Palin Reaction

Wowie Kabowie-Vice President Mom. I'm liking it!!I've spent the morning looking up info on her and I think she was a really good choice. McCain has done well.

I'm so excited to see that history will be made this election year.
Although I tend to lean more towards the democratic side, Palin's speech today left me inspired and wanting more!

I've been waivering back and forth. I think McCain may have just gotten my vote.

I'm shocked and speechless. Okay, I WAS speechless. Now I wonder if Obama "it's time for change" regrets picking the textbook old white guy for VP after seeing that McCain had the real guts for change? This will be an incredibly historic race and frankly, I have no clue who I will vote for now. My Democrat self sees a lot of appeal in McCain's ticket now!

I think it is a great choice. She brings a lot to the table. She is a woman other women can relate to. She also has been active in reforms in government, getting us independent of foreign oil, etc.

I think McCain just handed Obama the presidency. I think people who would vote for someone just because they are a women will see right through this choice. He is "using" Palin in my opinion. Not only is she inexperienced, most people know nothing about her. Obama has national experience and he is moving and is able to get things done. It's also sad for Hillary Clinton, that she worked so hard and has so much experience and then this women is just picked on a whim. McCain's biggest argument against Obama is lack of experience and know he choses someone with less experience. Ironic to me.

I'm still not over Hillary not being nominated, or getting chosen for Obama's VP. I'll still vote democrat but there's not a 100% great feeling behind it.

I have never heard of her until today. I wouldn't vote for John McCain no matter whom he has picked as his running mate. We don't need more of the same....

This choice is tokenism at its best. It essentially presumes that American women will vote for any female candidate, regardless of whether her views are helpful or hurtful to her own gender. If women aren't insulted by this choice, they simply aren't paying attention.

Great choice, for the sake of America!
I am thrilled to see that the Republican party is going to give our nation our first woman-as-USA Vice President!
I believe that the McCain / Palin team will keep America safe and heus grow stronger!
Register (or, Re-Register) as a Republican, NOW, to make certain that your vote is most accurately and quickly counted, this November 2008!

Way to go, McCain! This woman is impressive. Who says a Governor doesn't have experience??? They make more decisions that effect people on a daily basis than a Senator makes in year. Also, a Mother of five would know how to govern!

Has McCain gone completely senile? Palin "who"? Does McCain think "any" woman will do?
Has McCain thought this through at all? (wishy, washy and weak) My God! that voice; sounds like she's running for Miss America...good grief!! What a disappointment! Rocky

I admire career women/working mothers; however, I find John McCain's selection of Palin for VP insultive. Any women who liked Clinton did so because they saw her as qualified to be PRESIDENT and agreed with her platform. McCain's blatant pandering to disenchanted Hillary supporters by selecting a woman to play "second fiddle" is an utter disgrace and a mistake.

McCain is banking on the fact that women in this country will be so blindly feminist that they will not see the transparent attempt by the Republican party to downplay the historic nature of Barack Obama's campaign.

Perhaps its because I am a "younger" woman who has benefited from the struggles and triumphs of women who have paved the way for my future (and I appreciate that), but I have never felt that a woman COULDN'T be President of the United States. I remember Elizabeth Dole running for President and I remember Geraldine Ferraro selected for vice. I also learned about Margaret Thatcher and Indira Ghandi. So I suppose in my mind the possiblity of a woman president has always been there, even if it hasn't happened. I trust that it will eventually.

Hillary Clinton came close but didn't win.

I certainly hope that female voters were not supporting Clinton solely based on the fact that she is female... because that would be discrimination and sexism against males!

If you supported Clinton for her platform (Universal Healthcare, ending the war) then you should stick with the party that upholds your values, NOT for the party who decided to use a female as a pawn to play second in command. If you supported Clinton, then you support the values of Dems; therefore, you would cast your vote for Obama. Sorry ladies. Maybe 2012.

I definitely don't think we should be voting for someone based solely on gender...but this is just what McCain is asking us to do.

Can you imagine, McCain wins presidency and (god forbid) something happens to him, we have an individual who has been a governor for a mere 2 years running our country? it's a joke.

I guess McCain was looking for an Alaskan, and she was the only Republican not indicted. We do not need a hockey mom one heartbeat from the presidency. This is lunacy.

She's the only Alaskan not indicted YET. Now "Troopergate" gets to play out on the national state. Thanks, McCain: this Democrat, at least, is thanking you.

Well i did some research on her. She is pro-life and conservative, so she is anti-abortion rights. I am pro-choice and could never side with a candidate that does not respect a woman's right to have a choice. I think it is plain stupid to vote for a person based on race or sex.Should McCain chosen someone that was pro-choice and npt pandering to the religious right he might have won me over. Terrible that some people are only going to vote for Obama based on race and that is all i have heard about him anyway and i am so tired of hearing it allready. No way would i side with the republicans because of the VP nominee being female. I don't like either of them and i feel it is very important to vote but I can't realate to either of them and will not vote for anyone.

He just sealed my vote - McCain/Palin in November!

Nice lady but a trojan horse; a brief perusal of her position on women's right issues is revealing. It's ironic really... John McCain selected someone he would not vote to ensure received equal pay for the same job, not to mention other typical womens issues...She'll get the Conservative female vote, but she is on the opposite side of typical Progressive female issues.

I am so excited about McCain's choice! Governor Palin has two years of executive experience as a Governor. She is a very bright and capable woman. Her record shows that she is a fearless leader. I think it's unfair to accuse Senator McCain of choosing a woman for the wrong reasons. Governor Palin is a maverick, much like John McCain. It's clear that they are well suited for each other as running mates!

If you don't agree with her on the issues, then you shouldn't vote for her. But if you're concerned about her experience, you should be questioning Mr. Obama's experience also. He only has a few years in the Senate, and hasn't LED a committee.

These next few weeks are going to show what an amazing woman she is. If you look at her background, it's also obvious that she pursued politics to make changes. She did not run for Governor just for her own ego. This is a fine day for women, and an even better day for America!

Oh really!!!! If McCain thinks this is a help to the election her is having old age dementia.

Many religious right-wingers will be angered at the choice of a woman for VP.

Also, I think a lot of conservative SAHMs are going to be angered by this choice of VP. After all, this is a woman who has young children and won't be staying home with them all day. McCain will probably lose the vote of many SAHMs. SAHMs generally feel threatened by women in power, anyway.

I think that McCain just won the election by choosing Palin as his running mate. As another poster mentioned, he actually had the balls to pursue change...what exactly is the change in the Obama platform??? Two upper class, elitist men who are doing the same old "bash the other party/current president". Snooze. I think Obama lost the election the second he passed on Hillary as his VP. And as for the people saying Palin doesn't have any experience...as governor of Alaska she's had alot more experience than Obama!

It saddens me to hear the women who are saying that Palin, bedcause of her pro-life views, is a negative to all "progressive" women. Since we were all little girls we've been against each other instead of supporting each other. Let's give the "mean girls" stuff a break and support another woman. Don't vote for McCain/Palin if you don't support their views, but please, keep the negativity to yourself.

If it is the Energy Comittee you are referring to, it was in a town of 8500 people. Obama led groups in Chicago. So that argument doesn't fly. We've had 18 months or more to get to know Obama, we have 67 days to try to get to know Palin. It comes down to whose policies/issues you agree with, and if you vote on any other reason than that, you should be ashamed, sorry.

I don't think Republicans want us to do much research on her...we will find that her husband is involved with BP oil and she is under a current investigation for not allowing her relative to be fired. Where is her husband anyway? Her teenage daughter was holding her young baby during her speech.

If it is the Energy Commitee you are referring to that she has led it ws in a town of 8500 people. Obama led community groups in Chicago. So that argument doesn't fly.

It comes down to voting for the person whose issues/policies you agree with and if you vote for anything else than that well that is just too bad.

Palin was a GREAT choice. She's made big news in AK during her administration, turning the state's economy around and fighting for important universal goals, not the issues of noisy "special interest" groups. She's interested in getting a job done; not surprising since she's got 5 kids! Drop by World Cuisines message board on the food channel if you want to meet one of her neighbors; CL-Antoni-Kenwa is a native of Wasilla too. I think Gov. Palin is just AWESOME.

If the last eight years have taught us anything, it is that there is no nadir to what the American people will accept as leadership. And an exquisitely unqualified "hockey mom" is actually a step up from the current vice-president... so what the heck, why not? It's going to be fun to watch.... the real question is: how long before the wheels fall off the Republican campaign?

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have the person with the experience in the driver's seat and the person with fresh ideas and enthusiasm in the passenger's seat.

I find the comparisons between HRC and Palin amusing. Hillary's life has been dedicated to political favors. She has absolutely nothing in common with the average hard-working person and that is why she is not the Democratic Candidate. Palin does have something in common with the average American Joe. Her entire existence has been dedicated to her family and doing the right thing.

Also, I'd like to point out something for those of you who seem to think that the vice president would operate in a vaccuum if the President were no longer in office. He or she would have a cabinet, advisors, and a very large executive staff.

I think Palin balances McCain perfectly. She has the executive experience that, frankly, all three of the men running (McCain, Obama, and Biden) lack. As for national security experience, most governors who go on to run for presidnet or vice-president don't have much to speak of - but the country seemed ok enough with that to elect Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush (governors all). Plus, it's not as if someone with McCain's national security credentials needs to boost them with his VP choice.

As for all the Obama supporters who actually have the audacity to bring up the experience issue, I ask you - other than nice speeches what does Obama really bring to the table? When it comes to the issue of change, McCain (campaign finance reform, fighting wasteful spending, standing up for the environment) and Palin (fighting corruption in Alaska's energy industry, defeating a bumbling GOP incumbent governor in a primary, slashing taxes and wasteful spending) have it all over Obama and Biden.

I am truly exciting to vote for McCain/Palin!

OMG. Please, PLEASE, do NOT vote for McCain just because he choose a woman VP candidate. If you agree with his policies, then yes, fine, vote for him. However, the argument that we women have to stick together is ridiculous.

McCain's pick does intrigue me, because on paper it is a smart move. We will have to see how it plays out in November.

As a woman I am offended at McCain's pick for VP. The very idea that I would vote for her because she is a woman is an insult. She even used part of Hillary's "18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling" in her acceptance speech. Excuse me? She didn't do all the hard work that Hillary has!

I can't say that I like Hillary, but I have an enormous amount of respect for her and her work. And now this unknown is piggybacking on HRC so she and the GOP can "make history."

Something else that worries me IS her lack of experience. She has two years governing a state with a population of about 500,000 people total. (That is quite a bit less than even the population of Chicago.) What if McCain were to die while in office? He is very old and this is a possibility. Is she the person we would want as a president? I don't think so.

As a woman, a stay-at-home-mom and a democrat, I was okay with the idea of Obama or McCain as president. (Anything would be better than Bush.) But now I am solid about voting for Obama. I think this was a bad choice for McCain, and could be bad for the country.

By choosing Palin as his running mate, McCain has truly contradicted himself. Part of his critique of Obama is that Obama has no foreign policy experience, but neither does Palin. If McCain feels Palin can handle foreign policy, then he is in effect admitting that Obama can as well.

I'm personally tired of people hammering away about how great it is that she is raising 5 kids. Yes, motherhood is very, very hard -- but a very apples-and-oranges comparison to running the greatest nation on earth. From what I understand, her husband works outside the home as well -- why doesn't he get any praise about raising 5 kids? If he were the one running as a VP, you can bet that these message boards wouldn't be flooded with comments about "...and he has 5 kids." I just think that it's a lame attempt to try and draw in the 'mom vote.' I'm a SAHM who worked outside the home for over 20 years before having our children, so I've seen both sides. I don't think the ability to raise kids has any correlation to successfully running our nation. Does this mean a childless candidate is less qualified? Maybe we should vote for that woman who just had her 18th baby. Boy, she could really shake things up in DC, couldn't she? I think it's a real slap in the face to Hillary Clinton -- a senator with a long, successful career in politics -- that suddenly this token female pick is thrust into the limelight like this. If McCain dies in office, I shudder to think of a politician with two years' experience as a state governor overseeing the U.S.

This is a horrible choice for McCain. She looks so young and IS so inexperienced, that she makes McCain look even older and more out-of-touch than he normally looks. Palin does not have the experience to take over should McCain's cancer come back. In fact, several news outlets are reporting that her small town in Alaska is now $20 million in debt thanks to her stellar financially conservative leadership.

In addition, as a woman, I'm rather insulted. If McCain is trying to get the Clinton supporters, is this really the best he could do? She's the absolute polar opposite of Clinton, she has no foreign policy experience whatsoever, she opposes abortion (even in cases of rape) and has voted against clean coal and a major wind farm in Alaska. If McCain thinks women will just vote for a woman without paying attention to how qualified that woman is, then he's really insulting the intelligence of the female species.

This is a horrible choice for McCain. She looks so young and IS so inexperienced, that she makes McCain look even older and more out-of-touch than he normally looks. Palin does not have the experience to take over should McCain's cancer come back. In fact, several news outlets are reporting that her small town in Alaska is now $20 million in debt thanks to her stellar financially conservative leadership.

In addition, as a woman, I'm rather insulted. If McCain is trying to get the Clinton supporters, is this really the best he could do? She's the absolute polar opposite of Clinton, she has no foreign policy experience whatsoever, she opposes abortion (even in cases of rape) and has voted against clean coal and a major wind farm in Alaska. If McCain thinks women will just vote for a woman without paying attention to how qualified that woman is, then he's really insulting the intelligence of the female species.

Any woman won't do. McCain blew it. Did he really think a pro-life, social conservative would attract Hillary supporters? That's insulting to women who supported Hillary because she was smart, experienced and the best candidate. A mother of 5 children including an infant who will require the attention of both of his parents cannot possibly fulfill her role as a mother and the role of vice president.

FINALLY! I think Obama's the one that doesn't "get it"- McCain just brought REAL change into the equation! THAT'S change *I* can believe in. I'm very excited about this pick. I read up on this lady months ago and was so impressed. She was my second choice for VP.

People don't underestimate what is done daily as a Governor, verses a year in the Senate before one starts campaigning for president. "Yay" if Hilary supporters cross over, but what McCain just done was motivate a lot more conservative moms to get out and vote in November.

One thing I would like to say in agreement with Newfy. There has been all this talk about how great it is that Palin has five children and the experience of "being just another hockey mom" (Her words).

BUT Obama has two young girls. Where is his praise for being a father? AND Hillary is also a mother. Only her daughter is old enough to be out of diapers.

Get real, people! This is a desperate act of a desperate campaign! And totally irresponsible to endanger our country by risking it in the grossly inexperienced hands of someone who has not even been able to manage her lightly-populated state! I think it speaks volumes about the real lack of patriotism among the republican power-grabbers. They care nothing for the well-being of our country. Our enemies must be grinning around the world...

How can so many of you dismiss Gov. Palin as "inexperienced" and still support Obama? He's at the top of the ticket, for heaven's sake, and has not accomplished anything of substance in his entire career!

Also, I find it amusing that the same people, both here and within the media, who did not even mention the obvious contradiction of Barack "Hope & Change" Obama picking a man who is the ultimate Washington insider as his running mate are now gleefully hammering McCain for picking someone who may be perceived as inexperienced, thus "taking the issue off the table." Does the Biden pick take Obama's whole change mantra off the table too?

Where's the intellectual honesty and consistency from all the Democrats? You don't get to have it both ways.

"we have an individual who has been a governor for a mere 2 years running our country? it's a joke. "

And yet, you would ask that we elect a junior senator to run our country? That's not a joke...it's sad hypocrisy.

My mother saw an interview with one of Obama's political reps who said, "Palin has five children. One of which is a newborn. Shouldn't SHE be at home."Can anyone verify this? If so McCain should get the video and run that in an add!! How dare they!! Run down the value of women. A womans copetance at being more and being able to do more.

Oh but he was raised by a single parent-NOT! She wasn't married but, certainly NOT single. How many single parents can travel country to country and afford private school? I have a son I have raised by MYSELF for 18 years. I am sick of hearing about Obama's so called single parent. It's offensive to me and should be to ANY woman who works to support her kids-even the married ones. Barefoot & pregnant went out WWII.
And Michelle's right- I DO NOT understand how much private camp costs, $10,000 for piano lessons or the cost of arugula lettuce. I'd like to attend her pity party.

An Angry (REAL) Single-parent, and Working Mom
Rebecca

Obama has won me over for the character he displays and policies he advocates. McCain who dumped his first wife who had cancer has just now chosen a woman who 2 years ago was major of a town with 8,000 people. Seems he thinks all women are interchangeable and women voters are stupid enough to vote for him just because he has picked a woman. As Obama says, this election is too important for it to be about small issues. The larger issues that we face in America are the overriding concerns for me, not what someone looks like.

It is so interesting to read through all these comments and see such opposite reactions. I did do research on Palin months ago and was hoping McCain would chose her.

Yes, McCain's first marriage didn't play out like it should have and he acknowledged that as his worse moral mistake. BUT, Obama, we don't know anything about him, except that he pulled lots of strings to be elected in Illinois, had a shady deal to buy his mansion, and has only spent a few months in the Senate.

His followers claim that gives him more experience than 'less than 2 yrs as a governor' gives her. I don't think so.

Obama says McCain is 'more of the same-- we want change' and then picks another old white man who has only been in the Senate some 35 yrs! What change is that?

What is this I hear about Michell's hospital not allowing charity cases?

There is so much excitement because he is the first African- American in this position. I thought he was 1/2 white...

Why as a public are we so easily distracted from truth?

Vote on the issues -- not on body parts people (or color for that matter).

As a woman, I'm insulted by the use of Palin as a political gimmick. Not just any old woman will do. Were so much smarter than that.

Look around, our country is hurting and in desperate need for change. Real change. McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time and has spent over 26 years in Washington. He's had his chance. We need change, not more of the same with a little change on the side. Let's heal this country, this economy and restore our foreign relations, lets bring healthcare to those in need and preserve a womans right to choose. I love this country and I want to go back to the days when we all prospered, when one of the biggest debates in congress was how to appropriately spend the budget surplus! Eight is enough. Vote not for a republican, democrat, woman or otherwise. Vote for healing, vote for innovation and returning the power of government to the people. Vote Obama.

For more information about Palin please take a look at this:

http://www.grizzlybay.org/SarahPalinInfoPage.htm

People need to be aware of her political stances and history and not enamored with the fact that she is a woman. Just because McCain has chosen a woman VP doesn't mean that all the ex-HRC supporters will flock to him. Since Palin's beliefs are the complete opposite of Hillary's, I really can't see any informed voter switching over.

I urge all voters to get informed before you vote.

After reading more about Sarah Palin, I'm really impressed. She took on members of her own party because of their unethical decisions and has accomplished quite a lot in Alaska (with 80% approval ratings). She knows what it's like to make decisions and pass laws for the people of an entire state--from increasing teachers' retirement plans to giving Alaskans part of the state surplus--sounds like a good deal to me!!

Let's take a look at what she supports, not what body parts she has in common with women:

1. Supports creationism being taught in science class. When confronted about her belief, she changed her opinion. Slightly.

2. Supports Big Oil drilling in Alaska. Refused to recognize Polar Bears as being an endangered species, because to have done so, would prevent future oil/gas drilling in the refuge. Maintained her position despite biologists and scientists explaining that Polar Bears are, indeed, an endangered species.

3. She believes Global Warming is a myth.

4. In cases of rape and incest, she does not support abortion. That's right!

5. She is currently under investigation for abuse of power. Already? This early in her career?

6. Her foreign policy consists of meeting wounded soldiers and traveling to Kuwait.

7. She governs the small State of Alaska, which if viewed by population alone, might as well be a city municipality. Her experience before that - governing over 5,000 people.

This is a brilliant tactic for manipulating women into voting for McCain, but it is an irresponsible choice for anything beyond winning an election. Hey, it might work. We are talking about the very same people who elected Bush two times. If McCain gets sick and/or dies, this inexperienced politician will assume the presidency. Since she's managed what equates to a medium-sized US city, I can understand why she is a quality choice for VP.

What is sad is that so many women are so enamoured with the fact that this person has the same equipment (is female) they are allowing themselves to be bamboozled...If McCain cared so much about women, he would have voted to demand equal pay for same job for working women. Instead, he said no. What that means is that the man that selected Governor Palin as his running mate would not support her getting paid the same as Dick Cheney? I won't even get into his stance on other issues that are important to most women. Don't be fooled...or you will wake up and this country is in the exact same shape it is in today in 2012. Vote the issues, and not because someone is or is not a woman, man, white or black.

Reading all of these comments make me sit and shake my head. I'm a 37 yo married woman with 2 kids who works outside the home because I financially have to. Although I would love to see a woman in the White House, not just any woman will do. The issue of "experience" is not as important either. Sometimes a fresh perspective is just what we need. The most important thing for me, as to who I will vote for is based on who I agree with the most on the biggest issues facing our country right now: bad economy/jobs, war in Iraq, health care, education, etc... and for me that candidate is Barack Obama. Actually, of all the Republicans out there, I can probably stomach John McCain the easiest. I actually have high regard for him in terms of his sacrifices in Vietnam and for some of his work in the Senate working across party lines. BUT... and this is a big but... I can't get past his stands on Iraq and the economy (which is just more George Bush b.s. that got us here in the first place.) So, sorry Mr. McCain, I think you best serve our country in the Senate. Mr. Obama is the forward thinking agent of change our country so desperately needs at this time.

Now that Governor Sarah Palin is on the Republican ticket for VP, I am ecstatic about voting for Sen. John McCain this November!! I had already planned on voting for him, because I felt like Sen. Barack Obama’s talk about ‘change’ was just that—talk. I see no clear evidence about what he has done to make a difference with his experience. I had found respect for Sen. McCain, and felt like he had more experience than Sen. Obama. (Being that he was a POW, and certainly had to make tough decisions for himself and for those he was responsible for) His pick for VP shows me that he truly IS about change! Governor Palin went after shady Republicans that represented her state—because she wanted to see the RIGHT thing being done--no matter WHO'S party it was!! Now that’s what an elected official should be!!! And now it’s very clear that Sen. John McCain is about true change himself. It’s ironic that Sen. Obama had chosen an old Washington democrat—(talk about NOT changing!!) and here Sen. McCain has chosen someone who is CLEARLY about change!!! And she has more experience than Obama!!!

Now, on another subject, for those of you who have been offended by Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin’s ‘attempt’ to sway women voters who had voted for Sen. Clinton—I have something to say. I NEVER, as a woman, would have EVER considered Sen. Clinton as my President. I was insulted, during this ENTIRE time, as you seem to be now, that just because HILARY is a woman that I would vote for HER!! Now I get to be proud to vote in a woman I CAN respect.

McCain didn't pick her JUST because she is a woman; a lot of hard consideration went into his choice. He made a brilliant decision in choosing her! She is a smart woman, gutsy and doesn't fear going against the norm in Washington. She will be an enormous asset in his administration for our beloved country! Give her a few weeks and you will agree. McCain just won my vote!

To all the posters that are making assumptions about McCain picking Palin solely because "any woman will do." YOU are the offensive ones. Do you really think that the decision would be based just on that? In addition, making that kind of statement shows your ignorant assumption that Palin has no accomplishments. What are your comments saying about how you think of women in general? Just because you had not heard of her up until this point means she is no one of consequence?? Why don't you use the opportunity to find out just who she is, what she has accomplished, and where she stands on issues? I may not agree with Palin on all of the issues, but I am impressed by her record as a whistleblower and igniting change in her brief political career. If anything else, I'm glad this election year has brought her to our attention. As for the "scandal" of her having a state trooper fired - in the big picture, who cares? With all the corruption that exists in politics, that's pretty light.

I'm disgusted that liberals were immediate in their bashing of Palin before even knowing anything about her. Anyone with any intelligence will wait for the debates on the key issues before making their final decision.

I am scared. This just shows the hypocracy of the Republican party. McCain has been complaining all summer long, first that Obama hadn't spent enough time abroad, then that he was too 'popular' there, ranting about Obama's experience. Then he picks a woman who was the LEAST competent of any republican woman to choose.
In her extremely short career serving first as a mayor of a town with the population of what? 8,000???? then as mayor of a state with a population a quarter the size of CHICAGO????
She has already in this 18 month brief period been involved in a myriad of scandals.
AND THIS IS THE BEST WOMAN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY COULD COME UP WITH????????????
He'd only met her in person once, months ago, and called her on the phone once to ask her to be VP. He seriously doesn't want this job. Why else choose a VP who said about a month ago (you should see the video of this woman, I'm not kidding) that she DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A VICE PRESIDENT DOES.
THIS WAS A CRITICAL EMBARASSING ERROR AND THE REPUBLICANS HAVE A FEW SCREWS LOOSE TO EVEN CONSIDER HER.

WOMEN! Stop the attacks on each other as we discuss this important topic!! Just because someone does not believe like you do does not make them ignorant! One of the key differences we usually bring to any table (at home, work, PTA, government, etc.) is the ability to understand multiple sides and agree to disagree without the attacks. We are beginning to act like one of the aspects of men that most of us wish would change on so many levels in our government and in the workplace... Personally, I have mixed emotions about Palin but in the end I will vote the issues that are most important to me and who has a plan to address. All in all, no problem disagreeing, but we can at least disagree civilly...

This is a smart move for McCain! She is ambitious and role model-worthy of many women. I am an avid Republican supporter. Sadly, many Americans do vote based on appearance...i.e. HR Clinton (female), Obama (skin color), etc., so, maybe this will bring those lost votes back to the Republican side where the core American values still exist.

So the Skipper just picked Maryanne for his running mate. I'm not impressed. The move smacks of poll-watching -- no committment here to change as other posters have argued...to the contrary..it's the same old Rove tricks at work here. McSame's choice is both mind-boggling and insulting to women. The republicans couldn't find any WMDs but they sure did come up with a WTF?

As one of the liberal-progressive women in San Francisco the Republicans have always loved to hate, I am not bothered by Sarah Palin's choices for herself. But they are not heroic choices - they are Her choices. I had my kids after 35 and I didn't have amnios done, because I knew I would have a child with or without Down's Syndrome. However - Palin advocates for "abstinence education" in lieu of factual information about sex (as well as advocating for "intelligent design" being taught alongside evolution, as if the two are equals!). She should not preach to my teenage daughter or anyone else's daughter how to live their lives. Her decision-making seems to be more about her own political ambition rather than doing what is best for her family. In that way, the tables are turned and this liberal feminist is appalled by Sarah Palin's choices that have been detrimental to her children.

macain or obama not going to help the working people i know this and all you know this. it's not about race or gender it about getting the usa back to where it was or some what. what i would like in a president for and about the people yeah both side talk a good talk they say want we want hear but once in office and an have power they do nothing for the poor working people that live pay check to pay check both party do not give dam if we live or die. we need to talk about the real problem that face the usa instead they talk about race and gender. i'am glad there is change in the canidate but we need help for the homeless and help for the woman that work and rise there kids alone. that worry if there going to have a place to live next month and feed there kids. and have something really done about it and the gas prices do you thing that both parties who ever gets in office is really going to fix us problem i think not. bill cinton and bush and all the other president before them have said the samething but say it all differnly they are for the very rich or upper middle class(both parties) but there our places in the city of our great nation that is like a war zone in our own back yards no one talks about that they talk about elsewhere in the world it time we take care of our people at home and really do something about it not just talk. our children are getting shot out there in front yards not one time any party talks about. and when and if we ever do then we can help other counties out there but we as people need to band together all race and gender and help our great nation and show these other country your not all that bad we can work together (both parties) but that all a dream i know but one day there will be a man or women that going to actually going to live up to the name of a president.

She may have been a good pick, but there are a lot of issues and criticism that she will subject her family to that just isn't cool, or even worth it. I just found out her daughter is pregnant. What is she thinking? This has definetley been the craziest and most exciting election ever!

Palin is amazing and I am so excited she is running as VP. I am now 100% sure who I am voting for, before I was undecided.

I cannot believe this woman is subjecting her family to this type of scrutiny. I support both working moms and SAHM, however, this woman has a lot of family issues and she be staying a little close to home.
Frankly, I think she put her own personal ambition (and McCain's) over her families' interest.

This choice is beyond the pale! The scrutiny may not be "fair" but tell that to the universe at-large and then get used to it because life in the national public eye is just this way.

I find it disconcerting that any parent (mother or father) would subject a child to this. Disagreeing with Sarah Palin's politics notwithstanding, how can she justify putting her career ambition ahead of her daughter's needs? That's all the information I need to know that her judgment is flawed.

Obama's twisted logic that merely running for office provides him with the qualifications, experience and credentials to perform in that office, is as laughable as his twisted logic that a whirlwind 9 day, six country, overseas photo op qualifies him as an expert on foreign policy. Obama is an empty suit who is obviously trying to create the illusion that he is something that he is not. If its a choice between an experienced mayor and Governor, with an approval rating of 80% for V.P. versus. a community organizer, and junior senator, who spent most of his time in office running for President ... I choose Palin. No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko, no mean Michelle, NOBAMA

P.S. It's also hunorous how the media is now asking McCain if he vetted Palin, when the media totally dropped the ball in vetting Obama ... that's why we found out after the fact about Wright, Rezko, Ayers, and the rest of the nut jobs closely associated with Obama.

I am a Hillary supporter and I think this pick is absolutely insulting if he thinks this is going to pull Hillary supporters over. Her views on every issue is polar opposite to what Hillary stands for. It's insulting to our intelligence as women that we would vote for her simply because she is a woman.

Hurray for Palin...Every woman knows that women are masters of multi-tasking...it's simply not in a man's nature. Palin will be great, the kids will be fine. She can easily be related to by many if not most women in the US. Would you rather your PRESIDENT or Vice President have the less experience? Bidden is the only experience Obama has and Palin has McCain (who happens to have more experience than Obama/Bidden together) McCain made a graet pick!!! I'm a 45 year old mother of two teenage boys and I relate to Palin. They have my vote.

Humm??? As a lifelong WOMAN (lol:) Lets see??? ....I have the choice between two Senator-Attorney's --Barack Hussein Obama and Biden - (Did you hear me say A-T-T-O-R-N-E-Y-S?? skilled at BULL----!) ---or--- a Senator War Hero and an A-- kicking Govenor SMART Woman! McCain/Palin..... I say "YOU GO GIRL!!!!" In fact, I think I will canvas my neighborhood, tell my friends and family and donate to the cause for the first time ever!! I have NEVER been more excited about a Presidential race in my 41 years. But this IS EXCITING! Finally...a STRONG woman AND a Mother!!! NOBAMA!! ......GO MCCAIN-PALIN!!!

She is Fabulous! I am truly excited, yet, am appalled at the likes of Meredith Viera, discussing the pregnancy of Mrs. Pailn's daughter.
As a working mother, Viera must question the importance of the story, and how it relates to Mrs. Palin's ability to govern. I am driven to wonder about Ms. Viera's children...and if she ever actually 'mother's' them. And, how Viera would feel if her children were dangled in the media for all to see?
Maybe that should be a question on her idiotic Millionaire show.

I was working mom of 3 kids under 3yr, and none had handicaps. I was BUSY rasing my kids, being a wife, and trying to do a good job at work. It is very HARD not to be distracted by all this. I personally don't care about her daughter, or her experience, but you I want someone helping to running this country that is not DISTRACTED BY HER LIFE.... and how could she not be. Being a Mom is the most important job. You can do all this is you are a teacher or nurse or CEO of a company. But if a Country of Citizens are depending on you, You can't be worring about taking a kid to the Doctors or did he do his homework. No one can do it all, well. I am suprised the woman of the Conservative Right aren't upset about this too. I don't know where my vote will go yet,but nuture you kids first Gov Palin.

Ok, for all you belivers and supporters of Palin. Has anyone taken note in the fact that the FAMILY picture doesn't even include the youngest child.??? Oh, perhaps he was sleeping and shouldn't be disturbed.? Rather odd, as other photos do include the child. How can one possible publish a FAMILY photo and not include ALL the members of the household, or was he just forgotten about.

Are you kidding me? Her daughter is a shining example of how misguided abstinence programs are... She lobbied against housing for pregnant teenagers!! Luckily hers lives in the White House. This is pure pandering to the evangelical base of the GOP. Its an insult to ardent Clinton supporters.. Frankly it would have made sense to chose Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who has years of legislative experience ... but why would McCain want to have a woman who is more accomplished and intelligent than he is??? This choice merely shows what type of rush decision John McCain is capable of, I frankly don't want his finger or hers anywhere near that "red button"

I find the choice of Palin for VP very troubling.
I believe that our top executives need the right education to represent us on the world stage, which means they need to have a thorough understanding of U.S. History, of the U.S. Constitution, of world affairs and complex economic issues. I don't see how a BA in Journalism achieves that goal. (And Palin herself made a bumble of a statement in saying that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by the founding fathers of our country -- it was not, and indeed was written in 1892.)
It is more than likely that if she were put in a position across the table from another foreign leader, that foreign leader will know more about our own country than she does, based on what I've seen of Palin's knowledge of the U.S. She is far more conversant (and interested) when the topic is her own state of Alaska.
I would dearly love to see a woman in the highest (or next highest) office of our country. I respect family values and her devotion to her own family -- but this is not the woman for the position.
Another thing -- Gov. Palin's stance on governing in the name of God; in tying the war in Iraq to God -- dangerously flies in the face of the founding fathers' fervent belief in the separation of church and state. If we commingle the Christian faith with the governance of our country, dear friends, I fear we are no different than those countries run by fundamentalist religious leaders. We chastise those governments, but how would we be any different than those countries if we ran our country based on a relious belief?

What Palin's nomination is doing above all, is holding a mirror up to the Democratic Party and how it has engaged in misogynistic behavior in direct violation of its own principles. The Democratic Party has in fact become a prisoner of its own irony!

The Democratic Party has considered itself to be the promoter of policies that really benefit women and their families, and have always been able to use this to draw huge numbers of women to not only vote for them, but also do the work in the campaigns to work in the trenches without pay. The sexism has always existed, now it's just in the public eye.

In its pursuit to promote a particular candidate this election season, the Democratic Party leadership has allowed sexist comments to go virtually without response. Not only did we see this in the media early on, but we also saw it in its own candidate Obama, when he commented that Hillary would get emotional when she suffered "periodic lows" instead of providing a thoughtful rebuttal to questions about his own shortcomings.

There was a nary a response from the DNC leadership, or fellow democrats, and those from feminists were considered "racist." So, comments about women's periods as reasons to not elect them became legitimate in political discourse. This set the stage for more comments that went unchecked -- comments about hair, pantsuits, fat ankles; calling a presidential candidate bitch and whore; and then that candidate's supporters dead-enders, selfish, and hero-worshippers. Comments which led to a lack of discussing policy and caused diversions that had the media's head spinning.

Then their was the disenfranchisement of Dem Party voters, and an unprecedented crack down of patriarchial control over the Dem Party's own convention, the interpretation of bylaws were rigged to favor Obama. For the first time in convention history, there were arguments as to whether to allow a fellow nominee time to give a speech, or for delegates to have a voice. Indeed, it was even a struggle to get the perfunctory roll call vote, which unbeknownst to the public was forced to be held in delegates' hotel rooms before being allowed for show on the convention room's floor. Sen Clinton wasn't even allowed to speak to her delegates. And this occurred after a media crusade to force Hillary to drop out of the race before the delegates decided, another unprecedented act, when other male candidates in the past--Gov Dean, Jesse Jackson, Gary Hart, and FDR were allowed such consideration at the convention, because NOONE had a majority of the delegate votes as proscribed by party laws, just like this primary season.

Now we jump to Gov Palin who is many things the Dem Party candidate is not: a real grassroots candidate (who started out in the PTA and worked her way up), a reformer who even stood up to her own party with action, not a speech, someone with 2 years EXECUTIVE experience as a governor, who is actually loved by her constituents, is married to a minority (her husband is part Eskimo), who was a member of the Union and whose husband still is, whose parents were an elementary school teacher and the school secretary, a VP nominee who has more experience in actual goverance than the Dem Party's Presidential candidate does, and then there is the added bonus that she is a woman.

Her nomination has forced the Dem Party into a corner that they are desperately trying to back out of by commenting on her choices of combining family with work, her clothing, her looks, focusing on her stilleto heels, her being in a beauty contest, using her child's disability against her, even claiming her baby is not her own, and her teenage pregnant daughter against her. And then they now have to dance around the fact that their candidate lacks experience (i.e., the experience issue).

We barely hear comment about Palin's policies because the Dems have chosen to focus on her gender instead of her policy decisions. The only Dem who has effectively done this was the other candidate the Dem Party decided to disown based on her gender who aptly commented that it is Palin's party that is bad for this country, not her personal life.

Above all, Palin's nomination is forcing feminists to look into that mirror and see which party really does appreciate the women it claims to appreciate. The Republicans have effectively shown that they are the ones who care about breaking that glass ceiling. And they have done this whether that fact it is true or not!

The Dems have put issues about character and personality above those of policy. They have fallen into the trap that the Republicans set.

VP Palin has done something that is virtually impossible to do -- she has simultaneously motivated the base of her party, while angered the base of the other's party to vote against their party.

It's a double win that the Democrats will not overcome in November.

I'm 27. I'm married. Have a 1 yr old. And I'm WITH IT. Votin for McCain/Palin this Nov.

I think Palin is a wonderful choice for VP. I am 24 years old,married and pregnant with my first child I am also a career woman and full time college student. I am excited to see my party select a VP that embodies the conservative values of the party not just in talk but by her actions in her personnel life. I think Sarah Palin shows what a motivated woman can do with effort and motivation! I can not wait to see Mccain/Palin in office. As for Palins daughter that is family business and has no place in politics. Bristol Palin being pregnant in no way affects me or any other person in this nation.

I find it the height of sexism that McCain would just grab any ol' pair of breasts and put her up there as VP. There were several women out there who were actually qualified to take over if the old guy kicks the bucket but he chose Palin. I guess he thinks he can treat her the way he thinks women deserve to be treated and put her in some corner after the election and tell her to shut up. We've seen enough anti-woman votes from McCain to know that he only chose this woman as a token to get elected and that he doesn't really value her as partner-not that she has anything to offer anyway.

I don't understand why you would say her daughter is family business only. If it were the average american girl, the Republicans would be the first to call them tramps or sluts. And they have! Rememeber the Murphy Brown situation, where Dan Quayle criticized her choice to give birth and raise her child alone? And that was just a TV character! Millions of women have to go it alone without the father's help.What makes them so worng and Sarah Palin's daughter so right? How dio you know Sarah Palin's daughter's marriage just won't end in a few years?

I think it is wrong of the Republican party to say one thing amd mean another when it comes to one of their own.

I can't believe the way the LIBERAL MEDIA are acting!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?hp

Are Kidding me!!! Palin a good Choice??? I thought this country was about moving FORWARD and not backward. She has the views and ideals as my Great Aunt Mildred.

Expirence, there can't be anyone less expirenced then her. Especially when it comes to Teen Abstnance. You know what's funny is that if this situation was reversed then all of the Republican party would be saying that the Democratic daughter was a slut and a tramp and that they have no morals or family values. Are we to believe that Palin's daughter has morals and family values just because she keeping the baby? If she is 5 months was she 16 when she got pregnant?

Since Bush has been in office and implimenting that program teen pregnancy has risen 35%, ha go figure.

How is she supposed to keep up with running the counrty when she can't keep up with hers...oh that's right she'll have nanny's in the white house. I'm sure all the mothers in this country have that luxury. Yeah that poor baby of hers won't ever see her and know who his Mom is! She needs to focus on raising her own children

I'm sorry I am a woman and I don't agree with anything she says.

As a working mom of three kids who knows full well how difficult it is to juggle work and family, I just can't seem to conjure much respect for Mrs. Palin or for Sen. McCain for selecting her. She has five children. Her youngest is only four months old and has Downs Syndrome. Her teenage daughter is pregnant. Her first grandchild is on the way.

How could she possibly give her children the attention they need and deserve during this campaign or during a vice-presidency?

I realize that her politics should be the focus (and, on that point alone, she will never be my candidate of choice) and that her family issues are not my business. But even putting personal issues aside, I just don't see the sense in her selection.

Could anyone in good conscience vote for Sen. McCain knowing Mrs. Palin, with less than 2 years in a governor's office and NO worldly experience, would be only a heartbeat (a 72-year old heartbeat at that) away from the presidency?

Perhaps she would be a great VP one day. But today is not that day. Governor - fine. Second highest office in the United States? Not with my vote.

This is the 21st century...how in the name of God can you even think about endorsing a woman who doesn't believe in equal pay for women or for letting you have executive control over your own bodies?? You're being smoke-screened by the Republicans who are spinning Obama's beliefs and actual plans for reform into a spider's web of lies! I am very pro-choice and chose to have my DS baby at 38 - she is now a healthy, beautiful 3 year old! It was my choice and the best one I ever made. Please don't vote to have this gift taken from you. McCain/Palin are out of touch for these times. We need Obama & Biden in the White House! they have my vote a thousand times over!

She went to work 3 days after her son with Down Syndrome was born? 3 days! where's the bonding? the love? the parental responsibility? No way would I vote for her. Not now, not ever. Her personal choices are appalling.

I am disturbed by the amount of support she is getting here without any real reasons why someone should give it to her and so many reasons why we shouldn't. The first question I ask any McCain supporter is "Is you life better now than it was 8 years ago?" I have yet to hear a yes. Obama is truly about change and hopefully getting our country out of the mess we are in. If you truly research his experience and not just listen to what someone else tells you, you will realize that he does have it and it willing to work in a non-partisan way. In a way, I like McCain's choice. I think it will be his nail in the coffin. Looking forward to the debates. Hopefully you all will watch, research and learn. Our country and our world is heading into some very rough times no matter who wins. I have much more confidence that Obama will be able to lead us out of it.

Please someone out there we are going backward sure she is a woman but her views are so far behind. Her views First and foremost total absinence .....no birth control , no abortion even in the case of rape or insest only in the event of the mothers life!!!!! maybe we should start wearing long dresses hiding our ankles again. more viagra for the men and aboslutely no protection for the women. How about the abused wife with another pregancy that will keep her and her abused childeren tied to a monster. no money or resources to getout . sure her daughter is smiling no matter what she and her child will be well cared for .have you ever had a hungry child afraid of his own father that will continually rape you and keep you barefoot and pregnant . women pay attention another presidency with these views will load the supreme court with justices that don't give a damn about women.HELP only the rich can survive these views. We supply the cleaning crews, our children, and will be wiping their arses for another 8 years. and to think they are ramming this down our thought under the guise that she is woman

I was hovering between McCain and Obama. Now I know I am definitely NOT voting for McCain due to his pick of Palin. As an advocate for wolves and other native animals, the policies she has pushed and promoted on behalf of the hunting industry are a disgrace and a crime! (chasing wolves to exhaustion from airplanes and gunning them down to "increase" moose and caribou populations!) It's criminal!

And by the way, here's the real scoop on the "Bridge to Nowhere." This woman is bad news --

Palin lied about her plans for the "Bridge to Nowhere"
When accepting the GOP's nomination for vice president, Sarah Palin took credit for killing a controversial bridge project in Alaska dubbed the Bridge to Nowhere: "I told Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere,'" she exclaimed to a cheering audience in Ohio. But it turns out that her relationship with the bridge wasn't that cut and dry.
The Gravina Island Bridge would have linked the town of Ketchikan to its international airport, which is extremely difficult to get to by car, as it is on Gravina Island (there is currently a ferry in place to shuttle people to and fro). The bridge was to be federally funded but was quickly labeled a pork barrel project by many conservatives in Washington, including McCain.
So maybe it was an eagerness to please her new boss that caused Palin to lie to the American people right out of the gate. Who can say? But thanks to reports from the Washington Post and the Anchorage Daily News, we are now aware that that is exactly what she has done.
It turns out that initially Palin was a big fan of the bridge -- although it could be that Palin wasn't so much a fan of the bridge as she was a fan of telling Ketchikan's 14,000 residents that she was while on the campaign trail in September 2006. "She was the only candidate who was saying, 'We're going to build that bridge,'" former governor Tony Knowles, a Democrat who lost to Palin in the 2006 general election, told the Washington Post. "She's taking a position now which certainly wasn't what it was when she was campaigning."
After a long fight about how much federal assistance should be granted to Alaska for the bridge, Congress decided to grant Alaska a lump sum of $454 million to spend on general infrastructure projects, instead of specifically earmarking federal money for what had become a very unpopular project.
Even then, though, there where plans for the bridge. It wasn't until September 2007, a year after her promise to the people of Ketchikan, that Palin finally shut down the project, citing overspending. As Keith Ashdown, an investigator with Taxpayers for Common Sense, told the Post: "She made the final decision to kill a very bad project, so she deserves credit for that. But she didn't do it as an ideological opponent of earmarks. She did it as someone who had to balance the books."
Palin lied to her constituents about getting the bridge done, and now she is lying to the American people about what her position was in the first place. It looks like Palin isn't the type of politician who would clean up Washington after all.

I think that McCain's choice of Palen as his running mate shows a flagrant disregard for the value of experience and expertise. She is a joke and will set the women's movement back 50 years with her fundamentalist approach to child-raising, sex education, etc. Plus she has lied about her involvement with the "bridge to nowhere" and other aspects of her career as mayor and governor.

I think she is a breath of fresh air!!! I come from a family of strong women that have accomplished plenty and i know it can be done! Her children should be left out of this campaign except to say she has them. It is none of our business what happens with her children and I do not think this will affect her abaility to be a great Vice President.

Well, aren't we all nut-heads! Everybody thinks they know what the Presidential suppose to be doing. Not one person can agree on who is going to be an honest president of the United State. Since, it's our times, this century is NOT going to get better, we have so too much problem and right now we are at each person throats. We can’t even combine and get long. Yes, we allow disagreeing to agrees. But, we need to see big pictures here. Not on how less experience you have to be in the White House. What we want is can the next president do the job? Leave the little mark out, everybody have a little marks too complain about. Get over it! My gosh!!! All we need is can it be proven -- can Mr. McCain/Mrs. Palin or Mr. Obama/Mr. Biden do the job. It like telling your kid, “I believe in you as long you believe in yourself, go for it.” Therefore, you all think you know who will be better. We don’t who is going to be better because no one is giving the speech a chance on both parties. I mean really listen to it, take note and take it from there. I wish Mr. McCain/Mrs. Palin and Mr. Obama/Mr. Biden a lot of luck! Stop bickering the little parts.

If this woman ever becomes Pres. she will set the country
back 200 years...she is dangerous to women's rights in every
respect...I also think she evades answers...obviously abstaining in her family didnt stop her teenage daughter from
getting pregnant or for that matter herself.

The fact that Sarah Palin is female does not make her a good choice for women -- her policies represent that she is actually working to take rights AWAY from women.

I too would love to put a woman in the white house -- I was hoping that woman would be Hillary Clinton, but I am certainly not going to vote for someone who is not living in this century. Sarah Plain has never done anything for, nor has she ever mentioned any intention to work for the rights of women. Forget the abortion debate -- how about equal pay for equal work? Maternity leave and care for new mothers? Did you know that the average cost of simply giving birth in a hospital is over $10,000 -- and let's not get into what you do if you're not covered by health insurance. WAKE UP. This woman is the antithesis to women's rights. Ladies, putting this woman in the white house is a huge step back for all of us, remember that when you cast your vote this November!!!

The fact that Sarah Palin is female does not make her a good choice for women -- her policies represent that she is actually working to take rights AWAY from women.

I too would love to put a woman in the white house -- I was hoping that woman would be Hillary Clinton, but I am certainly not going to vote for someone who is not living in this century. Sarah Plain has never done anything for, nor has she ever mentioned any intention to work for the rights of women. Forget the abortion debate -- how about equal pay for equal work? Maternity leave and care for new mothers? Did you know that the average cost of simply giving birth in a hospital is over $10,000 -- and let's not get into what you do if you're not covered by health insurance. WAKE UP. This woman is the antithesis to women's rights. Ladies, putting this woman in the white house is a huge step back for all of us, remember that when you cast your vote this November!!!

What is Most Important to consider is the fact that both Palin & McCain are anti-abortion. They intend to vote in a Supreme Court that will banish Roe vs Wade!!!
This is a very scary scenario!!

I agree 100% with Anne Fricker!

People - you really have to put this into STRONG consideration!!!!!

We do not NEED another 4 years of Bush tactics.

I think both of them are full of themselves. One he is too old and Palin well what is she going to bring to the table she has no experience.

McCain looks like a proud grandpa next to her. I think she bit off more than she can logically do. We don't know hardly anything about her. The only think she really sounds like is a "hockey mom" and I would hate to hear her hockey mouth screaming at the games. She is very pretty, but I hope we are not voting on that. This is the first year I have changed my politics and AM REALLY PROUD TO BE A DEMOCTAT.

How can she presume to preach abstinence when it obviously didn't work in her own household?

Palin is a god choice perioud

Lets not bash her teenage daughter, and she can preach abstinence all she wants but we all know that teenagers don't always listen. So, I do like her in some ways and can identify with her on some things, but I feel that she does not have the experience that would be necessary if anything were to happen to McCain and she were to end up President, even though she would most certainly not be working alone and not getting imput. I am concerned about the co-mingling of church and state even though I am very much a christian. I am also concerned that she was nominated as VP just to win over us disgruntled HRC democrates that wanted her to be the democratic VP because she was very qualified. But I will watch and listen up until voting time to make my final decision.

Yes David, I'm in complete agreement
Palin is "a god choice perioud"

LOL

And there's so much to back up that statement too! :P

McCain had the guts to get Palin. Our goverment needs change
look at the wars that are going on our men and women are fighting and dying for our country. I think it is good for Palin to be VP give her a chance, how do you think our men and women feel fighting, your not there, were not giving them
them any hope, all we have to do is complain about her back ground and McCain choices. And our soldiers fighting dont know if there going to be alive the next min. Instead of complaning lets just hope who ever wins can help our country.

I would like to tell Josie that I have heard people say the same thing about Obama. Maybe someday, but he's not ready to be president yet. Personally, I think he would make a great motivational speaker, but President, I don't think so. What are his qualifications? They are slim to none. I love the McCain/Palin ticket and can't wait to cast my vote. By the way, have you ever heard how to get something done? You ask a busy woman to do it!! Palin can handle it!

I believe in abstinence for young women. I don't believe that if you teach your children to wait until marriage to have sex that they are being set up for failure. The failure is when they are in the predicament like Palin's daughter. She's pregnant and poised to have a baby out of wedlock. Granted, young girls may not take that advice, but the advice should be given. Young women should have respect for themselves and not allow themselves to be used and abused by men who don't respect them enough to refrain from demanding sex from them.

I am deeply concerned about Sarah Palin's qualifications for vice president.

GLOBAL WARMING - Disagrees with the scientific research findings for the causes. This is especially shocking since melting sea ice causing the destruction of communities in northern Alaska.

RAPE VICTIM KITS - While mayor of Wasilla Palin forced rape victims to pay for their own rape kits (reportedly $ XX). Wasilla was the only town in Alaska to do this. This action prompted the Alaska State Legislature to pass a law forbidding communities to charge victims.

FOREIGN POLICY - Palin's lack of international policy experience gravely concerns me. We live during a time when competent international diplomacy, global knowledge and understanding are paramount. Our foreign policy during the past 6-8 years has injured our standing within the world.

Sarah Palin made her first trip outside of North America in 2007. She has reportedly misrepresented her international travel - Ireland: was a airline refueling stopover, We no longer live in global isolation.

CRONYISM - Despite her claims that she fights against cronyism several of her hires as governor are suspect: * Fishers Policy Advisor, friend whose fisheries experience was working with a lobbying firm called the United Fisherman of Alaska. * Attorney General, another friend who specialized in insurance law.

$1,200 ENERGY REFUND - Alaska residents have been receiving an annual Permanent Fund Dividend since 1982. So, the much touted $1,200 refund is not a new or novel action at all.

I lived in Alaska for ten years and was there when the Permanent Fund Dividend check program began.

I lived in rural Alaska and its subsistence lifestyle – Copper River fish wheel, caribou, moose, ptarmigan.

I lived in bush Alaska where access was limited to air travel, snow machine for those hardy enough to participate in the Iditarod race, river when the 6 feet of ice melted off the Kuskokwim River.

Sarah Palin’s life in Alaska is not unique. Nor does it make her qualified for vice president. In fact, I believe it makes her greatly unqualified.

Yep, Alaskans are a hearty and self-reliant group of people. But many of them hold beliefs about isolationism, anti-government (odd since Alaska receives more support than probably any other state), and, arrogant.

I am literally appalled by the selection of Palin as running mate. I have over several years written her very strongly on her push for airial murdering of wolves, despite what her voters have voted twice against. Her ties to oil, her taking of monies by lobbyists etc., her attempt to fire the librarian in her town who only said she would fight any attempt made by Palin to ban books when a reporter asked her, her comment on not knowing what the Vice President position really does, her lack of foreign policy understanding, her extreme right wing views on everything from birth control, gay rights, religion, and her "good ol boy" mentality, her lack of knowledge of what goes on past her home state, the fact that she was only put up for running mate as a political move (not for her record) as an unknown, and to bring in the women's vote, being unknown with a personality (as McCain lacks one)and bring in the common man (as McCain lacks understanding in that area as well), the fact that because of her lack of knowledge will be a great "yes man" (woman)for McCain, the absolute scariness that if something happens to McCain she will become President (my family will leave the country if this happens, absolutely), the fact that she will not be able to work with our Congress as her views differ greatly with all Democrats and many Republicans as well (yesterdays attempted bail out bill is an example). I could go on, but there is enough here to really make you think I believe.
This WOMAN WILL NEVER BACK HER!!!!!

I am concerned about those who think Obama has no experience. He was working in the city of Chicago with civic leaders and international leaders to help
the little people who were trying to live. He knows the issues and the needs of the people. This work gives you experience. Biden has been working for over 25 years with Washington and the regular homeowners of this country.

Palin only knows moose and wolves. That's not experience. She can see Russia, that's international experience? She can afford to care for her children and theirs. Who is she to tell anyone how to raise or care for themselves and their children? She should be in the trenches helping the people
who are hurting, not the ones who can afford to hunt and then go to the hospital if they are injured. And don't give
me all people get medical help if they go to the emergency room. It doesn't always work, with the CEO's rules for the
health care systems they own. People are turned away all the time. And you think the bottom line will go up if they continue to service those who cannot pay. People are turned away because states have not paid the bills. How about
a bailout? Oh, that's socialism. forgot.