Palin's first TV interview on tap
Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will emerge from her media cocoon today for her first TV interview since John McCain shocked the political world and chose her.
ABC's Charles Gibson is in Alaska to talk to Palin, and the first portion of the interview is to air at 6:30 EDT tonight on "World News."
In excerpts of the interview released this afternoon by ABC News, Palin takes a tough line against Russia, excoriating its military action in Georgia.
"[W]e've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable," she told Gibson in an exclusive interview.
Palin advocated the inclusion of Georgia as well as Ukraine into NATO, binding the United States to come to their defense.
"I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help," she said.
She also said she didn't hestitate when McCain asked her to be his running mate. Gibson asked her, "Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say 'I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?' "
Palin replied, "I do, Charlie, and on January 20, when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, we'll be ready. I'm ready."
Gibson went on, "And you didn't say to yourself, 'Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I -- will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?' "
"I didn't hesitate, no," she replied.
"Didn't that take some hubris?" Gibson asked.
She replied, "I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink. So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate."
Palin also defended characterizing the war in Iraq as a "task from God," saying she was quoting Abraham Lincoln.
"I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words. But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that's a repeat in my comments, was, 'Let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side.' "
Palin attended the deployment ceremony today for her eldest son Track, who is headed to Iraq. When asked if she believed she was "sending [her] son on a task that is from God," Palin replied, "I don't know if the task is from God, Charlie. What I know is that my son has made a decision. I am so proud of his independent and strong decision he has made, what he decided to do and serving for the right reasons and serving something greater than himself and not choosing a real easy path where he could be more comfortable and certainly safer."
Sitting in her office, she told Gibson that she had not met a foreign head of state. She also acknowledged that her visit to Alaska National Guard members in Kuwait and Germany was her first foreign visit, other than Canada and Mexico.
Palin called it a "trip of a lifetime." "It changed my life," she said.
She also said that Iran should not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, because it would be a threat not only to Israel but to the entire world.
She would not directly answer questions on her position on a possible Israeli preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, saying only that the United States can't "second guess" what Israel believes is necessary to protect itself.
A portion of the interview will also air tonight on "Nightline," and ABC announced that other parts will air Friday on "Good Morning America" and "World News," followed by a one-hour "20/20" special Friday night.
Palin, the first-term Alaska governor, has energized Republicans and McCain, who has been rising in the polls.
There have been a flurry of stories, however, questioning some of her assertions and her record in Alaska, as well as a series of now-debunked Internet rumors.
And in public, she has not been taking questions from reporters. Instead, she has been appearing jointly with McCain and giving various versions of her well-received convention speech.
Why is her young son in Iraq and not college? Her teenage daughter is pregnant and she has a child with down syndrome but here she is she is running around the country making speeches. Where are her priorities? She does not believe in sex education, just abstinence (does she see how well that works)? She does not believe in a woman't right to choose but believes in having guns? I think she is a real lightweight. However, the Democrats missed the boat with Hillary.
Oh, the ice-princess is allowed to speak. I'm on pins and needles......
I would like to say to the american people, in regard to governor palin " WAKE UP !!" When electing the leaders of this great country of ours, shouldn't the candidates be people who have displayed a lifelong commitment to public service.
Shouldn't the candidate be someone who was actively seeking the job, because they felt they were inordinately capable and driven to serve this great nation and its people. NOT someone who suddenly finds themselves thrust into the spoltlight,
on the greatest political stage. who was genuinely surprised at their selection.
NOT a candidate who knows in their heart of hearts that they are not qualified to do this job, but because of their enormous ego , they "accept the nomination" risking the wellfare of all U.S citizens. Shouldn.t the candidate for the 2nd most powerful and difficult job in this nation have displayed a greater interest in political public service for more than just the last 4 or 5 years? It certainly matters to me!
I wonder if Gibson will ask her about the $3 million in earmarks Palin got to study seal DNA.
I didn't think so.
Gibson (via his ABC bosses) will be afraid to ask tough questions because ABC did a poor job in the democratic primary debates and as a result were left out of the presidential debates. Also that is the reason why the McCain campaign people decided on Palin's first interview to be with ABC; the campaign knew Palin would only get soft, favorable questions. ABC is, after all, first and foremost a corporation and that spells republican favoritism in one way or another.
# 3
Good Comment-That's why I'm not voting for Obama.
Yeah Sarah, how come you haven't been a life long politician? You have a lot of nerve volunteering for the PTA and working your way up to Vice Presidential candidate when there have been people like Joe Biden living inside the Washington establishment and sitting in the senate for decades waiting for his chance! You have a lot of nerve lady!!
Palin is going to let we conservatives make sure the dope with hope is stopped in his tracks.
lots of people are comparing the experience of palin to obama, google it and you will see they are comparable. the simple fact that the comparison is even being made looks bad for obama being the top of his ticket, palin no.2 on her ticket. bottom line- because she's conservative and may not share the views of the left does not mean she's unqualified for v.p. no matter how bad it makes you libs feel. look at the polls and you will see she's very, very popular despite all the negative press she's getting. how much coverage have you seen on her accomplishments? how much coverage have you seen trying to smear her- personal family issues, she's a bad mother, troopergate, etc. GO SARAH!!
Fran, maybe it was her son's decision to serve his country and to take advantage of the experiences and opportunities serving in the armed forces may provide for him. There are many in this country that still consider it an honor to serve their country before they go to college or to make it a career. Who are you to judge? With respect to her priorities, what a stupid and sexist thing to say. She has the freedom to choose, and particularly, the freedom to choose to have ideals and priciples different from yours.
Keep underestimating her and in January she will be with McCain in the White House. Why don't liberals get it? You lose election after election because you can never understand what middle America thinks and feels. Hillary Clinton showed this to you and the liberal Dem primary voters rejected it. Obama had a chance to sew up this election (and this voter) by selecting Hillary for VP - but choose Biden instead (who is synonymous with establishment and status-quo.) Obama smugly believed he had a free pass on VP because he was going to sail to victoty. I saw clips from her debates in Alaska on public television and she is a formidable debater. I think she has changed the dynamic of the election and liberals will once again wonder WHAT HAPPENED.
She's coming out of her cacoon? She's doing her first interview before Biden did. She's only been on the Ticket since Aug. 29th.
I am supporting McCain / Palin, but not only because I am Republican and in alignment with conservative values.
Obama's healthcare plan sounds great, it really does. I agree as most of my conservative friends that it would be wonderful for everyone to have healthcare. The main concern is the cost involved to pay for it, who willl be paying for it, and its effects on the nation.
The truth is, that there is already a system in place where high income brackets pay higher taxes. With Obama's plan, household incomes of $250,000 and above will pay 40-50%, leaving those at the 250,000 - $300,000 in the middle class level. This is called distribution of income, a Socialist viewpoint that goes completely against our democracy and completely against the American Dream.
While I admit that a $250,000 household income is comfortable, it is not by any means "Rich". These people are the ones that make investments and create jobs for you and me. Capital gains will go up from 15% tp 30% which will, in turn, diminish investments. What good is it to get a tax cut if you don't have a job?
My friends, this will have a trickle down effect that will eventually hit the middle class and poor.
Even with this heavy taxation on higher incomes and businesses, the fact still remains that the funds are insufficient.
Let's vote for real change that will better our economy and great nation, not change that will put us from a recession to a depression.
I am disgusted by the "Rove"-ian tactics of the McCain campaign. To accuse the media and the Democrats of sexism for questioning Palin's priorities in running for public office when her own children could use some parenting. The truth is the Republicans themselves are sexist. McCain for marrying a bimbo like Cindy McCain who despite being the same generation as Hillary Clinton, and having ample financial resources available to her, could not make anything of herself in politics and had to hand the reigns over to her her husband to climb the political ladder.
And if they aren't sexist, then why haven't McCain and Palin sent their daughters to Iraq and only their sons?????!!!! Why is Palin's daughter not in college or in Iraq and at home taking care of her mother's child?
What nerve to talk about sexism!
To the idiot comment number 1. My son young and is in the military and deploys to Iraq on Oct 18. As a Mom I am very proud of him and his service to our country. Instead of you criticizing Gov Palin and her son Track, why don't you thank him for his service to our country. As for her daughter being pregnant. You cannot be around your teenage child 24/7 and you cannot make certain choices for them. Teenage girls get pregnant everyday in this country and a lot of their parents are stay at home moms. Gov Palin is for birth control and how do you know that her daughter waswasn't using birth control when she got pregnant. No birth control with the exception of abstinence. She is breast feeding her baby so she has bonded with the baby. Lots of parents with special needs kids work. Your point is?
aaabstinSo you point is??? As for the baby, he is being taking care of. It is obvious that she had bonded with him.....she breast feeds.
The rabid media dogs rolled there eyes back and went into a frenzy, sniffing through all the trash...and she wasn't even fazed. She came out and looked square into the camera and said is that all you got. You wretches better find something better, she just brushed you off like a piece of lint. Just imagine 4 years as VP, then 8 more as President. Hillary descends into pant suit oblivion and Barry writes more memoirs about doing nothing...and Biden well like he said after the primaries "What do I know?" HAHAHAHAHAHA this is great! All you haters are sad, sad people...you invidious distrubed souls better start looking for therapy when McCain/Palin wins.
Oh by way...read Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinksy...a mentor Hillary, a Chicago community organizer...that should clue you in all you hysterics...
I wonder if she will perform any hits from new CD "Sarah Palins Greatest Hits." You know the songs "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull... LIPSTICK", then there's "I told them 'thanks but no thanks on the bridge to nowhere" and then there is my personal favorite, "I sold it on e-bay." This woman is dripping with sarcasm. She is condecending. Almost everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie. And, yes, she is shrill. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would take her seriously and want to vote for her. In the polls, she is more popular with men than women-I wonder why. I'm sure it NOTHING to do with her looks;) Whatever Gibson decides to questions her about, let's hope it has nothing to do with her doll, her fashionable taste in glasses, her past as a beauty queen, and her family. Remember, families are supposed to be off limits. The Republicans seem to have forgotten this after agreed with Obama.
The rabid media dogs rolled there eyes back and went into a frenzy, sniffing through all the trash...and she wasn't even
fazed. She came out and looked square into the camera and said is that all you got. You wretches better find something
better, she just brushed you off like a piece of lint. Just imagine 4 years as VP, then 8 more as President. Hillary
descends into pant suit oblivion and Barry writes more memoirs about doing nothing...and Biden well like he said after the
primaries "What do I know?" HAHAHAHAHAHA this is great! All you haters are sad, sad people...you invidious distrubed souls
better start looking for therapy when McCain/Palin wins.
Oh by way...read Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinksy...a mentor Hillary, a Chicago community organizer...that should clue you
in all you hysterics...
Hey
Guess What
Obama is going to lose
He actually has to compare his credentials to Republican VP candidate!
America does not want a socialist in White House
McCain will Win
Palin will be first women Prez
God Bless
I guess my first comment didn't go in...
Hey
Guess What
Obama is going to lose
He actually has to compare his credentials to Republican VP candidate!
America does not want a socialist in White House
McCain will Win
Palin will be first women Prez
God Bless
This is like the Wizard of Oz. Pay no attention to the boring old candidate behind the curtain!... you know, the one that is actually running for president.
Palin is smoke-screen. The less we hear about her, the more honestly we can weigh in on who should be the next leader of our country. Since when did we vote based on the candidate's understudy? There is too much at stake this election.
Anyone who plans on voting Republican should ask themselves what positive changes have occurred in your life over the past 8 years as a result of their leadership. Seriously think about that and if you can’t think of one thing and you still vote for them, then I question your logic.
The republicans are setting the U.S. citizens up yet again to be bamboozled. And if the Republicans succeed, watch out because there will be no more middle class just the elite few looking out for the elite few while giving the American people crumbs of the massive income tthis government collect from the average americans on a yearly basis. Something is wrong with this picture... They have turned our country into a third world county, sad to say. Republicans obviously do not give a darn about the rest of us. And, just do not get it!!!! To the republicans, Americans without much do not matter much. Is anyone looking at or affected by the mess this party has gotten us into because of their greed, deceit and political connections of self serving interest? I am not surprised because they have been looking out for one another for so long they feel they should keep the wealth of the American people to themselves. Can they not see outside of their box or their world. Well, come live in the average Americans world for a day, a week, a year and see how you as a Republican might feel then about the Republican policies. When those policies affect you like they affect the average American. I am sure they would have a different perception of this country. The Republicans should be made to live in the situation of an average American for a time just to see how it really is for the average American. But of course that is to much like right. Do they even know what is right or true anymore? I really wonder, I really really do. It is so sad it breaks my heart that they are able to get away with such crimes, lies,deception the depletion of our resources. But anyone else breaking the laws are punished to the fullest extent of the law. What a mass???? Obviously they are above the law. Bush, Cheney, Libby, and Carl Rove and the rest of their special interest groups, should be prosecuted for the war crimes, crimes and constiutional crimes they have committed against the American people.. The Republicans have ran our government for so long like it is the Good Old Boys Network MOB. they act as if it is the inherited right to decieve we the people by whatever means necessary. And they have gotten away with it for centuries. Wake up America we are being bamboozled yet again. Wake up before it is to late!!!!!!!!
As I recall there was a Missouri "haberdasher" who had no international experience who was named Harry Truman. Seems he did a pretty good job after Roosevelt died. Either Palin or Obama could "rise to the job" if we just looked at their history, but there is one difference. Obama does not make decisions "first". Obama, even during this campaign, let's others stick out their necks and take a stand, and then he annonces his decison by hindsight after seeing how it pans out. The Obama response to the crisis in Georgia is a classic example. After a week of fumbling and three different "opinions", Obama finally said " I agree with McCAin.' Obama's 130 "present" votes and his proven record of indecison make him unfit to command. John Kerry and Al Gore were men who could make decisons. Obama is an ambitious little coward.
By the way. Fran (Comment #1) is a disgrace. Sarah Palin is a free human being and, last time I looked, an American. If Sarah Palin and her family have worked out their child-care issues it is none of Fran's business. I am sure that if Palin was a liberal Democrat the Dems would not be suggesting that she stay home and play nurse. Once again, however, we see the double standard at work.
"When electing the leaders of this great country of ours, shouldn't the candidates be people who have displayed a lifelong commitment to public service."
You mean like John McCain? OK, I agree.
A comment on a comment. I cannot believe someone asked why her son went into the service and not college. Like that is something degrading? You are not familiar with today's military. You can't get promoted unless you are educated or in process.
Every officer has to have a degree and they have requirements of credits to get promoted at all levels.
Our constitution protects our right to keep and bare arms.A bit snobby on the pregnant daughter and by all means all parents with disabled children should stay home all the time. Sorry, all mothers, should stay home all the time. Yikes and her daughter didn't listen to the abstinence thing. I want all parents whose children ignore their advice, to be tied to their house.
Her children are responsible and taking responsibility for their actions. A down's child is encouraged to be mainstreamed and how's this for choice. Their choices for their family are their choices.
No lightweight could have held up to the last few weeks of persecution.
Fran, you should be ashamed of yourself. The vast majority of us never serve our country, and we should all be thankful there are those individuals out there who make it their duty to do so. And NO ONE can tell a mother what is right for her family besides her family. I may not agree with Governor Palin on many issues, but that doesn't give me or anyone else the right to assume our personal judgment should replace hers when it comes to setting priorities for her family.
To #12 - Elena Smith re:
"She's coming out of her cacoon? She's doing her first interview before Biden did. She's only been on the Ticket since Aug. 29th."
Joe Biden has been answering questions from reports, answering questions from voters at town hall meetings, and appearing on the Sunday news shows (which are hour long sit down interviews) since he was selected by Obama. Sarah Palin has not answered a single question from anyone about her views on policy issues or her experience. All she has done is recite the same speech over and over again, and it's a speech that was largely not written by her (much of it was written before she was even selected). She may have some great things to say about how to move the country forward and why she is qualified to be VP, but she has not yet chosen to address the people on issues of substance. I hope tonight's interview it the first of many for her and that she'll also start holding press conferences (although that is unlikely since McCain himself stopped holding them more than a month ago). The people of this country know very little about her because of her prior low profile, so it would be nice if she'd allow us to make an informed decision about her.
Fran, you should be ashamed of yourself. The vast majority of us never serve our country, and we should all be thankful there are those individuals out there who make it their duty to do so. And NO ONE can tell a mother what is right for her family besides her family. I may not agree with Governor Palin on many issues, but that doesn't give me or anyone else the right to assume our personal judgment should replace hers when it comes to setting priorities for her family.
I'm astonished at the level of hateful bile the Left is spewing about the upcoming and straight-forward TV interview.
The Left should be more concerned about their own inbred party problems. Is Biden really throwing the towel in - - will Hillary even accept it? Can't the Left wait until after the interview to launch their hatred at a lady who hasn't even been interviewed.
If the Left want to know the truth about our political morass they should first look to the House, Senate and their Democratic (sic) leaders whose level of ignorance and incompetence has never been higher.
A Rational Conservative, and Proud Of It
Palin was chosen because she's a woman. A man with the same sketchy "qualifications" never would have been selected for the VP slot. As a woman, I find it offensive that McCain sought gender as the main qualification of his choice. Does he really think all women are idiots who will vote for a candidate solely because of their gender? True qualifications/experience should be the measuring stick, not race, gender, or other such characteristics.
LOL #8... dope with hope. Obama is clearly too inexperienced and naive to be president. Unlike the Palin/McCain camp, he just can't seem to grasp that as a politician, he shouldn't be screwing around with hope and real plans--he should be getting votes the old-fashioned way, with bald-faced lies and manipulation.
Cf. "And that bridge to nowhere? I said thanks, but no thanks!" (Palin was an ardent supporter of the Gravina Island Bridge until support for it collapsed in Washington, at which point, she reallocated the millions of dollars in federal funds she'd lobbied to get for the project--read: kept the money.)
Cf. "Like that luxury jet--she put it on eBay. Made a profit." (When she tried to sell the jet, it was primarily being used to transport prisoners to a private facility in Phoenix, that Alaska had contracted with because of its shortage of prison space. The jet didn't sell on eBay at all; it was later sold at a loss in a private auction.)
Cf. "Obama wants to teach children about sex before teaching them to read!" (The Illinois bill in question just wanted to supplement existing sex education--the program for the "K" in "K-12" would have been essentially teaching kids the difference between "good touch" and "bad touch" so they could defend themselves against predators. It's good that pedophiles have a friend in John McCain.)
Until he wises up and realizes that his millions of adoring fans don't actually require the truth and will lap up whatever dog drool he shovels at them, like Palin/McCain's, he's going to be at a disadvantage.
I am a woman who is disgusted by Sarah's ways right now. Yes, she should not be underestimated, but for the love of this land, she should not be vice-president. She has a trunk full of investigations being done on her. She was told by a judge not to do something, and she thinks that because she is Governor that she does not have to listen to the judge. Also, for those of you who LOVE Sarah for her Looks and are voting for her on that level, WHAT FOOLS. You should not make a choice of your canidate for their sex or race. Make it on the issues. And for those of you who love Sarah so much you are going to vote for her because of her looks, go to work for her, see when you get pushed under the bus because you didn't listen to her and then tell America how you love her still. There are people who are being strongarmed in Alaska to play nice while Sarah is the nominated VP. They have had their constitutional rights violated by McCain and Palin by squashing their true voice. Why? Because these two are the "Mavericks" who don't give a hoot and holler about any of us, only themselves and not being told "NO". If you tell them No and survive, let the world know, you'd be the first.
The sooner we all remember its Obama vs. McCain, the sooner we'll see people acting rationally; ie, Obama will regain his lead in the polls.
Why?
Because there is nothing McCain has said he will do to actually effect change. Earmarks and porkbarrel politics are NOTHING compared to Iraq, climate change, the economy and energy. You can't run against the party you've supported over the last eight years.
Come on people, its time to wake up: no healthcare? It's McCain's fault.
Iraq war? McCain's fault.
Energy prices sky-high? John "I have never voted for alternative energy but I'll still put windmills in my campaign ads" McCain's fault.
Economy slumping? John "I dont know much about the economy" McCain's fault.
The GOP is trying to steal your country from you. Don't let them.
First, Thank You to all Veterans and Current Military Persons serving their Country in the United States of America. Second, there are some really angry people on all the forum boards I've been reading, I'm guessing their LIberal and Democrat. Sarah has been great for our town of Wasilla and even better for the State of Alaska. We are excited to see if she can help straighten out the Good Ol' USA too. Obama wants to negotiate with terrorists...rule number one of the USA, don't negotiate with terrorists!
"Shouldn.t the candidate for the 2nd most powerful and difficult job in this nation have displayed a greater interest in political public service for more than just the last 4 or 5 years? It certainly matters to me!"
Are you talking about Obama? But he is seeking for the most powerful and difficult job in this nation.
#16 I sure hope Gibson does better research than you do before he asks her the questions. It is clear you don't do research very well. She never said "I sold it on ebay", she said instead, "I put it on ebay." When it was on ebay it never actually sold....it was all more of a symbolic gesture.
Obama is sorry and so is Biden
Obama can't even pick the right VP
but he now wants Hillary to help him get elected.
Obama is sorry and so is Biden
Obama can't even pick the right VP
but he now wants Hillary to help him get elected.
While China and India are busy educating their youth we are busy trying to elect Mc Palin who do not have any priorities in EDUCATION. I dont question her parenting but most of the time family values are reflected on the children. As far as i see EDUCATION is not a priority in the Palins' house hold.
Finally i will leave you with a question on your EDUCATION values; Would you want your children to have the Palins' or Obama's academic qualifications?
In the mean time China and India is busy producing academic bouncers....
Elena Smith has it right on!!!
While America is becoming more socialist and weekening, Russia and China are embracing capitalism and getting stronger. This is like the cold war in reverse. If government spending keeps out of control the dollar will be worthless, there will be no jobs, and no incomes to tax.
Alaska is #49 in college grads. Palin did/said/tried nothing to change that.
They are prepared to work with their hands.
Salt of the earth.
Her own preparation to guide the USA into the technological age is limited to having McCain's lawyers prevent investigators from looking at her incrimination by her emails. 1,000 emails she is hiding.
Impeach her from the Alaska governorship.
#12,
$250,000 a year is not rich? Try telling that to someone who is trying to live on $2000/month, whose employer does not have a healthcare plan. I supposed it you asked him, "hey, would you like to have government-run healthcare, or nothing?" I suppose he would say yes to the govt. run program.
Politicians of both parties are way out of touch with the average American.
Elena Smith has it right on!!!
While America is becoming more socialist and weekening, Russia and China are embracing capitalism and getting stronger. This is like the cold war in reverse. If government spending keeps out of control the dollar will be worthless, there will be no jobs, and no incomes to tax.
Obama wants a do-over. Hillary...Hillary. Darn it. Too late.
Palin was a great pick. And McCain/Palin are indeed headed for the White House. Among "likely voters", the McCain/Palin edge is now 8-12%.
Go Republicans!
Why were Dems not outraged that Joe Biden, as a single parent, went on to take office after the tragic automobile accident that left him a widower?
Sarah Palin has a husband who has been helping to raise her family (isn't this what feminists have been claiming to want?)
Ok so her daughter is pregnant -- that isn't a life-threatening condition! She'll be fine. And she DOES have grandparents and aunts to help her -- if she needs help.
In Joe Biden's case, he left his two sons in critical condition in the hospital, but took office anyway. Why didn;t the Dems complain about that?
Read Biden's bio in Wikipedia:
Biden's wife and year-old daughter were killed in an automobile accident while Christmas shopping on December 18, 1972 shortly after the election. His two sons, Beau and Hunter, were critically injured in the accident, but both eventually made full recoveries. Biden considered resigning in order to care for them;persuaded not to by Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, he was sworn into office from one of their bedsides.
Simple answer... they are just trying to trash Pailin because she has stolen Obama's thunder. AND he won't have time to get it back before November....
Obama wants a do-over. Hillary...Hillary. Darn it. Too late.
Palin was a great pick. And McCain/Palin are indeed headed for the White House. Among "likely voters", the McCain/Palin edge is now 8-12%.
Go Republicans!
Women -
want to be treated equally, but not really.
She came out mocking the opposition and spewing venom against them. Yet, the other party has been pretty mild in their crticism of her, but at any criticism (warranted or not) , the first thing she does is scream sexism.
Haven't we recently gone down the road of having the media push a party's propoganda before? Do we really want to go down that road again? The road where a political party decides when and if they want to talk with the "media" - the public's most popular information obtaining venue. We might as well be in another country where any dominant political party can tell its citizens what to think, when to think it and how often they should think it.
She shouldn't be shielded from the media and ,in effect , from the citizens she purports to want to serve. I say if she wants to run with the big dogs - then roll with the big dogs - no special treatment just because she is a woman. Will we go to yet another war simply because some other world leader was "mean" to her?
Thank you to John McCain and the other thousands of young men and women for serving your country. I realize you are a recovering POW along with hundreds of other POWS of that era and my heartfelt appreciation goes to you all for your the sacrifices.
However, Mr. McCain, neither should you shield yourself from the citizenry you so passionately purport to want to serve.
#23 --"Republicans should be made to live in the situation of an average American for a time just to see how it really is for the average American."
Sarah Palin does not own a million dollar home like McCain or Obama.
Palin has lived in a small middle class town for the last umpteen years.
So, who's out of touch?
lol... the people finally get to here Gov Palin, and already all the attacks come out. I can only assume that you're afraid she'll do well, and you won't hate her. I can't say that you'll "like" her, b/c it's not a part of your DNA to be open minded.
Everyone should thank her for bringing the passion in you out... regardless of whether you hate her or like her. you have to admit, she has the gift of bringing forth passion.
Fran....You sexist pig! How could you feel that way? Geeesh! ;-)
I would vote for anyone but Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOBAMA '08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are entitled to know who Sarah really is. We want to know: Is he is a creationist? Is she anti-environment? Why does she shoot animals down from an airplane? Does she deny man-made global warming? Did she try to fire a city librarian for resisting censorship? Did she fight for huge earmarks for her tiny town? Did she appoint a man convicted of sexual harassment to be in charge of the Public Security Commission? What about the Bridge to Nowhere that she was for until it was a dead issue? Why did she say she sold a plane on eBay and made a profit? We know that is not true. In the absence of the facts we can only hope that Gibson will pursue these matters in a journalistic fashion and not just lob her softballs for which she has been preparing for days. Anything less than a solid performance as an experienced interviewer that can go after the facts will be not only a failure journalistically, Gibson will be letting down the voting public. He has his obligations and work cut out for him. Damn the right wing critics, get the facts!
McCain, Palin supporters make me ill. Do you ever actually want content or prefer name calling and repetitiion of the same stupid lines (Mavericks, Country First, Proud Americans, and best of all the chanting of U.S.A ). It makes me sick when good old Sarah brings up that her son is going to Iraq for the zillionth time, when Bidens son is also going, but he never feels the need to brag about it. Also Sarah only will do very selected interviews (first one tonight). Gee ya think she may be something (like a lack of knowledge). Lastly, how can the republicans keep saying that Obama will raise your taxes, when all independent analysts I see say that for all those earning under 250K, that Obamas plan will save them more in taxes.
54 ---- Um.... I like content and hate name calling. Unfortunately, both sides lack the former and have plenty of the latter. Besides how are 'Hope for Change', 'hope', 'change'....... not "the same stupid lines?" obama will raise taxes for the wealthy. Then again with all of his 'hope for change' all he's going to have is 'hope' in one hand and 'change' in the other. With no income all you have is hope because you can't afford change.
TO THE FIRST QUESTIONER
HEY FRAN-
The problem with the democrats are that they think going to college to become a community organizer, otherwise known as a poverty pimp, is a worth job, well its not. It's a joke. Her son is quite possibly going to the military to help pay for college? or the fact that you can have a great career in the military? Would you say the same thing about someone who was going to become a carpenter? a police officer? fireman? What is wrong with you people? The democrats look down on everyone.
Second of all the girl is pregnant. So what? My girlfriend got pregnant at 16, I'm 32, married with 4 children. We are happy, I know that goes against everything you read in your research articles. But the real problem with the daughter being pregnant and Palin herself having a special needs baby is that it flies in the face of all your social justice research that is a bunch of nonsense.
I never went to college. I make $250K + a year (give or take) in real estate. So how you like them apples?
Just remember, universities and liberal towns are not the only places in America.
How many November elections for the presidency do they have to remind you about.
Liberals are out of touch.
You people are something else. Worried Gibson will give Palin a soft interview.
Maybe she will get a tough interview when Obama gets his first one after 19 mos.
Face it, no matter who interviews her, it won't be good enough to people who are so frightened of her and what she represents.
Hahahaha who on earth would vote for a team that consists of an old leering guy given to senior moments, and a religious kook who only just got a passport and is waiting for the "rapture" to rain down on all humanity.
INCREDIBLE!!!! If people vote this team in, and they start with their neocon crap about taking over more of the world, this time, there will be more to pay than 4,000 cannon fodder troops. This country is filled with idiots who seem to want the end of civilization as we know it.
And, didn't her kid end up enlisting because he was too stupid to get into college? What's with the melodrama?
McCain = Bush
Last 8 years + McCain= more of the same disaster
you decide
Seems to me that many folks who criticize Palin are either (1) bitter gay men who aren't attracted to her and despise her and anyone else who doesn't believe gay marriage is legitimate, or (2) rabid, miserable feminists. This woman, Sarah Palin, is the real deal - mother of five who is down to earth, athletic, has a terrific, cute voice and, yes, is cute as a button. And it is for these reasons that you despise her - you're miserable and jealous. She's so much better than you!
I cannot believe anyone would think this person is qualified to be President of the United States. If we needed more evidence of just how much our educational system is bankrupt, we need look no further than the people who are supporting Palin. Ours is a dangerous world, more so because of George W. Bush, Cheney and their gang of warmongers. I didn't think we could get anyone less qualified than Bush. But the GOP did exactly that.
Truth is, Governor Palin is quite common. She does not have the experience nor the education to be only one heartbeat away from the presidency of our nation. There are millions of Americans with the same college degrees, and thousands more with higher degress and executive experience in both the public and private sectors. She was actually pretty skilled in the earmark game until the national spotlight was turned on. Do your fact checking, my fellow Americans! Her requirement that the rape victims of Wasilla had to pay for their own rape kit ($1200) is outrageous. Her religious beliefs scare half this nation to death. Iraq war is not God's will. The earth is not six thousand years old. And Sarah, hon, no matter what your pastor/preacher/holy roller leader might tell you, your church cannot "cure" homosexuality any more than it can cure cancer.
Choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate has only bolstered my opinion that Senator McCain is not country first. Senator McCain is ME first.
Where do you people come from? The problem in Washington is all the millionaire professional politicians working for "us". Like Polosi stopping oil exploration and Kennedy stopping wind farms. The real solution in Washingon is TERM LIMITS! Palin is a fresh face with something to prove.
How can anyone suppoort Barak Hussein Obama? an you say Rezco? Wright? Ayers? Has he worked a day in his life? Is he even a citizen?
She lied again about the reference to the Iraqi war and God. She did not reference Lincoln or use the words she is using now. Watch the tape. She is a pathological liar.
As I figured, same old canned words we've been hearing on Meet the Press from congressmen and women about Russia and Georgia.
As REM says, "it's the end of the world of the world as we know it....." but I really don't feel fine. Lipstick, pigs, wolves, moose, Biden saying Hillary would have made a better VP........
The only good news I heard today was about the season premiere of SNL. From msn.com:
Armisen and Hammond can be expected to be heavily featured in the show's most prominent segments. (That is, besides whoever plays McCain's running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin. Michaels says she likely won't be cast until just before Saturday's show, but didn't rule out "SNL" alum Tina Fey, who many have observed resembles the Alaskan governor.)
Go, Tina!
Wow, how low our standards have become when we think Sarah Palin and her family should be role models to all of us and that despite marginal experience and education she is qualified to potentially become President of the greatest country in the history of the world. I'm hoping this is all a terrible nightmare and I am going to wake up soon. Back up the double wide to the White House lawn, here come the Palins!
It's hard to understand all this conservative support for a woman whom you know almost nothing about! I got this e-mail forwarded this to me from family in AK. Hopefully this will shed more light on the republican VP candidate.
A note to all by Anne K*******
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.:)
Thanks,
Anne
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer.Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%.During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%.This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002).She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park.$15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed.City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys".Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited.At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
her, she told the press.As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it.He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper.Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law.She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help.The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor.She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid.She had no
background in oil & gas issues.Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary.I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work.Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job.In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
I am a woman, and a lifelong committed democrat and I have to say I am disgusted by my party. We had an opportunity to put a winner on the ticket -- Hillary -- and instead we picked Obama because he makes us feel good. Hillary may not have been the feel good candidate, but she would have wiped the floor with McCain. Obama had the chance to choose Hillary as VP and create what I believe would have been an UNBEATABLE ticket, but he let his ego get in the way. His pick of Biden (whom I like) for VP was an acknowledgement of his own lack of experience. As for Palin -- she is not qualified to be governor of Alaska, much less VP or -- god forbid -- president. What are we doing people???!!!!!
Before we go anointing them as the Holy Palins:
The snoopy National Enquirer has allegedly unveiled some blockbuster stuff about VP candidate Sarah Palin's kids.
First, her Iraq-bound son, Track, is supposedly a drug addict.
We can't be too quick to dismiss the mag. They were right about John Edwards, his affair and the love child!
The Enquirer claims that for the past two years, the eldest son, Track, has supposedly been addicted to the painkiller OxyCotin — he snored it, ate it, smoked it and even injected it, said the tab.
Locals are totally selling the Palins out!
Someone who has 'partied' with Track tells the rag, "I've partied with him (Track) for years. I've seen him snort cocaine, snort and smoke OxyContin, drink booze and smoke weed."
The source also went on to say that girls would do anything for Track and he'd use his 'local celebrity' to get other guys "to get them to steal things he wanted."
Here's the scary last bit!
The snitch adds, "He finally did what a lot of troubled kids here do. You join the military."
It's hard to understand all this conservative support for a woman whom you know almost nothing about! I got this e-mail forwarded this to me from family in AK. Hopefully this will shed more light on the republican VP candidate.
A note to all by Anne K*******
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.:)
Thanks,
Anne
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer.Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%.During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%.This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002).She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park.$15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed.City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys".Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited.At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
her, she told the press.As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it.He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper.Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law.She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help.The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor.She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid.She had no
background in oil & gas issues.Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary.I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work.Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job.In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
Ever had this feeling: you go to bed on earth and wake up in an alternate universe? Me neither.
That is, not until Mr. "America First" spent an hour sizing up his choice for second in command, Suddenly, I'm no longer on the same planet. I'm sure because Rod Serling recently appeared on my TV, live, "You're about to enter a land where small is big, lies are truth and logic has gone the way of the Dodo. You've just crossed over into...the Palin Zone."
How else do you explain wild cheers for someone who believes the Flintstones is
reality TV; someone so far right, she needs her own time zone; someone who's foreign policy qualifications are a) have 2007 passport and b) live near Russia; someone who asked, "what exactly does a VP do?". Find me another explanation for the millions rushing to her defense while she holes up in an igloo, even though they know zippo about this woman who could easily become President.
Yup, it's another universe. A place where the last eight years never happened. A country where wars are holy and opposing opinions evil. Where global-warming is a joke and vast drilling is considered serious solution. A land of people so terrified that, if plunked on board the Titanic, they'd rather hit an iceberg than change course.
But, why worry? I'll soon awaken to find myself back on earth.
Otherwise, pass me a life jacket.
She hasn't done any interviews because she needed to brush up on her current events. She has to all of a sudden care about what else is going on in the world.
Before we go anointing them as the Holy Palins:
The snoopy National Enquirer has allegedly unveiled some blockbuster stuff about VP candidate Sarah Palin's kids.
First, her Iraq-bound son, Track, is supposedly a drug addict.
We can't be too quick to dismiss the mag. They were right about John Edwards, his affair and the love child!
The Enquirer claims that for the past two years, the eldest son, Track, has supposedly been addicted to the painkiller OxyCotin — he snored it, ate it, smoked it and even injected it, said the tab.
Locals are totally selling the Palins out!
Someone who has 'partied' with Track tells the rag, "I've partied with him (Track) for years. I've seen him snort cocaine, snort and smoke OxyContin, drink booze and smoke weed."
The source also went on to say that girls would do anything for Track and he'd use his 'local celebrity' to get other guys "to get them to steal things he wanted."
Here's the scary last bit!
The snitch adds, "He finally did what a lot of troubled kids here do. You join the military."
#24 that haberdasher as you called Truman was actually a war vet of WW1 where he reached the rank of Captain. He also served in Congress on one of the most historically famous committees called the Truman committee.
He had no college education, but read especially about history voraciously. If you were to say the same about Palin I might concede the point. Truman had some actual service including the Truman committee. True graft fighting during WW2. Google it to see what he actually did.
He had service and a record before being named to the Vice President.
I believe that the liberal mind would say that no children should be forced to a career or a specific education. Indeed, most liberals I know would fight for their children being able to choose their path. And don't forget that it is because of the liberal mind that children can abuse theirs parents by threatening to sue them if they punish him or her.
So why would liberals suddenly talk about Governor Palin and her "ability" to force her children to college? Seriously! You don't force older teenagers anywhere anymore. You just try to convince them of what you believe is right. And if you fail, it may not be because of the parent. It may be because of other people like teachers, some of whom crusade for their own extreme views, forcing them into captive minds.
I am for freedom of speech and freedom of choice. I am pro-life but would NEVER impose it on others. I am for small governments but then I am for healthcare for everyone. So I guess I am in the middle between liberals and conservatives. But I have to say, the Democrats are frightening more than the Republicans.
By the way, for all the people out there saying that by puting McCain into the presidential chair is the same as Bush, look again. McCain is changing the Republicans to a more centralized view. Having McCain as president would be, in my mind, like having a democrat/replican in place. And having Palin as VP will ensure that the status quo will not be maintained.
I just saw the interview and I believe she threaten to declare war with Russia during the interview? She 's whacked!
all i know is in the last 8 years the cost of food, clothing, gas and everything else have gone up sooooo much. Gas quadrupled under the current republican regime. Imagine having a V10 enguine and filling that tank weekly. Ouch!.
Sorry gang but we need drastic changes in this country. Osama is still out there running free threatning America after 7 years.....but thank goodness Saddam Husseim has been executed. and we are trying to run their country too.
54 ---- Um.... I like content and hate name calling. Unfortunately, both sides lack the former and have plenty of the latter. Besides how are 'Hope for Change', 'hope', 'change'....... not "the same stupid lines?" obama will raise taxes for the wealthy. Then again with all of his 'hope for change' all he's going to have is 'hope' in one hand and 'change' in the other. With no income all you have is hope because you can't afford change.
Wow, have our standards really sunk so low that we are expected to look up to the Palins as role models? And do we all really believe that she is qualified to be president with marginal experience and a substandard education. Didnt it take her 6 years and 5 schools to get a degree? Why aren't the kids in college? Who in their right mind would want their 17 year old to marry, baby or no baby. I am hoping this all a night and I will wake up soon. Otherwise it could be "back up the double-wide" to the White House lawn, here come the Palins!
"This woman, Sarah Palin, is the real deal - mother of five who is down to earth, athletic, has a terrific, cute voice and, yes, is cute as a button..."
It's statements like this that leave me dumbfounded.
DOT is right! She is a pathological liar, and this new Lincoln spin on her religious fanaticism is vomit-making! The original tape speaks for itself.
She also did advocate for rape victims to have to pay for their own rape kits, which as a policy is disgusting on its own, while at the same time ranting that rape victims shouldn't have a choice as to who owns their bodies. And this team speaks for women????
All they speak for are lobbyists and the oil companies, their rhetoric wrapped up in some faux family values and the scent of 1950's apple pie. As usual, people swallow it like the brain dead folks that they are.
Ever had this feeling: you go to bed on earth and wake up in an alternate universe? Me neither.
That is, not until Mr. "America First" spent an hour sizing up his choice for second in command, Suddenly, I'm no longer on the same planet. I'm sure because Rod Serling recently appeared on my TV, live, "You're about to enter a land where small is big, lies are truth and logic has gone the way of the Dodo. You've just crossed over into...the Palin Zone."
How else do you explain wild cheers for someone who believes the Flintstones is
reality TV; someone so far right, she needs her own time zone; someone who's foreign policy qualifications are a) have 2007 passport and b) live near Russia; someone who asked, "what exactly does a VP do?". Find me another explanation for the millions rushing to her defense while she holes up in an igloo, even though they know zippo about this woman who could easily become President.
Yup, it's another universe. A place where the last eight years never happened. A country where wars are holy and opposing opinions evil. Where global-warming is a joke and vast drilling is considered serious solution. A land of people so terrified that, if plunked on board the Titanic, they'd rather hit an iceberg than change course.
But, why worry? I'll soon awaken to find myself back on earth.
Otherwise, pass me a life jacket.
It's hard to understand all this conservative support for a woman whom you know almost nothing about! I got this e-mail forwarded this to me from family in AK. Hopefully this will shed more light on the republican VP candidate.
A note to all by Anne K*******
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.:)
Thanks,
Anne
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer.Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%.During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%.This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002).She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park.$15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's
surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed.City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys".Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited.At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
her, she told the press.As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it.He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper.Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law.She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help.The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor.She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid.She had no
background in oil & gas issues.Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary.I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work.Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job.In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
What do Ferrahkahn, Ahmedinijad, and William Ayers have in common?
They don't want John McCain to be the next president of the United States of America.
What would really be interesting is to find out who people like OJ Simpson, Jane Fonda, Howard Stern, Omarosa and Michael Vick support for president.
To Mike (#63) -- Is he even a citizen?
Jeepers, why don't you ask what you're really thinking? Isn't he really a Muslim?
They manage to paint her failings as successes (how many people still think she stopped the Bridge to Nowhere?), that her eBay plane sale was a big victory (it cost them money, and wasn't even her idea anyway), and won't address the real issues.
The Rove machine is working at it again, and I am so embarrassed to find how many Americans just don't get it.
Palin has never been to Europe. She's not qualified to run this country. Enough said.
All I can say is "wow". How many of you respondants are taking the time to read for yourselves each candidate's platform (including 3rd party candidates)? How many are making informed decisions based on the candidate's position? How many of you are evaluating what each candidate's plans will cost with independent research? Our parents and grandparents would be so ashamed. The name calling is ridiculous-worse than grade schoolers. People, be civil. Agree to disagree. Don't care for another's position but support their right to have it. It is such a shame we have come to this. All the candidates have something to offer. Compare your opinions and beliefs with theirs and decide for yourself in the voting booth. Please stop the vile comments and name calling. We are all better than that.
Palin has never been to Europe. She's NOT QUALIFIED to be president of the US. I could care less about her religious views.
What a whacko. She'd have us go to war with Russia over Georgia? This is what happens when you learn foreign policy from a lobbyist.
I have great respect for McCain, but found his choice of Palin shockingly irresponsible and, in fact, frightening. If he dies a year into office this is who we are left with to guide the country. Then we can look forward to creation being taught in public schools, continuation of Bush's virtual holy war, and the continued dumbing down of America. But it's okay--as long as we "don't blink." I feel ill.
54 ---- Um.... I like content and hate name calling. Unfortunately, both sides lack the former and have plenty of the latter. Besides how are 'Hope for Change', 'hope', 'change'....... not "the same stupid lines?" obama will raise taxes for the wealthy. Then again with all of his 'hope for change' all he's going to have is 'hope' in one hand and 'change' in the other. With no income all you have is hope because you can't afford change.
I had to laugh at Yahoo's headline today - Palin is ask if she is qualified for the VP slot. I guess we should ask the same question of Barack Obama. Four years after the last election I am still asking the question "Who th. ... is Barack Obama?" If Dems feel he is qualified then so is Palin.
#22, Mr Frank, I can tell you how I am better off after the last 8 years, look at the first WTC bombing in 93, the Somolia soldiers killed in '93, the Khobar Towers in '96, the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in '98, the USS Cole in 2000 then the second bombing for WTC in 2001. That's it's for the American people, President Bush has made sure it hasn't happen again. All the money, houses and jobs mean nothing when you could die from the bombing. To me, the Congress has a lot to do with the country's problems or maybe their low rating point the arrow at them for me.
Governor Palin is a future President for sure she is ready you can tell by her answers and toughness during her ABC interrogation with Charles Gibson.This Sarah Palin wave flooded every home around the world in only two weeks and the excitement it created is almost or about the same as that of Princess Diana decades ago.More than that Governor Palin can happily claim she has and is still walking the talk as a formr Mayor,current State Governor and now a Vice President candidate for John Mccain and the Replican Party.You go governor you're on the right path to greater things.
These are all very interesting. However, before we pass judgement on any of the candidates, why don't we listen to them speak in a debate and not read lies on the internet and even worse, believe those internet lies. They say McCain is too old and is going to die in office which would make Palin the president. Now Biden has had two anuerisms and has tragically lost a young wife and child. We all know death knows no age so I personally am tired of these scenarios. Obama is not my choice but then I am not a strong McCain supporter, but I am going to listen and make the choice that I feel is best in my opinion. I'll make up my own mind and could care less who any movie star or celebrity endorses. Health care is a big issue for me and I don't think any of the candidates have any problems paying for their health insurance nor do any politicians. I never believed in invading Iraq because of Terrorism. Now if we had invaded Saudi Arabia, I would have supported the war whole heartedly because I believe that is where the terrorists came from. I always support our military men and women and it will be interesting if the draft ever comes back. I am thankful for these men and women who help to keep us and others safe. Most politicians and perhaps most people don't always tell the truth. This country has to be put first and everyone else has to be second. If there is one thing that has annoyed me with Obama is I feel he has an arrogance about him. When he did his overseas "movie" shoot, he acted as if he was the president. Now he may be in January but he isn't today. However, I haven't decided yet who I'll vote for and it could be Obama. I have no problem with Palin being a mother, or having a special needs child, or having a daughter who is pregnant. This just shows me that she is part of a family. A family with positives and in some people's eyes negatives. Massachusetts has a Senator who, in my opinion, should have gone to jail for vehicular homicide; yet Mass makes this Senator a saint. If people want to judge, then we must judge all and not just the chosen few. This country is in trouble but we are a strong country and no matter who is elected, we will survive and be better for it.
BERG vs OBAMA, check this out. It has been going on since August 21st. The judge has not thrown it out. Before making a choice, I think it would be good to be informed...
Take it from an Alaskan- she is not qualified.Period-read the stories on adn.com and get a clue!
sorry about the multiple posts previous.. I kept getting got server error messages. here's the rest of the e-mail.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•"Hockey mom": true for a few years
•"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
•"NRA supporter": absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
•"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
•"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla's history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen
when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out
of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that's life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's
attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are
swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The
day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.
If any of you Republicans out there can honestly sit back and tell me that this country is better off now than it was 8 years ago, vote McCain.
I mean honestly, there's a reason why America's losing it's leadership position in the world. Sure, Obama might not have all the credentials (you mock that, so he picks Biden). Now, Biden is too experienced.
If this country continues on this path, we're going to face not only international trouble, but a complete collapse of the middle class.
And t
And to
This woman has an ASTOUNDINGLY huge ego.
What on EARTH makes her think she is qualified to handle international affairs, with literally millions of lives hanging in the balance?
She's qualified to be VP, and possibly president, the same way Brownie was qualified to run FEMA and the Katrina crisis. The same way Rumsfeld was qualified to run Defense.
This would all be hilarious if it weren't so....deadly serious.
Wow....it's amazing that people actually have time to sit around and pass judgement on others that are trying to make a change. Come on, does it really matter that Sarah's daughter is pregnant and that her son is going to war???? What does that have to do with HER potential to run as VP for this country. For those of us who have children, we realize that no matter how hard we try to instill good morals into our childrens hearts, they will make their own choice....just as everyone else does. The same goes for the sone going to war...it is his choice and thank GOd that we live in a country that allows freedom of choice. Sarah is a great leader and will do good for this country. We need someone who is willing to stand up and take responsibilty for the actions taken in Washington instead of passing the buck. Go Sarah!
Rob says:
"Palin is going to let we conservatives make sure the dope with hope is stopped in his tracks."
Say what you will about Barack, even the most doped-up Rush robot will admit Barack is no dope.
Go ahead and vote for your Republican heroes, but please cut out the idiotic negative nursery rhymes directed at the opposition. Literally NOBODY is buying into a statement as blatantly moronic as yours.
"Palin's never been to Europe she's not qualified to be president". What a JOKE!!!! Obama's never even run a lemonade stand but HE'S qualified? And the email from some shrew "friend" of Sarah from Alaska? Oh yeah, there's an unbiased opinion. Maybe you can find an email slamming McCain from his dry cleaner. And quoting the Enquirer? It is to laugh. Love all these comments here from sheep liberals, who will stoop to no levels to trash this woman. How incredibly sexist!!!! So, the Palin family has skeletons in their closet, eh? So, I guess that means none of you ever vote for Teddy Kennedy, right? What a bunch of hypocrites!!!!!
You must be pretty darned scared that The Chosen One is blowing the election. Unfortunately, your vote for Obama in this socialist State basically counts for nothing. Real America is going to elect McCain and Palin president whether you like it or not. But, to any of you threatening "to move to Canada", please know I'll gladly help you pack. Or maybe you could move to France, which is backing Obama. Or to Iran, which is also backing "The Chosen One".
McCain plans to continue the Bush tax policies, although with the current debt this country finds itself in, that's simply not feasible. He WILL raise taxes on people who can ill afford it, while saving the very rich a few pennies.
Obama's tax plans actually help those average Americans save more of their money. He plans to tax companies who outsource jobs to other countries, and give breaks to those creating new jobs here. Works for me.
Palin is just a diversion from what's really going on. And maybe she appeals to people because she looks like she can babysit an older man who clearly should not be running for office at his age. That comment wasn't meant to be derogatory either. Mostly everyone knows he is simply too old. They just shouldn't let her speak.
Palin, the female Elmer Fudd, except Elmer had the guts to hunt with both feet on the ground, not shooting prey from an airplane like her. Ready to start another war, risking OTHER people's lives in the process. She does resemble W in that manner, a real chickenhawk.
We are entitled to know who Sarah really is. We want to know: Is he is a creationist? Is she anti-environment? Why does she shoot animals down from an airplane? Does she deny man-made global warming? Did she try to fire a city librarian for resisting censorship? Did she fight for huge earmarks for her tiny town? Did she appoint a man convicted of sexual harassment to be in charge of the Public Security Commission? What about the Bridge to Nowhere that she was for until it was a dead issue? Why did she say she sold a plane on eBay and made a profit? We know that is not true. In the absence of the facts we can only hope that Gibson will pursue these matters in a journalistic fashion and not just lob her softballs for which she has been preparing for days. Anything less than a solid performance as an experienced interviewer that can go after the facts will be not only a failure journalistically, Gibson will be letting down the voting public. He has his obligations and work cut out for him. Damn the right wing critics, get the facts!
Sarah Palin appears to believe that the words in the Declaration of Independence where is says "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" actually extends to all humans, no matter their color, belief or stage of life. Surely as Vice President should would not want to recognise these rights for all Americans, but only those over the age of 11 months.
As some of the women have already said, not in these exact words, but certainly along this vein - go back to the kitchen and bedroom where you belong. You have other responsibilites, ones that only a female can perform.
ummm.. bidens son in the military is a military lawyer...not really the same. his other son has been in and out of jail. oh... but wait...you have a supposed National Enquirer story and an alleged letter from a "friend" in alaksa. please...that is why a am not longer a democrat. GO PALIN!!!
Did anyone notice her response when Gibson asked her if she supported the Bush Doctrine (preemptive war). There were several seconds of dead air and then she started in with the talking points, but it was clear that she had no idea what he was talking about. Gibson then spelled it out for her, but she again repeated the same non-answer.
Did anyone notice her response when Gibson asked her if she supported the Bush Doctrine (preemptive war). There were several seconds of dead air and then she started in with the talking points, but it was clear that she had no idea what he was talking about. Gibson then spelled it out for her, but she again repeated the same non-answer.
#24 that haberdasher as you called Truman was actually a war vet of WW1 where he reached the rank of Captain. He also served in Congress on one of the most historically famous committees called the Truman committee.
He had no college education, but read especially about history voraciously. If you were to say the same about Palin I might concede the point. Truman had some actual service including the Truman committee. True graft fighting during WW2. Google it to see what he actually did.
He had service and a record before being named to the Vice President.
ummm.. bidens son in the military is a military lawyer...not really the same. his other son has been in and out of jail. oh... but wait...you have a supposed National Enquirer story and an alleged letter from a "friend" in alaksa. please...that is why a am not longer a democrat. GO PALIN!!!
oh yeah.Deedee, don't make up facts... mcccain plan WILL cut takes for the middle class. obama's plan will cut them more.. however according to the Tax Policy Center "obama's paln come at a steep rise. it will result in a 3.3 TRILLION dollar deficit ..." Brilliant plan Obama!!!
Did anyone notice Palin's response when Gibson asked her if she supported the Bush Doctrine (preemptive war)? She said nothing for several seconds and then she started in with the talking points, but it was clear that she had no idea what he was talking about. Gibson then spelled it out for her, but she again repeated the same non-answer.
Palin is a conservative being forced to defend a bunch of neo-con policies. It's actually a pretty fair tightrope act. I'm hoping she fields the direct question about how far we as a nation should go to defeat terrorists. From the hypotheticals I've heard in the excerpts, the questions were leading, e.g., what if Israel attacked Iran for a purely arbitrary and unjust reason--should we cooperate with them?
Also, good job Alaskan in post 98. You provided more complete and accurate informaton that the Boston Globe. Also, check out the Illinois Senate bill on Sex Ed., and tell me if you think whether Obama or McCain is being truthful.
Sarah Palin is a political superstar. She has singlehandedly changed the dynamic of the Presidential race.
The bitter liberals can't stomach her. The usual nastiness...Too bad, better get used to it.
"Vice President Palin" has a nice ring to it.
How many of the idiots complaining about "not visiting Europe" have ever been to ALASKA? And, talking about "pigs," apparently Obama's an expert in the subject.
Most of us realize that Obama has been relentlessly trying to sell American citizens a "pig in a poke" for a long time now! The "Hypocrat" Party is in a total state of panic! Biden had better run for the "nearest exit!
Good to see the far left readers of these excerpts actually paid attention to the article. She didn't blink an eye at accepting McCain's offer because she felt like it was a call to duty, just like Sen. Obama views his candidacy. She is not "crazy" just like Obama is not a Muslim. There are aspects of all 4 candidates that strike me as bothersome but when they speak, they deserve to be interpreted correctly. Wait and see the actual interview. If you still dislike her, so be it. John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are not the problem in American politics today. Some of these extreme minded posters are. You know who you are but have no idea how you contribute to the demise of American discourse. Instead of posting "war monger" or "Nazi"; go out and hold a sign for your candidate or reach out and shake someone's hand that may be undecided. Contribute and don't hide behind the walls of blogs and of controversial news celebrities who lack substance.
Palin looked scripted and brittle with Gibson, despite the gentle questioning. Weak on the facts, she filled in with weak generalities. She even had to ask Gibson what the Bush Doctrine is, and when he didn't give it up at once, she scuffled like an actor who's forgotten his lines.
Keep it up, Sarah, and Obama won't have anything to worry about--since McCain, it appears, it the least of his worries.
What a disgraceful performance on Charlie’s part. He was not even polite to her. He was impatient, belligerent, and hostile. He fired questions at her as if she were on trial. He was trying to trap her, but he didn’t. Charlie Gibson was the loser in that interview. I’m DISGUSTED with him !!!
Call me confused. I seek the answers, but instead get bombast from both sides. What has happened to statesmanship?
It scares me that John McCain would be the oldest man ever elected President. It scares me too that Palin, someone with so little experience, could be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. But it scares me a bit more that so that someone with so little experience as Barack could be the President.
Barack has more upside, but needs seasoning. He is a person of intelligence and superior oratory, for whom another term in the Senate or as VP, would provide the opportunity to grow into a tremendous candidate.
McCain is not Bush III. Were he that, the neocons would not have worked so hard to bring him down in favor of Romney or Huckabee. To the Neocons, McCain is merely the 'enemy of my enemy' (Obama) kind of ally. He's a seasoned Washington player who knows how to get things done, not a dogmatic.
Whether my fear of McCain's mortality and Pallin's inexperience will trump my fear of Obamas' inexperience and socialist views, is something I'll struggle with until I pull the voting lever.
I'M VOTING FOR SARAH PALIN.
today, september 11, was supposed to be a "truce" in the campaign when they suspended their political advertising. palin's tv debut completely violates that agreement and highlights, yet again, the hypocrisy of the republicans.