I encourage all of you who haven't done so already to seek Christ today. Confess your sins and ask Him to forgive them. The Bible says that if we confess our sins He is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins. He is waiting to take you out of the pot. God bless all of you and God bless America.

This is ridiculous. I thought this country was supposed to be a place where all religions were accepted and equally valued, not a country where those in the majority could act morally superior and infringe the rights of others. Religion has no place in school due to the separation of church and state but apparently that fact holds no bearing with this woman. Regardless of every bit of science pointing towards evolution being the better theory, both factually and logically, she still pushes creationism to be discussed in school. Healthy debate is only healthy when it's based on fact and observation instead of suppositions. She wants to outlaw gay marriage even though this decision wouldn't affect her in the slightest (not to mention the fact that the church performed more than a few gay marriages up until 800 years ago). Stem cell research could save more lives than she could ever imagine but because of her belief that a mass of cells that aren't even in the embryonic stage constitute a person we are all forced to sit idly by and watch as numerous diseases and ailments kill and cripple person after person. The fact that she is on McCain's side in overturning Roe vs. Wade is an incredibly moronic position as well. It is intricately linked to the Ninth Amendment of the Bill of Rights, as is gay marriage. If you don’t understand why the right to privacy is important then feel free to post your personal information on the internet and see how long it takes until someone takes advantage of you. If you want to lose that right then go ahead, just do it by moving to another country. I love the USA and want nothing but the best for it, but to elect leaders with traditional values in a time of change shows the ignorance of many voters as well as the stubborn attitudes of those who base their lives on contrivances instead of research and discovering the answers for themselves.

Yes, #57, we wouldn't want to dare teach creationism in the classroom, but I bet you think it's perfectly acceptable for homosexual/transgender indoctrination to go on in the public schools of Massachusetts--starting as young as Kindergarten (and falsely disguised as the teaching of tolerance, of course)! Yes, we Christians best keep our beliefs private, but let's celebrate & embrace in the public classroom what goes on in the bedroom of homosexuals and transgenders! It's amazing the double standard liberals live by!

Palin's first legislative action granted rights to homosexuals. And you, #531, call her a bigot? On what grounds, specifically? What "impossible demands" on people's behavior is she advocating, specifically? Use logic and specifics, Merry... not invective. Palin is tough and bright... wait and see.

Sarah Palin is dangerous for our nation and our families.
And she is a crook.

Here is just one example:
When it comes to teaching creationism in school, she says it's important to teach both sides so kids can have information.

HOWEVER, when it comes to sex education (you know, something that is very important to kids), she says kids should only be taught abstinence. That it is not important for kids to have all information.

Even McCain himself looks uneasy about his choice for vice-president. Look at his very curious behavior while he listened to his newly announced candidate give her first speech: http://tinyurl.com/5azsv2 . Whenever he wasn’t applauding, he was continually tugging at or massaging his fingers, or holding his arms bent and fists clenched at his side, like he was waiting to punch someone.

It’s certainly not the bearing of a confident man.

THE DNC ARE NOW HIRING PEOPLE FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITION.
- PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
- VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
- SECRETARY OF STATE.
- NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT US WWW.democrats.org

'So far she's really impressed me! I want to find out more about her!'

'She has far more experience than Obama!'

'She knows a lot about international relations because Alaska is next to Russia!'

What a strange country America has become. This is the beginning of the end for you -- a country so divided it will implode. But there is no need to panic, historically you have quite a few years yet before you're a footnote in history, or just territorially divided into those that believe a talking snake played a part in how human life began and those with an IQ in three figures. Best wishes to the morally bankrupt 'war hero' and his moose-shootin' beauty queen off-sider, this is going to be fun to watch, if a little surreal.

Teaching Cretinism in public schools has been ILLEGAL in the US since 1998.

The Supremes ruled it is unconstitutional.

Palin wants to break the law.

America is now faced with the real prospect that a man who, until a few weeks ago, had no clue how to use a computer or access the internet, and a woman who, for all her wonderful qualities I'm sure, is comfortable teaching "creationism" in our public schools, will "lead" our nation into the 21st century. More like back to the19th century. Has anyone yet noticed that Sarah Palin's views on nearly all social issues most closely resemble those of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? If you thought China and India are passing us by and the rest of the world is laughing at us now, just wait until McCain/Palin begin their term.

Since McCain is 72, has had cancer 4 times, and shows 6 of the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's, we need to consider that Palin could end up as president before 2012. Her political resume only has 4 jobs, and one of those is as a member of the PTA. The highest job she has had is less than 2 years as governor of the 47th most populace state.

She wants creationism taught in public schools, which the courts have already shot down several times. Separation of church and state means nothing to this woman.

She is under investigation by the Alaska legislature for trying to fire her brother-in-law from the state police. It is said the he tasered his 11 year old son. I can understand her wanting to do something about it, but using her position as governor to exact revenge against someone in her personal life is an abuse of power.

This woman is not ready for prime time.

I think Gov. Palin is a fine choice. But bottom line is that no man, woman, Republican, Democrat, President or VP can solve this country and world's problems. It's sad to see so many American's putting their hope and trust in a man/woman. The Democratic convention was nothing more than "idol worship" and I'm sure the same will happen at the Republican convention. There is only "one" who has the answer's to this world's problems and only "one" place that truth can be found. That is Jesus Christ and His Truth found in the Holy Bible. It is our only source of Truth and our final authority. Peace will not come to this world until the "Prince of Peace" Jesus Christ returns!!

She has repeatedly fought to keep wolves off the endangered species list and approve the cruel and inhumane slaughter of these beautiful animals. She and her "big boys" with all their $$ have won and once again the wolves and their babies will be shot from the air, from the ground from snowmobiles...any way possible. Did her big man in the sky not create wolves? Funny, i thought he did! wow, shame on me. Oh yes, lets not forget that since this moron also believes global warming isnt even an issue, she has fought to keep the polar bears OFF the endangered species list as well. As for Mr McCain, i guess the alzheimer's is kickin' in! gosh i could remember him not wanting offshore drilling..i think i smell a flip-flopper!!! Oh Sara just stay at home and have more babies and mr. mccain - yes John, thats you.. you get to the doc now, k?

To Jeanne #528
You say mentally handicapped children are some of the simplest people in our country. Is that why you voted for Bush?
To Weston #537 Well, I guess you epitomize Faith Based Discrimination then. In what way do you think it is acceptable to take what is written thousands of years ago as absolute truth? Does scientific information that directly contradicts what is written in your and apparently Sarah Palin's playbook make no difference in your thinking? Does scientific data scare you and the Evangelicals and if so why? Is it because it shatters your world view?
It boggles the mind to see how the Palin's of the world operate. Yes, she seems like a nice woman and of course all of us on this blog are jumping to conclusions about her, but what is clear thus far is she defines herself as aligning with your cause. When conservatives write here that the liberals are now running scared it is not because we're afraid she'll win; this is the biggest gift thinking people of this nation can get, but because policies made on archaic belief systems, -those as close as you can get to mythology in this day and age- and followed to this day by non-thinking conservatives as yourselves, can harm everyone, including you. A theocracy should never be part of a democracy because it is following something BLINDLY and even when logic and reason are part of the discussion, your mind closes! Is that Christian?!!? Apparently it is from this blog.
If Jesus came back today, he would be appalled.

Why does this scare people? I'd be more afraid of a man who can't function without a teleprompter that has only worked 143 days in the Senate. Want to talk about no experience? Barack Hussein is a joke.

You know, you Barrack Obama nuts are crazier then what meets the eye. whether or not Obama gets in or not, NOTHING will chaange. These politicians work for us, WE DO NOT WORK for them. As a White 53 year old male, Yes it's great to see an Africian American be nominated, but like so many others before him and McCain, NOTHING will be done to help you or me. All these politicians think about is themselves. Yes it's time for a Black Americian, even a Female President, but not Barrack, Duval Patrick of massachusetts or Hillery Clinton. Someone with the likes of Colin Powoll or Condi Rice two smart Black Americans who has broke through the racial barriers to be educated, and do something with their lives and was not handed everything because the are black. If a Black man or a Black woman makes in this country, they are condemed as Uncle Toms and that's by the Black hipocrates not the whites. My best friend is Black and he agrees with me on this subject, if you are a Black in this country and you legally do the right thing, you're an Uncle Tom. The Blacks don't realize it's people like Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton an a majority of the democrats who want to keep the black communities down, then they come in and promise them everything in order to get their votes, think about it. Read the book "ENOUGH" by Jaun Williams about the phony Black Leadership in this country. Did I mention Jaun Williams is a educated Black man.
Think about it people and Wake up. This country is being destroyed, and because you believe everything that you are told, get your heads out of you asses and start think for yourselves, because what is coming, is that this country is turning out to be a communist country with the politicians running your life

In this country, Land of the free, Home of the Brave. FAITH: Why is it, that this country was built on faith. People come to this country for a better life, worship in many differant religions, but you tell me why, Mitt Romney had to explain his faith and beliefs. Mormons are Christians, they belleive in Juses as so does the Cathlics, Jews and Muslims. Keep religion out of politics and politics out of religion. Let people to worship in their own way. I know people from all faith, and they are all good, hard working people. So stop the religous and racious biggotry and this country will be a better place for it.

A woman with this level of wilful ignorance should not be allowed anywhere near the government of the United States. That a country that has acheived so much in science and technology should even consider her a worthy leader shocks me deeply. By all means, let her believe what she will about abortion and God. But if she willfully dismisses well established scientific explanations of the world in favour of wrong-headed imaginings of ID she should be kept many miles from decisions about the future of the country and the planet.

I cannot express how very pleased I am with John McCain's choice of Sara Palin, as his running mate. This is a great choice for our Country. After reading up on her, I am inspired by her background and accomplishments and extremely hopeful McCain & she will be our next leaders. It would be horrendous for this great country if Mr. Obama comes into this position. I realize this is our beautiful and free America but this would be the most disastrous & frightening position for this man to be in. To be a leader of this great country, acting should not be our most valuable credential. And once again, there is no room for "on the job training". We need a true leader and John McCains expertise and his background proves he is the "very best" candidate for this position.

EEE GADS! A person of moral character as a Vice President! OMG - Quick America run for the exits!

Our land of internet porn and parent-free abortions for 11 year olds is in danger.

They are going to win the White House and starve the kids at school and force old people to eat cat food!

What will the masses do without welfare for life and "level the playing field" programs for the unqualified and lazy?

Sorry, but her son will never get to experience the dream he had of fighting in Iraq for his country. It's Prince William all over again and more selfishness from a woman who brings a special needs child into the world, then abandons him after 3 days with a nanny and now aspires to continue that in an even more extreme way and also abandon her state who were counting on her to finish specific things she had in mind for them.

At least the country gets a second lady who isn't afraid to be a brunette.

Palin has spent 2 years as governor of a state whose population is a quarter that of Brooklyn. She is unqualified. Her limited intellect is shown by her belief that creationism should be given “equal time” in science classrooms with evolution. That McCain would pick an unqualified woman of limited intellect demonstrates that he is more interested in winning the election than providing competent leadership. That “social conservatives” hail this as a great candidate shows that they care more about their personal agenda than securing the future of our country.

The bible alos states the following:

Corinthians 14:34-36
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

So isn't voting for Palin going against the bible? Or is this another thing that you choose to discard at the moment for political purposes? I bet the so called christians won't respone to this!!

"Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information....Healthy debate is so important and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject -- creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides."

Love her!!

No, dhatcher. Creationism is not radical. It is IGNORANT. Hence scary and dangerous. An anti-stem cell research stance is something we should be looking up to??? Horrifying.
Please America. Do not let this happen.

What is it about taxes? I will gladley give an extra $1.00 every paycheck if it will help our national debt and my local economy! No new taxes, won't raise taxes... Yes, we need to raise taxes .01 or .o5 cents now and again. As far as the VP ticket, my family are lifelong DEM and we honor Mr. McCain - ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, and MARINES on both sides of my 4th generation California family. However, I feel more comfortable with Mr. Obama's choice as VP - should the VP have to step in.

My husband's family are lifelong REP, his mother voted DEM last election - says allot.

Christianity is second worst religion after Islam.

People..there are so many spiritual (not political) religions out there that would give you and your family comfort and spiritual enlightenment.

Those religions do not have a spiteful and hateful god of the bible and the Quoran.

There is the Sikh religion. The Buddist religion. The Jain religion. The Hindu religion. The Shinto religion. and so many spiritual religion. Please make some effoort to know them insteadn o believing in the vile religion that you beliieve in for no better reason than the accident of birth.

I would really like to know whether the people who are supporting the choice of Sarah Palin for VP are happy with the legacy of the Bush presidency. The "breath of fresh air" that keeps popping up sounds a lot like the "straight shooter, looks you in the eye" recommendations we heard touted about him. When you vote someone into office based solely on how "genuine" or folksy s/he is, you can't exactly complain when they turn out to be genuinely incompetent at their job. But then, if you're happy with the Bush years, we probably have nothing left to discuss anyway.

Mother Theresa once said that there is not a poorer nation then one that would kill its children and anyone else who is inconvenient. I am thrilled with the choosing of sara Palin. I am a Catholic and will only vote pro-life. I also want to mention that the Catholic Church has no problem with Evolution as long as it goes back to GOD. GOD is GOD and science is merely the study of what GOD did. I don't take the bible literally in all areas but if that is what brings people to a higher ethical life so be it. I love my life even though I had a very dificult one but it is life. Thanks Mom.

To #559, Your ignorance of bible interpretation and spiritual things is apparent and appalling.

First of all, you couldn't even get the bible refference right. The correct refference is 1 Corinthians or (First Corinthians). You see, there are two books in the New Testament with the same name so you really do need to specify. But I'll let that one slide. How were you to know.

Second, the interpretation of the verse is obvious in the first line. Even you should have been able to understand it if you had taken the time to actually read it. It says, "Let your women keep silence in the CHURCHES:" The operative word here, Ken, is "CHURCHES". Please note that the verse says nothing about women keeping silent in the courthouse or the statehouse or even the white house. Please, if you are going to try to use scripture to prove an argument, DON'T!!! You are way out of your league. I don't really blame you though because the bible has another verse in 1 Corinthians that deals with people like you.
I have taken the liberty of quoting it, here, from the New Living Bible which was written for new converts and children so that even you might have a chance of understanding it.

It's found in 1 Corinthians 2:14."But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means."

So, for this reason, I am forced to give you a pass on this one as well.

And third, you lost your bet. This "so called Christian" did respond to your post.
Three strikes, buddy. You're out.
Please keep in mind, Christians aren't perfect. They're just forgiven.

People in the United States are free to follow any religion they want. That is what is so great about America. We need to remember our roots and why the Pilgrims came to America for that freedom of religion, which was Christianity and it's principles. Sarah Palin is a true American. She stands up for what she believes in and Who she believes in. She has my vote!

To #563, Are you really Rosie O'Donnel?? What on earth do you base your opinion on?? Do you not realize that every moral thing this country ever did is a result of Christian activism. The abolition of slavery was an issue in Christian churches decades before it became a hot political issue. The underground raliroad ran straight through dozens of churches on the way to freedom. The ASPCA is a direct result of Christians unhappy with the way animals (horses specifically) were being treated on the city streets in the 19th century. The only people hiding Jews during the holocaust in Europe were Christians who risked their lives and the lives of their families to obey the biblical admonition to "love thy neighbor as thyself".

Pagans like you will never get it. Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship with God almighty. Sure, there are a lot of phonies out there that give Christianity a bad name. But don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Look at you. You give all the other pagans, that keep silent on such issues, a bad name, but I don't judge them for it. How dare you say that the God of the Bible is hateful when he showed his love for you by giving his own son to diie for you.
I know that you don't understand that because it is spiritually discerned, however, suffice it to say that Christianity is the ONLY religion that deals with the issue of sin. Sin can be defined as "falling short" or "missing the mark". The Bible says that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." You see, because of sin, mankind lost fellowship with God. Jesus came to bridge that gap between God and man. He died for the sins of mankind. Christiaqns just try to live their lives in such a was as to be worthy of the price that was paid for their sins.
Then you suggest other religions as if you know ANYTHING about them. You should take a class in comparative religious studies before you ever suggest others embrace mysticism, idolatry, or reincarnation. You, my friend, are very dangerous.

I think and I hope that Sarah Palin will be an inspiration to the the young evangelical women who never conceived of such great achievements in someone not very different from themselves. Young women in the evangelical community are rarely encouraged to pursue a career path and have few prominent women that they can identify with as role models. These young evangelicals who may have been more indifferent to the election this year may actually rise up because they see more for themselves through the successes of Sarah Palin. Finally, they can see that one not be a secular feminist to put their gifts to work in a career path without abandoning the joys of marriage and motherhood.

Find above several fantastic indicators of the pathetic state of American political discourse...

102 1st Ammendment. good point. Following your logic. Why does God keep creating gays. Unable to produce they would not propagate (be extinct)? I think GOD made all of us. Why do they hate some of Gods creation? That is not logical to me. There are so many more issues than this (debt,iraq bailouts) Anyone wanting to teach creationism in school crosses the line for me. I agreed with mccain "agents of intolerance" comments about rel right. To bad he flipped flopped on that. I may have voted for him this year before he selling out to rel right this campaign. Put these issues back in states hands. non-gay Midwest hetero/married former repub not voting R Again

P.S. mad Midwest married hetero former repub but NOT voting R again.

#568.

1. The American Indians were wiped out using Christianity as a rationale.

2. The Slavery and Lynching were done using the Bible as reference and justification.

3. The Holocaust was done by Hitlers willing executioners (A Church going Christian country) with the collusion of the Pope.

Check this out http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm

Right now, there are men and women of all religions working at CERN - working on the cutting edge of particle physics. Similalrly, there are stem cell researchers making great strides across the globe. How strange and infantile our creationist "debate" must appear. It is ironic that we are presented a candidate like Palin concurrent to these historic turning points in scientific knowledge and accomplishment. Make no mistake - the Republican ticket will solidify the US as an also-ran, insignificant so as to not even be worthy of mockery.

"Now we conservatives can run amok with respect for life, religion, and the American Family."

You idiots only respect life that is unborn, religion that is Christian, and a family that has the woman barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. What a dumbass.

last night on cnn we caught a little glimps of obama. they very lightly brushed his drug use and quickly moved on however one thing i did not know was touched on also. in his election to the state senate he had his opponets names stricken from the ballot because of small mistakes in paper work. being the only one left he won by a land slide. THIS IS TOTALLY UN DEMOCRATIC!!!!!! IN ALL SHAPES AND FORMS.
in his bid for the national senate race he had his thugs dig up PERSONAL dirt on his opponates and smeared them to the wall. they bowed out and AGAIN HE WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT he again won by a land slide. HE IS DISPICABLE AND DOES NOT STAND FOR FREE ELECTIONS OR FAIRNESS IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

by the way she said she is for civil union, private benefits for such and stated she has gay friends. i just don't see how you can dog this. shes not saying go hide in a corner shes saying join the community

bob barr 2008!

#572

WOW! Thank you for that post and that link. Amazing!

http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm

Quote

The kind of lies they say to protect their cult and these idjiats have the arrogance to call all those peaceful faiths of the world as "Pagans" is very telling. These hateful people who are trying lie about our country like its founded on Christianity.

Its not founded on Christian prinsciples. Its based on secular principles and philosophies of John Locke and Thomas Paine et al.

If you want to know what the father of the American Revolution "Thomas PAine" who wrote "The common Sense" that influenced Americans and get behind the American revolution has to say about religion Read up on his "The age of Reason".

http://www.ushistory.org/Paine/reason/index.htm

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

There is a multitude of reasons why Americans should be turned off Sarah Palin...

1. She believes in creationism and thinks this fantasy belongs in the school curriculum alongside the serious science of evolution.
2. She’s opposed to the right to abortion.
3. She thinks global warming has not been proven (!)
4. She favors drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge...damn the environment.
5. This supposedly family-centered “hocky mom “is happy sending her son off Iraq, even as even the president admits it´s a bust by agreeing to a timetable for withdrawal.
6. Her only experience was as mayor of a whistle-stop town (pop. 5000 when she was there) and less than two years as governor of a huge, yet sparsely populated piece of ice.
7. She would be next in line to the presidency in the not unlikely scenario that Mccain died...he is an ailing 72-year-old who has suffered bouts of one of the most malignant forms of cancer, and who is showing early signs of dementia.
8. There is strong evidence that that she has abused power as governor.

Americans...please come to your senses!!!

#572

You make some wildly outlandish allegations without siting any references. Please don't spew out your left wing drivel as if it's historic fact. Sounds more like a Michael Moore or Oliver Stone movie. Revisionist history. Sure, a lot of terrible things have happened to many groups of people in this country and others, (Christians included) but to lay it all at the door of Christianity is wildly wreckless. Like I said in my first posting, not everything done in the "name of Christ" was done by Christians. You, obviously, don't know any Christians. Not real ones anyway.
If you did you would know that they are the most humble, loving people on the face of the earth. If you meet someone and they claim the name of Christ and don't have a friendly, peaceful demeanor, they aren't Christians. The bible talks about tares (weeds) being in among the wheat. Also it talks about goats being in among the lambs. They won't be separated until judgement day. Jesus put it like this:

Mat. 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Mat 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Imagine that, even some preachers and miracle workers will be turned away because they spoke the right words with their lips and did many wonderful works but didn't KNOW the Lord. Jesus will say, "I NEVER KNEW YOU". Please note, He doesn't say, "I knew you once and forgot you". or "I don't know you that well". He says, "I NEVER KNEW YOU"!!!!

You are obviously very young with a very poor grasp of world history.

Any Christian who supports withholding rights and privileges from gays is not acting as Christ told us to act. Christ told us to love everyone and not judge. We don't have the right or knowledge to be able to judge others. Only God can judge. If you don't support another persons choice then that's your right to feel they choose wrong; you do not have the right to deny them medical benefits or make them in any way unequal to the population as a whole.
I was raised to believe that we are supposed to love the sinners and help them turn from their sins.
I will agree with anyone who says that according to Christ same-sex relationships are a sin but when did good Christians get the idea that they are allowed to cast the first stone? It seems like a lot of Christians need to go back and read the good book, the whole book.

After looking at her record and stand on things the only problem is she is on the ticket in the second spot.

She looks like a much better choice than the Senator from the state of Chicago
(OK, So I have downstate bias) At least Palin has DONE something

#113 & #102...
Creationism, for the record, is mythology. It is no better than Greek or Roman Deity structure, nor is it better than Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife. I am very tired about hearing that there had to be an Adam and Eve and not an Adam and Steve. Give me a break people. Do you REALLY believe that all of our planet's occupants came from a single couple? REALLY? I am heterosexual and married and I would NEVER believe that my level/ ability to love was superior to another's. Nor, btw, is my child "perfect" in any way versus one who has obvious differences (aka- down syndrome). The naivete expressed in this dialogue is quite frankly frightening, given that everyone here has the power to vote.
Please educate yourselves and eradicate some of the fears that you have. Wholistically, who is the better ticket? If you are looking FORWARD and into a PROGRESSIVE FUTURE that removes itself from fear and ignorance, where do you see the nation going?

thank god there is a candidate with good morals. its about time we have someone represent the majority of the people instead of the minority groups that loby for there own personal gain and not what the people want.I didnt know if I was going to vote for mcCain at first but this just seals the deal.Thanks McCain for picking a real down to earth average american that hasnt had the chance of being ruined by our corrupt officials in washington.maybe now we can take care of the peoples buisness that put them in office anyway.Its time to take back the government and give it back to the rightful owners of the government ,the people.

I have a question for Sarah Palin. My question is why she would accept the nomination for vice president in light of having 5 children with the youngest having Downs syndrome. Maybe she has a live in nanny to take care of her kids. Just curious where her priorities are..with her children or in power in Washington? I would think that she has enough on her plate being governor.

#568 "P C".

I know many Christians and they are all my good friends. They are good and they are my friends because they do not thinking their religion is superior to others. They do not believe that others would not go to Heaven for rejecting Christ. They respect others faith.

These good Christians also are brave enough to face facts and do not resort to lies. They know that this country were founded by Americans who were free masons and deists for the most part.

These good Christians understand the importance of "Seperation of Church and State"

These good Christians understand that this country was founded on secular prinicples of John Locke, Thomas Paine and other such liberal philosophers.

These good Christians know that there are other rich religious thoughts in Asia and they are not FALSE religions or FALSE God and beleiving in such drivil is un Godly and satanic!

Yes.. I have met and know Many many such good Christians.

I can't believe there are still so many people out there who believe in supernatural beings. And they all think their supernatural being is the REAL one.

“No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means”

#572 You are hopelessly misinformed. People like you who live in ignorance and spread lie are very dangerous.

A vote for Palin is a vote against scientific advancement. Anyone who believes that creationism belongs in a science classroom is a moron who either fell asleep in science class or has the religious blinders on.

What an awesome choice to have someone who is not already tarnished by washington and that she comes from small america like the rest of us. I was moved by the fact that we might get someone in there who believes that creation is something real instead of the garbage that is being taught in most public schools. If God could place someone most americans have never heard of before into this office then it will be up to him if she will be place in there in Nov. He knows the hearts of all and maybe it's just what this country needs is to get back to what we were founded on in the very begining. One country under God. You go Girl and I'll be praying a believing that my God can do all things. And By the way to you liberals out there Jesus will come again and will judge us on the those liberal thoughts and laws we've place upon this land. I pray we don't get the president we deserve and that he will show mercy on us and place godly leaders in office who will not be moved.

To qualify the author, I am: a currently practicing Episcopalian, who spent 20 years as a celtic pagan (don't mistake me for 'born again'-they're not mutually exclusive), a molecular biologist by education, and a woman by both birth and grace. Additionally, I am not only acquainted with, but also related to, profoundly retarded humans of varying ages. I had an abortion 9 years ago, and am the mother of a brilliant and beautiful 2 year old girl.

The arrogance of anyone who wishes to use scripture to promote a political position is apalling. The *overarching* concepts in the Bible should be, at least last I knew, a small thing called the 10 Commandments, which demand we treat with compassion and respect every living thing (do unto others, right?). Yes, that includes our environment, and in case there was a sliver of debate left, probably takes drilling the ANWAR off the table as a point of discussion. So, regardless of what else the Book says (in its' thousands of intentional and unintentional mistranslations), and regardless of how the Rightist, HateMongering Convenient Christians want to perceive, proselytize, or pander, getting them the HELL OUT of my doctor's office AND my bedroom should be first priority in November 2008.

Unfailingly, the same people who demand we adhere to espoused Biblical moral standards, and want to educate *other people's children* with religious principle, are the folks who think it's perfectly OK to be in Iraq, killing *other people's children* with guns.

We absolutely will not survive another four years of either the economy, or the global reputation that The Shrub has thrust upon us. Woman or no woman, the Republican ticket has far too high a price.

I have two words for you: spanish inquisition. All in the Name of Christianity.
Sell your hate somewhere else.

I am tired of reading about Sarah Palin's opinions on abortion, creation and the good ol'boy network.There are more important things going on in the world/universe than this narrow discussion. I teach kids with severe disabilities, and none of my parents would claim their child qualifies them for an Executive office. McCain has made this election a mockery of bigger problems facing Americans. I cannot believe the support for this woman because she has the gumption of a PTA president. I am afraid we are slipping forever backward as the rest of the world is progressing rapidly.. Wake up!

#589 As a person that refers to her own relatives as "retards" I really consider your advice on who we should support as president as extremely valuable! As so many on the extreme left as yourself, you like to toss around the fact about the few thousand that have lost their lives in Iraq (which any loss of life is tragic) but you flippantly ignore the fact the over 40 million babies have been murdered in the US the vast majority in the name of birth control. Believe me no one would mistake you for a "born again" christian.

To qualify this author, I was a non-believer, but now I am a born again christian. I have spent my last few years serving others in the US in New York City, after 9/11; in Indonesia, after the tsunami; in Pakistan, after the earthquake; in the orphanages in China; in the garbage dumps where people live in Mexico City and Egypt, to the widows and orphans in Sudan, and yes I help teach a Sunday School class dedicated to as you called them "retards," we call them "special blessings children," as we know that they are all gifts from God. I know that God loves each of them just as much as he loves you beautiful and brilliant 2 year old daughter.

A grown woman, who may wind up in the oval office, wants creationism taught in the schools? I'm embarrassed.for our country.

When she stated her four month old baby was diagnosed with down's syndrome, I wondered why she wants to take on such a huge responsibility that will only separate her from her baby and other children. She has a special needs baby. I would think nothing, nothing should matter more than caring for that little one at this time. Why is it the religious right always want to dictate whether other women keep their pregnancies or not. What about after birth? What then?

Among "many" current events told about in the Bible coming true over thousands of years and still coming true, a verse proclaims in the last days people will call what is bad good, and what is good bad. This is in evidence in many of these comments. People will worship the creation instead of the Creator. God will not be mocked. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Let's pray we get a leader that honors God and His word.

Sarah has more experience then Margaret Thatcher did when she became one of the best Prime Ministers in the history of Great Britain.
Additionally, she currently has more executive leadership experience then Obama and Biden combined.

Post # 11 does not surprise me because sodomites are the most mean-spirited and bitter people in the world. But, there is hope for them because when they receive forgiveness for there sins through the love of God through Christ Jesus they become completely new, loving, kind and gracious from the inside out.

Hey, Mark Stempel -

Thanks for handing my justification to the audience on a platter.

I didn't call my friends and family "retards" - that has a very different connotation than using 'retarded' to describe a medical condition. Further, I said nothing (negative or otherwise) about them being gifts, victims of chance, or angels here for a brief time.

So I ask - since your argument focuses on numbers - at what point does God start getting pissed off about our actions? Is it the mere thousands of people that the US has killed in Iraq, or is that OK because we're forcing democracy down their throats and the USA is always right? Or does it take tens of thousands of abortions?

Since you're SO benevolent, cuz you do all that there charity stuff and yer a way better-nicer person than me, why don't you ask Your God to do what he can to better educate people in order to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies? Or how about improve the lives of people without health care, so that the mothers can get appropriate prenatal attention, and birth healthier children, since you insist that they all be born no matter what? Maybe just tell Him to make humans not need prenatal care - that might be easier for Him. While you're at it, maybe mention to Your God that he should have a little pow-wow with Allah about whose followers are allowed to carte blance murder whom, and under the guise of what principles that might be acceptable.

If god doesn't like abortions, how come he allows women to get pregnant that he knows will have an abortion? Duh.

To #581
Talk about naivete??? You criticize believers for believing that all of the worlds inhabitants came from a single couple (Adam and Eve). Well you have a much bigger problem than that. You, as an atheistic evolutionist, believe all of the world's inhabitants, humans, animals, fish, insects, etc., came from a rock. You see, that is what the theory of evolution is. (I always have to explain this to evolutionists because they don't even know what they believe)
According to YOUR theory, about four billion years ago the earth was a ball of hot rock. With no water, plants, animals, algae, microscopic creatures, etc. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So your belief is that a planet that is now covered with liquid water (which by itself is unique in the known universe) (by the way, evolutionists stiill can't say where all the water came from) and is teaming with life of all kinds from the highest mountain tops to the deepest ocean depths, all "evolved" from a dead rock.
Seems to me that YOU and your compadres have a lot more to explain than the creationists. Talk about naive.
One more thing, you should take a little bit of time and do some research, you would find that there are hundreds of books written on cretionism that make a lot more sense than evolution. If you see something that is of obvious intelilgent design, (an automobile, a painting, a house, etc.) there must, by necessity, be a designer. Why would it be any different with the infinite design of our universe and the complexity of the human brain. Just evolved out of nothing??? PLEASE!!

If you think that Sarah Palin's faith in God makes her scary, then may I suggest that you do a Google search for newspapers in Kenya. Continue your seach to find out how Obama campaigned in Nairobi in 2006 for Railia Odinga, his supposed cousin - and the one who was elected Prime Minister. This man is one dangerous fellow - reminiscent of Idi Amin. It's apparent that he hired and controlled the militia used to start the civil war and near genocide early this year. Obama invited Odinga to the Dem. Convention to see him accept the nomination - it was in all the papers in Kenya. Obama has 8 step siblings in Kenya, because his father had 4 different 'wives' and sets of children. Obama has made no effort to connect with them or help them in their state of abject poverty. He's a hypocrite and a liar, and there's much more than the media SHOULD be telling about him. Sarah Palin may be an innocent, but she represents righteousness and the kind of principles this county was founded on. This comment board shows how far America has slid into godlessness, perversion, hatemongering and hopelessness.

#596
Just a point of clarification concerning democracy in Iraq. No one had to FORCE democracy down their throats. Or maybe you missed the elections in Iraq where people lined up by the thousands, at the very real threat of IEDs, snipers, and suicide bombers. I know, I was there. Men and women walked out of their polling places in tears and were thanking every GI they saw. I was only at one of these polling places in Baghdad but same story was told to me by buddies deployed in other cities and provinces. Compare that to Americans who can't even get to the polls on a nice day.
Let me be clear about this. I probably would disagree with you on every political and social issue that is hot right now in our country. However, I would take up arms again to defend your right to say it. Please extend that courtesy to others who might disagree with you. What we sorely need in this country is respect. Respect without condemnation. Best wishes to you and yours and let's all just let the election process take place and support whoever wins the election. Look, we survived 8 years of Clinton and 8 years of Bush. The current nominees couldn't do much worse. Trust the system.

Respectfully submitted,
Sgt. REL USMC

Why are liberals so afraid of someone with faith? Is having morals a bad thing? When your hero has been convicted of a felony, that would be ex-President Clinton there is definatelly something wrong in America today.

To #601: Why do you acquaint someone who doesn't follow your sense of faith as amoral? It seems that the GOP thinks it has absolute ownership of what is defined as "faith" in this country, and by default, are the only ones who can speak on authority about morality. A moral compass that is based on a book that is replete with barbaric acts (the Bible) seems a bit askew, don't you think? If in fact the Bible is someone's guide to morality, why is it that we can identify things now in it that are completely antagonistic to our sense of morals today (the treatment of women, slaves, etc)? If we are able to pick and choose what is moral or amoral in that book, don't we all carry an internal sense of morality and what is right? ergo, the Bible is irrelevant. In fact, it can be a deterrent to what thinking and rational thought can bring to the table. That is something that is lost on "religious" people. It seems that they are unable to evolve (and I use that word literally) beyond what it is they're supposedly told they're supposed to believe in. As a result, they take no responsibility for their actions because the Bible tells them so.
You don't necessarily need religion to know what is right. Some of the most immoral people throughout history have their faith as their guide. Bush is one of them: Jesus apparently tells him his mission in Iraq is okay.
Do you see the disconnect here? The inability to separate "faith" from one's potentially disastrous actions is problematic.

So many people today like to hear what pleases them. We were pretty radical in the 60's too. But, we all grow up! I am saddened by the way the people in our country think, believe and act. We have an immoral society. For some reason they think "it is all about them", "what is in it for me? How many of you actually did not skip school and paid attention to your government class? Do you know what our country was founded on? Why do you think most of you are here? You come from families that immigrated here. Why? Because it beat the heck out of where they were living!!!! Now.. if you really think this is such a bad place to live, leave! Go back to where they came from, where if you steal your hand is cut off, where there are no trials, where people are imprisioned for life for a point of view, where babies and mothers die in childbirth due to no health care. Where children starve because there is no food. Oh.. I forgot.. there is no welfare there! My bad! You would actually have to be self sufficent. Where you could not choose to believe or not believe, or speak openly, or bear arms. When this country is taken over all of you mealy mouth whiners and me, myself and I people are begging for help, what is going to happen to you then? God Bless America!

dispicable. i see many align yourselfs with colms

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2008/08/31/stooping-lowest-level-democratic-claim-palins-faked-pregnancy-ga#comments

how many of you have children? do you concider a situation like this a punishment as barak does?

how deporable!

a life is a blessing and a wonderful thing and i myself am impressed to see a grandmother to be stand up for it. how many real life people are faced with this situation every single day. the fact is children make mistakes and should learn to be adults and not only learn to live and deal with them but to grow and learn from them.

all these horrible things that were spouted yesterday by the left was just horrible. if it would have gone the other way the media would have had a field day with it. barak should go hold his head in shame for what he was responsible for as these rumors HAVE been traced back to his camp.

i have knowen women who have gotten pregnant at a yopung age kept the baby, finished school and went on to a productive life and never once said it was a mistake. one of those ladies recently had a 16 year old daughter who now has a baby and just finished high school and has a scholarship for her grades.

the more i see of the hypocicy of the left the more i am glad i left them.

by the way she never said we should teach creationism only bring it to debate in schools.

she also vetoed a bill that would have ended any chance of people in civil unions from getting state benefits which actually ended up giving them benefits. get your facts straight before you slander.

thought this link might be of some interest... it covers many of the disadvantages of having Palin in office... http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/30/201818/606

Palin Says 17-Year-Old Daughter Is Pregnant

Sarah Palin's 17-year-old , unmarried daughter is five months pregnant, the campaign has announced. Hoping to quell internet rumors about about her youngest son, Palin released the news about her daughter Bristol earlier today.

This is your daily trailer trash family! Move to the White House...a representative of the true Red America, The white Trash Jebus freak republican America!

How low can these people go? sheesh!

ROFLMAO!

Palin's 17-Year-Old Daughter Is Pregnant

Poor Mc Cain..has to spin this as a "Pro Life" Strategy!

Great role model for poor black single moms... Consider yourselves "Pro Life" Champions of America. A Role model for little republican girls of middle America! Since they claim it as a positive development, I wish this upon all Jesus freaks of America. May your young uns use this girl as a role model and may your tribe multiply in similar fashion.

Ms. Palin found out during her pregnancy that her fetus had Trisomy-21 or Downs Syndrome. She then made the choice to take the fetus to term.

Now she wants to change the law so a couple no longer has that choice. She would no longer have the choice she made earler this year.

She should be thanking the "Left" for giving her the choice to carry to term or not.

She's obviously pro-choice. Her apparent self-dignity would balk at being forced into anything.

Ms. Palin found out she had a fetus with Trisomy-21 or Downs Syndrome and made the choice to carry the fetus to term.

Now she wants to change the law so a couple will not have the same choice she had. Nor would she have in the future.

So many debates, so many sides, but let's face it, today's society in the US is diposable. How convenient to be unattached. You're either in the market to have a kid or not. Don't want a kid, great, then use birth control people. Those are the choices couples should be searching into. But I suppose parents today demand biological perfection to match their perfect careers, cars, and houses. And then those parents want tons of opportunity for their perfect little children, and we can't punish them, or teach them about God, but we can give them plenty of trees to hug and teach them to devalue our soldiers and the war effort. That is why we have a twisted sense of core values in this country. Detachment.

The rest of the world must be rubbing its hands with glee. The USA is a shadow of its former self, and even with such an inept display it appears like the republicans will win it again. Despite the differences being so stark - progress vs ignorance, rational decision-making vs religious dogma, it appears that most of the US will vote for more of the McSame and send this country further down the toilet.

"She is not "anti-science, she believes in creationism"

If you believe that creationism is science, then you ARE anti-science! Creationism is not science it is religion. To argue otherwise is simply to bear false witness.

It also happens to be the kind of thinking that the enemies of America want to see in America as the teach creationism in the public schools is a religious agenda that will hand leadership in biotechnology to others. Science is on the cusp of understanding the molecular biology of the genes responsible for behavior, memory, and intelligence. Lets not turn science over to our enemies!

When we continue as divided as this we set ourselves up for another recount situation. You are attacking eachother! Are we in the same league as the the divided factions in Iraq? Are a bunch of virgins also waiting for you guys after you blow yourselves up? Wihtout flipping out because a topic is near and dear to us, there is logic in here, I mean what is normal? This woman thinks gays aren't normal? Her child by that type of definition (i.e. mainstream) would not be normal and she wouldn't expect anyone to give him less rights. I think she and McCain make a fine pair and I can only hope the United States has enough concerned citizens to make this a no-brainer.

To all of you liberals who have already or are thinking about slamming a 17 year old girl for getting pregnant. I have one word for you. DON'T. You people are famous for trashing conservatives for the acts of their children. e.g. The Bush twins. Aren't you glad that people don't criticize your parents for some of the crap you've done?? Or dump on you for some of things your children have done?? We are all accountable for our own actions. I have raised four daughters (ages 23 -30)
and none of them dissappointed me until the youngest, at age 21, got pregnant. We went through the emotions that many families go through under such circumstances. In the end, she blessed us with a beautiful grand daughter.
My point is this; as parents, we do the best we can. We teach our children everything we can so that they can become responsible, productive, adults. We live the best life we can as an example to our children so that they can never point their fingers at us and say, "You are a hypocrite". And they still make some bad choices in their lives. You know what?? It's not the parent's fault. Here's a new phrase for the left, "PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY". I know this is a new concept for you leftys out there as you try to justify everything you do or else blame it on somebody else.

And to Manny, (#606 and #607 above) Just because a family has an illegitimate child doesn't mean they are "trailer trash". It means that someone in their family made a mistake. (remember your lesson on personal accountability) If you were in the crowd when Jesus said, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". You would have picked up a stone and thrown it at the woman caught in adultery while everyone else walked away. I have never witnessed such evil as someone ROFLHAO because some little girl got pregnant out of wedlock. How wrong is that??

And, just as a side note. (and this one is a freebie) Please find below a partial list of famous people who were born out of wedlock.

Leonardo da Vinci. Artist.
Frederick Douglass. Abolitionist.
Alexandre Dumas, fils. Novelist and playwright.
Alexander Hamilton. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
Marilyn Monroe. Actress.
James Smithson. Chemist and inceptor of Smithsonian Institution.
Richard Wagner. Composer.
Walt Disney. Director, Producer