The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

For "amazed", who evidently is not paying attention............. pull your head out of your posterior!!

There is a real person named Anne Kilkenny in Wasilla; Google

"anne kilkenny" alaska -palin -2008

to see references to such a person prior to this year and without reference to Palin.

Sarah Palin's, judgement is an issue for me.
When she gets that call (maybe not at 3a.m.)will she turn over our safety (when we are in immediate danger) to our neighbor, Canada, because she has a meeting that she needs to attend?
That's just what she did with her own sister and her sister's children. She asked her sister's neighbor to watch through a window of her sister's house and to call for help if there was physical violence because she had to be at a meeting in, Chugiak.
Read the transcripts of her interview with the police 2 months after the incident.
http://media.adn.com/smedia/2008/07/18/13/071607-palin-monegue-050205-interview-transcript.source.prod_affiliate.7.pdf

McCain/Palin... the shady ticket! Ha!

http://www.democrats.sc/blog/2008/09/03/top-10-reasons-why-sarah-palin-is-unfit-to-lead-our-nation/

It's amazing how quickly zealots suspend disbelief in order to embrace the most ludicrous notions, which they would otherwise find repugnant. Take that gun toting, Bible quoting, slick Chilly - Sarah Palin - for instance.

It's the latest in a long line of horrendous Republican moves during the past year or so, starting with Giuliani's Florida-only stategy, Fred Thompson's tardy entrance and barbituated energy level, Romney's very odd I'm-not-an-odd-Mormon-after-all speech, and then, in the end, the last man standing (barely) John 180 degrees McCain who was against the war before he was for it, sort of.

And now, the mom everyone's talking about, Palin.

Wow! If people actually do roll around in their graves, you can bet Goldwater's spinning unceasingly. Ya gotta wonder, What's next?

Anne Kilkenny is a obama web attack, just goggle the name to see

Amazing Letter From a Local Wasillian Who Knows Sarah Palin Well.

From: http://www.washingtonindependent.com/3671/the-reform-candidate
Submitted by Michael Wrightson on Sept 1, 2008

A note to all by Anne Kilkenny

Dear friends,

So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .

Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks.

You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .

[ This was already posted on Washington Independent comments area,
with a controllable hotmail account, and was obviously meant by the
author to be read. ]

Thanks,
Anne

ABOUT SARAH PALIN

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a “babe”.

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.

She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.

She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out
there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She’s smart.

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s
surplus, borrow for needs.

She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated”
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t
fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to
nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.

Secondly, I’ve always operated in the belief that “Bad things happen
when good people stay silent”. Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.

Third, I am just a housewife. I don’t have a job she can bump me out
of. I don’t belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.

Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s
attempt at censorship.

Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.

CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can’t recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall–they are
swamped. So I can’t verify my numbers.

You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my “about 5,000″, up to 9,000. The
day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.

Anne Kilkenny
annekilkenny@hotmail.com
August 31, 2008

The big con job this year is that the election of Obama will solve our problems. No, education of the electorate about the vital issues we face (healthcare, military-industrial complex, corporate personhood and domination of the political culture) is closer to the real answer. Everybody's talking personalities now, but the personalities are less interesting than they think. Got to quit watching the damn soap operas on the nightly news.

Sarah Palin should step down. She and her husband should go home and take care of their houseful of kids, two of whom have special challenges.

Many are furious in Alaska that Stevens and Wakowski took the fall for her. I seen a picture of her sitting on a bench with Stevens July 2008. Some say she is behind the corruption and they paid her way, then she deserted them when the pick came down last January 2008. Yes, McCain knew AK was in trouble politically, and of course the oil profits she taxed and apparently dispersed. Some say she walked away with $20M in debt in governing and a plus of $15M for herself. Of course, it's only rumor right????? Who believe's rumours right????? Who believes McCain knew about her for months right????

To the anonymous poster wondering if Palin scares the "crud" out of people...yes she does, but not for the reasons you think. John McCain has blasted 527's for years, calling them abominations, counter to everything America stands for, on and on. Now we find out that his candidate for reform gathered $27 million in earmarks, ran the most corrupt Senator in recent history's "legal" 527 group. Had McCain looked into her past like he should have, he'd have been scared too.

Check out these hot picks of Bristol Palin getting drunk and thinking about tongue kissing a female buddy!!

http://www.mediatakeout.com/2008/26330-explosive_pics_vp_candidate_palins_daughter_is_wilder_than_britney__pics_of_her_and_her_girls_getting_drunk_and_kissing_each_other.html

Wow, there is just a steaming mountain of pure, hypocritical evil in a lot of these posts. I hope many of you really are suffering under Bush as much as you say you are -- from what I'm reading here, you all clearly deserve it. Scum!

Palin and ethics problems seem to be synonymous. A 527 group paid for a mailer AND a TV ad (to which the 527 group was fined) during the 2006 Alaskan gubernatorial race. A must read.
See more here: http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/sarah-palin-linked-to-jack-abramoff-group-and-campaign-ethics-questions/

Regarding the 17 year old becoming pregnant by a person 18 or older.
Remember Genarlo Wilson got a huge prison sentence in Georgia for receiving oral sex from a minor. Liberty and justice for all?
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all? Hmmm.

Don't worry - William T. Riker will come to the rescue !

This 527 that she did for Ted Stevens should have been named the Excellence in Public Corruption.

Prtotect Israel? hey people be real they don't need our protection, there freaking military laughs at ours basicaly saying what a piss poor example of Mother hen who can't even get a 3rd world country under control.
The Israelies do not need our protection all they need are the armsto get the job done in fact they don't even hav to buy them from the US

If Cheney can get away with shooting somebody in the face, then I'm pretty sure Palin's daughter can avoid statutory rape lawsuits.

Enough of the attacks on Palin's daughter folks. Leave family out of it.

If she is 17 and he is 18 or 25, isn't that stutory rape? Oh my!

THE MY SPACE FORTHE ALLEGED FATHER SAYS HE IS 25 THE rnc SAYS HE IS 18-WHAT IS THE REAL ANSWER?

Palin is a complete and utter idiot who cant even control her own teenage daughter. What a joke.

Josher
www.FireMe.To/udi

So, if someone takes on one corrupt oil company to benefit a different oil company - is that really fighting corruption?

That's like calling the Gambinos a crime fighting organization when they have a mob war.

Could there be anymore drama from the McCain camp? Each time I hit refresh on my computer, there's a new story. I'm getting dizzy.

In 2004, Palin claimed she was a "houewife" and homemaker"

Using donor lookup at opensecrets:
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?

PALIN, SARAH NA/HOUSEWIFE 6/8/04 $328 Republican Party of Alaska (R)
PALIN, SARAH HOMEMAKER 7/22/04 $300 Miller, Mike (R)

Wow, That has got to be the fastest honeymoon period ever. The press was first in love with her on Friday, (since that is the story that gets the highest ratings, now she's going to face a public interrogation (sorry, I meant vetting).

Best of luck, This is not the local Anchorage news channel

This is not the image of a reformer.
Also, the governor basically lied when she said that she told Congress No Thanks for the bridge to nowhere. There is plenty of evidence that she sought out that funding.
She declined funding after it was revoked.

Love it gadfly! "Northern Exposure" meets "The West Wing". Enough subplots to last all season.

"Doe-eyed Bristol Palin, 17, and ruggedly handsome Levi Johnston, 18, have been dating for about a year, locals in their hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, told the Daily News."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/republican_race/2008/09/01/2008-09-01_bristol_palins_pregnancy_was_an_open_sec.html

Gosh-golly! McSame gets to act on _ONE THING _ from his gut during this campaign and see what happens!

He no doubt looked deep into Sarah's eyes and saw someone he could compelely trust, just like Bush with Putin.

And, come to think of it, with the McSame result.

Distract the enemy! That's McCain's plan. All eyes are on McCain and Sarah. He has succeeded in getting us to stop talking about Obama. He just didn't realize all of this would be unravelled so quickly. He wanted it to go on for a few weeks and then he can dump her and select Lieberman - like he planned all along. Sarah will be thrown under the bus. Don't be fooled. He wants to distract us from the real issues. No one is listening to Obama now. McCain wanted us to discover all this controversy since he can't win on the issues. He wants to divert our attention away from Obama. He succeeded. He picked Sarah BECAUSE of her past. Remember, he's been watching her for years! He said so.

Someone earlier posted a link to a myspace page for the possible father (Levi in Wassila: how many can there be?)

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID;=7775827

Any, assuming the page isn't a fake and that is him, you know what screams and shouts out at me?

Status: Single.

What are the implications for McCain's campaign if he needs to withdraw her nomination?

I've been saying all along that she's been groomed as governor for a couple of years by the oil dealers she's in cahoots with.... the reformer brand isn't real, nor her stories about 'Thanks but no thanks' on the bridge... when will the far right begin touting honesty as a virtue? ... they go for the image only... not the bare truth... make money any which way you can so's your image gives you control over the fear.... the real values of God fearing church goers is non existant in the GOP brand.. .only the false image... abortion as killing? Give me a break.. .look at the blood on the hands of GOP and tell me they care what a woman chooses!

Palin reminds me of Katherine Harris for some reason. Well, she does.

This is what republican women are like. These are the kinds of women who choose to be republicans.

Sure, there are plenty of other women who choose to be republicans who aren't anything like Palin or Harris (Palin And Harris) - but all of the Palins and All of the Harri's show up in the republicans.

Is it too late to put Mitt Romney at the *top* of the GOP ticket?

Um, is it possible some of our esteemed media ask the Palin vetters, in no particular order, how they reconciled:

1. What about the firing of the Public Safety commissioner-- results of investigation to come out in October

2. Bridge to Nowhere-- for it before she was against it

3. Buchanan supporter long after he was tossed out of the GOP

4. Speaking to and/or possible member of Alaska Secessionist group

5. No one in the Alaska GOP leadership has anything nice to say about her

6. ties to Ted Stevens now revealed

Um, all this could turn out to be non-issues-- but do you think America would be able to sort this out in 2 months? I mean, don't all these flags suggest something?

Posted by: curious | September 1, 2008 3:27 PM
------------------------
Excellent points. It doesn't appear that Palin was vetted at all. The McCain campaign wants us to believe that they knew Palin's 17 year-old daughter was pregnant but went ahead with the nomination anyway. But what's the alternative? If they didn't know, they run the risk of looking grossly incompetent. So which one is it: negligence or incompetence? I don't know and I don't care. Obama/Biden '08.

Democrats hate women. Republicans do not. Any woman who votes Obama is betraying her womanhood

All of this controversy over a few days? What will we find when people really start looking. It continues to put the McCain campaign on the defensive and is bad judgment on McCain's part.

I got nothing against Palin, but it is beginning to look like she will end up withdrawing from the race very soon. Anyone else think so?

NEWS FLASH

FATHER OF PALIN'S UNWED DAUGHTER HAS ANOTHER CHILD FROM A PREVIOUS GIRL FRIEND HE DID NOT MARRY.

WILL THIS NEVER END????

SEE HIS WEBSITE

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID;=7775827

Palin will be out by September 10th.

NEWS FLASH

NBC and ABC REPORT MCCAIN CAMP IS RE-VETTING SARAH.

A TEAM OF 10-LEFT FOR ALASKA THIS AFTERNOON.

McCain looks like a fool!!!

Family values??? Government reformer???Gov. Palin is looking more and more like Sen. McCain's Harriet Myers moment.

Palin is "an anti-corruption crusader in Alaska"?? Sorry - but if you are in Stevens' camp and you raise money for him, you're no reformer. Stevens is the author of the bridge to nowhere that Palin lied about in her announcement speech. Sorry - there's no other word to use here than 'lied' since Palin knew what she was saying was not true when she said it. She'll be joining the Eliot Spitzer morality club pretty soon. We all have to wonder why on earth McCain failed to ask basic questions about this person before adding her to the ticket.

For the last several hours CNN has switched from the Hurricane to the convention. They have repeatedly stated that the Mccain camp is not letting them know when Palin will be available for an interview. Me thinks there's something afoot.........

I feel battered and bruised. I cannot take these republicans anymore. Now we have a woman who behaves just like a man in republican clothes. No mas! Finito!

Is it too late to pick Romney as VP?
Did ANYONE vet this woman before she was chosen????
fake pregnancies, this stevens thing, daughter pregnant, and troopergate. is there more?

Posted by: IAgop | September 1, 2008 6:57 PM
------------------------
Amen. But it appears that the evangelicals have the last say, and in their view nothing would be worse than a Mormon on the ticket.

I'm not concerned about her babies. Unless and until Republicans tell me what a good manager and mother she is. The same old good ol'boy stuff around the crock Stevensen is more important. Same extenstion of Bush cronies and incompatense. Argh.

Posted by: Gadansk Tater
And we have such talented candidates, their "campaigns" moronically bickering about a 17 year old's pregnancy, instead of examining the real issues...

We couldn't agree more. Or as the McCain camp suggests, let's discuss Paris Hilton.

Let's be honest, GW Bush won the last election because of Rove negative tactics, so the Republicans are attempting it again. For America's sake, let's hope they fail this time.

Forget Palin's pregnant daughter - as Barack himself said this shouldn't be the subject of our politics.

The press should instead focus on seeing what kind of connections exist between Palin and Stevens. This should be interesting as Steven's trial plays out during the last months of the election. It was mentioned that she ran his 527? He also gave her an endorsement and made a commercial for her when she ran for governor? Reform? Hmm.

Now, this is important. This is the sort of reporting we should be paying attention to...given Gov. Palin's primary claim to fame:

1. That she is from a state apparently chock full of corrupt Republican officials.

2. That she is good at catching corrupt Republican officials or at least standing up to them.

3. That catching corrupt Republican official makes her a reformer and qualifies her to be Vice President.

I am a stalwart member of the GOP.

I am very concerned this reflects badly on McCain and my party and on the decision making process of McCain.

In a close race, this could be a big problem.

The sooner Palin resigns from the ticket, citing family issues, the better for the GOP and the USA.

Romney, Pawlenty, etc. All good choices.
Palin? Not so good.

So, let me get this straight. First, Johnny Mac jokes about women being rape victims. Okay? Well, as a rape survivor I find nothing, zero humorous about it. Then, he picks a mate who thinks at 14 I should be forced to have a baby should I have become pregnant from the rape, should endure the excrutiating labor, raise the child alone with no funds or maturity to do so. And, had I chosen to already be on birth control either being already sexually active or with the belief I could become so, she would condemn me to H E L L.

How frightening bizarre, just bizarre. Mac in his befuddled, senile old mind picks this dark ages, evangelical, Nazi as being a heartbeat away from becoming dictator of us/me? OMG, he has finally lost it, all of it.

Is it too late to pick Romney as VP?
Did ANYONE vet this woman before she was chosen????
fake pregnancies, this stevens thing, daughter pregnant, and troopergate. is there more?

Hey Anonymous (September 1, 2008 3:44 PM)...

and praytell what is Mrs. Palin's position on the Isreal/Iran tensions and her suggestions on what we should do on this escalating world issue? And what of Russia and Georgia? Oh wait... she's still finding time to figure out what she thinks about the Iraq war (that's 5 yrs and counting)... in between caring for a special needs 4 month old and a pregnant teenage daughter. Her lack of foreign policy experience or even knowledge is unbelievable... and yes, her experience comes into play since she is running for the 2nd in command of this country of ours! We are not just voting for the #1 spot but are voting for the TICKET - the top 1 AND 2 spots... otherwise why even bother with a running mate? It makes me sick that she *could* be our president where the old man to become incapacitated when world tensions are at their highest right now. Scary!!

What I am struck by is that most of Mrs. Palin’s political “enemies” are members of her own party. Some people have attributed that to corruption in the State of Alaska. There is corruption no doubt. However not all of her fellow Republicans are corrupt. She has carried on vendettas worthy of a 1800’s Sicilian. Trooper-gate is serious and an indicator of personal kicking down vindictiveness of a high order. She has turned on the very people who helped get her going in politics. Not all of her newly minted enemies are as sleazy as Ted Stevens. I think Mr. McCain should always keep a close eye on her or she is very likely to turn on him.

The entire notion of Palin as a reformer and a maverick is out the window.

Palin will drop out and cite reasons such as she wants to be with her newborn and support her daughter's newborn in light of excessive media attention.

McCain will respect her opinion and reactivate the vetting process once again.

Let's have a Rose Garden wedding for Bristol and Moose, and watch McCain chase Sarah around the food table the way he once chased Cindy while married.

Palin is an airhead.

Palin is a tough cookie. She is also a stupid broad. She will now have to bow out. It's over. McSame will have to pick someone else now. HA HA HA

Ms. Palin is no Saint, and certainly cannot claim the moral "high ground". If the necessary legwork is done and public records are accessed, both Palin and McCain are doomed. Did you know that the Alaska Permanent Fund has lost millions on bad investment in the UBS fiasco? I find it interesting that this fact has never been made public, even in the AK papers. I wondered why this wasn't being made public, and now I know why. UBS is ran by one of McCain's best buddies, Phil Gramm, from whom McCain has been trying to distance himself from the past few weeks. It's not just because Gramm thinks all Americans are a bunch of "whiners". Now Palin has silenced the state's commissioners in hiding these permanent fund losses so the Republicans don't get yet another black eye. This is true and will/should come out. In case you think I am some bleeding heart liberal, think again. I just don't like people stealing and getting away with it.

I live in Juneau, Alaska and work with Sarah professionally and also with countless others that work with her as well. I also voted for her. Please someone start asking the right questions. I know the babygate issue makes for hot news but people need to start asking about her weak management style. Ask if people the work with her respect her and are motivated by her. Ask about the turnover rate on her staff. Do more research into the troopergate issue. Report more on the fact that she supported countless things, including the bridge to nowhere and later flip-flopped and is now using it to promote your reformer status. And also don’t make the mistake of believing all government folks in Alaska are corrupt. They are not so please don’t dismiss their concerns or comments. Please continue to look deeper. Those of us that know her best know this is not the end of this story and there is still more to come out. Also please ask more questions about this “reform” thing. People need to start asking if Alaska’s reform is really the result of Sarah’s efforts. It isn’t and part of the reason locals (that know and work with her) are lukewarm to her as VP is that we know she is taking credit for accomplishments she really had little to do with.

I still refuse to believe that ANYONE with a single ounce of Common sense is taking McBush seriously. What a pathetic joke!

Rip
http://www.useurl.us/17n

No, having consensual sex with a minor isn't necessarily rape. Most states have an age of consent of about sixteen - or younger if both are within a few years age.

Am I dreaming? It seems to me that it should be front page news EVERYWHERE that the so-called maverick reform candidate was in charge of Ted Stevens PAC and also lied about the bridge to nowhere which she originally supported. Unbelievably out of the mainstream on social issues like sex ed and birth control. Gives the son's deployment date and location on live TV (glad I'm not in his unit). And now, it appears she is (no joke I swear) part of some Alaska secessionist movement. A downright bizarre and scary choice.

And what to we get from the Republican lemmings (and the Post's front pages) - she's a reformer and maverick, just like McCain.

Move along folks, says the Republican party, these aren't the droids your looking for?

Think it's gonna work? I have my doubts, but the way the press is parroting this reformer maverick crap, it just might.

Barack Obama's presidential running-mate Joseph Biden told Israeli officials that they need to accept the idea Iran will acquire nuclear weapons.

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

And this begs us to ask of Russia's role in Iran and the Middle East, if the Russian government's has been contributing to the conflicts.

Why?

See?

It's tough, isn't it?

And we have such talented candidates, their "campaigns" moronically bickering about a 17 year old's pregnancy, instead of examining the real issues...

"Isn't having sex with a minor considered to be statutory rape in the U.S.? If so, the father of Bristol's baby should be indicted for rape. What is the legal position on this?"

...hopefully she didn't trade her daughter for a sled and a couple of dogs.

Why in the world would McCain bring in someone connected to Ted Stevens?

Then I wonder what McCain's connections are to that corrupt POS?

Please ask Sarah Palin if she supports Ted Stevens for re-election (especially in view of McCain returning dough he received from Ted Stevens' PAC.

Oops. I get the feeling that things aren't going quite according to plan at McCain HQ...

1- Troopergate- Sarah fired the guy who wouldn't fire her ex brother in law.

2- Babygate- Daughter revealed to be pregnant.

3- Stevensgate- She was on his PAC before she threw him under the bus.

4- Bridge to Nowhere Gate- She wa for it before she was the VP pick, then she lied and said she stopped it.

5- DWI Gate- Daddy got drunk and busted.

6- VetGate- McCain vetted this woman? Yeah, right, if he did I got a bridge in Alaskla I'd like to sell you.

7- DementiaGate- Does the VP pick of Sarah Palin prove once and for all that McCain is losing it mentally?

I think it does!

The Godless, merciless, war-mongering GOP supporters have their desert: another "very Christian" person with a lot of interesting items in a closet.
Enjoy the Bush legacy of true amorality dressed in the flag.

Hurricanes and babies! Nature is what happens while campaign managers and parents are busy making plans.

Isn't having sex with a minor considered to be statutory rape in the U.S.? If so, the father of Bristol's baby should be indicted for rape. What is the legal position on this?

I'm sorry, but the entirety of the republican party is making themselves out to look like a bunch of damned retards. The only Republican I would have voted for is Ron Paul. But as soon as he started spewing out a good fiscal policy, the pressure from the rest of the right wing came on him to resign. Then, they nominate John McCain... seriously I should stop now, but I'm not going to. Not only is he borderline SENILE, and needs a constant supply of "I'm-so-old-I'm-Gonna-Damn-Die-Soon" pills, but he picks a know-nothing, corrupt never was from the middle of NOWHERE, Alaska.... I don't think Obama has good luck, it's more like a 25 year old bodybuilder going to an elementary school playground, and starting to punt the little tykes.

Oooo----our Republican friends are acting defensive today. Perhaps they've been saddled with an indefensible pick by their inadequate and addled nominee McCain. Look, you people have been shoving your "family value" rhetoric down our throats for years---all the while practicing corruption, warmongering, lying and theft. Now you've got a hypocritical beauty queen who's fairy story is unraveling moment by moment. This comeuppance is well deserved, Repubs. I love to hear you try and justify this! Do you really think you'll put this one over?

Papa Johny should dump this beauty Queen of Wasilla now and re-pick, pick Pawlenty. Palin has too many heavy baggages on her.

Just like the experience issue was mindlessly conceded by McCain, his campaign has also now mindlessly conceded Obama's alleged "association" with Bill Ayers (events which occurred when Obama was 8 years old), thanks to this association with Ted Stevens (Palin wasn't a kid either, but actively involved).

You're gonna get shredded at the debates, McSame.

McCain put up a good fight. Let's not be disrespectful of the old fella. No reason to gloat.

It's not too late...McCain could still dump her.

JakeK, it's not Obama's luck so much as Republicans are really corrupt. And this particular Republican is really bad at covering her tracks.

I'm really disturbed about Palin's connection to the Alaska Independence Project - a group that wants to split Alaska off from the United States.

Does she want to be VP of the USA or President of the Nation of Alaska?

Obama has the weirdest luck. Obviously, he is good at being "no drama" in his own personal conduct and with choosing his own staff, but this is the same kind of stuff that happened to his Republican opponents when he ran for the Senate in 2004. I was there and it was just weird. They just crumble before him in these stranger-than-fiction ways. Can't wait how his luck will play on the world stage.

Now that's Republican corruption reform I can support. I'm confused. Was she against corruption before she was part of it or vice versa?

Country first, huh?

And then you turn around and inflict this joke on America?

You, sir, need a kick in your bloated face.

John McCain is acting like a spoiled child who is not getting enough attention. The Palin selection was designed to shove Obama out of the spotlight. And it worked. On the Sunday talk shows, did they talk about Ted Kennedy's heroic speech? Did they talk about John Kerry's rousing attack? Did they talk about the strong endorsements given by the Clintons? Did they talk about Joe Biden or Barack Obama? No! They talked about how bold it was for John McCain to pick the rookie Gov of the great state of Alaska. Never mind that there are only 600,000 people in Alaska, probably more polar bears that people (well, at least for the time being). Never mind that most of her "experience" came from the PTA and being mayor of a city with somewhere between 5K and 10K people. They talked about McCain and how 'the maverick is back'. Well, so much for being concerned about our national security. The country must be in great shape since he thinks a former beauty queen with PTA experience can run the country. Come on folks, get real, would you have voted for her to be President? Think "Northern Exposure" meets "The West Wing". But John McCain thinks she is EXACTLY what we need. EXACTLY what HE needs. His "soul mate". Hmmm... did you notice him playing with his wedding band during her entire speech? Need I say more? So much for putting the country first.

Actually I think she will be gone shortly after the Republican Convention. The wiley John McCain knew all the dirt that would swirl around Sarah, Bristol, Sarah's role in the 527s for Ted Stevens and Troopergate. These will be his excuse for replacing her with his lapdog Lieberman. That way he can avoid a floor fight at the convention and get the man he really wants. The excuse will be that Sarah became a distraction.

Vetting?? Hmm, Lets see-- She was a member of the Alaska Independence party prior to becoming mayor of her tiny town, and as Governor she sent them official greetings to their convention? Isn't seceding from the Union something a Vice President shouldn't support? Nah!

http://freedemocracy.blogspot.com/2008/09/secessionist-sarah-palin-and.html

We need to investigate if she (Palin) was even born a woman. Perhaps she is a transvestite, and you just know what that will do to McCain's campaign.

Obama equals the Democrats' Dan Qualye.

Oh, my. Let us count the ways McCain failed to vet Palin:

--She was a close ally of Ted Stevens.

--She loves earmarks when they're for her town or state. (Was Wasilla the smallest town in the U.S. with its own lobbyist in Washington?)

--She was for the Bridge to Nowhere until everyone else was against it, putting the lie to her claim of having killed it (repeated Friday at her VP rollout). Her role was really that of a doctor pronouncing a patient dead.

--She denied firing the Wasilla police chief (a foreshadowing of Troopergate), despite having done so in writing.

--She lied about her staff and husband contacting Monegan in Troopergate.

--She is likely to face strong criticism, and perhaps even calls for impeachment, when the Troopergate investigator issues his report in late October, just days before the election.

I don't want to go near her daughter's pregnancy, except to note that the way the campaign is acting today, someone (either Palin or McCain or both) seems to have thought they could keep it secret. And when you're talking about the daughter of a vice presidential candidate from one of the major parties, that is perhaps not a realistic judgment.

Add up all these examples of the shoddy handling of her vetting and selection, and you really have to ask: Is McCain fit to be president?

Here's McCain on the way he makes decisions, from his book "Worth the Fighting For": "I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint."

The rest of us can decide in November whether we want to live with the consequences of McCain making hasty, misguided decisions in the White House.

Let's see if I got this right. Palin's new 5 month old baby is suppose to actually be her daughter's, have I got that right?

And the daughter is pregnant again?

You rascals have taken smear to a new level.. . . . and we've still got 10 weeks to go.

Tom Delay, you didn't retire from public service... You just put on go-go boots and a skirt!

I like Palin, but she has some tough baggage. I do not know if this wil go away. She is going to have to get out and explain some of her positions soon or McCain could be done. I think he may start catching up at the on-line poll at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. Late night comedians are going to have a ball with this one.

When exactly did Bristol get out of school for Mono? From what I understand, she was taken out of school around the time her mom announced HER "pregnancy". If Bristol is about 5 months along now, she got pregnant in March/April, which is when she had Mono.....???
This dog don't hunt....
http://ifrepublicanshadbrains.blogspot.com

Frankly, I don't think Bristol is pregnant at all. I am thinking this is just a plant story so people will let the real story about the cover-up pregnancy go....
What you want to bet in a few weeks, Bristol "loses the baby"......

The reason that Palin's grandchild was kept from the announcement is that McCain didn't know about it because he hasn't vetted the candidate thoroughly. It is the same, poor, slapdash job that he will do in Govt. think Katrina x10, but with afternoon naps.

The other reason it was announced today is that the GOP machine hopes that Gustav will take center stage and wipe the bad press away. Typical Republican tricks to try and keep a slippery hand on the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The bad news for McCain is that the dirt surrounding this woman hasn't really started to fly yet. Give it a little time and we'll start to learn all about Gov. Palin. Don't forget Troopergate still has to report about Palin's other scandal. Lets just hope that her full links to Ted Stevens aren't exposed just yet.

You can talk as much as you want but this race is over. McCain is our next prez, Obama as democrat should have been in lead at least 15 points based on last 8 years and Bush, but he is not. So get over it Obama fans, you really gotta have issues, dont know sh!t bout politics, or maybe smoke a lot of you know what, to think Obama is gonna win.

McCain '08 and '12

Since Palin wanted to be connected to Stevens when she headed his 527 group and ran for governor, she should be equally enthusiastic about maintaining her connection to Stevens as a vp candidate.

The only difference between then and now is Stevens is a defendant on federal charges. If Palin's the classy person John McCain wants us to know, she would stick by her friend, Stevens, even in hard times. Stevens is, after all, innocent until proven guilty and Palin should be as open in claiming him as she was when it was convenient and when it added to her political quests.

McCain is either senile or dumber than a bag of rocks...

"The Republicans have bragged that Palin opposed the famous "Bridge to Nowhere," only to learn that Palin supported the project and even told residents of Ketchikan that they weren't "nowhere" to her. After the national outcry, she decided to spend the funds allocated to the bridge for something else. Actually, maybe it's more fair to say that coincident with the national outcry, she changed her mind. The story shows her political judgment, but it is not a reformer's credential."

"Likewise, though she cut taxes as mayor of Wassila, she raised the sales tax, making her hardly a tax cutter."

"She denied pressuring the state's chief of public safety to fire her sister-in-law's husband even though there's mounting evidence that the impetus did indeed come from her. Ostensibly to clear her name, Palin asked her attorney general to open an independent investigation—the legislature had already been investigating. (I am told that the campaign was aware of the ethics complaint filed against her but accepts Palin's account.)"

"McCain's campaign seemed unaware that she supported a windfalls profits tax on oil companies and that she is more skeptical about human contributions to global warming than McCain is."

"They did not know that she took trips as the mayor of Wasilla to beg for earmarks."

"They did not know that she told a television interviewer this summer that she did not fully understand what it is that a vice president does."

Full story here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200808u/mccain-palin

The more we get to know about Gov. Palin, the less qualified she seems. The less of a role model she becomes.

Under investigation herself for alleged abuse of power.

The issue isn't that her daughter is pregnant, it is that Palin doesn't believe in teaching science and sex education in schools. She would prefer to teach the creation myth and abstinence only, which has worked so well for her daughter. The issue is GOP hypocrisy.

PEOPLE--Educate yourself on the issues, because once you do, you will realize how DANGEROUS Palin is.....

Palin is being judged on WHAT SHE STANDS for, pure and simple, the way it should be.

Before you feel too sorry for this woman, please realize that she would BAN contraception for the women of America if elected, she would DENY a safe and legal abortion to victims of RAPE and INCEST, and she would preach ABSTINENCE to everyone else's daughters, while her own daughter runs wild....

NO RESPONSIBLE Mother would EVER dream of leaving a 5 month old special needs baby and a pregant--(likely for the second time) daughter.

Has Lindsey Graham heard about this association with Ted Stevens? He was on "Meet the Press" explaining her readiness for the Commander in Chief position because she "Stood up to Ted Stevens and that crowd". Interesting that the McCain campaign didn't give their attack dogs sufficient information.

John McCain has blunted his argument against Obama by picking Palin as running mate.

Though the Republicans are good at staying on point, even when lying, Palin does not have more experience than Obama, unless being under investigation within her first 18 months as Alaska's governor is considered more experience. And, unlike Obama, Palin does have a 17 year old who has become pregnant out of wedlock; that's more experience.

Maybe the right-wing mouths have it right.

But what would those same right-wing mouths be spewing had Chelsea Clinton ended up pregnant as a single 17 year old? What hate would those right-wing preachers be broadcasting under the pretend umbrella of self righteousness?

A bit of hypocrisy is being shoveled our way, my friends, and we're seen as dumb enough to buy it.

Biden's comments are rational and are not surprising to Israelis who are too familiar with Iranian aspirations for nuclear weapons. Furthermore, sanctions have never worked against Iran, going back in time look at what it has produced since the revolution in the late 1970's, a stronger Iran and one that is far more self sufficient than it was during the shah's reign of terror. Diplomacy and speaking to your enemies was a hallmark of the cold war and every prominent republican with the exception of McCarthy was a proponent of it. Biden telling the Israeli Govt. that it will have to reconcile the fact that Iran will become nuclear is not a crazy statement especially a few years ago it appears more than prophetic in light of our current situation. I am no fan of the Israeli Govt. I feel that the current debacle with the Palestinians representative Govt. and the Lebanon debacle have shown they were operating with too much hubris and it has bitten them bad, but many Israeli citizens are realists and see they have to come to terms with these issues including the Golan and Syria, but to have the USA protect them like a big brother is really in my mind sort of unflattering for Israel in the long run. By the way I believe Israel of all countries within the middle east and the world will reconcile itself to the reality of Iran and the aggression it posits. The problem with sanctions is that they never really work, furthermore it will be difficult to get sanctions via the UN because of our failures to work diplomatically with the international community these last 8 years. Ask yourself these questions; Will Russia help with enacting sanctions while they provided the reactors that Iran uses? this may have been thwarted if we were able to keep an eye on them and not be bogged down in Iraq. Will McSame and his impulsive actions and forceful diplomacy work towards pacifying Iran or exacerbate the current situation? Could the international love affair with Obama work to our benefit in international diplomacy? Can exercising tact and good judgment which Obama has shown be utilized in the Middle east to the benefit of the USA? Could having a VP like Biden be a good sounding board for ideas unlike a Hockey mom from Podunk Alaska? I really wonder what type of people buy into McSame's B.S.

----PALIN'S SEX EDUCATION PLAN FOR KIDS AGE 12 AND UP---

-----BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY!!!!!!

Damnnn, I knew that Texas Poligamist hair-do was awfully suspect.

Judging by your willingness to put your kids on the back burner while you chase a career in politics that you are WAYYYY unqualified for.....

Social Services needs to take custody of your poor kids!! They deserve a chance in life!!

Want to see some of Palin's 'values' as mayor?

Check out the following article to see how little an elderly woman's job was worth, during a multi-million dollar surplus, when Palin's priority was infrastructure and building sewers.

It was an act that caused all 3 longtime employees of the city museum to quit their jobs. They were all elderly women, by the way.

You probably won't even see this story in the press, because it cannot be found with a Google search:
http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/08/palins-lack-of-compassion-towards-labor.html

From Alaska TV news, shows Palin is just a common liar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UojMnCgqVA

Palin- the gift (of hypocrisy) that keeps on giving. Priceless.

I can just picture Gov. Palin, turning to McCain in the next few days and saying, "Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you one tiny little detail............" LOL

This is a family matter for the Palins.

For the rest of us, if teenagers are going to be sexually active, make sure they have condoms!

I've never heard a liberal or a Democrat refer to Senator Obama as The One, The Chosen, The Messiah, etc.

It seems that the saddest of those on the right need to be lead.

Obama isn't the savior. He's simply the person who's going to be our next president.

As to the baby story, I'd say it's nobody else's business and the Palin family should have their privacy respected, except that several things do make this a legitimate public matter:

1) As an anti-abortionist she wants to make other woman's and girls' private pregnancy crises a very public matter, enforcable with police and jails. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it."

2) She is not only anti-abortion but anti-birth-control and anti-sex-education for teens aside from abstinence-only. Her own teen getting pregnant becomes an issue if she wants to keep every other teenager in America ignorant about birth control and how to get it. It's certasinly an illustration that this approach doesn't work.

Maybe if their parents were not so busy being in the political spotlight and climbing their way through the party (for example, by forcing a primary in a gubernatorial election), the Palin children would have more attention and guidance. Then, maybe Bristol Palin would not be pregnant at 17. Seems to me if she's 5 months pregnant and was going to get married to the father, she would have gotten married 4 months ago. Her marriage reeks of pressure from the McCain camp--primarily, of course, her mother.

"wack the left" writes: "Notice how far left posters here do not even mention or try to defend Obama and his refusal to protect Isreall and America fro rouge nations"

Right-wing posters are forever entertaining. In a series of posts about Palin, wack brings up the country he calls "Isreall." Protecting Israel is not part of the job description of the American President. And I presume wack's "rouge nations" are ones populated by people with bright red cheeks.

Journalists don't have to lift a finger to "disgrace her"....she is doing too good of a job herself!!

Before you feel too sorry for this woman, please realize that she would BAN contraception for the women of America if elected, she would DENY a safe and legal abortion to victims of RAPE and INCEST, and she would preach ABSTINENCE to everyone else's daughters, while her own daughter runs wild....

NO RESPONSIBLE Mother would EVER dream of leaving a 5 month old special needs baby and a pregant--(for the second time) daughter.

TALK ABOUT DISGRACE!!

Folks, you just can't make this stuff up....PRICELESS

The Rep ticket comes across as something you see on Springer. What was that kook thinking? I was going to vote for me thinking he was getting Romney but this is such ...ARGGGG... can't tell you how frustrated I am.

I would not be surprised if the righties that are against Bush will say that the hurricane was this week because God is punishing the Republicans for being so underhanded and greedy with money? What are the odds?

I hope that women are offended by this pick because he clearly did it to not only assuage the extremists of his own party, but to sway so-called disaffected Hillary voters.  The sad reality is that Palin is not fit for the job and this pick is quickly moving from pathetic, political tactic to downright insulting and offensive.  Since McCain obviously failed to properly vet Palin, in a sad effort to take attention away from Obama's triumphant speech, he led a lamb to the slaughter.  And in the process he just reinforced that glass ceiling because some will now perceive that there is a danger in choosing a woman.  That is not true, because he had several qualified women to choose from and had he done so, it may have shattered that glass ceiling.  But this pick smacks of the kind of affirmative action the Republicans have stood so staunchly opposed to:  giving someone a position because they are meant to fill a quota.  Unfortunately for McCain, it also shows that he is an irrational man, who  makes hair trigger decisions without a thought to its impact and that is not someone I want in charge.  Epic fail.

----PALIN'S SEX EDUCATION PLAN FOR KIDS AGE 12 AND UP---

-----BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY!!!!!!

Damnnn, I knew that Texas Poligamist hair-do was awfully suspect.

Judging by your willingness to put your kids on the back burner while you chase a career in politics that you are WAYYYY unqualified for.....

Social Services needs to take custody of your poor kids!! They deserve a chance in life!!

Life does imitate art.

Jerry Springer would be so proud, if he were still broadcasting these southern White families.

Can you IMAGINE THE FACES, today, McCain's senior advisers who wanted the ever-knowing Lieberman or Mr. Mormon but who were ignored because Jerry Falwell, Doc Dobson, and these human-and-purple dinosaur co-existing crowds were so belligerent, they threatened to withhold any and all donations?,,,,,,,,,,,

Reading blog streams - looks like Palin has high potential to be a "drag on the McCain" campain as this story develops, after the hurricane clears and we start cleaning up that mess it looks like this story will become it's own hurricane headed right to McCain's doorstep!

Who gives a crap about Israel. Nuke the hell out of it, kill all middle easterns USA USA USA!!

Oh yea, here comes the dirt. There will be no low as to how far these journalist go to disgrace her. As long as his worship Barack Obama isn't involved, they will pour it on. Look at how they hid the Rezko deal; the Wright deal; etc.

Posted by: cliff jones | September 1, 2008 2:53 PM

---

Hey Cliff - you can't shoot the messenger on this one.

If mccain had done an adequate job of vetting her they wouldn't have these surprises. If you want to be angry - be mad at McCain and Palin - it's their fault, not the media - and most especially - it's not Obama's fault - it's mccains. Obama's taken his lumps and has been vetted.

The rezko and ayers deals were investigated and there was no reason for action. You're foolish to keep spouting worn debunked talking points. Direct your anger where it belongs - mccain, he dropped the ball by not vetting the clampets before he selected her. but that's just john bein' a maverick. That's what you like about him, right?

This is a choice that keeps on giving

Did someone just start playing the theme song to the "Beverly Hillbillies"?

By Palin announcing that her teenage daughter is pregnant is supposed to deflect from the flake baby rumor, but instead it suggest that this is her daughters second pregnancy. Her daughter's pregnancy makes it clear that the abstinence-only doesn’t work for preventing teen pregnancies. Palin wants to keep other teenagers in America from getting birth control information and devices. Palin is anti-birth-control, and anti-sex-education for teens aside from abstinence-only

From Anchorage- The salient point about Gov. Palin's claim of rejecting the earmarks for the "bridge to nowhere" is that she rejected the earmark and took the federal money anyway. It's a distinction without a difference and frankly dishonest of her to make that claim. Here's a local Alaska newspaper story about the whole fiasco:
http://www.adn.com/politics/story/511471.html
alin takes the money anyway just without the earmark.
The LaTimes has a good story on it also:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-earmarks1-2008sep01,0,909566.story

I'll bet that Kid Rock and Joe Dirt will soon be figuring in to the ongoing revelations about the Palin family. Stay tuned as John McCain's vetting process continues to evolve.

Sorry but having a "hockey mom" as VP just doesn't cut it. She can't even be a good mom, let alone run a country.

Why are you posting all this stuff under lots of different names about Obama not protecting Israel.
What is up with that crap! You're a dillusional looney, who needs the support of your candidate.
Get off it idiot, AMERICA ALWAYS PROTECTS ISRAEL AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, NO MATTER WHO IS ELECTED. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ANYWAY?
Get a life. This is about your old fart not vetting this crazy nut bar for his VP. HE DIDN'T EVEN CHECK THE WASILLA NEWSPAPERS ABOUT HER PAST! Even I would have done that much. Get off Israel already, you're getting heavy and no one cares. Palin is a gift that just keeps on giving. THIS IS GETTING GOOD AND IT'S NOT OVER, WAIT TILL TOMORROW, NEVER KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN THEN! MORE CHRISTIAN FAMILY VALUES.

If McCain knew about the daughter’s pregnancy, why wasn’t Palin becoming a grandmother in a few months not part of the initial story on Friday when she was rolled out? Her son’s military service military was part of the story. If having a Down Syndrome baby speaks to Palin’s life position, why didn’t her pregnant teenage daughter carry the same message?

arrrrrgh!!!! Go away Gustav. We have other things to talk about!!!!

What do you keep talking about, Obama not protecting ISRAEL, of COURSE HE WILL PROTECT ISRAEL YOU NITWIT!
DISTRACTIONS, FOR YOUR GUY. I'M A JEW AND THE ISRAELIS I KNOW ARE DELIGHTED ABOUT OBAMA, SORRY TO TELL YOU.
THEY ARE TERRIFIED OF MCCAIN STARTING A WAR WITH IRAN AND THEY'LL BE THE HUMAN SHIELDS.
TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING HERE, YOU DOPE!
YOU ARE A PAID SHILL BY THE ROVE/KRISTOL TWITS TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT, PLUS, YOU'RE A RACIST. SORRY, IT WON'T WORK. PALIN IS THE TRAILER PARK TRASH THAT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING.
SOUNDS RUDE, BUT THE LADY LIES A LOT!

Gloat all you want you wack job far left hate America liberals...

When the news media gets word that Obama and Biden have stated they will not protcet Isreal from Iran's nukes this Palin stuff will go away and Americans will start to see Obama as the RADICAL AMERICA HATER he is...

IF YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO READ THE TRUTH, GOOGLE THIS:

Barack Obama's presidential running-mate Joseph Biden told Israeli officials that they need to accept the idea Iran will acquire nuclear weapons.

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visiting Israel several years ago, told Israeli officials diplomacy and sanctions would be futile against Iran.

On Monday Israel's Army Radio reported details of the comments Biden made when he met with "senior Israeli officials behind closed doors."

Reportedly Biden told the officials he opposed "opening a additional military and diplomatic front" against Iran.

"Israel will have to reconcile itself with the nuclearization of Iran," Army Radio quoted Biden as telling the Israelis.

Army Radio said that at that time Israeli officials were shocked by Biden's comments.

Within Israel, a consensus across the political spectrum has developed on the Iran matter. Iran's president Ahmadinejad has stated that he will wipe Israel off the map, making clear his use weapons of mass destruction against the Jewish state.

Biden has been an ardent supporter of the state of Israel in the Senate. His selection by Barack Obama was seen as an effort to shore up support with the U.S. Jewish community.

Obama has given mixed signals on the Iran threat. During the Democratic primary he argued for direct negotiations with Iran. He has avoided making any suggestion the U.S. should take military action against Iran.

Last Monday Obama said he would continue to use diplomatic means to stop Iran's nuclear program

The skeletons just keep on tumbling out. The daughter's pregnancy for one thing. I just can't agree with the republicans trying to spin this into a good thing, saying that she is making a good decision. Can you say nothing about the fact that she is 17, still in high school and pregnant? This is not a good thing, in fact it goes against all of the republican's so called "family values". Pregnant minors is not a good thing, it sets a horrible example to say nothing of how this is wrong.

The plan is to just get any woman, wheter she is qualified or not and let the other side attack her records, then they will start pushing sexism nonsense.

The good news about the sexism thing is that Palin herself had called it whinning, so I wonder how much traction the sexism thing will get them. Good Luck.

Geeze Louise, the old man has lost it completely!
He expects to win the Presidency of this country and he chooses a running mate, with a laundry list that sounds like a soap opera!
God help us if this old fart wins. He has dementia obviously, and needs to be pulled off the ticket immediately.
This woman and her family laundry do nothing to help the GOP, she is a joke now.
Everyone in the WORLD is laughing at her and her LIES!
She has lied about everything apparently. I can no longer support a 72 yrs old cancer survivor if this is who would replace him.
FAMILY VALUES MY BEHIND!

Notice how far left posters here do not even mention or try to defend Obama and his refusal to protect Isreall and America fro rouge nations

Palin’s veracity is really in question. The one positive respond that resonated with the focus group was her comment that she rejected the bridge to nowhere, and we have learn that her respond was not truthful. On Palin’s first day on the national scene and she lied. Nobody asked her the question. She volunteered the lie. Then, we couple this with ‘Troopergate’– so we begin to have a pile on. Next is the Matanuska Maid Dairy (aka Mat Maid) story which suggest that will do whatever she wants without any regard for the law or ethical public policy. If the Babygate story proves to be true, it is significant because it makes part of her compelling biography a lie. In three incidences Palin has problems with truthiness and ethics.

All this news just shows that McCain didn't do any research on her. She was a pick to appeal to the woman who felt that Sen. Clinton was disrespected and to the conservative base. Good job Sen. McCain you proved once more who has the better judgement.

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

WOW, if this is a TRUE story about Obama and Biden, it is a DAEL BREAKER for me...

Whaen this gets out the Palin thing will dissapear! Obama will not protect Isreal?

This is HUGE

Even after the supposedly baby's birth, Bristol reportedly did not return to school. Her fist public sighting was at the VP announcement this week, 8 months later. What is with this family!

Hey, thanks mccain - I thought we were finally going to be rid of our national embarrassment - President GW Albatross. But now mccains hooked up with the Clampets.

Good lord, did you check her out at all.

This is it - I don't want a shoot from the hip "maverick". I want competence - like we've seen from the Obama camp.

You blew it mccain - first this unqualified wingnut vp pick to score political points - and now all these TPT antics. It's apparent mccain isn't taking this seriously - he's not thinking past november 4. I expect more from a president.

Barack Obama's presidential running-mate Joseph Biden told Israeli officials that they need to accept the idea Iran will acquire nuclear weapons.

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visiting Israel several years ago, told Israeli officials diplomacy and sanctions would be futile against Iran.

On Monday Israel's Army Radio reported details of the comments Biden made when he met with "senior Israeli officials behind closed doors."

Reportedly Biden told the officials he opposed "opening a additional military and diplomatic front" against Iran.

"Israel will have to reconcile itself with the nuclearization of Iran," Army Radio quoted Biden as telling the Israelis.

Army Radio said that at that time Israeli officials were shocked by Biden's comments.

Within Israel, a consensus across the political spectrum has developed on the Iran matter. Iran's president Ahmadinejad has stated that he will wipe Israel off the map, making clear his use weapons of mass destruction against the Jewish state.

Biden has been an ardent supporter of the state of Israel in the Senate. His selection by Barack Obama was seen as an effort to shore up support with the U.S. Jewish community.

Obama has given mixed signals on the Iran threat. During the Democratic primary he argued for direct negotiations with Iran. He has avoided making any suggestion the U.S. should take military action against Iran.

Last Monday Obama said he would continue to use diplomatic means to stop Iran's nuclear program

You can't spin this now. The Palins will be on Springer this week, I'm watching. this is better than anything I've seen in years.
This is the first choice of this old man, i am scared of what he'd do with this country.
This is a joke and distraction from all the important stuff in this country.
DUMP PALIN, PICK MITT!
At least Mitt can get the economy going in the right direction. I'd vote Obama before I'd vote McCain now! HE IS A JOKE!

Why wasn’t Palin becoming a grandmother in a few months not part of the initial story on Friday when she was rolled out? Her son’s military service was part of the story. If having a Down Syndrome baby speaks to her life position, why didn’t her pregnant teenage daughter carry the same message?

Karen, do your homework Tony Rezko did not help the obama's buy a house. His wife bought an adjoining lot. The Obama's qualified for their home on their own. no money. no co-sign. no "special deal"--and cliff--don't blame the media for simply reporting the facts about sarah palin--it is her RESPONSIBILITY for her own actions

James Dobson asked his followers to pray for rain during the "convention". The question is... did he tell them which convention? And Mr. Dobson, A hurricane isn't the only thing raining down on John McCain. I think what ever is left of the Republican convention is going to be the best theatre ever. No way a hurricane can begin to cover up all of this stuff coming fast and furious about an unvetted unqualified Vice president choice such as this one. Now for the good of the country, can Ms. Palin please disqualifiy herslf with dignity, and let us get on with a real election instead of this traveling circus? PLEASE????

Stevens, Buchanan, the Alaska Independence Party... there is no group to crazy or slimy for Palin to get involved with, it would seem.

Palin’s teenage daughter accidentally becoming pregnant is significant because not only is Plain anti-abortion but anti-birth-control, and anti-sex-education for teens aside from abstinence-only. Palin wants to keep other teenagers in America from getting birth control information and devices. Her daughter's pregnancy makes it clear that the abstinence-only doesn’t work for preventing teen pregnancies.

McCain's campaign slogans is:

"Put Country First"

The problem is, Governor Sarah Palin wants to put Alaska first.

Here she is giving a speech as Governor, at the Alaska Independence Party's Convention. The AIP wants to secede from the United States, then fund their new state using revenues from Alaska's oil and gas resources. McCain claims to be a patriot, but then selects Palin as his VP.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/1/4231/18477/878/581881

Um, is it possible some of our esteemed media ask the Palin vetters, in no particular order, how they reconciled:

1. What about the firing of the Public Safety commissioner-- results of investigation to come out in October

2. Bridge to Nowhere-- for it before she was against it

3. Buchanan supporter long after he was tossed out of the GOP

4. Speaking to and/or possible member of Alaska Secessionist group

5. No one in the Alaska GOP leadership has anything nice to say about her

6. ties to Ted Stevens now revealed

Um, all this could turn out to be non-issues-- but do you think America would be able to sort this out in 2 months? I mean, don't all these flags suggest something?

Nice... this fits great with her lying about the Bridge to Nowhere, Troopergate, the earmarks she grabbed as Mayor of Wasilla, the firings in Wasilla...

This is a real winner the McCain campaign seems to have picked.

Sarah Palin, the gift that keeps on giving.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A SILK PURSE OUT OF A SOWS EAR, NOT EVEN YOU ROVE/KRISTOL!
JERRY SPRINGER NEEDS TO CONTACT THESE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY! I HEARD SHE HAS 3 HOMES, SO THAT MAKES 10 BETWEEN THEM, WHERE DID SHE GET ALL THAT MONEY. She lived in a trailer in Wasilla. I have been to that town (if you can call it that)! SHE LEFT WASILLA $20 MILLION IN DEBT! tHAT IS OVER $297,750 PER PERSON, GREAT GOING. THAT IS WHY SHE WAS RECALLED AS MAYOR, TWICE. GEEZE MCCAIN, SHE WAS NOT VETTED, NO WAY.
TODD-DWI
SARAH-TROOPERGATE AND BABYGATE
BRISTOL-PREGNANT
SARAH-TED STEVES AND THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE
AND THIS IS JUST IN 72 HOURS, WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW.
You can take the lady out of the trailer, but you sure can't take the trailer....

If you know these right wingers, they probably will blame Palin's daughter being pregnant on the Democratic party. They have destroyed the country and bankrupted it

I intend to vote for Obama-Biden on November 4th. And I have been volunteering for the campaign. But, I have a strong distaste for the name calling and stereotyping present in some of the comments about this news story.
The choice of Govenor Palin represents a clear example of McCain's decision making abilities or lack thereof. Bristol Palin deserves compassion and a mom who is committed to her well being and success. We can't provide the latter. But we can all be compassionate toward her.

HI, Good reporting by the POST as usual. Something smells here like a leaky oil tanker or old moose hide. Could this be a ruse pick and then like Eagleton step down and pick??? or Was this MAC'S way of saying ok to the Roves' and rt in opl dparty ok here's some red meat (moose) true believer etc and lack of paper trail ,,,go to it... or was MAC basically told by the rt that it's either Romney or Palin... If so I think he caved and went away from his more measured approach .

More than frightening,pandering,alarming is the insult to all of America and the rest of the free world that MCPuke would devalue the meaning of integrity and the 'oh so precious value' he lavishes on peace, prosperity and dignity of people by this 'sick' choice for VP.Wait till after Hurricane Gustov has passed, the GOP Convention and the real race to the finish line with the three fall debates and the VP debate in which Biden, even though he must tread delicately because she is a woman, wipes the floor with this freakish Stone Age woman. In the end, the merits of our presidential pick will be decided solely on the two contenders for the prize.

"Oh yea, here comes the dirt. There will be no low as to how far these journalist go to disgrace her. As long as his worship Barack Obama isn't involved, they will pour it on. Look at how they hid the Rezko deal; the Wright deal; etc.

Posted by: cliff jones | September 1, 2008 2:53 PM"

Are you implying that "the journalists" got her pregnant? HEEHEEHEE!!!!

ROTFLMAO!!! This news combined with the news of Palin's husband's arrest for D.W.I. should put an end to McSame's campaign. Mrs. "Family Values" seems to be awash in sin, and yet she has the nerve to pretend to be righteous and right. Well, as far as I'm concerned, these people can put their "family values" where the sun don't shine because that's about what they're worth. This woman cannot even teach her 17 year old daughter right from wrong, and yet she would prance about with the gall to tell everyone about "family values". I knew McSame was insane the day his choice of this woman for the V.P. spot on the G.O.P. ticket was announced. But, I didn't realize how soon his lack of judgment and experience would be revealed to the world. Now, we all know, and all you McSame supporters can hide your heads in shame, as the senile, old man is given a fitting good bye party at the G.O.P. convention. Obama/Biden 08!!!

Now, now, now. All of you out there willing to crucify Obama for his tenuous association with Ayers -- should also be on the bandwagon for crucifying this woman for her very strong association with this creep. Betcha won't though...

Lets see if McCain is going to flip-flop with his VP like he's flip-flopped on the issues. Then again, Palin finds family values so important that she's going to expand the family even more. I imagine the bigger the family the more important family values. You can have this one Palin!

VOTE FOR PALIN OR BIDEN AS BEST VP PICK AT RNC WEBSITE: http://www.gop.mfbiz.com/#/newpalinbidenpoll/4530692820

Tony Rezko Reality August 22, 2008

McCain misfires as he attacks Obama's home purchase.
Summary

On the defensive over the extent of multiple McCain homes, the GOP candidate strikes back. But his TV spot gives an oversimplified and misleading account of how Obama bought his own $1.6 million house in Chicago.

* The ad says Chicago power broker Tony Rezko got "political favors" including "$14 million from taxpayers." But there's no evidence of any connection to the Obama home purchase.

* It says Rezko "purchased part of the property [Obama] couldn't afford." Rezko's wife did buy an adjoining tract but later sold the land at a profit. Obama paid market price for his home.

McCain launched the attack after Obama ran one capitalizing on McCain's inability to recall for an interviewer how many homes the McCains own. Obama's ad says it's seven. The best tally we've seen puts the figure at eight, counting all the apartments and homes

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/rezko_reality.html

YES !!!!

Let's DO SOME INVESTIGATIONS !!!

Let's investigate the following, shall we ?

1) Tony Reszco (CONVICTED CROOK WITH TIES TO OBAMA)

2) Rev Wright (RACIST & AMERICAN HATER)

3) William Ayers (TERRORIST)

Will this SO CALLED reporter look into ANY of these against his NEW MASTER, THE CHOSEN ONE, THE OBAMA ?

No, cause he is an American hater like the rest of the far left in America...

READ OBAMA'S PLAN TO NEVER USE OUR NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR DEFENSE !

GOOGLE IT, he has said this... HE WILL NOT DEFEND AMERICA

McYupYup!

The biggest thing that America learns out of this whole fiasco is John McCain's judgment and decision making process. A small hotel in Wasilla has confirmed that eight McCain staffers arrived today. It's obvious they arrived to vet her since not a single McCain research team ever contacted her hometown newspaper, not once!
This is the most important decision a potential president has to make.

Everyone knows McCain is more experienced than Obama, but American voters aren't stupid. They know Obama is ready and wicked smart, and that he will surround himself with competent people who will challenge his thinking and be objective.

The same can't be said for McCain. His views on the role of a vice president are on the record, and they are flippantly juvenile.
Sarah Palin's views on the vice president's job are also on the record, and they are equally ignorant.

I'm waiting for McCain's "I promise I won't die in office" acceptance speech.

McCain should have zipped his pants and vetted Miss Wasilla

Did McCain vet her at all? Or did he just roll the dice?

Not the behavior I want from the man with his finger on the button.

I'd vote for Ron Paul before I voted for McCain. I disagree with every position he holds except for his opposition to the war, but at least Paul is not reckless.

Palin is the compete opposite of Hillary and her femi-nazi hags.

Johnny Mac knows how to handle women

Ha’aretz reports that Joe Biden told Israeli leaders that they would have to accept a nuclear Iran if Barack Obama wins the Presidency. Israelis expressed “amazement” at Biden’s attitude:
Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden was quoted Monday as telling senior Israeli officials behind closed doors that the Jewish state will have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran.
In the unsourced report, Army Radio also quoted Biden as saying that he opposed “opening a additional military and diplomatic front.”
Biden, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been considered strongly pro-Israel. His nomination as Barack Obama’s running mate had been expected to shore up the Democrats’ strength with U.S. Jewish voters.
For those unfamiliar with Ha’aretz, it doesn’t exactly have a knee-jerk conservative spin. In fact, it’s at best a center-left editorial board. They’re not terribly sympathetic to the Bush administration or most of its policies. They wouldn’t have much reason to simply make this up.
If anyone doubted that an Obama presidency would surrender to radicalism and hostile forces abroad, this should clinch it. Biden has pretty much told the Israelis that they’re on their own, and America won’t bother to support them against the nutcases in the region. If Obama and Biden don’t have the courage to face Iran’s nuclear ambitions, then exactly when will they defend American interests?
And what of our Western allies? Europe wants Iranian nukes stopped just as much as we do, especially since they’re more directly threatened by them. Obama and Biden talk about bolstering our alliances, but it looks like they’re more interested in leaving them holding the bag.
Hugh Hewitt sees this as further evidence that Obama is nothing more than the second coming of Jimmy Carter:
American supporters of Israel have to understand that Obama-Biden is a disaster for Israel’s security. It would be Carter II, but without the keen insight that Carter brought to Iran policy.
It’s worse than that. Carter at least had a deranged notion of justice as a foundation; this just looks like cowardice.
Update: The Jerusalem Post says this conversation took place three years ago:
Army Radio reported that the Delaware senator was heard saying in closed conversations with Jerusalem officials three years ago that he was firmly opposed to an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reportedly claimed that Israel would likely have to come to terms with a nuclear Iran. He reportedly expressed doubt over the effectiveness of economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic and said he was against the opening of an additional military and diplomatic front, saying that the US had more pressing problems, such as North Korea and Iraq.
The Ha’aretz report didn’t mention a time frame. Still, either way, the message is the same: Biden won’t stand up to Iran, and since Barack Obama chose him for his foreign-policy chops, one has to figure that Obama agrees. After all, Biden is the man who once proposed sending $200 million to Tehran to pacify the mullahs.

"Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service" -- boy, does that have a ring to it! Clearly, Sarah Palin and John McCain really are "soulmates" as he says. She learned corruption from Ted Stevens, he studied under Charles Keating.

I wish you'd do this much investigation about Tony Rezko, who helped the Obamas buy a house (politics 101 - do not take money or help from developers who you are supposed to be governing.)

And for those who wish to criticize Bristol Palin and her mom over being 17 years old, umarried, and pregnant, see Barack Obamas mother - he is the son of such a woman and even though I will not vote for him, I am glad she chose life and not abortion.

Unplanned pregnancies happen, and good people come from it.

I tend to not subscribe to personal attacks on the candidates regardless of their party, but this thing here with Gov Palin is becoming riddiculous. My thing is what parent, given the current state of affairs in their family, would allow themselves to go through the riggors of a national campaign. A Special Needs baby, pregnant teen a tour deployment and God knows what else is going on. I hope them all the best and the baby and soon to be baby are able to grow and develop, but as a parent, soldier and concerned citizen (but mostly as parent) can not see the efficacy of leaving (and yes that's what she's doing) my family on that journey. But that's just me as a parent used to raising my child without a nanny.

John McCain's judgement is starting to not look very good.

Sarah Palin is an extreme right wing NEO NAZI who openly supported Buchannan who is a HOLOCAUST DENIER and praised Hitler "as a man of great courage". Palin never expressed her views about ISRAEL.
In addition, she is an evangelical idiot who still believes that THE EARTH IS FLAT and that evolution is wrong.

Jewish associations are outraged

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Palin_on_Israel.html?showall

Sarah Palin has depth and experience in corruption. Congratulations!

Good. At least we know she'll be comfortable with the totally corrupt Republican party. She should fit right in.

Will we even remember this woman's name one year from now? Or will we just remember the political hack, with the disfunctional family, the hypocritical positions and the big hair.

Palin - Big hair, no cattle.

Oh yea, here comes the dirt. There will be no low as to how far these journalist go to disgrace her. As long as his worship Barack Obama isn't involved, they will pour it on. Look at how they hid the Rezko deal; the Wright deal; etc.

McCain/ Palin ticket is a episode of Jerry and Maury all rolled up in one.. I waiting for Maury to say,
"---- you are not the father!!"

The Palin's= Jerry Springer Show

More of the Same '08.

Is this really a joke? Is McCain so good at being secretive that this a sham pick and he will announce bobby jindel is his pick if he does well after gustav?

Darn, another 527 group issue. Seems like her ties to Stevens should be checked out. So much for vetting for a VP. McCain's judgment is called into question.
After last Friday and Saturday, I am sure that the Almighty had had enough. Being omniscient, He set in motion some time back the events that would spare the American public from more Bush-speak, Cheney-vulgarities, McCain-apeak, and Palin-speak. Of course, the religious right who see everything that God does as an approval for their behavior and beliefs must be in shock now. God has indicated that He has heard enough from this group of clowns. It is perfectly clear, as clear as when Pat Robertson prayed Hurricane Gloria away from the Virginia Beach coast years ago. In fact, that particular prayer comes up from time to time. Too bad that Pat's operation is not located in New Orleans so that he would have reason to pray Gustav away.

I believe that God has also answered James Dobson's crew. If you try to manipulate God, He has a very positive and dynamic response.

So, Obama's chief financier, Tony Rezco is a convicted felon who helped Obama buy his house, possibly with money from Auchi.

Obama was the Chairman of Bill Ayers' Annenburg Challenge for 4 years and has a long term relationship with the unrepentent domestic terrorist who said, "Guilty as sin, Free as a Bird, Ain't America great." He also stated that he felt his Weather Underground did not do enough bombing.

Sarah Palin is an extreme right wing NEO NAZI who openly supported Buchannan who is a HOLOCAUST DENIER and praised Hitler "as a man of great courage". Palin never expressed her views about ISRAEL.
In addition, she is an evangelical idiot who still believes that THE EARTH IS FLAT and that evolution is wrong.

Jewish associations are outraged

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Palin_on_Israel.html?showall

"From 1973 to 1975, I was a member of the US Army's 172nd Light Arctic Infantry Brigage (Headquarters Company)Ft. Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska. "Sarah Palin was not even living in the State of Alaska at the time. Yet, I read an opinion piece (from a female writer) this past weekend that as governer of Alaska, she will lead that state's National Guard against any Russian (looking at Georgia) invasion through her territory." "This fantasy is "lightyears away from the facts". "Before Gov. Palin acts, the Pentagon already will have Ft. Wainwright, Ft. Greely,Ft. Richardson, Eilson and Elmendorf Airforce Bases already engaged (which is their mission) against the enemy.

Sarah Palin is an extreme right wing NEO NAZI who openly supported Buchannan who is a HOLOCAUST DENIER and praised Hitler "as a man of great courage". Palin never expressed her views about ISRAEL.
In addition, she is an evangelical idiot who still believes that THE EARTH IS FLAT and that evolution is wrong.

Jewish associations are outraged
link:http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Palin_on_Israel.html?showall

I guess to be a "political reformer" or anti-corruption fighter in Alaska is not be indicted yourself

Clearly Palin was not fully vetted by the McCain people. The DUI, the teen pregnancy, the Stevens connections - not to mention her initial support for Bridge to Nowhere.

This was a rushed pick; and it's backfiring.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

Well, I finally find some folks who are not trying to rationalize the choice. The folks over at a conservative blog are actually happy that Sarah's daughter is pregnant. Yes they think that it is a good thing that a 17 year old should get pregnant and then get married. I guess Sarah didn't believe in birth control or maybe even preached abstinence.

Well she sure represents the double standard of the far right. They criticize Democrats for supporting a woman's right to choose yet don't support good day care for single moms or even healthcare for all or worst of all a living wage and equal pay!

Yep these are the family values that really help families afford to buy a home or even to keep their home. By forcing families into two or more jobs just to make ends meet and still don't support a national program of energy independence. This is the Presidential candidate I want to vote for?

Rick Caine says:

Are you sure she isn't a member of the British Royal Family?

Priceless!

This VP Pick shows Who Maccain is.
They have to change the convention slogan:
Maccain Country Last

How mavericky!

Jack Cafferty said on CNN this weekend that McCain's pick of Sarah Palin was "a joke." The more I think about it, I have to agree. I don't care that her daughter is pregnant. I don't really care if she raised money for Ted Stevens. I DO care if she abused her authority in the "troopergate" issue. But mostly, I just think her nomination is the most blatant pandering in a long long time. It's an insult to the election process. She is so much less qualified than so many Republicans, the justifications for her pick are absurd. On Friday, speaking after McCain, she made a sloppy appeal to Hillary supporters which should have made them all retch, and should have made the Republican party ashamed. I doubt McCain supporters will come over to Obama's side after this silly decision, but I do think and hope a lot of them stay home. McCain has made an insulting pander and people will see through it. Cafferty's right - this is a joke.

Palin brings so much noise and distraction with her. Enough already. This is a serious election. It appears that McCain didn't take it seriously.

The biggest political ramification of the daughter's pregnancy is that it reminds diehard Clinton supporters how different their worldview is from someone like Palin's. This is the most blatant/highly publicized example of how abstinence-only education doesn't work, and it is time to have a serious national conversation about this issue.

Gov Palin is a maverick and reformer. We know this is a fact b/c McCain said so. And he was a POW with no access to mavericks for 5 1/2 yrs. So there, its very simple why everyone who loves America must vote McCain/Palin. They put country first.

Did they vet this chick AT ALL????

Did they vet this chick AT ALL????

Did they vet this chick AT ALL????

So let me get this straight...

The revelations so far:

1) Palin's 17 year old daughter is knocked up and unmarried
2) Palin was/is a member of the Alaska Secessionists Group
3) Palin was in bed with the lobbyists who pushed for Ted Steven's Bridge to Nowhere (Stevens will be in jail soon BTW).

4) We still can't get the straight story on Palin's (We think) downs syndrome baby.

Are you sure she isn't a member of the British Royal Family?

The only one's who think Palin is a maverick and against corruption is the scared press who has to appear to be even handed for worrying that they will lose their jobs in today's conservative environment.

Palin is supposed to be McCain's deputy cracking down on Pork from the federal government? In the meanwhile, she has helped raise money for Ted Stevens. Ted Stevens has been well known as the king of pork for over 20 years. How is it that she enthusiastically supports Stevens but can be counted on to eliminate pork?

What Joe Scarborough really thinks about Palin Nomination!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTbsbeY5k5k

Let's see how they spin it this week.

Whoops! I forgot about the bridge to nowhere.

Palin was for it before she was against us.

She was just lying to us when she said she opposed it the other day.

It's noon where I am and I am tallying up what we have so far today:

1. The fifth child probably isn't the child or Palin's daughter, but Palin's 17 years old daughter is pregnant and unmarried. We don't yet know if this is a case of statutory rape.

2. Palin has been a team member with Stevens.

3. For the first time in history, a sitting President will not appear at his party's convention.

I'm wondering what the GOP will do to top this before 5:00 PM rolls around.

The Vetting process has begun. Sarah Palin, the anti-corruption Governor of Alaska, a member of a 527 that supported Senator Stevens!? Palin's daughter, who at age 17 is pregnant--and the McCain Campaign KNEW about it!? Governor Palin was hyped as the individual who stopped the 'Bridge to Nowhere' that Stevens gained earmarks for. Social Conservative governor Palin, whose daughter is pregnant, and, in Palin's own words says that the young lady 'has grown up faster than we anticipated.' And there's a rumor brewing, but I'll not speak about it until it's substantiated. But yes, the vetting process HAS begun, and we might get a few more surprizes before this campaign is over. Did the McCain Camp really know about the pregnancy? Yeah, really!!

So she legally raised money for him years before he was revealed to be corrupt? What's your point, besides yet another hit piece?

You are pretty desperate, she must scare the crud out of you.

AT LAST! Some substantive investigations of the GOP ticket. Hopefully it will become more clear to the general public that calling McCain a "maverick" is like calling the Pope a Methodist.

Choosing a running mate who is in lockstep with your party's uber-conservative base is HARDLY the act of a maverick. Indeed, it counts as quite the opposite.

LOL...

OK, I'm starting the Sayonara Sarah Palin pool. How long do you think it'll be before she resigns from the ticket so she can spend more time with her family?

Gone by October 1.

Obama buys a house in the normal manner and the Republicans scream bloody murder because, years later, the seller is indicted.

Meanwhile, it turns out that their trailer trash queen teams up with Stevens and helps run his crooked enterprise.

The whole things is as hypocritical as a Republican Family Value.

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