Sarah Palin - still not ready for prime time
By Jimmy Orr | 09.26.08
Although Sarah Palin’s outing with CBS anchor Katie Couric has not been well-received, it may be too harsh to say Palin was like Chris Farley and Couric like Paul McCartney in this (admittedly role-reversed) version of this Saturday Night Live skit.
But since the Farley-McCartney interview was such great comic material, it’s good to bring it up whenever possible and provide the link to it.
No, Palin was not Farley. But she wasn’t good either. And with less than 40 days before Americans head to the voting booth, there’s not much time to get Palin used to dealing with the national press.
“Bury the interview!”
It appears that she needs more time, but unfortunately for the McCain campaign, they don’t have the luxury of putting her into an incubator to slowly ramp up to deal with the national press.
The interview with Couric had GOP strategist Rob Stutzman telling The Vote yesterday that McCain needs to participate in tonight’s debate simply “to bury the Palin CBS interview!”
Surprising?
Is it surprising? Somewhat. If you look at many national interviews she’s done in the past as Governor of Alaska, she performed much better than her outing this week with Couric and ABC’s Charlie Gibson of two weeks ago. And when you consider that up until the financial meltdown, nothing dominated the news cycle more than the nation’s energy woes – an issue that she’s comfortable chatting about – she had a lot of practice. In those interviews anyway, she looked poised and confident.
Couric and the Maverick
Poised and confident is not how she looked with Couric. On Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Couric asked Palin for an example of where McCain has led the charge for more oversight. Says Couric, “[McCain’s] been in Congress for 26 years. He’s been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation – not more.”
Palin: “He’s also known as a maverick though. Taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party.”
Couric: “I’m just going to ask one more time, not to belabor the point – specific example in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.”
Palin: “I’ll try to find you some, and I’ll bring ‘em to ya.”
As those last words fumbled from her mouth, you know she was saying, “Get me out of here.”
What?
On whether the $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial sector is a good idea.
That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Helping the—it’s got to be all about job creation too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans and trade—we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as competitive, scary thing, but one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today—we’ve got to look at that as more opportunity.
If you didn’t quite catch the meaning of the above, don’t bother re-reading it. It doesn’t get any clearer. U.S. News and World Report columnist Robert Schlesinger called the statement a “talking points machine gone out of control.”
“Or magnetic poetry that you have on your fridge – in fact, you can try it at home. String together key words and phrases like “shore up the economy,” “reduce tax rates,” “healthcare reform,” and “trade” and see what kind of Palinisms you can create,” he writes.
I can see Russia from my house
One of the unfair things in politics is you are sometimes remembered for what you didn’t say. Sarah Palin never said, “I can see Russia from my house.” Saturday Night Live did. But as we look back at the 2008 campaign, here’s betting that this quote is going to be the one remembered.
Earlier in September, Palin – in discussing her foreign policy experience – said of Russia, “They’re our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.”
She was instantly derided for this, with SNL coming up with the aforementioned sound bite.
Couric followed up with her on that statement asking her to “explain why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.”
Palin replied, “Well, it certainly does because our – our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They’re in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia…”
Couric stepped in with, “Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
“We have trade missions back and forth,” Palin began. “We, we do, it’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to, to our state.”
Red alert
This led LA Times columnist James Rainey to wonder:
“Certainly, Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin, has demonstrated his willingness to invade its small neighbors,” he wrote. “But have I missed news of recent provocations by Russian bombers over Kiwalik or Aleknagik?
Don’t answer the question
One of the first things taught to anyone – especially politicians – in addressing the media is not to answer the reporter’s question but to answer the question you want to answer. Sure, it is maddening to the viewers. Screams of “they’re not answering the questions” are hurled at the television. But there’s a reason for this. You can avoid the above.
It doesn’t have to be as nefarious as it sounds. Watch Joe Biden. He doesn’t have an answer to every question. But he’s been around long enough to know how to dance when he doesn’t have an answer and focus the issue on where he wants it focused. Even when he messes up, he does it with enough confidence that many times it’s overlooked.
Can Palin be saved?
Based on looking at prior interviews while serving as just the Governor of Alaska, she appears over-coached. At some point – and some point soon – the campaign is going have to let Palin be Palin and see if she rises to challenge.
GOP campaign consultant Ed Rollins says no more of these though.
“[The campaign] put her in many more interviews like this. She bought them two weeks in the campaign which is quite an achievement,” Rollins said.
Elway, Marino, Leaf
It’s like the old debate in professional football: Do you start the rookie quarterback or do you let him mature, hold the playbook and let him learn from the seasoned pro?
John Elway and Dan Marino both started in their rookie seasons and went on to greatness. Ryan Leaf started in his rookie year as well and is regarded as the most spectacular flame-out in the history of the league.
You’re the starter
But as GOP strategist Stutzman tells The Vote, it’s sink or swim – fair or not.
You can’t keep her on the bench,” Stutzman explained. “She was put in the game when they picked her.”
“The rock star status she instantly had creates brutally unfair expectations,” he said. “For example, Biden gaffed like a unsupervised crazy uncle last week but it didn’t matter. No expectations for him.”
<< Media to McCain: Are you going to debate? | MainComments
2. palintologist | 09.26.08
Sarah, it’s time for your closeup. LOL!
her appeal is two-fold: a crafted reaganesque libertarian message.. and her looks.
so if she falls apart, i say they can pick any of her body doubles from http://www.womenwholooklikesarahpalin.com and give her a reagan spiel. LOL!
3. nathan | 09.26.08
She looked like a blundering idiot in that interview with Couric. If I was a swing voter this interview would not have been favorable to the McShame campaign.
4. PulSamsara | 09.26.08
Just LOOK around YOU !
Poor State-Craft…
A Bungled Economy…
Is this the America you remember growing up?
So where does the Buck Stop NOW ?
Why would America REWARD complete Republican failure ?
We wont.
5. DBCooper | 09.26.08
Now I know what a palindrome is , domething that means the same thing if read backwards
7. Dresner Pinky | 09.26.08
This is our nation and our future we are talking about and not crazy football analogy. If the press had done their job well, this woman could have been history from day one. It is an embarassment to the psychic of this nation, it is an insult to the intelligence of all women that this is our respresentative. Shame on all GOP that think that this clueless woman is qualified to lead a town let alone a nation. Can somebody wtih real honor withdraw this nausiating woman and return her back to Alaska? Bush is a saint when compared with Sara. Shame on anyone that want the continuation of this national disgrace. It is disgusting to have a clueless person like this a heart beat away to the presidency of the free-world.
8. DougH | 09.26.08
I was happy from day one when they picked Sarah Palin. She was a gift to the conservative base. The base are hangers on to the whole “values” thing that got us two term of GWB. She brings an insignificant number of independents and pumped temporary energy into the most ardent conservatives. She doesn’t bring a new state either.
If she just had the gift of gab, or some special knowledge about anything generally helpful to the nation, she’d continue to be a star.
Iron Dog races and moose hunting aren’t prerequisites for the much in the lower 48.
9. maggie | 09.26.08
After listening to Sarah Palin, Miss South Carolina is probably feeling a whole lot better about her future prospects: “I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uhmmm, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and uh, I believe that our, I, education like such as uh, South Africa, and uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uhhh, our education over here in the US should help the US, uh, should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for us.”
12. obamanationofdesolation | 09.26.08
Cannot disagree with this assessment more. If you are looking for a polished elitest prsentation; Palin is not it. The down to Earth presentation just shows that she is a normal person. Listening to her policy positions on questions from Couric and Gibson that were not GOTCHA questions she understands what is really going on in this world, knows good from evil and will stick to her position. It is not easy to NOT change your position to be everything to all people like Obama i.e. “above my pay grade” . When asked about her position she point blank answered. How refreshing… an honest politician. We know where she stands. Obama is a chameleon that associates with felons, terrorists, anarchists, socialist, etc.. Palin is a God loving woman that adores her country and all that is good in the world. This choice boils down to a choice between good and evil.
13. tim raines | 09.26.08
Eisenhower was known to garble the language. It was a national joke. He was a five star general and had been elected president of the US from 1953-61. Biden is a public joke and has been for so long the default is to ignore it.
The media has been disgusting in the bias it has shown against the McCain ticket. Where is the honor of your profession? Obama was for the unification of Jerusalem before he was against it. He sat for two decades with his wife listening to the rants of pastor Wright. Obama didn’t know where he was in some campaign stops.
I have many issues with McCain, but the idiot press in its incompetence is going to push a large segment of the public against your Prince of Peace.
14. Dr. J | 09.26.08
She is obviously not qualified for the job. It was a reckless, short-sighted, and irreponsible pick on McCains part. It was hubris, ignorance, and self-delusion on Palin’s part for her to accept the nomination. These are qualities no one should want in the Whitehouse.
15. Tina from Michigan | 09.26.08
Unfortunately, I agree that Palin’s remarks are highly concerning. But American voters have a right to be exposed to the thought patterns of every candidate for high office.
The GOP should stop being overprotective of Palin. We need MORE unscripted events with ALL the candidates, but especially with Palin, since she is the least available of the 4 candidates. Yes, she will stumble and fall. But then she will pick herself up and improve. You can’t teach a young bird to fly by keeping it in the nest.
Biden and McCain and Obama trip over their words, too, sometimes. But they continue to speak publicly and take more questions. So should Palin. Voters forgive most of McCain, Oabama and Biden’s gaffes. Voters will forgive most of Palin’s gaffes.
But Palin must be treated like the other 3 candidates. She must speak publicly, off the cuff, on a regular basis, with voters and with journalists. Then let the chips fall where they may, in terms of the election results.
16. Gabriel | 09.26.08
And to think, this woman *MIGHT* be president should anything happen to McCain if elected. ARE YOU SERIOUS PEOPLE!?! I wouldn’t vote for her for district chair with an interview like that!
17. Chasera | 09.26.08
Palin’s objective in not choosing to meet the news corps in general is clear and can probably be best described as a good judgment call similar to a well intentioned swimmer along the banks of the Amazon not choosing to swim in the waters infested with piranhas.
Particularly those left leaning piranhas who would rather strip her to the bone then actually learn from her. As just one of the “folks” watching the press in action as I switch from network to cable and back to the network and watch the press bloviate. It’s interesting indeed to watch the feeding frenzy develop over candidate Palin whose honorable intentions and Nationalist instincts tend to bewilder the left to the point of complete and utter disdain for her audacity and the fact she’s not a Washington insider.
Remember, she rides Harleys while Obama rides Chinese bicycles. Now, with the economy in a complete state of flux and anticipation, we are now witnessing the results after Clinton and Congress completely deregulated the financial industry.
America has been brought to her knees by greed and fear. Sad indeed. While Palin would seemingly use staunch proven fiscal responsibility and oversight to guard against recession and a repeat of this historical episode in American history, I get the feeling Obama would continue to pontificate, adjust and jockey his position to fit the moment. Obama’s Marxism is not the answer nor is a 700 Billion dollar bail out at tax payers expense.
Most “thinking Americans” know the score and we’ll see what happens Election Day.
Bob Chase
18. Kiven | 09.26.08
Here is the discussion she had with Pakistan:
http://www.dawn.com/2008/09/26/top11.htm.
NEW YORK, Sept 25: President Asif Ali Zardari’s enthusiastic and lavish praise for US vice-presidential candidate (Republican) Sarah Palin’s looks in front of television cameras has raised eyebrows here.
According to one report, on entering a room filled with several Pakistani officials on Wednesday afternoon, Ms Palin was immediately greeted by Information Minister Sherry Rehman.
“And how does one keep looking that good when one is that busy?,” Ms Rehman asked, drawing friendly laughter from the room when she complimented her. “Oh, thank you,” Ms Palin said.
When President Zardari entered the room seconds later, Ms Palin rose to shake hands, saying she was “honoured” to meet him.
Mr Zardari then called her “gorgeous” and said: “Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you.”
“You are so nice,” Ms Palin said, smiling. “Thank you.”
A handler from Mr Zardari’s entourage then told the two politicians to keep shaking hands for the cameras. “If he’s insisting, I might hug,” said the president. Palin smiled politely.
Ms Palin, who is credited with igniting the lacklustre Republican presidential campaign after being picked by Senator John McCain as his running mate, did not answer questions from reporters at her first two appearances on Wednesday.
She joined Mr McCain in meetings with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, and then travelled downtown to meet Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
When a reporter at the Zardari meeting asked her about her day, she said: “It’s going great. These meetings are very informative and helpful, and a lot of good people sharing appreciation for America.”
19. Brian Wechsler | 09.26.08
Very few jumped on Biden’s remark about Roosevelt going on television to calm things during the Stock Market crash. Couric just let it slide–perhaps she didn’t know that TV didn’t exist and Hoover was president. If Biden can foul up such a basic fact of U.S. history, how can he be qualified to be vice president?
Three things make Palin appealing–she has lived the regular life that most Americans apart from the beltway live, she alone has executive experience, and she is a quick study, showing herself to be extremely capable at what she does. Her foreign policy experience is at least equal to Obama’s.
20. Dharma in Atlanta | 09.26.08
Perhaps more revealing than Sarah’s “words”–are buddy Joe Biden’s “words”–a quick search brings up time after time after time when basically…
Biden Blew It.
As an example, recently telling the man in a wheelchair to stand up and receive an applause! Whoops. Saying there was TV in the 1930s! Whoops, again. Or giving credit to Hoover–no, Joe, it was not Hoover!!
Whoops. Whoops. Whoops.
21. Dharma in Atlanta | 09.26.08
Perhaps more revealing than Sarah’s “words”–are buddy Joe Biden’s “words”–a quick search brings up time after time after time when basically…
Biden Blew It.
As an example, recently telling the man in a wheelchair to stand up and receive an applause! Whoops. Saying there was TV in the 1930s! Whoops, again. Or giving credit to Hoover–no, Joe, it was not Hoover!!
Whoops. Whoops. Whoops.
22. Joe | 09.26.08
McCain’s choice of Palin as VP is nearly as stupid and cruel as Ross Perot’s choice of Admiral Stockdale for VP! As least the old Admiral knew enough to say “who am I, what am I doing here?” during the debate. This Palin possesses this veneer of self-confidence which is just as annoying as her staggering ignorance. Ms. Palin looks to me to be a disasterous combination of Dan Quayle and George W. Bush. Her views are similar to W’s, only she substitutes an almost Canadian accent for Bush’s Texas drawl.
23. D.James | 09.26.08
I saw that interview and thought to myself, I just won’t vote this year. Being a lifelong Republican who believes in the integrity of our dear Democracy, I have to admit that I am simply ashamed of Mr. McCain’s choice in a running mate. John is a good man but we can’t put that woman anywhere near the White House.
24. Elle | 09.26.08
Couric’s body language during her candidate interviews has shown that
she favors the democratic ticket. With such media bias, it’s
only a matter of time before people boycott the network world news
stations for unbiased reporting. I agree with Foxnews. Cheney,
Gore and Qualye would not have been given such questions.
25. Dan | 09.26.08
I am an independent liberal, which basically means I almost always vote the democratic ticket but am not a registered Democrat. But I will say this. If the Democratic Party had controlled the White House for the past 8 years and Congress for 6 of the past 8 years there is NO WAY IN **** I would vote a Democrat back into office if the country was in the shape it is now. The most worrisome part of that comment is the Republicans don’t care. They are going to stick to their failures and vote in another person whose voting record pretty much falls right in line with those failures. How no bipartisan do you have to be to say “I love my political party more than the future of this great nation. My party screwed up but I will try and get them in again” Sad…sad…sad…SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
26. John | 09.26.08
I believe Palin will be fine. How she deals with liberal media is not of concern. I dont see why this is such an issue.
27. ExMcCainVoter | 09.26.08
I think Palin’s performance brings McCain’s judgment into serious question. With all due repsect to McCain, he is getting along in years and has a good chance of not making it through his presidency. Can you imagine Palin running this country. She would make Bush look like a Nobel Physics prize winner.
In a country of 300 million people is Palin the best we can do for VP? The sheeple of the USA deserve better or perhaps not if we vote for the GOP ticket.
28. John | 09.26.08
Now I have to say “Oh my God” again because I can’t believe anyone would pull out the old evil media line again. Couric was pitching underhanded beach balls up to Palin while she was up to bat. You die hard conservative have got to start opening your eyes and ears. I suppose you think that the only unbiased media in this country comes from Sean and Rush. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!
29. Dan | 09.26.08
I am an independent liberal, which basically means I almost always vote the democratic ticket but am not a registered Democrat. But I will say this. If the Democratic Party had controlled the White House for the past 8 years and Congress for 6 of the past 8 years there is NO WAY IN **** I would vote a Democrat back into office if the country was in the shape it is now. The most worrisome part of that comment is the Republicans don’t care. They are going to stick to their failures and vote in another person whose voting record pretty much falls right in line with those failures. How no bipartisan do you have to be to say “I love my political party more than the future of this great nation. My party screwed up but I will try and get them in again” Sad…sad…sad…SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
31. Kiven | 09.26.08
Here is her reaction to Indian prime minster:
http://www.deccan.com/home/homedetails.asp#India%20Pak%20put%20to%20Palin%20charm%20test
Earlier, a sense of unease was written large on Prime Minister Mannmohan Singh’s face when Ms Palin came calling on him. Some journalists present at the meeting said that Ms Palin was equally uncomfortable. A journalist said: “Our people seem to focus on Dr Singh’s level of discomfort, but look at her level of discomfort. She is an ordinary moose hunter, no experience either in politics or international relations. She should have been more uncomfortable meeting Dr Singh, a first rate economist, Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy.”
32. Hal | 09.26.08
It is hardly surprising that Palin would not look particularly confident talking about the bank crisis. This is not an area where she is particularly experienced.
If on the other hand she had a large Congressional staff to bring her up to speed, as Biden, Obama, and McCain have, then I’m sure she would look as knowledgeable as any of these gentlemen.
No, I would not vote for Palin based upon her vast knowledge on very conceivable subject. I would however vote for her much the for the same reasons I voted for Ronald Reagan–charisma, vision, and the ability recognize talented people that can get things done. I have FAR more confidence in her ability and John McCain’s abilities and basic personal characteristics than I do either Biden or Obama.
Biden’s chief claim to fame in the Senate was his bad comb over and his ability to look tough at times while simultaneously bending like a rubber band to his party’s whims. As for Obama…he seems like a nice guy, probably someone I’d want running as a state legislator to keep Republicans honest. President? If I lived in Illinois, I couldn’t bring myself to vote for him as Senator, how could I possibly vote for him now as President?
33. Brice | 09.26.08
Mocked by Media? LMAO, no way, we (americans) know that it’s necessary to mock at Palin.
34. Al Pinto | 09.26.08
Good one, DBCooper 
Actually, Palin made the “we can see Russia from here” comment in the Charlie Gibson interview, which was as much of a trainwreck as the Katie Couric interview. Also, maybe Katie was trying to prove herself in a world of seasoned political commentators such as Tom Brokaw, Charlie Gibson, and Chris Mathews, by being unfairly tough with Palin.
But to be sure, she is not yet ready for primetime.
36. Dan | 09.26.08
I am an independent liberal, which basically means I almost always vote the democratic ticket but am not a registered Democrat. But I will say this. If the Democratic Party had controlled the White House for the past 8 years and Congress for 6 of the past 8 years there is NO WAY IN **** I would vote a Democrat back into office if the country was in the shape it is now. The most worrisome part of that comment is the Republicans don’t care. They are going to stick to their failures and vote in another person whose voting record pretty much falls right in line with those failures. How no bipartisan do you have to be to say “I love my political party more than the future of this great nation. My party screwed up but I will try and get them in again” Sad…sad…sad…SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
39. Chris | 09.26.08
She’s the VP to Nowhere! And she likes waffles, too!
First she supported the Bridge to Nowhere to get elected.
Then when this pork barrel earmark was scrutinized by Congress and rejected — only only after — she suddenly was against the Bridge to Nowhere. Yet McCain ads tout her as killing the project. (Apparently McCain lies to many people and not just to David Letterman — getting on a plane now! Right!)
Palin didn’t give back a single penny of the money!
So last week Alaska completed the Road to Nowhere, right up to the water’s edge where the bridge would have been. $26 million in taxpayers money for a road into the water. Talk about Lemmings marching over the cliff!
Where does this insanity come from you ask? The Campaign to Nowhere!!!
40. helen leslie | 09.26.08
I watched a CNN panel discuss the interview yesterday evening. The three participants and the host were all making excuses for Palin. Treating her like a little girl who just needs a chance to find out who she is. They think she has lost her “confidence” (arrogance) and that she needed more exposure with mentorship earlier on, etc.
Would the media for one moment have “coddled” and excused Obama or even McCain in the same way. It is said off and on the Obama is “inexperienced” but who was giving him the benefit of the doubt then and trying to explain how it is that he just needed to be managed better.
Yikes! What is this? Palin chose this position but she is not expected to perform even adequately. Brings the Peter principle to mind.
41. Drak Vlk | 09.26.08
It’s amazes me how stupid Americans are to even consider voting for Sara and Dippity*, don’t we have enough troubles already?
*Look it up “serendipity”
Rep’s, Where did you leave your brains??
42. bruce | 09.26.08
The 100 ton elephant in the room is that MCCAIN IS AN OLD MAN! He’s had multiple health scares. I would not bet money on his making it through the next four years w/out some major health issue. That is what make’s Palin’s selection such a weak, scary choice. I think that must be elevated in commentary no matter how rude it is. We are already in deep trouble as it is. If elected, that team could only make it worse.
43. Rob | 09.26.08
She looked like a blundering idiot because she is a blundering idiot. Anyone not acknowledging this is in Republican denial fantasy land. Palin would be dangerous in any governmental capacity. She simply does not have what it takes. She is yet another national embarrassment.
44. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Palin supporters are missing the point. The huge criticism is not that she’s inarticulate, it’s that she doesn’t know anything about the significant issues. No reasonable, thinking person could credibly assert that she does. Even First Lady Laura Bush honestly stated that Palin lacks the needed foreign policy experience, but was a quick learner. Instead of using their heads and being credible like Laura Bush, the McCain campaign instead elected to insist (contrary to all the evidence), that Palin actually does have foreign policy experience. The evidence they use is silly. These McCain people would try to argue that Santa Claus is real. He’s not far from Alaska either.
45. Lawrence | 09.26.08
It’s obvious that Sarah Palin has no command of the great issues of the day. For those of you who decry “gotcha” questions, sorry, these are a fact of political life. What types of questions do you propose? “Governor Palin, what did you have for breakfast today?” How are we American voters supposed to know where she stands on issues other than reporter’s probing questions and follow-ups? Face it GOPers, John McCain picked a rank amateur to be one heartbeat away from the nuclear triggers. We cannot afford to have Sarah Palin elected to such a high office in these extremely dangerous times. Our economy is failing. We are involved in two wars. We have 47 million of our citizens without health insurance. And the best the GOP can give us is Sarah Palin? Sorry. We will not reward your mediocrity with 4 more years of the same failed policies.
46. Carly | 09.26.08
Palin is clearly out of her league. As an ex-sportscaster, she can put on a good show but there is no depth behind it. We need real leaders.
47. TL | 09.26.08
The least the American public can require from those running for President/Vice-president is some knowledge of what is going on in their own political party and be able to intelligently discuss the platform and record of party leaders (and running mates). It is blatantly obvious that Palin does not even remotely meet that requirement.
48. Ralph S | 09.26.08
Republican party is in shambles, Bush has destroyed this country. If you hear Palin you wonder what will happen if these retards win the presidency. God can only save America from these clowns. And this is coming from a frustrated Republican. I think people should wake up and realize that our country has no money, we are broke, we have about 65 Trillions of debt and obligations. And we are more interested in bringing democracies in the world. If your house is on fire and you are gardening your neighbors lawns then only god can save you. Most people in this country are nice but clueless and ignorant to face reality. On top of all this short term thinking of greedy CEOs and lobbyist is destroying the country. Sorry for highlighting this.
49. Eric | 09.26.08
The press, thanks for being here but please drop your agendas. This election is already limited to two choices unfairly. Mrs Palin may not be used to lying or blabbing like most but she basically is saying I will take steps to improve what I can. That is going to be hard enough and she can answer questions as she quickly learned to set Mr Gibson in his place, just try to make them productive. I am against the bail out by the way. The market is out of touch with American people, we look for a job that hasn’t been sent overseas yet and hear the market’s doing Ok though.
50. Biff | 09.26.08
Thank God for Sarah! I for one am glad that SOMEONE is asking the question when Putin rears his head and enters our airspace, “where do they go?”. I was initially very concerned for us super-rich that we could find someone, anyone, as intellectually incurious and malleable as bush 43-now I see we’ve hit the mother lode. We will be wringing every last borrowed penny from this once great nation, with no one to stop us but McCain and Palin. Thank God!
51. Jeb Jebadiah Jebberson | 09.26.08
I’m an expert on energy! Alaska provides 20% of America’s energy (or 3.5 percent, who’s counting)! Yah, C’mon now eh! Don’t ya knoooow, I’m gonna be in charge of energy policy! I build gas pipelines that haven’t been built, that’s why I’m qualified. That’s all I got aside from not knowing anything about the guy that just picked me to look like a purdy little woman. Nice try. This woman is THE DUMBEST WOMAN ever!
Are there really people sticking up for her ignorance? People are really supporting her because she’s just like one of us, average flawed mom’s. She has a nanny people! She doesn’t even watch her kids! Is your husband a stay at home dad, while you fly to your job every week? Is this embicle what you want making BIG DECISIONS? This idiot that evades real questions we need to know what she knows about. She can’t even give a straight educated answer without the one liners!!!
THIS IS THE MOST ABSURD PICK EVER. John McCain reflects his pick, dumb also. THIS IS A PLOY TO BRING IN DUMB WOMEN ONLY BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN WITH DESIGER GLASSES. NOBODY IS TRUELY LISTENING AND JUDGING HER CHARACTER AND THAT IS OUR JOB.
obamanationofdesolation you are diluted as the rest of the proud idiots.
This summarization
52. Firth Davenport | 09.26.08
What I think I liked about Gov. Palin’s speech to save shale oil drilling in the oh my we are heading into a depression and the planet is green house gas because I ate Mongolian BBQ last night. They are bad people. Do you understand? Bad people. Healthcare tomatoe soup (the kind Dan Qyale likes) that they just emptied the fire hydrants on Wall Street and the banks will be given new jobs. When I was mayor I knew that Senator McCain applesauce and how did I become Governor? You are mocking me. Yes - mock is a good word. Bad people me on side of good people. Do you know what I mean? I am a hocky mom who came in second place in a beauty contest in the town of Ecasoahilawe where it was between a Dachsund named Sparky and me.
53. Anne | 09.26.08
It is not just a matter of misspeaking — we all do that — though in a national leader, being SO inarticulate is a distinct problem. This further demonstrates the lack of judgment which is fast becoming McCain’s hallmark. Palin is a disgrace and, after the 8 year embarrassment of a President whose frequent information and knowledge lapses (not to mention syntax disasters) has made the US executive leadership the laughing stock of the world, an informed and inexperienced VP is the last thing this nation needs. Ask yourself – this person could become President. Appalling!
54. Mark Schrammel | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin is a victim of her own aspirations, but more than that she is a victim of the disdain Republican strategists have for working class Americans, particularly middle aged white women voters. Are we to believe there are no republicans with even moderate depth of experience that are willing to stand up for this party, this nation. Governor Palin seems pleasant and occasionally bright, but she has none of the education or gravitas necessary for the job that has been offered. To suggest that because she is representative of the great many opinionated, ill-informed, ‘ordinary folks,’ that somehow she can run the the US government, is absurd. The Palin nomination is an insult to all of us, including Governor Palin, because she is so obviously unqualified.
55. heidi | 09.26.08
Most non-idiots in this country support Palin’s character and positive attitude. The media knows it and hate her. They want so bad for Obama to win they will do any manipulation of any sound bite they can. Hang on, 53-47 McCain.
56. Sandra | 09.26.08
I don’t know why I have this news site on my computer. All of you people are very rude. don’t tell ne I’m posting to quickly. I know what I’m saying!
57. Chrs Free | 09.26.08
Elitist! Like Ike!
If by elitist and like Eisenhower, you mean knowledgeable enough to run the country and enlightened enough to understand the concept of a military industrial complex — then yes, sarah’s doing just dandy.
Otherwise, you have *got* to be kidding.
58. Skip | 09.26.08
Well,
It looks like all the candidates have slipped up during this campaign. Governor Palin seems likable however, she seems to have followed the same track as the current President of the USA. In Bush’s case it’s been either a stupidity level unmatched by any other President in this countries history OR a deliberate attempt to bring our nation to it’s knees.
For Governor Palin to come across as a complete DOLT is disturbing. It could be incompetence or a slick ploy to finish the destruction of the USA. Either way, we don’t need this type of individual at the ready to take control in the event Senator McCain cannot serve.
Skip
59. Arjay | 09.26.08
Responding to the blather accusing the media and Democrats as elitist. Are you kidding? First, Katie Couric is well known as a slow-pitch interviewer and she didn’t give Sarah P. any tough questions. If Sarah P. couldn’t answer coherently, that was on Sarah P. Second, since when has coherence of thought and speech become “elitist?” There was a time 40 or 50 years ago that even ordinary people got a decent education in high school, without college. I have known oilmen and mechanics with a high school education who were more articulate and knowledgeable about life, current events, geography, history, etc. than is the norm today. Oh, dear God, help this country! Have we become a nation of ignoramuses? [for you elitists who might read this, “ignorami”]? This whole Sarah Palin thing and the flimsinsess of the stuff she and her supporters use to argue she is qualified — drives me nuts! Foreign policy experience because you can see Russia from an Alaskan island? Puh-lease!
60. Chasera | 09.26.08
Hey John,
Are you the guy responsible for holding the John 3:16 signs in the end zone at televised football games? Remember…don’t ever ride bare back and never trust anything that bleeds longer than five days.
61. Robert | 09.26.08
It’s like watching a slow-motion train wreck. It is up to us to decide whether we want to be on that train, or to have left it at the station. I’m sure you know what rational people would prefer.
62. Deborah Harry | 09.26.08
I like her, sex appeal can win over Putin.
God invented feminism to keep the ugly women busy with something.
63. jon | 09.26.08
The saddest thing about Gov Palin, is that her selection by McCain, really highlights a huge problem in America. And you see it, in the posts here, supporting her.
*She’s like us.* *It’s the elitest Media’s fault.* Etc.
I don’t want a President like YOU, nor a President like ME. I want a President that understands what’s going on, and has the curiosity, and intelligence, to weigh situations, and do what’s best for the Country. I know more, and think issues through more, than Gov Palin does. I am far from thinking myself to be of Presidential caliber.
Making the silly excuse about Liberal elitism, every time someone asks a question, of Palin or McCain, belittles the electorate. When these same folks, grill Sen Obama over his affiliation with his church, or his Rev, or his lapel pin, or his diet, etc… I didn’t see any condemnation from these GOP supporters, of the Media. And that’s the problem, so many Americans care more about their Party affiliation, than what’s best for America. ANYONE who cares about America, after listening to Gov Palin, has to be concerned, that she could be VP.
I’m a Vet… I’ve voted GOP all of my life, but with the Palin choice, and seeing his crazy behavior this past week, I cannot vote for Sen McCain.
He truly puts his ambition, ahead of the Country.
And while I have reservations about Sen Obama, he’s shown himself to think issues through, and listen to various opinions, before taking a position.
The bailout negotiations were refreshingly bipartisan, until Sen McCain injected himself into the process. Just very poor judgment, as was his choice of Gov Palin.
64. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Elle, when journalists ask questions, they have to start somewhere. Cheney and the others were known to be capable of answering complicated questions. With Palin, it’s more than obvious that the starting place has to be to see whether she can answer the most basic questions. She couldn’t even do that. David Letterman characterized it well: Palin’s meeting with the foreign leaders was like bring-your-daughter-to-work day. Why are some people trying to defend Palin, pretending that her silly assertions could actually pass for some type of knowledge or experience? Do you really want want to put your’s and everyone else’s future in the hands of dummies?
66. Jayashiel Kakileti | 09.26.08
Obama cites his ties to relatives in poor villages in Kenya and the years he spent growing up in Indonesia. and a picnic to Pakistan while a college student.
If in spite of so many similar absurdities uttered , Obama could be considered for Presidency, Palin could easily pass for VP.
Anyday in any which way -
John McCain is better than Biden
Sara Palin is better than Obama
67. jesse | 09.26.08
When I hear people say, I love Palin! I wish the ticket was the other way around!! My bewildered answer is always WHY!!?! She sounds like blundering idiot who I wouldn’t let be the team mom of my son’s hockey team let alone the second in command of this country! The fact that her nomination was only polical should finally be accepted by conservatives.
68. New hope | 09.26.08
Hilary Clinton could have easily handled this questions. I am concern the negative image Palin has created for women in leadership roles.
69. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Heidi, you disprove your own assertion by the fact that YOU are supporting her.
71. geek | 09.26.08
The questions asked Governor Palin were down the middle and not complex.
Governor Palin’s ability or inability to respond in a understandable manner and now has given many pause for concern.
The attractive cover and picture of the author cannot change the content of a book.
It appears that just becoming a Governor was a huge accomplishment.
72. FrankSinatra | 09.26.08
Oh please. Ronald Reagan used to give gibberish refrigerator answers all the time. Press hated it. Public didnt care. And are ya really all that concerned about upsetting Russia? Remember the Regan quip, “I have just outlawed Russia. Bombing begins in ten minutes.” Grow up. Quit whining that it takes time to aclimate. Harry Truman got the same gruff from the press and ranks #7—behind Professor Woodrow Wilson, as the most effective presidents we ever had.
73. John Hill | 09.26.08
This is deja vous! When George “W” was first elected president, I thought “He is as stupid as dirt but the Republicans will surround him with brilliant advisors”. Well, at least I was half right.
74. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
The party that wants to make certain English is the official language will criticize you if you’re good at using it. Ha!
75. Percival Samson | 09.26.08
Media never tires of bashing Sarah Palin. The endless bashing is getting ludicrous by the hour. Every sentence that comes out of her mouth is nitpicked and subjected to mindless scrutiny. For Chrissake, a media interview is just an interview. It is not a qualifying examination. Don’t the fault-finders know that?
This article says she is not ready for prime time. Whatt?? She, after speaking befoe tens of thousands of people in rallies and delivering a speech at the RNC, watched and admired by 40 million people in the US alone? Jheez, Obama himself said after the speech, “she is a skilled politician…” And the author says she is not ready! She is not ready to make amends with the media, that’s what should be impaled into the minds of nitpickers and fault-finders.
76. No More Losers for President | 09.26.08
Just because she’s a “God loving woman”, doesn’t mean she knows anything. She can’t even construct a simple thought when asked. Anyone that looks at this as a “good vs evil” is really lost. Bush, Biden and McCain have all been asked tough questions and they’ve had to come up with answers. Palin can’t seem to answer simple questions. People need to stop making excuses for her and let her prove herself on her own merit.
…and let’s not pretend that she’s squeaky clean either. She’s got more scandals floating around her than anyone else at this point.
Bottom line is that she’s in over her head and doesn’t seem to have a clue of what’s going on in the world outside of Alaska.
77. Chasera | 09.26.08
Hey Jon,
Don’t be so damn sanctimonious, and most importantly…don’t give up the ship!! Read David McCullough’s book detailing the life of John Adams or, better yet get better acquainted with the details associated with Nationalism, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Then tell me you think Obama is a better choice. Remember…liberalism is a mental disorder.
78. TANYA | 09.26.08
Ok everyone taks about Palin not having so-called experience.Let’s compare her to say the democratic nominee running for the presidency-BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.Show me his proof and what laws her passed.I think he has only had a couple years in the senate.Right there alone Palin has more experience.Not to even mention Obama saying he is a christian,then saying in interviews his MUSLIM faith.
79. Lim | 09.26.08
Wait and see…she’s going to turn out GREAT!!!!Like Bill Clinton said, she has that appeal.
80. The Hammer | 09.26.08
Let’s see……Hmmm, Who’s qualified……
A Bear wranglin, coyote hunt’n, snowmobile race’n ******* family with
an unwed pregnant teenage daughter (oh, not to mention, no real world experience, never having traveled outside of the U.S. her entire life.)
Who happens to be running with an out of touch, rich, elite, guy who’s
better in the senate than as a President.
or
A highly educated professional that has legal and real world experience, having traveled and lived around the world. Who has the capacity to understand complex issues when required. Who happens to be running with a long term respected foreign policy expert with years of experience, that has the capacity to understand and digest the complex issues the U.S. is currently in and faces in the future.
This is not about good and evil, not about blind partisanship, not about religeon, but simply, who has the chops to lead? I think we know the answer.
81. me | 09.26.08
hahahaha, so the Palin followers finally figure out that their leader is a bumbling idiot.
82. Isaac and Gabby | 09.26.08
My wife and I were planing to vote for McCain in this election from very early on.
At this point, we’re pretty solidly sure we’re voting for Obama, and Palin as McCain’s pick has a whole lot to do with that decision. My wife is still hoping he’ll chuck her and pick someone else, but I’m done with him, thanks to the Palin pick (his judgment is seriously flawed) and his negative campaigning (the RNC was an embarrassment).
Also, I find myself more and more impressed with Obama’s intellect, judgment, character and temperament every time I see an interview with him. The guy definitely has something special to offer as President, and I think he’s worth the risk (the risk meaning he’s not as ‘tested’ as say Clinton or McCain or Biden).
Truly, though, Palin remains the biggest problem. If McCain / Palin are elected, and McCain becomes ill and dies (not at all unlikely) well then God help us all.
83. McGurk | 09.26.08
Number 21 check your facts a little closer before inserting foot into mouth please, the first television networks began broadcasting in 1935.
84. The Facts | 09.26.08
obamanationofdesolation - This is not about elitism or good versus evil or religious piety. It’s competence. Palin may be a good person and a devout Christian, but the Couric interview shows she has no understanding of national or foreign policy, and moreover, as others here pointed out, could never go face-to-face with someone like Putin. If a surgeon couldn’t explain what she was going to do in the operation without rambling like Palin about financial crises, job creation, and health care reform, you wouldn’t let her operate. And if your lawyer in your criminal trial called an expert witness with expertise on ballistics came from working next door to the police station, you’d find yourself some better counsel.
Moreover, repeating the same lies about Obama doesn’t make them true. And it’s certainly not the Christian thing to do.
85. nj-bj | 09.26.08
If your doctor was as smart as Sarah would you trust them?
If your child’s teacher put sentences together like Sarah would you support them because you thought they should be given a chance to grow into the job?
If the airplane pilot flying your airplane was as smart as Sarah would you put your family on the plane?
I don’t judge Sarah by what the press says about her. I judge her by the words that come from her mouth. She does not express herself very well. If she cannot express herself well how can she govern well?
She does seem like an “O.K.” person, but personally, I want a “top of their class” person leading the most powerful country in the world. Would you trust a 5 year old with your shotgun? It doesn’t mean they are not nice, but at 5 they are not mature enough. At least when Dick Cheney does something, you can be sure that is what he meant to do, whether you like it or not. Reagan and Clinton were both smart people; give me someone of that caliber, please.
87. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - “we are now witnessing the results after Clinton and Congress completely deregulated the financial industry”
Really? Did I read this right? The dems deregulated something? The dems controlled congress when Clinton was president? I remember the dems bill forcing banks to give risky loans to unqaulified people, but I guess I would need some sort of support for that deregulation statement.
88. Dan | 09.26.08
It makes me mad that Republicans site “the liberal media” for making Palin and McCain look bad. The media asks just as tough questions of both candidates. Can they help that Palin and McCain look like idiots when answering those tough questions?
The media, whether liberal or not, is interested in ratings. They don’t care whether you’re a democrat or a republican. But they are interested in news, something that will draw their viewers to their station. Typically that news is of the negative type.
So, to all Republicans, stop making excuses. It is your candidates and not the media that is responsible for their blunders.
And by the way, when Palin had a hard time answering the question related to Russia and her foreign policy credentials, it is because she was not honest about it and didn’t believe in her own answers. An inexperienced politician tends to have problems verbalizing things that they don’t normally believe in. I’m the same way. If I don’t believe in something, I can’t sell it. But I at least know that I will never be president or even vice president. Perhaps Palin should take that cue.
89. Tyler | 09.26.08
“”This led LA Times columnist James Rainey to wonder:
“Certainly, Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin, has demonstrated his willingness to invade its small neighbors,” he wrote. “But have I missed news of recent provocations by Russian bombers over Kiwalik or Aleknagik?”"
GO LOOK HERE:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/11/russian.bomber/index.html
Sure this article is old- but the news won’t report that they are continuing to invade US airspace, even today. Why not? Because they would rather spread their liberal propogana.
I’m from AK- and the russians do keep sending their
90. Larkin G. Mead | 09.26.08
OK! Sarah is not read for “prime-time”! Is Barack Hussein Obama? As an Illinoisan, I can tell you, Barack is not ready for the Oval Office. Let us get real here! McCain is ready, Barack is not! Biden has a problem with putting his mouth in gear before his brain.
Yes, these are troubled times and we don’t need a Community Organizer who thrived on Jimmy Carter’s “Community Reinvestment Act” (CRA) and Bill Clinton’s rewriting of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules in 1999 that got us into our current sub-prime mortgage crisis. Clinton now admits he made a mistake and poor Barack is sitting there worrying about where he is going to find all the money to pay for health care for everyone, free college education for everyone and all of his other liberal, socialistic agenda.
Wake up America.
You want change? Vote McCain-Palin. They have vowed to clean up Washington and not on the backs of taxpayers and those who pay their mortgages on time.
91. German Cordoba | 09.26.08
I thought that Palin was very good and Kouric look not only terrible but she is not a real reporter, just a show host with any credentials,,,,Sarah Palin was great, where all this so call experts come from?????
92. Pedro | 09.26.08
Honestly, it’s not even an issue of Palin being articulate or inarticulate. It’s about having NO CLUE when asked about legitimate topics. That’s scary people!
93. Phillip in Swing State VA | 09.26.08
WHY are we so afraid of electing smart people to high office? I am pretty smart — but I know from reading his book (2d) and listening to him speak that Obama is more knowledgeable and much smarter than I am. He has also shown himself pretty tough — against the Clinton machine and in things like O’Reilly interview (want to talk about a hostile interview?). Palin is the girl next door who is a strident believer in a an ideology she doesn’t seem to know much about beyond the sound bites about less regulation and lower taxes.
If being literate, knowledgeable, smark and well spoken is elitist, then please sign me up for the Elite Party of America.
94. Jazzgasm | 09.26.08
She’s just a regular person… JUST LIKE ME! Of course, since I’m not smart enough to be President or Vice-President of the United States, I’ll be voting for those who are.
Obama/Biden ‘08!… because Sarah Palin will most likely never have a beer with me anyway.
95. National Embarrassment | 09.26.08
This should be a national embarrassment. It degrades the high position of Vice President that the Republicans could pick someone that they knew clearly was not up to the job. They have shown as much by keeping her hidden from the media and you can be sure that after this interview, we’ll see even less of her. Do you think it was coincidence that on the day this interview was aired she gave her first press conference (albeit only 4 questions)? Clearly the GOP were trying to get better images of her out there on the evening news.
Sarah Palin seems like a nice enough person. But unfortunately niceness doesn’t count for much in international politics. Being voted “Miss Congeniality” doesn’t make you fit to run the country.
96. Nickie | 09.26.08
I think people realy need to leave the media alone. Its not perfect, but if they went, freedom would be quick to follow, thats why its the first thing dictators try to control. At the RNC people attacked the media then complained when they left to cover the hurricain. Face it, you need them. The reason that Palin is getting such questions is because she is an unknown. We have had years to learn about the McCain, Obama and Biden because they have been around and in the spot light. We have a very short time to see what Palin is about, so thats why all the investigation. Dealing with the media is part of the job. Shunning reporters is a way of saying, “I don’t want Americans to know about me or what I’m doing”. Its a slap in the face. We need an open relationship. Had she been willing to talk more, maybe some reporters wouldn’t feel the need to keep digging around. We only have what she gives the media and what they can find.
And if she is stumped by Katie, how will she be able to justify her actions to world leaders. Is Fox gonna call their questions unfair? This country is based on the idea that we question our leaders. Republicans need to stop protecting their precious little girl and let her face her critics, not just her fans. Show that inner pitt bull she claims to have.
97. Mark | 09.26.08
Whether she starts or not in her rookie season — as used in the football analogy — is irrelevent. She was chosen to be the backup quarterback. The back-up quarterback still comes into the game and runs a few plays from time to time, and runs plays during practice, so that when the starter is injured, or is doing poorly in a game, they can step in full time, and the team doesn’t suffer. Many teams with rookie QBs have second string QBs who are veterans to step in (the rookie is the third string QB) because the rookie is just not up to being a starter that early in his career. And that is EXACTLY where we are with Palin. She is painfully inexperienced — those answers were embarassing, like a beauty queen answering the final question asked in a beauty contest and giving a totally vapid, superficially responsive (but ultimately pointless) answer. And this isn’t football, this is the POTUS — possibly the whole ball of wax. There is no more important position aside from POTUS, and she may be thrust into the position, from Day One, of having to deal with much worse than Katie Couric. Can you imagine her managing the current capital market meltdown, a terrorist attack and a Soviet act of agression in eastern Europe? I can’t.
And to make matters worse, she was chosen by McCain for purely political reasons with almost no vetting of any kind, based on two short conversations/meetings, with no sense of whether she was up to a national office, much less being PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (if McCain dies or is incapacitated — which is not a stretch for a 72 year old man, who is a former POW, with recurrent malignant melanoma). This is scary stuff, and like a lot of independents who have been looking for ways to get comfortable with McCain because I like the maverick that he was in the 2000 primary campaign (and before that), this decision may be a disqualifier for me. I disagree with Obama on a lot of things, but I will sleep OK at night if he or Biden is POTUS. And while I am OK with McCain as commander in chief also (although in light of his recent “drama queen” antics, I less comfortable than I was 2-3 months ago), I just cannot get comfortable with Sarah Palin as President (and it has nothing to do with her gender or her right wing leanings — she is considerably further to the right than I am). I just can’t believe McCain put us in a position where voting for him means accepting a VP who is this lacking in basic qualifications to serve as POTUS from a foreign policy and national security perspective, and who has absolutely nothing to say on either subject (either before or since her selection) that makes any sense at all (or that inspires confidence that she is actually versed in either topic to any extent at all). Disappointed does not begin to describe how bad this is from where I sit — this is the one thing the VP is supposed to be up for, stepping in as POTUS if the President can’t serve. And she is not up for it.
This is what happens when you let politics win out over sound judgment. And to think we all thought Obama would be the one to act “politically” on his choice of a VP.
98. Reader | 09.26.08
I read this and was dismayed. I went to youtube and listened to the actual interview for myself. It was intelligent and was NOT what is represented here in this blog. The question about specific examples was rediculous and I am sure Biden couldn’t answer that for Obama either. She was questioned on a number of topics that are not addressed in this blog. Go watch for yourself and decide rather than let a blogger tell you their version of what has been said. By the way I am an independent who is listening to both candidates and will decide.
99. Andrew | 09.26.08
I read comments to news articles all the time. However, I must say after watching how blind some of the posters are on this, I really feel that there is no hope in the world.
Somehow they keep being organized by some shared ignorance and stupidity…
The right has truly lost it.
100. Chasera | 09.26.08
Isaac and Gabby,
Don’t be so hasty in your decision making. You’ve been listening to too much cable MSNBC, CNN and reading the NYTimes. How can you throw in the towel in lieu of the Marxist Obama? Do you remember the Jimmy Carter years? The current Wall Street debacle practically all began on Clinton’s watch with a Democrat congress. Although Bush fiscally has done nothing right, electing a polished speaker with shady relationships tied to black separatism and another with anti-American ideals leading the effort to bomb federal offices, spewing hate and social discord, is NOT the answer either. Wise up!
101. Sam Livingston | 09.26.08
With apologies to the Palin supporting commenter above, I WANT an elite person in the white house. I want someone who is smarter than I am, more eloquent than I am, more educated than I am, more versed in policy (both domestic and foreign) than I am, more experienced with foreign leaders than I am, more able to juggle multiple crises than I am. I do not want someone in the White House with whom I would feel comfortable having a beer, nor do I want someone who speaks to the American public at a third grade level. I want a president who is too busy steering the country to stop by my house for a fireside chat and I want a president who knows when to leave the folksy, “g” dropping cadence at home. In other words, I want an elitist in the Whole House. I think being the President of the United States takes a sophistication and education that most Americans do not possess. I do not say this as a left leaning, college educated, coastal dweller. I never finished college. I am married to a Navy veteran who has always voted with the GOP. I live in a fly-over state, in a town of 1500 people, most of whom are under-educated and under-employed (I certainly would not want my mayor walking into the White House in two years). I would not more vote for the McCain/Palin campaign than I would for my golden retriever as a write in candidate.
102. Paul | 09.26.08
Well, what I find amazing is the people here still trying to defend Palin. She is the model of an empty shirt.
The supporters are boiling things down to a choice between good and evil - does not matter if she is clueless, can’t speak clearly and talks anyway. Or, to the liberal media (Couric is liberal indeed! Ha!). Or trying to say somehow that Obama is less than she is, less experienced and the wrong experience. I guess being a decider is what’s important. To decide things, the emptier your head, the easier it is, so you make a great decider……
Yeah right. I agree with the final comment although not the rest of one posters comments - right thinking Americans will judge on election day…. Should be easy too…
103. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Percival Samson, when you come into town, guns blazin’, and assert your the new savior of the country, the media, rightfully, is going to subject your macho hubris to strict scrutiny. That’s what they should do. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
German Cordoba, you might be the only living person who thought Sarah’s idiotic disposition and lack of knowledge made her look good, while Katie’s professional demeanor and asutute yet simple questioning made Katie look bad. You clearly are seeing through rose-colored glasses. Every op-ed columnist worth their salt has pointed out how empty and pathetic Palin’s responses were.
104. mwf | 09.26.08
Why do McCain/Palin supporters always call it “gotcha” questions when they don’t like the outcome?
Or were you watching an interview that the rest of us haven’t seen?
They were not “gotcha” questions. They were questions.
And nice to see that you can mimic a word you’ve read elsewhere on the internet.
Anyone that thinks Sarah Pallin is the best this country can do for a potential Presidential candidate, needs to have their voter registration revoked.
106. bopst | 09.26.08
I just read obamanationofdesolation’s post. It amazes me that people can be so delusional. Well, maybe not. After all, George Bush is our president.
107. Janet Greene | 09.26.08
I find it disturbing that at a time of crisis - the kind of crisis which could result in the US becoming a 3rd world country - the repubs manage to “out-laughingstock” themselves by nominating a vacuous, uncurious, uneducated, and uninformed hockey mom for VP. I’m a woman so please don’t accuse me of being sexist. She could not even run a gas station (check out her bio), believes the world is 4-6000 years old, global warming not created by humans, we should kill animals for sport, rape victims should pay for their own rape kits, don’t teach your children how to protect themslves from pregnancy or HIV etc. In-F**king-credible. Maybe instead of banning books she should try reading one. Oh right, if she’s knowledgeable on any relevant topic then she loses her “she’s just like me” appeal. Catch-22 I guess. Oh well, I can always move to Europe if we fall like the roman empire.
108. Robert | 09.26.08
As an Alaskan, I know that the writer of this article doesn’t realize just how under-qualified Palin is as governor, not to mention where she is headed in the polls as VP candidate. She could be the first governor in Alaskan history to be impeached, if McCain is not successful in pulling the wool over enough of his incredibly naive supporter’s eyes. In my 66 years on this planet, I have never encountered such and ignorant electorate.
109. Thambi Thomas | 09.26.08
GWB got in courtesy of the Supreme Court. GWB coined the phrase “Axis of Evil” and took it upon himself to “will” democracy on other nations, starting with Iraq. We had no business going there and we cannot in good conscience say Russia should not have invaded Georgia. We have billions going to Iraq and Pakistan without any accountability and our national surplus has been replaced with a debt of trillions of dollars and climbing. The financial market is in ruins, and the best the Republican party can come up with is a moose hunting hockey mom for VP or possibly the president of the US. So now the election is a choice between good and evil. Let’s see with the two candidates (good=White, McCain; evil=Black, Obama) and no we are not racist! If we raise any questions we are labeled as unpatriotic, or pinheads, or coolaid drinkers. BTW, I was a Republican until this and now a Democrat.
110. Phillip in Swing State VA | 09.26.08
Without the Fourth Estate, democracy is not possible (hence the First Amendment). The problem with the press is not too much bias - rather it is too little interest in getting to the truth. I was actually shocked that Couric asked a follow up about “McCain the Regulator” instead of asking Palin where she gets her glasses.
My favorite was recent CNN reporter who angrily attacked Obama economic advisor with McCain talking point that Obama did not have “specific plan” and when he responded by telling her the first two points of five point plan, she cut him off and said, “We have run out of time.”
111. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Percival Samson, when you come into town, guns blazin’, and assert your the new savior of the country, the media, rightfully, is going to subject your macho hubris to strict scrutiny. That’s what they should do. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
German Cordoba, you might be the only living person who thought Sarah’s idiotic disposition and lack of knowledge made her look good, while Katie’s professional demeanor and asutute yet simple questioning made Katie look bad. You clearly are seeing through rose-colored glasses. Every op-ed columnist worth their salt has pointed out how empty and pathetic Palin’s responses were.
112. TeeCee | 09.26.08
Don’t Alaskans have any sense at all? How could anybody vote for this clown? Is the GOP trying to throw this election? Where is their sense of shame? If she gets even one vote it would be one too many.
113. Fred | 09.26.08
Brian - FDR was governor of NY (you know where Wall Street is) during the stock market crash in the 1920’s. FDR did immediately go on the radio and made all of the statements that Biden mentioned.
So Biden’s only mistake was saying television when he should have said radio. That is a very small slip of the tongue about something that happened before Biden was was born, compared to Palin just being CLUELESS about most of the serious problems facing our country TODAY.
114. Michael lee | 09.26.08
Maybe if you are going to use a comedy skit interview as a comparison you should at least watch the thing so you know who played what role.
Dumb*** Orr got the whole thing backwards. Have to love knowitall journalists that can’t even make a good comparison for a joke. Palin was the interviewEE on the interviewER.. idiot
115. Noel Meer | 09.26.08
Hey BobChase, I am stunned by your remarks. Get a grip will ya! The conservatives are raging spewing venom which in turn blinds vision and judgement. Draw conclusion from past experience. This is commons sense. We have Bush and McCain both average or below average intellignece. Bush drove us into a ditch, McCain looks like he will do the same with his policies and lack of intelligence. Come on, forget Obama just consider the facts. Or do you also need to borrow a brain from a dog? McCain is an excellent Senator but cannot be the person where the buck stops. Too mediocare and too much of a player. I question his priorities more that the other guy’s.
116. obamaniac | 09.26.08
I think Palin would have come off better if she would have just spoke in tongues. Then at least she could have said it was God talking through her. lol This woman is a certified r-tard. Can you imagine her as president??!! We’d all be eating moose meat and doing faith healings.
117. Doug Humes | 09.26.08
Yes, you are right … she is no more qualified to be president than Obama is. But she is running as the vice president. He is running as the president. He gets treated with kid gloves while Palin gets skewered at every chance. Did any one ever interview him and say “look the American people in the eye and tell them what in your record makes you think you are qualified to be President of the United States?” He has not run anything, he has not governed anything, he has not managed anything - he has no foreign polcy chops at all, he couldnt’ pass the 12st grade history exam questions that could be sprung on him by anyone who wished to show him (or any of us) up. He has a little bit of state legislative experience, and his main accomplsihment as a Senator is to have won his Senatorial campaign and then won the presidential nomination. Does anyone ask whether he could sit down and hold his own with Putin? Khrushchev met with John Kennedy, took his measure and found him to be young and inexperienced, and made decisions based on that assessment. And World War III almost resulted. Putin, sitting down eye to eye with Obama, would see the same thing. If you care about Sara Palin’s experience, and you measure by the same stick, then you have to be equally afraid of Obama.
118. Robert | 09.26.08
Palin/McCain supporters are obviously those low information voters, who don’t yet know that Peter Robinson wrote the “Reagan’s” Berlin Wall Speech and never heard of let alone knew the originators of the terms “voodoo economics” or “dense pack”.
119. Rodney | 09.26.08
I disagree with the conclusions of the writer. Palin did everything she wanted to in the interview, which was to come across as an ordinary bumbling folksy fool. That is what the voters want. Voters don’t want a President with all the answers. If the voters wanted an intelligent, knowledgable, articulate President, they wouldn’t have voted for George W. Bush TWICE! OK, he only won the vote once, but that was in the second term. The voters appreciate how well George Bush’s Texas-size lack of intelligence has worked out for the country, so Sarah Palin will have the last laugh.
120. sam adams | 09.26.08
Wow, my 12-year old daughter is more articulate than Sarah Palin. The thought of her in a national leadership role is 100% frightening. Y’know, the Webster Dictionary defines ‘Elite’ as “The best or most skilled of the group”. Sounds like what we need right now. Give us some elite leadership for a change, send the Wolf-hunter from Wasilla back to the tundra!
121. J Ross | 09.26.08
Is there a reason that our paradigm for presidential elections has to be football? I would think that we could come up with a metaphor that has something in it for everyone and that conveys the importance of what we are doing. Surely there are other analogies that would convey what it means to broadcast to the world one’s beliefs, attitudes, and plans for the collective future, i.e., the alchemy of becoming a symbol.
I see the football analogy often, which seems to make the election a game that is all about winning at all costs. We are not playing football here! Treating it as a game demeans the office, the candidates, and the voters. If it is a game all about winning then tricking people into voting a certain way becomes a legitimate means of accomplishing the goal. It relegates voters to sitting on the sidelines cheering for one team or the other, biting nails, ignoring (or belittling) the value of anything coming from the other side. It makes a candidate only as good as his last performance. We need to shift American thinking to a model of strategic planning and true deliberation of ideas. That is the only way we will get away from partisan trickery and prejudice and the only way we will encourage candidates with intelligence and skill to seek the job.
122. wellone | 09.26.08
For all of you GOP/Conservative/Palin loving folks. The people and policies you have voted for and supported since Reagan are the reason this country is in the position it is now…period! That is an undisputed fact!!! What baffles the mind is that, on the brink of economic collapse, you still continue to do so. Boggles the mind.
Palin has no business near the White House. Like much of the country, she is just a “ordinary American”: no special talents,suspicious,scared,bigoted, uninformed and uneducated.
I don’t want any of you clowns leading my nation. I’ve seen enough of that ****. I would like to see an informed,educated, inspirational, principled figure at the helm. One that I don’t have to make huge concessions for their lack of intelligence,principles or honesty.
The fact that Palin can’t hold a coherent interview is not a reason to deride her or deny her; the majority of Americans couldn’t. It’s the fact that this “ordinary American”, has been put in the position to lead an extraordinary country during extraordinary times.
For me, that is the insult!!!
123. fromnj | 09.26.08
An earlier commenter said: “Remember, she [Palin] rides Harleys while Obama rides Chinese bicycles”
I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m glad you and others like you are making up their minds based on the issues of utmost national and global importance. Please don’t let anything such as jobs, the economy, the war or climate change distract you from your single minded focus on recreational preferences of the candidates.
124. Chasera | 09.26.08
pgchambers
Well you’re right on your comment.. It was the demos under the watchful eyes of the House Financial Services Committee Demo Rep. Barney “the man” Frank. And of course we can’t forget, Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., the Banking Committee chairman alleged to have been bitten by the greed bug on occasion. None of them saw it coming. Also it should be noted that Paulson a staunch demo supporter who now wants 700 Billion from tax payers for his efforts, and I almost forget the other guys at Freddie and Fannie who contributed the most to the Obama ticket. What a team indeed. I think we’re in trouble. Do ya think Obama can help?
125. Jimk | 09.26.08
When it comes to Sara Palin what are liberals so afraid of? Is it because she’s a female? A conservative? Perhaps it’s just that she is an honest & descent person? Or perhaps it’s her 80% approval rating as governor of Alaska. Maybe liberals don’t like the idea that she loves her country and will take on corrupt politicians. What is it about liberals??
She has been beat-up by a biased news media that will do anything they can to discredit her. What they & liberals don’t seem to understand is that we Americans are watching and just like in 2000 and 2004 the deep liberal left will be defeated again. Maybe that’s why they fear Palin, they can feel they’re miss-guided principles slipping away yet again.
126. DougH | 09.26.08
Correction… Palin is NOT AS QUALIFIED as Barack Obama. He’s been in elected office over 12 years. His campaign is orders of magnitude larger than her whole state (whose population is not even as large as the city of San Diego). He has lived in more countries than she’s travel to (in her 2 years of international travel) including the refueling stops.
Obama graduated at the TOP of his classes at Columbia and Harvard Law. Obama has co-sponsored and contributed to important legislation on defense, health care, election reform, etc. Watch his interviews and his speeches and you will see a well informed substantive person with the ability to get his points across.
Palin is the empty suit that Obama has been accused of being. Watch her interviews and speeches. Enough said.
127. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Janet Greene — excellent post. I couldn’t agree more.
Doug Humes, if they asked Obama that question, he would have no trouble responding directly to it, citing what makes him ready. And it wouldn’t be because he can see a Russian plane if it flies through Alaska airspace. How freakin’ pathetic. Why are you bothering to defend the indefensible. Lots of fourth graders want to be soldiers and go off and kill people. That doesn’t mean we’ll give them a rifle and send them off to actually try to do it. Palin is a school girl when it comes to the difficult issues we face. It would make no sense to put her in the office just so she can realize her “wow, wouldn’t it be cool to be the vice president” fantasy. She’s worn out her welcome with women, and even though men like the way she looks, they’re not willing to risk disaster for a cheap thrill.
128. Steve | 09.26.08
Every time Palin speaks I cringe at the thought of senseless dribble that erupts like scattershot from her mouth. I mean, COME ON THIS IS EMBARISING! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEST REPUBLICANS CAN DO!
I have a suggestion for republicans. Get rid of McCain and Palin! Then bring Ron Paul or Romney. That would be a substantive and vigourous debate worth having instead of this constant sideshow circus act.
Hello. This is our country on the brink we are talking about! Start taking it seriously.
129. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Jimk — if she’s so honest and decent, why does she keep lying through her teeth about the bridge to nowhere, even when all other republicans have conceded the point?
130. annoyedvoter | 09.26.08
“Palin knows good from evil and will stick to her position.”
WOW, this is TRUE! Guess who else thinks they know this? Yes Osama bin Laden and other fundamentalists that think we are in a spiritual crusade! I am sorry but please leave me out of your religios war. My God does not promote hatred and bombings.
And as to “above my pay grade” comment from Obama…well, I find it refreshing that he does not think he is God (I am assuming you know for sure what life means and when it starts because “God” told you?).
Look, she certainly seems like a lovely woman and she seems very smart and I love that she is a “go getter”. I however prefer a person that UNDERSTANDS the economy and the world and does not see the world as a comic book (good guys vs. bad guys) and does not think things are “good or evil” according to her PERSONAL religious perspective.
By the way, the country was founded on separation of state and church. And no, the Founding Fathers did not put the “God” in the pledge.
131. Chasera | 09.26.08
Noel Meer,
You need to take a cold shower and stop smok’en those left handed cigarettes. State some bona fide facts then get back to me.
132. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - I’m not advocating Obama, but the repubs had congress for six of Clinton’s eight years and six of Bush’s eight. The repubs are also the primary pushers for deregulization. I was simply asking for some factual basis for putting the deregulization problems on the dems. I don’t like the dem redistribution of wealth mentality, but I still recognize that the repub idea of a deregulized free market society comes with the risk of things happening exactly like this financial mess(greed messes things up). Both parties share the blame on this one, and the finger pointing spin can’t change that.
133. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Arguing with these Palin “supporters” is like arguing with a two year old why eating an entire bag of Oreos is bad for you. They’re just gonna keep on insisting that they’ll be just fine if they eat the whole bag.
134. Ken | 09.26.08
We have started a new political movement called “NO MORE STUPID 08″. Our objective is to support the SMART candidates for office irregardless of affiliation. We don’t want someone to drink beer with…we want someone to lead the country. We don’t want someone to drive the family station wagon to hockey practice, we want someone to stabilize and securour our economic future.
We need people with brains. Sarah Palin is definately NOT amember in good standing of that group. We need really intelligent leaders to guide us out of this mess we are in, not someone as dumb as a box of rocks.
135. Dan | 09.26.08
Palin was purely a political pick. She is definite not ready, and will never be, is not just her gaffe’s in every interview, is the fact she has no clue about any single issue that takes some thought process. Palin just rambles on, with continuous BS ramblings, that are brainwashed talking points that come out incoherent. Palin’s way of viewing the world, is almost childlike, wouldn’t suprise me, if Palin still believed in Santa.
136. Emerald | 09.26.08
Palin reminds me of the Indian politician Laloo Prasad Yadav.
He was rustic (a people’s choice) who was very proud of his small-town values and support.
Sparely educated, he would make similar remarks. He would eat and talk in small town ways..
He was RIDICULED to the core by the press and made into a laughing-stock by the elite.
He ended up today at the top reforming the Indian Train system as a Railway Minster in a dazzling success story.
Lesson: Who we laugh at today may end up laughing at us tomorrow.
P.S. Palin still does not have my vote (I’m an animal rights advocate and do not agree with her polices). However, I am appalled at the delight of her treatment meted out to her. It’s like people are getting a joy out of it. Could we have done better? Many could not have…
Shame on us, as we are those who are supposed to embrace all.
137. TeeCee | 09.26.08
Doug Humes:
Your comparison with Obama is absurd. Sarah Palin is obviously, palpably, unmistakably ignorant and incapable of intelligent anything. The lights may be on, but there is nobody home. Obama is obviously, palpably, unmistakably very intelligent and informed. You may disagree with his conclusions, as I do on some subjects, but there is no doubt of his intellect. The President of Pakistan treated Palin like a bimbo because that’s all she is.
138. arvad watson | 09.26.08
Okay, Joe, Comment #22, I’ve been reading this stuff and shaking my head like many in the rest of your country, but now you’ve gone too far. Don’t for one minute say that Sarah Palin has a Canadian accent. Have you ever been to Canada? We do NOT sound like THAT. What an insult. Haven’t you been listening to her? Canada is a foreign country just like Russia and Mexico. She knows that part. So I’m sure she’s been trained to sound like she’s from some part of the US.
I’ll tell you, from an outsider’s point of view, watching this election is like watching America implode. If people think there’s anything logical or normal going on, then it’s time to really take a look and start connecting the dots. Whatever she sounds like, Sarah Palin is not up to the job. Period. When she talks it’s in soundbites and there is no sense she has any idea she even understands what she is saying; she is profoundly inarticulate and seems genuinely ignorant. Then you have John McCain clearly having some sort of meltdown in public view. And when he speaks, he’s all over the map as well. If he is elected and then dies in office — which is highly likely, given his age and health — you get Ms. Palin as the leader of your country. Just think about it. This isn’t a movie. In real life, people who aren’t eligible for a job don’t get an interview for the job, let alone have it handed to them. Choosing her as the nominee for VP was an erratic and illogical decision. Since then, McCain’s behaviour has been increasingly bizarre.
I sincerely hope the people of your country elect Obama. You need to pull back and become the country you were before Bush. When you elect trigger happy one-dimensional politicians like Bush and Palin you endanger the whole world. It’s one thing to watch the crazy neighbours from a distance but it’s a little more frightening when it looks like they’re going to set fire to the whole neighbourhood.
139. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia - Unfortunately, the same can be said for Obama’s supporters. At this point everybody is talking, and nobody is listening. Both sides have good and bad qualities, but the blinders have been put on by supporters of both sides.
140. Hmmmer | 09.26.08
Palin as VP choice is such an insult to the American people.
Don’t they deserve someone more “ready” after eight years of junk?
The debate will tell all! Even if it’s a town hall meeting.
At least McCain has a good reason for losing. As if Bush wasn’t enough!
Good Luck!
141. commonsense | 09.26.08
You have got to be kidding us right? Does she have a direct line to God? Talk with him everyday? Guess what buddy, so does GWB. Know what, he also claims to be a “God-fearing citizen.” Shall we review the decisions of the God-fearing, have a direct line to God, claiming to know God’s will politician. Let’s see, he failed to respond quickly during 911, flat out lied about weapons of mass destruction, pushed congress too quickly insert us into 2 wars without caps on spending, failed to respond during Katrina because he was too busy helping the old geezer chew his birthday cake, tortured prisoners of war, made a mockery of the constitution and took our economy into the biggest financial disaster in history. I think that sums it up, but I’m sure I’ve missed a few. As a Christian myself, I am offended by this fundamentalist “God-fearing” attitude. If Jesus were here, he’d be turning over the tables in Washington. The only thing Sarah Palin was correct about is that there is a battle of good and evil going on here. What Ms. Palin fails to see is that the real battle is taking place on our own soil and that she is not on the good side. So, any politician who wants to try selling me their “Christian values” while she is taking money for that bridge to nowhere, taking over $25k in gifts, refusing to teach her children about safe sex practices,taking away rights from women and lying about global warming can head back to Alaska. We don’t need any more of this s**t thanks for playing! Palin your 15 minutes are up!
12. obamanationofdesolation | 09.26.08
Cannot disagree with this assessment more. If you are looking for a polished elitest prsentation; Palin is not it. The down to Earth presentation just shows that she is a normal person. Listening to her policy positions on questions from Couric and Gibson that were not GOTCHA questions she understands what is really going on in this world, knows good from evil and will stick to her position. It is not easy to NOT change your position to be everything to all people like Obama i.e. “above my pay grade” . When asked about her position she point blank answered. How refreshing… an honest politician. We know where she stands. Obama is a chameleon that associates with felons, terrorists, anarchists, socialist, etc.. Palin is a God loving woman that adores her country and all that is good in the world. This choice boils down to a choice between good and evil.
142. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
Who for the last time cares about what SP knows or doesn’t know or what kind of experience she does or doesn’t have?
ARE YOU ALL (Barry supporters) PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT’S A *BIT* MORE IMPORTANT?
Look at what all that *EXPERIENCE* is getting us! If you’re lucky you’ll only end up on the hook for just under a cool mil. Nine days ago, Harry Reid (I trust he has all this great EXPERIENCE) came out and told the same press he didn’t know what to do!
Then Barry gets to play President and “lead us” and he clearly has no idea what to do either. Then these morons (Reid, Schumer, Brown) go on TV and all blame McCain for “messing everything up” when Reid actually says McCain got there and didn’t really do anything. How the **** could he have ruined anything, Harry?
So, all you BSers (Barry Supporters) talking about this great experience, do you *SEE* what that’s all doing for us? No it’s not that Obama’s not experienced, it’s that he’s TOO experienced–Chicago Machine, “Hah-vud”, and so on. Joe Biden’s the smartest man in America, just ask him. He has all these degrees that say so. That’s just working out so great for us.
And quite frankly, McCain’s part of the problem thanks to all his stupid attempts to be bipartisan (much like Bush–”compassionate conservative”, Clinton–idiotic pandering) over the years. At least he’s on the right side of the fence occasionally–that and SP counters most of what I don’t like about him.
So all of you falling for the resume, you see where we’re at right now THANKS IN NO SMALL PART to the Ivy League, Wall Street, lawyers, multitude of experience in the Senate/Congress, etc and you want to send that BACK to D.C.?
Who’s part of the problem again?
143. TXgg6ZyE | 09.26.08
To those who do not get their news exclusively from television, it is all too obvious that Sarah Palin is even more qualified to be president of the United States than Obama is. She has more experience, her ideas are more in line with the pro-individualism basis of the US, she is not friends with terrorists, she is not disqualified from being president are virtue of holding a dual citizenship, she does not have multiple skeletons in her closet, she did not cheat in the primaries by means of coercion and fraud, her running mate has not been shown as being the recipient of illegal campaign contributions from Gaza–the list goes on and on and on. Just read the blogs on both sides of these issues, and think! If you imagine you are getting anything like the full story even by watching Fox, you are sadly, sadly mistaken.
If the Republican ticket were reversed from McCain/Palin to Palin/McCain, the choice would still be clear. Obama needs to be vetted now, and quickly, before this disaster proceeds any further.
144. Chasera | 09.26.08
pgchambers
Can’t agree with you more. I think my point has been from reading the blogs here that folks just don’t get it. They want to jump from the frying pan into the fire with a brazen committed extreme left wing liberal who will do even further damage to the economy. But I can’t emphasize enough that since Bush (who incidentally hasn’t vetoed a damn thing) ran up the debt with Democrat Congress sponsored bills and pork…my take is he acquiesced to so he could keep the war funded. But look where we are today. Financially we’re ruined and in my humble opinion Obama will only make it worse. Fiscal conservatives need to get the country back on track with oversight and accountability.
145. Ken | 09.26.08
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No More Stupid Oil/Clean, Renewable Energy FIRST
No More Stupid Sexist/Equal Pay For Equal Work NOW
No More Stupid Zealots/Mind Your Own Damn Business
146. Charles Wong | 09.26.08
Maybe we can pray the dumbness out of Palin…but look on the brightside, moose hunting season just started!
147. Mike | 09.26.08
As a Christian Conservative I was appalled to see who the real Sarah Palin is. It is obvious that once you take away the teleprompter there is not much substance there.
There are too many important issues facing this country then to risk having someone with such little experience just a heartbeat away from being The President of The United States. I realize that we need to get this country back on track and for the greater good I will be casting my voting for Obama/Biden.
148. Sandra Boush | 09.26.08
I say to Ms. Palin: Go back to your home, take care of your family who needs you, watch over them, guide them, know what they are doing during their spare time before your other daughter also becomes pregnant out of wedlock. You may get your time to shine in the near future but not now.
149. Fair Minded | 09.26.08
I hate to mess things up with a few facts. Bush did address the Fannie and Freddie stuff in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2006 it was McCain who brought it up in very strong terms as did Greenspan…. so what happened… oh yes… the same group of Dems who are on TV today claiming it was not their fault… all of the while takinh kickbacks from Fannie and Freddie. Heck, even Obama got a pretty good chunk of change.
But let’s focau on what really matters… this is about McCain and Obama plain and simple; Biden and Palin are window dressing at best and both have poved it.
On keeping America safe…. although Hillary would have been the best choice, McCain is superior to Obama.
On the economy… although Hillary would have been the best choice, McCain is superior to Obama.
On cleaning up Washington… not sure who would be better between Hillary and McCain…. confident Obama would be clueless. Just look at how effective he was in Illinois…. oops… my bad…. forgot he didn’t do anything.
The only thing Obama has track record in is being a talker. How many times has he said the past few days: “I’ve been in conyacy with”…. “I just got off the phone with”… “If you need me give me a call”.
If we could handle our problems with phone calls and emailsm he’d be great… phone calls and emails won’t cut it… we need someone who will actually do something and McCain is a doer.
As a business owner I don’t care what you say you can do… I care what you actually do… proven record.
151. gbrown | 09.26.08
She’s an insult to voters. McCain could have made a better. There has to be hundreds of more qualified women in the Republican party. She is disturbingly ignorant on keys issues. I don’t care if she has never left the U.S., or her views on gays and abortion. She’s not be knowledgable about the world, our economy, and our need for new energy. My 9 year old daughter could come up with “drill baby drill.” I also question the state of Alaska. Based on their choice of Palin, it seems like a very backwards place. America is in serous,serious trouble. And we’re playing childish popularity games. I have issues with Obama/Biden but its clear to me that they give us the best chance to regain some of our glory.
152. raphael | 09.26.08
It seems to me that Sarah Palin thinks that “foreign policy” means “border control” ….
153. TXgg6ZyE | 09.26.08
By the way, I personally am an atheist. But I would support McCain/Palin as the closest thing to America’s original principles of individualism and capitalism being offered to us today. One always has to ignore certain things and certain positions taken by politicians, and select the closest thing to one’s own views. Twice during the Republican convention I heard the phrase “individual rights”–a rare and precious thing nowadays!
Use the Internet to look into the past that Obama is strenuously hiding, and you’ll see that there can be no question of voting for him under any circumstances. Even if his opponent were Hillary Clinton. In fact, I would rather have Hillary as president right now, without an election, than for this election to go ahead and risk getting Obama elected.
154. John | 09.26.08
Hey Chasera:
You conveniently forgot to mention the role that Phil Gramm played in the latest round of deregulation. Doesn’t he advise McCain? Don’t harp on the facts unless you’ve got them yourself.
155. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
pgchambers, well perhaps so. However, I can tell you that if the tables were turned, and Obama had selected a Palin-like VP, I would readily admit to being completely embarrassed as a democrat, and would express the opinion that it was a tremendous mistake. I, along with many other democrats, would be excoriating Obama for making such a foolish maneuver. I would not pretend that the person actually had experience they had been proven not to have had. That’s what makes it so painfully obvious that her selection was a McCain ploy. It has now backfired, but damn the torpedoes, they are going to pretend it was a brilliant stroke nonetheless. I think there’s a huge difference between die-hard democrats and die-hard republicans in this regard.
156. Marsha | 09.26.08
If by “not qualified” you mean Palin is not a good liar so that the comment is “overlooked” like Biden, I would agree. Take a look at the “serious” questions lobbed at Obama and Biden, what a joke! Reporters gush over two proven liars, and ridicule the honest candidates who don’t make a habit of that “qualifying” trait. When reporters will do their jobs and conduct an informative, SERIOUS, and fair interview, then Palin will oblige them. It is no wonder the mainstream media’s rating are in the toilet.
157. slimcat | 09.26.08
What bothers me more than anything are the millions of Republicans, including Palin and many commenters on this page, who have mindlessly accepted the ideology of the authoritarian conservatives who have hijacked their party. I would wager than 80%, or more, of todays Republicans don’t have a clue as to the agenda of politicians like Cheney, and worse, they don’t care.
158. Jimk | 09.26.08
Rebuttal to 122 concerning your undisputed facts.
The current meltdown got its start with Jimmy Carter along with a Democratic controlled congress that passed legislation that made it easer for the “disenfranchised” to purchase homes. (Bad credit risk). Reagan was able to keep that legislation in check. Clinton polished it back up and got a weak republican controlled congress to pass even more liberal legislation on housing. Then in 2004 the Democrats took control of congress and passed even more liberal banking legislation. Then came the greedy bankers and wall streeters who took advantage by pushing the limits of economic safety and…BANG!
If like you say the Republicans are to blame, don’t you think the media and others would have found those Republicans responsible? The truth is they can’t find even one. This meltdown is squarely on the shoulders of reckless liberals and unchecked greed.
159. filterq | 09.26.08
You guys are all missing the point. The people who like her like “her”. She could say just about anything after a question and it doesn’t matter because they like her. Go on youtube and look at donny deutsche’s analysis of why people like Palin. You are attacking this way too left brained.
160. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - Yeah, I think you have to look to the libs to find any real fiscal conservatism these days. Unfortunately, they aren’t a player. I tend to favor a balance of the two parties between the pres and congress. That way the dems can’t push us too far towards socialism and the repubs can’t open up the floodgates to corporate greed and excess(neither is fiscally responsible). I had no problem with Reagan, but his trickle down economics don’t account for the greed that sends jobs over seas and CEO pay going up while those jobs are being lost in the lower and middle classes. Anyway(off my soapbox), it is nice to trade thoughts without insults. Thanks!
161. Sarah | 09.26.08
Hey Elle,
You watch Fox New exclusively and you are concerned about bias news reporting and interviews. That’s hilarious. They opening admit to being pro-republican and have been totally complicit in promoting the phony Palin image as a seasoned politition. LOL
162. Marsha | 09.26.08
Joe Biden: the democrats have their own bumbling idiot. You should have picked Hillary then you would have had a shot. No chance now, what a dud!By the way, please tell your Messiah that we don’t have 57 states…
163. Barry | 09.26.08
McCain took a gamble picking Palin to excite the Republican base while fabricating an image of her as a maverick reformer in hopes the independents would stay on board. The gamble failed — the base did get excited, but the McCain campaign image was exposed as a tissue of lies and it turned out that her empty resume did indeed mean she’s unqualified. That said, I think Palin may be an excellent GOP candidate in the future if she recovers from this fiasco. It was unfair of McCain to put her in the major leagues so quickly, and clearly she did not even know enough yet to realize she was unqualified.
164. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
“Obama’s an ‘elitist’” Hmm. “Obama’s uppidy?” In today’s America, millions of below average people will fault you if you’re highly intelligent, have a broad perspective, and are a superb commmunicator, but only if you happen to be Obama. I don’t remember them ever faulting any other candidate for such reasons. Hmm. I wonder why not. I wonder where that comes from. Very deep-seated. Very sublime. Almost imperceptible even to those who express it. Yet it’s there. Now go ahead all you deniers. Tell me how irrational and unfounded that is. You would never do such a thing from such a base motivation.
166. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - Nice to trade thoughts with someone without insults. Thanks! I think you have to look to the libs for any real fiscal responsibility these days, but they aren’t a player yet. Corporate greed and excess are part of the problem, so I don’t know if the repubs will be much better than Obama. Trickle down does not work when companies are sending jobs over seas while raising CEO pay and raking in money for shareholders. The lower and middle class are sinking, and until companies understand the need to reinvest in America(not just American stockholders), we are not getting out of this mess.
167. Marty | 09.26.08
Here’s the winning line from tonights debate!!
McCain: Mr Obama, I was a POW, you weren’t. Senator, I served with George W. Bush, I know George W. Bush, George W. Bush is a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no George W. Bush. And oh yea, you were never a POW.
oh and regarding Palin.. Mccain chose her because, for the 1st time in over 20 years, mccain got himself a woody
168. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - Oops! I though my first post got lost, shouldn’t have posted the second one.
169. Republican 4 Obama | 09.26.08
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How can your heads be so far stuck where the sun don’t shine and still be able to survive.
Please dear Lord, give my fellow humans a chance to rectify our mistakes.
I no our track record on picking innocent scapegoats to blame for our failures is as long as a winter night in Alaska, but soon or later it comes down to faith and I still have faith.
170. DougH | 09.26.08
Chasera - “Democrat sponsored bill….”
When Republicans were in charge, Democrats couldn’t even get permission to hold a hearing let alone sponsor a bill. This is a Republican mess. They allowed the Pay-go rule to expire after all of the hard work of the 90s. They reversed the surplus and turned it into a massive deficit.
Once Democrats did regain control, Bush discovered the veto pen. Republicans in the Senate broke the record for filibusters for an entire term of Congress (2 years) in one year. Don’t blame this **** on the Democrats. They had very little power even after they took control.
Repub President, Repub Senate, Repub House, Supreme Court, radio talk, and corporate press, for 6 years. Democrat House and Senate for the last 20 months. Who’s the blame? Repugnicants… And the press played along.
Of course, here comes Sarah from Alaska to save the day. With her vast experience from state with a population smaller than Manhattan.
171. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Recent events in the wake of the financial crisis have been most revealing about the type of person John McCain is. First, McCain only pretended to be all-consumed with the financial crisis. He received the initial bailout proposal — a mere three pages long — on Monday, but had not bothered to read it before giving a television interview on Tuesday. If he truly believed he was putting the “country first” in the midst of a crisis, why would McCain not have read the most important document relating to the crisis? Second, McCain lied to David Letterman about the reason he was canceling his appearance on Letterman’s show, telling Letterman he had to rush to Washington to handle the crisis, when in fact he did not rush to Washington but rather made an alternate appearance on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. What does this say about McCain’s character and judgment? McCain has shown himself to be a person who manipulates events for the sake of creating a favorable appearance, as well as a person whose word cannot be trusted. These are hardly qualities we want in our president.
172. jwright | 09.26.08
At the beginning of this artical it says the following:
Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications. Though his previous experience has been with Republicans, his blog is non-partisan. He welcomes news tips and comments from all individuals and parties.
Non Partisan??????? I would hate to see what he would say if he was partisan.
173. hey repubs | 09.26.08
hey republicans. stuff it. this is a total gaffe and last time i looked it was 9 points to the good guys.
can’t wait for tonight. then it’ll be double digets.
enjoy watching your john “i canceled the debate before i actually went to it” mccain squirm with his invisible policy and ideas.
the guy even admited to graham that he “didn’t quite know” what was in the bailout package, but thanked him for all his hard work!
174. Ted | 09.26.08
“If you are looking for a polished elitest prsentation; Palin is not it. The down to Earth presentation just shows that she is a normal person.”
Please take a serious look at your denial issues. I don’t see how you can honestly think this is acceptable for someone at the highest levels of our government. She would be a terrible embarrassment for our country. Even worse than George W. Bush, the worst president ever. Please open your mind and look at the situation honestly.
175. idr13 | 09.26.08
What she does in her interviews is called, “Cantinflear” which means to say a lot of words or sentences… but finally not to say a single articulated idea. This was made famous by famous Mexican comedian, Cantinflas.
176. annie | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin-Cheney. What a laugh.
That t-shirt design at http://www.nomorestupid08.com is HILL-ARIOUS. I am getting 24 so my whole group can wear them on election day!
177. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia - I would like to debate you on that one, but I have no ground to stand on. The new one is “Chicago machine.” I would take people more seriously if they weren’t just repeating tag lines from Fox.
178. TeeCee | 09.26.08
As if all this matters! Voting machines will determine the outcome of the “election”, and they are GOP all the way. Who are we kidding that this is “fair and free”?
179. Mark | 09.26.08
What any of us is afraid of is that McCain dies, and she becomes President, and governs with as littel substance as she shows in her answers to very predictable softball questions. What happens when she is dealing with 5 or 10 complex situations at the same time, where the future depends on how well she handles it. She has shown NO capacity to step up to that responsibility. That’s what I am afraid of, and I’m no liberal.
180. Maria | 09.26.08
For over a year now, since the primaries started, Obama, as well as McCain and Biden, have given press conferences, participated in debates, and taken questions from the media (Biden ran for the Democratic primary). Now a few fools, who have tuned in only in the last few months, claim that Obama hasn’t and can’t answer questions, has not been “grilled” the way Sarah Palin has. These Palin apologists (who clearly missed the heat of the primary season on everybody involved) claim that Couric’s questions were unusually hard and unfair, and that neither Obama or Biden would be able to answer them. These people seriously believe that it’s normal for a VP candidate to be shielded from the media to such an unprecedented extent (because it IS unprecedented). The liberal media didn’t fabricate Palin’s answer about foreign policy, folks. She did that on her own.
A yes, and there are those who say that Obama can’t speak without a teleprompter. You have not been paying attention.
181. Troy | 09.26.08
I have one question for all the Obama supporter, that do you really think will change? What do you expect to get for free? Where do you think the money will come from? And why should other people be responsable for you?
182. Marty | 09.26.08
Palin is your normal wolf killing from aircraft, employee firing, $25,000 gift taking hockey mom who left her little town of 5000 in debt when she left to spew platitudes to Alaskans and a few Russian spies who must live there to report to putin.
She is a feminist, and supports life, even by rape or incest and if you’re unlucky enough to get raped, you have to pay for the rape kit to collect evidence so your rapist is caught, even though it doesn’t allow for the potential pregnancy to be terminated.
Anyone notice how old and befuddled McCrazy has looked today?
184. Sandy | 09.26.08
Sarah is a bumbling idiot. Women everywhere should be ashamed.She makes our entire gender look bad.
185. DougH | 09.26.08
Ted
Coherent, substantive, thoughtful responses in interviews = Elitist
Bumbling, shallow, incoherent, not well thought-through = Down to earth
George Bush is a very “down to earth” President based on that definition.
I want my leaders to be a little smarter than that. I want to be impressed with their intelligence. I want them to have accomplished something that is noteworthy. I want brilliant people, our best our brightest.
If that’s elitist, so be it.
I just call them smart.
186. ScoJo | 09.26.08
Please ignore whatever party you support for a moment and ask yourself if she’s really a good candidate? How does being “God loving” (and you can’t seriously think that you know which candidate loves God more than another.) or a “regular person” or “good mom” have ANYTHING to do with being the executive in charge of the free world? We’re not electing a best friend, favorite celebrity, a mom, or a regular person. We’re electing a WORLD LEADER. A president should be anything BUT a “regular” person. A president or vice-president needs to be EXTRAORDINARY.
I think we’ve watched too many movies, and been coddled by too many teachers who tell us we can do “anything”, and are forgetting that it still should take a ton of hard work, talent and circumstance to get to that point.
People aren’t “skewering” her, she’s doing it to herself.
187. Frank | 09.26.08
Someone should run her video replies next to the Miss Teen South Carolina’s reply to her pageant question on why so many Americans can’t locate their own state on the map.
Palin’s replies sure reminded me of the other.
188. Chasera | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia |
Hey Mike,
Your sample of intellect so noted in your response below exemplifies why people like you shouldn’t vote. What in the **** are you talking about? You’ve got to be a HuffingtonPost contributer or a Moveon.org insider, but on second thought you would probably only be able to replace the TP when it runs out. Here’s your comment—(Jimk — if she’s so honest and decent, why does she keep lying through her teeth about the bridge to nowhere, even when all other republicans have conceded the point?)
Here are the facts on Palin’s remarks concerning the bridge to no where as it is so aptly known. Yes…she was for the bridge to no where because it would bring funds to Alaska. Pork barrel projects are supposed to do that sometimes for BS projects. Then, after she opened the project up for scrutiny within her state, and Alaskans questioned the project and put forth other areas where the money would be better spent, she said no. She said,”if Alaskans want the bridge we’ll use Alaskan money”. So guess what? Unlike your guy Demo Murtha who leads the pork bill list along with an indited Republican from Alaska forget his name), she used the money for roads and other Alaskan projects that would be of better benefit to Alaskan tax payers. She had the guts to table the bridge to no where, bring it out into the open and have a logical meaningful discussion about it. In the end the project was eliminated.
Now if you’ve got some secret inside stuff…share it with us.
189. Mike | 09.26.08
Your useless democratic commentary has no bearing on the matter at hand. Think logically for one minute before posting a comment that makes you look like utter fools! Stick to the issues…
190. Marty | 09.26.08
Attention.. Putin has reared his head.
Oh, sorry.. he just burped..
Back to the discussion.
191. Carlos | 09.26.08
If McCain is serious about putting the COUNTRY FIRST, why choose Paling.
Many people voted for Bush because they felt he would be a fun guy to have a beer with, look what happened.
192. Troy | 09.26.08
NO, Maria we have been pay attention. If he so great, why did he have to bring a telepromter into a rodeo ring in Colorado to answer a question. I will give you this, he’s a smart man, but he totally lacks the abilty to act on his feet. Every time a question is asked that he’s not ready for he fumbles around, than stammers, says a word,stammers, another word,then looks around, stammers, staires down at the ground, stammers,and hopefully a end to the sentance.
193. Jerry F. | 09.26.08
And the Palin “hit” squads continue…
We’ll see what the voters think, before long, leftys…
194. jefflz | 09.26.08
Can anyone honestly stand up and say that Palin is ready to be Vice President? She has made a complete fool of herself in her conversation with Couric. Her responses were garbled, at times incoherent talking points that she had tried to memorize but they were often not even relevant to the question. Palin supporters: If you are not a trained public speaker and have a poor education does that mean Palin is ready for national office because she is like you? Don’t we need the best qualified people to run our country, not our next door neighbors? McCain is making a mockery of this election. His “debate is off/now its on” stunt and his choice of Palin are proof positive of McCain’s shoot-from-the-hip lack of judgment. We must reject the McCain/Palin ticket as a matter of nation security if nothing else.
195. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Chasera, the only thing she ever says to a camera, and she keeps repeating it, is “I was against the bridge to nowhere.” At best it’s a half-truth, which is the same as a lie. I realize she’s only reading what those campaign idiots give her, and she’s instructed to say that and nothing else, but at some point her brain and moral compass ought to kick in. Please tell me, why do you defend her. Can you really tell me she actually has foreign policy experience? She keeps saying she does. If you agree, please tell me, specifically, what is it?
196. Mohamed | 09.26.08
.. And no wonder why Palin didn’t blink when asked to run for VP !
My 10 year old niece wudnt blink if I ask her to drive my BMW !! LOL..
197. S.Montgomery | 09.26.08
Palin was picked to take bites at Obama, Mccain thought that using a female who is nice looking and somewhat familiar with politics would work, and it did for a second. After the smoke, the American people now have a chance to see what is really real. That lady has not a clue! The people who support the same old rep.party need to wake up! Palin is not the answer and neither is Mccain, He is not for the middle to lower class working people who are the back bone of our nation, He is for the upper crust and the upper crust only! I, with a high school diploma and two years of college under my belt could have answered the questions asked by Katie more intelligently!
198. chroma601 | 09.26.08
There’s a reply recently praising Palin for not being elitist, and framing the election as “good versus evil”. I cringe. If you don’t think the last eight years of Republican rule were evil, you don’t know what evil is. Our very freedom is under assault. Their fiscal policy - deregulation - allowed us into a stunning financial collapse. I’ll take the elitists any day - those educated minds who developed the Constitution, the Bill of Rights - over an ordinary person. Intelligence is one of the better human traits, and combined with compassion, it makes for a compelling candidate in Obama. I just don’t understand the blind demonizing of the Democrats, especially that bit about Socialism. I think the Republicans are in the middle of proving that Socialism is their forte, taking over the banks. Maybe it is good versus evil, but we certainly have different perspectives!
199. Rinasanz@gmail.com | 09.26.08
These comments are hilarious!!! It is funny how people feel comfortable making excuses for those that are competing for power. Do you know how stupid that sounds? This “Palin is just like me” **** is pitiful. If she cannot handle the press (she even bombed in the Hannity interview but it wasn’t as noticeable because all of Hannity’s questions were leading), that is an automatic disqualifier. People keep stating that Obama hasn’t been interviewed as rigorously as McCain and Palin……..that is a lame excuse. Those excuses only fly when a person realizes they are backing a loser. Watch O’Reilly’s interview of Obama and tell me if you can find a McCain or Palin interview that was as tough. It seems that every one is holding John and Sarah to a lower standard. McCain/Palin are being treated like they are running for Pres and VP of a High School Student Council. Get real
200. Marty | 09.26.08
Hey Mike.. nice name, our puppy is named mike.
If you think McOld and Caribou Barbie can lead this country, then damn, vote for them. But when the world is in crisis and McOld has long since ended up in a pool of formaldahyde and Caribou Barbie is in charge, how secure will you feel?
If there’s another Katrina, what’s she gonna do? Call Brownie?? Or God forbid, there’s another 9/11, will she just sit stonefaced like W did in that elemenatary school until secret service got him the **** outta Dodge.????
Anyone, REGARDLESS of PARTY AFFLIATION who votes for McOld and CB will get exactly what they see. And the nightmare we thought we’ve had over the past 8 years will be NOTHING compared to the next 8 years.
Maybe Obama won’t be perfect. And maybe Biden will make some dumb comments, but the chances that Obama will freeze and start spewing sewn together talking point platitudes is unlikely.
In a crisis, i think we’re all safer with Obama, than Palin. And duh, lets be real. When McOld gets a 3am phone call that Russia sent 4 ICBMs into Alaska, he’ll die of a heart attack and we’ll have to let CB handle it.
I honestly can’t imagine one person truthfully saying to themselves that Palin is qualified. Just amazing.
201. DougH | 09.26.08
Troy — Answer from an Obama supporter.
I own a business that employes 10 people. I have 6 children, own has graduated from college with a Master’s in Computer Science. Two are now in college. I work hard everyday. I want nothing for free.
I attend church and Bible class every week no matter what city I’m in at the time. I don’t believe in abortion. I don’t believe in drinking alcohol. I don’t own a gun and don’t believe in using them for self defense.
I am a Christian but I DON’T believe that any of that ought to be codified in law so that you have to stop drinking, get rid of your guns, and get put in jail for abortions.
Let’s find competent people to run our government and get away from this so-called “values” voting.
202. naomi | 09.26.08
i believe sarah palin is no where near ready to take the position of being vice president. I do not think she is fit fo rthe job and then the way she has the nerve to use her down symdrome son to help her campaign that is not the behavior that i would like leading this country. I believe if you vote for mccain you are making the wrong choice.
203. Olddog | 09.26.08
No amount of spin, deflection, or changing the subject is gonna ever change the fact that this woman has no place next in line to the POTUS position. The “Heartbeat” or lack of one would be the single scariest consideration for the American people ever endured. Can you imagine all of us walking around with towels in hand to mop the Sweat from our brows?
The fact that she ever got to the position of Governor in any state says allot about said state. What were you THINKING Alaska?
204. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Marty, no one is truthfully saying to themselves that Palin is qualified. However, for them to admit she’s not, they would have to lose face, because they would be conceding that they were duped and are now embarrassed. Avoiding embarrassment is a very powerful motivating force, and most people will say just about anything to avoid it, or to avoid saying they were wrong, unless proof positive exists on camera, and even then some will deny it. They HAVE to say she’s qualified, and that’s why they say it.
205. Justsaying Joe | 09.26.08
Palin’s national interviews have a short 2-week history now, and already she’s got the media talking about “Palinism.” Her juvenile insensible reponses to Couric’s questions reminds me so much of Bush’s idiotic, word-mixing “Bushisms,” “I’m the decider…” Nathan, you’re right. I AM an independent, presumably undecided to either party, but frankly, Palin makes me cringe that she’s another George W. Bush with lipstick. Oh my goodness, if America votes in McCain, they deserve Palin.
206. Marty | 09.26.08
Regarding Palin.. Mccain chose her because, for the 1st time in over 20 years, mccain got himself a woody. Can there be ANY other logical answer?
207. JDSinLA | 09.26.08
Palin is George W. Bush, version 2.0. She wanders into a sound-bite maze in order to lie. Just like W. She knows nothing and will take orders from the likes of Darth Cheney. Just like W. She’s cute and friendly. Just like W. If McSame & Palin are elected, the results will be Just like W. They’re running to give W a third AND fourth term.
208. colormeshocked | 09.26.08
Palin is the governer of a state with less population than Hawaii! It is literally the state that needs government the least. As far as her “charactor”, she is clueless and limmited to…Ya…ummm me and Mccain will fix it some how. That wouldn’t even be that bad, because I’ve seen Obama do something simmilair, but unlike Obama, she lacks the intellegence to come up with anything other than…Ya…Ummm I’ll work on it. If Mccain gets elected, heaven help his health, because I think about 75% of the population of THE WORLD could run ANYTHING better than Palin. As far as her comments on Russia, let me draw you a parralel;
I have never studied the human anatomy, nor taken any classes on Biology, but I do sleep with the book under my pillow, and have been doing so longer than some doctors have been working, so I must be able to perform open heart surgery.
Dear Dear Palin, run back to your so called Mavric, AND MAY GOD HAVE MERCY
209. Soma | 09.26.08
Pleae stop bashing Sarah Palin! She was not chosen because she is smart or for her ability to think on her feet. John McCain chose her in order to energize the religious right. You know as well as I do, there are many other women in the Republican Party that are far more qualified to be VP than Sarah Palin.
210. chroma601 | 09.26.08
This one is for Troy. I guess I am the Obama supporter. What do I think will change? Where to begin! I think after some hard work the world will come to look at America with fondness again.
I expect nothing for free.
Where will the money come from? Well, Bush has been borrowing from China, and has given us an astounding deficit. We’re all going to have to work harder to pay his debt off. So don’t put that on Obama.
Now a word about “other people being responsible for you”. I submit that the core of Jesus’ teaching was the Golden Rule. I submit that God does not help those who help themselves - He helps those who help each other. All of us are in this life together, and if we do not help each other we will all fall. The concept of liberalism is that society helps its weakest members. The core of conservatism is what’s mine is mine. Which are the values Jesus would approve?
211. Marty | 09.26.08
Soma, I think any female could likely be more qualified than Palin.
She’s adept at shooting wolves from aircraft, and taking payola, but being VP??? Don’t think that one fits her plans.
She was picked, simply because she has the XX genes and because McOld thought she’s a hottie. And McCain junior said pick her!!!!!
I live in Fairfax County, VA only 20 miles to the White House. We have more people in our COUNTY than in all of ALASKA.
She’s left deficits in Wasilla and the PTA and the hockey rink she built has lost money every year.. If she can’t even run one of the smallest population states, how could she help run the country?
Spell it L-O-S-E-R.
212. Chasera | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia
Palin needs defending for all the unsubstantiated, made up lies and innuendo coming from the left. What foreign policy experience does Palin have? The short answer is…more than Obama. And why would you endeavor to have Biden even close to the White House when he can’t remember they didn’t have TV in the Forties. Or, Obama with unexplained ties to Ayers and Wright? I’d call these two relationships sedition unbecoming to anyone wanting to President.
213. robert | 09.26.08
Why should sounding like a blundering idiot cause the McCain/Palin ticket to fail, i mean for the last 8 years the blundering idiot was at the top of the ticket. Maybe that is what they should do, put Palin on top and McCain on bottom and then they might have a better chance of winning.
But if they want to win, there is absolutely one thing they can not do anymore… and that is standing up David Letterman.
214. Jack Black | 09.26.08
The fact that Palin even has a possibility of being in the White House should scare the **** out of every American. Whatever your party affiliation is WAKE UP AMERICA! This lady is insane. I can see a Bank of America building from my house maybe I’m qualified to help in the bailout.
215. chroma601 | 09.26.08
Soma, I want a VP that is smart and can think on their feet. If that’s bashing, so be it. And by the way, “Religious Right” is an oxymoron.
216. Marty | 09.26.08
Chasera, are you insane? Palin has foreign policy experience because she can see Russia from her house??
Just listen to Katie Couric’s interview and there is no way a sane person can call her qualified.
You’re just sad and I feel sorry for you, will say a prayer and pray we don’t end up with McOld and Caribou Barbie end up living in Washington.
Anyone see mcold today? he REALLY looks old today. Think all the stress is hurting him badly. Wonder if he’ll even survive long enough to take office in the nightmare scenario of winning.
217. james | 09.26.08
We’re having a federal election this Fall in Canada. So far one candidate stepped down after a video surfaced of him on an acid trip (LSD), another was dumped following a story about him skinny dipping with a group of children, and one of our party leaders was accused of cutting a deal with the Marijuana Party. If you don’t want Sarah Palin, we’d be happy to have her.
218. Carlos B | 09.26.08
Has anyone noticed how Palin’s diction has deteriorated? In her convention speech she spoke standard English. Now it’s all “workin’” and “blinkin’” and “yeah.” Is she doing this deliberately in an effort to distance herself from the “elitists” and bond with the non-college educated white women who seem to be her biggest block of supporters? Or is it a symptom of her losing hold and regressing to teenage illiteracy? Will she start appearing in public chewing gum?
220. Patie | 09.26.08
Tim, this is not about Palin’s garbled language, this is about Palin not knowing what the **** she is talking about. She is clueless. Way out of her league.
As a recent highly conservative commentator who was initially a big Palin supporter put it today, “If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street all by herself.”
221. Mets1986 | 09.26.08
this is an absolute joke. anyone who argues the point her interview just proves she is a woman of the people and not an elitist has to seriously reconsider whether they are capable of stringing enough rational thought together to vote in the presidential election. maybe she isn’t an elitist
222. frank v | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin has been a mayor, Governor, runs the largest state in the union, has thousands on the payroll, responsible for billions of dollars, is an expert on energy policy, is a good decent mother, person and human being.She has been lied about, abused,mocked,almost to the point of pornagraphy.
The biased media is a despicable, disgrace, and truthful journalism is dead.Maybe she is not an expert on foreign policy, but is an intelligent quick learner.There were many VP’s and Presidents who were in the same position.
That is why they have a cabinet and some of the best, intelligent advisors in the world.
223. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - When asked for a specific example of her foreign policy experience, you come back with “more than Obama” and change the subject to Obama’s associates. If Palin only had your ability to avoid tough questions and redirect the conversation, this article would have never been written.
224. The Frog | 09.26.08
I cannot believe that some screwball just said this is between good and evil. What does it take to convince someone like this that Sarah Palin is a MORON. She was chosen to try to get Hillary’s supporters. CLUE people, HILLARY supporters are SMARTER THAT THAT!!!!!!!
Suddenly intelligence and polish are evil and idiocy and inability to form a complete sentence are good. WE ARE IN SUCH TROUBLE, when the fear of admitting your mistakes can lead to the possibility of Palin in the Presidency. OMG!!!!!!!!!
225. Marty | 09.26.08
The Washington Post reported today that palin took gifts from lobbiests and energy companies exceeding $25,000.. That in itself could be viewed as illegal or questionable.
Caribou Barbie is not only an idiot, she may well be a crook.
226. Genie Golladay | 09.26.08
I can’t believe that no one is mentioning where Sarah Palin stands on issues greatly affecting women as well as this country. She is anti-choice, anti-sexual education except for abstinence only (whoops), anti-gun control, anti-environment (let’s drill, drill, drill in the ANWR), and as far from a feminist as one can get. I am assuming (and we all know what that does; but it’s a fairly educated assumption) that with five children, as governor of a state she has someone to help care for the children, perhaps even cook meals for them, wash and iron their clothes, and, hopefully, to help them with their homework. Those women who fanatically backed Hillary Clinton and are now vowing to vote McCain/Palin evidently didn’t know what Sen. Clinton stood for. As a real feminist, I am scared of the McCain/Palin ticket. By the way, because I can write and speak a complete sentence correctly, am I elitist?
227. Art Turner | 09.26.08
Her responses just prove that the McCain campaign’s media coaches are not doing their job.
Her response should have been to ask Couric the relevance of McCain’s 26 year voting record to her ability to fill the VP spot.
Or, better yet, she could have countered with pointing out that Biden has many fewer years of his running mate’s record to remember.
228. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Chasera, “The short answer is … more than Obama.” In other words, none. But see, you won’t even admit that. And Palin herself, and the McCain campaign, keep saying she has foreign policy experience, referring to the fact that Alaska has a border with Russia. In other words, even they tacitly admit she has none. Why won’t you? (Whether Palin has experience is unrelated to whether Obama has experience. It’s a simple factual question. And, unlike Palin, Obama isn’t claiming to have experience he doesn’t have.). It is truly astounding that Americans would accept a candidate as unqualified as Palin. We don’t need a below average person who it would be neat to have girl talk with or have a beer with. We need brain power, and she simply lacks it. If they wanted a top notch woman with brains, there are plenty to pick from. Former NJ governor Christy Whitman comes readily to mind. She would have been ideal.
229. Katherine | 09.26.08
52. Firth Davenport | 09.26.08
…”When I was mayor I knew that Senator McCain applesauce and how did I become Governor?”
That was pretty hilarious.
230. Marty | 09.26.08
Genie, don’t forget Palin can kill a wolf from 100 feet in the air. It may take the wolf a day or 2 to actually die, but who’s counting time?? She can then cut off it’s front paw to collect the death bounty.
Wonder if she’d offer death bounties on bald eagles if they started to attack moose in alaska? or pandas? what’s next?
231. Annabelle | 09.26.08
Deosn’t it make anyone uneasy that Venezuela is negotiating with Russia to buy billions of dollars worth of arms? How is someone who has a hard time answering questions from a reporter, supposed to deal with the likes of Chavez and Putin who want to see America go down; she would crash and burn. I don’t think Couric’s questions were all that tough, she was just straighforward. Stop babying this woman. She is way out of her league with this one.
233. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
frank v — What you say is fine. THAT is what the McCain people and Palin should say. It would be honest. Instead, they lie, and argue that living in a state near Russia constitutes foreign policy experience. When you start making exaggerated or false claims about yourself, the media, righfully, digs deeper and demands to know the FACTS. That is freedom of the press. Damn good thing we have it.
234. Marty | 09.26.08
Mike, Condy Rice is looking for a job.. She would have had instant respect, even from the dems who don’t like her, since she’s a take no **** type of woman..!
I think Mccain/palin is a sinking ship and that’s good for America.
Country First, with Obama 08
235. valdisfox | 09.26.08
Chasra–Give. It. Up. The only thing you’ve said that isn’t psychotic and has any basis in reality is, “I think my point has been from reading the blogs here that folks just don’t get it.” How true: we don’t get how we are supposed to overlook the FACT that Palin is a fatally flawed choice, a dangerously inexperienced and arrogant fundie hack. We don’t get how the “liberal” media (Fox News? Glenn Beck? Rush? Hello?) is somehow to blame for her pathetic qualifications and performance. We don’t get how we, as voters and citizens, are supposed to reward the GOP for eight years of colossal failure (and none of that B.S. about “the dems,” they were out in the weeds for 6 of those 8 years) by electing the GOP’s would-be savior, merely repackaged as a “maverick” after his 26-year-insider career chipping away at financial regulation? We also don’t get how people like you choose delusion over reality, the same warped beleifs that handed us Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzalez, “Brownie,” Abramhoff, Stevens and all their co-failures. The tarnish on your Neocon Gilded Gage will never come off. Go ahead, shout it. “It was the Democrats! It was the libs! It was Clinton! It was the media! It was Reverend Right!” Over and over and over and over. Like a broken record, for those of you that remember vinyl. Well, your record IS broken, go ahead and keep blaming anyone and anything other than those reponsible: Republicans, their surrogates, and anyone who drank the Kool-Aid and voted for them. Sarah might know a thing about shooting moose, or wolves (from a helicopter–wow, how brave). But I’m confident that this fall, the voters will be hunting down Bush Babies at the polls as we’ve never witnessed. I hope Sarah gave you some pointers on dressing warmly in the Alaska fronteir, Chas, because she’s headed back home this fall, and the Republicans will need the advice for the long and much-deserved trip back into the policical wilderness. May it be longer than 40 years this time around.
236. Marty | 09.26.08
Palin said she’s the person in charge in alaska.
Umm.. if Russia ever did anything, NORAD would take charge and Palin would be put in a secure room somewhere.
237. Marty | 09.26.08
News Alert..
It was just learned, thru our sources that that LUMP of hair on the back of Palins head is there to conceal the powerpack and transmitters.
That explains it..!
238. jj | 09.26.08
Please people, our country is in a shambles. We need serious, thoughtful, well informed, well read, thinking, people that are capable of stringing thoughts together coherently. We do not need another airhead, numb skull blathering drivel - we’ve had that for the past eight years in the White House. This is serious business, I am shocked and dismayed that McCain would have even considered this woman. I was thinking of voting for him, not an more. Palin, I am sure, is a nice woman, perhaps even a good governor. She is NOT US VP material and I don’t care how long they keep her locked up and force feed her the “appropriate answers”. She has no gravitas, she is not commanding.
239. Dez | 09.26.08
I was content to just read comments but something written had to be rebutted.
annoyedvoter:
The country was not “founded” on separation of church and state. There is nothing in the constitution about it-it was an interpretation of the constitution which the judicial system likes to pull out of their butts every now and then. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Here is the preamble to the constitution : “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,[1] promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The words separation of church and state are not in the preamble nor are they in the rest of the constitution.
240. Chasera | 09.26.08
Pgchambers,
Ok, Ok you got me…I acted like a democrat ‘er I mean just another politician pontificating. I’ll say it…she doesn’t have any foreign policy experience. But, having said that. She does have fiscal experience as Governor. Palin is anti abortion. Palin is a fiscal conservative believing that Americans should pay less tax. There should be less government and so on and so on. Obama and Biden have a different position on these matters.
Long post short, Palin has a strong character and commitment to doing “THE RIGHT THING” for America (she did for Alaskans. I think she had a 85% approval rating) and in my opinion this is what the country needs right now. And I stress RIGHT NOW. There are no charts of accountability for Obama for us to examine are there? Should I go there? Or do you want to continue with Palin’s comparison with Obama and that she doesn’t have any foreign policy experience? Quick note…neither did Bill Clinton or AlGore. I think judgment is what should be questioned here and so my question back to you is what has Obama or Biden contributed in way making American, or the states they were engaged in, a better place to live?
241. Chasera | 09.26.08
Help, Help, Help.
I’m under attack from all the bleeding heart liberals out there. Where are the conservative Republicans when you need them. Here I’m trying to be nice and use facts to explain my position and you all attack me. What is a conservative to do? I know…back up five yards and punt. Go Oregon State Beavers who beat USC last night.
242. TeeCee | 09.26.08
Chasera, where are the “facts” you speak of? Because something is your opinion doesn’t make it a fact.
243. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - You have listed some very valid reasons to justify your vote, and I will not attack any of them. I agree with some and not others, but I respect them all. I couldn’t pass up the earlier response because I also see her shortcomings, and I get a little defensive(or offensive if you like) when those shortcomings are defended just for the sake of not conceding. Which I find just as troubling coming from Obama defenders by the way. Anyway, no hard feelings, I hope.
244. chroma601 | 09.26.08
Chasera,
I’m always hearing Republicans clamoring about “less government”, but in truth that’s less government for corporations and more for individuals. The Patriot Act isn’t less government. They would love a Police State. Let’s get more cameras in the streets. Individual freedom is an obsolete concept. As for less tax, Bush’s deficit will have our grandchildren paying out through their ears. You folks say one thing but you mean another. Palin is not what our country needs, not now and not ever.
245. whynot | 09.26.08
This is not even funny anymore. I am starting to feel very badly for her. (not dumb enough to vote for her), but that not her problem that is John McCain’s for choosing her.
246. Chasera | 09.26.08
Mike in Philly,
It must be getting cold out there. Come to San Diego and we’ll enjoy a Ruth’s Chris steak after the republicans regain control of the House, the Senate and the White House. I’ll show you how a successful conservative lives. Now tell me why you think Obama is so qualified. Name one bill he has sponsored in the Senate. And, what positions does he hold on your personal beliefs of how the government should be working for YOU. This will be interesting indeed.
247. dolores scozzesi | 09.26.08
this poor woman. no one to blame but the republicans for putting her out there. she’s probably not stupid, but do i want her as my vice-president???? NOT A CHANCE IN ****. she is not only unprepared, but ill-advised. mccain has put our country in danger by picking her. i don’t want a maverick for president or v.p. but someone, educated, calm, controlled, cautious and not someone that jumps the gun. mccain and palin scare me. obama makes sense. at first i thought by controlling this woman the republicans were not being fair. now i understand why she’s hidden away.
248. Marty | 09.26.08
Chasera, god help us all if you get your wish.. An old borerline SENILE man with 4 previous cancer issues, nightmares from his POW days, and basically a very stupid person who’s got a real chance of dying before or while in office.
Then we have a bible thumping, wolf-killing, anti-abortion, 6 year, 5 school journalism degreed woman who has no grasp of anything national. It’s not about party lines.. it’s about common sense. Anyone who thinks that McOld/CB will be a good choice will get what they wish for when it hits the fan.
249. mutterhals | 09.26.08
Why can’t some people just call a spade a spade? I suspect her 85% approval rating among Alaskans stems directly from the ridiculous amounts of taxpayer money she secured from the federal government. She is ridiculously ill-informed, ****, most conservative commentators will admit as much. Nothing like going down with a sinking ship, eh?
250. jody | 09.26.08
Reading a speach prepared by a professional political speech writer is different from speaking without notes or a prompter. Listening to Governor Palin answering Katie Couric questions last night was like listening to my twelve year niece struggling to explain a point to me - - the choice of words, the incomplete sentences, contardictions in thinking, the quality of reasoning and the tangents taken in answering simple questions was awful especially taking into account of her age and title that she holds in Alaska.
I have not been to Alaska and I don’t know many Alaskans but I would like to believe that Sarah Palin represents the average (middle) third Alaskans and there is a third out there who are much smarter or intelligent than their Governor. The deeds, actions and choices of man/woman are a reflection of his/ her thinking. I can now do understand what has caused Sarah to adopt certain positions on social and political issues.
I fully realize the voters’ lack of interest on candidates who are smart, intelligent or who appear to be intellectual. And in this regard, it appears to me that among the three men and a woman who are currently contesting for the highest office in the land, Sarah should be the most favorite. However, I would like to urgue that upon putting her into office, the nation is to take take a huge insurance against potential poor policies and decisions that she may make. Otherwsise, all tax payers regardless of political affiliation, should be ready to take reponsibility in bailing out the nation against any major blunders.
251. S. Know Bunny | 09.26.08
Pete Peeva - Sarah Palin is NOT Canadian. As a Canadian, I would just like to point that out. And keep her on your side of the border, ok? We’ve got our own election issues to deal with.
252. Dan Rains | 09.26.08
It is shocking that someone who sounds so unintelligent is actually running for vice-president of the US! What a slap in the face to America. How dare the Republican Party offer this person to lead us! Are there NO intellectually honest Republicans out there who are unafraid to challenge their party on this? None?! All the fawning over her appearance by the leaders of the world who want to hug and kiss her is irrelevant and disgusting. People are dying in Iraq and soon from starvation in our own country - the USA deserves better than this. I dare ONE honest Republican leader to explain to America why we accept this person one heart-beat away from leading the country. Come on, ISN’T THERE ANYONE OUT THERE?
253. Troy | 09.26.08
Im still waiting, I got the laim answer that the world will love us, So what. They love us because we give them money.And your entier belief is, you want dictators and murders to love us. Wow, let me go see if Charles Manson is free for dinner, im shure you could convince him to love you.
254. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Sorry Chasera, you can’t win. Penn State, where my son goes, clobbered those Beavers! At Beaver Stadium! (Penn State’s stadium). Seriously, maybe lots of conservatives are going to Obama, since he is indiputably more fiscally conservative than Johnny or George.
255. Chasera | 09.26.08
pgchambers,
Absolutely no hard feelings. I think you and I would agree far more than disagree, but for god’s sake think in terms of what Kennedy said back in the ’60s…simply stated and I paraphrase, its not about us and what the country can do for us, but what we can do to make the country stronger and better.
Frankly, I’m so disappointed with the whole group in Washington that we ought to fire them all. Republicans and Democrats alike. They have been horrible. This is why the country can’t afford to take a chance on Obama or Biden. They are unproven and we Americans would be taking a chance. A big chance. At least McCain, as much as I disliked him in the beginning, and Palin, would be a far better choice. Voting Obama simply as a protest vote against McCain/Palin or other conservatives is not the answer either. Particularly from an economic stand point. As I said before, Wall Street has been allowed to run unfettered for too long. Its time for checks and balances, and accountability.
256. Aja | 09.26.08
I usually don’t comment on any articles/comments b/c it’s like shouting at a wall, but I just had to give props to poster #136. Awesome!!
As a US citizen married to a non-US citizen, I am always interested to hear viewpoints from outside America, for good or for bad. I love the “crazy neighbours” comment - thank you for some laughs at the end of a rough week!
Aja
257. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Chasera, I hadn’t seen your last post. I will take you up on that. I’m a liberal, but I eat steak. Gotta have California cabernet. Hey, let’s go to Alaska and have that dinner with Sarah. I won’t deny her charm. She can even kill the moose! Moosesteak. Probably every bit as good as venison.
258. Percival Samson | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia (103),
Instead of attacking my person why don’t you attack what I say. The fact that you, Palin haters, nitpick every wrong word that Sarah says in her sentences, it only goes to show that you are all in a state of panic, scared to **** of an Obama loss. If you think you’re not why do you keep looking at Sarah Palin as if she is running for president? And then there is the clear bias in your collective thinking. You refuse to see that Barack Obama once forgot that Russia was a veto-wielding member of the UNSC. He suggested that the case of Georgia’s conflict with Russia be brought to the Security Council for resolution. That is not to mention that Obama also once said that he wanted to talk to our worst enemies, e.g. Ahmadinejad, Chavez and others without pre-conditions. Sarah Palin at least has not suggested anything as worse as those even if she is just John McCain’s running mate.
In other words you, Palin haters, can see the eye of a needle but could not see the eye of a storm.
260. kc2008 | 09.26.08
Does Palin really know what she is talking about? I suggesting finding out here http://dailysource.org/palin. There is a wealth of information about Palin and this site has all of it to separate fact from fiction.
261. Troy | 09.26.08
And for the person saying they work hard every day.What do you think everybody else does? Do you honastly believe that people that make more money than you work less? I work hard every day, and in my belief, I pay way too much in taxes. I personaly believe, you are the best person to run your live not the government. And don’t tell me that BO & Blow hard are going to give me a break. All i’ve heard from them is TAX,TAX, & more Tax. So tell me I’m wrong.
262. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Chasera, two last things. 1. I forgot, we can’t meet Sarah in Alaska. Under your scenario, we’ll have to meet her in D.C. I know some good places there, don’t worry. 2. Did you watch the Obama convention video and speech? I watched McCain’s video and speech. The video was good. The speech was sincere, but not terribly well delivered (wouldn’t know that from the constant convention hootin’ and hollerin’ though). If you haven’t watched Obama’s, I think you owe it to fair mindedness to do so. And I think you will be impressed because you will see a person who has spent his career fighting to make things better for working people and poor people. If you watch, I don’t think you’ll deny that it’s part of his makeup and comes from his heart. Forget Bill Clinton “feeling your pain.” Obama really does try to put himself in others’ shoes and feel their pain.
264. Chasera | 09.26.08
Mike from Philly,
So you’re the guy I saw in the stands on network tv amongst all those Penn heads woooping it up while they beat my Beavers. It was a great game, but man I’ve got to talk to your son in hopes you haven’t influenced him too much on your political shortcomings. Sorry for any disrespect in past posts, but I do get a little heated when I think of what could happen and is happening in our country. We can’t afford to take any more chances or think Obama will be better simply because Palin doesn’t have any foreign policy experience. He doesn’t either but at least McCain does and won’t sell the US down the river.
265. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - Allowing Wall Street to run without acccountability?
PELLEY: In 1999 you were one of the senators who helped pass deregulation of Wall Street. Do you regret that now?
McCAIN: No, I think the deregulation was probably helpful to the growth of our economy.
In ‘99 the republicans controlled congress and introduced the legislation in question, so I can’t see how you think the republicans are going to increase regulation when they are consistently opposed to regulation to promote economic growth. They also have been pushing for less accountability in the Pentagon and the Oval, office by the way. By all means, vote Republican if that is where you stand, but don’t think they will increase accountability anywhere. It is not going to happen.
266. Citizen Morpheus | 09.26.08
“as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where, where do they go? It’s Alaska.” Statements like these make Paris Hilton look like a Summa *** Laude compared to Sarah Palin. In choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain is saying this to the American people: “You are a nation of idiots! You were dumb enough to put a babbling fool and an arrogant **** in the White House, you’re dumb enough to replace them with an old john and a raving dink.” The choice has never been clearer than now, Obama for President!!!
267. pogo | 09.26.08
well neither is McCain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdn2sTrgdnw
very incoherent circular jawing
268. Chasera | 09.26.08
Mike from Philly,
Sorry, forgot to mention one thing on how Obama works for the poor etc…Now I know why you think that…you’re putting your son through Penn State. Ouch. But wait, there may be help. It is no surprise that Obama wants to redistribute wealth, you know get the rich to pay more taxes…so I guess what that means is I’ll be helping you put your son through Penn State.
269. johnTX | 09.26.08
Palin has a child-like view of the world. There are good guys and there are bad guys. The good guys look like us. The bad guys don’t. You punish the bad guys. If possible, you eradicate them. After all, they are bad.
If only the world were as simple as Palin makes it out to be.
270. Marilyn | 09.26.08
“And when you consider that up until the financial meltdown, nothing dominated the news cycle more than the nation’s energy woes – an issue that she’s comfortable chatting about – she had a lot of practice. In those interviews anyway, she looked poised and confident.”
She maybe comfortable, but if you check her facts about just about anything on the energy question, they’re all wrong - inflated greatly in the direction that makes her look much more important. So either she’s not very well informed or she lies.
271. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Chasera, thanks. I think you’re going to see that. (By the way, although Penn State is the most expensive state school in the U.S. (tuition alone around $13,000 per year), you might be thinking of the University of Pennsylvania, Ivy League school in Philly, which of course is super expensive, tuition alone probably around $40,000 a year.) btw, for what it’s worth, for the past ten years (ending 12/31/07) I was well above the income level at which Obama is going to increase taxes. I would have happily paid more to have Obama as president (and I am not saying that only because I’m no longer in that tax bracket).
272. Chasera | 09.26.08
rbchambers,
I said on the matter of Wall Street and accountability in my previous post…”As I said before, Wall Street has been allowed to run unfettered for too long. Its time for checks and balances, and accountability”.
273. geek | 09.26.08
The change that I am hoping for is one of competency and integrity guiding principles that Republicans used to be proud of.
President Bush has destroyed the image of the Republican Party and the boy’s in Congress that went along are to blame as well.
Balanced budget, smaller government, controlled spending, avoiding foreign intervention, keeping out of peoples lives, staying out of both the bed room and board room, they have failed.
Sarah Palin is the ultimate insult, an affirmative action candidate.
274. DougH | 09.26.08
Troy — It’s this simple. More taxes under Clinton, budget was balanced. Less taxes under Bush, 4 trillion more in debt.
No more pay-as-you-go is costing us and will cost us and our children after we are dead and gone.
I’d love to spend all of my money without paying taxes, giving offerings at church, or giving money to charities.
Unfortunately, someone has to pay for the largest military in the world. We have to pay for the interest on the debt we’ve created. And, at some point, we have to pay that money back. If you think we can “spend our money” without paying the taxes it’s going to take to fix this mess, you are living a fairy tale.
Repub or Dem, the next President will, in effect, raise your taxes. He must also reign in spending, but he will raise taxes. There is no way to get out of this mess without it.
“Raising taxes will kill growth” I can hear it already. Bush’s remedy for every situation was to lower taxes. Now the Dow is below the point at which it was when he took office. This “lower taxes” strategy isn’t working because all of this debt has weakened the dollar. Since we import so much it has also caused at least 6% inflation this year. GWB called our economic system a “House of cards” in his press conference about the bailout. He should know. He created it with his borrow and spend policies.
Who ever thought we could spend 10-12 billion a month, cut taxes, borrow the money, and still have healthy economic growth. GWB did. I forgot he has a Harvard MBA. That MBA didn’t help him in business and it hasn’t helped him in managing the economy. He was never a “real” student at any level anyway.
Time for a change. This a serious time for serious people. Obama/Biden (now leading nationally by 5% in Rasmussen Poll just out today)
275. Carol Melton | 09.26.08
I wanted to vote for a woman this election (actually Hillary) but when Palin stepped up I thought I possibly could vote the McCain ticket. But the last two weeks with the Palin interviews and McCain acting like a Rhinestone Cowboy about the economy………..whoa. Maybe someday I will get to vote for a woman but I’d like to vote for one that could actually provide more than window dressing for the office she might some day hold…ya know! McCain has blown it big time!
276. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Dez, you are correct. However, the first amendment does prohibit establishmnet of any state religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this to mean that the government can’t assist in advancing religious beliefs (with money or otherwise). I think if you read the U.S. Supreme Court’s cases on the establishment clause, you will find that the reasoning is pretty solid, although you are correct that nowhere does the constitution state “separation of church and state.”
277. Troy | 09.26.08
Its nice of all you people to make such lovely comments about Governor Pallin. So I expect most of you could, with your vast worldly experiace, becauce you have a pass port and a publicly paid for education, could be the Vice President or Balance a budget, maybe run a bussiness. Maybe have princaples that don’t require every one else to pay for them. Maybe with you mass intolect you can figure out that just because communizim didn’t work for anybody else, you the most intellagent, can make it work.
278. Marty | 09.26.08
Chasera, clearly, you don’t know anything, do you?
McCain, bush and the rest of the repugnants have always been for LESS oversight, and less regulation. McCain helped craft precisely the bills that put Lehman and the rest of the crashing financial network in todays position. So, since Mccain broke it, you actually think he and caribou barbie can fix it?
This financial meltdown probably has doomed McOld from having a chance. When Obama destroys him tonight, then it’s going to be 40-0 in the 4th quarter and the quarterback is lame and his star reciever doesn’t understand the plays.
Obama may not fix things in Jan, or even in december of next year, but the odds are things will slowly start crawling in a positive direction.
McOld likely won’t survive his term in office and how anyone who purports to have a general intelligence level can think Caribou Barbie as POTUS is just mind-numbing.
I agree with other comments about how humiliating it is that McOld actually thought bringing in a bimbo who made his willy all a-twitter his VP choice, when he HAS to know full well he could die or become incapacitated. The world is laughing at them. I have a client in Ireland and he said that the papers there just write scathing comments about mcold and caribou..
Is that the best the repugnants can find to lead this country?
Like leading the cult members to the Koolaid.. They all follow and seem to believe it. It’s just too bad it all smells like almonds..
279. Dragonfly | 09.26.08
It’s a frightening portrait of inadequacy. McCain chose Palin, a decision that showed abysmal judgement and lazy vetting. He doesn’t even seem ready to deal with the idea of presidential mortality, for where are his health records? Maybe he thinks he’ll be immortal and she’ll never have to do more than a sexy photo shoot. This is the United States of America, we deserve better.
You know Obama is not a risk compared to all this.
280. Mike, Philadelphia | 09.26.08
Troy, none of us is running for VP. Palin is. (And I am certain quite a few people who have posted on this site, on both sides of the debate, would do better than Sarah).
281. Mike d | 09.26.08
“We have trade missions back and forth,” Palin began. “We, we do,”
Really?
Alaska has trade missions with Russia? And are they are negotiated by Sara Palin? What kind? Does she meet with Russian officials? Where? When?
mike d
282. DougH | 09.26.08
Palin’s 15 minutes of fame will be over in 40 days. Maybe she learned from this experience and comes back in the next cycle but she’s not ready yet.
I shouldn’t say that. What is should say is: based on her performance so far, she hasn’t shown that she is ready. She hasn’t shown her self to be well-informed, articulate, thoughtful, or smart.
As I said before, I want super-stars running our country; someone who impresses me. Obama and Biden impress me. GWB, McCain, nor Palin impress me. They all seem to have the same story: lackluster educational careers, no private business experience, average thinking, reasoning, and speaking skills.
283. Aja | 09.26.08
Oops, I had the wrong poster # in my previous post - I meant #138 arvad watson, who is obviously one of our friends to the north.
Have a great weekend everyone!
284. Deb | 09.26.08
I am an independent and yes, I did vote for both Republican and Democrat. There must be some limit on coversative spin on Palin. Do they think Americans are stupid? Take it “she is just plain awful”. Her most answers and sentences make no sense whatsoever and, she is going to run this country if McCain wins and something happens to him? This is an insult to all Americans. Read what Ms Kathleen Parker (a highly regarded conservative repulbican)said–she said, Palin may do some good for the country and the party if she withdraws in the name of putting her “family first”. No one will argue with her.
285. Angela Ford Rioux | 09.26.08
I am a thinking American and I for one do not want a “normal” or regular person running my country. I want an exceptional one. A person who can handle an interview or dialogue with anyone and not sound like a beauty queen. Either presidential candidate fits this bill, but when it comes to our economy, do we really want the same mindset that got us into this mess to try and get us out? I have a really hard time accepting the idea that the problems we’re having now stem from the Clinton administration and it took 8 years for them to manifest. During the Clinton administration, we eliminated the national debt, unemployment was down and the economy in general was booming. It is much more likely that mismanagement in this administration is the cause of our economic woes. We need to get back on track with fiscal responsibility and overall integrity. I believe we literally cannot afford to re-elect a Republican to the White House. Anyway, President Bush lost my support when he led us into Iraq under false pretenses and John McCain’s steadfast support of the war is the main reason he will not get my vote.
286. Troy | 09.26.08
First raising taxes will only get you into deeper truble, thats what Hover did, just before the great depression. The greatest mistake that could be done is to raise taxes. After Buss tax cuts the Government actually took in more money that Clinton. The major mistake was the mass spending spee the the president,congress, and the people. Remember Prescription drugs for every body? Extended unemployment beniffits, 9/11, the tech bubble crash. No one wants to rain in Social security, medicare, Ear marks for every one. No the First thing that sould be done is cut all government programs by 20% for starters. Clean up the overlapping programs, no sport statiums, to corporate wellfair, and get rid of all federal mandates. Local owned local run.
287. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Mike, Philadelphia - If I were convinced that more Americans were like you, Obama would have my vote in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I see it this way. If I was to start a commune, people like you would work for the good of our commune and make it a stronger place. It is the joker sitting on the couch playing XBox, eating the communes food, and complaining that air conditioning is not turned up enough that would cause us problems. Sooner or later we would all get sick of working our butts off while this joker sits around doing nothing. Ignoring the fact that these people exist and take advantage of us gets conservatives defensive. Helping the less fortunate is one thing, but if you aren’t careful you create dependency. The more people take, the easier it becomes to take again. I don’t have the answers, but I am definitely not convinced Obama and liberal government handouts are the answer.
289. Penny R, | 09.26.08
I am ashamed of Katie Couric playing the “gotcha” game with Gov. Palin. How is the Governor supposed to know how Sen. McCain voted for the last 26 years!!!!
290. Voter | 09.26.08
I would urge any of you that support McCain/Palin to scroll back up and read the transcript again. She said the bailout was about healthcare reform!! I was in the undecided camp after the RNC. To heck with the issues though. This woman is clearly incompetent. I am not voting “for” anyone. I will vote against the prospect that Sarah Palin could possibly be the President. She makes Bush look smart.
291. Chasera | 09.26.08
Marty,
Let me see if I got this right…you say McCain is the one who got Wall Street into this mess? What bill did he sign are you referring to? I think that your man Barney “the real man” Frank, House Financial Services Committee Chairman, and Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., the Banking Committee Chair probably along with major democrat contributor Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, and the fat CEOs and major contributors to Obama’s campaign from Freddie and Fannie, now defunct at tax payers expense…are you saying they had nothing to do with all this??? Take a powder.
292. KELVIN | 09.26.08
I’m not only starting to question John McCain’s sanity for picking Gov. Palin. I’m starting to questions the sanity of the Republicans who support this choice. McCain is old, god forbid something happens to him, is there anyone who would put there hand on a Bible,Torah or Koran and say they honestly would feel comfortable with Palin as President. She is not up to the job I don’t blame her I blame McCain. What did he ask her before choosing her What country can you see from your window? if our nation wasn’t in such bad shape this would be laughable. One ray of hope even Conservatives (Kathleen Parker)are calling for her to drop out of the race.
294. Troy | 09.26.08
Yes Mike you are right, Mrs. Pallin is running for VP, she was willing to take the heat for it. Unlike most Monday Quarterbacks, she did something to help her neiborhood, better her kids schools, she through crooks out of office, and put and end to the good old boy network. And what have you done?
295. Chasera | 09.26.08
This was reported just now on the EIB network. Read on about how Obama conducted himself during the Bail Out hearing in Washington. “Obama admitted that nothing can get done with him in the room, in charge of these negotiations. The Democrats put him in charge, and the meeting ended in chaos. Apparently Obama works best when others get their hands dirty, and he’s on the phone where his thinkers can sort out what his reaction should be.”
Sec. Paulson and his fellow Democrats play games with the bailout. They’re focusing on politics and using this to showcase Obama’s so-called leadership, while the House GOP’s fight on principle.
296. mtncat | 09.26.08
I don’t think this is a national press issue - any competent local news person could have asked these questions and followed up similarly to Couric. The answers offered just show that this woman is simply not prepared - from an experience point of view or otherwise - to hold the Vice-Presidency of the United States. Period. And the fact that John McClain is 72 and has had 4 bouts with cancer - which is a stress-triggered disease - should trouble us all.
297. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - I know you are probably sick of me resonding to your posts, but you keep wanting to pin this financial mess on the dems only. The following is a direct quote from John McCain in response to banking deregulation. “I have a long voting record in support of deregulation.” Deregulation of wall street is a major factor in the mess we are facing. You can blaim the execs, the banks, and even the dems, and I won’t argue with you, but the relaxed regulations and lack of oversight created directly by the republicans can not be spun onto the dems. No matter how hard you want it to be the dems fault, that one is on the repubs.
298. nj-bj | 09.26.08
GoSarahGo
Are you saying you’d rather elect an “average” person instead of a smart, ivy league educated person? If so, how’d Bush get elected (Yalie that he is).
As for blaming Obama for what people will end up on the hook for…
“…Look at what all that *EXPERIENCE* is getting us! If you’re lucky you’ll only end up on the hook for just under a cool mil. Nine days ago, Harry Reid (I trust he has all this great EXPERIENCE) came out and told the same press he didn’t know what to do!…”
I believe that proposal came from the FED and Treasury chairmen, APPOINTED BY BUSH. Furthermore the $700B proposal had to have had GB’s approval. So Who should the finger of blame be pointed at??
299. pgchambers | 09.26.08
“Sec. Paulson and his fellow Democrats play games with the bailout.”
Please, Paulson was appointed by Bush, and the bailout plan was created by him and Bernanke working with the Bush administration.
300. Chasera | 09.26.08
pgchambers,
NO, I’m not sick of you responding. You have some good thoughts, however…you’ve got to get out of your box for a moment, think rationally and connect all the dots. Deregulation does not mean unfettered and unlawful. Deregulation means oversight, checks and balances and within the law. I’m from the wireless industry which used to be regulated. In ‘86 it was deregulated which meant good things for Cell phone users like lower costs, new products etc. The airlines were deregulated allowing competition which meant lower costs for travelers (until now of course). Deregulation is is Capitalism, what America was built upon. So, when you blame McCain for signing on to deregulating Wall Street, fine…but look towards the idiots who are running it. All Democrats. If you want names look for my post to Marty.
301. nj-bj | 09.26.08
Chasera - 188
BTW, one of the ways she used the money she brought into her state, instead of building a bridge-to-nowhere, was to build a road to nowhere. It dead-ends where the bridge would have been built.
We need to calm down the rhetoric and name calling these posts but look the facts. I just wish there had been time for the public, or the press, or the republican party or someone to look at SP background better, in addition to Rush Limbaugh, who recommended her all summer long.
302. Chasera | 09.26.08
rbchambers
I’ll save you some time. Further to my previous post to you, here are your illustrious leaders on Wall Street while you blame McCain and other republicans for their malfeasance and trying to hold them accountable for decisions made previously in defending deregulation.
Barney “the real man” Frank, House Financial Services Committee Chairman, and Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., the Banking Committee Chair. Major democrat contributor Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, and the fat CEOs and major contributors to Obama’s campaign from Freddie and Fannie, now defunct at tax payers expense.
303. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - I definitely blame them as well, but the people relaxing restrictions and handing unchecked power to “the idiots” can’t be held blameless. Unregulated capitalism is a great ideal, but the market does not care about human suffering when it goes about correcting itself after human greed forces it to. And, trust me, it is not the greedy who suffer the most during market corrections.
304. Chasera | 09.26.08
nj-bj,
Can you provide a little more information about the road to no where. Remember now, Alaska is waaaaay up North. The population is about 700K. So a thinking person might put that into perspective. You might drive miles and miles without seeing another vehicle. In the dark no less.
305. Chasera | 09.26.08
pgchambers
Yes, you have a point again, but no one repeat no one ever talks about the great job our charities provide nor how much money is poured back into society without question, objection, or anyone seeking recognition. Those who suffer have many associations, churches, other religious entities, Veteran organizations, Salvation Army, Goodwill, Red Cross, all there to help. Why do you think Government needs to be there and in what capacity? We’ve got to get over it! Let the States manage their own folks as was put forth in the Consituition. Read it, and the Bill of Rights, then let’s talk about why Obama would be better than McCain for Americans like you and me.
306. pgchambers | 09.26.08
Chasera - You haven’t swung me to McCain, but thanks for the debate and have a great weekend. I’m out.
307. DougH | 09.26.08
Back to Sarah and McSame…
The Repugnicants have put their best people forward and so have the Democrats. Is seems that most of us are on either side. The real judges of both tickets will be the true independents. Today, right now, they are polling 2 to 1 for Obama/Biden. These upcoming debates (Today & next Thurday), spin and all, will put the race out of reach in favor of Obama/Biden.
Actually this has less to do with Palin and Biden than the principals.
310. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
NJ
I don’t care about Bush, and besides, you really want to go into how many people CLINTON appointed that have us over a barrel right now? Like Andrew Cuomo, Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson, Jamie Gorelick and so forth?
You missed my point earlier, what good is experience if it doesn’t translate to anything? Yeah thank god for all those experienced people with all their pedigrees and fat resumes (on BOTH sides of the aisle), I mean they’ve just done one **** of a job haven’t they?
So we have Washington KILLING us for the last decade and a half at least and you want to “fix it” by sending more Washington vets? (I include Obama in that cause he has the profile of one)
Honestly, this is high time for a Congressional cleanup (over the next four years anyway) where we get rid of the DC vets (Biden, Schumer, Reid, McCain, Hillary, etc would be a good start). Unfortunately, we can’t get the Obamanations on the same page. They think government is the answer, and honestly wouldn’t care if Obama were the 20th hijacker.
I do get a kick out of liberals half the time whining about Bush cause you take away the war and tax cuts, he’s a moderate at best. But we understand how you libs feel about moderates (Joe Lieberman?). Same deal with McCain, who you wouldn’t know actually was a conservativeup until Saddleback and picking SP, in fact other than those two items you STILL wouldn’t know he was one. Then again everything in the old days to the right of the modern liberal agenda would considered right-wing these days, like FDR, HST, and JFK. Even Scoop Jackson from my homestate.
Oh and Paulson and Chuck Schumer are best buddies btw. So you’re saying in your diatribe against Bush you don’t like HIM either?
311. Marlowe’s Mom | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin appears to able to speak about as rationally about economics and foreign policy as the average golden retriever, almost a month after being nominated for a job that calls for her to operate the nuclear trigger should McCain be unable to do so. If she’s the “quick study” and “hard worker” her defenders claim, why does she still know so little and why is she so unprepared? McCain’s choice of Palin and her acceptance of the nomination reflects a total absence of judgment and maturity on both of their parts. You may not agree with all of Obama’s policies or proposals, you may question his character, but at least he’s an adult and he made a mature choice of running mate in Biden. Watch “Fargo” again. Sarah Palin IS Jerry Lundegaard’s hapless wife Jean. If you’re an adventurous soul, you MIGHT put Jean Lundegaard in charge of organizing donuts and coffee for church on Sunday. For president and vice president, I prefer people who demonstrate just a teensy bit more in the way of intellect, curiosity, analytical skill, work ethic, and ability to handle themselves when they’re put on the spot. If that makes me an elitist, I’m glad to be an elitist.
312. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
Also interesting are libs all the sudden rallying around Kathleen Parker (not a real conservative by any stretch) over her abandonment of Sarah Palin. I suppose you aren’t familiar with the history of NRO, who once championed the same Nelson Rockefeller Republicans that McCain is trying to warm up to today.
I think Bill O’Reilly and Mark Levin should switch places.
313. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
“For president and vice president, I prefer people who demonstrate just a teensy bit more in the way of intellect, curiosity, analytical skill, work ethic, and ability to handle themselves when they’re put on the spot. If that makes me an elitist, I’m glad to be an elitist.”
So I take it you don’t want Obama either……………
314. DougH | 09.26.08
Smart, top 10% of college class, well spoken, analytical thinker, well informed = Elitist
Bumbling, inarticulate, Bush-like speaking skill, sub-par educationally = Down to earth
As a black man I can’t keep up with the game. It is changing too fast. If I speak well and get educated I’m an elitist. If I graduate at bottom 1% of my class I’m down to earth. Or does that only work if your are white. I’m confused… Help before I become a commy lib socialist whiner… elitist…. when all I wanted to do is be a productive member of this great country.
315. Gerri | 09.26.08
Katie Curic is as useless as a blank blank blank. My dog knows more about how to interview than her!!!!!!!!!!
316. DougH | 09.26.08
Geri,
You are the dummy because you should have your dog making the 7 million a year instead of Katie.
317. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
Does anyone championing Katie Couric here not realize what’s wrong with panning a small-town mayor and a short-time governor gunning for VP while celebrating somebody who went from the Today Show (and some fluff Dateline pieces a while back) to the #1 anchor at CBS?
Much like knocking Sarah for once being an empty-headed sports anchor, and then praising Keith Olbermann.
318. DougH | 09.26.08
It’s all a grand media conspiracy.
How could a candidate for VP be expected to answer a question like:
“What do you think of the Bush Doctrine?”
How was she supposed to know what the Bush Doctrine was?
What a gotcha… Why would any informed average citizen know about the “Bush Doctrine”?
Answer: Watch CSPAN every once in a while.
320. TGA | 09.26.08
Actually, the problem here is big fish in a little pond syndrome. Sarah is purely and simply put, out of her element. She is a governor of a large state only in terms of land area. Most medium size cities and many counties in the U.S. have populations that approach or exceed that of Alaska. To give credence to the idea that a governor of such a state faces the same responsibilities as the governor of say, California or New Jersey, is a little silly. The needs for government are very different at low population densities. Executive ability in a tiny pond isn’t so critical under such circumstances and therefore her position could be filled by almost anyone willing to run for it. What’s more important though is what such an obviously poor choice in terms of ability says about McCain.
321. Deb | 09.26.08
So, who should we vote for? McCain: War hero but cheated his wife for a rich lady (and claim family values), lowest in the class, transformed from a claimed marverick and independent minded to a “ultra conservative pleaser”, says anything to win, selection of an unqualified VP who took 6 years and 5 colleges to finish a college degree, who can not keep her underage daughter from being pregnant, cannot finish a complete sentence (forget knowledge on economics or foreign policy), an uneducated husband—
Or Obama: Raised by a single mother, graduated from Harvard Law school, paid tution on his own to finish college, married for 19 years, did not take any lucrative job to serve the community, served as a state senator and US senator, who’s wife also a Harvard law graduate, left her job to take care of two young daughters (that’s family value) and does community work.
322. Bessy | 09.26.08
Palin scoffs at “reporters” trying to “cari..”, you mean MOCK her, when she herself aspired to be one herself:
323. TGA | 09.26.08
Deb. Politics for most is beyond logic. It is primarily about perception not substance. Social psychologists have known this for years. So have marketing people. Eighty percent of the populace goes with their gut and that’s that. No convesions will occur here.
325. Danny G | 09.26.08
“This is our nation and our future we are talking about and not crazy football analogy. If the press had done their job well, this woman could have been history from day one. It is an embarassment to the psychic of this nation, it is an insult to the intelligence of all women that this is our respresentative.”
You’ve gotta be kidding, right? My Lord! If the press had done their job well from day one OBAMA would never have passed muster in the Iowa caucuses! If the general public had been informed of Obama’s true dealings with Tony Rezko…if we’d heard of all of the dirty political gaming that Obama used to secure his Illionois Senate seat….if we’d heard of Jeremiah Wright last year…..if the public had not believed Obama’s LIES about his close relationship with Bill Ayers….if everyone realized that Obama’s work with ACORN undercut honesty in American elections…if everyone held him to the same standards which we hold our police departments to (druggies can’t be cops, but they can sure run for President of our country!)….if we had known about his ties to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac…..if people hadn’t become enamored with an American Idol type candidate (shame, shame, shame) we’d have been choosing between McCain and CLINTON!!! I’m still appalled at how many Democrats are still “drinking the Obama Kool Aid” when they know good and well that Obama’s candidacy is still just a “fairytale.” Bush was a major mistake, but to compound that error by voting Obama into office is just about as dumb a mistake as I can imagine a level headed American capable of making. Yet, such is the nature of the population of this once great land…a population incapable of seeing through the fallacy that the media has created in the legitimacy of a seriously flawed man named Barack Obama.
326. Marlowe’s Mom | 09.26.08
Katie Couric can’t blow up the planet by reading the news on television. If you accept the vice presidential nomination in an election to lead a country in economic and military crisis, you’re responsible for making yourself sufficiently familiar with the issues and your running-mate’s political history to handle basic, easily-anticipated questions from reporters. A responsible presidential candidate would not choose someone who’s not prepared for the task. A responsible person being asked to serve would look hard at themselves and ask whether they have the right knowledge and experience for the job they are being asked to fill. McCain and Palin have not shown that level of responsibility.
Obama has proven his ability to think through issues and reach consensus and he shored up his own greatest weakness of experience, foreign policy, by choosing Biden as his running mate. Palin was chosen to shore up McCain’s political weakness with the religious right. I absolutely prefer a candidate whose VP choice shows greater concern about the quality of the potential administration than grabbing attention and votes from an extreme wing of his party. I absolutely prefer thoughtful analysis and deliberative decision-making, not shoot-from-the-hip-but-don’t-watch-where-the-gun-is-pointing reaction.
327. Deb | 09.26.08
DannyG,
You need to know more about McCain and Palin. No one is talking about McCain past other he was a POW. We had passed Obama’s and Biden’e story and they passed both media and public examination. We now know a little bit about Palin’s qualification. But we don’t know about her character–why GOP is blocking the investigation–don’t you or American people want know about her? Please don’t spin.
329. GoSarahGo | 09.26.08
“Obama has proven his ability to think through issues and reach consensus and he shored up his own greatest weakness of experience, foreign policy, by choosing Biden as his running mate. Palin was chosen to shore up McCain’s political weakness with the religious right. I absolutely prefer a candidate whose VP choice shows greater concern about the quality of the potential administration than grabbing attention and votes from an extreme wing of his party. I absolutely prefer thoughtful analysis and deliberative decision-making, not shoot-from-the-hip-but-don’t-watch-where-the-gun-is-pointing reaction.”
Oh there’s a laugh, yep Barry “puts a lot of thought into issues”, yep let’s just send him to the highest seat in the land. Tell me, what deliberate decisions has Obama made? The biggest one he goes around telling everybody about is opposing the Iraq war, when he was in the Illinois State Senate! We have plenty Dem state senators in Olympia (WA) who oppose the war in Iraq and would likely oppose a troop surge in Afghanistan. Should we start prepping them for a run in 2016?
And as far as Biden goes, going on Meet The Press just about every week for the last 15 years and putting wordsmiths out of work doesn’t satisfy me.
But hey, go ahead and prefer the guy that actually HAS THE HAND in this current crisis (in addition to the rest of the rats). Just don’t whine about it three years from now when oil is over $200 a barrel, if you’re lucky you might have a dollar to save at the end of the month, and like Harry Reid, Joe “just doesn’t know what to do”
330. Danny G | 09.26.08
“A responsible presidential candidate would not choose someone who’s not prepared for the task.” ….and a responsible party would not choose someone who’s not prepared for the task (of PRESIDENT), but the Democrats have.
“Obama has proven his ability to think through issues and reach consensus and he shored up his own greatest weakness of experience, foreign policy, by choosing Biden as his running mate.”
Geeeeez!!! Do you HONESTLY believe that these candidates make these decisions on their own???? Obama’s been guided through this campaign by the same man who’s guided the infamous Mayor Daly through his corrupt tenure as mayor of Chicago. Obama’s a prime example of just how well the Chicago political machine works. Yes, Obama’s taken the time to calculate every political move he’s made from his entry into the shady Chicago political scene up to present time. However, I cannot imagine how ANYONE can look past the fact that he has done nothing politically that would have “rocked the boat” or served to impede his rapid climb up the political ladder. He’s played the game quite well, and his hands a quite dirty as a result! And again, it makes me sick that fellow Democrats have championed Obama as an “agent of change,” when he’s just another dirty Chicago politician. It’s enough for me to turn my back on every Democrat running for office this cycle.
331. Danny G | 09.26.08
Deb, unlike so many Catholics in the world, I adhere to the principles of my faith….therefore I am “pro life.” Palin’s story strikes me as being quite remarkable and I applaud her for her willingness to face the unfair scrutiny that is inherent in the U.S. political scene. However, where has the press been as far as scrutinizing Obama and HIS past? Remember what a BIG deal that made of Clinton’s drug usage? Obama’s only admitted what HE wanted to lay out in his book, and the press took that quasi-biographical book at face value. It took honest investigators scrutinizing Obama’s words to get Barack to admit that the book was partially fictitious, yet the press never reported that, did they? Just how much have you really investigated the man you’re supporting? How much of the BS that the press has fed you have you swallowed? From reading the responses in this blog, it’s very apparent that even educated Americans, who are ususally very careful about the important decisions they make, have formed their opinion of Obama based on what they hear through the press! They are allowing the press to choose their president for them. Those of you who continue to attempt to tie McCain to Bush are only fooling yourselves. McCain has been a centrist throughout his entire career in the Senate! Obama is the MOST liberal member of the Senate and has a rich history of associating with some of the most radical leftists in the country! Look past this if you wish, but I’ll stick with McCain for his dedication to his country and Palin for her dedication to the taxpayers of her state…and to her dedication to her family. McCain and Palin are both honorable people if nothing else. With Obama’s history of associating with radicals (even going so far as to endorsing Bill Ayers radical education agenda as penned in Ayers book), his favors for Rezko, his following that idiot of a pastor for 20 years, and relying upon the dishonest heads of Fannie and Freddie as economic advisors….I could go on for hours…anyway, if this is what YOU consider a honorable candidate, please keep your kids away from mine.
332. Marty | 09.26.08
Marlowes Mom..
It’s kinda comical to watch the desparation on the Repugnicans side, and you are completely right in your assessment.
McOld violated perhaps every sense of common sense and decency, and endangers the United States, a country he claims to love and cherish. He makes the entire world laugh (for those who don’t believe, go read news on ANY website that’s not domestic) by selecting perhaps the worst possible choice for a running mate.
Sarah Palin is so far from even the most marginal and generous application to being VP, it’s comical, sad and dangerous. Anyone wanting to call her qualified is entitled to their opinion, but clearly, they’re not reading her own quotes and they’re not watching her own videos.
They don’t look at what she’s done in Alaska, yet accepts blindly the Repugnican machines ‘fact list’. When a woman like Condy Rice, who is eminently qualified to be VP and could seamlessly slide into the Presidency in a crisis is passed over, if Kay Hutchinson is passed over, even Elizabeth Dole would have been a more viable candidate.
Instead, McOld picked someone who gave his pathetic life a woody for the 1st time in 20 years. He did no investigation, he admits to only having met her for 5 minutes on ONE occaision. How in Gods Green Earth could anyone decide on something as critical as being the VP of the United States on ONE FIVE MINUTE MEETING? Applying for a job as a custodian of an office building will get more than 5 minutes with HR, and this is for a far less important job than being a VP. He only talked to her a total of 3 times, the other 2 were quick phone calls. McOld is supposed to be an intelligent, capable person, able to run the most complex job on earth, and as his chief associate, he picks someone with breasts and very little else.
People say we’re not voting for her, but for McOld, yet, when a man is 72 and has had 4 cancers, and maybe more, but since he’s not released his medical records, we don’t know, but in this case, the VP may well be the most important person in the USA if he wins, since actuarial tables say someone 72 is likely to die or become incapacitied at anytime.
Sarah Palin, wolf killer, rape victim hater, bridge lover, than hater, then road to nowhere builder, now gift taker to the tune of 25,000. Mom of Downs syndrome baby, but unimportant enough she can be VP. A pregnant teen, also who won’t need mom at all when she gives birth. That’s not even counting the other 4 children. A woman who took 6 years to aquire a degree in journalism, at 5 different colleges. Not a very complex degree. A woman with no apparent success in her college classes since she has not even the basic concept of complete sentence or structure. She repeats questions, to give herself time to think of talking points and platitudes then says nothing but words strung together in something other than any logical structure. She is just plainly a scary and horrid choice. Maybe she’ll come to that conclusion and will remove herself from the election.
There is so much to be said but it’s almost debate time.
333. Mia | 09.26.08
The Couric interview was very painful to watch. I actually felt bad for her because she obviously had no clue what to say and just repeated the same mish-mash of garbage she already used. She’s never even met Putin– Alaska is really no closer to the Kremlin than any other state. And the part of Russia that is near Alaska is very sparsely population and poses no threat whatsoever.
She didn’t know that Henry Kissinger supporter talking to Iran without pre-conditions, which is something he said barely a month ago. AND SHE JUST TALKED TO HIM LIKE YESTERDAY. What the **** did they talk about then?
“I’ll find some and bring ‘em to ya.” Hey lady, this ain’t a take-home test. You fail.
336. tina | 09.26.08
So, she isn’t an “expert” politician. There are plenty of experts in Washington and look at what a bang-up job they’re doing. She is a real person and the media doesn’t know how to deal with that. Besides, Barack can’t even speak without a telepromptor! And his foreign policy experience consists of going on a whirlwind celebrity tour where he presented himself as the Saviour of the , uhm…world. Give me the honesty of Palin over the deliberate, deceptive craftiness of Obama anyday!
337. ella | 09.26.08
Did Srah really only come in second in the Beauty Contest? Was the only other contestant really a Dauschund named Sparky?
339. ATTENTION REPUBLICANS: | 09.26.08
ATTENTION REPUBLICANS:
RE: SARAH PALIN
Obviously there has been a HUGE mistake…..
Palin’s Dribble, Weasel Wording, Mush-Mush, Ass-Backwards speak Cleary demonstrates who carries the Down Syndrome trait in her family, because of this we (the democrats) will allow you to send her back to Wacky-silla without prejudice and select another candidate.
For this consideration the Republicans agree to sell Alaska to Russia (with Palin) and never mention the State of Alaska or her again.
The Democrats
341. brian musah | 09.26.08
Many Americans will not be surprised at the way the carefully crafted image of Palin is disntegrating before our very eyes.People forget that this poor woman, her hands full with more than her fair share of domestic problems probaly never thought of herself in the role she now finds herslf in. She therefore had no reason to prepare for a VP role.One starts to worry when even Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker writes, “No one hates saying this more than I do,” but Palin’s “clearly out of her league” and should “bow out.”. This sums it all. McCain should admit that is gamble went horribly wrong and get a new VP.
342. Carole Clarke | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin’s responses to Katie Couric were amateurish - politicians at this level need to be able to think and speak on their feet, no hemming and hawing, certainly no fumbling for answers. She needs to speak “through” the question and address concerns in her own way - it’s a technique all public speakers learn early on. Technically Canada counts as a foreign country and Russia across the Bering Strait is foreign but sitting between them does not count as foreign policy experience. Trade delegations are just that, trade. On the plus side she has had to order her National Guard into a war zone and has visited them in a rear area but did not seem to have looked beyond their immediate needs to any larger future at that time. With alot of help she could learn the Vice-Presidential work and execute it well but its the top job people are worried about. The job that involves nuclear warheads, global threats and stringing together warring factions. I like Sarah Palin but she is not qualified for that. Because of John McCain’s age and health, we require a Vice-President who has the necessary experience in decades not days and who can step into the Presidency with complete confidence. We can’t afford on-the-job-training for anyone right now. Not with this financial crisis and Al Qaeda out there and Russia flexing its muscles.
343. Bruce | 09.26.08
Palin got a D on MACRO-ECONOMICS.
She bragged about it while runing for governor.
344. newton31 | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin was ready for prime time the moment she stepped on the ticket. Why she has been segregated from the press (and apparently drilled into incoherence)is beyond comprehension. I’m sure it was done with good intentions.
But now it is time for her to thank the campaign handlers for their help and take control of her portion of the campaign. She has what it takes! Those surrounding her who may be less gifted need to take a supporting role and get out of the way so she can shine.
345. Marcos El Malo | 09.26.08
I decided to vote for Bob Barr some time ago, but it still pains me as a Republican to see the McCain/Palin campaign and it scares me to think that they might actually get elected. Republicans, it’s time to put away party loyalty and put the country first: Don’t vote for McCain/Palin. Vote for Barr, vote for Obama (lay back and think of America), or just don’t vote. Staying home is a better option than voting for McCain.
If you’ve contributed money to McCain, call the campaign and ask for a refund. Maybe they’ll start to get the message.
346. ANish | 09.26.08
I teach English to children in Shanghai and I feel embarrassed that I criticize their English now.
You cannot “bias” a person
And then I get told liberalism is a mental disorder—from a person who cites John Adams—who is the definition of an elitist, who said the “rich, well-born, and able” should be set apart from all others…who passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, which any TRUE freedom minded American would consider a betrayal of our ideals, as it criminalized criticism of the government—but that would work well with you worldview no?
I’d rather be mentally ill than an unAmerican traitor like all y’all Palin supporters
347. gladys s | 09.26.08
I’d rather vote for someone like McCain and Palin. Both God loving and fearing Christians. I do not trust Obama. Too may bad things in his backround. Ms Paling needs trust her gut instinct and be herself. The interviews so far I believe she has been tutored and poorly so to say or stear away from this or that. My advise to her tell it like it is. Similar to the comment you made when Katie Couric asked why you did not have a passport earlier on. This statement was really good and made Couric look about 2 inches high. Fact is I do not know many people with a passport! I am 62 years old and OMG I have no passport! Does that make me less of an American? I am just sick and tired of the media literaly going in to tear her appart. Talking to them is not at all like talking to foriegn leaders.
348. Burt Smith | 09.26.08
Frightening. Reckless. Ignorant and apparently proud of it. The press has perhaps finally begun to question candidate Palin. This is not a People magazine “Who’s Prettiest”. This is the presidential campaign.As the press awakens, the voters need to make themselves aware and stop being manipulated. The cynicism of McCain’s choice - the pandering inherent in it - cannot be allowed to define the American voter.
Palin’s choice is merely the latest part of the most dishonest modern campaign for the American presidency. After 2000 and 2004, I did not think it was possible to disregard the truth so shamelessly but clearly it is.
If the voters allow themselves to be duped again, we should be ashamed.
349. ANish | 09.26.08
I teach English to children in Shanghai and I feel embarrassed that I criticize their English now.
You cannot “bias” a person
And then I get told liberalism is a mental disorder—from a person who cites John Adams—who is the definition of an elitist, who said the “rich, well-born, and able” should be set apart from all others…who passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, which any TRUE freedom minded American would consider a betrayal of our ideals, as it criminalized criticism of the government—but that would work well with you worldview no?
I’d rather be mentally ill than an unAmerican traitor like all y’all Palin supporters
350. Marty | 09.26.08
When John Mccain smiles, he looks like the Joker without the red lipstick.
creepy.
351. Marty | 09.26.08
John McOld has old man teeth.. he’s very rich, he can’t afford decent dental work??
Gross.. he smiles and he looks like a homeless man.. And is it just me, but he looks like an old man who’d hang out at a playground watching children.. just plain creepy.
352. Ed Grey | 09.26.08
You might take a look at views of Alaskans: Alaskans approve strongly of the job she has done as governor and yet recognize that Biden has more background and experience and would be better equipped to handle an international crisis: http://news.aol.com/story/_a/poll-alaskans-like-palin-but-give-props/n20080924141809990015 or http://publicmind.fdu.edu/veepstakes
353. GoSarahGo | 09.27.08
Wow, good for Plugs………….it’s obvious from tonight Barry still needs
a LOT of help.
In the meantime, “conservative liberal” McCain was stuck in D.C. and the one from Saddleback was definitely in his place in Oxford (back in the saddle, so to speak).
Which means Mrs. Pit Bull ain’t far behind, now that the preseason’s done let’s get rolling.
354. Jeff | 09.27.08
What ******* liberal comments= Joe Biden is a human gaffe machine (too many to mention) and think about it, Hussein says there are “57 states”, give me a break- and the mainstream media says nothing. No wonder Sarah Palin watches her mouth.
355. GoSarahGo | 09.27.08
I think what the problem is that nobody’s touching on was she was perhaps counting too much on being able to rip Adolf the Jack@$$ to shreds this past Monday (thanks a lot Hillary/Jews for Hitler) and that took away a LOT of momentum. Couple that with everything that she was doing during the week and the end result wasn’t pretty. Big deal, she’ll bounce back. Reagan had a lousy debate once, he came back and ripped Mondull to shreds. She doesn’t have to do that with Mr. Smarty-Pants, anything like a McCain performance tonight will do fine.
And I’m tellin you libs keep on making the same tired arguments/attacks and that’s exactly what they’ll be.
356. Ed | 09.27.08
While watching Palin’s interview, my 6 yr old niece asked “if she doesn’t know the answer why does she lie?”
357. Penny | 09.27.08
I agree with Frank V. Also, her mere emergence has revealed how hardened most of the women in politics and the media are. She is refreshing, honest, and real. So she might not have been at the top of her game on one interview. People need to remember the riveting speech she gave at the RNC after the horrendous week she had endured. Her stamina and convictions should not be overlooked - they too make a great leader.
358. Amused Canadian | 09.27.08
Anyone who was impressed with Ms. Palin in that inteview must be delusional.The devout republicans are ridiculous. Accusing Katie Couric of being biased in this interview is also a huge stretch. One blogger even said that she could tell that Ms. Couric was obviously biased because of her posture. That has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever heard.
359. Strategy | 09.27.08
If McCain is smart, he’ll drop Palin and offer the VP position to Hillary. That’s a SURE way to get her votes instead of using this poor surrogate. And wouldn’t it be interesting to see if Hillary accepts…
361. Sara B | 09.27.08
Real Reason why McCain chose Palin : Sexist and condescending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apdFC-vh6Ng
Also his poor record of voting against equal pay for women and opposing Equal Roles for Women in the Military should be the business of American women voters.
Real Reason why McCain running for President in his own words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GfRmfb274#
362. Citizen Jane | 09.27.08
The few, beleaguered Palin supporters in this country keep saying that we shouldn’t expect her to be polished because she’s an “ordinary person.” Indeed she is, and if I had a kid on a hockey team, I’d probably appreciate her energy and support of the team. However, not just any person off the street is qualified to be president of the United States. Let’s face it–I wouldn’t just pick any random person to tune up my car. I’d want someone qualified for the job.
363. Deaner | 09.27.08
God, I wish you misogynists would would scrutinize Obama to the same extent!
I sure hope this country can rise above this media defense of the old guard.
364. JB | 09.27.08
Palin is so unqualified for VP, the only reason she was picked is as a distraction to what’s really going on. I mean these GOP bozos can’t be serious about selecting this ‘Bible Barbie” as qualified for VP … unless they have perfected the mind/mouth control implant and have a qualified team to pull her strings.
Sarcasm is dead .. life imitates ‘reality’ .. yikes we’ve fallen thru the looking glass and can’t get back home.
Trizzle Trazzle trazzle trome - time for this one to come home …
Really folks we are being played by a ’system’ of government that is skewed beyond recognition. It is no longer a level playing field when the fat-cat’s lobbyists are influencing legislation.
Ya change a word here a phrase there in pending laws and viola, your special interest has their own loop-hole. That is - very sadly - they ’system’ we now have.
The politicians and their staff are not educated enough tomake decisions so they get ‘expert’ advice… HAH! The fox is watching the henhouse.
And another sad thing - even the Republicans KNOW this - but they are hoping that their team wins so they can hope to get a few crumbs swept off the masters table for their loyalty. I mean these ‘people’ can’t be so stupid or dull witted that they cannot think for themselves… or can they.
What was she called? .. and dare I say, the vast majority of the GOP talking heads … but a “..talking points machine out of control.”
It’s a matter of “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.”
365. Dave. | 09.27.08
I’ve perused the blogs and not found anyone remark about the following: What do we make of the Muslims reaction to BHO’s middle name? Does anyone seriously think his “mis-speak” of his Muslim faith (backed by his Jakarta schooling, indoctrination in the Quoran, loving the sound of ALLAH IS SUPREME, at sunset, etc.)has fallen on deaf ears among the jihadists? Lest we think this is unplanned, remember Islam adovcates anything promoting Allah and his prophet Muhammad including deception with infidels (non-Muslims). For those of you deriding Palin, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob specializes in using the weak things of man to demonstrate his strengths. Concerned about Israel - Biden has told our allies in the area to “get used to Iran having nuclear capabilities” - real comforting!! Dave.
366. Jane | 09.27.08
On Sara Palin…
If it looks like a duck, talks like a duck, walks like a duck, its a duck! Can’t get any simpler than that.
Those of you who have a head on your shoulders, pull it out of the sand and wake up!
368. Anne | 09.27.08
I am just wondering. Are there any responsible journalists out there who are willing to ask Obama some tough questions? Even better. Take away his teleprompter, and force him to answer without help from anyone and absolutely no briefing. Are we ever going to know what this guy believes? If he constantly changes his position, doesn’t that make him a bonified liar? His past associations (his friends that he has conveniently forgotten about) suggest that he hates white people, is anti-semitic (doesn’t like Jewish people), hates America, has no conscience when it comes to shady business dealings, is a socialist, is also a fascist, and the list goes on. He is also friends with a muslim terrorist. Doesn’t this scare you to death? Somebody please reveal this man for who he really is, and stop covering up the stench that lies in his past, you know, up until he decided to run for president.
369. GoSarahGo | 09.27.08
“It’s a matter of “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.”
That could, and SHOULD, be the case for Barry. Obviously no one cares that this is the guy that doesn’t wanna give up any of his precious welfare programs, the guy that wants to meet Adolfthejack@$$, Chavez, and the like without preconditions (and btw Henry Kissinger ISN’T the pres, you forget that important little detail), the guy whose only problem with increasing gas prices is that they weren’t gradual enough, I could name several more. What if he was the 20th hijacker?
Sarah’s out hanging WITH THE PEOPLE, and doesn’t need to do so with the cameras on. Meanwhile Plugs is out there doing what he’s done for the last
30 years, going on TV telling everybody how smart he is (why Mark Levin affectionately refers to him as ‘the dumbest man in the Senate’).
Still want Barry and Joe? Fine, be careful what you wish for……………
370. NinaK | 09.27.08
Yeah, we need a possible veep you will represent ya because, yeah, ya know, that Putin is rearing his head on the Alaskan border and, yeah, Palin is telling ya, that somthing is being sent out of Alaksa to keep an eye on that rearing Putin head; yeah, ya know!! yeah, ya gotta wonder where McCain found Palin, dontcha? Gee, I didn’t know Putin was rearing his head into Alaska. And just “WHAT” are we sending out of Alaska to keep an eye on Putin rearing his head toward/in Alaska?? Yeah, this hockey bimbo may have fooled ya Alaskan citizens, but she is not fooling the lower 48!. Yeah, ya have to wonder where Palin got her education, dontcha??
PS: My “English” duplicates Sarah Palin’s. Can you imagine her holding a discussion with other world leaders?? Guess Palin was one of those people who kept getting promoted to the next grade inspite of her poor grasp of the Enlish language. Perhaps that is why it took five-six different colleges and five years for her to get a bachelor’s degree in journaism!! Palin might have a big smile but she sure is badly lacking in brain power and knowledge!!
372. NinaK | 09.27.08
Palin replied, “Well, it certainly does because our – our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They’re in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia…”
———————————-
What? Foreign countries are Alaska’s neighbors, they’re in the state that I am the executive of, and there in Russia…??? So did Todd Palin, a former member of that outfit in Alasa that wants to secede from the USA finally help Alaska become a country? And now the next door neighbors, like Russia and Canada, are in Alaska as states??? Or what?
373. Caldwell Young | 09.27.08
Thanks to “Anne” # 367–
Thank you!! for raising the Rove/ Republican line about Obama being only able to read from a teleprompter.
You should have seen the debate last night. Modern technology is wonderful. The Obama people threatened not to let Obama debate unless the sponsors installed his teleprompter so that it would be competely invisible! And they did it. You couldn’t see it at all! Those devious media liberals and elitist University types completely caved. I swear I looked all night long, and you couldn’t find a hint of the teleprompter. That’s how devious they are.
I’m glad people like you are out there to set the record straight. Without you, a lot of folks would actually begin to believe that Obama can talk, at length and on many serious topics, without notes, a teleprompter, or even 3×5 cards. But you and I, we know better.
thanks.
Caldwell Young
374. NinaK | 09.27.08
356. Penny | 09.27.08
I agree with Frank V. Also, her mere emergence has revealed how hardened most of the women in politics and the media are. She is refreshing, honest, and real. So she might not have been at the top of her game on one interview. People need to remember the riveting speech she gave at the RNC after the horrendous week she had endured. Her stamina and convictions should not be overlooked - they too make a great leader.
——————————————————–
Sarah Palin did NOT “GIVE” a great speech at the DNC Convention, she “READ” a ROVE CLONE SCRIPT from the teleprompter! BIG, BIG difference!!
375. NinaK | 09.27.08
Carole Clarke | 09.26.08
Sarah Palin’s responses to Katie Couric were amateurish - politicians at this level need to be able to think and speak on their feet, no hemming and hawing, certainly no fumbling for answers. She needs to speak “through” the question and address concerns in her own way - it’s a technique all public speakers learn early on. Technically Canada counts as a foreign country and Russia across the Bering Strait is foreign but sitting between them does not count as foreign policy experience. Trade delegations are just that, trade. On the plus side she has had to order her National Guard into a war zone and has visited them in a rear area but did not seem to have looked beyond their immediate needs to any larger future at that time. With alot of help she could learn the Vice-Presidential work and execute it well but its the top job people are worried about. The job that involves nuclear warheads, global threats and stringing together warring factions. I like Sarah Palin but she is not qualified for that. Because of John McCain’s age and health, we require a Vice-President who has the necessary experience in decades not days and who can step into the Presidency with complete confidence. We can’t afford on-the-job-training for anyone right now. Not with this financial crisis and Al Qaeda out there and Russia flexing its muscles
————————————————————-
On the plus side she has had to order her National Guard into a war zone and has visited them in a rear area but did not seem to have looked beyond their immediate needs to any larger future at that time.
Carole, governors do NOT ORDER their National Guards into war zones. That is the job of the Pentagon!!
376. NinaK | 09.27.08
Anne | 09.27.08
I am just wondering. Are there any responsible journalists out there who are willing to ask Obama some tough questions? Even better. Take away his teleprompter, and force him to answer without help from anyone and absolutely no briefing. Are we ever going to know what this guy believes? If he constantly changes his position, doesn’t that make him a bonified liar? His past associations (his friends that he has conveniently forgotten about) suggest that he hates white people, is anti-semitic (doesn’t like Jewish people), hates America, has no conscience when it comes to shady business dealings, is a socialist, is also a fascist, and the list goes on. He is also friends with a muslim terrorist. Doesn’t this scare you to death? Somebody please reveal this man for who he really is, and stop covering up the stench that lies in his past, you know, up until he decided to run for president.
————
Anne, guess you missed the debate last night?? Palin cannot do anything at all without the ROVE CLONE SCRIPT on the teleprompter or on written sheets of paper in front of her. McCain is not much better, he goes around in circles and keeps talking about the past and being a POW. We are sick and tired of McCain AND Pilan lies, distortions, and putdowns!! These two are the most unintelligent people who ever ran for such high office. McCain was Number 894 out of his graduating class of 899!! That averages to a D-MINUS!! It took Palin 5-6 colleges and 5 years to get bachelor’s degree in journalism!! Neither exhibits very much gray matter, that’s for sure!! Even GWB did better in college than John McCain, and GWB isn’t all that bright either!! Thanks, we do NOT need anymore dumbo leaders, we need intelligent thinking people leading our country, that would be Senator Obama a top-Harvard Grad and Joe Biden who is also very intelligent. We have had enough of mediocre smartness the last eight years!! NO MORE DUMBOS IN THE OVAL OFFICE!!
377. Ron | 09.27.08
Have you guys seen the new “Sarah Palin Phrase Generator”??
http://palinquotes.awardspace.com/
Some of the generated phrases sound like actual Palin quotes!
378. John | 09.27.08
The people that are going to vote for McCain/Palin will vote for them no matter what she says. They will defend their god-fearing ticket to the death. She could have sat there and drooled for half an hour and they would still get that “Values Voter”. Fortunately for America, that crowd has thinned out and I think we’re safe for an election or two.
379. Rebecca | 09.28.08
Very interesting….I am old enough to remember the ‘92 debates when all you liberal dems were breathlessly praising Bill Clinton because he was “an ordinary guy just like us”. We all fired George Bush Senior for raising taxes (although Clinton turned around and did the same thing) and because Bush was “too elitist” and “out of touch”. Then President Clinton: 1) Tried to put through a national health care program that bombed, 2) Let some intern go down on him in the Oval Office and lied about it before a grand jury, wasting taxpayer dollars and effectively getting nothing done, except: 3) harassing financial institutions to relax lending standards and allow people to buy houses they couldn’t afford which set up the horrible mess we are in today.
That was all fine because he was a folksy, smooth-talking, liberal dem. I for one, didn’t want Bill Clinton or ‘W’ to be just like me. I don’t want Palin to be “just like me”. I want a Prez and VP who are better than me. I’m disappointed by Palin’s interview with Couric; it was embarassing. Despite this, I like “the idea” of her and want her to succeed. I hope to God she is able to improve, and that she does better in the debate with Ol’ Gaffin’ Joe.
But even if she doesn’t, I will still vote for McCain (who wasn’t my pick for the nomination anyway), because I at least think McCain (and Palin) know how to use a veto pen and they will reduce spending. Check out McCain’s main page and read how many specific, innovative ideas he has for health care, social security, education, etc. Lots of his ideas have personal accountability built into them to curtail excessive or wasteful spending. Then read Obama’s website and note the LACK of specific ideas and how many times his solutions to the issues are absent of any creative ideas whatsoever, and merely throw money at the problems like the standard democratic modus operandi. “Change”, my butt. Maybe if he means that’s all I’ll have left in my wallet.
I do agree that Senator Obama is a smart guy. He did better in the debates than I thought he would. But just because he can articulate what the issues ARE, doesn’t mean he has a clue about what to do about them. I’d rather take McCain now, and risk Palin ending up in the White House before she is ready (stats vary, but one I heard is that it’s a one-in-five chance), than vote Obama and have a 100% chance we will have a President who is not up to the job.
380. What | 09.28.08
(I believe Palin will be fine. How she deals with liberal media is not of concern. I dont see why this is such an issue.)
This was an interview!
She was asked standard question and given the opportunity to reply. There were no snippets or Sound bites played. We were able to listen to her full response. There was no bias here, only a very nerves unsure person trying to survive an interview.
381. What | 09.28.08
(I am just wondering. Are there any responsible journalists out there who are willing to ask Obama some tough questions? Even better. Take away his teleprompter)
Did Bill O’Reilly let him use teleprompter?
By the way, Bill did say he looked into Obamas eyes and believes Obama is both tuff and capable of running our country.
382. Lila S. | 09.28.08
Are there any responsible journalists out there who are willing to ask Obama some tough questions?
LOL, I love this right-wing foot stamping line of thought. What kind of a tough question is it to ask a candidate about her running mate’s stands on an issue? Or ask her to outline her own qualifications, which any of us who have been on a job interview are expected to do?
Obama’s been running for the better part of two years. He had a debate Friday night, had twenty odd debates during the primary process, he has appeared on every Sunday talk show numerous times, and takes questions on the stump constantly.
So, yes, he’s been asked “tough questions” over and over and over again. What makes you all *so mad* is that he hasn’t appeared stupid in these interviews, that every time he takes them he looks more like a leader than John McCain does, much less Sarah Plain.
383. Fuzzy John | 09.28.08
Sarah Palin is an “ordinary person”, huh? She’s “one of us”, huh? Are you people so far gone that you have no sense left at all? Would you want an “ordinary person” with no knowledge flying the airplane you are riding in? How about an “ordinary person” who took six tries to get through medical school doing your heart bypass operation? If your position is simply “I am so put off by Obama that I would vote for McCain if he had put a chimpanzee on the ticket”, then say so. I can respect that position as held honestly. Especially as that is exactly what he did.
But anyone who seriously says that this woman is qualified to step into the presidency is either a fool, a religious wingnut, or simply using her candidacy to have a better reason than “I don’t want to vote for the black guy.” I am 59, and have never voted for a Democrat for President in my life. I’m not happy with Obama, but I am voting for him out of sheer desire to punish the Republicans for this ludicrous, cynical and dangerous choice of a Vice-Presidential candidate.
384. jsf | 09.28.08
Palin has to stay, if not McCain does not have a chance.
All McCain’s life was thrift base on legacy criteria and the help of money. McCain was fed on day one with two pair of silver boots in his mouth from his dad and grand dad. Later on he was sustained by his trophy wife’$ look and money.
Palin will invigorate McCain to be less senile than he is. Princess Palin would save the elephant man McCain and continue the Republican’s four more years of Bush’s bulsht.
385. Jill | 09.28.08
Ground control to Major Tum. Ouch, I want to puke after potential VP Palin’s interview with Katie Couric. The air space is her inflated ego head!!!
386. SaraB | 09.28.08
Sarah Palin is Mccain’s Trophy pick
Real Reason why McCain chose Palin : Sexist and condescending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apdFC-vh6Ng
Also his poor record of voting against equal pay for women and opposing Equal Roles for Women in the Military should be the business of American women voters.
Real Reason why McCain running for President in his own words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GfRmfb274#
387. JB | 09.28.08
The movie, Idiocracy is looking more and more like it could be a documentary
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/
If the McSame/aPalling ticket gets elected then the time line of that movie will have shrunk from 500 years of devolution to just 4 because the US population has been dumbed down to the point where they consider Sarah Palin qualified for public office.
388. DK | 09.28.08
If you are not drinking the Kool-aide that the GOP is serving about Sarah Palin being like every working wife and mother, you may want to check out a new blog we’ve started She’s Not Just Like Me. http://www.shesnotjustlikeme.org
You are welcome to join and voice your opinion.
I believe in choice for women and allowing them to control their bodies, I believe that evolution should be taught in science class and creationism should be taught in religious theory class, I believe in the man-made acceleration of global warming, gun control, the immediate need to pursue alternative forms of energy, and that GOD only inspires Peace and not War.
Oh, yeah I also don’t think you can pray the gay away”
389. enzo | 09.28.08
You guys are so soft on Palin. C’mon. Grow up. Palin, if elected, will be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
This is serious. This is not ANTM or American Idol. Its heartbreaking to me to see how immature and irrational our society has become. Palin is clearly not ready to be VP, must less P.
390. Lokate | 09.28.08
Hey Gerri and GoSaraGo:
Who’s talking about Katie Couric right now? Is that really the issue? Or would it be that she managed to expose Palin as the bumbling, fumbling for words, incoherent and unprepared idiot she is. I for one would not want Palin in charge of this country IF anything were to happen to McCain. And I’m appalled that McCain had such little regard for his country that he would select a potential VP so obviously unprepared and ill- equipped upstairs. And I have no desire for McCain representing our country around the world. He’s angry, lacks integrity and good judgement.
391. Mad at McCain | 09.28.08
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I just can’t vote for McCain…He seemed like such a strong man until this past month. Why he would pick someone like Palin boggles my mind. I love that she is pro life and pro NRA, but she doesn’t seem to speak for herself…frustrating!!
392. anon | 09.28.08
Why are so many so quick to blame the “liberal media elite” to excuse this? These aren’t unfair questions: asking about the economic crisis, asking about foreign policy experience, etc.. We deserve to know these answers. They were asked fairly.
As VP (or, God forbid, President), Mrs. Palin is going to have to deal with a lot tougher people that Couric. Come on! She can’t handle this, no one should feel comfortable with her handling the country. I feel I’m about as informed as her on the issues pressing for our country - and I’m not arrogant enough to think i’m qualified to run things.
393. Mael | 09.28.08
Palin is brilliant and she’ll make a great VP. She is exactly what America needs - a Washington outsider with executive experience. And with that good look she can have my vote ten times over. I’d vote mc cain just for the sake of watching the liberal ugly women scream. Screw you liberals.
394. Alex Drivanos | 09.29.08
Everyone who speaks publicly will at some points “misspeak” by saying a wrong name, maybe wrong dates, switching word orders around–have YOU never failed to speak flawlessly? Yet you and I know that even when one misspeaks it doesn’t mean you or I don’t know the real answer or anything; it by no means is an indicator of knowledge or intelligence.
My point is that “gaffes” by anyone mean close to nothing.
Biden is notorious for this, I’m sure Obama has fumbled over words at some point, Palin and McCain certainly are no strangers to it either…
the difference as directed towards this article is that Biden misspeaks in the heat of the moment, whereas Palin has the wrong idea of what qualifies one for the role of leader of the most important country in the world.
It also shows her lack of knowledge of her own running mate whom she is supposed to know about and therefor support.
395. scannon | 09.29.08
I think I’ll go with the Magna *** Laude from Harvard Law over the potential of ending up with the beauty queen as our Pres.
There is a difference between fumbling with words and not having the words to start with. Palin just doesn’t have the knowledge. She is probably a fairly intelligent women, but let her stick to local/state politics for another decade.
It’s like seeing Bush in a dress.
396. Thingfish | 09.29.08
Some angry republican up there wrote: “If you are looking for a polished elitest prsentation; Palin is not it. The down to Earth presentation just shows that she is a normal person. Listening to her policy positions on questions from Couric and Gibson that were not GOTCHA questions she understands what is really going on in this world, knows good from evil and will stick to her position. It is not easy to NOT change your position to be everything to all people like Obama i.e. “above my pay grade” .”
If you can get past the brutal assault on plain English, then you can gather that this person thinks it’s perfectly reasonable to have yokels in the executive. This is a cute talking point but it’s an act of desperation; and it’s extremely dangerous.
How magnificent a thing is the Republican machine, to make the average Joe and Jane buy into a notion of egalitarianism that rewards mediocrity and an inability to speak coherently.
397. Chasera | 09.29.08
This just out…Pelosi’s bipartisan diatribe before the vote killed the bail out plan in the House. Demos can savor the fact that its not Bush who screwed things up, it’s the democrat congress, and the Fed oversee’rs such as Barney Frank, Christopher Dodd, Paulson, Raines (exCEO of Fannie now Obama staff member) and the rest. Now to add some additional fuel to the fire read the following just reported about Obama…
TRUTH IS SPREADING ABOUT OBAMA’S TIES TO TERRORIST!
Barack Obama has had a long association with his friend William Ayers, who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for nearly a DOZEN terrorist attacks.
NOBODY in the mainstream media has wanted to talk about this fact — until WE started FORCING them to.
Just this week, the Wall Street Journal’s Stanley Kurtz ran a HUGE exposé on the long relationship between Obama and Ayers, entitled “Obama and Ayers Pushed Radicalism On Schools” — giving details about what they did together, and revealing to the nation what we’ve been saying all along
The truth is finally starting to get out about Obama’s terrorist ties — but we need YOUR help to FORCE the media to deal with that truth and NOT LET UP or “sweep it under the rug!” Reported by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor of Political Intelligence.
398. Chasera | 09.29.08
sorry should be Pelosi’s partisan diatribe no bipartisan as noted in previous post.
399. Karol | 09.29.08
People are in love with the idea of Sarah Palin, but she just isn’t what she claims to be. I’m not sure where you get the idea that she gave herself a paycut. She actually has cost the state quite a bit more by staying at her own home, hundreds of miles from the Capital, charged daily per diem to the state (almost a year’s worth) while living and eating in her own home, charged numerous travel expenses for bringing her family along to important events, like a blanket tosses, basketball tournaments or national magazine interviews . She has not lowered everyone’s property taxes. She has increased taxes on businesses. She increased sales tax when she was mayor. Oh, and she sold that jet at a loss. She is definitely underqualified. I won’t even go into her judgement, management style , ignorance of the complexities of state goverment or neglect of most aspects of the governor’s job. There is no doubt she is a skillful self-promoter and an extremely shrewd politician. But she is not something new and different. She is the same old thing in a different package.
Oh, but the package looks so good…
400. c. c. kennedy | 09.29.08
After the outcome of today’s financial bailout, it is finally becoming obvious to the American citizens and elected officials (due to outraged citizens contacting them) that we have had enough. Stop trying to make us fall for the bull they are feeding the public. we have been bamboozeled for years and finally we are screaming our heads off…I want competent leadership. Sarah Palin can’t even complete a sentence. John McCain is an American hero…I admire him, but not his choice of running mates. I doubt seriously that she was HIS coice, but those of his illadvised advisors. Can’t they just speak without having someone else write or think for them? By the way…I look like Palin….I could probably take on the interviewers much better than she can…any offers?
402. T-Prop | 09.29.08
Oh I could say something about lipstick not makin’ a moose into something it’s not…..but I won’t…..
403. Eden | 09.30.08
Eden@Asia
Hi folks, I’m not a citizen of US of A. In fact I was born in and live in Asia.
I would like to tell you any political party which does not expect the highest of its representatives, insults its supporters and sullies its own reputation.
The idea of Ms Palin being VP scared the heck out of us back here out side of USA. I am not Anti-USA, and I know that when your country catches a cold we get pneumonia. It will be good for the world if you guys vote in someone who’s smart enough to know what’s going on.
Palin supporters, please, state again why Ms Palin is such an exceptional leader and qualified to be the VP, WITHOUT ATTACKING OBAMA/BIDEN.
404. Luise Perenne | 09.30.08
To: #239. Dez (away back there somewhere)
Just to set things straight, the matter of Separation of Church and State is IMPLIED in the The Bill of Rights, (the first of 10 Amendments to the US Constitution) which states there shall be no law prohibiting the practice of any religion, nor any religious requirement for seeking public office.
Therefore the Separatio0n of Church and State is included by such provisions which are part and parcel of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Obama - Biden ‘08
405. Tim Dunn | 09.30.08
A choice between good and evil? How about a choice between stupid and smart? Obama graduated with a JD magnum cum laude from Harvard. McCain graduated with a BA in the bottom one percent of his class-and then picked this incoherent, unqualified, uneducated representative of the most reactionary faction of his party to be one elderly heartbeat away from the leadership of the free world.
406. kim | 09.30.08
I’m so tired of the “Barack Hussein Obama” comments. It only proves your ignorance when you throw that out there. If you didn’t do that, you might actually get people to give your opinions a listen. As soon as I see that, I am on to the next opinion - because I know that the one that includes this is arguing from a place of prejudice and ignorance.
407. Chasera | 09.30.08
Breaking from Newsmax.com
Secret, Foreign Money Floods into Obama Campaign
Barack Obama campaign has raised a whopping $426.9 million — nearly twice that of John McCain’s campaign. But Obama says more than half of his money comes from small donors giving less than $200 — and Obama won’t disclose their names. Kenneth R. Timmerman reports on the strange donation activity, Khaddafi’s claims about foreign fund raising for Obama and then meet Mr. Doodad!
408. Chasera | 09.30.08
Secret, Foreign Money Floods into Obama Campaign
Barack Obama campaign has raised a whopping $426.9 million — nearly twice that of John McCain’s campaign. But Obama says more than half of his money comes from small donors giving less than $200 — and Obama won’t disclose their names. Kenneth R. Timmerman reports on the strange donation activity, Khaddafi’s claims about foreign fundraising for Obama and then meet Mr. Doodad!
409. Alex Drivanos | 10.01.08
Small donors like me and many of my friends and relatives…Could it be he’s respecting US citizens’ privacy!? How about that idea!
Obama has raised so more much than McCain because he has the support of so many people and a little from hundreds of thousands of people goes a very long way.
410. Chasera | 10.01.08
Alex Drivanos
Don’t be naive my fellow American. The point of my post is to bring out the fact that a tremendous amount of money raised for the Obama campaign is from FOREIGN DONORS. Now, I invite you to explore deeper and realize the reason why Obama won’t disclose them.
412. Meliss | 10.02.08
Since McCain likes to rip-off his campaign slogans from Obama… How about ripping one off that’s been around a LONG time?
The NEW McCain/Palin slogan:
Stupid is as stupid does.
413. Ken | 10.03.08
“This choice boils down to a choice between good and evil.”
This comment is what irks me about a segment of the voting public, not only is that view grossly simplistic, it presumes too much. I don’t agree with today’s conservative ideology (heck, sometimes I cannot get my head around many of the arguments), but to lump those who disagree with me as a choice between good and evil is painfully shallow. I don’t doubt McCain thinks he does what is in the best interests of the country, but I don’t think he is evil because his ideology is not in keeping with my value system.
414. john | 10.06.08
Palin! she cannot even pronounce the word nuclear. It is nuclear not nuculear, you out of touch zombie
415. Anne | 10.17.08
Regardless of her accomplishment in Alaska, Sarah Palin is not VP, much less presidential, material, and her selection was a reckless gamble on John McCain’s part. Her usefulness to the campaign has been attacking Obama, and she has managed to do very well as a demagogue. She easily stirs up the basest inclinations in some members of her base, but that seems to be the limit of her usefulness. Hopefully, it will not be a winning formula for McCain-Palin.
416. Diane Gordon | 10.21.08
Sarah Palin is not “just folks” - I know lots of “regular” people, and they can speak intelligently, and in complete sentences. She’s profoundly stupid, and her lack of intellectual curiousity rivals that of W. When recently asked about the role of the VP on a Colorado radio show, her answer revealed that she never bothered to find out. And she still apparently thinks that the VP runs the Senate. Nuthin’ “regular” about her. In terms of intellect, she’s pretty much at the bottom of the barrel. Meanwhile, the GOP has spent 150,000 on her CLOTHES??? How cynical is that? I will give her back handed credit for being a demagogue - this is hard to do with limited brain capacity.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. J. Anne Baker | 09.26.08
I have been writing comments because people are ignoring what seems to me obvious– if she can’t handle an interview like this one, how is she going to handle seasoned/ruthless politicos like PUTIN?
You assert that Joe Biden knows how to dance around a question and turn it to his advantage.
In other words, he’d likely hold his own against somebody ‘rearing his head’ like Putin. But can our wolf-shootin’ rootin’ tootin’ yeah-guess-so gal handle the Big Mooses out there? Who will get gutted?
JVB former republican just sounding off