Do you actually believe, given the demographic he's targeting, that he would have picked someone who DIDN'T "have little kids"? I'm not sure how much of a "blow for womanhood" this constitutes, unless "womanhood" is defined as "women fulfilling their God-mandated, biologically-determined roles as mothers".

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read. You have progressed in your career along with having kids hopefully because you were the best person available for the job. This woman is on the ticket for the sole purpose of courting soccer moms and right wing loonies. Anybody who thinks this is a good thing for women needs their head examined.

Sarah Palin is the definition of a token. This is a HUGE step backwards for women, nor forwards.

This demonstrates the ease with which people can be duped, and will be duped. Obama is center-right running as leftist. McCain is neo-far right, having choked down his personal leftism, running as center, picking a left-looking VP with hardcore far-right tendencies. Nothing is as it seems. I have never seen this nation so packed with confused voters incapable of seeing through the smoke and mirrors. What carrot-ish marionettes will be dangled in front of the cameras to keep the mules plowing 4 years from now? Coming up next election! Exxon vs. the NRA! (I'm assuming that within 4 years the NRA and evangelical Christians will have enacted legislature to consider themselves a single person, as have corporations, thus allowing themselves the chance to run for office.)

To the extent that voters have already let themselves be guided toward an under-experienced candidate by the glitz of ads and the sound of speeches, McCain's choice will ironically prove politically effective for the Republicans. Politicians are forced to deal with the voter behavior they observe. When you witnessed last fall voters move toward one candidate saying change in every other vague sentence of his speeches and away from the candidate who treated the voters like grown-ups by treating the issues, you can only recognize the ironical appropriateness of McCain's choice. Equally ironic is the former theme of being a Washington outsider which has been destabilized by the Biden pick. Obama has energized a theme which the opposition will now profit from. I believe that the congress of which Obama and Biden are both members now has an approval rating in the SINGLE DIGITS, less than half that of the roundly rejected Bush.

Actually I appreciate the honesty of this entry. So this was a smart political move by McCain. Women can naturally gravitate toward a female candidate as having experiences males do not have. You may agree with Palin, but simply being a woman strikes an internal emotional chord. You combine this with the feeling that Conservatives REALLY like this pick and it demonstrates how badly McCain wants to win. After all, this will definitely be his last hurrah.

Wait until John McCain sends your children to war and then tell me how happy you are that he nominated a woman. I am not sure who is the biggest bimbo, Sarah Palin,
or any woman who is duped into voting for her.

"You may agree with Palin, but simply being a woman strikes an internal emotional chord"

I'm a woman and it strikes no such chord with me. All it does is infuriate me that he would think we're this shallow, impossibly stupid, and easily duped.

But as Monica here can attest to, apparently we are.

Maybe he just picked her because he thought she was hot. Period. It's certainly not to get Hillary voters or to make him look any smarter. (Nothing could do that.)

And since she apparently doesn't even know what she would do as VP, someone remind her she would be the president of the senate.

Man, I wonder how many people in the senate with law degrees and decades of legal experience will be happy having a boss with a 4-year journalism degree.

Karl Rove, you know, the guy who committed treason and isn't even in jail will steal election number 3. And this country will be history.

I wonder if McCain even understands Greenspan's book after he admitting he knows nothing about economics and what a $15 trillion debt will do to a nation. Maybe he should start with a 3rd grade economics book first.

8 years of Bush is irreversible. We're cooked. So is the whole world. All Obama needs is one thing if the election isn't stolen. That's a really good mop.

And the obvious reason we have Blackwater is to delay the draft until the new president is elected. But they get paid more and have better benefits.

If I only had some dollars that weren't only worth a few pennies, I'd find somewhere else to live, but that costs a lot of money and there are troves of people trying to get out.

Have they forgotten that if we won't have the money to pay for or military or security that we won't survive? OH, and the treasury is now going to bail out the FDIC by printing more money, of course.

Sad. Those brainwashed zombies who voted for Bush should all be jumping off of bridges in shame right now.

And a lot of people in recovery know about denial. The guy HAS to drink, no one could slur words that bad act like such a fool. It's just not possible.

The worst part. McCain has even less of a brain, if you would be daring enough to say what Bush has is anything resembling a brain.

Apparently, you are not for women's right. Although women's rights is what allowed her to be in office in ALASKA. Sarah Palin was advised during her pregnancy that there was a problem and she was given the option. It was her free will CHOICE to to give birth to a child with downs syndrome. God gives everybody freewill choice, so who is she or you to tell me what I can or cannot do with my body. So I don't feel any sympathy or empathy for her. This is a tool she is using to attempt to convince others from having abortions. I stongly regret and resent the fact that she is also against abortions when women or girls are raped or by incest. She's not a feminist!!!!!!
So while she's in office who's is the mother of this special needs child? Who's nururing and bonding with this special needs baby? Is that fair to family and her teenage daughter to step up and be the mother?

And there's a reason Bush has a 25 approval rating and McCain has a 45 approval. Rating. Think about it. Racism, maybe? Ignorance, maybe?

I'd love to see some of the surveys of FOX and MSM viewers who think Obama is a Muslim or is going to make white people slaves. We don't have to worry about that, China will do that for us.

It's sad, but with exception of Kennedy, maybe Carter and Bill Clinton, I just don't think American voters like presidents with brains.

Whoever looks more than 4 years into the future, what do they care? They'll have their money and be able to go to some country who doesn't think their a war criminal.

And I'd really love to see the "charities" Cheney is lying about giving his 660,000 (that's right) Halliburton stock options proceeds too. Somehow I have a feeling someone will profit off of that. Cheney is not dumb, just evil.

And there's a reason Bush has a 25 approval rating and McCain has a 45 approval.

Similar to the reason that the Democrat dominated Congress is somewhere in the range of 18%, down to 9%, depending on the particular poll, do you suppose?

From Rasmussen:
Indicative of the low opinion most voters have of Congress were the findings in another survey earlier this week of members of the leadership's own party. Just 37% of Democrats say they have a favorable opinion of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while 51% have an unfavorable view of her. One-quarter (25%) of Democrats rate their view of the San Francisco Democrat as Very Favorable, but 14% see her in a Very Unfavorable light.

The news is even worse for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is viewed favorably by 22% of Democrats and unfavorably by 41%. Six percent (6%) of Democrats have a Very Favorable view of the Nevada senator, but 8% regard him Very Unfavorably.

From Gallup:
Congressional approval started off the year at a depressed 23%, then dipped to 21% in March and 20% in April, before reaching the current record-tying low. The 76% currently disapproving of Congress is just shy of the record-high 78% in March 1992.

Democrats Not Backing Congress

One reason Congress is doing so poorly in the court of public opinion is that rank-and-file Democrats are providing no support cushion for the Democratic-controlled institution. In fact, Democrats are about as likely to approve of Congress as are Republicans: 20% of Republicans approve, versus 16% of Democrats.

Not only is that true today, but it has been the pattern in Gallup's monthly approval ratings of Congress since December 2007. Prior to that -- for the first 10 months of the new Democratic majority in Congress -- Democrats tended to express slightly higher approval than Republicans, averaging seven points higher.

I totally agree. When McSane reinstates the draft all those socker Mom's will surely regret voting for McSane.

Since McCain has made it clear that he feels Obama, like President John Kennedy, has not had enough experience, it appears to me that McCain must have the hots for Palin the Beauty Queen, or he would never have chosen someone that has even a great deal more inexperienced. Do some research, McCain is a brick shy of a full load.

For 21st Century CHANGE choose Barack Obama and Joseph Biden to lead our nation into a future of prosperity for all.

Let's Look At The Big Picture:

DLC-Democrats are actually Republocrats following the Republican cooperate agenda. The corporate DLC Republicans that have been controlling Congress was organized and is controlled by DLC-Republican lobbyists.

After the November Election the DLC's power should be weakened, and in time WE THE PEOPLE will throw all the Republican's DLC "yes contingent" out. WE THE PEOPLE do not want DLC REPUBLICAN lobbyists representing us to our representatives, and there is nothing in the Constitution that says that WE THE PEOPLE have to accept unelected DLC REPUBLICAN lobbyists leading our elected leaders on the LEFT, the Democrats. Our supposed democratic Congress has had too many CORPORATE DLC-REPUBLICAN Democrats to represent WE THE PEOPLE on the LEFT democratically; hence the debacle that has been going on in Congress since 2006, but CHANGE is coming in 2008, when WE THE PEOPLE vote in enough real LEFTY Democrats that will actually listen to the people and support INNOVATIVE CHANGE for our nation in every way.

Vote for Obama/Biden in 2008.

Sorry Monika but that only works if you believe Governor Palin is the most qualified Republican for the position of vice president and also happens to be a woman. Does anybody actually believe that? I doubt it. I think she was selected specifically because she has ovaries. An attempt to appeal to the far right as she is an evangelical and hopefully to Democratic women unhappy with the choice of Obama. She is no doubt an intelligent and talented individual and thus far a successful mayor and Governor. But hardly the person most qualified to be next in line to act as president of the United States. More like a gimmick by a desperate presidential candidate running short of time and options. Hardly a blow for womanhood but if they win I guess that could change.

For 21st Century CHANGE choose Barack Obama and Joseph Biden

Uh huh.
Two Senators.
One who's been in DC ten years longer than McCain, even.
One who voted for both the Iraq war authorization and the Patriot Act.
The other who's never had the guts to say "no" to George Bush on his war spending, after campaigning on the need to say "no" to George Bush on his war spending.
Couple of Beltway Bandits.

If you want change that's more than a slogan, vote third party & independent.

I knew McNut would choose a woman. The instant I saw her I was reminded of Monica Goodling. Palin is also a lacky.

McCain has accused Obama of being a treator - someone who puts politics ahead of country. We know this is a lie but this is the depths that McCain will go in his attempt to become POTUS. In selecting Palin he has done the very thing he accused of Obama of doing. If elected Palin will be a heartbeat away for being the President of the United States. Maybe there are those who can rest easy with this thought. I am not one of them.

THANK YOU. Her "priorities" are being questioned by so-called progressive concern trolls all over the place.

Knock her out on the issues, not on her family.

One thing that you've forgotten is that Democratic congress that is so unpopular can't over-ride every one of Bush's veto's. Nor do they have much to do with all his signing statements and downright breaking the law.

Didn't we used to have a constitution? Our wonderful republic has been completely destroyed by the drunk and $15 trillion debt won't go away. We're cooked.

Speaking of being drunk, which is kind of obvious by his slurs, somewhere I read a blog or a comment about Bush being an "recovering alcoholic." That was rather amusing as he has never acknowledged that he is an alcoholic (is, not was). Nor has he ever been in recovery.

EVERYthing that comes out of his mouth is a lie as the case with a pathological liar. He actually thinks people believe him or have an ounce of respect for him. Some people just can't see that or choose not to.

To Mrsanfran,

The biggest Bimbos (to answer your question) is the women who voted for the "cute" guy over the highly qualified and experioenced woman candidate. Yes- I am talking about you Obama girls out there.

Great blog, however, I don't think McCain can be given credit for anything here. This was the Party's choice ~ he's no independent and he's no maverick. If he were, he would have continued to hold out against the Religious Right. After being unable to convince the Party on Lieberman he found himself 'dateless and desperate'.

Wait until the photos are authenticated then the other shoe will drop. Interesting times ahead for McCain I think.

I have three kids, my youngest is three months older than Palin's, and that isn't stopping me from doing my job. Nor is it stopping Clara, my co-editor, who has a new baby....

Sorry, that's just a ridiculous comparison.

"I've got a nine-month-old and it hasn't stopped me from my job as a co-editor of a small liberal magazine! Why should being a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the freaking United States be any different?"

I think we've seen over the last eight years the perils of having the government run by folks who don't really having the time or inclination to do their f****** job.

But, y'know, your job's just like that.

Blow for women? More like blow to women. Last time I checked I wasn't that dumb. I simply refuse to believe she will pick up that demographic of hillary voters with her right-wing nutjob illogic.

Assuming Palin is indeed a woman! I think it's more likely she's a Stepford Wife-ish sort of hybrid, which would make her not really a human being in the authentic sense.

Palin is a woman who is turned against the interest of women by her adoption of a hostile ideology, as are all women who are her type of Republican. In other words, she a monster, not a woman.

This blog entry was a great example of someone writing something just because they felt they had to write something. The logic is quite skewed.

Sarah Palin could be our next president. No matter how hysterical we get about her, the fact remains that she represents the many ambitious women who are able to advance themselves while taking credit for the real work done by those she climbs over. That's executive experience.
Men have no patent on ruthless ambition, and the way they run corporations and countries into the ground should be gender neutral.

We liberals need to realize that if America voted for Bush because they'd like to have a beer with him, we'll vote for Palin because we'd like to have even more lubricious fantasies with her. On to the talent portion of the race!

Bravo.
Well said.

don't forget, she has foreign policy experience to boot. alaska is right next to the soviet union. these people are morons which makes them perfectly suitable to follow in duh dubya's shoes.

This spring, Palin lied to Alaskans, saying that renewable energy wouldn't be ready for years, when 28 states and DC already have renewable energy programs. ...Big Oil holds Alaskan land-leases 4 times the size of the ANWR, yet Palin sued the Bush Administration for listing Polar bears as a "threatened" species, because that might interfere with drilling the ANWR... Palin goes up in a helicopter and uses a semiautomatic rifle to blow-away wolves and their cubs --and calls this a "safari." ... Palin is no symbol of womanhood, nor is she fit to carry Hillary's briefcase. Palin is "more of the same" --in pantyhose!

The fact is, we are getting a double standard shoved down our throats.

How recently have we been told "family first"? Didn't the Christian Right link teenage pregnancy to working moms not being there for their daughters?

Not only that, but Palin has an INFANT with special needs and yet in spite of all the years of righteous indignation from those who believe that mommyhood is the greatest calling, we are expected to just turn our heads while she (and we) choke down "COUNTRY FIRST" as the appropriate and undebatable position.

C'mon. This tactic is completely insulting to all Americans. How dare we question her priorities? Hmm. How dare we not? Her private life isn't anymore off limits than anyone else because a person's "private" life is a good indication of how they walk their talk.

The Republicans have once again plunged us into a silly squabble, distracting us all from serious issues. Don't let them play us this time.
All those who think Palin is inadequate,and that John McCain is jerking us around, vote Hell no. Simple enough, Right?
Maybe we could then channel our outrage, indignation, and energy into a co-operative solution of just one of our overwhelming and tragic concerns.

As a father who gave up an all-consuming job to stave off divorce and save my young family, I respectfully disagree with the specious argument that it's automatically wrong to question whether Palin can fully devote herself to the rigors of serving as VP (or P) while she has a Downs Syndrome infant, a teen daughter giving birth to her first child, and an upcoming wedding for that same teen daughter. Whether you are male or female, a personal life filled with urgent concerns can preclude full attention to any all-consuming job, much less an all-consuming job with a Mt. Everest learning curve (pardon the colloquialism). As such, it is perfectly rational--and not necessarily sexist--to consider these factors in assessing a VP candidate.

幸せな結婚のためには結婚式をしたほうがいいの？ 【結婚パレット】は既婚者もたくさん参加する「結婚準備の情報コミュニティ」。だから結婚準備に関するどんなお悩みでもきっと良い答えが見つかるはず。恋愛,婚約,入籍,結婚, 結婚式場,披露宴,格安,格安挙式,結婚費用妻も「お金あまり無いから結婚式はいいよ」と言っていたので、籍だけ入れて、早一年。妻と都内に買い物に出た時、俺は見てしまった・・・。ウィンドウ越しに少し寂しそうにウェディングトレスを見つめる妻の姿を！「結婚式挙げたいの？」と聞くと、恥ずかしそうに「うん・・・まあね・・・」と答える妻。なんか、その時きたんですよね。くぅ～ってものが！その瞬間決めましたね、結婚式！

Excuse me. Are you voting for a Black or White woman/man/ or is it a political and nation leader?

It is irrelevant if they are male, female, black, white or any shade between.

The only requirements should be Brains and integrity. Will they do what is best for the American people and by so doing benefit the world also.
Or will they do the behest of their financial backers and be mainly interested in personal financial advantage?

I know where my money would be placed but then I am not voting. Your call.

If you are also influenced by espoused religious affiliations then I can only presume you haven't learned from past examples.

tomedgar@halenet.com.au
.

Just to stick to the issue, it may be true that a woman can do a job and be a mommie -- been there, done that. Looking back on my career as a SuperMom, doing it all, I realize I was not the parent I shoulda coulda been. My kids and I missed out on a lot of quality time together, and are poorer for it in the long run. Palin's candidacy should make us think: Who is taking care of families in these days of "family values?" Society has changed -- if you don't have a grandma down the block to help you raise your kids, or you can't afford a nanny, you're going to be scrambling to keep it all together during the preschool years. Thanks to the Republican attack on public education, you'll need to pay for private schools, too, if you want to raise a "can do" kid. Thanks to the Bush tax cuts that give breaks to the wealthy ownership society, middle class people are on their own. Families need two jobs to pay for housing and fuel and food and medicine, all industries that Republicans say we don't need to check on (they use the word "regulate") because government should be small. The Republicans want to make these tax cuts permanent. This means relief for the rich (whose passive earnings rely on the work of the poor) and a free ride for business (whose profits are enhanced by keeping wages, benefits, and product quality low). Hmmmmmm...do you think there could be a connection?

The Democrats are a disappointment and in many ways a question mark, but you know darned well what the Republicans will do. And they'll smile and spin and make it sound nice so we think it's a good thing.

They (she...) haven't won yet! Her main issues, no abortion, no contraception, no sex education are not "main stream" issues, according to the polls. They are the issues of a fanatical fringe. WE are the ones who will win for choice. WE are the voices of science who will not allow creationism to be taught in our science classes because it is "night language" (i.e. dream world, metaphorical stuff) rather than factual. WE are the statistical majority. So get out and make sure WE all vote!

A blow to womanhood...I think you have worded your post wrong. I am attacking Pallin on her lack of credibility as being VP. She is being set-up for the worst failure of them all. No one has stopped to consider what happens if she fails as VP and has to be replaced, she is being used as a puppet for now. This will be the ultimate blow to all womanhood and to all women who aspire to reach the highest of offices (women who are far more qualified than a hockey mom!)If she fails what do you think that will do to the women's progressive movement? It will further perpetuate the claim of we can't handle pressure or jobs with heavy responsibility. Yes we can, if we are qualified for the position, we sure as hell can. Pallinn is not qualified to be VP and it has nothing to do with her being a mother, it is the truth people!

Ron Paul please.(he's not a Republican, just used the ticket to wake people up by gaining visibility) Republicans are low class rich kids who inherited everything their parents stole. Democrats are high brow rich kids who steal everything their parents inherited.

It's rather uncanny, how the right/conservatives/religious are unremittingly pegged as hateful or judgmental when seldom does one here any less than virulent, unwavering hate, from from the left, on not only any topic with which the two do not agree, but also the very person(s) themselves. This has been made all the more readily apparent by way of your latest idol having quite literally nothing to stand on - your only solution left is to attack, and attack you do: bumper stickers, media, blogs, it's all hate.
I can stand people who don't agree with me, and have many I call friend that dont; I can't stand those who are hateful, intolerant ...or hypocritical.