Palin's Big Night: A Win for McCain--And a Possible Worry for Democrats

I have to admit I was much more worried about her before her speech. Now? Not so much. I would have thought they'd have her give a speech about her ideas about America, her heartfelt beliefs about true American values, about making a better world-- you know, something about what brings her to politics and why she wants to be VP. Instead she was snide and sarcastic and combative towards everyone who wasn't a republican. Reminded me of Bush's "you're for me or against me" mentality.

They made a mistake introducing her to the world with only the GOP's right-wing base in mind. They missed a huge opportunity by not trying to broaden her appeal to the biggest audience possible. So much for appealing to independents, moderate democrats or anyone who doesn't stronly identify as a republican.

I have to take issue with the notion that the "Palin speech" be lauded for anything more than it was - it showed she could read a teleprompter with as much facility of most politicians. But the words - or most of them - were written by others before she ws even nominated, as sources confirmed today when the speechwriters admitted they had to alter the speech so it would be as "masculine" as originally written.

So what is the Republican base so excited about? Another Milli Vanilli politician?

One of the things that impresses me most about Obam is that the man actually writes his own speeches.

Palin should be on top of the ticket and McCain could be vp with like of Cheney.

She is a lightweight! She may be able to read a speech that was written for her, but nobody -- including most Republicans -- is taking her seriously. She is "window dressing" for an outdated, outclassed political machine. I'll be very surprised if she even makes it to election day. The Repulicans have already given up on this election.

Sarah was amazing tonight. She comes from a true blue collar American family with an interesting story. Something tells me she'll be a force to be reckoned with for a long time, no matter what happens in this election.

And what will Obama do once he has finished "turning back the waters and healing the waters"? This quote in the fifth paragraph was actually "turning back the waters and healing the planet"

HIS SPEECHES. A 24 yr old white guy does!

Gotta give her props, she kicked ass tonight. She may well be ne of the best speakers of any of the candidates (which is needed to balance McCain who is terrible at speeches). Hillary must be figuring Palin will be her opponent in 2012 and not relishing that contest.

What speech were you watching? Yea she jumped the Sainted One but she did it with a smile and she laid out clear differences. She clearly made it about talk with the Sainted One and results with McCain. There is a huge difference here and she pointed it out clearly and did it with a smile too.

Republicans—since you are so fixated on winning (at whatever cost to us) and not much else, get this straight: you are LOSING.

McCain + Palin = Same Plain McPain.

As you said in 1994: stop whining! Get used to it!

Gov. Palin gave a wonderful speech, and vindicated Sen. McCain's choice.

Its interesting how so many Democrats out there say there was no substance or policy or anything about what she believes in terms of government in her speech. Its just like Democrats to be so immersed in their own worlds that everything else is irrelevant. Perhaps they missed all the explanation about reforming Washington. If they haven't heard it 20 times in this 36 minute speech about cutting federal spending and keeping taxes low so that businesses and companies can afford to grow and offer jobs. Its interesting that Democrats missed the point about facing terrorism head-on instead of waiting to be hit. Its interesting that Democrats missed the point that this election isn't about change and more of the same, but the talk of change versus a record of results for change from both McCain and Palin.

It just goes to show that Democrats are very insulated in their own world, not realizing that are many small town people in this country, more than city people that Obama typically appeals to. It is interesting that after his PA gaffe about clinging to religion, he belittles Palin for being a mayor of a small town, neglecting her tenure as Governor of the largest state in our country, however sparsely populated. Obama, the top of the Democratic ticket, wants to compare himself to Palin, the bottom of the Republican ticket. And to compare, he acclaims his experience running his campaign (btw, isn't David Axelrod running his campaign?) compared to the multi-billion dollar state budget that Gov. Palin manages, the command of the Alaskan National Guard, the education and political reforms that Palin has lead, as well as the negotiations for a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to the mainland as a first step towards energy independence. Oh yea. That stuff doesn't really matter.

Obama supporters - you're saying Palin is nothing because she read from a teleprompter? What does Barack Obama do? And what happens when he doesn't? Doesn't he fumble? Doesn't he go 'uh uh uh"? Doesn't he snap back at Virginian women who are trying to help him at his rally when he can't remember what he wants to say? On her initial debut, she made a speach in Dayton Ohio without any teleprompters.

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People are quick to call this the "National Stage". I should remind everyone she has not personally faced off against a single tough question participated in a single national debate or held a single significant press conference. The RNC is an artificial environment, heck people who hated Bill Clinton were cheering him on last night. It was an artificial speech delivered to an artificial audiance, NOT a test of character. That will come. So I'll believe it when I see it.

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I'm a "city peeps", live in a really big city in a really liberal world and I'm SO VOTING FOR McCain/Palin. Mostly can't stand how the Dems seems to hate America, or at least whatever it is they have in their head we are. We are a great country and will continue being great with the wrinkly old dude and the fresh-faced gal from Alaska. I LOVE SMALL TOWN VALUES and wish the liberal elites would just go away. They're so bad for America. Move to Europe and leave us alone.

It is interesting that Republicans conveniently forget that they had control of the gov't for 8 years and screwed it up and gave us those record deficits.
It is interesting that the Bush administration decided to attack Iraq, instead of hitting terrorism head on in Afghanistan where it exists.

It is interesting the Republican cling to old policies like subsidizing the oil industry instead of figuring out ways to get off the oil addiction.

It is interesting that Palin's abuse of power, her lack of control over her family, her pandering to the oil companies, her espousal of creationist teachings in public schools, and lack of any meaningful major league experience does bother the Republicans in the least bit.

Do Republicans think if we drill-drill-drill that the US will become energy independent? They all can't be that stupid we import 13-16M barrels a day and the Alaskan pipeline only can transport 2M and we only pump 740K bpd anyway. This is a fallacy and perhaps they are right, may be the American people are just stupid enough. I am sure that is Karl Rove's calculus. We will certainly find out in November. God Help Us if McCrazy and Gerraldine Quayle win.

Funny, I have thought the same about Obama for months now and even after the primaries, I have little reason to believe he's any better suited to the top of the ticket than Palin is to the bottom....

Sarah Palin was a big, big win tonight. McCain was right to choose her for all the right reasons: To energize the Republican base, and to appeal to women, independents, and blue-collar workers. She does all of those.

As Hillary Clinton's former Comm. Dir. Howard Wolfson said tonight: Dems are right to be afraid of her; they need to be very afraid of her.

Yeah. Obama writes his own speeches. And I have a small unit.

Would the real David Corn please stand up? I come here to find baseless drivel and I find a straightforward honest critique. Very refreshing...keep it up.

It's Sarah Palin, the Political Zwinky!

FREE AMERICA

REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRACY

For a conservative, praise from Corn is praise indeed. The lady deserved it. For conservatives the choice of Palin was really very important for beyond 2008.

If McCain had picked a liberal Republican running mate, as many think he was capable of doing, the whole future of the GOP might have been different whenever he dies or retires. As it is, the Republicans will remain the party of God, guns, patriotism, law and order, tax cuts, and drill, drill, drill. In other words, the U.S. will keep one virile party, willing to fight wars when necessary to preserve capitalism and freedom.

Posted by: Bill Carson on 09/03/08 at 10:37 PM
............................

Bill Carson,

I hope you're an equal-opportunity teleprompter-user basher. As we all know, Obama can barely speak without his pre-written speeches and teleprompters, but no one seems to mind that. I guess only Palin is held to these standards.

And if Obama writes his own speeches, then why does he need to hire 3 speechwriters? If you really believe Obama writes his own speeches, then I pity your naiveté.

Btw, I am a Clinton supporter and am not a Repub. However, I'm now an Indy and am no longer a Democrat --- it's truly a liberating experience to no longer see the world through blind-loyalty-party goggles.

She's a former beauty queen, of course she can memorize and deliver her lines and shine and smile. She spent two days holed up in an undisclosed location to practice a 30 minute speech. I had every confidence she would deliver the speech.

At the end of the day, Palin is McCain's gift to Obama. It's not going to be that hard for Obama to reveal Palin as the extreme social conservative hypocrite that she is. And also to remind voters that McCain is 72 and has had 4 bouts of cancer.

I'm a 40 year old professional woman, maybe I represent the group of voters that McCain is after. Before the Palin pick, the right to have an abortion wasn't an emotional voting issue for me. Now I'm fired up more than ever to make sure that woman never makes it to anywhere where she can turn this country into the ass backwards values that Palin has been spouting.

LOL...I'm glad to see that OBAMA DOESN'T WRITE already addressed the fact that Obama has a 20-something-year-old white guy who writes his speeches. Yes, he does. I believe that is his main speech writer. Hmm...I guess Obama likes throwing away money if he hires someone when Obama is clearly writing his own speeches...ROTFLMAO!!!

Bill Clinton once said that the first rule in politics is don’t talk about yourself, talk about the people and their concerns. Sarah Palin’s first speech to the nation as a candidate for national office was essentially about three people: herself, John McCain and her “opponent”. A breakdown of the words the “country first” vice-presidential candidate used may reveal who she is most concerned with:

I, me, my = 53
McCain = 16
Opponent / Biden / Obama = 10
Housing = 0
White House = 2 (the only time she referred to house or housing)
Economy = 1
Environment = 0
Deficit = 0
Jobs = 2
Energy = 5
Iraq = 3 (one when referencing her son’s deployment)

This was a speech essentially about her – her kids, her state, her man, her running mate, her small town, her love of country and, yes, her anger at the media. Her speech was virtually devoid of anything that anyone outside of politics cares about.

It worked for the base. The shrinking base. It will go over neutral in the rest of the land. The speechwriter should be fired for wasting an opportunity to make a substantive splash.

America has become a nation of Talibans. I am stunned. I am from India and I see that republicans take pride in failing grades and blue collar wanna-be. Good for INDIA and CHINA. 50 years later, USA will be a TALIBANISTAN, rulwd by evangelical fanatics.

Well Ann, I'm sorry to hear that you feel the need to deride Palin because she was a beauty queen. Honestly, I love that she was a beauty queen. It's time that people stop attacking beautiful women as "dumb" because many are very intelligent. Honestly, the hate that so many Obama supporters spew makes me seriously wonder what Obama's message of "hope/change" really means. If his supporters reflect it, please let me pass.

Btw, I don't believe that you represent the group that McCain hopes Palin will reach out to. The media keeps focusing on Clinton women supporters (and I am a PROUD Clinton supporter), but no one points out that there are millions of conservative women who would be thrilled over a woman candidate who shares their values. Women's issues are not solely about abortion. And there are just as many conservative women as there are liberal women. They too deserve a voice. I'm sick of the liberal movement thinking that they own women's issues -- they don't!

I think it's great that you're fired up to keep Palin out of the WH, but don't let your ego trip you too much because there are many conservative women just as excited to get Palin in the WH.

Personally, I see the abortion issue as a political sledgehammer that both parties use to keep their bases afraid of looking at true issues. I'm an atheist, but I respect those who are pro-life. The Pope is against birth control, but there are millions who don't view him as a nutcase. So why do Obama supporters froth at the mouth with hatred over Palin being pro-life? The fact that her administration was the 1st to extend FULL benefits to same-sex partners reveals to me that she is pragmatic and willing to respect other beliefs. And I'm not too worried about Roe v Wade getting overturned. If it does, then maybe that'll be better since all it'll do is say that abortion is a state issue. Liberal states will continue to legalize abortion and super-conservative states won't. Maybe that would be a better solution...this country is huge and I don't see why we all have to force our beliefs on others. I'm a Manhattanite so you can imagine that I'm an uber liberal, but I don't see why people living in Kansas can't have their beliefs respected. I say leave it all up to the states! Btw, I'm still waiting for NY to get around to gay marriage. And when Americans think it's ok for an atheist to be POTUS, then I'll really be impressed. :D

Kentucky Zoe, have you not heard that Rome was not built in a single day let alone with a single speech? First you have to lay the corner stone. Palin passed this first test with flying colors, and I've heard she is at her best in one-on-one interviews. Keep in mind most Americans don't watch the Sunday talk shows, especially in the West where they start around 7 a.m., but I'm confident she can handle the entrenched establishment.

Mr.
Are you joking? We are to expect that your party plans to reform washington?
Uh, they ARE washington and have been for 8 years.

There is a reason why Katie Curic was #1 on morning news and #3 on evening news. Men are hard-wired from eons of evolution to wake-up eager to hear their mate's female voice but by evening, have their minds on other things (often including cheating--or at least, expamding the 'harum'). We can help it but don't wish to and besides, are not even aware of all the various ways our reptilian brain controls our values, judgements and preferences.
Palin is very good on camera and can deliver a speech and insult Obama as well as anyone and better then most. So can any info-commercial actress. Besides, Obama has his weak points which are quite open to effective insult. But at the end of the day, Palin was a huge mistake because many men won't warm up to her and women are notorious for foresaking their own, especially those right-of-center. Leftist lesbians (and almost lesbians) won't vote for her either, which is a substancial portion of Hillary's female power base and pretty-much the ONLY portion of the women vote which DOES serially support other women.
The "Shake-up Washington" theme would work MUCH better if the D's ran it. Republicans are known for obiedience and McMigrane already sold his virtual soul to clinch the 'R' nomination. Now he is comming out as the ALTERNATIVE to the incumbant Republican administration? So he HAD to use someone like Palin to deliver that message--which in reality is her ENTIRE role. But by Nov., people will be choosing between Obama with Biden, versus McMigrane alone. Palin will soon loose any substanical relivance. In that comparison, there is NO WAY people buy into the 'new and improved' (a.k.a. same-old) Republican message.
Obama may loose this by excessive lawyering, which is exactly how Kerry lost his. But it is Obama's to win or loose and McMigrane has little to say or due and Palin even less (far less).

Listening to Palin speak was like walking on broken glass. Stringing one GOP hyperbolic untruth after another into a mantra in front of a room full of inebriated faithful isn't going to change anything.

It does provide some genuinely surreal theater, though. We now have the GOP spinning their way out of Palin's many flaws and that is truly interesting. According to GOP spokesholes, being the mayor of a small town in Alaska qualifies you to be president more than sitting in the US Senate. Oh, that's right, she was governor for 2 years, during which she accomplished... not much, unless you want to talk about moose killing, supporting Ted Stevens, and firing the head of Public Safety for refusing to take your side in a family squabble.

Holy smokes. The GOP has presented us with the worst ticket I have ever seen, and I've been watching a while (since '64). This is how the two party system works these days and is perfectly illustrative of why we need to break it into pieces and start a multi party government.

Do you think that either party would pull the crap on America that they have for the last 8 years if there were other viable parties? Not on your life. They know that it's a Punch and Judy show and they are using YOU FOR THE PUPPETS.

-Wexler

It took John McCain and the Republican Party to show Hillary Clinton and her supporters the respect we deserve.

I'm 'over the moon' at Gov. Palin's introduction to the nation. Perhaps today the MSM will wake up and realize that their coordinated attempt to smear her and her family isn't going to work. It's already backfired and stands in contrast to the authentic, spirited woman we saw last night.

Please don't waste time pointing out policy differences between the two Parties. We'll have a solidly democratic congress.

Face it, the Democrats went with the wrong candidate yet again proving that they know how to 'snatch defeat from the jaws of victory'.

Sarah Palin disemboweled the Obama-Biden ticket. O'drama is 'DEAD in the water.' Biden is 'roadkill.' McCain-Palin win with 312 electoral votes-maybe more.

What was with the constant attacks on the legislative branch? News flash -- McCain is a senator too.

Oh, and if you're from a city, you're the enemy? Now there's a long term strategy.

Just another lying bully. Well, the country loves lying bullies almost as much as it loves fights, so it'll be a good long fight.

Jon Favreau. That's the name of President...errr...Senator Obama's chief speechwriter. Belittling Gov. Palin for making use of an accomplished speechwriter is akin to mocking a .300 hitter in baseball for having a hitting coach. The fact is, when it's game time, coaches and speechwriters are on the bench.

If even Mother Jones is giving a thumbs up to Palin, you gotta believe the libs are concerned.

And for crying out loud people, Barry Obama does not write his own speeches. Bush doesn't. Hillary doesn't. Nobody does. For supposed so-phis-ti-macated liberal Democrats you people don't know much about anything.

As an outsider living in South Africa may i comment. This commentry on Palin's speech is the first 'liberal' comment i have read or seen so far that quotes what she has said and gives a few of her ideas. Up to now all commentry (CNN/BBC/blogs have been either:
- what someone else has said
- was about her or her kids life or
- about her inexperience.

Regarding the last point watched snippets from CNN/BBC yesterday +- 4/5 hours before her speech and they were 100% about her in-experience. Seems like double standards, expose this yes but compared to Obama in terms of executive experience she is 100% better.

Did not see her speech live but this morning watched (again CNN/BBC)news and commentry and it was 100% about her knocking Obama. Imagine my surprise when CNN then played her speech in full and it took 30 minutes before she even mentioned Obama - talk about slanted news media and these stations are not even considered liberal .

The McCain/Palin ticket offers US voters a definite choice - conservatism vs liberalism surely the role of the (reponsible) media is to offer the voters what they say direct from their mouths and let the voters choose ie leave out the soap opera/wild family stories and stick to the issues especially when the speechs address the issues and ideas.

Brent

Obama DOES NOT write his own speeches. His staff does. Obama also DOES NOT manage his campaign, as he claims. He has a CAMPAIGN MANAGER.
McCain/Palin 08

Actually, what did she talk about in her speech except a few low blows against Obama? I think her speech writers got it wrong, and I hope she changes her methods soon, as Obama and Biden will eat her lunch.

Conservatism is a mental disorder.

How else can you explain the posts on this page, wowed over an incompetent, flawed, inexperienced, provincial, VP choice? How else can you explain that the party of "morals" looks the other way when her PREGNANT daughter is mentioned?

Talk about double standards... the mental illness of conservatism is rife with them.

I know all the cons are pumped up because of the conventions, but they KNOW that Palin is going to disintegrate. She breaks the "experience" argument. She breaks the "morals" argument. She breaks the "foreign policy" argument. She breaks the COMMON SENSE argument, by belonging to a secessionist party!!>??!! LMAO!

You must be crazy to love her... but looking at what's happened over the last 8 years and THINKING IT WAS A GOOD THING proves you're crazy by default.

I pronounce Palin/McCain DOA... Don't know what time he "picked and vetted" her, but put that down as the TOD.

-Wexler

rom listening to Sarah Palin's speech last night I learned:

-The Republicans hate anyone who is not a Republican.

-Listening to Sarah Palin's voice was like listening to nails on a chalk board.

I think McCain has the problem here. Once the novelty wears off, people will still be asking questions about the issues.

Obama writes his speeches? That's not accurate. At Saddleback we saw how eloquent his is.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/johnmccain/2680018/Sarah-Palin-affair-rumours-are-false-says-John-McCains-team.html

is not true!!!!

So give her a sitcom or put her on Springer or Povich. Perky and snotty don't translate to governance.

And, GOP family values don't apply to all women; if you are from Kabul or Baghdad you get shot or you get to pick up the pieces of your kids.

Wake up folks; this ain't a beauty contest, and Sarah's sassy appearance ain't smart.

Your article surprised me in that it seems to be fairly praiseworthy of this new phenomenon. I personally had great trepidation about this debut, and Gov. Palin's speech assured me of many things. Having had a sister with Down's Syndrome — I can't tell you how affected I was by seeing her baby presented to the world with love and pride. I grew up feeling shame about my sister, as if her condition was some judgment from God on my family — you know, taunts and kidding and funny faces from "friends" who must have heard talk around their own kitchen tables. My sister died when she was four.

This is the type of character that is Presidential. It is what we call LEADERSHIP and I think many people will reassess their opinions of Governor Palin. Many of these opinions may have been formed by some fairly vicious, agenda-conscious political flaks who have been sexist and seem completely unaware of their stupidity.

I think that John McCain appears brilliant in retrospect — and her selection proves that once again, he is the type of Leader that we desparately need — not a self-indulged celebrity.

It's been the same blah, blah, blah from the left since the end of the Reagan era. When one of their candidates gives an important speech, they talk about what great speakers they are. When one of ours gives an important speech, they focus on the speechwriters.
Did anyone hear a syllable about who wrote Joe Biden's speech?

(noting the crickets)

Didn't think so.

Why does the leftist media hate women so much? They hated Hillary, they hate Palin...does somebody need a hug?

I am in complete agreement with you. I was a lifelong Democrat but have always respected John McCain's ability to go against his own party to do the right thing. After the way that most on the left have been demeaning Sarah Palin I am changing to an Independent. I am a woman and I do not think I have to stay home to be a good mother. Attacking her and her 17 year old daughter was a direct attack on working mothers. The image of the Democrats as the champions of women's rights has been irrecovably tarnished.

I am in complete agreement with you. I was a lifelong Democrat but have always respected John McCain's ability to go against his own party to do the right thing. After the way that most on the left have been demeaning Sarah Palin I am changing to an Independent. I am a woman and I do not think I have to stay home to be a good mother. Attacking her and her 17 year old daughter was a direct attack on working mothers. The image of the Democrats as the champions of women's rights has been irrecovably tarnished.

call this speech "Triumph of her Will". To a Convention of 2,380 white people (36 black delegates, down 2/3 from 2004!) Governor Palin answered Obama's call for people to come together with a resounding "we don't want to come together, we want to close ranks against everyone who doesn't look just like us." The "real America" doesn't live where most of the people do, isn't driven toward its future by a diverse, urban, educated group of Americans, and can live fiercely against the rest of the world by building bigger guns and drilling for oil and gas in Alaska. The ultra patriotism of McCain and Palin is just jingoism leaning toward outright fascism. How odd that Romney, Huckabee, and Giuliani railed against Washington and yelled that it needed to be conservative, balance budgets, and follow the Constitution, as though George W. Bush has not been President these last eight years, and as though the Republicans had not for six years run the most corrupt Congress in recent history. Can't change facts: Bush has racked up the largest budget deficits, and the largest national debt in our history. He has broken law and violated the Constitution. He has lied and waged wars at great cost to all of us. The Republicans have left social security at risk, failed to make health care cheaper or available for more than 40 million, and handed over a billion dollars a day to oil producing nations while having no energy policy. An extraordinary moment in which Gov. Palin claimed on behalf of the GOP to own American values, but refused to even acknowledge the reponsibility of her party and her President for the dismal state of the economy outside Alaska, which gets rich when oiland gas prices shoot up, and for the dangerous world crreated in large part by the Bush ideologies Palin and McCain promise to continue and expand. Let's hope that when the feeding frenzy subsides, thinking people examine this neo nationalist rubbish and see it for what it is--an invitation to join a personality cult, and not an argument about who should lead.

I don't think I doubted that she could give a good speech, and she did, but I'd like to see what happens when she's asked questions in interviews about issues outside of those that affect Alaska. Alaska is a wealthy state, with no state tax and no sales tax- can she handle questions that are not about religion, drilling or war? These are legitimate concerns.

I loved the Palin speech. Just like Bill Clinton, she hit every mark. Obama's speech fell flat (same old dem talking points) and was a disappointment. The republicans seems to have a young, pretty, charismatic person on the ticket as do the dems. Too bad the MSM won't give her the same pass they give to Obama.

As a Republican who hated John McCain, I now LOVE this ticket, and am surprised that Mother Jones was so honest about it.

Things may yet go sour, and if they go sour they will go very sour. But if Palin goes for two more weeks like she did last night, Obama is toast.

Hint to liberals: Forget the pregnant daughter. It doesn't matter. The anti-abortion stance isn't going to hurt her. Most Republican candidates are anti-abortion (although I think she MEANS it). LIBRARY BOOKS: I don't know all the facts, but you can get some traction there.

SP is a very telegenic woman who can inflict a blow while smiling beautifully. She delivered her (pre-written by Bushies) speech with aplomb. However, because she lied outright about certain things, it is ultimately a speech to nowhere. This is not a dogma election. This is an issues election. And the truth will out.

Feminists and the major feminist organizations DO NOT support Palin. Feminism is not about one woman getting into office but about helping all women. Clinton supporters are not going to be swayed to vote for her unless they only want to vote for a woman. Even Gloria Steinem and the National Organization for Women support Obama. Palin may be a strong woman but she doesn't support women's rights and that will hurt our party.

Palin may be figuratively a "hockey mom," but literally a hockey grandmom. Levi shots and scores.

One further thought: One thing Joe Biden DOES have that Sarah Palin doesn't, is a video clip where he talks about how the man who is now his running mate isn't qualified to be President, and is given a chance to retract the comment, but firmly says he "stands by the statement."

That IS one thing Joe Biden brings to the table that Sarah Palin doesn't.

I hope the Democrats don't think that we've forgotten about that clip, and that it won't be the star of pretty much every campaign ad down the stretch.

Because the only thing Obama has done since Biden declared him unfit? Give speeches. Something that according to everyone on the left this morning, isn't terribly important.

This post is proof positive that fear is in the air. Libs are worried as hell.

"I'll be very surprised if she even makes it to election day. The Republicans have already given up on this election."

Nick B., you are oh so wrong! We Republicans are the most energized we have been since 1980. Trust me! Keep drinking the liberal Kool-aid and dream on!

But they do have a clip where Palin says she's not even sure what a vice president does. We can't forget about that.

And now they have a clip of two Republicans talking about how insane this pick is- minutes after they said on camera how great she was. Those things are going to be used big time.

Her speech was nothing but an angry rant that offered no solutions, just more divisive poliitics...

Same old tired speech from the same old tired party...

Go Obama

DJ - have you heard the clip? It's called a joke. It was clearly delivered as a joke, and anyone who tries to characterize it as otherwise demonstrates that they've never seen it, never heard it.

If you need to look up the word "joke" for a better explanation, you'll see a picture beside it of Joe Biden's trying to forget that he said it.

Hey Joelle,

Why don't you move to the OC....LA is a liberal city, get out if you don't like it....

I hope you realize, McBush & his angry VP have ZERO chance of winning California....

Funny how some of you say she is good at reading a teleprompter...hmmm, who else is good at reading a teleprompter and who has less experience actually governing than Palin. Anyone? Anyone?

Obama is a learner. He is not a leader. He gets ideas from others and just parrots them. His calling isn't for politics but for TEACHING. Yes, he is better off at a universities indoctrinating other liberals with his socialist ideas.

I've seen it several times and it was NOT a joke. Have you seen it? I may be Republican but I'm not going pretend it was fake.
Neither clips were fake.

The best predictor of a person's future performance is their past performance.

The press is digging into all aspects of Palin's past (mostly unrelated to performance), but hasn't done any due diligence on Obama's performance.

For example, did Obama work in NY for over a year after graduating law school? If so, what were his responsibilities and what did he accomplish?

Similarly, what community projects did he work on in Chicago? What was his role?What were the results?

The federal government is more than 10 times the size of General Electric. To be able to run GE effectively requires 20 years of increasing responsibilities and a track record of success. Even then, it's a difficult step to take.

But most standards, none of the four members of the Presidential tickets are ready to run the government. However, unless he comes forth with additional information, it would seem that Obama is the least qualified of the four.

So, in electing Obama, Democrats must hope that Obama's past performance won't be an important issue in the campaign and, if he gets elected, he somehow will figure out how to run the largest organization in the history of mankind.

As a life-long Democrat, it's impossible for me to buy into the Obama mania. I'd rather think about moderate governors from swing states for the 2012 election.

Like a Benihana Chef, Palin sliced and diced Obama into little pieces and then flung them into the air and swatted them like a fly.

She hit a home run and the liberal media knows it. The attacks will continue on her and the more they attack her, the more the McCain/Palin ticket will gain favor.

Ah yes, the out-of-context clip of two "journalists" talking, since refuted by one of the speakers to clarify what she was referring to with her "it's over" reference.

Yawn.

You proceed from the fallacious assumption that anyone *cares* what people in the media think.

Luckily for liberals, the media is only too happy to hand you an endless supply of straws, so you don't have to desperately go grasping at them yourselves.

I got tired of them telling me what to think around the same time I got my driver's license.

It's called "independent thinking", and you might want to give it a try sometime.

The Minnesota lynch mobb is not America.

Steve,

you make some very good points but you answer your own question. The left wing media who is cheering for Obama will not do the same checks on Obama as they will do on Palin. It's just like they wouldn't uncover the lies of Clinton or Edwards. For them, democrat politicians deserve the benefit of the doubt but republicans don't. Bernie Goldberg, no conservative or republican himself, documents how the media works and why it's very sympathetic to liberals and democrats. But then again, it's why not many people pay attention to them anymore. How do we know? Look at their earnings.

4 bouts of cancer? skin cancer. Removing patches of skin, that millions of American's have done every year.
Reagan had skin cancers removed and lived long past his presidency, into his 90's.

Last time I looked there were two parties in Washington, and your beloved Democrats have had a majority in both the house and the Senate for the past two years. The Oval Office is not a throne room, the Senate and House have to do their jobs and lately, they haven't done much.

Willa,

The lynch mod in MN you refer to are the leftist anarchist who are destroying property outside the convention.

If you change a few facts, dowd, steinem, and the rest of the libs would be hailing Palin for her brains and as the perfect VP for Obama:

If Palin decided to abort her last child because it has special needs.
If Palin had convinced her daugther to abort her child because children are inconvenient.
She was Democrat instead of Republican.

On second thought, the fact that she doesnt look haggard might have still disqualified her.

What about Obama's smoking? I thought democrats hate smokers?
Is Obama still smoking? Why hasn't the media kept tabs on it. I bet you he is still smoking and the media knows it but won't report it. Had he been a Republican, you can bet the media would be the first one to report that he was still smoking contrary to his steadfast claim he had quit. Not many people who quit are successful. And when you have a lot of stress of running for president, you can bet he has the urge to smoke. And why does he smoke? Well, why do recovering addicts typically smoke? It's the one legal high they can get. but of course no one in the media will ever dare call obama a recovering drug addict.

And we're so culturally isolated e totally don't see it...I'm worried too. I think the only way to slow it down or turn it around is to quit pandering to evangelical idiots.

Peter --
You make an important point, although in jest. It's Democrats who value attractiveness in their candidates.

Republicans make fun of people who consider looks a qualification for elected office.

Think about recent examples:

Biden on Palin: "She's good looking."
Biden on Obama: "Articulate and bright and clean, and a nice-looking guy."
John Kerry: "...and we have better hair."

And it was Republicans alone who made fun of the endless primping and preening of John Edwards.

If Hillary were hot, she would have been either #1 or #2 on the ticket, because that's what liberals value.

You don't get it. While I personally disagree with Palin's stance on abortion, euthenasia and guns, I support her because she walks the talk of her convictions. I want a politician who is not two-faced. I want a leader who has a destination. I want a Washington outsider who is actually in touch with current problems of average Americans. Not only am I energised to vote, I will also spend time and money supporting this candidate. I consider myself neither a Republican nor Democrat and am registered as Independent because there are elements in both parties I find unpalletable. I vote for character and logic, not emotion and an empty suit.

I'm one who came up from humble roots and into the middle class. I have family who are still lower class. Our family is composed of real people with real problems who can relate with, and are refreshed by, Sarah Palin's openness and frank sincerity -- and I'm motivated by the viscious elitist media attacks.

I came to this site expecting a liberal rant against Sarah Palin. I'm impressed with David Corn's "fair and balanced" post.

Any reasoned assessment is that she gave an extraordinary speech. Her sarcasm was risky ... but she's a charismatic, gifted speaker who pulled it off.

One comment for those who see abortion as a wedge issue: this is a losing issue for Dems. Look at the polls on who is pro-life vs. pro-choice and where. Critically, people in the heartland are much more pro-life than those on the liberal coasts. And polls consistently show that Hispanics are the most pro-life, at ~75%.

If abortion becomes an issue, McCain will definitely gain ground in western battlegrounds (NV, CO, and NM) that are filled with social conservatives and Hispanics. He'll also gain ground in the most critical heartland battlegrounds (OH, PA, MO).

I think we've got a problem...

Mike

The "experience" advantage McCain claims over Obama has evaporated with his VP pick. She presides over a state with the same population as Baltimore.

The "integrity" advantage McSurge claims has evaporated as well since Ms. Palin's behavior when Mayor certainly shows poor judgement on his part for picking her, and her part for abusing her power.

She does balance his 40 years of pro-choice and separation of Church/State commitment with typical GOP wingnuttery creationism beliefs.

McSame has recently embraced the televangelists and pro-life crowd, but it's obviously only a recent "conversion" to further his ambition, not that he actually believes his own rhetoric.

Straight talk. Yup.

JON FAVREAU, OBAMA'S SPEACH WRITER
WAS ALSO JOHN F. KERRY'S
SPEACH WRITER AND WE ALL KNOW
HOW THAT TURNED OUT-
STAVROS COSMOPULOS

Reading through these posts, another amusing thing emerges; and in the desperation of the Democrats, it has suddenly become one of the hottest topics of discussion.

The fact is that for the first time in my life, the front runner on the Democrat side is being compared - and in many circles, losing - to the #2 on the Republican.

That's why nobody is comparing Palin to Biden. Instead, the media is falling all over itself arguing whether the Democrat *Presidential* candidate is even as qualified as the VICE Presidential candidate for the GOP.

"Heartbeat away" is something that has come about as an important issue here simply because the Democrats have realized there is no favorable way for them to compare Obama to McCain; and few people even seem to see Obama as Palin's equal.

So what Sarah Palin has achieved in this election is to give the Democratics an historic case of Buyer's Remorse.

No one is comparing Palin to Biden because no one expects John McCain to survive the election process.

This is an historic race, a woman and a black man.

McCain and Biden should both be vice presidential candidates.

Republicans exploit a common defect in Human thought-patterns. They do it very well.
A majority of the G.P. wants to think of themselves as a members of the “us” grouping, when in obvious fact most are members of the “them” group. The public (for example) is motivated over the specter of low-income people getting universal heath-care and can’t tolerate such a plan--because they think it will be at their expense. They completely overlook and turn a blind-eye to the serial rape--which the economically all-powerful daily perpetrate on the 98% of the American people who own 100% of the debt.
The “Archie Bunker” Republicans see themselves as part of the privileged group when it is abundantly clear that their ass-holes bleed the same color as ours. They just cant stand the notion that they are in a common class with the economic groups underneath themselves.

Trollstein said: "their ass-holes ". I would ask Mr. Trollstein to please elevate the dialogue above the level of bathroom terms and health conditions, such as hemorrhoids in his use of "ass-holes bleeding". I think that this does not add to the conversation. This is a blog for educated intellectuals and not the common "Palin supporter class" with their use of potty language.

How do you know she walks the walk of her convictions. You just found out about her 1 week ago. Her back and forth on issues is already apparent.

Please forgive my artistic liberties Dr. Webster.
Please substitute:
"rectoms" for the "A" word.
Feel better now?
"This is a blog for educated intellectuals . . "
This is a blog for everyone. It is not your job to regulate its content. If you have a beef, you can send in a complaint to MJ and possibly, they will delete my previous characterization. Chances are they won't, as my posts in the past have escaped such policing--in far more graphic examples.

Let's get real: Washington is not run by the president, Congress, or the Supreme Court, but by bureaucrats whose identities are unknown. There is a story about LBJ finding a congressional bill missing and not being able to place it in debate. In true Johnson style he cursed and yelled and blustered, finally saying that what made him most upset was that he couldn't identify the SOB bureaucrat that destroyed the bill.

I sincerely believe no one, including McCain/Palin, Obama/Biden, or Jesus Christ can change the way business is done in DC. I think that is especially true of the president, and every nominee I have heard over the last 50 years has bragged about how he will clean up Washington and change things. He never has and, I don't believe ever will.

I think this election is about change: change of personnel. I am tired of republicans running things. GW has done more than any other president to harm America, and republicans in Congress helped him. Can Obama do better? No one knows, but for me giving the reins to Democrats for awhile would be refreshing. At least we could blame them for everything that happens and let the republicans rest for a time. Historically, most of the disasters in America have been on republican watches: the Civil War, the Great Depression, the Cold War, Eisenhower recession, 9/11, invasion of Iraq, incredible increase in national debt, raping of constitutional rights via wiretapping, lies to take us to war--just to mention a few. Now I'm not saying republicans are to blame for these things, but they did occur on their watch.

Of course, democrats have their their problems, too: WW II, atomic warfare, nude parties at the White House pool, sex in the Oval Office to name a few. No one party is perfect.

I do believe we will be able to call a McCain administration the McBush administration. McCain really digs Bush, even though candidate Bush destroyed McCain with a well-placed lie in 2004. Ah, political bed-fellows. Biden condems Obama for not having experience to be president. Now they lie together in their bid for the White House. They're all alike, these politicians: opportunists at best.

I'll vote for Obama because I think he will do a better job than McCain. I think he'll try hard to fulfill his promises and fight off the bureaucrats who will hound him. If he's elected, after four years I may want him out, but I'd like to give him a chance, and I'd like to see a youthful face again in the White House.

TJ --
Oooh, clever. Another wacky shot at John McCain's age.

I guess that would be the Democrat equivalent of poking fun at Obama's cocaine conviction.

THAT should be the new Democrat joke - "If John McCain did coke like our candidate, his aging heart would give out!"

Funny stuff.

Don't let my vomit hit your shoes.

I stand corrected, Obama was never convicted for the cocaine use he so gleefully admits to in one of his many books.

One question for all you pro-lifers out there: will you take care of all the unwanted babies? Celibacy is NOT going to work with anyone, especially kids who are sexually active as soon a they can be. Unwanted and unplanned pregnancies are going to happen even if Roe vs Wade is repealed. The die is set, always has been, and always will be. So, pro-lifers, will you assume responsibility for the unwanted kids? If yes, good. We'll send the over. If no, what will happen to them? It's very noble to be on the side of life until practical matters come up, hey.

Obama was never convicted of cocaine use. Get you lies straight.

Don't underestimate this woman. We don't know enough about her yet. She doesn't need to attract independents or moderate Democrats. McCain already does to a certain extent. She's there to energize the social conservative base, plain and simple. And if you think that doesn't matter, you haven't paid attention for the last 8 years. THEY ARE a motivated bunch. She performs this task beautifully.

I also predict she'll tear Biden a new one in their debate. Biden is a true Washington insider and though I like his policies, he comes across as slimy and unlikeable. Policy should rule, but we know it doesn't to the general public.

Anyone saying this speech wasn't a success and didn't do what it needed is in denial. You're licking your wounds after having spent the last few days underestimating the small town hick you despise. Most on this site hate what the small town represents and don't hide it. Your arrogance may very well be our countries downfall in this upcoming election. We of sound mind (those realizing we must fix the mistake of the last 8 years) should be very afraid. We may very well have lost our chance at redemption.

Gag. This woman should have stayed in alaska where she ruin their environment all she wants with her "drill, drill, drill" vomit.

Attacking community efforts, grassroots? And she wants to be part of the *ruling* class in America? She just trashed the real ruling class of America and since she was reading it all of the teleprompter, she is too stupid to know what she said.

I am glad she's on the ticket though; virtually guarantees a loss for the repukes.

So far I've heard nothing of substance in the GOPfest.

I still wanted to hear what they would do on the economic front. How would they bring back manufacturing jobs? What about investing in our republic's decaying infrastructure like bridges and levees? What about real tax relief for the middle class? Medicare and Social Security, any mention on that because you can bet your ass if nothing is done they will have an economic impact! What would they do about real energy independence? Last but not least, how about healthcare?

America... FUBAR

TJ --
What a pity that your standard for substance with the GOP convention is so much higher than it apparently was for the Democrat convention.

Then again, I watch, read and listen to the leftist media, so double-standards that work against the GOP are nothing new to me.

Tell me - have you watched gavel-to-gavel coverage of the convention in your honorable, open-minded search for knowledge? Or do you do what the vast majority of Liberals do, and wait for Matt Lauer to tell you what the "good parts" were?

Palin delivered a roc-em, soc-em speech (written by a Bush speechwriter) full of red meat for the RNC oinkers.

The Republicans rhetoricians can't seem to decide what they're putting lipstick on--a moose-shootin' hockey mom--a barracuda--a pitbull?

Yes, they're putting lipstick on a pig. But Palin is the lipstick and John McCain is the pig.

The problem that the McCain campaign now faces is that John McCain is still at the top of the ticket.

Choosing Palin as his trophy vice doesn't change that.

Hey People,

WHen i was watching Sarah talk last night, it was like watching any other MOM who has been amrried for 20 yrs..:-) The way she just played with the FAKE obama was a joy to see...!!!
I am soooo looking forward to the debates.
I think the dems do have a SERIOUS case of buyers remorse...!!!

OH, cna you just imagine all the broken glass in obamas house that the baby mamma must have been throwing at him..!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Bill

It's funny you say that...I wish all you religous fanatics would fade away.
This alarming unholy bond between the religous right the war profiteers and the neocons has already trashed this country, ruined lives and our standing in the world.
Surely, you have had enough of Bush/Cheney/Rove bizzaro world???
Ok, bring on the name calling. That seems to be the first choice of the right soon to be followed by the bombs.

Can't afford to move...Bush has me in the poor house.

Can't afford to move...Bush has me in the poor house.

Frederick Lee Fuller:
You wrote
"Washington is not run by the president, Congress, or the Supreme Court"
The president is in power for 4 or 8 years. While the congress has no such term limits, their individual power is divided and sub-divided by party, wing, committee, etc.. In both examples of exec. or legis. branches, politicians often have to compromise their own ethics (if they have any) to appease larger entrenched power-bases.
The Supreme Court and the Federal Reserve are exceptions. The Supreme Court are unelected and appointed for life and after all, are merely lawyers--who paid tribute to the powerful on their way up. They are unquantifiably dangerous. Their newest scam is ‘original intent’. This is the Republican’s own version of what they have been critical of the Democrat judges for doing for decades. Namely, they try to modify official wording which they must interpret--based on their personal understanding of what the earlier legislators must have been contemplating at the time. [Translation: make up the rules as they go along]. They are unstoppable because it requires a 2/3rds majority in 2/3rds of the individual states to do anything about them. Several decades ago the Supreme Court declared that judges can not be sued under any circumstances, (which was the previous only recourse) because the majority opinion said that it would be bad if the public lost confidence in the credibility of their judiciary. [Translation: It is better in their eyes--if the U.S. Judiciary actually did lack credibility, so long as it was not publicly known as such]. The high court had no basis for this ruling in the U.S. constitution so they used British common-law as their prescient. Except, adding insult to injury, British common-law does NOT provide British judges with absolute immunity, only limited immunity. This did not impede the men-in-black.
As for the Federal Reserve:
The Chairman is selected from a short list of nominees provided by the banking industry itself. If the U.S. President does anything to antagonize this board (or their big-bank benefactors), such as Carter did when he instituted bankruptcy reform . . . as you may recall Paul Volker kept raising the discount rate into the teens--to insure that Carter would NOT possibly gain a second term. FDR actually ordered the US government to begin printing its own paper money, outside the control of the Federal Reserve, after the two sides came to political blows.

Is it me or don't ya get it?? PALIN IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT!! IT'S MCCAIN PEOPLE, SHE'S NOT "THE POLICY MAKER" IT'S WHOEVER IS PRESIDENT.

ANOTHER THING THAT IS SO OBVIOUS IS MCCAIN PICKED A WOMAN BECAUSE HILLARY IS OUT...ASK YOURSELF, IF OBAMA WAS OUT WOULD HE PICK CLARENCE THOMAS AS A RUNNING MATE??
HHHMMMMMMMMMM

"Drill, baby, drill!"

Hmm...are you sure they weren't saying, "Kill, baby, kill!"

I love it when people say that Democrats don't love America, or even better, that Democrats "hate" America. It's so absurd that if it weren't so terrifying, it'd be hilarious.

Democrats aren't the ones who want to completely destroy the coastline by drilling every last piece of land the greedy oil barrons can find. Democrats aren't the ones who sent upwards of four thousand American men and women off to die in Iraq, and they're certainly not the ones who think keeping them there indefinitely is a great idea. Democrats aren't the ones who think it's okay for children to live in this country without healthcare.

Frankly, if actions do speak louder than words, REPUBLICANS are the ones who seem to hate America the most.

Palin simply confirmed that. To me, as a citizen who loves his country, she simply showed her love of money, of oil. In other words, she showed her true colors, and they're not red, white, and blue.

Vote Obama if you love America.

BRYSON......

I couldn't agree more!!!

why doesn't anyone pay attention to her rogue minister who says that it's the jews fault for being bombed because they aren't christian enough! and she was in church that sunday! the lady,if you can call her that is mean spirited and rude.

Please, this woman just showed that she knows how to speak clearly! She still hasn't answered the question of who she is? What does she stand for? And her cynicism and sarcasm against anything but Repugnikans is a serious turn-off!

"McCain and Palin get their health insurance paid for by the government (hers in Alaska and his in Washington). Yet they oppose giving the nearly 46 million uninsured Americans the same access to affordable health care.
John McCain's kids don't have to worry about paying for college. Yet he has opposed every single education support program to help others.
McCain and Palin say they will stand up to oil companies. Yet the only energy policy they support gives millions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies to do more drilling and he has opposed every piece of federal legislation to explore alternative fuel sources.
McCain and Palin say they will revamp how Washington does business. Yet his campaign is filled with lobbyists and she has cooperated with Sen. Ted Stevens in funneling federal money for useless projects in Alaska for years. And McCain and Palin have no solutions for Americans worrying about their jobs in a fragile economy.
McCain and Palin want us to leave their families alone. Yet they want to make rules for our families by eliminating our right to make our own choices over abortion, eliminate our access to family planning education or domestic partner benefits, and our freedom from discrimination.
They want to control what our kids learn in school about sex and about science. In short, through the policies they promote and the judges they support, they want the government to have more control over our private lives than at any time in history.
McCain and Palin now say their campaign is about change, too. Yet the only real change they have proposed is a change from a suit to a skirt in the vice president's office and one man fighting a misplaced war for another in the Oval Office.
That seems to me to be the right reason to oppose them in November. It's not the process or the people, it's what they represent. This unconventional choice of a vice presidential nominee by John McCain won't result in a win in November, because McCain and Palin are the wrong choice for the country."

Good speech - bad speech - what's the difference? A Vice President doesn't decide policy (except for Cheney who decides for The Decider).

Should he win, John McCain will decide poicy not Sarah Palin. If something happens to McCain and Palin takes over who can say what would transpire? It wouldn't be good I promise you that.

McCain voted right in step with Bush 90 percent of the time. You vote for McCain, you get more Bush. It's that simple, no matter what Palin read at the convention or how well she read it.

Picture this GOP/NeoconZionist
sponsored soon to come trip to " you know where" Israel :
Old John and his ever nagging,
ranting VP-Palin went for their Honeymoon to Jerusalem. While there,old John passed away. The undertaker told blind Sarah "You can have him shipped home for $5,000, or you can bury her here, in the Holy Land, for $150."

Ever so foolish Sarah thought about it and told him she would recommend to have him shipped straight-away home. The undertaker asked, "Why would you spend $5,000 to ship him home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here and you would spend only $150?"

So this utterly foolish,blind
overly ambitious,arrogant stiff Palin replied, "I was told that long ago a man died here, was buried here, and three days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that chance with all I was
promised by my Neocon/Zionist friends back in Washington " ...not realizing that she had been chosen solely " because they needed such an outsider
woman,ignorant and far away in
Alaska,hoping to" fool her and
the rest of the nation,again"!
Doesn`t it sounds just like the replay of the last two Bush campaign years...and have
we forgotten what we got ?

Concernd Voter:
Don't you have the slightest bit of pride? Don't you realize what it means when no matter which topic is discussed, it ultimately turns to condemn Israel?
How would you feel if you were Jewish and you go to a party where most people won't look at you and forget smiling and if you want to talk to someone, all they can bring themselves to open with is: "How about those suffering Palestinians, eh?"
Do you know what this means? It clearly means that the controversy is NOT about the Palestinians after all.

I find it interesting that people comment that Sarah Palin can read from a tele prompter. I find the same to be true about Obama. Get him away from the tele-prompter and he is horrific, at best (uh, uh, uh...that is above my paygrade?). As for substance, what has Obama actually accomplished? Even the media can't answer that. I would encourage you to watch the footage of the reporter asking Newt Gingrich about Sarah Palin's lack of "experience". Newt fired back with about 3-4 questions asking about BO's lack of "experience" and left the reporter speechless. I never thought I would see the day that a reporter didn't have some snide or nasty comeback, but it happened! What a fantastic moment in news media history. If you are honest with your self, you will agree that the mainstream media is biased to the left and that Mrs. Palin has not been given a fair shake. Obama has been tied to a number of "shifty" sorts and Biden's son and brother are in legal dire straights as well. Let's shine the light on them for awhile and get the skeletons out of THEIR closets for once. It might make for a more even race.