Political Punch

Keep it up Jake- you're obviously terrified of this women who's had the courage to actually 'do' what other supposed agents of change will only talk about.

Hank why are you furious that Afghanistan wasn t mentioned? Don t you think McCain knows about it and how crucial it is? What are you actually furious about? I think it is clear that McCain brings the more credible answer to the situation.

LOL....the mainstream media pimped again -- whether by the Code Pinkos or by somebody in the Free Press' newsroom.

Whoever did it, all of this is music to my ears. It's about time you guys were exposed.

Was Bill Burkett an independent on the panel too?

Jake,

You are losing your entire credibility over this. Time to cut and run!

A third "independent" on the Detroit Free Press (DFP) panel -- who you quote -- is a man named George Lentz, a liberal activist professor who has been engaged anti-Iraq war activism, and gay marriage activism. Check out the NRO blog, "ABC Touts Anti-Palin 'Independents' Who Are Actually Anti-war Activists" by John McCormack.

The writer of the original DFP story conceded that many of the so-called the "independents" had been given by people in the newsroom to an administrative aide to put on the list.

Their story is completely bogus!

Jake, it is barely laudable that you have *noted that two of the independents were actually Code Pink members, and so, therefore, not independents at all. But do you really believe that a footnote is sufficient to rehabilitate this bogus story? It seems to me that your credibility is at stake here.

They were intentional plants, Jake, and so this whole exercise by the Detroit Pree Press is completely suspect! How could you not conclude that at a minimum the process the Detroit Free Press used to select representative "independents" was comletely corrupted? How can you, therefore, continue to give it any credibility at all?

Jake, I have followed your blog with interest, but you are simply being taken apart on some other sites.

Are you going to join Dan Rather and say it was "fake but true?"

What I am reading has been quite pleasing to me. As someone who has made up his mind for Obama, it is hard to be objective sometimes when watching these speeches. I was sure Republicans would love Palin and Dems would hate her, and also thought independents would be turned off. What I have been reading and hearing is proving that to be accurate. I thought her speech was way too negative, disrespectful and sarcastic, especially for an introductory speech to the nation - huge mistake. The media is playing nice because she read the prepared speech well, but it has been very overrated. She will lose McCain more votes than she will get him.

It is offensive for the Republicans to nominate a VP candidate based on her gender or religion, but it is all OK for the Democrats to nominate someone for the President who has zero experience and "did I mention he is black"? Wake up, people. History of him being the first black man being elected to the highest office will not help to reduce the price of oil, food, repair roads and bridges, strengthen our military etc. His program will, but from what I can see he is weak and undecisive on pretty much anything and everything. His economic program is more of the same bs Democratic policy we have been seeing during Carter years. His team of 300 foreign policy advisers needed three days to come up with a proper draft about Georgia. He is spending his raised money faster than he can raise it.

Klondike Barbie is a cheap stunt. The only good thing is this should (somewhat) shut up social conservatives about how it's always the parents fault when teens get pregnant.

I'm sure she excited the repub base.
But they will vote for Maccain even without her.
But, repub base is minority these days.
So what does Maccain gain from this pick?
as a obama supporter, i was worried that he might choose Rommey, then Michigan can go to Blue. Now i feel relieved. Thank you , Maccain....

Palin = Eva Peron in Alaska Version

Why?
first, she is power hungry
secondly, she misuses power
lastly, she is saintly

Great for the 3rd world
Thanks, no thanks for America

Ms. Palin can sure read a speech written for her by someone else. However, I could take only so much of her voice and her condescending attitude before I had to shut her off. No, never, not in a million years. Pack her up and send her back to Alaska.

Two of those "independents" are members of Code Pink, and Lentz is a member of "Social Justice" group that is avowedly anti-war and pro gay marriage.

I'm impressed: you managed to find lefties who don't like Palin. What's the next trick? Locating some Klansmen who don't like minorities?

Is there anybody left in the media with more than three operating brain cells? Don't you realize that this sort of half-assed reporting only helps the Republicans?

Just vote for a third party candidate. It really is that simple.

Either Nader or Barr offer more substance than these two nincompoop tickets combined.

These are the two most hilarious tickets the GOP & Dems have ever fielded.

I find myself almost insulted by the two choices they are offering in 2k8.

How can any true supporter of Hillary switch to the Republican party? Palin stands for exactly the opposite of what Hillary did. Does that mean that you only cared about Hillary because she's a woman? Or does it mean that you're petty enough to back someone whose beliefs you disagree with simply because you feel like your candidate got screwed over? How is that going to help our country? How would voting for someone simply because of their gender or skin color help the nation? Wake up, people. The only person you should consider voting for is the person whose beliefs most closely match your own. For me, that equals Obama. If you don't have beliefs then don't vote...

More nasty attacks, and some very personal mocking, this won't resonate with female voters, only white trash from woods. Watch the republicans not even get a bounce, prob a loss in polls...

Didn't even talk about issue #1,(economy) spent all their time attacking another American. Thats not gonna solve our problems

I suspect a lot of these former Hilary supporters who've switched to McCain/Palin were GOP plants in the first place who liked the novelty of a woman running for office. They were never progressives. In their hearts, they were always part of the GOP base, and now they've returned to the GOP taskmasters to await further orders.

I think McCain blew Michigan and Florida with this VP pick.

Carolyn, It's Barack, not Barrak.

I live in Michigan and have supported Senator Obama over the past 18 months (as has most of my entire family), but others at my place of work who were not supporting Senator Obama yet wanted to hear Sarah Palin speak last night. Well, I have to say as of this morning Senator Obama has 14 more supporters as Sarah Palin did NOT impress any of them (10 women and 4 men), no wonder Senator Obama has raised over 10 million since last night.....he will win in Michigan.

Cinna,
Lack of hubris? Where's her personal seal, her Berlin speech, her 2 memoirs at the ripe age of 47, her Greek columns? She's a self-made woman. She's more qualified for VP than BHO is to be President.

you want to talk about what she did as mayor, then let's talk about what biden did as a senator and o!bama did as a community organizer.

you want to talk about what she did as governor, then let's look at what biden did... as a senator and o!bama did as a state senator.

you want to talk about what she did with the budgets at either level, then let's look at what biden did... as a senator and o!bama has done as a senator.

in all cases, only one person was directly responsible to the people who voted both for and against them.

and only one person has been directly involved in public safety on more than one level of government.

i wouldn't be surprised to learn only one of them knows how to handle a gun and thinks you should own one - just like our Founding Fathers.

Jeff H,
I actually knew that and mis-typed. Since she's not imposed any of those things as governor your contention is she will as VP? Strong religious views don't make her "anti-science". How long a list of religious scientists do you want? The stupid payback comments came from an invited speaker not a pastor at the church. I don't think he's been invited back. I never said jews were one issue voters. That's your strawman. It seems to me secularists have been more of a danger to jews in the last 70 years than Christians.

If anyone took time to do some fact checking on this so-called focus group they would know two of the six are members of Code Pink and another is a known enviro activist... not exactly a focus group that is made up of true independents or should be the stuff of major network headlines....

Of course, in their love affair with Barrak Obama why let balanced and honest reporting get in the way.

Little doubt that Palin knocked one out of the park for the party faithful. But for the serious (undecided, independent) listener, more than a few of her remarks came across as overly clever, even mean. She simultaneously tried to occupy the high ground while demonstrating that she was ready to roll in the mud. She may be a political outsider, but she is no stranger to politics.

The question that has been gnawing at the back of my mind since McCain announced his pick: Should Palin have accepted? At first, I thought, of course, when you get the nod, you step up. Regardless of your personal circumstances, when you get the call to serve your country, you rise to the occasion. That is the selfless act. After her speech, however, I have revised my opinion. Palin is grossly underqualified. The selfless act would have been for her to first to admit that to herself, then to tell McCain as much, directly. She could have put it diplomatically, telling him that he had many immensely qualified and electable people to choose from, and that she was unlikely to inspire much confidence in anyone but the far-right conservatives, who were going to vote for him anyway.

It appears that Palin's hubris prevented her from telling McCain the straight talk he needed to hear. This lack of humility may very well cost GOP the election.

It seemed to me that the "media" the Republicans are complaining about, all thought she was wonderful.

I found her speech lacked substance, was petty and vindictive. But now she seems to be this media darling.

I would like to say that Americans aren't fooled by these low brow tactics, but I can't. America reelected GW?! I can see how many Americans will listen to the crap she spews and say "we probably shouldn't vote for Obama". It's sad, but I believe a real possibility of this exists. Too bad America doesn't WAKE UP!!

these are suburbs of detroit residents, sorry to break it to you. Historically prime republician areas, not so much any more. I thought I was the only independent who thought it was was very G Bush'y. Nice to see Obama raised 10 million over night, thanks sarah.

Sarah Palin took a town with $0 debt in 1996 and left it $22 million in the hole in 2002, mostly from the hockey rink/sports complex she shoved down their throats which never became the money generator she promised it would. Another white elephant from another white elephant.

Even with the stable Clinton economy during most of her mayoral tenure and Jack Abramoff's crony she hired to lobby Washington to help her now indicted buddy Ted Stevens ring up $27 million in federal pork for tiny Wasilla (pop. 5000 when she entered office) she still managed to leave the town swimming in debt. Three of her pork projects even made McCain's own wasteful spending list.

The following organization is the offshoot of President Reagan's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control started in 1984, also known as the Grace Commission. Definitely not a Dem friendly group but even these guys apparently think Alaska is America's welfare queen state.

Citizens Against Government Waste
http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homePage

Rank State Pork Population Pork/Capita

2000 1 Alaska $394,514,000 619,500 $636.83
2001 1 Alaska $480,297,000 626,932 $766.11
2002 1 Alaska $451,334,278 634,892 $710.88
2003 1 Alaska $393,346,750 643,786 $610.99
2004 1 Alaska $524,329,000 648,818 $808.13
2005 1 Alaska $645,502,000 655,435 $984.85
2006 1 Alaska $325,106,000 663,661 $489.87
2007 not listed
2008 1 Alaska $379,699,715 683,478 $555.54

As governor she is borrowing from Alaska's future while she wants to blow today's Alaskan windfall oil tax bonanza and the huge surpluses they've generated on bread and circuses tax giveaways.

Alaska gets 89% of it's operating budget from taxing oil coming out of the ground just like Arab kingdoms and Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. They have no state income or sales tax up there. Instead of using that windfall to pay for all the profligate spending her Republican legislature keeps sending her she's issuing bonds to pay for it which Alaskans and US taxpayers will have to pay off in future years while she takes credit for tax "rebates" while she's governor.

Her fiscal policy is a disaster in the making which won't hit til she's left the governor's office. She'd be a disaster as Vice President especially to a President who despite his grevious wounds and type A personality is already past the age his father and grandfather died of sudden heart attacks.

She can put on all the lipstick she wants but her political record is for the dogs.

Bill:

The lobby is called AIPAC. Jews are not one issue voters. We love Israel, but we are also committed to social issues which Palin and most Republicans are completely on the wrong side of. Palin is completely anti-Science, she would have birth control banned (seems to be banned in her household), has attempted to have books banned, and has not rejected the invective of her pastor who said that Kerry supporters are not going to heaven. What is that all about? A pastor in her church also said that terrorism against Israelis is payback to Jews for not believing in Jesus. Jews should be very fearful of Sarah Palin or as the ticket should now be called "McPalin".

Joellen Gilchrist and Ilene Beninson are members of Code Pink. Hardly what I would call "independents".

Hey Mollie, how about the 11 BILLION state of Alaska budget? She IS the gov now not a mayor, catch up. All written by "progressives" which is bizarre since they espouse ideology that has never worked anywhere.

JOhn should read the whole article, not the snippets Maddow & Co. are trying to beat her over the head with. She has a lot of Jewish support. The Republican Jewish Coalition likes her and so does AIRPAC. She has an Israeli flag in her office.

Hello,

'Pinko' what century are you people living in? Funny how progressives don't refer to Republicans as 'Facists' when they disagree with a Democratic candidate. Although a one-party system would be considered so. Once again you can't disagree with the current administration without someone calling you a name and questioning your loyality to America. Sarah Palin keeps touting the dollar amount of the budget that she's handled in the past as Mayor. I work in an industry where her entire budget for her town in Alaska was our payroll budget for one year in our sector. Is that suppose to be impressive?

OOOOhhhhh Sunday morning shows!1 Real tough one there. Mayeb because she's in church instead of worshipping at the alter of the elite media! Yeah baby!

Anything is better than Obama. What has the guy done? REALLY? What has he done? McCain and Palin are All-American!

i think it is very offensive of the republicans to nominate a vice president based on gender or religion. we are talking about a very real possibility this woman may be president if mccain should die. this is very serious. she can't even go on the sunday morning shows how is she going to be president?

I thought her speech was a jeering rant. If she wanted to bring in more people to her side, she obviously would have prepared a different speech. Her purpose is to galvanize the Republican base. She has accomplished that mission well, I think. However, I think independent or undecided voters will see that she was putting on a good show without revealing her past, nor talking about substantive policy issues. Obama appears to be a serious thinker who has good ideas on reforming the mess we're in now. Look back at the last eight years. Do you really want a continuation of the divisiveness in our government. What would it accomplish?

Sarah loves America and America loves Sarah. hahaha! Zerobama is doomed!

It looks like good ol' Ilene and George are really Dems i.e. Code Pink and anit-war activist. Just google their names. I'm not sure a Community Activest is the resume I would bring to this election.

TBone: I live in Manhattan Beach. One of the wealthiest areas in LA. Range rovers everywhere.
Also: Obama signs everywhere. One thing you don't see is McCain signs.
So let's please stop with the nonsense that the wealthy vote republican, because it simply isn't true.

How can those leaning right or on the right suggest that this is acceptable. Policy and ideology aside, how can you support a candidate or campaign that openly and willingly admits they will not discuss policies and issues on the merit put forward, but rather use the tired politics of character assassination and division? I mean, if I were super rich ($300,000 per/yer) I may very well vote for the republican ticket, however, I would not stand by the sort of tactics or rhetoric that party espouses. It is amazing!

Watching the Republican convention has been a surreal, through the looking glass experience. In 2000 I was a McCain supporter and volunteer. I was so disgusted by the Bush tactics in South Carolina that year that I became deeply skeptical of the Republican party in general and the Bush cadre in particular.

Watching the Republican party’s embrace of George Bush and what I saw as empty and divisive rhetoric was jarring and somewhat disorienting. Why were supposedly intelligent people so willing to believe the big lie? Yet that expereince was trivial compared to the run up to the Iraq invasion. With a built in distrust of the Bush administration there was never a second where I believed the case for the war.

If the 2000 election was jarring the run-up to the Iraq war was something approaching a nightmare. It was as if the world as I understood it was turned upside down. The so-called loyal opposition and the watchdog media were nowhere to be found. As someone who had never bought into the lies to begin with it seemed to be a relentless cacophony of ugly sloganeering based on the simple notion that, ‘Good Americans are with us - bad Americans are against us.’ No substance, a brazen disregard for the truth, and a style of argumentation that favors neurolingusitic deception and gotcha over deliberation and honest debate.

It’s sad to say that it has taken the cumulative failures of Iraq, Katrina, Guantanamo Bay, and the economy to embolden people to stand up to the lies and Orwellian double speak of the Bush administration. Watching this year’s Republican convention has been like watching a viral outbreak of a style of political communication that I wrongfully assumed was in retreat. Hadn’t good intentioned people all over the political spectrum learned something essential about the need for truth and honest debate in our democracy?

Yet, on display all week we see wall to wall professional conservatives resorting to their favorite playbook; character assassination, false innuendo, a brazen disregard for facts, and a concerted effort brand disagreement as disloyalty. From the stage; speaker after speaker whipping the auditorium into a frenzy by pandering to the worst instincts of a group of unquestioning adherents. Scarcely a word spoken about the significant challenges’ our country faces - just red meat being thrown to the ultra partisans.

Gov. Palin was sold as a refomer and a maverick. Her performance Wednesday night shouts out that she is neither. By picking up the Bush/Rove playbook she has demonstrated her willingness to submit Americans to the divisive wedge politics of 2000 and 2004. In 2000 I learned, deep in my soul, to distrust George Bush. It is a distrust that has served me well. I’m proud that I never fell for his BS -just as I will never fall for Ms. Palin’s.
As Dennis Kucinich said; “Wake-up America.” Before it’s too late.

How dumb does the ultralib Big Media think the American people are? "Independents." Yeah, right.

Code Pink freaks. Anti-war protesters. Yeah, we'd never have checked out that stuff.

And they wonder why the media got slammed over and over last night. "What, us -- biased?" they all whined on CNN today.

Palin came across as mean and hateful. She may mobilize the right-wing base, but it's going to backfire on the center. And when it becomes widely known that she tried to ban library books in Wasilla, she's going to get even worse for her.

McCain made a huge mistake in picking her.

Hilarious do you guys even have editors anymore ?

That "independent" is a Code Pink member.

I guess the "Berkley Independent" label just gave it away.

You guys are pathetic. If you want to counter arguments made deservedly so by Americans you should do more homework.

An Independent, here: Name-calling and distortions are adolescent. To find that in national politics, is depressing.

Last night, I was depressed!

The mayor of a small town does not handle all the responsibilities when a city administrator is hired as was Sarah Palin's case. In our town the mayor does not have a vote and does not run as a party member. I feel that a community organizer has far more responsibility. The elected official is always going to help those who will elect him. The community organizer has the responsibility to help all those in need.

My father who was born in the 19th century said most women will cut off their nose to spite their face. These Hillary supporters who talk about supporting McCain/Palin are doing that because she is no HILLARY CLINTON AND NEVER WILL BE.

I would suggest you look a little harder for michigan independents. What you call your self is not that important what you believe in is. Do you want a better life for your children. Do you want to live in a country you can be proud of. There is not a Republican or a Democrate that can make my life better or my children I take on that responsibility myself. I teach my children to work hard,to be honest,and above all to be proud of themselves. To think I would vote for some because they are female or because they are Black or because they are a veteran would be the total oppisite of what I want to teach my children. So stop trying to convince me to vote for Obama because of his race or Palin because she is a women or MCcain because he is a P.O.W Vetern and convince me Who is best for my childrens future.

Mike & onecent

This 'revelation' you uncovered doesn't mean Ilene Beninson is not an independent. Remember an independent can be left of center or right of center not just in the center. Independent does not mean moderate.

Davei n lv

No, mayors and community organizers do not do the same thing. Mayors work more often with businesses in the area and put themselves in a position to get elected and get re-elected. They might work with the community but usually opt to work with the people who have money; i.e. at the top.
Community organizers on the other hand work with and for the people right on the ground and have no pretense to please businessmen or voters.

I heard her speak yesterday and don't understand why she is getting so much kudos from media. I thought she gave a pretty boring, negative and petty speech. As Obama has said earlier, republicans are going to make this election about petty things. Looks like mccain chose a good vp candidate to help him win election with lies and hypocrisy.

Sarah Palin's hatred of America was on full display last night. I am not surprised that she is a drag on McCain's ticket.

Quite possibly the worst Vice Presidential selection ever.

That speech appealed to no one but the base and only the religious base......It was condensending, sarcastic and to MOCK community service was ridiculous

They lost Independents with that speech

When Barrack attacked her experience as a small town mayor, Sarah simply stated small time mayors are kind of like community organizers with responsibilities.

This is essentially true, yet the Barrack organization is spinning this an attack on community organizers throughout the land.

Don't both mayors and community organizers try to do what is best for their communities?

Don't mayors have more responsibilities?

TO Dorothy,
The Democrats currently have a woman as the 3rd in line for the presidency in Nancy Pelosi and put a woman on the presidential ticket over 25 years ago. The Republicans and their policies pale in comparison. Hilary Clinton's years of hard work and grasp of the issues is so far superior than Palin's, why would you want to reward her with the presidency?
The only thing Palin's speech proved last night was that the allegations of her abuses of power are perfectly plausible.

Jim in Austin,
well there you guys go again. Comparing Obama with McCain's VP.

Joe Biden's Delaware 3 electoral votes
250 delwares can fit in Alaska.

Is there any indication that Sarah is any more religious than Barrack?

After all, didn't he go to church for the last 20 years and was close friends with both his pastor and a priest?

Wow! A woman VP on the Rep side while the woman for the Dems who actually got more votes than Obama is not even considered for the VP slot.

And some Dems say it's the Reps who don't treat women fairly.

Strange. You may have noticed. The vast majority of people who say she should stay home with the kids are Dems.

There is a good chance the first woman President will be a Republican. If that should happen, will Dems still complain?

I watched Sarah Palin's speech last night, and agree with the independent commentators who thought her comments were snide and self-serving. One speech does not make a great candidate. In addition, her views are extreme, with a pro-life stance that is right of Attila the Hun, an anti-gay, anti-woman, and anti-government stance that makes Pat Buchanan very proud. (watched the speech on MSNBC) Moreover, she is no reformer, contrary to the spin that accompanies her persona. Her town, Wasilla, gained over $27 million in earmarks during her reign, which is over $4,000 for every person living there! She was also FOR the "bridge to nowhere" before she was against it. How anyone could support McCain/Palin when they represent such extreme positions is beyond me.

Is McCain going to allow Pain to speak to the press? Or will she be hidden away in front of select audiences only?

She seemed angry, divisive, and mean, to me.

When the Country wants to come together and raise the bar to a greater civility, for the Peoples sake, to get things done, this Woman does nothing for that cause.

The first person they call an "independent", Ilene Beninsonis, is a friggin Code-Pink activist.

Another independent listed, "George Lentz", Is only an Independent if I'm Karl Marx. Here is is Bio:

Michigan UU Social Justice Network Networking for justice and community service

Since December 2002, has met regularly to exchange information & plan activities

Surveyed 552 local UU’s on their positions on justice issues issues (survey results)

Took public stand against war in Iraq

Organized civil liberties workshop in partnership with UUSC & Heartland District

Conducted petition drive to help defeat Michigan anti-gay marriage legislation

Conducted Heartland District Workshop on “Networking for Justice”

Organized Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Workshop & sent information to Heartland District churches on how to get involved with GOTV activities

Sounds like your typical Independent doesn't it.

Hey Liberals, how noble can your cause be if you have to resort to lying to enact it.

Debra
Very few Democratic woman will drop all the issues they hold near and dear to vote for Palin. She is no Hillary. She is a right wing conservative first and foremost. She was chosen by McCain for cynical reasons. Women recognize this. Most voters recognize this. She will only excite voters in Red States.

With Sarah "Commander in Chief of the Alaska National Guard" Palin down in St. Paul giving a political speech, who's up there protecting Alaska from a sneak attack by the Russians? I bet the good people of Anchorage and Fairbanks are quaking in their boots right now.

Agree with the majority who claim Palin's speech was dull, hateful and lacking in specifics. Lies about Obama's record, lies about Obama and taxes, lies about her support for the Bridge to Nowhere, which she endorsed and, big surprise, nothing about her vengeful "Troopergate" episode. Keep cheering Extreme Right Wingers. You've had your Pat Buchanan 1992 moment, enjoy it, we will enjoy the White House.

Would all the right-wing people please stop pretending to be Hillary supporters? The only thing the two share is a chromosome. That storyline is over. Time to move along...

Happily, McCain is not going to win with distortions, smears, virtiol, and general nastiness. I think that most Americans are wise enough now not to buy into middle-school methods for winning an argument. Karl Rove might have engineered two victories for Bush in this way, but the scales have fallen from the American peoples' eyes. It ain't gonna happen again.

The first person they call an "independent", Ilene Beninsonis, is a Code-Pink activist.

Another independent listed, "George Lentz", Is only an Independent if I'm Karl Marx. Here is is Bio:

Michigan UU Social Justice Network Networking for justice and community service

Since December 2002, has met regularly to exchange information & plan activities

Surveyed 552 local UU’s on their positions on justice issues issues (survey results)

Took public stand against war in Iraq

Organized civil liberties workshop in partnership with UUSC & Heartland District

Conducted petition drive to help defeat Michigan anti-gay marriage legislation

Conducted Heartland District Workshop on “Networking for Justice”

Organized Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Workshop & sent information to Heartland District churches on how to get involved with GOTV activities

Sounds like your typical Independent doesn't it.

Hey Liberals, how noble can your cause be if you have to resort to lying to enact it.

I'm a Michigan independent who agrees with all the quotes from this focus group.

Debra - Not to pick nits but Palin's popularity rating is in Alaska. Three electoral votes last time I checked. Whereas Obama's is, I believe, nationwide which rather trumps it. Math and facts are such troublesome things...

Here's the short version:

Before McCain selected Palin, I didn't have much doubt about his judgement. Since he has a history of cancer/health issues and is 72 years old, I now have doubts about his judgement because I don't think picked someone who meets his self-proscribed standard of being the most qualified person in the GOP to serve as his second in command.

Last night's speech did very little to aleviate my serious concerns about Gov Palin's readiness to serve as commander-in-chief if McCain gets sick or worse, God forbid, while in the white house. More and more, it looks like the selection of Gov Palin was a political calculation to win votes. It sickens me to think this is the case.

For women being a minority....we ARE 54% of the population and Nobama campaign should be very worried after they screwed Hillary...backlash? It could very well tip the scales in Nov. and I'll be doing my best by pulling the lever for McCain/Palin

Independents? LOL

Ilene Beninson is a Code Pink Nut.

Obama does not hate any people.
Being of mixed black-white
parentage, as a teenager he went through a process of turmoil, and
a search for his true identity.

He's well-adjusted, thoughtful,
even-tempered and believes that
all people regardless of their
present station in life should
be treated with dignity and respect.

Klaus....Gov. Palin's favorablity is 80%, higest of any Governor in the country, sorry beats Nobama.

A million right-wing extremists fake posting as "PUMAs" won't change the fact that Palin alienated the vast majority of independents with last night's red meat, no beef speech. Sorry guys, Obama's favorability is at 60%, he's just not a divisive figure, and a speech catering to 33% of the population is one that will lose an election.

McCain had two choices. His instinct was to tack to the center and compete for the undecideds. Lieberman was his first choice and would have been a sound one, second perhaps only to Colin Powell. But the base would have none of it, threatening a floor fight over the VP slot. His only remaining choice was to play solely to the base, ala 2004. Even there he could have probably done better than Palin; Huckabee comes to mind. But at least with Palin he made a half-hearted attempt to woo PUMAs and undecided females. Alas, apparently to no avail, given the steady migration of undecideds towards Obama since the announcement. Perhaps he can console himself with the knowledge that the Party, rather than himself, lost the thing...

Sarah Palin has always been proud of America?

Then why were she and her husband members of a political party advocating Alaska's secession from the United States? Distort Michelle's quote all you want, at least she's always WANTED to be part of America, through the good times and the bad.

Dorothy Bailey, Collinsville, IL:

How can you make this statement with a straight face? Here's the end of your comment:

...When the Democratic Party begins to appreciate the women who make up more than half its membership, I may consider returning to the party of my parents and grandparents.

Posted by: Dorothy Bailey, Collinsville, IL | Sep 4, 2008 9:48:21 AM

-------------

Hillary Clinton got 18M votes!?! How does the Democratic party not appreciate women candidates? The Dems actually VOTED for a woman. McCain is a Republican candidate who selected a woman to run. One Repub picked her. 18M Dems picked Clinton. This election has to be about the issues. There is too much at stake.

As a political speech, I thought Gov Palin impressed for sure last night. But, it was v light on policy. And, when she did talk about national issues/policies, I thought she came across as someone who was speaking about these things for the first time on a national stage. I still have serious reservations about her ability to serve as President if necessary. I'm open to giving her the chance over the next 60 days or so, but she has to make the case. Last night, was more of a mud-flinging than anything else.