Breaking: McCain Picks Palin Up Off the Street For Veep
According to the New York Times, John McCain has tapped Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Appeal to disaffected Clinton voters? Trying to lock up the Mike Gravel fan base?
Update: Although Governor Palin is not a lawyer, there have already been several legal issues mentioned with regard to her candidacy. Just last month, her own state legislature opened an investigation into allegations that she tried to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his state trooper job
Law professor Ann Althouse has already gone on record with a furry opinion about Palin’s credentials.
Without a professional legal background to pontificate on (compare Joe Biden), we here at ATL will continue to scour our sources to bring you the latest on Palin’s positions about the things that matter to lawyers, big and small. Anyone know her views on SCOTUS nominations?
McCain Chooses Palin as Running Mate [New York Times]
Alaska’s Palin Faces Probe [Wall Street Journal]
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J.D.? If not = not qualified. For a post on this blog or to be V.P.
second
Is this some sort of sick joke? She's governor of a sparsely populated state and before that was mayor of Wasila--population roughly 5,000. This doofus turned 72 today and his running mate is a self-described "hockey mom"? Wtf?!?!
she is banging and her daughter is a total JB hottie.
Is this some sort of sick joke? She's governor of a sparsely populated state and before that was mayor of Wasila--population roughly 5,000. This doofus turned 72 today and his running mate is a self-described "hockey mom"? Wtf?!?!
He "tabbed" her? Like with post-it flags? Perhaps you mean "tapped" her.
ATL is not where I go to get my politics.
If no JD then I don't care, even if she is a lawmaker.
Can ATL do a post on pricks called 'Robert' that do not want to be called 'Bob' and jackasses called 'Michael' who dont want to be called 'Mike'?
I've met plenty of those in my time . . .
Keep talking 3: Dems are going to hemorrhage independent moms and blue collar votes. Very smart pick.
A dark horse, female Alaskan governor is McCain's pick? Talk about pandering.
Anyway, from CNN her bio isn't particularly strong. So, I guess that means the "ready to lead" line of attack is goner since she has almost no experience either.
Elie - I'd like to here more about the story about her being under investigation. That seems like a really big no-no for a possible veep pick.
Not only no JD... no graduate degree whatsoever.
Bye bye argument that Obama is too inexperienced and not ready to be president.
At least McCain is consistent about this anti-celebrity thing.
SHE is a SHE.
This is GENIUS.
"Change" = America's first female VP!!!
He has certainly locked in Alaska's three electoral votes. Please don't forget that she was the runner up in the Miss Alaska contest of 1984. Maybe she should make her aceeptance speech in a bikini--might get a few votes from the horny ATL associates on this site.
No JD > Syracuse JD
Sorry, but Palin destroys Biden
First to call her The Governatrix, which I'm sure Lat would have done were he writing this.
ATL posters are pathetic = if not HLS JD, then you have to appear in a bikini?
our profession has really moved forward . . .
I'm as conservative as they come but this is the dumbest thing I've seen in some time. He just lost the election.
A dark horse, female Alaskan governor is McCain's pick? Talk about pandering.
Anyway, from CNN her bio isn't particularly strong. So, I guess that means the "ready to lead" line of attack is goner since she has almost no experience either.
Elie - I'd like to here more about the story about her being under investigation. That seems like a really big no-no for a possible veep pick.
She has a bachelor's in journalism from the University of Idaho....
I'm sure Idaho is a wonderful university, but is this really who we want running the country when McCain croaks in the first two years?!?!?
Bye bye argument that Obama is too inexperienced and not ready to be president.
At least McCain is consistent about this anti-celebrity thing.
I am an independent, not registered with either party, who supported Hillary. I was on the fence before today.
Now I am going to vote for McCain / Palin. This is great.
pro-life, pro-gun, pro-ANWR drilling female = Devil Woman. perfect successor to Cheney. too bad it won't happen.
ellie mystal sucks
please leave immediately
He picked a woman! That GUARANTEES McDying will win the election now!
It's funny that she's got more executive experience than McCain, Obama, or Biden combined.
She's a good pick, I think. She has made her career winning primaries against corrupt Republican incumbents... she's really the ONLY non-Washington insider in the race right now.
How progressive of him...cough..cough.
This is a smart pick. It's one thing to argue the Presidential candidate has no experience, and another to argue the Vice Presidential candidate has no experience. The Obama/Biden ticket has put its experience argument in the number 2 on the ticket, whereas McCain/Palin can argue that the commander in chief will have experience, while bringing in a fresh voice into the administration.
McCain says he puts country first???
18, he already lost the election. All conservatives can really do at this point is grouse pre-emptively about Obama presidency.
This is a phenomenal pick. Kudos to JM and GOP! Like McCain, Palin is a Real American Maverick, and a true outdoorswoman. She is not shy to criticize her own party, and is in favor of oil expansion in her own state. Vice President Palin will bring a fresh perspective to the White House, and will not back down to old foreign leaders. Hats off to a fine pick. In sports phraseology, ol' Maverick he hit a home run.
Whoo Hoo McCain/Palin '08!
This is a phenomenal pick. Kudos to JM and GOP! Like McCain, Palin is a Real American Maverick, and a true outdoorswoman. She is not shy to criticize her own party, and is in favor of oil expansion in her own state. Vice President Palin will bring a fresh perspective to the White House, and will not back down to old foreign leaders. Hats off to a fine pick. In sports phraseology, ol' Maverick he hit a home run.
This is a great pick for a number of reasons.
1. She is a woman. She picks up the morons who will vote for someone strictly because of that person's lack of stones.
2. She is a woman. That means Biden will look like a jerk when he makes his typical, snarky Bidenesque comments at the debate.
3. She is an Alaskan. She knows energy/oil.
4. She is conservative. She'll get the conservatives on the McCain express.
5. She is more experienced than Obama, so the experience issue is still in play. Obama has still never had any executive experience. She's vetoed bills, fired people, hired people, etc. In fact, she's been governor as long as Obama's been a Senator, but she hasn't been campaigning since 143 days into her governorship, so she's actually way more experienced than Obamanation.
6. She's kinda hot, and she hunts, fishes, and rides snowmobiles.
7. She's got a baby with Down's syndrome, and she kept the baby. She is sympathetic and unselfish.
8. She's not Joe Biden.
9. She's kinda hot.
10. Her high school basketball nickname was "Sarah Barracuda", which, seems to me, very Cheney-esque.
I tried four or five times to submit a comment and was given an error message. Anyone else having problems?
#34 -- excellent analysis.
Yeah, I did. Agreeing with 15 and now 34. Reiterating that BIDEN IS A MORON.
"Like McCain, Palin is a Real American Maverick, and a true outdoorswoman."
McCain's an outdoorswoman? Better Republican trolls, please!
She went back to work 3 days after having her son this April. Family values galore!!!
If Sarah Palin gave one of her nuts to Obama, she would still have more.
Can't wait to see if she can speak. I'm psyched by the choice. It will make for an interest debate.
I question the judgment of any person - woman or otherwise -- who decides to name her children after something you run on (Track), a shitty city in Virginia (Bristol), a dwarf in an 80's Ron Howard movie (Willow), a plant genus (Piper), and a subject at which my Asian brethren tend to excel (Trig).
I think McDying made a mistake here
she is great looking. I will vote her.
So if (when?) McCain croaks at his desk from severe old age, this slag is POTUS? Not sure if I'm in....
38: your grammatical nitpicking is really dumb at this point.
30: as you have this all sewn up, in your mind, then I trust neither you nor your friends will bother to vote on November 4th and instead will stay in the office and review documents...that's what you should do.
I was a McCain supporter but am reconsidering my voite now. McCain is 72 and is just one stroke away from death/dementia. Do we really want someone like Palin in Charge of this country? She is 100% unqualified to lead. This choices shows an exterme lack of judgement on McCain's part and in my mind questions his decision making ability.
Think McCain’s age is an issue now? Picture her standing on a stage next to McCain. He is going to look like her grandpa.
BREAKING -- Palin and McCain are not attorneys.
THIS SITE SUCKS.
42--her husband is Eskimo. Possibly you don't know what you're talking about. Anyone know anything about Eskimo names?
42,
Are Sasha and Malia really so much better than Willow and Bristol?
Nontraditional names = TTT
awful, awful pick - definitely pandering. you don't pick a dark horse unless very qualified. otherwise, the pick is rightfully seen as an attempt to win some demographic. not gonna work. now it's gotta be obama/biden.
http://www.vpilf.com/
Biden should so challenger Palin to a comb over-off. He'd rock her world.
McDying is pandering - if he croaks, i do not want that loser as my president
Breakdown of comment 34 (my comments in CAPS):
1. She is a woman. She picks up the morons who will vote for someone strictly because of that person's lack of stones. WON'T EVEN BE ENOUGH TO WIN ONE STATE.
2. She is a woman. That means Biden will look like a jerk when he makes his typical, snarky Bidenesque comments at the debate. SHE'LL EMBARRASS HERSELF RE: FOREIGN POLICY
3. She is an Alaskan. She knows energy/oil. SHE IS ALSO WRONG ABOUT THEM AND PROVES SHE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT BY FAVORING DRILLING IN ANWR
4. She is conservative. She'll get the conservatives on the McCain express. LIKE THEY WERE EVER GOING TO NOT VOTE FOR MCWAR. WHAT A BLUFF. HE SHOULD'VE GONE WITH HIS OLD GUT AND PICKED RIDGE, WHO WOULD HAVE WON PA AND A BUNCH OF INDIE VOTERS
5. She is more experienced than Obama, so the experience issue is still in play. Obama has still never had any executive experience. She's vetoed bills, fired people, hired people, etc. In fact, she's been governor as long as Obama's been a Senator, but she hasn't been campaigning since 143 days into her governorship, so she's actually way more experienced than Obamanation. INCORRECT. SHE WAS ELECTED GOV IN 2006; OBAMA ELECTED SENATOR IN 2004.
6. She's kinda hot, and she hunts, fishes, and rides snowmobiles. DICK CHENEY LIKES TO HUNT, TOO.
7. She's got a baby with Down's syndrome, and she kept the baby. She is sympathetic and unselfish. JOE BIDEN'S FIRST WIFE AND DAUGHTER DIED IN A CAR CRASH AND HE WAS SWORN INTO THE SENATE FROM THEIR BEDSIDE. CRY ME A RIVER.
8. She's not Joe Biden. SHE'S ALSO NOT A LAWYER. JUST LIKE BUSH/CHENEY, NO JDS ON THE BALLOT
9. She's kinda hot. RELEVANT
10. Her high school basketball nickname was "Sarah Barracuda", which, seems to me, very Cheney-esque. ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO BE LIKE DICK.
53: website = awesome
34 here--one other reason she's a great choice. Now, both people on the Republican ticket have children who are on active duty in the military. Instant cred on that too.
Breakdown of comment 34 (my comments in CAPS):
1. She is a woman. She picks up the morons who will vote for someone strictly because of that person's lack of stones. WON'T EVEN BE ENOUGH TO WIN ONE STATE.
2. She is a woman. That means Biden will look like a jerk when he makes his typical, snarky Bidenesque comments at the debate. SHE'LL EMBARRASS HERSELF RE: FOREIGN POLICY
3. She is an Alaskan. She knows energy/oil. SHE IS ALSO WRONG ABOUT THEM AND PROVES SHE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT BY FAVORING DRILLING IN ANWR
4. She is conservative. She'll get the conservatives on the McCain express. LIKE THEY WERE EVER GOING TO NOT VOTE FOR MCWAR. WHAT A BLUFF. HE SHOULD'VE GONE WITH HIS OLD GUT AND PICKED RIDGE, WHO WOULD HAVE WON PA AND A BUNCH OF INDIE VOTERS
5. She is more experienced than Obama, so the experience issue is still in play. Obama has still never had any executive experience. She's vetoed bills, fired people, hired people, etc. In fact, she's been governor as long as Obama's been a Senator, but she hasn't been campaigning since 143 days into her governorship, so she's actually way more experienced than Obamanation. INCORRECT. SHE WAS ELECTED GOV IN 2006; OBAMA ELECTED SENATOR IN 2004.
6. She's kinda hot, and she hunts, fishes, and rides snowmobiles. DICK CHENEY LIKES TO HUNT, TOO.
7. She's got a baby with Down's syndrome, and she kept the baby. She is sympathetic and unselfish. JOE BIDEN'S FIRST WIFE AND DAUGHTER DIED IN A CAR CRASH AND HE WAS SWORN INTO THE SENATE FROM THEIR BEDSIDE. CRY ME A RIVER.
8. She's not Joe Biden. SHE'S ALSO NOT A LAWYER. JUST LIKE BUSH/CHENEY, NO JDS ON THE BALLOT
9. She's kinda hot. RELEVANT
10. Her high school basketball nickname was "Sarah Barracuda", which, seems to me, very Cheney-esque. ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO BE LIKE DICK.
McCain has had skin cancer four times.
Despite the inevitable "who?" reaction from many who don't regularly follow politics, this idea has been circulating in DC political circles for the past couple months. I suspect the campaign's internal polling indicates she will connect very well with working mothers - who are now ripe for the picking after Hillary got dissed. The whole "undermines McCain's experience argument" is completely Democratic spin - VPs are allowed to have limited experience (though her actual executive experience is a major boost relative to some junior legislator). No one would question the experience of the Dem ticket if it was Biden/Obama - it's Obama's name at the top that's the problem.
she is hot! good choice. 2 non-lawyers against the harvard law review editor with 1050 on his sats and mr. hair plugs show me your budget biden.
It's all over folks, Obama will win . . . I hope you like paying high taxes my > $250k brothers
If Hilary supporters vote for McCain because of Palin, their right to vote should be taken away because they are polar opposites (this coming from a Republican).
Her son is being deployed to Iraq in September. Great.
I'm an Obama supporter and want a Democrat in the White House very badly, but I don't think McCain's choice was a foolish one. I, for one, am worried.
she is hot! good choice. 2 non-lawyers against the harvard law review editor with 1050 on his sats and mr. hair plugs show me your budget biden.
COVER HER FUCKING SCANDAL.
Long story short, she used her power to have her sister's (albeit crazy) ex-husband fired from his position as a state trooper. Back in June, even the AK republicans turned on her.
See generally http://www.adn.com/monegan/
http://www.adn.com/politics/story/469135.html
and
http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html
It's pretty saucy stuff: taserings, death threats, firings.
Should I vote relative to which protected class received suffrage first?
Agree with 34's analysis except that whether people will focus on 47's point about her total lack of experience instead of those things remains to be seen.
Personally, the lack of experience works to McCain's advantage.
When people call out her lack of experience it actually highlights Obama's complete lack of experience. He was Senator for a few years and ran for President from the start. So when people ask "who is this lady and how is she qualified to be VP" they will start to realize that Obama is just famous for being famous and has done NOTHING on his own.
When people worry that if McCain dies this woman with no experience will become the president they will be told that the other ticket has the person with less experience currently running for President.
Her weakness as leader is fine because she's running for VICE president while Obama is running for President.
All the advantages of 34 therefore make it a smart pick.
61, get real. He 20 months as Gov of Alaska is a "major boost"? What planet do you live on? And the problem is that she has significantly LESS experience than Obama and will be expected to take over in the event that a 72 year old President loses capacity? That's a real risk.
Fantastic Pic. This is truly exciting. This is the Official Maverick Ticket. It helps to have a real cowboy state in Alaska.
Palin will not back down to world leaders. She will not back down to Biden in the debates, and will surely fluster him. If Biden attacks, he will be perceived as bullying and negative. The more he attacks, the stronger Palin becomes. That is the Genius of McCain, the genius he learned while imprisoned in the POW cell for five years in Nam.
Also, the false rumors about Lieberman, Romney all add to the excitement.
And she is a woman.... this is true CHANGE. And attractive. Women will want to identify with her.
She was a runner up in the Miss Alaska pageant a few years ago so she totally knows all about the Iraq, South Africa and Asian countries. Like, such as.
62/66: I have never seen that number before. How do you know what Obama got on his SATs?
Fantastic Pic. This is truly exciting. This is the Official Maverick Ticket. It helps to have a real cowboy state in Alaska.
Palin will not back down to world leaders. She will not back down to Biden in the debates, and will surely fluster him. If Biden attacks, he will be perceived as bullying and negative. The more he attacks, the stronger Palin becomes. That is the Genius of McCain, the genius he learned while imprisoned in the POW cell for five years in Nam.
Also, the false rumors about Lieberman, Romney all add to the excitement.
And she is a woman.... this is true CHANGE. And attractive. Women will want to identify with her.
wikipedia says her husband is an Eskimo... named Todd.
Obama! Obama! Obama!
Hey, it takes some intelligence and character to rise from a fatherless black child to where he is today.
McDying? He married daddy's rich (and useless) little girl and left his crippled wife . . . is that what we want in America?
I can't figure out what Elie likes more...being liberal or eating cake.
70: people will focus on the PRESIDENTIAL candidate's experience first, and worry (if at all) about the VICE presidential candidate's experience second. I don't see how Obama thinks he'll get to pull the experience card on Palin without making it worse for himself, while McCain can continue to point out his lack of experience without hurting his own campaign. And, if you think the idea of McCain dying in office will work for Obama, just think through how palatable it will be for Obama to start talking about McCain dying...that's not going to win over voters.
Fantastic Pic. This is truly exciting. This is the Official Maverick Ticket. It helps to have a real cowboy state in Alaska.
Palin will not back down to world leaders. She will not back down to Biden in the debates, and will surely fluster him. If Biden attacks, he will be perceived as bullying and negative. The more he attacks, the stronger Palin becomes. That is the Genius of McCain, the genius he learned while imprisoned in the POW cell for five years in Nam.
Also, the false rumors about Lieberman, Romney all add to the excitement.
And she is a woman.... this is true CHANGE. And attractive. Women will want to identify with her.
70 - sorry to see you so nervous right now.
-61
She will resonate very well with blue collar voters.
Men will love her because she's hot, hunts, fishes, like guns and has a husband who wouldn't even know what arugula is.
Women will be very comfortable with her and he's got a very sympathetic story with 2 sons - one with downs syndrome and another who's going to Iraq.
Alaska is a Republican state, but her approval ratings were in the 80s and 90s for the first half of her term. People who know her like her.
And of course, Biden will look like a creepy ass in the debate with her.
73: Not flaming, but nothing on BO's resume suggests he's a brilliant guy. Affirmative action can get you into college, HLS, and onto HLS law review. Do we have anything to suggest that he doesn't have a 1050?
I was a McCain supporter but am reconsidering my vote. McCain is 72 and just a stroke away from death or being incapacitated (not to mention it is documented that he is showing signs of dementia). Do we really want a 44 year old "hockey mom" to be president? This choice shows a clear lack of judgment on his part.
61, the problem is McCain is very old, has had cancer four times, and just might actually be going senile. There is a real possibility that he could not finish his first term. In which case we would have the Mayor of some small city, turned governor of a rural and sparsely populated state running the country. Oh yeah, she has only been doing that for about 2 years. And oh yeah, she stands against pretty much everything that Hillary and democrats stand for. The pick was one of desperation. It may work, but it probably won't
OMM chairman helped the Estate of John McCain pick Palin. Further evidence of OMM's TTT status.
I was a McCain supporter but am reconsidering my vote. McCain is 72 and just a stroke away from death or being incapacitated (not to mention it is documented that he is showing signs of dementia). Do we really want a 44 year old "hockey mom" to be president? This choice shows a clear lack of judgment on his part.
61, the problem is McCain is very old, has had cancer four times, and just might actually be going senile. There is a real possibility that he could not finish his first term. In which case we would have the Mayor of some small city, turned governor of a rural and sparsely populated state running the country. Oh yeah, she has only been doing that for about 2 years. And oh yeah, she stands against pretty much everything that Hillary and democrats stand for. The pick was one of desperation. It may work, but it probably won't
Who's hotter? Palin or Hillary?
Post your votes folks
83: Hmm, let me think about that. You ask "Do we really want a 44 year old "hockey mom" to be president?" The right question is "Do we really want the risk of a 44 year old hockey mom, or do we want the guarantee of having a less experienced Jesse Jackson-lite?"
I call BS on these "Republicans" or "McCain" supporters who suddenly say they question his sanity, health, etc. No McCain supporter suddenly realized his age and/or health; neither was any true supporter going to vote for him in the hopes that he would pick a good VP to take over. Nothing but flaming going on.
Jesse Jackson-lite? U suck big time my friend
And hear this: The 44-year-old Palin, a former city councilwoman, Alaskan mayor, star high school basketball player and beauty queen, is a Republican political maverick (does this sound familiar on a McCain ticket?).
She overthrew her own state party's corrupt establishment in 2005-06 to run without its support and win on a reform ticket against a Democratic former governor, Tony Knowles. See video below.
She's been enjoying statewide popularity ratings of 70% to 80%, not least for her down-to-earth touches, like selling the previous governor's jet plane to fly commercially and driving herself to work in the family Jetta. She's worked against government pork barrel projects; again, a familiar phrase.
Palin, the first Alaskan governor born after statehood, was actually born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. She is the mother of five (see family photo below) and is married to a native Alaskan, Todd Palin, who is a seasonal fisherman and an oil field worker offseason. He races snowmobiles on vacation.
The governor is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Assn., an ardent hunter and outdoorswoman (her family has its own float plane) and is a sure bet to please the antiabortion wing of the Republican Party.
When prenatal genetic testing of their fifth child showed he had Down syndrome last spring, the couple went ahead with the birth in May and now talk of him as the joy of their life. (See photo below.) One of ...
... their other four children entered the Army and deploys to Iraq next month.
(from the LATimes; sounds like a winner to me)
Excuse me Mr. President, who is that under your desk? Oh it's the VP.
61/80,
I'm significantly less nervous than I was four hours ago. But thanks for the concern.
-71
89: Calling Obama Jesse Jackson-lite is pure ignorance. Because he's black he's like Jackson? Fine. Then McArthritis is Hitler-lite.
89: Calling Obama Jesse Jackson-lite is pure ignorance. Because he's black he's like Jackson? Fine. Then McArthritis is Hitler-lite.
Yes, #92, agreed, but does she have a n HLS JD? didnt think so . . . snap!
93: Bill, get off ATL and get back to work...and stop fantacizing about the old days.
I hope undecided female voters recognize this as a stunt that insults their intelligence -- essentially suggesting that they are so ignorant as to vote for any female on the ticket, regardless of her positions on issues
what about the total lack of education on this ticket? i don't believe that she needs to be a lawyer, but seriously...not even grad school... the world will die laughing at us if we put those DUMMIES in the white house.
just think of the comments that would be made if she and her equally uneducated husband were one of the couples in the legal eagle wedding watch. oh, wait, they aren't even qualified enough for that...oops.
McChipmunk for President!
91 & 95: What does Jesse Jackson list as his occupation on his resume? Community organizer? OK, stfu.
This is as smart as the corner office partner going out with the mail-room hottie.
102 = Fascist
# 91 here to # 102: you stfu!
You is a racialist!
77. Cake. BTW: I had GREAT law related angles for a number of the potentials. McCain spring an Alaskan on me. I guess I have to up "Northern Exposure" on my netflix list.
--Elie
104: Racist for drawing lines between Jesse Jackson's excesses and his job.
I am an independent, not registered with either party, who supported Hillary. I was on the fence before today.
Now I am going to eat babies. This is great.
102, what does Barack Obama list as his occupation on his resume? U.S. Senator? Ok, stfu.
MILF!
Sorry about your tiny pink VP Candidate, bro.
what about the total lack of education on this ticket? i don't believe that she needs to be a lawyer, but seriously...not even grad school... the world will die laughing at us if we put those DUMMIES in the white house.
just think of the comments that would be made if she and her equally uneducated husband were one of the couples in the legal eagle wedding watch. oh, wait, they aren't even qualified enough for that...oops.
MILF!
Elie's whiny, closed-minded Liberalism (as opposed to liberalism) seeps out in every post he makes.
109: So just because he's waaaayyyyyyy more successful than Jesse Jackson somehow cleanses his resume?
# 102, u suck
Obama himself is nothing but a stunt that insults everyone's intelligence. 2 years in the Senate with no accomplishments whatsoever to show for it. He is where he is for no other reason than that he is half-black.
82 -- You're a dumb RACIST moron. Sorry you went to a TTT law school, but stop blaming affirmative action.
Barack graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. That's top 10% of the HLS class. Exams are graded blindly.
What have you done with your TTT life? You can't blame your failures on affirmative action.
Dems have to be concerned because the "security moms" had a huge impact in the last election. To the extent they were with Clinton, they will likely be more comfortable with McCain overall, and comforted that he at least thought about the female vote when picking his VP, who would have no trouble standing up to rogue nations and terrorists.
Sorry about your tiny pink VP Candidate, bro.
First to say Univ. of Idaho is a TTT! Do we really want that type of lack of pedigree in the White House?
118: 82 here. I'm on the Supreme Court, brah.
Agree with # 118
MILF!
82 -- You're a dumb RACIST moron. Sorry you went to a TTT law school, but stop blaming affirmative action.
Barack graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. That's top 10% of the HLS class. Exams are graded blindly.
What have you done with your TTT life? You can't blame your failures on affirmative action.
82 -- You're a dumb RACIST moron. Sorry you went to a TTT law school, but stop blaming affirmative action.
Barack graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. That's top 10% of the HLS class. Exams are graded blindly.
What have you done with your TTT life? You can't blame your failures on affirmative action.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8b5_1219507341
She looks like my favorite hooker at the brothel just down the street from my office in Bratislava!!! Ergo, McCain/Palin in '08!!!!!
Flalin - ur I mean Palin is a stupid choice - must have been a senior moment for Mr. Old.
Dear 10:
What it means is that Obama cannot say a word about her lack of experience, because his experience level is barely beyond hers. In addition, she is at the bottom of the ticket, whereas the most inexperienced person on the Democratic ticket is at the top.
She is fresh, outspoken, a proven reformer, and a Washington outsider.
Not my first choice, but neither Colin Powel nor HRC were available.
Maybe if Obama can duck 10 more debates with McCain and hold a dozen more celebrity rock concerts and can shoot of another $50 million worth of fireworks and flash, he can be president. However, I doubt it.
Which is a shame, because Obama will lower taxes, keep all American jobs on-shore, give everyone health insurance, end America’s dependence on foreign oil in a decade, create 5 million new jobs, and give everyone eternal life—although in the event of a foreign policy blunder not necessarily in that order.
Guys is my high used to pick hot chicks as their running mate all the time; 'twas no big deal!
"You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."
- JB
She's a total GILF (or perhaps HMILF), but not White House material. Swear Obama in now.
Too bad Obama didn't pick hillary as his VP, would love to have seen the total pwnage of Hillary over Palin in the vp debates
She looks like my favorite hooker at the brothel just down the street from my office in Bratislava!!! Ergo, McCain/Palin in '08!!!!!
"There’s less than one percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than four of five percent that are minorities. What is in Washington? So look, it goes back to what you start off with, what you’re dealing with."
- JB
115, "cleanses his resume"? Since when is being a community organizer a blemish on one's resume? And if your point is that "community organizer" is on Obama's resume, but he's moved beyond that, why on earth would you refer to him as "Jesse Jackson-lite"?
This is not game changing even a little bit. McCain loses the experience angle (his best angle) by putting an 18 month governor a heartbeat away from a 72 year old man. She's a creationist and pro-life with no exception for rape or incest. What Obama group is this supposedly stealing? The independents in the West? If JOHN MCCAIN needs help with Western independents then the election is already over.
Ummm...she purrty. Not just like, normal purrty either, but has like a sexpot, older woman next door kind of thing going on. Very "Desperate Vice Presidential Candidates" kind of look. What are her political positions? Who cares? Not the positions I'm interested in. She approves of drilling in ANWR? I approve of drilling her in ANWR. Drill now, drill here, drill Palin - that's what I say.
Any of these sexist jokes doin' it for ya? I could go all day...
A maverick outdoorswoman who likes guns, hates gays, and is all for drilling the shit out of the rest of Alaska. That's the leader for the United States in the 21st Century.
Is McCain on drugs? ! I'm seriously afraid for our country if he drops dead from Melanoma in Year 1, which is likely.
Seriously, how can ANYONE think that running the state government in Alaska -- ALASKA for chrissakes! -- for 2 years qualifies someone to be president? Are their any black people in Alaska? Don't moose outnumber hispanics? Has she had ANY exposure whatsoever to foreign policy?
I look forward to the first Putin-Palin summit. That should be a joke. She's less qualified than Bush was!
(And, she ain't very hot guys. You have all been hanging around lawyers too much.)
102 & 115: It's OK, man. It sucks that the current state of race relations in America vilifies you for making comparisons between two similar people (same jobs, formed in the same political cess pool, serving the same people who look for the same radical things in those who serve them). Sometimes you can't call a spade a spade.
She should be home taking care of her downs kid... how are you going to A) leave your 4 month old retarded baby to go on the campaign trail, B) Leave the state (if Alaska can be called a state) after only two years....
damn shame
This choice would be great if McCain were 55 and in good health, for many of the reasons 34 noted.
However, there is a serious fatal flaw (pun intended), because there is no guarantee McCain makes it through his first term or can run for a second term, and his VP is not someone most people would trust to takeover if McCain is forced to step down. It will be tricky for Obama to bring this up because talking about McCain's death is not tactful, but that is how Obama has to attack this. "Sure, she is a great VP choice, but you are voting for a President and a deferred President, not a President and a VP."
139 - please, keep going.
130 -- best post so far on this.
And how exactly does 2 years in the Senate with no accomplishments qualify anyone to be president?
Did Barack really graduate top 10% from Harvard Law School? I know a lot of HLS kids -- the cum laude ones are smart, but the magnas are geniuses.
Biden will tear her to shreds in the first debate. McCain's pick is sheer idiocy.
Just made my day # 139:
"Drill now, Drill here, Drill Palin!" - McCain/Palin '08
How does being a POW make you a better president and how does having 5 children (which is half of the population of Alaska) qualify you as VEEP?
141 - You can try to make it about me, but why would you refer to him as "Jesse Jackson-lite" if you believe he has surpassed Jesse Jackson? I could care less about the race angle - you're the one who is trying to make a pretty freakin' tenuous link between the two. Why?
msnbc's coverage of obama last night made me want to puke. chris matthews is a fucking piece of shit.
VPILF
(not Biden)
I think Palin and her husband will relate well to white trash America.
146--that is exactly why this was a great pick. Her lack of experience will only serve to bring the issue up, which will remind everyone that Obama is completely unqualified to be president.
A direct comparison between Obama's experience and Palin's experience neglects an important detail. The primary process determined that Obama was the most suitable Democratic candidate, over others with more political experience. Palin was not subject to the same process, but has a direct ticket to the big chair if (when?) McCain kicks it
Even if you don't care about whether or not she has a J.D., I am concerned that her highest level of education is a bachelor's degree.
In communications.
From the University of Idaho.
The VP debates are going to show America what a complete bafoon Biden is. See quotes above. I'm not sure Obama even realizes what he got himself into. Next to Biden America is going to LOVE Palin.
ohhhh nice! VPILF !!
I think that will make urban dictionary! witness the dawn of a new age in slang!
She doesn't hate gays that much. She vetoed the bill that would have taken benefits from the partners of gay Alaska state employees. She just don't want them gettin' hitched.
Cough, Harriet Miers, cough...
4 more years!!
This pick creates a real conflict at American University.
On one hand, this is what all the feminists wanted. But on the other hand, this VP pick does not appear to be a far left, income redistributing, communist.
What a quagmire AU !
McDying and VPILF '08!
Masters degrees are typically just conferred on people pretending to have academic knowledge, they are money making machines for universities.
PHDs in many fields are equally dubious.
To be honest, we're "over-educating" a lot of people, the value of a College degree has plummeted as more and more people have gone to College.
155, that's one of the dumbest things I've heard this year.
156--actually, the primary just proved that Democrats don't believe in democracy. Everyone knows that Hillary won.
On an unrelated note, I think it's the glasses that make her so eminently hot.
Fantastic Pic. This is truly exciting. This is the Official Maverick Ticket. It helps to have a real cowboy state in Alaska.
Palin will not back down to world leaders. She will not back down to Biden in the debates, and will surely fluster him. If Biden attacks, he will be perceived as bullying and negative. The more he attacks, the stronger Palin becomes. That is the Genius of McCain, the genius he learned while imprisoned in the POW cell for five years in Nam.
Also, the false rumors about Lieberman, Romney all add to the excitement.
And she is a woman.... this is true CHANGE. And attractive. Women will want to identify with her.
Barama is Black? I thought Joe Biden was the black one.
158. More evidence of the level of intelligence Palin appeals to.
Although I have to laugh because there is actually a VPILF.com website already. That was quick.
151: The point is that he's a lite version of Jesse Jackson. Not lite in the sense he's a lightweight, but lite in the sense that he has a lot of the same ideas without going off the deep end into the realm of being a political cartoon. In this context, lite = good.
She has a 90% approval rating in Alaska.
Weird kid names though, trog and trig? Oh well, she is better looking than Binden for sure.
She kinda looks like Tina Fey.
VPILF !
okay, i hate to keep saying it, but she is really frickin' hot. kinda like the anti-hillary.
How do u pronouce VPILF?
do u say " VP -ilf "
or "Vilf"?
Not sure how to do it; help please
175, what about Vee Pilf?
I would say Vee - Pilf.
170, why would Jesse Jackson be the first person you'd compare to Obama? Are there others whose views are a lot closer? Very, very suspect choice.
I like Vee Pilf
175, 176 & 177, Vee Pilf is the best answer because it invokes images of "Eatin at the V"
LOL 155.
I'll enjoy watching her, but this was a dumb, dumb pick.
Wasila, Alaska to 160K!
130- You hit the nail on the head. You left out the fact, however, that Obama has promised BigLaw jobs to every graduate of Tier 2 -4 law schools as well, and a pony for every American child.
aww crap--she says "nukular"
170, why would Jesse Jackson be the first person you'd compare to Obama? Are there others whose views are a lot closer? Very, very suspect choice.
aww crap--she says "nukular"
178, I can't look past race and pretend like it doesn't exist especially when it comes to a candidate. Poor, urban African Americans look for incredibly different things in a candidate than rural, middle class, whites. If a candidate is going to be successful, they have to speak to and serve the needs and wants of those voters. Jesse Jackson is the most apt comparison to draw--he actually served and advocated for that community just as Obama did.
Let's dissect 167's statements:
[Palin will not back down to world leaders.] O.k., but will she know what she is talking about? The problem the last time is that we had a president who was not goin' ta back down, know what um sayin'? GW Bush got our country in a world of hurt as a result.
[She will not back down to Biden in the debates, and will surely fluster him. If Biden attacks, he will be perceived as bullying and negative.] Nice. I'm a pretty woman. You wouldn't hit a woman, would you?
[That is the Genius of McCain, the genius he learned while imprisoned in the POW cell for five years in Nam.] Some may call it "genius" I suppose.
Watching her on the tube now, she has a certain guileless, wholesome, unpolished sincerity...when Biden calls her sweetheart or honey in the first debate it will all be over for Obama.
Attack this woman at your peril.
The Midwest is a lock.
He husband BTW, is blue collar all the way, commercial fisherman, steel worker, union membr, and snowmobile racer.
These lunch pail HRC Democrats that Obama is trying to woo? Her husband is that guy.
Hillary,
your 18 million cracks in the ceiling got you no where, you are still left holding Chuck's pie charts.
You should have asked to borrrow my gun. See you in DC.
Barracuda
"Nucular" - excellent.
will someone explain to me what the heck a "community organizer" is?
Qualifications?
Hmmm . . let's see . . better-looking than Joe Biden??
Sounds crazy . . . . but it just might work.
Only 7% of likely male voters still remain undecided, but 28% of likely female voters still have not made of
their minds.
If McCain can peel off an extra 5% to 10% of those undecided women in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, it could swing those states.
Otherwise, in terms of experience, they actually found someone whose resume is thinner than Obama's. Perhaps she has hidden attributes that we have yet to learn about.
"Poor, urban African Americans look for incredibly different things in a candidate than rural, middle class, whites."
They made their choice in lockstep, now they get to see ours.
192: Do your own research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_organizing
I'll be happy to take a look at her "hidden attributes." The rest of her frightens the hell out of me though.
I love how Obama questions her executive experience! Way to go Osama, I mean Obama! She's got more experience than you. At least the Republican VP candidate actually thinks her ticket is ready to lead!
I love how Obama questions her executive experience! Way to go Osama, I mean Obama! She's got more experience than you. At least the Republican VP candidate actually thinks her ticket is ready to lead!
157: That's better than Biden's class rank of 76/81 at Syracuse Law. While Biden spent 3 years after college sheltered in academia and apparently not even learning law, Palin presumably spent those 3 years at least working in the real world learning about something.
157: That's better than Biden's class rank of 76/81 at Syracuse Law. While Biden spent 3 years after college sheltered in academia and apparently not even learning law, Palin presumably spent those 3 years at least working in the real world learning about something.
Also, I wouldnt take it as a good sign for the GOP that the first and most effusive praise of the pick comes from Ralph Reed.
199: You mean she spent those years punching out babies. YEAH, BABIES EVERYWHERE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6rE0EakhG8
Very nice pick. I am still skeptical that a pro-illegal immigration centrist/liberal like McCain will do any good for the country, but I am looking forward to a Palin-Jindal 2012 ticket.
Fed Soc
This from cnn.com's bio of her...freightening
Professional career:
Television sports reporter, 1987-89; co-owner, commercial fishing operation, 1988-2007; owner, snow machine, watercraft, and all-terrain vehicle business, 1994-97; chairwoman, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 2003-2004.
1. Elie is a fatty fat fat.
2. Going to law school doesn't make you smarter.
3. McCain just WON WON WON. Eat it, dems.
Anone see the new Republican smear campaign? They're calling the Obama-Biden ticket the
Obama-Bi(nla)den ticket.
Sick.
1. Elie is a fatty fat fat.
2. Going to law school doesn't make you smarter.
3. McCain just WON WON WON. Eat it, dems.
4. FIX THIS DAMN SERVER I'M TIRED OF TRIPLE POSTS
Anone see the new Republican smear campaign? They're calling the Obama-Biden ticket the
Obama-Bi(nla)den ticket.
Sick.
I can't wait for the Biden/Palin debate about foreign policy!
Larry Kudlow of CNBC’s “Kudlow & Co.” asked her about the possibility of becoming McCain's ticket mate.
Palin replied: “As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?"
The only way she'd get my support is if her husband is Captain Phil from Deadliest Catch!!!
I can't wait for the Biden/Palin debate about foreign policy!
Larry Kudlow of CNBC’s “Kudlow & Co.” asked her about the possibility of becoming McCain's ticket mate.
Palin replied: “As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?"
She's hot. I'd watch her for 8 years.
Her kids' names are Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig. F'ing, Trig? Yet she claims to have tried marijuana and "did not like it." Oh, and she is the state with some of the best bud ever....Ha!
Her kids' names are Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig. F'ing, Trig? Yet she claims to have tried marijuana and "did not like it." Oh, and she is the Governor of the state with some of the best bud ever....Ha!
Nelson Muntz has some consoling words for the Obama-Biden campaign:
HA HA
I think this is an interesting choice on a number of levels, pretty much all of which have already been discussed. A couple things to consider, though, are the facts that she's pro-life and has made statements that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the public schools. Maybe not deal-breakers, but certainly things that might give pause to the undecided Hillary supporters.
But I'd hit it.
“Governor, I served with Hillary Clinton. I know Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is a friend of mine. Governor, you're no Hillary Clinton."
She's hot. I'd watch her for 8 years.
Dear 67:
Her "fucking" scandal is a tempist in a tea pot.
She never asked anyone to fire her (former) wife beating brother-in-law after he smacked her sister arround.
Her husband did.
I hope that Obama/Biden goes after her on this issue.
Can you picture a conversation between Bush and her? I could see Bush looking at her chest and smiling the whole time
She definitely has the naughty librarian look down.
I think she would be a "Tabitha," if she were a stripper.
McDying clearly won in his effort to wrest attention away from Hopey's convention speech.
There are first year associates here that are more qualified.
THANK YOU MCCAIN for doing what Obama did not have the guts to do! PUMA here voting for McCain/Palin!
I hope all you sexist MFs LOVE my vote!! I hope you love it!!!!!!!
I'd like to fuck her
223, do you mean first year associates more qualified than Obama? Our VP candidate is more qualified than your presidential candidate. How does that look?
224, you're an idiot
226 -
Stop drinking during lunch.
Empty skirt. Anyone with children named Track, Bristol, Willow, and Piper deserves a Mao-style execution.
At least "Trig" is a bastardization of Trygve which actually has some cultural significance.
Pumas voting for McCain are stupider than Christianists, at least Christianists believe in something when they vote against their own interests.
5 kids??? If I'd were her husband I'd try to bang out 10 kids.
Alaska's population is only slightly less that the population of Delaware.
Palin leads her State - Biden takes Amtrack to his
Palin has her own hair - Biden owns his hair
NO MORE PNATS SUITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She got my vote
Mystal -- yes, the NY Times reported the pick, as has every major news outlet. But NYT wasn't even close to breaking the story, and they delayed reporting on it for some time after other major media had gotten on it. Not the biggest deal in the world... but still, you've got a lot of work to do as a blogger.
Also, the attempts at snarky commentary fell flat. If you have nothing good, how about just playing it straight sometime...
228, typical democrat comeback. Don't have a substantive argument to combat?
-226
This just in: McCain will now win by 8% points, not the 4% I originally projected. Not knocking on Obama, but some of his supporters have lost all concept of reality. No one outside of a large segment of the well-educated white community or black community thinks that he is remotely qualified to be the president (or simply won't vote for a black guy). He'll poll well in the Northeast and California, but won't be able to get over the hump in the Heartland. Let's go ahead and welcome McCain/Palin to the job.
217: Amen.
Wow, she name the kid with down syndrome "Trig"? That's cold blooded.
Something about her makes me pro-drilling as well....
McCain's going to win now. mccain and obama were neck and neck for the women's vote last week. A democratic presidential candidate usually leads in the women's vote by 15 points. This pick was extremely smart and this lady seems kick ass.
I thought Pubs were against affirmative action?
239, Palin has incredibly anti-women views. Do you really think women are monolith who will vote for anyone with XX chromosomes? The support for HRC was about much more than that.
Palin looks like a Bratislavan hooker!!! She is NOT hot!!!
I was sort of almost getting comfortable with the possibility of a McCain presidency. You know, he's not as bad as Bush really. He sometimes suggests that he won't legislate away personal freedoms. He seems to really mean it when he talks about cutting spending. Been around a while, experiences, yadda yadda.
But this Palin pick has me completely baffled. I think McCain tripped over himself trying to be "mavericky" here, and really selected an unqualified candidate. We are talking about the 2d in command of the entire country. Does she even know and understand the federal government? She's the tibreaking vote in the Senate for pete's sake. Has she ever set foot outside of the U.S.?
This is a narrow, parochial and insiders choice that probably sends shivers down the spine of the rest of the world right now. 44-year old, self-professed hockey mom one heartbeat away from being in charge of the world's most powerful military, and having her hand on the button. Not too reassuring for our allies abroad, I am sure. A real head-scratcher.
184: that killed me. But, so did Hillbilly-impeach-me-flowers-jones-slick-willy. And people still would re-elect that clown.
Palin is formidable, and that is all that matters. Great debates are on the horizon.
217 and 236 -- you just made a very sound argument in favor of Palin. Thanks.
Glad someone had the balls to say it... BO will probably lose not because he is underqualified, or even because he selected a motor mouth running mate. He will likely lose because there is a large segment of the voting population (some educated) that fear the prospect of a minority (yeah half black definitley counts) becoming President. Thanks 235.
.
The vice presidential debate is on October 2 - she has 33 days to learn everything about foreign policy and foreign relations that Sen. Biden has experienced over the past 35+ years on the job.
It will be a carnage.
It will be ugly.
I will love every minute of it.
Dan Quayle + Harriet Miers = Sarah Palin
This is a terd of a choice. Picking someone just to pick up HRC supporters, despite a total lack of qualifications. You may get those HRC women, but any males who were on the fence, like me, have just thrown in the towel on McCain. Forget her ultra-conservatism, NRA card carrying, ANWR drilling, pro-life baggage - as though McCain needed to pander to the right wing of his party, as if they'd really vote for anyone else no matter how much they dislike him - forget that...she's just totally not qualified.
McCain missed a chance to pick someone who could fill the economic void in his ticket...Romney.
Hell, if you're gonna pander, pick Lieberman and get the jewish vote - jews which are already scared Obama will sell out Israel but are too ashamed to be regarded as anything but ultra-liberal to not vote for Barak.
This pick sucks. Rant over.
Hopefully, unlike George W. Bush, she will know the name of the president of Pakistan by then....
If she becomes VP, does that mean no more "30 Rock"?
The female Dan Quayle
Palin and Cindy McCain together in the White House... I'm envisioning hot sleepover parties, pillow fights... some giggling and squealing... tickle fights...maybe some truth or dare.... lots of vicodin.
This is way more fun than imagining any of this going on in Obama's potential administration. Yeesh. Biden in a neglige.
Palin destroys the myth that pro-life women are the ones you wouldn't want to knock up in the first place.
-139
Nothing like an uneducated "hockey mom" to help republicans make a now semo-credible claim that their candidates are not elitists like, oh, an inteliigent accomplished minority from a single mother household. No, Palin does not equal elite, but rather TTT.
#240- i don't think women are monolith, but i think having a female vp candidate will draw some women votes to the Repubs just because Palin is a woman - because some women will view Palin as VP as a glass ceiling breaking event, or like the idea of having a tough woman in a position of leadership, or like the precedent-setting aspect, etc.
She claims not to have liked marijuana, but apparently smoked it long enough to have five kids and give them loopier baby names than Frank Zappa.
Sort of reminds me of Ted Nugent, who lectures freely on morality and the perils of alcohol/drug abuse, but owns a neon pink assault rifle and wrote the song "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" while completely sober. Something just doesn't add up.
248- this pick is awesome. mccain can always appoint romney to something. lieberman is a fugly douche who everyone hates to look at or think about. this pick will get him more votes! the woman's vote is key in this election. karl rove said so.
You are right 246. I have prepared inexperienced witnesses for their first deposition for days in advance, knowing it was like sending lambs to the slaughter. There is only so much you can teach someone about this stuff. Only so much that you can cram into someone's head leading up to a debate. One guy has lived it and experienced it. The other one will have it fed to her by McCain's handlers (who themselves are not necessarily foreign and domestic policy geniuses).
It will not be long before she makes a major gaff on the campaign trail. Or, her husband will punch someone out.
Didn't they make a movie about this, starring Geena Davis? Come to think of it, she sort of looks like Geena Davis.
I'm signing up to be a white house intern in hopes of becoming the male Lewinskiny to this VPILF!
Unfortunately (b/c I'm an Obama supporter), I think this is actually a genius move by the McCain campaign -- the Jesus lovers of the country will fall in love with this folksy gun-loving, baby-loving, and oil-loving lady. And if we learned one thing from 04, it's that the Jesus lovers get what they want.
Remember back when the Republican Party picked candidates based on competence?
do you realize that obama wants to take $1000 from every taxpayer and give the $1000 to every nontaxpayer in the country as part of his "tax cut plan"? wtf. wealth redistribution. even if you don't like the palin pick it makes no sense to not vote for mccain and let that socialist obama win.
Someone has GOT TO find a Madonna-like video of her online. PLEASE!!!
Scary 259, but right. We're a little bit like Iran in that way, except our candidates shave.
242 - well put. Her strengths are that she is a "maverick," is a woman, has social conservative cred, and she might be likable. (Why Gore and Kerry lost - not on policy or capability, as they were ahead on both, but because you didn't want to be stuck in the middle seat of coach class next to them.)
Arguments that Palin has more "executive experience" than Obama are feeble. She has run a town of 6500 in Alaska. If she becomes Pres. she will have to deal with DC and other countries, not her brother-in-law's boss. Obama has a much broader and more sophisticated background, and is better equipped to deal with international issues.
I can't say I am impressed with the pick of Biden, though. That is about as Washington-insider, anti-change as you can get. After a bold, ballsy pick of Obama, Biden looks like the old, cowardly Dems playing the political equivalent of a prevent defense that cost them 2000 and 2004.
Both candidates have been losing my respect with their blatant pandering. Feh.
Who is the real anti-christ here: Obama or Palin? Both came from nowhere to heights of power. When McCain keels over, she will be President. Either way, this is the beginning of the End of Days.
do you realize that mccain wants to take $1000 from every taxpayer and give the $1000 to his rich friends as part of his "tax cut plan"? wtf. wealth redistribution. even if you like the palin pick it makes no sense to not vote for obama and let that imperialist mccain win.
Do people on this site realize the number of very successful people who do not have a college degree much less a post-grad degree. I would be cool with Bill Gates or Steve Jobs as a VeeP.
248 hit the nail on the head. Well done, sir/madam.
BTW, McCoffin turned 102 today.
i'd "tap" that too
267 - i agree; however, there is big effin difference between bill gates/steve jobs and palin.
266- nice comeback
248: Romney laid off workers when he was at Chrysler. He would have been crucified in OH and MI for doing so. McCain will need to win both states. Ergo, McCain would have been crazy to pick Romney. hth.
The path to power for young Republicans these days seems to be to go to some backwards state, get a job in the gubmint, stay married, and take up hunting.
First Vice President of the United States: John Adams
Next Vice President of the United Statest: Sarah Palin.
priceless.
Young Republicans = Silver spoon and/or white trash. Nothing in between.
Google image Palin and check her out on the cover of Vouge - SMOKIN' HOT! Btw, during her speech, creepy McCain was checkin' out her tits - MORE THAN ONCE!
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lifexpec.htm
just a thought
How hard will it be to prepare for a debate against someone whos foreign policy views can be summed up in a single quote:
"You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent."
Game. Set. Match.
To everyone saying this pick will shore up the jesus-lovers, right wing of the party... who exactly did you think was going to get those votes anyway? This is an awful pick. I see her lack of experience coming out big time as a liability, at which point they'll toss her like W tossed Harriet Meyers. OK, that won't happen, because John doesn't admit mistakes, but the backlash should be as strong.
By the way, the Tina Fey comments are dead on...
I expect Biden to have some great lines in the debate. Of course, they will all be stolen from otehr people.
Traey Morgan for Secretary of HHS!
272 - Romey won the Michigan primary this year.
-- Factual, and without lame internet acronyms.
Traey Morgan for Secretary of HHS!
Horatio Sanz for Secretary of Labor (because he looks like he's going into labor)
Flalin' Palin was a real stupid move! McOld must have been having a senior moment on his 72nd birthday. Wow - now can he can't use the inexperience line - after all he picked someone with no experience. Everyone posting today is more qualified. She's not going to get the Hill vote once people realize that she's a crazy anti-Chioice, pro-creationist, nut! Plus her scandal trying to get her brother in-law fired is going to be great - watch her run from T. Stevens in the next few days! Obama just won the election thanks to McOld!
Someone will undoubtedly find a photo of her from high school getting shitfaced drunk with the boys hockey team. Or naked. Or both.
I give the power of the Internet about 4 days before this happens.
271 - nice face
Wouldn't be something if McCain/Palin one, then McCain passes away thereby maknig Palin the first woman president in history, having to do nothing to get there? I think Hilary would kill herself, LOL.
From mayor to president in 3 years!
What Kerry state does Palin help win?
What state of Colorado, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Iowa, Virginia, Ohio, or Florida does Palin help win?
This pick took some thunder from Obama's riveting speech, but not all press is good press. Also, Tina Fey comments are officially over.
Bob Barr 2008
@260
Yes, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan
78: You were wrong in a "heartbeat."
Obama is just stupid enough to challenge her on experience. Look what happened re McCain's houses - just highlights Obama's own real estate troubles in Chicago. Obama has less actual leadership experience than Palin and no more foreign policy experience. The Dems will claim she is inexperienced, but can't show that Obama has the experience that Palin allegedly lacks.
AND - she's just the V.P. candidate. Please Obama campaign - start comparing Obama's capabilities to hers. It shows that Obama's peer on the Republican ticket is the V.P. candidate - and that McCain is far more qualified than Obama.
82 - not every black person gets into HLS because of affirmative action (most don't); just like not every white person gets into HLS on merit (there were a number of not smart legacy picks in my class).
and, no, affirmative action will NOT get you the position of HLS law review president. that's just not how it works.
just for the record, black people are just as smart as white people, and don't need affirmative action do well in school or in a job. they need affirmative action to get over the prejudices of people who think that blacks aren't smart and that blacks can't succeed and if a black person has a job or is accepted to a school, it must be because of affirmative action.
82, i would put big money on obama to whoop your ass on any academic task.
Will we put Obama BiNLAdin on the treasury's new 200 dollar bill? ti, oc, tcq.
257--now, take your reasoning to its logical conclusion. Obama gets pwned by McCain. But, being the Obama kool-aid drinker that you are, you won't let yourself acknowledge that.
This is a horrendous pick. Why? She is not a lawyer. That is all.
I wonder if this pick will fire Hillary up in a positive way for the Obama campaign. Specifically, Hillary wanted to be "the first" woman to crack the proverbial glass ceiling. Might the Palin pick motivate Hillary to work against Palin to preserve her novelty as a "first" woman should she run in 2012 if Obama doesn't win?
Dems: "Ha. She's so inexperienced. She's just a heartbeat away from the presidency, and she does not have the experience to lead this great nation."
Repubs: "And the Dems want someone with no experience in the White House from day 1."
Democrats will have to come up with a better line of attack.
Alaska has a population less than that of Austin TX and its legislature meets 90 days a year. So if anything should happen to McOld, someone whose executive experience is equivalent to six months as the Mayor of Austin would be president. That sounds like a winning ticket to me.
297, the kool-aid comments are pretty inappropriate, considering hundreds of people--including a U.S. Congressman--died as a result of Jim Jones. To say nothing of the fact that, since Obama voters are smarter than McCain voters, it's hardly we who are brainwashed. After all, not even McCain can define "honor" or "victory," nor can he use the Internet.
Palin's Mongoloid baby apparently was actually born to her 16 year old unmarred daughter. The press will be all over this. McSame is toast.
http://www.reddit.com/comments/6f3nq/coverup_alaska_gov_palin_r_announced_she_was
299, that makes no sense.
If Hillary wants "to preserve her novelty as a 'first' woman should she run in 2012 if Obama doesn't win," working to elect Obama doesn't help her. But NOT working for Obama doesn't help either. If Obama, wins, Hillary cant run in 2012. And if Palin wins, Hillary won't be the first.
285--I love the "anti-choice" euphemism. You would probably have called abolitionists "anti-choice" too.
Tracey Morgan comments are hilarious!
300 -- It's not so much that the Dems have to come up with a better line of attack, it's that one of McCain's strengths - - going after Obama's lack of experience - - is now essentially rendered moot, or at least much, much weaker because it smacks of hypocricy. Yes, there is a difference between Pres and VP, but with Obama taking an 8 point lead in today's Gallup Poll, I don't know that McCain can afford to not have every arrow available in his quiver.
300 -- It's not so much that the Dems have to come up with a better line of attack, it's that one of McCain's strengths - - going after Obama's lack of experience - - is now essentially rendered moot, or at least much, much weaker because it smacks of hypocricy. Yes, there is a difference between Pres and VP, but with Obama taking an 8 point lead in today's Gallup Poll, I don't know that McCain can afford to not have every arrow available in his quiver.
Quote from the Time article on the web:
"Her husband, Todd Palin, is part native Eskimo who works in the oil fields in addition to his fishing business, and is also a champion snowmobiler known in Alaska as the First Dude."
The "First Dude"? OMG, if the McCain/Palin ticket wins, we'll have a FratStud in the Vice President's house.
Quoting Ann Althouse is like quoting a trained seal. She's a hack and hardly qualifies as a law professor. Wisconsin law students will tell you how she "teaches" her constitutional law classes by simply reading from the casebook the questions that follow the cases. Almost no other discussion.
She should be fired. But tenure is a bitch.
300 - C'mon now. I don't even like Obama, but these aren't comparable at all! Consider:
Obama: first term U.S. Senator, eight years in the Illinois legislature, civil rights lawyer, first black president of the Harvard Law review, Columbia University.
Palin: governor of Alaska for 20 months, mayor of a town of 5000, council member of a town of 5000, beauty queen, hockey mom, University of Idaho grad.
I wouldn't even hire Palin as my secretary.
300 - C'mon now. I don't even like Obama, but these aren't comparable at all! Consider:
Obama: first term U.S. Senator, eight years in the Illinois legislature, civil rights lawyer, first black president of the Harvard Law review, Columbia University.
Palin: governor of Alaska for 20 months, mayor of a town of 5000, council member of a town of 5000, beauty queen, hockey mom, University of Idaho grad.
I wouldn't even hire Palin as my secretary.
Not just any woman will do. Transparent and insulting.
307/308 here. Sorry for the double post. My shame is great.
305, are you suggesting that "pro-life" hasn't always been a misleading euphemism? Because if so I may run for President on a pro-puppies platform with free beer.
Really the only honest thing would be to say pro-abortion and anti-abortion and other descriptive, as opposed to illustrative, terminology.
Some of the posts on here are so funny and yet, probably the way a lot of people across this country will ACTUALLY choose who to vote for.
Yeah, she's a woman, but she is ANTI everything Hillary Clinton has stood for her whole life. She's anti-gay, a card carrying member of the NRA, anti-abortion...I mean COME ON, if you are (were?) a Hillary supporter and you vote for McCain now you are OUT OF YOUR MIND. I think its insulting that McCain would think that all women are now going to flock to the Republican ticket.
And can you picture this woman dealing with the build up of nuclear weapons in Iran? Securing peace in Russia with Putin? What is she going to do, offer a Moose Burger?
Oh, and really come on now....She's not THAT hot. I mean you all must be starving for anyone remotly attractive....
Did Obama really get a 1050 SAT score?
245- actually, polling during the Democratic primaries showed more Americans would be willing to vote for a black man than a white woman.
Not sure how exactly that translates to a white female VP, but she is probably closer to being POTUS than most VPs going in.
For those of you saying that Obama has less experience than Palin, let's review:
1. Years as community organizer in Chicago/law school lecturer/author, 8 years in state legislature, 3+ years as U.S. Senator.
2. Years as mayor of a town of 6500/small business owner, 1 2/3 years as Governor of Alaska.
Really?
311/312 -- Really? She's hot. Looks like Mariska Hargitay. She can be my secretary any day of the week.
18 - I sincerely hope you're correct.
Definitely an affirmative action choice
I smell a Harriet Miers situation a-brewing...
303 - that's some crazy ass rumor all right! Can you imagine if that's true...that the potential VP's 5th kid is actually her daugher's. No effin way would the republican sniffers have missed that skeleton in the closet. Would certainly make for interesting drama though.
she's a woman in gender only. her views are quite manly. McBedsores should have just gone all the way and picked Alan Keyes.
317: If so, I am voting for McCain solely on that fact. 1050 is borderline retarded.
They need to bring Tina Fey back to SNL to do the VP debate skit. This HAS TO HAPPEN!
304 - you make sense. I think what was meant is that Hillary want's to help just enough to prevent a Palin VP so that she could run AFTER an Obama presidency. Your point is still valid, however, b/c she would have to run against VP Biden -- which is essentially running againse an incumbent. Don't forget though, that Bill Bradley ran against Gore. Bottom line, I think the idea 299 was setting forth is mostly correct.
I just realized Barama Salama is black.
82, 317, 326 -- Dumb racist morons. Sorry you went to TTT law schools, but stop blaming affirmative action.
Barack graduated MAGNA cum laude from Harvard Law School. That's top 10% of the HLS class. Exams are graded blindly.
What have you done with your TTT life? You can't blame your failures on affirmative action.
All Palin has to do with Putin is let her skirt slide open a little bit to show a little leg, and Putin will be rolling on the floor drooling on himself.
2010 Headline: "Hockey-Mom-in-Chief to Putin: U.S. Will Not Tolerate Russian Aggression"
330: If he only received a 1050 SAT, then he is borderline retarded, regardless of any other qualifications. That must equate to an IQ of around 110, which is hardley enough for me to converse with someone, let alone qualify them for President.
300 - I hope you are not a litigator. Setting aside that Obama has much more experience than Palin, the argument goes like this:
If McCain is serious/right that Obama is "dangerously unprepared" to be president, then why did he pick someone with far less experience to be 1 heartbeat away from being president?
It also puts McCain in a difficult spot if people start asking him if Palin would be "dangerously unprepared" to be president if something happens to him (who is 72, U.S. avg. life expectancy = 77). I'm looking forward to that answer.
303, you're a retard! Now go watch some TMZ
299- I hope you're right. I'd really like to see a dual offensive by Hillary and Michelle. That's a formidable combination if united - with their powers combined they would be unstoppable.
It would be more helpful to their cause, and more precise, if Obama supporters cast the issue in terms of qualification rather than experience. It's hard to say exactly how Barack's experience has better prepared him to be president (or really, how any experience prepares you to be president), and talking about it on these grounds is bound to get you locked into an argument you can't win or lose. But to say she is UNDERQUALIFIED as opposed to inexperienced is a different matter. We can argue about whether Obama has the qualifications for president, but there's not doubt that he's more qualified for his job than she will be to be for vice.
319 - Don't worry about the size of her constituency. Hopefully McCain-Palin will reduce the national gov't to the size of Alaska's, where it should be.
Moose burger... ha, a classic. Maybe she can take Putin on in hockey.
I can just see the VP debate now. Biden is scoring points, attacking, doing well...
Palin takes off her glasses, lets her hair down, shakes her head a bit, unbuttons her top buttons, looks at Biden and says, "Now, Joey, you don't really mean all that, do you?" Joe collapses in a pile of drool, sealing the nomination for McCain.
Brilliant pick.
Is it too late for Obama to pick HRC? Ha!
I'd hit that ish with the intensity of the sun, yo!
Black Frat Lothario
Let's see: Obama, while Senator of Illinois, never put his name on the record re any significant topic bc he KNEW he wanted to run for president. Man, that makes me feel all comfortable inside knowing the man bottles up all his real views until he becomes president.
Sarah Palin to No More Pant Suits!
Yay!
I really don't understand this "maverick" angle from the GOP trolls...Is that really something you want in a President? From Webster's:
1: an unbranded range animal; especially : a motherless calf
2: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
2 sounds like our foreign policy for the past 8 years, and we all know how fantastic that has been.
"Maverick" is nothing more than a cool call-sign from Top Gun. Unfortunately, McCain's real call-sign was probably more like "Crashes McAllthetime".
I think its laughable that the Obama campaign is already criticizing the choice of Palin, saying that she has no experience and is one heartbeat from the presidency. If Obama's campaign is run entirely on a message of "change," it's quite hypocritical to turn around and pick apart a VP nod because she doesn't have experience in Washington. Obama should be applauding the choice, if what he really cares about is ending the gridlock in Washington. This is further excentuated by the fact that while Obama claims he wants to bring sweeping change to Washington, HIS no. 2 pick is a guy who has been in the U.S. Senate longer than McCain. How is that change?
If Democrats want to win, they need to stay on message and talk about how they'll change things. Making hypocritical claims against McCain and Palin are going to backfire way too easily.
You all are missing the point. Angry feminists were always going to hold their noses and vote for Obama. Those bitter, religious white men in Pennsylvania are the ones who are actually in play, and McCain just put an attractive women with a labor union background who also happens to hunt and fish on the ticket. He also picked someone who will energize previously unenthusiastic conservatives.
Plus, if this thread is any indication, liberals won't be able to help but going after her relative inexperience. Which is probably exactly what Karl Rove wants, as most Americans would rather have a VP learn on the job than a President.
In short, this is a magnificent pick, you all know it is a magnificent pick, and that's why you're lashing out right now.
I know that you are open about being a Liberal Ellie but can you at least try and be non-partisan in your election coverage?
Although, like others, I don't see any legal angle here anywhere.
NYC to $190 (and half as many jobs)
and
Palin to skirt suits!
Baramalama ding ding. I would vote for Baramalama ding ding if his voice sounded like Barry White.
346, they're critizcizing the fact that she doesn't have "experience in Washington."
122 - Welcome to ATL, Justice ___________!
288 -- try using "won" instead of "one" -- proof reading makes a world of difference.
First Dole does Viagra commercials, now McBain picks this VPILF. (Well, I wouldn't L2F, but seems plenty of others on here would.)
What have the republicans become. Sad.
3:17 no, he actually scored 1550 (out of 1600 at the time) and 1050 was a misprint.
How hypocritical: Obama questions McCain's pick bc she "only" governed a few thousand people. I thought Obama was for the little guy, the working class, and those who haven't been adequately represented? Way to piss on those "unimportant" people while simultaneously contradicting yourself and your pathetic campaign!
346, Obama's people didn't see this coming at all. They have to say something and the only thing they can say is about her experience. Anything else would look even worse for them.
You can bet that Obama had a game plan to reply to Pawlenty, Ridge, and Mitt, but they didn't bother to try and come up with a plan in the event it was Palin.
All of the silly reaction here is what happens when a political campaign gets caught looking the other direction.
347, if angry feminists hold their nose and vote for Obama, then it's moot who undecided working class white men vote for.
356, the Obama campaign isn't looking in the other direction. They're admiring themselves in the mirror.
Angry feminists have some of the worst b.o. ever. Disgusting.
347, "McCain just put an attractive women with a labor union background who also happens to hunt and fish on the ticket. " Excellent point.
And on that same note, Palin's husband - an oil field worker, snowmobiler, hunter, and fisherman -- essentially is one of those blue-collar guys of the type that supported Hillary, and that Obama has been trying to win over. This pic has the potential to be brilliant.
334 - I hope you're new to this country, because you sure don't understand American politics. I'm not comparing their experience. Sure, BO has "more" experience in some form of government. But what you need to understand about politics and the electorate is this:
No one votes based solely on the experience or inexperience of the VP. The VP can help the presidential candidate shore up support in key demographics or regions.
And while the "one heart beat away" argument is popular among amateur pundits, and it's a little more relevant in this election than in other recent ones, it's also not a significant issue in elections. People don't vote that way. They vote for the President, first and foremost.
I'm not even a McCain supporter, and I don't think the Palin pick will necessarily work. But the inexperience line of attack, which was basically the first thing out of the Obama campaign, won't work. Fine, Obama has more experience than Palin. But by making the argument, it only highlights his own inexperience.
So, is there anything to the rumor that the baby is not hers? She only informed everyone when she was 7 months pregnant, and apparently didn't look like she was pregnant at all.
350 - "they're critizcizing the fact that she doesn't have 'experience in Washington.'" This makes even less sense since Obama wants to CHANGE Washington... One would expect CHANGE would require an outsider not a 6 term U.S. Senator.
If she is so great, why is she married to an oilfield worker/fisherman. It doesn't make sense.
364, they were highschool sweethearts. It is actually kind of cute.
Although sad for men everywhere. :(
"If she is so great, why is she married to an oilfield worker/fisherman. It doesn't make sense."
As a Republican, I hope that her appearances are carefully scripted, that she sticks to TV (and away from radio).
Luckily, she will only have to debate Joe Biden, who is himself pretty retadded.
361, well-said. Let these idiots keep comparing Obama to Palin. It's a win-win for the republicans: Palin > Obama; McCain > Obama
355, your comment makes me sad. First, I think your characterization of the critique is wrong. Second, even if it were accurate, you apparently don't understand the distinction between: (1) questioning her qualifications; and (2) mocking her constituents. You're a proud Bush voter, aren't you?
364, because there is nothing wrong with being an oil field worker. The inability to understand that point is what makes it difficult for Democrats to win the votes of the middle class. The only thing "wrong" with Kansas is that it doesn't like being condescended to.
361: You are wrong about the VP not being important in this election. Normally, that would be correct, but since McCain is 72, I think he needs a VP that the country can be confident will take over in the event he falls ill or passes away, which is a fairly good chance one will happen. Remember, he doesn't have to pass away during office, just being incapacitated, e.g. stroke, pneumonia, ect..
The VP picks really underscores the difference between Obama and McCain. Obama could have picked the candidate who would get him the most votes - Hilary - but instead picked a candidate who isn't a "vote getter," but would make an outstanding Vice President. McCain, on the other hand, passed over potential runningmates like Ridge and Lieberman - people who (love 'em or hate 'em) have a lot to offer America. Instead, McCain went with pretty, charming lady whose value will expire after November 4.
Maybe this woman will get votes, but the fact that McCain actually has a shot at winning this election makes this pick highly irresponsible.
370: don't forget about bedsores!
369: This 364, I am not a Democrat. There is nothing wrong with an oilfield worker, but there is something wrong with the wife of an oilfield worker running for VP. A smart, ambious person does not marry that type of person. I despise Hilary, but look at the type of person she married.
371: don't ever question the judgment of a former POW you unpatriotic communist heathen.
334- Average life expectancy of a 72 year old American is 85.
363, I forgot a "not" in that sentence. The Obama campaign is NOT arguing that she doesn't have enough "experience in Washington." The Obama campaign is saying someone with 20 months of experience as the Governor of Alaska and no other relevant experience is not ready to be POTUS, not that she doesn't have enough "experience in Washington." There's a big difference there. 346 was setting up a strawman and I was calling him/her on it. Sorry about the typo.
368, you apparently don't understand that by ridiculing her experience governing a small demographic area, Obama is essentially pissing on the "little guy," which is everything his campaign is premised on. Bc he is basically saying she's a nobody bc she's from the middle of nowhere. If you can't understand that, go vote for Obama - just as stupid
McCain might die in 4 years and Obama might get shot by methed up rednecks. VPs are more important in this election than ever.
McCain might as well just picked his friend Steve or something. Like, "hey, here's a random good looking person who does all kinds of redneck things like hunting and fishing and is a radical conservative. I think I've found my Vice President!"
And I love the people who point out that Palin, by virtue of her two years of the governor of a Canadian Province, has more experience than Obama because those years are "executive" years. Well, by that standard, she has more experience than McCain! AND, Obama and McCain have equal experience!
So, I guess my point is, if you think that Palin has more experience than Obama, then you are dumb.
Mongoloid comments are out of line. Though, that was the choice of word my torts prof used to describe a down syndrome baby back in 1L year. Then again, that fool was older than McCain.
Why is anyone worried about anything other than how hot she is. All this other stuff is just blather.
371 -- or you could say Obama's main weakness was his inexperience in Washington and in international affairs, so he sold out and got as big an insider as you can get. As for McCain, I think your analysis is off. Romney would have guaranteed him Michigan, and Ridge would have guaranteed Pennsylvania. Superficially, this pick can look like it was targeted to pick up women voters, but I think the Republicans realize it doesn't quite work that way. The real impetus behind the pick was to bring in fresh blood, so McCain can counter Obama's change argument. He found a running mate who is a DC outsider and who, albeit in limited experience, has shown willingness to go against the status quo. Not saying it will work, but the pick was a little more sophisticated than your partisan mind will allow you to believe.
300 / 361: You are failing to grasp the point I was making, which is that McCain's selection of Palin undercuts one of his biggest criticism of Obama, experience, because she has far less of it. And he cannot make the distinction that she is only VP, because surely a VP must be prepared to assume POTUS office, right?
It is not saying that McCain is right about Obama, which is the situation your first post presented; it is saying that if McCain pulled the rug out from under himself.
you don't seem very smart.
379's Prof for President!
Surprised that so many Obama backers here think they can help their candidate by calling McCain names and harping on his age. Talk about counterproductive.
Joe Biden ran for President twice without attracting significant support. Gaffe prone is an understatement. However, because of his long Senate service he will be expected to do better in the debate. Anyone remember Biden doing well in the Democratic primary debates? Me neither. If Palin holds her own, she wins and Biden is toast.
For those hoping that there is some scandal in her efforts to have her ex-brother-on-law investigated, that came before she was Governor and the brother-in-law was found to have:
• Used a Taser on his stepson.
• Illegally shot a moose.
• Drank beer in his patrol car.
• Told others his father-in-law would “eat a f’ing lead bullet” if he helped his daughter get an attorney for the divorce.
Don't think that issue has much traction.
384: In other words, the brother in law was just like her husband.
377, um, that's not at all what Obama is saying. To push your idea to the limit, let's try a hypothetical. Let's say that McCain had chosen the mayor of Lima, Montana (population 224) as his VP. Let's say that the mayor's only relevant experience was being the mayor of Lima, Montana. Now, if Obama questioned the mayor's experience to be VPOTUS, you really think that would be an attack on the fine people of Lima, Montana? Don't you think it's actually about whether being the mayor of Lima has prepared him to be the VP? Come on. This is politics, but let's try to be reasonable.
Her qualifications are blah, blah, blah, blah... I want to tappy, blah.
The fact this woman has been sued does not "a legal tabloid worthy news article" make. Everyone posting anything other than witty sexual comments is stupid. And not just a little bit stupid. More like super duper uber stupid. They kind of stupid that falls for email cons.
People, Alaska is the wilderness.
Palin is governor of the wilderness - for under 2 years.
382 -- learn to read. The point of 300 wasn't that mccain is right about obama. It's that an attack by obama on those grounds would only support mccain's attack on him.
/ not 300
There is a real difference between being unqualified and being inexperienced. Both Obama and Palin are arguably inexperienced in many ways. Obama, however, is unquestionably qualifed. Palin is not.
And more experience does not make you more qualified. It can, but it's not a mortal-lock.
Obama's policy prescriptions on foreign policy have been dead-on-balls accurate. Bush is even conceding this, setting time-tables, talking with Iran, on and on. McCain has been wrong on all counts. And this Palin person couldn't even join the conversation.
Palin is a bad choice for two reasons:
1) How can McCain criticize Obama's experience with any credibility now? If McCain placed such a high value on experience, he wouldn't have picked Palin. Period. Now, whenever he points out Obama's lack of experience, McCain will appear disingenuous and reaching.
2) You think experience and qualifications aren't important for a VP? I have some names that may change your mind:
John Tyler, Millard Filmore, Andrew Johnson, Teddy Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman, LBJ, Gerald Ford. Over 1/5 of our presidents have been Vice Presidents assuming the presidency due to a president leaving office or dying. Even if you support McCain, this choice is irresponsible and reckless by any measure.
Harriet Miers for Vice President!!
Holy crap. If any of you are actually lawyers, I hope you get fired.
So you served 1.5 years as governor of Alaska, having won the gubernatorial election in a race where you commanded a whopping 120,000 votes, having previously been the mayor of a town with 8,000 people.
I'm not big on the whole "experience trumps" nonsense, but if you are, this really doesn't look like the type of experience you want your VP to have.
It's ironic that people have made Obama out to be the riskier choice. You want risk? You want the crazy ticket? Temperamental president whose just looking to pick a fight and a vice president who - by all accounts - knows absolutely nothing outside of hockey, oil, and mooseburgers? A ticket where neither candidate has any understanding of foriegn policy (does Iraq border Pakistan? Who are we fighting in Iraq?)? A ticket where the presidential candidate has professed to have no understanding of the American economy, and his VP nod doesn't look like she really brings any help in the economic arena?
Then your dream has just come true. McCain/Palin. Dream ticket.
To think. I kinda liked McCain in 2000. And I felt really bad for him when GWB and Karl Rove smeared him. If you can't beat them...
Ripping on McOld's age is totally fair play (it is a tactic taken straight from the GOP). If you say McDying enough times, every time you see him he looks more like Bob Dole. If you point out that McAged turns 80 today and is showing signs of dimentia, each time he is caught on camera lashing out at reporters to read his books and ask staffers about his houses, it makes those signs easier to see.
375, how do you think being tortured as a POW for 5.5 years would come into play? probably would be expected to shorten one's life expectancy, no??
Harriet Miers for Vice President!!
The Dems of course are the same party that nominated some loser governor from Georgia with no significant experience, some loser Governor from Arkansas with no significant experience, and some loser junior Senator from Illinois with no significant experience. And these were all for President, not VP!
This blog is dead. And most of you played a role in its murder. You should be ashamed.
390 -- Obama opposed the surge. McCain pushed for it, even when Bush was against it. The surge, if you've been paying attention, has worked. Don't parrot the vague campaign talking point from the convention speakers that Obama has been right on with all of his choices.
395--exactly how is ripping on someone's age a GOP tactic? You must be reading from the liberal playbook. Project your tactics on the opposition and then accuse them of being unfair. Please give me one recent example where a legitimate republican (i.e. not David Duke) has attacked a candidate for being old, or black for that matter.
I look away for one second and you all continue this blather.
This blog is dead and you all played a part in its murder.
The Repubs of course are the same party that nominated some loser governor from Texas with no significant experience and some loser Governor from California with no significant experience. And these were all for President, not VP!
And then there's Dole and "read my lips"... who did have "experience" and were horrible.
I love these conservatives trying to talk themselves into this pick. Like Phoenix Suns fans talking themselves into the Shaq trade. "It's high risk, high reward." It's "genius." "We needed to shake things up."
Look, some decisions are just dumb. Accept it, and take comfort in the fact that people don't elect presidents based on who their VP is. But understand that there is a real chance that this woman becomes president in 4 years and might actually make G.W. Bush look competent.
Even republicans know this is the desperation, hail-Mary pick.
403, you might want to read up on the prior accomplishments of that former governor of California. he certainly doesn't fit w/ the others.
Palin is a Republican John Edwards with tits, good luck with that.
You can tell it's starting to sink in with the Dalai Bama worshippers that their savior just lost the election. This is going to make them crazier than when Gore bit it in 2000. Mass suicide is not out of the realm of possibilities.
"The point of 300 wasn't that mccain is right about obama. It's that an attack by obama on those grounds would only support mccain's attack on him."
Um, no, the point of 300 was that this is *not* madness. This. is. Sparta!!!
400 - take your own medecine. The surge, as a tactic, quelled violence, but as a strategy, totally failed. There is no Iraqi government running the show. Of course throwing more troops on the street will have an effect on violence. It has had no effect, however, on resolving the political problem, which was the whole purpose of sending more troops. If sending more troops and staying on the ground in Iraq does nothing to create and independent, functioning Iraq, then we are wasting our time. And that has been proved. And Obama predicted it.
Karl Rove, 8/9/08, dissing VA Gov. Tom Kaine as potential VP pick:
" With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he’s been a governor for three years,”
Palin has less than 2 years as governor.
Population of Alaska - 683,000
Population of VA - 7,712,091
Rove also dinged Kaine's experience as Mayor of Richmond, VA:
“And again, with all due respect to Richmond, Virginia, it’s smaller than Chula Vista, California; Aurora, Colorado; Mesa, or Gilbert, Arizona; North Las Vegas, or Henderson, Nevada. It’s not a big town.”
Population of Richmond, VA - 200,000
Population of Wasilla, AK - 9,236
Population of the audience for McCain's speech introducing Palin - 15,000
Fucking hypocrites.
She deserves a pearl necklace for her accomplishment!
To 25, 34, 81 and other commenters suggesting that Palin will win the election for McCain by bringing over disaffected Clinton voters: You are wrong.
Independent women generally identify with abortion rights - this not an invitation for anecdotes about how you are an independent female voter how doesn't care about abortion rights. Palin loves the unborn and loves telling other women that they should also love the unborn.
Also, I'm not convinced that just having a woman on the ticket will attract female voters. While Clinton did well among female voters it wasn't as if they were all made powerless by their ovaries to do anything but vote for her.
HILARIOUS! In the Palin picture above, she has a PEARL NECKLACE on!
386, but then again, what makes you think she has no experience? It must be bc people like yourself and Obama perceive Alaska as the middle (or end) of nowhere. There's my point which you repeatedly miss! She's had more experience than Obama WHILE IN OFFICE. She's challenged the oil industry to start. On the other hand, Obama abstained from almost EVERY single vote in the Senate. Does that still make him more experienced? Just bc the man was the head of the black HLS student association doesn't make him experienced!
410 says:
"It has had no effect, however, on resolving the political problem, which was the whole purpose of sending more troops."
Really, that was the whole purpose of sending more troops? No, the purpose of sending in more troops was to reduce violence and increase stability, precisely what was accomplished.
Moreover, the Iraqi government has met 4/6 legislative benchmarks (12/16 overall) - a vast improvement from a year ago.
If you sincerely believe your bullshit, you are just willing yourself blind. Wake up. We are winning - even if it is not good for Obama.
410, then Obama predicted what everyone already knew. The point of the surge wasn't to instantly create a functioning government; it was to create peace b/c Iraq was a complete mess (thanks to GWB). Nothing else could/can happen until the situation was stabilized.
Obama's stance on that point wasn't principled. It was designed to attract the far left voters in the Democratic primaries. And it worked, because he could consistently say he was against the war. (And this is coming from someone who will likely vote for BO).
"McBedsores" = 180
*high five*
But Barama is black. So where is all of this abject terror coming from? Misanthropic cumgurglers.
Conservatives: stop hurting yourselves by defending her experience. She is woefully inexperienced to be VP (or president for that matter). Just admit that having experience isn't everything and that McCain has been completely full of sh*t on that talking point, and move on.
Reduce violence and increase stability in order to allow the Iraqi government breathing room to get something done. That's pratically a fucking quote from your dear leader. It was an ends to a mean. And the means has not been achieved. We're still there because there's no fucking Iraq yet absent the near entirety of our available forces. Sitting there policing Iraq while Afghanistan fails and every country in the world (Russia is especially) is clued into the fact that we can do nothing, nothing in response to agression in other parts of the world.
Obama Bin Biden t-shirt is a hilarious idea! Better than Sore-Loserman from 2000.
Coldest state. Hottest governor.
GOP already won the day. Everyone, lib and conservative, is talking about the Palin pick. Obama gave his convention speech less than 24 hours ago, and its already forgotten.
The Palin pick may prove to be a bad choice down the line, but so far, its a huge success.
What is the record for number of comments? Damn!
Great pick by McCain. Palin is going to lock up Alaska's electoral votes which I'm sure there are a lot of because the state is really, really large.
The "no surrender" mentality he picked up in the tiger cages really shines through in decisions like this.
(Plus she is super hot - just imagine how many 12 to 15 year old boys around the country are going to vote for her.)
415 - He has 12 years of legislative experience, 4 of those in U.S. Senate. See 411 for nice summary and perspective on hers. And challenging the oil companies is bullshit. She got 2.5% more tax out of them for the oil dividends that AK gives all its residents. Big deal. What say did they have?
And alaska IS the middle of nowhere. If it isn't, then nowhere is. Alaska is the largest state, almost 3 x larger than the next largest state, Texas (which takes a day to drive across), but the entire state of AK has the same size population as the city of Memphis, TN or Columbus Ohio. Not to mention that it is separated from the rest of the US by 1,000 miles of canadian wilderness, and is the least densly populated state in the U.S. (1 person/sq. mi) BTW, the population density runner up is Wyoming, which is 5x more densly populated.
You fucking child.
415, I take it you don't disagree with my hypothetical, and therefore my point. So, it comes down to whether 2 years as the Governor of Alaska qualify you to be VPOTUS, right? Alaska has a population of 670,000. I'm from a state with a population of 600,000. I have friends in Alaska. I'm not making the claim that Alaska is in the middle of nowhere. I'm making the claim that being the Governor of Alaska for two years qualifies you to be VPOTUS. This is not a difficult concept. The fact that I am asking the question it does not logically imply that I am saying anything negative about "the little guy." I can't believe you can't see that.
On the other hand, "Head of the black HLS student association"? Wow. You show your true colors there (no pun intended). Obama was president of the HLR. He was a community organizer in Chicago. He taught constitutional law. He was a state senator for 8 years (representing a constituency the size of over 600,000, which compares with that of all of Alaska), and has been a U.S. Senator of over 3 years. During that time, and through the primary process, he has proved himself to be a master of the issues, strategically sound, intellectually curious, a good leader, and capable of handling the national and international spotlight with grace and dignity. In short, he is qualified to be POTUS.
(Your point about experience is ridiculous anyway. Obama was in the U.S. Senate, handling national issues, for two years before he even declared himself to be a candidate for President. Palin hasn't even had a statewide office for two full years.)
And like a poster or two upthread said, this is not about "experience," it's about qualifications. Obama is absolutely qualified to be President. Palin, as of today, is not.
-386
GILF! she can veto my bill!
345: funniest comment here.
371: most intelligent comment here.
McCain is joking, right? Right???
I love how the political operative talking-point is that Palin is "too inexperienced" and would be "one heartbeat away" from the Presidency.
(1) The heartbeat bit is ridiculous. McCain is hale and hearty and could kick the waifish Obama all over town. I hate the Obama campaign dirt politics.
(2) Palin has more executive experience than Obama, hands down. You can't argue with that. Obama was a state senator and an AWOL US Senator while Axelrod ran his campaign. Plus he's dirty with Chicago machine politics.
424, actually, we're looking at her selection through the lense of what Obama did last night. When will Palin accomplish anything like that? Ever? No.
"Hey! Where are all da white women at?"
427, thanks for proving my point about your party's pathetic campaign. Don't be upset bc the Dems just lost - thank goodness I'm a Yankee fan and republican. Winning goes hand in hand
427 (and impatient 428 apparently): Funny how you neglected to mention Palin was an elected official FIVE YEARS BEFORE OSAMA was elected Senator! Keep convincing yourself Osama has more experience
435 - dude. Bad year to pull out that analogy. You could also say that snide arrogance goes hand in hand (and I'm a Yankee fan).
433: First of all, 424 is right. You're the first person on this 400+ post thread to even mention Obama's speech.
Second, "what Obama did last night"? He gave a speech. This is some great accomplishment??? Palin gave a speech today. I guess its all tied up now.
437, you're right! Damn, it's that A-Rod's fault!!! But you get my drift - Yanks usually win, just like Repubs
435 - you, Sean Holmes, and Rush keep telling yourselves that Iraq was a good idea and that someone with less than 2 years leading 600K people in the wilderness is ready to be a heartbeat away from a geriatric POTUS. What a joke. I'm sure she will perform brilliantly in debate against a 30-year veteran of the senate and chairman of the foreign relations committee.
And the Yankees???? Last time I checked, they were 3rd (out of 5) in the American League East.
Lucky for the rest of the country, America is not as deluded as you are.
428 -- you will never get it. He didn't just "give a speech." He gave a speech and everyone in the stadium loved it!! I mean, seriously, when does that ever happen?! At a convention no less!
She's a governor. Yes, that counts as being an executive. But I find it hard to take people seriously who think Palin's experience, ability, and intellect = Obama's.
Not that it's in any way dispositive, but did you hear how she pronounced the word nuclear?
435 here - I meant Sean Hannity
People -- Obama has won Oprah and Olberman. Clearly, he's won the election.
413 (and many others) - You are ignoring the fact that many of the Hillary fans are such sore losers that they will either sit out the election or vote for McCain. Vote for Mc Cain, who stands for NOTHING those angry old ladies believe in. You bet they'll vote based on gender alone.
436 - Hey stupid, Obama was in the IL state legislature before he was in the US senate. And the Palin experience you are referring to seems to be being mayor of a small town of 9,000 in Alaska. It is a joke to say that is any preparation for being VP of the US.
For those who think that Palin's inexperience is an ingenuious ploy to highlight Barry's inexperience:
You don't understand politics or political timing. 60 year-old voters are used to Barry O, inexperience or not, he has become someone with gravitas, deservedly or not, because he has been in the spotlight for over a year now and he is now the nominee. All of the credentials and such fade under the light of his Candidate-ness. Paulin, however, is nobody and has no annointed glow. All of those 60 year old voters aren't going to be thinking about Barry 0; they're going to be thinking about how silly it was to pick someone with such inexperience and it will diminish McCain in the next few weeks. She will not be able to catch up; she will not attain the garvitas that Barry already has, again, deserved or not. She will be the "inexperienced" story until November. Barry will not.
5:00 p.m. on a pre-labor day Friday. I predict these comments end right arounr # 451. Later losers!
Hannity is the greatest, so I take that as a compliment. But seriously though, the Republicans come out winners here. Look at ALL you demmi-dummies comparing our VP against your Presidential candidate. Geez, I mean, at least compare Hillary against her, not your main man!
This thread was over at #34. Palin wins. Sorry, Barry O.
345 sounds like the tools in '91 with the Gulf War "No Blood for Oil" signs. Chicks didn't go for it then, either. dude.
Prediction: at some point before the election, Obama will have to go on record apologizing for some comment Biden made, likely relating to clean, articulate, female 7-11 workers.
McCain is retarded. Biden will destroy her in the debates. She will not serve in the attack dog role. She does not strengthen McCain's acknowledged weakness on the economy and she destroys McCain's strongest line of attack against Barack (lack of experience). Who in the world thinks this lady is prepared to be president if McCain dies? Give me a break.
I am a lifelong republican and as conservative as they come but will not vote for McCain. The lack of judgment here is amazing. I will probably just stay home from the polls
449 - Yeah, Hannity and Bush are totallt awesonme, right? And it is awesome that people are talking about Palin and Obama - anything to take the focus off of the corpse that is McCain and his over 90% support for Bush right?
Still relevant (kinda, sorta . . . ok, not really but I like the song anyway):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOLMVQa0KD8
Liberals suck. Try working for a living.
Liberals suck. Try working for a living.
Hunter, NRA-member, evangelical, her husband has a blue collar job - its about time we got someone normal in this race, rather than the leftist elites Obama/Biden.
1. I think McCain was seeing some bad internal polling; thought the election would slip away unless he made some game-changing pick.
2. There was fierce pressure within the party that McCain appease the base. That meant no Lieberman and no Ridge (2 choice that - IMO - McCain would have loved to make). We know that he personally abhors Romney. And that Tim Pawlenty brought very little to the ticket (blue state that's likely to stay blue, young governor, not well known, male).
3. He wanted a woman. Not only that, but a woman who was pro-choice; a woman who had acceptable conservative credentials. He could have gone with Hutchison.. BUT... she's pro-choice. So that sank any consideration of her.
4. Palin is not amazing. She leaves gaps in the ticket (i.e. which one of them understands basic economics). Not that they'd personally be making economic policy. Just the appearance factor.
4. In the end, McCain gets a (1) pro-choice (2) pro-gun (3) young (4) female (5) governor of a (5) state that's potentially in play, and makes his announcement at a time when it (6) immediately turns the focus away from Obama and the brilliant democratic convention.
I say it was a pretty decent choice, all things considered. And regardless of the quality of the choice, the McCain camp played their hand very well.
Great comments... Love the haters out there. 424 is spot on... What did Obama talk about last night, anyway? Is BO cleverer than her? Probably. Smarter? Probably. More executive experience? Probably a toss-up. A better leader? Jury's still out. Better Presidential material? Wait, that's not the issue. Palin's got a lot of time to learn on-the-job, notwithstanding the haters' belief McCain will drop dead.
It's always been a belief of mine that when people resort to ad hominem attacks, it's because they lack reasoned argument. See, e.g., arguments that (a) McCain is going to die immediately, or (b) McCain has the hots for her.
I'm sorry to say, but I think more people won't vote for Obama because of his skin color, than won't vote for McCain because of his VP's age. And I think there are a lot of PA steelworkers who might all of a sudden decide they're not quite yellow-dog democrats after all.
All in all, I think it's a good choice.
Barama is Black. Coincidence? I think not.
McCain/MILF 2008!!~!!
I am really glad McCain is going to win now. BO in the office is just too much to bear.
Obama had only been in the Senate for about a year when he decided to run for President. He's in no position to criticize anyone else's experience.
Interestingly, Obama is now walking away from his campaign spokesman's statement about Palin. He must know more than his backers commenting here.
I think the readers who believe ATL is no place for political discussion should remind their fellow readers.
I doubt Lat is going to shy away from topics that produce nearly 500 responses. Hell, this garnered more responses than half the threads on compensation.
"What is the record for number of comments? Damn!"
the USNEWS clusterf*ck in March usually garners upwards of a thousand comments.
For goodness sakes... can we get rid of this political hack elie and bring back lat? This is truly rediculous.
LET'S TALK ABOUT BARACK'S 9-POINT POST-CONVENTION BOUNCE.
McPalin = TTT
For goodness sakes... can we get rid of this political hack elie and bring back lat? This is truly ridiculous.
O'Biden > McPalin
O'Biden >>> McPalin
I think the fact that we're nearing 500 comments on the Friday before a holiday weekend speaks volumes as to what a good pick she was.
Ellie, bad move angering all the republicans on this site! Should've been a little more careful (and less Obama-like). Wish you weren't here you ginormous bobble-head
LAST!!! I did it! I am the greatest!
McCain cares more about himself than his country, as this selection proves. She is not ready to be President. He knows it. He doesn't care, as long as she gets him elected. If she ever becomes President, he won't be around to see the consequences.
459 -- Very good, reasoned analysis. Whatever the ultimate verdict is of the pick (we'll see in November), I agree that McCain played his hand very well here.
Any of the idiots questioning Obama's intelligence realize that not only was he the President of the HLS, but he was magna cum laude at HLS? Was that because of affirmative action only as well?
Obama is a terrorist. Biden is from Delaware. -- Dream Team.
Obama sat in Rev. Wright's church for 20 years.
He had Rev. Wright baptize his children.
Obama chose Rev. Wright to officiate his wedding.
Obama guy should not be POTUS. End of story.
475 -
That sounds a bit like John Kerry in 04. Would do or say anything to get elected.
Agreed?
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC -
Who is she? And why is she talking?
Who gives a fuck what she thinks.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Less than 2 years ago, Palin was mayor of a tiny 9,000 person town in Alaska. To put this in perspective, the 600th largest city in the U.S. has 5 times the population, and the audience at Palin's speech today was 50% larger than the town Palin was mayor of.
2 years later she is VP material??? Anyone who thinks this pick is brilliant is an idiot.
483 -
Good point.
But come on. Obama was a "community organizer" (whatever that is), then he was in the IL state senate, and then he was a US Senator (for which he spent the entire time running for Pres).
Come on...
Did anyone notice that we Republicans tried to get the ex-Hillary voters by picking a woman who has repeatedly bashed Hillary? Couldn't we find another hot Republican woman?
479 - don't forget about Obama's best friend and fundraiser, William Ayers of the Weathermen. Terrorist is right...blowing up police stations, attacking the pentagon, and accidentally blowing up a whole townhouse in Manhattan with his friends inside, before going underground until 1980. Barely 10 years later, and Obama launches his political career in the guy's parlor. Nice choice, dems.
484 - There is a big difference between being a U.S. Senator and the gov. of a wilderness state with a population of 600K. Plus, Obama has been in the senate longer than Palin a governor
There is also a big difference between Mayor of a ridiculously small town (9.5K) and IL state senate. And Obama was there for 8 years.
To compare Palin's experience to Obama's is a joke. And there is no comparison with education. . . republicans love to cry "elite", but get real, this is the President of the United States. It is an elite post!!
487 - yeah, but she is a woman!
487 -
I hear you in terms of her education leaving something to be desired. Not in terms of all the bs that people talk about on here with regards to whether someone went to a Top 20 Law school or a Top 10 law school. Instead, it would be nice if she had a law degree. I agree.
But let's be honest - Obama has never run anything in his life.
He's a trendy pick for most liberals who want income redistribution, legalized abortion, and essentially a Europeanized United States.
Outside of the elitists in eastern cities - that stuff does not play in America.
484
488 - You are right - It does seem undisputed that she is female. That should merit a few million votes, right? I mean it will make up for her total lack of experience because . . . because . . . because she is a woman and this is historic. Right?
Didn't work for Mondale. Didn't work for Clinton. Maybe women are not that dumb . . . hmmm
Palin doesn't believe a woman that is raped should be allowed to abort the baby fathered by her rapist. I am all for small government, strong defense and low taxes. But I have a daughter, and I cannot in good conscious cast a vote that could potentially put someone with those beliefs in the Presidency, regardless of the likelihood that it would ever happen.
I won't vote the other way ... but I will stay home.
We aren't discussing the most salient point here:
Republican women are much better looking than feminist dems --
Gov. Palin, SEC cheerleaders and USC Song Girls (who all come from conservative Orange County)
v.
Hillary Clinton, Dianne Feinstein and the hairy girls from PETA
491 -
Just because a baby was fathered by a rapist does not make him or her any less of a human being.
Murder is murder.
Seems like a reasonable pick ... considering McCain had only met her once before in his life and never talked to her, that's totally reasonable, right?
494, At least she wasn't quoted as saying that she doesnt think McCain is ready to be POTUS and then said she "stands by that statement." (as did biden)
Why is "running something" the most important qualification for president? George Bush had "Run" businesses and the state of Texas for years, but that didn't stop him from appointing a horse racing executive as head of FEMA and invading a country that didn't attack us.
Seems like at least judgment, intelligence, leadership ability, knowledge of the relevant issues, and policies and values that are in synch with a particular voter should be more important. Being mayor of a town of 9.5 is not running something, and less than 2 years as governor of a state with the population of Austin or Memphis is not impressive. McCain used poor judgment. She is not even close to VP-ready, and god help us if McCain gets elected and dies in office.
500 is mine!!!!
500 is mine!!!!
500 is mine!!!!
500 is mine!!!
500 is mine!!!!
YES!!!! Suck it 1-496, and everyone who has ever been firsty!!! Every thread has someone who's first, but there is only one 500!!! Worship my 500-ness.
-500
Anyone who thinks that Palin is not a good choice is a MORON. You're missing the big picture. This heartbeat way crap is ridiculous. People are comparing her to Quayle. Go ahead, compare her. REMEMBER THAT BUSH/QUAYLE WON IN 1988, AND NO ONE CARED THAT QUAYLE WOULD BE A HEARTBEAT AWAY.
You liberals need to stop spooking yourselves. Go take a pro bono client, bleeding hearts.
As a Conservative, I am concerned about her lack of experience and the fact that running Alaska seems a lot different than running the country, but...
(1) to compare legislative experience and executive experience is to compare apples and oranges. Members of legislatures just vote (unless they are proposing legislation, which Barry never did), and their vote is just one of many cast on any single issue. And those times Barry bothered to vote, he just did so along party lines. Not a lot of real decision making involved in that. Even as mayor of a 9,000 person town, however, Palin had to make decisions that only she could make and the results of which would not be cushioned by the fact that she was one of many casting votes. That is executive experience, which is something Barry has NONE of. (I realize McCain also lacks this experience, which is one reason he was not my first choice, plus I think his longevity in the Senate somewhat mitigates that concern, and the fact that he has voted in ways that are not along party lines shows he actually thinks about things, rather than just asking the ACLU or the Unions what he should do.)
2. Palin ain't the top of the ticket. Even if McCain were to die (which is a silly concern) half way through a first term, Palin would then have two years experience as VP. VP can afford some on the job training; POTUS cannot.
All of you extreme pro-lifers better have 150 adopted babies at home.
480, I disagree. All politicians say things they don't believe. Like it or not, that's the nature of democracy. Kerry, I grant, was a sterling example.
The trouble here is that Palin--clearly--is not ready to be President. Why is she the Vice-Presidential nominee? Because McCain is selfish. He wants to win--at all costs. He doesn't care about the consequences for a post-McCain America.
This may have been a savvy selection for McCain personally and Republicans generally. But it is potentialy disastrous for the country.
-475
I don't understand why people on both sides aren't livid about this. There are plenty of people with the same demographics as this woman that are strong conservative republicans and much more qualified than her. Why didn't they pick one of those women. Where the hell did the Democrats dig up Kerry? Why the hell do the parties keep throwing horrible choices so that our discussions are constantly focused on who is going to screw up the least, as opposed to who can do the most good ...
I don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat, you should be incredibly unhappy with this choice either way. I think each of the other three has something valuable to contribute to running the country, I cannot get behind this when there were so many more qualified people they could have chosen.
I'm conservative as hell, but I'm not pro-life because I like to screw lots of random chicks bareback and I'm not paying for their kids. But I will pay for the abortion or the clotheshanger.
Why does LA and FL keep getting hit by hurricanes?
They're so TTT.
506 -
Good point.
But let's be honest. If we were really worried about qualifications then we wouldnt be gaga over someone b/c they can deliver a speech well.
507 - Have you considered that it might be good for McCain to have this election framed as who's going to screw up least?
wow, you Obama worshippers sure are dumb. do you know who will decide this election? Guys like Palin's husband. Do you know what those guys think of Obama? That he's the black version of Dukakis. Biden is no different to these guys than anyone else in the Senate-- he is invisible. The only thing they know about McCain is that he was a POW (this is positive). But Palin is like their wet dream-- a beauty queen that loves guns and snowmobiles and even hunts. 50% of America want to high five her husband right now. If you do not see the brilliance of this pick, you should do yourself a favor and move to France now instead of November.
What was it,a few years ago, this stay-at-home mom was elected to her small town council. A bat of teh eye lash and a few million of her husband's dollars later, she's in the governor's igloo. That's a qualification for the White House, if ever I have seen one. The perfect choice to silence to GOP on this issue of experience and preparedness for the job. Also, her husband is a rich oil, executive. Been awhile since they have had representation in the White House.
512, people like you make McCain supporters like me feel dirty.
Wasn't McCain around for that little Harriet Miers debacle?
This chick will be chewed up and spat out before the middle of September. Unfortunately it'll be super awkward for him to change his mind six weeks later.
513, Why exactly do you think her husband has any money? As far as I know he is a commercial fisherman in the season and works in the oil business in the off season. He is also a union member. I'm sure he isn't poor, but sure as hell isn't rich enough to self-finance his wife's campaign.
You might want to get your facts straight before you start spouting off garbage.
514, this is 512. Democrats are right-- they should win on the issues. What blue collar guy wouldn't want to rob people like us for a few thousand extra each year plus get permanent employment through massive unionization like the Democrats' heroes have imposed in Europe?
Problem is that most of these blue collar guys can't force themselves to vote for the weenies the Dems put up every 4 yrs. Obama is no different. When he loses, people will blame it on the fact that he is black, but his problem is the same problem Kerry had, and Dukakis had ,and Carter had (Clinton was different).
He views blue collar workers as some kind of exotic species worthy of study (even his stint as a community organizer smacks of an anthropolgist infiltrating a tribe of hunter/gatherers). He is most comfortable hobnobbing with socialites and academics. As most lawyers are aspiring socialites and/or academics, it is easy to see why most on this board are confused.
I love how Obama's supporters tout the fact that he "passed up wall street jobs" to work in his community.
where'd he meet his wife again?
oh yea, while working at sidley austin for the summer.
it's easy to "pass up the big bucks" when your wife is raking them in.
Going forward our Presidents all need to be from HYS. That is all.
503 - you're a MORON.
Sincerely,
Peole with an education.
Is Obama still going to run now?
520 - you idiot.
But still, 503, you are a moron.
she is kinda fat and that face is decidely not hot - is she part eskimo?
Nice post title, you liberal fruitcake. At least you're being more open about your bias than most.
518: Ur a complete idiot. Please review your Obama timeline -- he "passed up wall street jobs to work in his community" after college, before HLS.
So, to summarize, ur an idiot. hth.
512: Ur also an idiot. "Guys like Palin's husband" don't decide US elections, b/c they guys who want a hunting, multiple-child-bearing wife are solid Republicans.
Quick summary: If you think the reasons you gave are relevant to the election, ur an idiot. hth.
519: go fall off the earth.
526-- let's see-- have you ever been to places like PA, MI, IN, OH? Places that are heavily unionized (traditionally democratic) but where the unions are filled with guys who love to hunt, drink beer, and crash snowmobiles? These are called "swing states" and the guys I am describing sometimes vote with their union reps (Dem) and sometimes vote with their penis (this year)