So much for putting the country first

[Guest Guest]

"she is governor of a state, but it's a tiny state". No one ever said Loonies were bright.

Last time I checked Alaska was the largest state in the country, ...but lets move on..lol...

[Guest Guest]

If you weren't so blinded by your ideology, you might have noticed that the statement about grammar followed an intelligent and substantive critique of the argument: "'hillary clinton never proved herself'" or demonstrated her grasp of important national issues. You don't know what you're talking about. Her colleagues on both sides of the aisle acknowledge her grasp of the issues, her competence, her expertise and her fitness to be president. To compare Clinton to Palin just tells me that when you say 'i tend to vote republican,' you're not telling us the whole story. Obviously you're more deeply invested in the Republican side than that." See post 30, and try actually reading it this time.

Yeah Yeah, just another bleeding heart liberal teacher.....Did i guess right?....let me guess, you protest every war, and you think minorities and people who do not pay any taxes should be given free everything. The kids in your class probably don't even say the pledge to the flag. The best part is I haven't heard one good thing out of either persons mouth about how they are going to fix this country. We give billions in foreign aid to all these countries when we should be using the money here. It was in the paper the other day that we give 81 million dollars a year to a town in Serbia to help their police force...Are you kidding me?...With 81 million dollars a year, everyone in New Jersey could probably have free health care. Im sick of both republicans and democrats...Democrats just seem to whine and get on my nerves more. Its a shame a real american can't become president, one who lives paycheck to paycheck just to keep their family going, not some rich guy who just wants to get richer.

[Bern]

Anyone could have put up that "information" about Obama and the Harvard Law Review. You don't know that it's factual at all.

Oh, and that being-a-black-guy thing --- yeah, those black guys have had an edge in our politics for years.

Why don't you do some research and find out if its not factual, before criticizing.

So you defend black racism with your above comment. Sad to see this type of thinking is still so prevalent.

Maybe we should just cut all the racism crap. Try not doing any racism and don't excuse if because it was done in the past. And that includes other stuff. So many times I read about some politician doing something reprehensible with people then defending the politician with "yeah but others they did that too" comments or this was done in the past.

[Bern]

Not everyone is an 'Obamite' here, first off. Second-Clinton was pulling huge percentages of working-class whites and even larger percentages of Latino voters-who are as big a minority. Racism worked both ways. The fact is, there simply aren't enough black voters to win an election.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8030500015.html

(You can find plenty more if you like)

Once again we've been given a choice between two mediocre candidates. My choice only became certain when McCain chose to pander to the Religious Right with his VP pick.

True there is also and obviously white racism. That does not make black racism right, and vice versa. And we have two mediocre candidates.

I'm really picking on the Obamites, because of this constant, insufferable, servile adoration from many of his supporters. Its really disgusting. In a healthy, free democracy, we don't treat our leaders like that.

As for Palin, her selection to me is a big turn off. She wants to put creationism in our public school science classes, remove sex education and does not believe global warming is caused by us.

Science, is based on scientific discoveries, testing and inferences from that testing. It is not based on faith. That is why we teach celestial mechanics, astronomy but not astrology. To add creationism or intelligent design to the science curriculum would violate that and also tend to push the religious beliefs of certain religions over others. If you add creationism, I would be right in asking for astrology to be added.

Removing sex ed has always resulted in higher unwanted pregnancy and sexual disease rates. Since when is keeping someone ignorant a solution?

Global warming is being demonstrated on us as I write. We've been warned for thirty years this will happen. There is a scientific basis for the carbon dioxide (green house) effect. The warming also is reflected and validated by the environmental computer models.

It seems Ms Palin is living in the 18th century.

[Guest Guest]

Last time I checked Alaska was the largest state in the country, ...but lets move on..lol...

Popuation wise it's dwarfed by many US cities..........................

[Guest Guest]

Last time I checked Alaska was the largest state in the country, ...but lets move on..lol...

If you think governing is all about guarding the tundra, the argument might make sense. Governing is about doing the public business of the people. Last time I checked, Alaska had the 3rd smallest population of any state.

[Guest Guest]

Why don't you do some research and find 0out if its not factual, before criticizing.

So you defend black racism with your above comment. Sad to see this tyoe of thinking is still so prevalent.

Maybe we should just cut all the racism crap. Try not doing any racism and don't excuse if because it was done in the past. And that includes other stuff. So many times I read about some politician doing something reprehensible with people then defending the politician with "yeah but others they did that too" comments or this was done in the past.

The criticism is warranted because the article had a gajillion holes in it. It was obviously biased, wasn't sourced and wasn't supported. It was just a collection of claims. It's not my responsibility to check out the crap you've decided to swallow.

[Bern]

The criticism is warranted because the article had a gajillion holes in it. It was obviously biased, wasn't sourced and wasn't supported. It was just a collection of claims. It's not my responsibility to check out the crap you've decided to swallow.

Oh, I see. It had a "gajillion" holes in it, but you decided not to check it. Then how did you figure out it had a "gajillion" holes? Was that bit of "knowledge" inserted into you by divine intervention?

No wonder so many of you support Obama. You don't review, analyze, study or research. You're like little baby birds, noisily chirping with your mouths open, swallowing whatever vomit is fed you.

[Guest Radagast]

Last time I checked Alaska was the largest state in the country, ...but lets move on..lol...

I think McCain made a very bad move in selecting Palin as his VP and now there is no way out. She is in no way prepared to be President of the United States and all the mumbo jumbo phony comparisons to Obama don't help.

If she knew her daughter was pregnant, how could she accept the VP nod? There is nothing that sells news like a sex scandal. Did she think that no one would find out? The poor judgement on her part and on McCain's part have brought a world of hurt to this kid. How could a mother do that to her daughter?

There has been a blast of other damaging info coming out of the woodwork about Palin and more comes everyday. Did McCain even look into this woman's background? Is this how McCain makes decisions?

Not Good.

[Guest Guest]

I think McCain made a very bad move in selecting Palin as his VP and now there is no way out. She is in no way prepared to be President of the United States and all the mumbo jumbo phony comparisons to Obama don't help.

If she knew her daughter was pregnant, how could she accept the VP nod? There is nothing that sells news like a sex scandal. Did she think that no one would find out? The poor judgement on her part and on McCain's part have brought a world of hurt to this kid. How could a mother do that to her daughter?

There has been a blast of other damaging info coming out of the woodwork about Palin and more comes everyday. Did McCain even look into this woman's background? Is this how McCain makes decisions?

Not Good.

Welcome to Earth. Sarah's daughter is 5 months pregnant, everyone in Alaska already knows all about it, she's not concerned what Radagast and the rest of the loonys think about it. Palin's daughter's pregnancy is hardly a sex scandal, Bubba Clinton sodomizing a young intern in the White House is a sex scandal.

[Bern]

If she knew her daughter was pregnant, how could she accept the VP nod? There is nothing that sells news like a sex scandal. Did she think that no one would find out? The poor judgement on her part and on McCain's part have brought a world of hurt to this kid. How could a mother do that to her daughter?

Like you know. Maybe the Palin family talked about it and her daughter said, go for it mom.

The convenient and easy out would have been an abortion. Then no one would know and there would be no debate.

But unlike the pro-abortionists, maybe they really care for their unborn child, enough to let everyone know about the pregnancy and keep the baby even though it is a political liability. They feel that you should not throw embryos in the garbage when they are "inconvenient."

You know what is the basic difference between an embryo and a born baby? The embryo is a human being living on its mother's life support system. The embryo develops in its mothers womb before birth, as does the baby after birth - until CNS maturity.

[Guest Keith]

Like you know. Maybe the Palin family talked about it and her daughter said, go for it mom.

The convenient and easy out would have been an abortion. Then no one would know and there would be no debate.

But unlike the pro-abortionists, maybe they really care for their unborn child, enough to let everyone know about the pregnancy and keep the baby even though it is a political liability. They feel that you should not throw embryos in the garbage when they are "inconvenient."

You know what is the basic difference between an embryo and a born baby? The embryo is a human being living on its mother's life support system. The embryo develops in its mothers womb before birth, as does the baby after birth - until CNS maturity.

The state you responded to said nothing about abortion. Your such a d**k!

[Guest Guest]

Oh, I see. It had a "gajillion" holes in it, but you decided not to check it. Then how did you figure out it had a "gajillion" holes? Was that bit of "knowledge" inserted into you by divine intervention?

No wonder so many of you support Obama. You don't review, analyze, study or research. You're like little baby birds, noisily chirping with your mouths open, swallowing whatever vomit is fed you.

When someone tells me Superman invented the internet, it's not necessary to check out the story.

[Guest Guest]

Like you know. Maybe the Palin family talked about it and her daughter said, go for it mom.

The convenient and easy out would have been an abortion. Then no one would know and there would be no debate.

But unlike the pro-abortionists, maybe they really care for their unborn child, enough to let everyone know about the pregnancy and keep the baby even though it is a political liability. They feel that you should not throw embryos in the garbage when they are "inconvenient."

You know what is the basic difference between an embryo and a born baby? The embryo is a human being living on its mother's life support system. The embryo develops in its mothers womb before birth, as does the baby after birth - until CNS maturity.

Like you know. You say it's a human being. I say it depends on the stage of development. I do not believe that it is a human being before the cells differentiate forming a functioning and conscious brain. Because without a brain and a neurological system, it can't experience anything, and without the ability to feel at the very least, it's not a being.

I'm not the final word on that any more than you are. No one is. That is why we have made a decision as a nation to leave the decision to the pregnant woman in the early stages of pregnancy, and let the state intervene later in the pregnancy. Roe v. Wade can be criticized for many reasons, including where it set the bar, but it got the main point right: when a fetus (not just an embryo) becomes a human being is a matter of intense debate with no clear right answer. That is what makes this issue so difficult.

It is also what makes Obama right in saying an answer to that question is above his pay grade. He was recognizing his own inability to give a definitive answer to the question. But that inability isn't personal to him. No one can properly give a definitive answer. But that doesn't stop them from spouting off as though they know what they don't know. McCain had no trouble saying "at the moment of conception." That's a politically popular answer with certain segments of the population, but it doesn't make much sense. At the moment of conception, the zygote is a single cell or at most a few. There are no organs and no capacity to feel or act purposefully or to think. It's a tragedy that so many people prefer the candidate who shoots arrogantly from the hip over the candidate who thinks things through and then demonstrates some humility with his answer.

As for Palin, she's an interesting woman with strong opinions. So far so good. But her ideology is so extreme, her views so rigid and her education so limited that I don't think she's anywhere close to being ready to be a heartbeat away.

[Guest Radagast]

Like you know. Maybe the Palin family talked about it and her daughter said, go for it mom.

The convenient and easy out would have been an abortion. Then no one would know and there would be no debate.

But unlike the pro-abortionists, maybe they really care for their unborn child, enough to let everyone know about the pregnancy and keep the baby even though it is a political liability. They feel that you should not throw embryos in the garbage when they are "inconvenient."

You know what is the basic difference between an embryo and a born baby? The embryo is a human being living on its mother's life support system. The embryo develops in its mothers womb before birth, as does the baby after birth - until CNS maturity.

I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of abortion. Although the Republicans will try to make that the point, it isn't. Palin denyed that her daughter was pregnant and then was forced to admit it. I'm sure that McCain's people didn't know but that doesn't excuse the lack of judgement in not taking a closer look at all of the issues that surround her.

She has no foreign policy experience at all She applied for her first passport in 2004.

She believes abortion is wrong even in cases of rape.

She believes global warming was not caused in any way by humans. Thus, she has been up the pa toot of big oil companies from day one.

She supported the 'Bridge to No Where' then was against it when the Feds wouldn't pay for it.

She was involved with lobbyists conected to criminal Jack Abramoff and spent time in Washington seeking those unholy earmarks the Republicans complain so much about.

She was on the board of a 527 controled by Sen. Ted Stevens who is now under indictment for political corruption.

She herself has hired a lawyer in defence of charges that she abused her power as Governor of Alaska.

Is there absolute proof that she did anything illegal? No. However, IMHO, she is going to be a dead weight that McCain will have to drag along until Election Day, even if she scores well tonight. She will distract from McCain message as all these issues about her trickle out over the next few weeks.... so, I guess, we'll see what happens.

My point is that this was a tactical political mistake no matter how you cut it. It's not something I would expect from someone with McCain's 'experience'.

[Guest 2smart4u]

Like you know. Maybe the Palin family talked about it and her daughter said, go for it mom.

The convenient and easy out would have been an abortion. Then no one would know and there would be no debate.

But unlike the pro-abortionists, maybe they really care for their unborn child, enough to let everyone know about the pregnancy and keep the baby even though it is a political liability. They feel that you should not throw embryos in the garbage when they are "inconvenient."

You know what is the basic difference between an embryo and a born baby? The embryo is a human being living on its mother's life support system. The embryo develops in its mothers womb before birth, as does the baby after birth - until CNS maturity.

I'm hoping the Loonies keep up their mocking of Sarah Palin, her daughter, her hairdo,and whatever else they can think of. I hope they keep it going right up to the election because every woman that isn't a committed Loony will then vote for her. Won't that be poetic justice, the rabid Obamaniacs will be the reason for the McCain/Palin victory. How sweet it is !!!

[Guest Guest]

I'm hoping the Loonies keep up their mocking of Sarah Palin, her daughter, her hairdo,and whatever else they can think of. I hope they keep it going right up to the election because every woman that isn't a committed Loony will then vote for her. Won't that be poetic justice, the rabid Obamaniacs will be the reason for the McCain/Palin victory. How sweet it is !!!

No one from the campaign is mocking Palin. Maybe some voters will be impressed by the melodrama, but it's more likely that the feeling of teenage hormones and mooseburgers isn't quite what they're looking for.

[Guest Radagast]

I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of abortion. Although the Republicans will try to make that the point, it isn't. Palin denyed that her daughter was pregnant and then was forced to admit it. I'm sure that McCain's people didn't know but that doesn't excuse the lack of judgement in not taking a closer look at all of the issues that surround her.

She has no foreign policy experience at all She applied for her first passport in 2004.

She believes abortion is wrong even in cases of rape.

She believes global warming was not caused in any way by humans. Thus, she has been up the pa toot of big oil companies from day one.

She supported the 'Bridge to No Where' then was against it when the Feds wouldn't pay for it.

She was involved with lobbyists conected to criminal Jack Abramoff and spent time in Washington seeking those unholy earmarks the Republicans complain so much about.

She was on the board of a 527 controled by Sen. Ted Stevens who is now under indictment for political corruption.

She herself has hired a lawyer in defence of charges that she abused her power as Governor of Alaska.

Is there absolute proof that she did anything illegal? No. However, IMHO, she is going to be a dead weight that McCain will have to drag along until Election Day, even if she scores well tonight. She will distract from McCain message as all these issues about her trickle out over the next few weeks.... so, I guess, we'll see what happens.

My point is that this was a tactical political mistake no matter how you cut it. It's not something I would expect from someone with McCain's 'experience'.

Ooops! I misspelled 'defense' again ... mental fart ... let's see how many of our anal wingnut friends pick out the misspelled words instead of addressing the issues.

[Bern]

I'm hoping the Loonies keep up their mocking of Sarah Palin, her daughter, her hairdo,and whatever else they can think of. I hope they keep it going right up to the election because every woman that isn't a committed Loony will then vote for her. Won't that be poetic justice, the rabid Obamaniacs will be the reason for the McCain/Palin victory. How sweet it is !!!

I can see this how this constant denigration of that woman can wear on them, even if they don't support Palin's positions.

Most of the denigration is because she is a woman - a mother with many children and therefore and she can't handle the VP job, she's a lousy mother because her daughter got pregnant, her hairdo, blah, blah, blah.

Meanwhile, her accomplishments are denigrated. It takes quite a bit to go from small town mayor to governor of a state and getting the highest approval rating of all the governors.

Those, here who have criticized her, I'm sure have not accomplished 1/20 as much as Governor Palin.

[Bern]

I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of abortion. Although the Republicans will try to make that the point, it isn't. Palin denyed that her daughter was pregnant and then was forced to admit it. I'm sure that McCain's people didn't know but that doesn't excuse the lack of judgement in not taking a closer look at all of the issues that surround her.

When did she deny her daughter was pregnant?

[Guest Patriot]

I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of abortion. Although the Republicans will try to make that the point, it isn't. Palin denyed that her daughter was pregnant and then was forced to admit it. I'm sure that McCain's people didn't know but that doesn't excuse the lack of judgement in not taking a closer look at all of the issues that surround her.

She has no foreign policy experience at all She applied for her first passport in 2004.

She believes abortion is wrong even in cases of rape.

She believes global warming was not caused in any way by humans. Thus, she has been up the pa toot of big oil companies from day one.

She supported the 'Bridge to No Where' then was against it when the Feds wouldn't pay for it.

She was involved with lobbyists conected to criminal Jack Abramoff and spent time in Washington seeking those unholy earmarks the Republicans complain so much about.

She was on the board of a 527 controled by Sen. Ted Stevens who is now under indictment for political corruption.

She herself has hired a lawyer in defence of charges that she abused her power as Governor of Alaska.

Is there absolute proof that she did anything illegal? No. However, IMHO, she is going to be a dead weight that McCain will have to drag along until Election Day, even if she scores well tonight. She will distract from McCain message as all these issues about her trickle out over the next few weeks.... so, I guess, we'll see what happens.

My point is that this was a tactical political mistake no matter how you cut it. It's not something I would expect from someone with McCain's 'experience'.

"She applied for her first passport in 2004" ?? OMG !!!

[Guest Paul]

"She applied for her first passport in 2004" ?? OMG !!!

You're missing the point, which is no surprise. Where is the evidence that Palin has the kind of mind required of someone who could, in an instant, become the most powerful person in the world?

Where is the evidence of significant intellectual gifts?

Of intellectual curiosity?

Of a depth of understanding of a wide range of issues?

Do you really think for example, that she understands international economics? She can probably parrot back her party's talking points, but we should demand more than that, from both sides.

We don't allow doctors to become board certified until they pass rigorous oral exams, demonstrating their mastery of the field. It scares the s--t out of me that we select presidents and vice presidents without a similar process. Both candidates should undergo an intense grilling from journalists selected by the opposition, or maybe by the opposition itself - not for an hour but for an entire day, non-stop, televised live. Let's see how much knowledge they really have, and how they hold up under that kind of pressure. In fact, let's make it three days of grilling for each candidate. We would soon see who knows the issues and who doesn't.

Palin's stand on teaching creationism in the public schools alone tells me she is either pandering to the religious right or, more likely, actually believes that. If she actually believes it, then she's ignorant on fundamental points of science, education and law. That's not acceptable in a Vice President. I would like to see someone ask her, for example, whether she has ever read any of the leading Supreme Court cases that explain why creationism may not be taught in the public schools. I'll bet she hasn't. Either way, I'd like to know whether she understands the reasons behind those decisions --- not whether she agrees, but whether she even understands the issues. I'll bet she doesn't. This is what I mean by a lack of intellectual curiosity, and I add a lack of respect for those who know more about certain issues than she does.

We've just suffered through nearly eight years under an ignorant and arrogant president who thought he knew everything. Palin may be a nice person, but she displays the same qualities that I see in Bush: the radicalism, the arrogance, the dismissive treatment of those who don't agree with her. The only differences are that she wasn't born rich, didn't travel in the most respected circles and (what's really scary) isn't as well-educated. There are good things about her not having been privileged, but her limited travel also means that she probably lacks a sophistication that we should require in a president.

A BA in journalism from an OK school, then a life in a remote town in Alaska, followed by less than two years as governor of a remote state do not establish the qualifications that should be required of a president. Maybe Palin can overcome that. Maybe if she's asked hard questions about a wide variety of issues, she'll demonstrate a surprising depth of knowledge. If she does, then hats off to her. But until she does that, the presumption is that she's not qualified for the Vice Presidency - because nothing in her background suggests that she is.

So people ask, "well, what about Obama?" It's a fair question, and there's a good answer. Obama is brilliant. He has a world-class mind, as demonstrated by his academic credentials and his performance on the campaign trail. He has demonstrated his grasp of the issues. He has brilliantly run and managed an insurgent campaign that took down the Clintons. You may not agree with him, but he's a heavyweight. Most imporant, perhaps, he has taken a keen interest in the issues for many years. Contrast this with Palin, who admits she has little interest in foreign policy, and if you're being honest, you'll see a stark contrast in Obama's favor.

[Bern]

"She applied for her first passport in 2004" ?? OMG !!!

Don't they come up with the most incisive, salient points. God forbid that you actually like the country enough to want to stay in it and vacation in it.

[Guest Radagast]

"She applied for her first passport in 2004" ?? OMG !!!

You have the depth of a puddle.

[Guest Radagast]

Don't they come up with the most incisive, salient points. God forbid that you actually like the country enough to want to stay in it and vacation in it.

OK ... try this on for size. She has only been out of the US one time in her life to visit the Alaska Guard in Iraq as Governor. She listed Kuwait, Iraq and Ireland as the only countries she ever visited. Turns out Ireland was only a refueling stop. I suppose she could have listed all the countries she flew over too. What the hell! I guess foreign policy knowledge isn't so important after all.

and more ...

She told a reporter in July that she wasn't sure what the Vice President does.

The same newspaper that broke the John Edwards scandal is now reporting that Palin had an affair with her husbands business partner.

It's also being reported that her daughter has decided not to marry the kid who knocked her up.

and it goes on and on ... stay tuned for the next revelation ... again, no matter how you cut it, McCain screwed up when he picked her.