Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

First, all we talked about was Hillary. Now, all we talk about is Palin. When do we talk about Obama?

OBAMA ~ Biden 08

McCain's pick of Palin, a woman with very little executive experience, a woman who has approved a 26 billion dollar oil pipeline to Canada instead of the United States shows that McCain's decision was made from an adlolescent place of "I'll show you mentallity" instead of one of wisdom and judgment and will be a disaster because this is not a game but serious, deadly business! Maybe McCain really is senile and confused and incapable of making sound judgments. This woman will be a heartbeat away from being in charge of the highest office in the land. If she was Qualified, that would be different but she is not and that is the bottom line. Not to mention that his argument that Barack has no experience And Is not Ready is out the door, his strongest argument against Barack.

Is this decision Historic or Hysterical or a mockery to our political system? A game changer or a roll of the dice? And should a Presidential candidate play russian roulette with the people's business? It is sort of sad to me personally, that McCain with all the problems we face here, did not have the People's interest at heart but rather a desire to win for winning's sake and did not think of the consequences of his actions and what it would mean for this country if she had to be sworn in as President of the United States!

However, in this evil ploy to pull Hillary women from Barack with no consideration as to whether or not this woman has the ability and experience to lead the United States here and on a world scale shows a very adolescent way of thinking, and a lack of sound judgment and as McCain's first executive decision, a disaster! Through this pick, McCain has just shown that he is NOT READY TO LEAD, and it also proves that he is not really serious about solving America's problems!

Does John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin give you in any way the sense that McCain gave a second's worth of thought to what would happen if he died in office?

You think this woman is in any way qualified to be president of the United States? Really, think about it champ.

Posted by: BrianInNYC Author Profile Page | August 29, 2008 1:33 PM

How is she any less qualified than Obama? She's not even on the top of the ticket. She's a governor; she has to run her state, which if she did for only a week, would still be vastly more administrative experience than Obama has. Obama is a career lawyer and politican; he's never run anything; except for maybe the Harvard Law Review? Was that even an administrative position, or was it editorial?

Really you thought Tim Kaine was qualified to be president

Really, think about it .

Really you thought Katherine Sebillius was qualified to be president

Really, think about it.

Posted by: sock drawer open | August 29, 2008 1:39 PM

Gallup Daily: Obama Stretches Lead to 8 Points

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109933/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Stretches-Lead-Points.aspx

I don't think GWB gave a second's worth of thought to what would happen if he died while in office. For that, we can all be glad he remained healthy.

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!

At 12:15 this afternoon Flatus and Stinky became parents once again having adopted a third daughter, Jennie Williams Ohlfahrt, who, from this point forward, shall be known as Toots.

Yeah... I smell fear. I think you guys know it's a good pick, hence the immediate yet unsubstantiated attacks. A political unknown yesterday, she hasn't been the VP nominee for more than 3 hours and already everyone is a Sarah Palin expert.

He picked Joe Biden, didn't you get the news? you're making a fool of yourself sock drawer.

Posted by: Flatus Author Profile Page | August 29, 2008 1:44 PM

How wonderful for you. I saw your post to Pogo the other day and wondered what you were up to...

This move will come back to haunt Mac. It's telling that even some of the Washington Republicans are nonplussed by the selection.

As Craig aptly noted, it makes for a good political surprise, but when the media digs deeper - little to no experience in a less than populous state; staunch pro-life anti-feminist; corruption scandal involving her brother in-law; and so on - she may very well be seen as a disaster and a liability.

Mac is old...if he were to kick the bucket in office, do you think Palin's ready to confront the national security challenges this country faces? Do you think she has *any* ethos abroad as a diplomat?

Geez....

LMAO, the D machine and their cohorts in the MSM have already started to attack Palin. Why am I so surprised, after all isn't this what they allowed happen to HRC.

Flatus

Congratulations. Toots is lucky to get parents like you and stinky..

julie

Fry: Why shouldn't they attack her? Why should she receive immunity? She is a terrible VP candidate.

geez is right Utopia, this pick is an embarrassment and demonstrates this man does not have the judgment to be prez.

The only thing remarkable about this choice is just how bad it is.

KGC,

I know you're right in the way that you meant it, but I still have to respond.

Alaska's a small state?

Yes, but only because they don't award electoral votes by the square mile.

FD

I didn't need to know what went into the decision to know some very important things: The United States does not engage in pre emptive strikes and that would be a horrid black mark against our country. Osama ben Ladin was holed up in Afghanistan and no where near Iraq. A lot of innocent people got slaughtered unnecessarily. Terrorism is rarely a government function and using armies to fight it was to deny everything known about anarchists and terrorists of all kinds was the height of ignorarnce.

Gung ho, cowboy George and the America firster, flag waving jingoists wanted to kill some Arabs. That just made it popular not right.

Brian: It's cynical and desperate. He wasn't in *that* much trouble in the polls...this is a rash freak-out moment for Mac. He'll live (or maybe not) to regret it.

What we need now is for HRC to make good on her promise of support for Obama. Palin is an out-of-touch anti-feminist who opposes women's rights issues. We need HRC out there saying: are you voting because of a woman, or are you voting because of *women*

The republicans may want to force a moral issue like abortion into the election - but I don't think it will favor them this time.

My favorite of the prime time soap operas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresno_(TV_miniseries)

XR

"the "intelligent" purpose behind "designing" viruses ?"

God ordered humans to go forth and multiply. Viruses are God's way of keeping things from being overcrowded. Just for the record, it's not working.

EdVB

You are such a stickler....:)))))
Next time I'll say least populous state...

And If Obama Loses? (Pat Buchanan)

"After the phony roll call vote was taken here to formally nominate Barack Obama -- a roll call that did not remotely reflect the true delegate strength of Hillary -- the media exploded in an orgy of celebration about the historic character of the moment to which they had just been privileged to be witness.

No candidate has ever been nominated by a major party with fewer credentials or a weaker claim to the presidency, or more doubts as to his core beliefs. If Obama wins, the country could be in real trouble. And if he loses, the country could be in real trouble.

What the media celebrate today, they may rue tomorrow."

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28277

"little to no experience"

And BHO has tremendous experience? Is why he had to pick Biden as his VP to make up for his less than spectacular knowledge of foreign affairs. Plus Palin has more executive experience than BHO and Biden put together, and unlike BHO, JM didn't pick a DC insider like BHO was so opposed to. You will recall BHO saying he wanted to get away from the old ways of how DC worked. Biden has been there for 30 years. I love JM tact, this story has completely blown BHO thingy off the front page, and placed it on page B-5, and then into the circular bin.

"Toots is lucky to get parents like you and stinky.."

Julie, many thanks, but I reckon it is we who are the lucky ones.

PU: Any time a man accuses a woman of being 'anti-feminist', it rings a little hollow. Abortion is a women's issue; you, as a man, flying that flag just comes across as pandering.

The posting of "We Are The World" reminded me of "Hands Across America" the following year in 1986.

Who participated and where were you.

I was in DC up near Dupont Circle/Embassy Row

Flatus....
CONGRATS to you and Stinky..... and Toots.... how old is she?

Corey....... Obama didn't last as the topic of discussion very long today.....
and I bet the GOP give him a few lessons with their convention next week....
here's to hoping he's a fast learner.....

John McCain secretly *hearts* the Democrats! Why else would he have chosen Palin (who is nearly as dull a speaker as he is!)

Welcome to the family Toots Olfart, I'm sure Stinky and Flatus will be happy to have another instrument in the orchestra.

jamie,.

Your knowledge of the decisions making that goes into launching something as serious as a preemptive strike could fill a flea's behind. Next you'll be telling me about your law enforcement experience, which equates to you once firing a gun. You'll never know, because you have never been there. But keep reading those novels.

Her husband, Todd Palin, is part Yup'ik Eskimo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Alaskan_Yup'ik

interesting the multi-racial spectrum when you look at the children (including adoptees) of the dem/rep nominees.
isn't america great!

Hands across America?
I was in Hartville Ohio...we had a big group of family and friends --the pictures from the day are pretty funny
We had a few teenagers in our group who couldn't have looked more bored

ET,

Are you still out there, or did you go home? You'll have to refresh my failing memory, did I say No, or did I say Know? Please enlighten me.

Congratulations to flatus, stinky and toots ohlfart!!!

Now, I really miss Al Gore! He has it all: legislative, executive, Nobel Peace Prize, Academy Award, veteran, and a crusader for climate control in his background.

FD

I would like to point out that however I based my judgement about iraq, I was right.

It was a monumental cockup and continues to be one. Has cost us thousands of US lives while wasting US treasure and put us massively in debt to another world power, slaughtered thousands upon thousands of innocentsand ruined our reputation in the world. Can't be much more wrong than George was about that decision.

Do we have any overnight poll numbers since Obama's speech last night?

Embassy Row is nowhere near Dupont Circle

Renee,

She's 53. Was found on Stinky's doorstep in the summer of '55 back when there were lots of orphans in Korea.

Always thought of Stinky as her Mom although she was raised by grandma and a brother, both since deceased.

When we went back to Korea in May, we were exceedingly fortunate in finding her. It was as if no time had passed.

In any case, not only did we gain a daughter, we acquired a son-in-law, four granddaughters, one grandson-in-law, another to be gained in October, and a great grandkid to arrive in November.

We've decided that her birthday will be July 4th, 1955.

April showers in August!

Never mind. Gallup has it up. 8 point lead. Now we can compare tomorrow to see if Palin makes a difference.

http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx

The question between now and election day isn't which of these tickets is superior to partisans but rather which of these tickets will appeal to Independents?

Thinking on this a little more: I think it won't help McCain as much as he hopes. He is perceived as very weak on the economy. A governor from a state with 670,000 people; she was mayor of a town of 6,400. Alaska's economy is unlike any in the other 49.

Palin is appealing and articulate but her concerns differ significantly from the alleged HIllary diehards. (I say alleged because I think some of the more aggravated were GOP plants.)

A gimmick that will be seen for what it is -- look-- a bright shiny object in a pantsuit, and eventually for what it did NOT bring to McCain's ticket. She shores up none of his weaknesses (except for one intact marriage and all of her children in the camera shot).

Palin ended the bridge to no where and sold the jet (for profit) the previous governor had purchased.

Prior to being governor she was a mayor whose focus was lowering property taxes. Palin has very strong appeal to independents and people fed up with government.

Boss,

General area. I was directly on Dupont Circle for the hand holding, but we were wandering around that whole weekend just kind of sight seeing on Massachusetts and in Rock Creek and the Zoo.

Agree with baccangel's comment at 1:37 entirely. There is an enormous difference between the VP selections, a nominee's first major decision.

On the two most important decisions in his political career John McCain had demonstrated the judgment he intends to bring to the White House. He voted for the war in Iraq, and he picked Sarah Palin. John McCain is not fit to our commander in chief.

They are like Reagan DEMS. They feel very estranged from the DEMs right now and they are enjoying the ass-kissing that the GOP is giving them. The DEMs would be smart to start doing doing some ass-kissing of their own, with a little groveling thrown in, or they may lose the PUMAs for as long as they lost the Reagan DEMS.

Posted by: Alicia Knight

Alicia,

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may have missed a chance to score bigger with New Yorkers who supported their senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Democratic Gov. David Paterson says Obama could have overcome supreme disappointment in the New York delegation over Clinton's loss of the nomination by stopping by to visit or sending a top surrogate.
Paterson, who had supported New York Sen. Clinton, says it would have wise for Obama to try to defuse the hurt feelings among New York's Democrats. Paterson made the comments from the Denver convention to Talk 1300 AM radio in Albany.

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/NEWS/80828021

Obama also dissed Charlie Rangel the powerful Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means which was not just impolitic but grievously petty. Great leaders like Churchill and Lincoln were "magnanimous" in victory, not so Obama. To paraphrase Abba Eban, Obama, "never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. "
PUMA/Clintons4McCain

toast

I think Sarah Palin is a terrific pick.

Last night was a historical night for Obama and now all we're talking about is Palin. Jamie, Axelrod said that he was not looking for a huge boost in poll numbers today.

Typical Obama thinking --It's all about Hillary.

It's all about turning out your base and picking up the middle.

Obots want to keep the Clinton mythology alive to blame her when he loses. The reaction today demonstrates a complete lack of confidence in the Democratic ticket.

See, here's why Palin is such a smart pick, dog...

Anytime a guy like you criticizes a woman in any way, justly or not, it comes off as misogynist (see, even THAT sounds misogynist). As the media rips her apart in the next few month, or tries to, the tone will inevitably become overtly more sexist, and will piss women off progressively until voting day, when they get in the booth... their right arms are going to be real itchy.

Politics of Utopia, And why is she terrible?

Because she is a female.
Because she hasn't spent half her life in DC.
Because she has a 80% approval record of the citizen in Alaska.
Because she is right to life.
Because she is an executive.
Because she has reduced taxes.
Because she was against "The Bridge to No-Where".
Because she has a history of foreign trade.
Because she turned the tax money from big oil back over to the people of Alaska.
Because she is still married to her HS sweetheart.
Because she has 5 Children. the oldest in Iran withe US Army.
Because she decided not to abort her unborn child who was diagnosed with down syndrome.
Because her husband holds 2 jobs. Commercial fisherman, and working for an oil company.
Because she was involved in civic affairs. PTA.
Because she got elected mayor of a small town.
Because she enjoys, hunting and fishing.
Because she is NRA member, and is big on the 2nd Amendment.
Because no one knew of her and yet she has as much poise as anyone I've seen so far.
Because she represent small town values.

As I said earlier I am hoping and praying the D smear machine unleash their hounds from hell, because it is going to get shoved right back up their asses. So bring it the Fuck On Bitches.

Other than that i am having a great day!

Frankly, I'd feel safer with Palen was president as Joe Liebermans.

I wonder if KO has come down from last night yet? He was so giggly and goofy it was almost embarrassing to watch the sloppy adulation. Even Matthews didn't have that big a man crush.

"Now back to reality. Palin is going to be savaged in this campaign. "

Why not, bear --- the DNC did a practice run on HRC...

Patsi

No one would feel safe with Joe Lieberman. I didn't like it when he was Gore's choice, just prayed that if he won, Gore would stay healthy.

Boss Tweed: Embassy Row runs right into Dupont Circle on Massachusetts Avenue and I would say the "Row" proper ends about 3 short blocks before Dupont Circle.

Jamie was right.

Do you know DC well?

Champ

dog is not "a guy like you".not a guy at all.

"Does John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin give you in any way the sense that McCain gave a second's worth of thought to what would happen if he died in office? "

She has as much experience as the Democratic nominee. What does that say about you?

I have no friggin' idea what Jesus Christ Political Rock Star will do. His ego seems awfully close to that of George W Bush.

Jamie,

Even a blind squirrel can find nuts, sometimes. You being right is nothing than pure chance, it wasn't based on knowledge, so I assume it was based on your horoscope?

I won't be voting McCain/Palin -- but I find it absolutely hysterical that a man with zip experience is given a pass and a woman with about the same is being crucified. Pot? Kettle?

Patsi,

"but I find it absolutely hysterical that a man with zip experience is given a pass and a woman with about the same is being crucified."

Amen to that sister.

Considering how most people here feel about McCain and his pick of Palin, why even worry about it? I mean, unless you are worried that McCain might actually win.

FD

What is it with you? My ability to analyze situations and apply existing conditions while considering historical context is quite good. You don't have to be some sort of insider to think logically. I knew a great deal of middle east history and it didn't take all that much imagination to see that an error was being made.

Just because you were taken in by all the patriotic, flag waving, and general bs doesn't mean that all of us were.

Yeah, I was wondering, KGC. She certainly employs masculine diction then. In any case, I'll stand by my analysis. Substitute "guys like me".

"No candidate has ever been nominated by a major party with fewer credentials or a weaker claim to the presidency, or more doubts as to his core beliefs."
-GORDO

Friend, you forget that your party picked Wendell Willkie during WWII, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, and Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Herbert Hoover, on the other hand, had gobs of experience.

Corey

Overconfidence has killed the Democrats before.

Sarah Palin has a lot going for her that combined with John McCain will be very attractive to about 40% of the population of voters.

Sen. Obama has a lot going for him that combined with Joe Biden will be very attractive to about 40% of the population of voters.

How the remaining 20% of the electorate divides will decide who sits in 1600.

FryDaddy,

It can't speak well to the state of the economy if the husband of the Governor from the State of Alaska needs 2 jobs does it?

Champ

"She certainly employs masculine diction then. "
I'm curious about this. What do you mean by this?

Posted by: dog's eye view | August 29, 2008 2:21 PM
What is this post do you consider masculine diction?

I think it's a good thing if people cannot determine someone's gender by the way they post.

ET,,
Why post a statement then not reply to my question.

It like the xrepublican guy that keeps hanging at the same McDonalds where these KKK sounding guys drink their morning brew. If their racial comments bother you that much why not tell them to shut their yaps, or to prevent from getting lynched, move to another coffee shop.

Jamie, yeah but she has been torn down here already. People saying what a terrible pick she is. If she's as bad as people say she is here, why worry? Of course, I did watch a few minutes of FOX News just to hear what they had to say. Dems and Republicans remind me of the Red Sox and Yankees. Red Sox make a personnel move and people watch to see what the Yankees are gonna do next. Yankees make a personell move and people watch to see what the Red Sox are gonna do next.

I am curious,

Who likes their chances more in 2012...

Mitt Romney or Hillary Clinton?

"As I said earlier I . . . unleash their hounds from hell, . . . shoved right back up their asses. . . So bring it . . Bitches."

Posted by: FryDaddy August 29, 2008 2:30 PM

Damn Daddy, chill bro. .
It was a bad choice, but no need to stroke out about it.

ROFLAMFAO

Let me be petty here for a moment. I'll bet Palin gets a new hairdo from what I've seen of her so far. What a
mixed bags of candidates!!

Bear,

Alaska needs 2 jobs does it?.

Has to do with the seasons. Winter in Alaska. Guess you have to be in Alaska in the winter to appreciated the bitter cold. So bitter cold and water is a bad combination. But like I was told when I use to travel to Tucson, AZ in the summertime. Yes it does get hot here, but we have little humidity.

Oh, just a general impression formed over the course of my participation here rather than anything specific recently. The reason I always jumped down his/her throat upon his/her attacks upon my fan club president were because I thought he/she was a dude. Call me old-fashioned. Now that I know it to be a cat-fight, I suppose I'll just sit back and enjoy...

Rezdog,

No the bad choice was BHO. Mr Do Nothing, Mr. No Nothing.

OK, enough from me.

I will just say that Palin is a much better VP candidate than McCain is a Presidential candidate. Too little too late? Probably.

Rez

who knew?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENhdV9if5Z4

KNOW NOTHING

Fry,

Forgetting the seasonal nature of work in Alaska, it's not like he's working 40 hours a week at both jobs like many Americans struggling with the current economy.

I've known some people who worked in the Alaskan fishing industry and they seemed to do well enough that they could work 4 months and be set for the year...

LOL

KGC,

Dang, Hurricane's a coming for sure now!

I'm wondering why the Democrats haven't been focusing more on the McCain house thing for this reason...

Not only does he not know how many houses he owns, but he and his wife can't even pay their property taxes on time...

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/01/McCains_wife_avoids_property_tax_default/UPI-58751214932897/

It makes you wonder if the only reason he wants to cut taxes is so he doesn't have to remember to pay them..

Rez

I want that split screen....go rae rae!

fry daddy, add beauty queen to that list
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/29/palinfrom-beauty-pageant-to-popular-governor/

Palin sure fits the traditional model for women elected officials--start out in PTA then graduate to higher levels of government.

The wonderful thing about local governments is that they are often non-partisan so it's up to people to build working coalitions on their own without help from party interests.

She wouldn't have survived to the level she's at now if she wasn't an effective public servant.

It's certain that the next few days and weeks will be really interesting.

And, now it's time to do the convention by telephone, instead of the Twin Cities, and let Mr Obama and Mr Biden figure out what the devil has happened to them.

Does McCain (or his handlers, more likely) think that those of us who supported Hillary Clinton will all of a sudden say, "Look! McCain selected a woman running mate! I'm voting for THEM!"

I'm a little insulted if he does.

Bethy

Aren't you glad we "passed the test." You know you wanted to buy the extra books! :))))))

Palin is a nod to the religious right - not Clinton supporters.
Why do you think they rolled it out in Ohio - a state where evangelicals can and have made a difference.

All the religious wackos have weighed in about how Pallin is t the right pick.

KGC,

I going to have to get in shape so I can get back out on the circuit and make a little extra. I bet I could clean up in FL if I modified that to a "No Cane" dance! lol

Mary Kitt,

That's exactly what they are counting on. The curious thing is that if a clinton supporter wasn't going to vote for Obama anyway, why waste the pick on a woman to attract the voters you were getting anyway?

I have no fear that McCain will win in November. I more interested in how big a margin he'll lose by.

As to his choice for VP - Palin isn't the only questionable decision he's made during this campaign. A better choice for him would have been any of his competitors... Maybe Romney. Maybe he should even have gone with Tim Pawlenty.

His choice of Palin seems, at least on the surface, an obvious ploy to try elicit the disenfranchised Hillary supporters. It's not going to work. Those supporters weren't holding out for any woman - they wanted a specific woman. Palin pales in comparison.

BTW, I'm an independent and not enrolled in a party. If McCain had remained the liberal Republican renegade he had been in the 2000 primaries, he would have been my candidate. As it stands now, I'm pleased to say I'm for the Obaman/Biden ticket.

And how can you go wrong with Joe Biden. He's knowledgable and could step in to the center seat in an instant if needed.

Bear,

I knew a few people who worked the Alaskan Pipeline, but like everything thing else if you work in an industry where you have little or no control of the catch, farmer their crops, you end up working 2 jobs to make ends meet, or to put away the extra money into savings. I sort of doubt if he is working the 2 x 40 hours jobs at the same time, the logistics just won't work out. But working 2 jobs isn't something to be looked down upon. Also living in Alaska has always been expensive, unless you want to live in the wilds and live off the land. You could be known as Bear of the North, or The North Bearside.

In an interview, Southern Baptist spokesman Richard Land vetoes as a pro-choice "catastrophe" Tom Ridge and, reluctantly, Joe Lieberman, who he "would love to have" as Secretary of Defense or Secretary of State. (In 2002, they both evangelized for Iraq as a "just war.")

Who does Land like? "Governor (Sarah) Palin of Alaska...She just had her fifth child, a Downs Syndrome child...She's strongly pro-life. She's a virtual lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. She would ring so many bells."
August 9, 2008
http://ajliebling.blogspot.com/2008/08/religious-rights-vp-choices.html

Rez
"No Cane" LOL

maybe you can get a contract with Gov Christ
Speaking of whom...should we have a pool on long his engagement will last now that he is not the vp pick

Corey

"yeah but she has been torn down here already"

Despite a few such as Champ, FD, and Ping Pong, this is hardly a Republican hang out. Even our moderate leaning Dems such as myself, Blue and Patsi get slapped around a lot.

Basing how the electorate is going to respond to Palin by the reactions here would be like judging the life expectancy of an Impala by seeing it in the middle of a pride of lions.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/08/mccains-political-fast-ball.html#comment-135876

I think McCain can count on the media for help with Hillary's voters. Once they start up with all their sexist crap, it's just going to bring up all the old garbage again & keep the wounds open. In fact, they've already started.

1. There is nothing WRONG with Palin. She is just an odd choice, and unlikely to be of much help to the ticket. She does have poise, gained during her beauty queen days. Maybe she can help john with his poise problem.

2. I can't wait to hear john call her a "stupid c?nt."

3. a. Re the alledged experience gap: yes, Obama spent years in a foreign country, living among the simple folk, and learning how the rest of humanity lives. On the other hand, Palin once bought take out from an Italian restaurant.

3. b. Obama knows many of the legislators he will have to work with to get things done, after he is elected. Palin knows her US Representative and two Senators. Of course, ted stevens and don young will probably both retire in January, but they are from the Organized Crime wing of the party, and not on speaking terms with Palin, anyway.

4. ~~~The entire US has had TONS of EXPERIENCE with mccain's hobbyhorses. mccain's war in Iraq is wildly popular and successful. mccain's disapproval of letting soldiers and vets get educated, and his opposition to vet's benefits is very popular, because his policies will save cowardly Billionaires hundreds of dollars each! mccain's support for deregulating lending institutions has worked out beautifully: America has never produced so many wonderful foreclosures. mccain's love of the confederate battle flag, under which the southern terrorists murdered American soldiers and civilians, makes us all proud as Punch.~~~

5. The bigger Q is why Palin would want to even stand on the same planet with mccain, let alone be on his lame ticket.

Does McCain (or his handlers, more likely) think that those of us who supported Hillary Clinton will all of a sudden say, "Look! McCain selected a woman running mate! I'm voting for THEM!"

I'm a little insulted if he does.

Why would you be insulted? Sounds like you have already made your mind up, and you are going to vote for BHO.

But of the HRC supporters their is a segment that will vote for McCain as they will see he at least is giving a female, one with executive credentials, a shot at VP. What did The D party give HRC, they didn't give her a shot, although she may have thought at time she became the main target in a shooting gallery.

Despite a few such as Champ, FD, and Ping Pong

Jamie, didn't you forget someone?

I'm going to donate $25 to the McCain campaign, I'm so happy. I was terrified that they'd get Romney, send him to Michigan and take the state. But ole Maverick proved that judgment does count and he picked an unknown from a state people still think is owned by Russia. Thanks John!

Fry,

Nothing wrong with working two jobs. I'm just wondering aloud that the fact could be spun into a creative campaign ad.

Here is some analysis about where the campaign will now be decided...

http://killfile.newsvine.com/_news/2008/08/29/1802129-thanks-to-palin-its-all-about-abortion-now

"The wonderful thing about local governments is that they are often non-partisan so it's up to people to build working coalitions on their own without help from party interests."

Women understand that the local PTA and school board can be more shark filled than any caucus in Congress.

o be sure, I'm a poor judge of the visual side of campaign events. But what I saw in Dayton was (1) the "maverick" GOP presidential candidate introducing his "maverick" running mate, even though Palin, even more than McCain, is actually a conservative ideologue whose selection thrilled both cultural and economic factions of the Right; (2) a direct appeal by Palin to HRC supporters to consummate Hillary's campaign by shattering the splintered "glass ceiling;" (3) a compelling personal story of a woman who (a) has one son with Down's Syndrome, (b) another who is being deployed to Iraq on September 11; (c) is married to a Native American (at least technically) union worker and athlete; and (d) has bravely defied her party and oil companies in Alaska.
http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/strategist/2008/08/avoiding_the_mccainpalin_trap.php

KGC

Just remembered. I found a something for you to do while in Monterey ... go kayaking with the otters

http://www.montereybaykayaks.com/info/monterey.php

Jamie,

You should have reminded FD that you stayed in a Holiday Inn Xpress once.

"I was terrified that they'd get Romney, send him to Michigan and take the state. But ole Maverick proved that judgment does count and he picked an unknown from a state people still think is owned by Russia. Thanks John!" -Mr. Democrat

Laughed 'til I hurt.

LOL re a state still owned by Russia.

Look forward to Ping's take on the VP pick. He'd been hoping for Romney. This does nothing to shore up McCain's economic credentials.

Andrew Sullivan calls her Harriet Quayle.

My niece who was a big Hillary supporter just e-mailed me an article on Palin & said John McCain now has her vote. Things are going to get interesting now, as if they weren't enough already.

"is married to a Native American (at least technically) union worker and athlete;"

Damn it! I might have to reconsider my vote.

Wonder where the "technically" tribe comes from ?

Rez....
if you do do the No Cane dance, please make sure it goes up on utube..... that's something I've gotta see........

Flatus..... 53.... hey that's my age.....
BTW..... I LOVE the name Toots and have named 2 cats that..... it's the only name I've ever used twice.....

OMG..... we're still talking about Hillary......

gotta go get ready for my party..... see y'all later....

Frydaddy

I could have sworn I typed F D

Who did you have in mind?

"he picked an unknown from a state people still think is owned by Russia."

See ET here is another example of the public school system They still think Alaska is owned by Russia. Would that be Czar Nicholas, Katherine the Great, Peter the Great, Ivan the Terrible. Who is the leader over there these days?

Jamie,

You did, I was speaking about another R, you know starts with the letter "G".

Good points Craig !
Key is the VP on the Rep ticket compares to the Top of the Dem ticket.
The Dem ticket is upside down

Wow, she's a former beauty queen!

Flatus
Congat's

Jamie, that's why I said I watched a little bit of FOX News to see what they had to say about Palin. I figured they might view her a little differently than how she is viewed here. That said, I still don't see why anybody would want the job of president or vice president.

FD

I try to forget Gordo as often as possible. With friends like that you really don't need enemies.

And still kinda hot.

No offense to her--I liked the way she presented herself--but she is like the latest contestant to be introduced in that reality TV series, "America's Next President!"

McCain has chosen a total unknown for dubious political motives. I suspect he overruled the wisdom of his Rovian advisors and went on his wife's recommendation. What does this say about his readiness to be President?

Say goodbye to the votes of moderates (when her radical right-wing views become known) and national security voters (one 72-year-old heartbeat away....)

"here is another example of the public school system "

No proof of that is that American children don't know why the Bering Sea is named Bering or why there is a Baranov Island.

Opps it is Friday, time to celebrate. John good strong American name, and Sarah one of my all time favorite names ever.

Things are looking brighter already, and our convention hasn't even started :-) Think I'll even seen some money to the Campaign to Elect John McCain.

No ET yet? Hmmmm

Oh happy day, oh happy day...

Have a Great Labor Day weekend.

Bet Brian's eye lit up when he saw the word Queen. LMAO

Ohoooooo yeah.

All the blondebimbo newstweekers at faux news must love the beauty queen pick :

"It's a qualification which none of the other candidates have, and should play veryyyyy well inside America's gated communities. Coming up in the next hour, bill o'reilly's guest is...."

It kills me that Palin cites the PTA in her service record. Gimme a break. She is the Harriet Miers of VP picks. It's hilarious trying to listen to right-wing try and defend Mac's choice. I heard one guy actually saying - "well, as long as she doesn't get any of those silly stump-em questions about foreign policy, she'll kill in the vp debate"

There is a huge experience gap between Obama and Palin. With his state senate experience, Barack has been in elected office longer than even HRC; Palin's not even completed her first term as gov in a state smaller than the city of Atlanta! She claims she doesn't deal in the "good old boys" network of DC. Imagine if Mac kicks the bucket - she'd be utterly lost. No DC experience whatsoever.

Someone earlier said that as a man I can't talk about feminist issue. What is is, some kind of first-wave nonsense? I *teach* feminist theory to undergraduates, so I think I know a thing or two about the subject. Palin is anti-feminist, period.

FryDaddy,

Just like your eyes lit up when you saw down's syndrome?

My sister has 2 kids with Downs Syndrome.

Okay, I'm confused.

On whose boat did she crew on The Deadliest Catch? And what season?

From late July: Palin, "What is it exactly that the VP does every day?"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/29/palin-what-is-it-exactly-that-the-vp-does-every-day/

McCain loses the experience and the national security argument in one day. She's a Harriet Miers for sure!

Wait till HRC comes out swinging!

I *teach* feminist theory to undergraduates, so I think I know a thing or two about the subject. Palin is anti-feminist, period.

Posted by: Politics of Utopia Author Profile Page | August 29, 2008 3:58 PM

Did she say she was a feminist?
Feminist theory???????

She was on Deadliest Catch? That would get my vote if she was on the Northwestern...but she wasn't

RR, Sorry, PPV Only. :)

The boys sure are catty about the new girl on the block.

* Sarah Palin used to wrestle kodiak bears in Alaskan bare knuckles fight clubs.
* Sarah Palin once bagged a caribou by staring it down until it died.
* Sarah Palin turned down a job as skipper of a Deadliest Catch boat because it wasn’t challenging enough
* Sarah Palin fishes salmon by convincing them it’s in their interest to jump into the boat.
* Sarah Palin once guided Santa’s sleigh through an Alaskan blizzard with the light from her smile.

sock: the point would be - she is anti-feminist in that she doesn't support the biggest issue that defines the struggle for women everywhere: the control over their own bodies

Palin lives feminist theory.
Working mother of five. Equal partner with her spouse.
Commitment to her own values.

In a gubernatorial debate, Palin stated emphatically that her opposition to abortion was so great, so total, that even if her teenage daughter was impregnated by a rapist, she would "choose life" -- meaning apparently that she would not permit her daughter to have an abortion.

Palin also had to withdraw her appointment of a top public safety commissioner who had been reprimanded for sexual harassment, although Palin had been warned about his background through letters by the sexual harassment complainant.

http://www.now.org/press/08-08/08-29.html

Wait till HRC comes out swinging!

Hey PU, what are you thinking, Hill vs Palin, mud wrestling. lol

j/k Patsi, Don't be calling me names now!

I just got two calls in the space of five minutes. One from my Christian fundamentalist Army wife friend who doesn't like McCain and wanted to know what I thought of Palin. When I told her that Palin has been Gov of Alaska for less than two years, Alalska having a population of 750,000 which is less than our DC Metro area, before that being the mayor of a town of only 8,500 people (about half the size of a magisterial district in our county), and now potentially a heart beat away from one of the oldest president who's also had cancer. My friend said, "I don't even want to vote this year."

The other was from my liberal pro-Hillary DEM, now PUMA , friend who doesn't like McCain but was very excited about Palin. She said -- "She's got 5 kids! She's a working mom! She's got a Down Syndrome Child so now children with disabilities will get some attention, so this is a good thing! And she's a woman! Yay!" I asked her if she thought Sarah Palin supported things like increasing quality child care, child care assistance, family leave, universal preschool, pay equity, preventing sexual harassment, supporting women's advancement from the secretarial pool to the executive level (an important issue for my friend since that's how she made it.)

She said, "It's like staying in a dysfunctional marriage. Why would I want to support a party that's always dirty-dealing women candidates?" I said it was a question that a lot of women are probably thinking about now -- stay with a party that treats women candidates like dirt but the rest of us like queens, or move to a party that treats women candidates like queens but the rest of us like dirt?

Meanwhile, I'm trying to do more research on Palin's programs as Gov. and the Alaska state websites is frozen up -- probably too many hits of people like e trying to find out more about her.

Let the Palin humor begin.

Top ten reasons McCain picked Sarah Palin

http://vagreatblueheron.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/top-ten-reasons-mccain-picked-sarah-palin/

Easy to imagine Barack calling Hillary earlier today and saying "You want her, or should we take her out?"

sock: you're wrong.

unless you discount the scholarship of feminist thinkers everywhere and translate their political struggle into having a good job and some kids.

she's a narrative, that's all she has to offer for the ticket.

nobody can argue with a straight face that she is in anyway qualified for the position. nobody can seriously claim that she was the best candidate for the job. mccain gave it to her because he's cynical and calculating. he hopes there are enough uncritical voters out there - or enough pumas who would rather take out their petty vengeance than have a supreme court that protects women - to put him over the top.

as my girlfriend said: this election is going to be, in the end and ironically, the true test for women. will they vote for her because she's a woman, or will they vote for Obama because they actually care about women's rights.

http://www.feministsforlife.org/

The term feminist is used by those who have no clue.

For aesthetic purposes, I would rather see a Pelosi vs. Palin or Boxer vs Palin in the mud wrestling arena...though it Ben could spare Jennifer for a few minutes...

Well, some continuity.

At least there'll still be one Republican candidate on a debate stage to raise a hand when someone asks who doesn't believe in evolution.

Bear,

Well, if Palin wasn't on TDC before, she caught herself one big ol' king crab today.

Wonder when (not if) he'll use that infamous term of endearment towards her he shares with Cindy?

Sarah Palin might have been chosen for two reasons (one serious - one not so serious)

1. Republicans tend to have trophy wives. Now John McCain has a trophy running mate...

2. Picking Palin may have been selected in order to target NASCAR Moms and Dads. Those most people only talk about NASCAR Dads (who voted for George W. Bush 70% to 27% for Kerry), women comprise 40% of NASCAR audiences.

The most wanted demographic is comprised of Southern and Midwestern white males and females age 25 and older who usually vote Republican, but can be swayed to vote Democratic if the candidate better addresses the issues they care about.

NASCAR men and women are very conservative and tend to be very religious. They most likely to be anti-cultural, anti diversity and anti abortion. They are highly influenced by churches and driven by what is perceived as “blind patriotism”. Those conservative “values” tend to drive their vote Republican.

Hi Utopia: you could argue that Palin is a feminist, of a different stripe. Pro life, yes, but not looking to reinforce that glass ceiling, as would the Phyllis Schlafly/Total Woman model.

====================

Moment of hilarity: Lindsey Graham to Wolf Blitzer a minute ago: if she can take on Ted Stevens, she can take on the Russians.

Women are a diverse group.
Many a pro-choice but many are not.

Dog: Good point. I would only add that pro-life positions impede on the ability to crack the glass ceiling. Try advancing up the ladder through the ceiling when abortion is outlawed and you're forced to give up your job as a consequence.

Ron Fournier's Analysis: Palin's age and inexperience rivals Obama's.

I guess you can dismiss that analysis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080829/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_veepstakes_analysis;_ylt=Apl_RDzi6BgvJv.h4Zr6G3us0NUE

"Senator, she is no Dan Quayle!" At this point, the race looks like it could come down to a few closely contested swing states like Colorado and Virgina, both of which "O" needs to avoid dependence on Ohio. A couple of percentage-points swing in the female vote in critical swing states will be the difference between real Change and Hillary Was Right.

Does/Can the VP choice make a difference? There's no quantitative or anecdoctal evidence to indicate that it does. Ask GW, the First. What about McCain's experience wack against Obama? Then, what about the change wack against barack's pick of Biden. This contest will clearly, as always, NOT be decided on the basis of using My VP vsTheir President picks. It has never happened and will not now, even with Mac's age.

Corey: Thanks for the link. I usually disagree with the guy - but he's right on the money. She's a disaster waiting to happen to Mac.

Only 24% of women in the US support Palin's stand on abortion, stop pulling shit out of your ass sock and trying to tell us it's gold.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States

Not only are McCain-Palin going after the DNC and BHO women they left behind, but did you take notice that not only was McCain in Ohio, so was Pawlenty and Romney. They are going to go after Ohio, WV and Ky , Pa. The blue collar vote that BHO could not get either. In fact that is where they are starting their campaign right now going through those very states.

julie

Perhaps the ones most disturbed by McCain's choice of Palin are the polar bears in Alaska.