It's Palin's Party, Not McCain's

ST. PAUL – Sarah Palin says she is "proud" that her 17-year-old daughter, who is five months pregnant, has made a "decision to have her baby."

Foes of abortion rights are celebrating the decision.

Richard Land, the president of the Southern Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the 16-million-member Southern Baptist Convention, says, ``The Palin family, in making this choice to affirm life and affirm the baby, is giving a pro-life stance."

Referring to Palin's daughter, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, said, "Fortunately, Bristol is following her mother and father's example of choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation."

Interesting words those: "decision," "choice," "choosing."

Palin and her family are being celebrated for making wise and responsible decisions and choices.

Yet, Palin and her party would deny Americans the right to wise and responsible decisions and choices.

The extreme social conservative and religious right activists who have so enthusiastically embraced Palin's candidacy do not like the idea in allowing women – or men, for that matter – to have too much say with regard to how they live their lives. This is made exceptionally clear by the Republican platform that was endorsed by the convention Monday, a document that steers far to the right even of the conservative positions taken by Arizona Senator John McCain.

It is now quite clear that the presumptive presidential nominee rejected his own vice-presidential preferences in order to satisfy the right with the Palin pick.

But it goes deeper than that.

There is simply no question that the GOP that meets in St. Paul to grudgingly nominate John McCain for president is Palin's party.

It is the governor of Alaska who speaks the anti-choice language of the current Republican Party, not just on reproductive rights but on a host of other issues.

The presumptive Republican nominee for vice president is, arguably, the most militant foe of free choice ever to be proposed as a member of a major party ticket.

Palin is not merely opposed to abortion rights.

She said when she entered statewide politics in Alaska that she was as "pro-life as any candidate can be." She takes the militant position of opposing allowing women to choose to terminate pregnancies even in cases where they have been raped. She also opposes allowing abortions in cases of incest.

"I am pro-life," Palin wrote in response to a 2006 questionnaire from the conservative Eagle Forum. "With the exception of a doctor's determination that the mother's life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending an ending an innocent's life."

Palin's anti-choice orthodoxy, like that expressed in the 2008 Republican platform, runs across the issue spectrum.

She opposes embryonic stem-cell research and other scientific initiatives that might give sick people the option of choosing treatments that could cure them or at least allow them to treat their ailments.

She opposes physician-assisted suicide and other procedures that might allow terminally-ill people to make choices about whether to end their suffering.

She opposes same-sex marriage and other protections for loving couples that choose to secure their relationships and legally protect their families. And she has supported efforts to put in place constitutional amendments that narrow the definition of marriage and ban benefits for the same-sex partners of public employees.

She opposes decriminalization of marijuana – although she admits to some toking in her younger years -- and other drug-law reforms that would allow Americans to choose whether to consume recreational drugs.

Palin is a good deal less flexible on the issues than McCain. The Republican presidential candidate has been a steady foe of abortion rights throughout his career, but he favors exceptions allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest or where a mother's life would be in danger. Palin opposes most exceptions. And she is far more likely to take cues from the National Right to Life Committee, while McCain split with the committee and its allies to support campaign-finance reforms that they have militantly opposed. (Anti-choice groups oppose transparency in campaign finance laws because they traditionally have collected large sums of money from back-channel sources to run stealth campaigns on behalf of their favored candidates.)

In 2006, McCain broke with the Bush administration and the Republican right to oppose a constitutional amendment written to ban same-sex marriage. "The constitutional amendment we're debating today strikes me as antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans," McCain told the Senate. "It usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed and imposes a federal remedy for a problem that most states do not believe confronts them."

In contrast to Palin, McCain supports science and has said he would reverse the Bush administration's ban on federal funding to develop medical treatments using embryonic stem cells.

At every turn, Palin takes rigidly anti-choice positions that are more in synch with the Republican platform than those of McCain.

The platform, which makes only one passing reference in the preface to McCain (as opposed to dozens of references to President Bush in the 2004 party manifesto), rejects the presumptive presidential nominee's stances on same-sex marriage amendments and stem-cell research, as well as his relative moderation on immigration issues. And, when it comes to abortion rights, the platform echoes Palin's militantly anti-choice orthodoxy.

In an Orwellian twist, the document declares that, "Every effort should be made to work with women considering abortion to enable and empower them to choose life."

That line comes a few sentences after an endorsement of a sweeping constitutional amendment -- with no exceptions for rape, incest or threats to the life of the mother -- that would take choice out of the equation by ending the right of women to make decisions about their own lives and their own bodies.

Decision. Choice. Choices.

Sarah Palin and her family embrace them when it comes to their own circumstances.

But she and her party would take them away from other Americans.

Comments (143)

1. Chip-How do you know that Palin is comfortable in her own skin?

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 12:59pm

2. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 12:45pm

   I'm sure, CHIP, you can provide polling that shows that Palin's views are "mainstream"....uh......right?

   BTW, going out on a limb here, (HSUBFOOLS, copy this down)...

   Even with "Trooper-gate"/Walt Monegan...."Juno from Juneau" (and her FANTASTIC hubby-to-be Lyle Johnston, who makes Billy Carter look like Bobby Kennedy) and the effective KILLING of abstinence-only sex ed as a viable issue....early support for the "Bridge to Nowhere"....fundraising "irregularities"....the "Alaska Secessionist Party" membership.....(and likely more to come...after all, ONLY been 72 hours)...

   Sarah Palin won't quit and McCain (too scared of a backlash from the base) won't fire her...no matter HOW bad her negatives get or how many more stories come out.

   She's "in it to win it"....and this Fall, with her in the mix, is going to be a HOOT!

   Thanks, Sarah....you're more than just "Miss Congeniality"....you're a dream girl (just not the way the Right thinks!).

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 1:02pm

3. The most important question about Palin is -Was she involved in the Alaska independence movement?If she was then her loyalties lie with Alaska and not America which,of course,brings her patriotism into question..

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:02pm

4. She exudes the kind of confidence that tells me that. She has also knowingly placed herself in positions that could work to her detriment with her own party because of her convictions, something few politicians do.

   Doing things like that I call being comfortable (enough) in your own skin ie, with your convictions.

   At the risk of sounding sage like,(sorry if I do) its just something you learn to see. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think so here.

   Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 1:06pm

5. Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:02pm

   That's just ONE of MANY question, she's going to have to answer...

   1. "Why did you belong to secessionist movement?"

   2. "Why if you oppose earmarks, did you originally SUPPORT the 'Bridge to Nowhere'?"

   3. "Do you think abstinence-only sex ed is effective and needs to be promoted?"

   4. "Why do Walt Monegan's e-mails contradict YOUR version of the 'Trooper-gate' story?"

   5. "Why was Senator McCain's vetting team still vetting you long after he nominated you as Veep if he knew you so well?"

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 1:15pm

6. Chip-You are confusing being comfortable in your own skin with political ambition.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:21pm

7. Mask-McCain's tactic was to pick someone with so many issue problems that we would get confused trying to sort it all out.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:22pm

8. Gotta tell ya Mask ya sound like a reporter lookin' for a story. NONE of those questions matter a red rats ass to the countries' future.

   And if you are really worries about sessesion, keep in mind that what Prez's and VP's want and what they can get through Congress are two different things

   Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 1:27pm

9. "There is simply no question that the GOP that meets in Denver to grudgingly nominate John McCain for president is Palin's party."

   Denver?

   The failure of McCain's VP pick has been spectacular. The chatter is not about whether Governor Palin is a good pick, but whether or not she should withdraw. Joe Biden looks better and better after each revelation about the under-vetted Palin.

   Posted by Be Good at 09/02/2008 @ 1:31pm

10. I'm Nobody:

    How so? I believe, for example, that the unique campaign of Barack Obama in which he simply refuses to play many of the games that are currently played (race is a good example) crosses party lines in his thinking (read Audacity of Hope if you havn't) and tells our divided society things like its ok to support the 2nd amendment and still want to get the guns out of kids hands. He's comfortable in his skin too, although I know some of that, though believed by him, is being played for political gain. So What? He's still the best shot we've got to unite the country. And I think she would too.

    Man, here's a thought: An Obama/Palin ticket. Wouldn't THAT turn our screwed up Gov on its head! :)

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 1:37pm

11. Chip-Politicians are actors and I never go by appearances when it comes to actors..

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:47pm

12. "There is simply no question that the GOP that meets in Denver to grudgingly nominate John McCain for president is Palin's party."

    Mr. Nichols, I assume you meant Minneapolis/St. Paul.

    CHIP THORNTON "Gotta tell ya Mask ya sound like a reporter lookin' for a story. NONE of those questions matter a red rats ass to the countries' future."

    Have to disagree. Her flip-flop on the bridge and the Troopergate issue deal with the claim that she is a McCain-style reformer.

    The secessionist movement deal with ties to extremeists and the questions regarding the vetting process speak to McCain's judgement.

    Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 1:50pm

13. Andrew Sullivan-The Daily Dish A Wasillan On Sarah Palin

    02 Sep 2008 11:34 am

    This was posted in the comments section on the Washington Independent by Alaskan and a Wasillan, Anne Kilkenny, someone who has followed Sarah Palin very, very closely - with too many city council meetings under her belt - not to say her piece. She seems the kind of person that a professional vetting system would have found, and debriefed. We're talking small town politics here as well, so bear that in mind. And I've reproduced only the gist here - go read the original for much more. But after you read this, you begin to realize that there can have been almost no vetting whatsoever:

    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%.

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:54pm

14. 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.

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:55pm

15. 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).

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:56pm

16. lvliberty-On the planet Earth there are quite a number of republicans and independents who are saying the same things about Palin and who fear her extremist,and quite possibly,anti American views.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 1:56pm

17. 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.

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:57pm

18. 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. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:59pm

19. 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.

    Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:59pm

20. "The fact that the left continues to attack Gov Palin demonstrates that the reality is far different than their words.

    They are afraid of her and her affect of completely energizing evangelicals and probably many Catholics who might have been drawn to Biden."

    Six out of ten. The "left" is attacking her because her weakness as a prospective VP invites such attacks. Her links to the Taliban wing of the Republican party are a fit subject of discussion because it undercuts the McCain's attempt to pass her off as a younger, hotter version of himself.

    Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 2:00pm

21. So keep up the attacks. You have merely affirmed why we are so excited about having her on the ticket. Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/02/2008 @ 1:51pm

    Funny that you will jump all over Obama for not wearing a flag pin, then you will defend someone who was apart of a secessionist movement. Go ahead. Believe that energizing the base is important. The hard right base makes up 26% of the electorate. You need another 24% of the middle. The middle being people who don't identify as hard right evangelicals and are turned off by blatant liars and people who are under investigation for abuse of power. Who aren't militant pro-choicers. I told you to energize the base he has to abandon the middle. This is going to get fun.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:09pm

22. lvliberty-It's quite irrelevant that evangelicals are energized because they were going to vote for McCain anyway,as long as he did not pick Romney.No reason to fear energized evangelicals and the enthusiasm will be short lived.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 2:11pm

23. McCain could not have found a better Veep in Palin. The way the left is going after her and her family indicates they are worried. Most self-respecting, strong, independent women would support someone like Sara Palin.

    Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 2:12pm

24. Gotta tell ya Mask ya sound like a reporter lookin' for a story. NONE of those questions matter a red rats ass to the countries' future. And if you are really worries about sessesion, keep in mind that what Prez's and VP's want and what they can get through Congress are two different things Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 1:27pm

    Kind of like how the GOP was jumping all over Obama about flag pins, "terrorist fist bumps" and being a secret Muslim. All of a sudden you guys are against all of this? It's time to have a taste of your own medicine. You started this tactic we are just playing by your rules.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:14pm

25. pyeatte-On the planet Earth many republicans and independents are saying the same things about Palin that the left is and that includes women.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 2:16pm

26. pyeatte-During election years both sides act like they worry about the other side.That's politics.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 2:18pm

27. McCain could not have found a better Veep in Palin. The way the left is going after her and her family indicates they are worried. Most self-respecting, strong, independent women would support someone like Sara Palin. Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 2:12pm

    Actually no. It's not from worry. It's because this was done to Obama now you are getting your own medicine back. You have to expect this with any VP choice. She is being gone after because McCain left himself open in his stupid choice without bothering to vet someone. It's not worry, most of us are actually ecstatic.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:20pm

28. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:09pm

    Actually my stats are wrong. 26% of people identify as Republican. so maybe 15-20% are hard right. Those are the evangies you are talking about. so you actually need 30-35% of the "middle".

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:23pm

29. So did Palin actually mean that she is "proud" that her 17-year-old daughter, who is five months pregnant, has made a "decision to have her baby."

    Or that she is "proud" that her 17-year-old daughter, who is five months pregnant, has made a "decision to make a baby."

    In any case the hypocrisy slip is showing:

    Poll_____Date______Obam___McCa

    Gallup__08/30 - 09/01__50_____42

    Hotline_ 08/29 - 08/31__ 48_____ 39

    CBS ___ 08/29 - 08/31 __ 48_____40

    Posted by hsuBfools at 09/02/2008 @ 2:27pm

30. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 1:27pm

    CHIP, so it's not an issue if somebody supported the secesssion of the state she's GOVERNOR of from the the United States?!?!??

    or if she formerly SUPPORTED earmarks (like the "Bridge to Nowhere") and now acts like she opposed it the whole time?

    or if she endorses the ludicrious and OBVIOUSLY (from her own experience) ineffective "abstinence only sex education" that her Party supports?!??!!?

    or that she tried to fire a brother-in-law for nothing but personal family reasons, and when his boss wouldn't fire him...she fired the boss?!?!??

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:28pm

31. Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 1:54pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    Metteyya, it is extremely obnoxious to just post a huge article like that. Please simply post a precis and a link.

    Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 2:29pm

32. Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/02/2008 @ 1:51pm

    Actually, LVLIB, I'm afraid Palin might quit.

    If she doesn't, the next 3 months are going to be a HOOT!

    Especially when she is asked (as she no doubt will be in SOME non-Fox News interview)...

    "Governor, do you support abstinence-only based sex education and why is that effective?"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:33pm

33. John Nichols and others are worked up because Vice President Elect Sarah Palin is declared to be "anti-choice"

    How are her positions "anti-choice"?

    Her positions advocate that an unborn baby (who has no say while he or she is in the womb about anything) will live to be able to make choices in life.

    How is it "anti-choice" to propose that this be the way it should be? Conversely, how is it "pro-choice" to advocate that an unborn baby has no say whatsoever in what will happen to him or her?

    Since an unborn baby, whether officially declared a life or not, exhibits many life like features(for example, when sometimes a pregnant Mom says the "baby just kicked", many times reacts to what is going on outside the womb, etc.) is very close to being a life, I can not comprehend why:

    1. It is declared that a woman has sole and total control of her body, since there is another life like entity involved.

    2. Anybody that dare question this is crucified and condemned for imposing their morality, etc, telling a woman what to do and thus declared sexist, etc.

    I guess Vice President Palin would ask the question in regard to this:

    WHAT ABOUT THE BABY?

    I have said before that I am not one to tell anybody what to do with their life or body, but why is it wrong to ask WHAT ABOUT THE BABY? and why should one be condemned for doing so?

    Fortunately Sarah Palin will be the next Vice-President of the United States, and all the angst from John Nichols, et. al. will be moot.

    Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 2:42pm

34. Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 2:42pm

    SJ, do YOU believe in "abstinence only" sex "education"?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:45pm

35. And also... John Nichols says it is Palin's party, not McCain's.

    Why is that bad?

    That is good, the ticket has been balanced properly.

    We have a RINO (Republican in Name Only) running for President. Acceptable only because there is no other option now and also because the RINO (John McCain) will do the right things regarding Iraq and defending the U.S.A.

    But fortunately, the ticket has been balanced with an actual Republican which makes the fact that we have a RINO as the top candidate a tolerable thing.

    Maybe the Vice-President (Sarah Palin) can convince the President (John McCain) to govern as a conservative, once they are in the White House after next January.

    Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 2:46pm

36. Why is the rightwing so excited about having a seccesionist on the ticket?

    The southern strategy, a secessionist dream, now slithers as far north as the US goes.

    What could be more fitting than a secessionist running against a national ticket headed by an African-American?

    Who'd have thought the south would rise again in Alaska?

    Keep it up, Sarah, you are a exemplar of your kind.

    A highly suitable choice by McCain. Never realized he had such an acute sense of history.

    Posted by sloper at 09/02/2008 @ 2:49pm

37. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:20pm

    BTW, CCC....this line "The way the Left is going after her PROVES she must be a good candidate!"...

    is a sure sign that these guys have NOTHING.

    It's like HAPPY yesterday with his "So? Some political enemies in Alaska made up some stuff about her!" or the perennial favorite "The Liberal Media is just trying to play gotcha with poor Sarah!"

    If there was a good explanation...or even a good SPIN on Palin's various problems....they'd be out with it.

    And not the LAMEST of the lame "She's being attacked, therefore she's good!" or "It's just political enemies or the Media!!!"

    It's like when they used to harp on "Bush Derangement Syndrome"...

    right upto when 70%!!!!!! of the country "acquired the disease"!...LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:49pm

38. sjchermark-If Palin is a member of,and it appears that she is,the Alaska independence movement then she would,hopefully,not be your typical republican or conservative..If she is typical then the GOP must be defeated for their anti America stand.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 2:51pm

39. Orwellian is too kind. I see no substantive difference between the Republican Party right wing and the Taliban.

    Posted by frankbg48 at 09/02/2008 @ 2:51pm

40. Posted by sloper at 09/02/2008 @ 2:49pm

    That's not going to deter them either, sloper...

    lotta these Southern Repubs LIKE the idea of secession, and don't consider it un-patriotic to call for breaking away from the Union!

    Again, upto (maybe even beyond) it being learned that Palin DID haven abortion once....or had a lesbian affair in college...they'll stick with her to the bitter end.

    She could have shot and ate an American bald eagle once....and that would be considered a BONUS by these types!

    Thank goodness, she's not likely to quit and McCain too scared to fire her....we'll have WEEKS more of this fun!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:54pm

41. Right now, the biggest threat to McCain/Palin is not named "Bristol" (or even "Kyle"...love that kid, BTW)...

    no, the biggest threat is named "Walt Monegan".

    If it shown, via his e-mails, that Palin was trying to get Monegan (AK Public Safety Commish) to fire Palin's brother-in-law (a trooper) for no other reason than to help her sister's divorce....and when he didn't, she fired Monegan?...

    they're toast. "Reformer" and "independent" and "took on the powerful in her own Party" will be crap.

    She'll show she was just another politician, using their power for personal or family issues.

    Regardless, even if that blows up...McCain won't dump her and she won't quit.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:05pm

42. lvliberty-One cannot compare having sex outside of marriage to stealing and murder.Yes,when it comes to sex you teach your kids to try and not to do it,but you,also,teach them to protect themselves if they are going to have sex because we now have a disease that can cause your death if you do not protect yourself.Start caring about your kids and their health and safety rather than pushing morality.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:09pm

43. Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:03pm

    Wait a minute, first...

    are you saying that you DON'T CARE if more kids get pregnant, you just want us to SAY "the right thing" so we'll FEEL better about our "morality"?

    So, it's BETTER to just SAY you're moral and against pre-marital sex....and have a bunch of teenagers have babies....than actually stopping them from having babies?!?!??!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:09pm

44. Palin's ballsy, John, she's a WOMAN, that part's right, but she's ballsy and is quite comfortable in her own skin, even though its not YOUR skin, and you guys can't stand it.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/02/2008 @ 12:45pm

    Chip, Palin is hypocrit plain and simple. She partied like a rock start when she was younger and 10 to 1 says she got around when she was younger...I know, I grew up in a place just like Alaska and during the same time frame. Palin managed to get arrested for DUI 22 years ago which shows what a conservative upstanding sort she was when she was younger. Thinks abstinence is the only form of birth control....and we see how well that worked in her family, and yet this stupid ass bimbo thinks she has the right to tell other's how to live their lives?!

    This is supposed to be a God Damned free country where people are able to make their own decisions. They can choose what religion they wish to follow or can choose to not follow any religions at all. The latter choice would mean that the right to lifer's religious views shouldn't be interpreted into law. The rethug party is dangerously close in their biggoted self righteous attempts to cram that right wing conservative southern baptist bullshit down our throats. Be careful who you side with Chip. You don't seem to be the southern baptist sort and actually seem to be a reasonable fellow from time to time.

    Take a step back and look at Palin for what she reall is. There a plenty waaay more qualified Republican women in office (that I don't agree with politically speaking) who aren't hypocrits like Palin is.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:10pm

45. lvliberty-One cannot compare having sex outside of marriage to stealing and murder.----Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:09pm

    Oh, HE can.

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:10pm

46. Mask-If one tries to compare them then one is saying that they would just as soon have their kid get murdered than to have sex outside of marriage.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:12pm

47. rock start ...meant to say rock star.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:13pm

48. Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 2:49pm

    You can always tell when the right has nothing. Instead of defending they try to attack which makes their lack of defense more transparent. It's like I said about the Obama scandals to Happy, the reason they haven't been investigated is because they have and there is nothing to report, if there had been the details would have come to light by now because McCain's or Hillary's team would have made sure to bring the details to light. The reason Palin IS being investigated is because there is something worth investigating. If it is nothing then it will just go away. This isn't an attack this is a legitimate vetting by the public that happens to EVERY candidate. Obama has been hammered repeatedly about flag pins, religion, patriotism, terrorist fist bumps now the right has their panties in a bunch because they are getting a taste of their own medicine and they don't have a leg to stand on to try to defend themselves. So go ahead, let the vangys rally around her. They make up 15% of the electorate. The other 85% are turned off by the type of person they are presenting for VP. If McCain is forced to fire her because the charges against her come even more to light it will be a sweet sweet thing to hear them yell about a "conspiracy".

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:16pm

49. Obama should have picked Hillary as running mate so Hillary can rip the barracuda to shreds.

    Posted by nursevic at 09/02/2008 @ 3:25pm

50. nursevic-It's quite unlikely that McCain would have picked Palin had Hillary been the VP choice.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:27pm

51. "Most self-respecting, strong, independent women would support someone like Sara Palin." Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 2:12pm

    I know an awful lot of self-respecting, strong, independent women. None of them supports Sarah Palin or her extremist positions. Her views are satisfying to conservative men, but they have nothing to do with self-respect, strength, or independence.

    Posted by Be Good at 09/02/2008 @ 3:30pm

52. What I find funny is that THIS is what excites the Christian Right. They have a candidate who is under investigation for abuse of power and ethics violation, possibly an ex-member of an Alaskan secession movement, with a 17 year old pregnant daughter, who has flat out repeatedly LIED to the American people and that is upheld as the example of what it truly is to be Christian right. Hilarious.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:38pm

53. "1. It is declared that a woman has sole and total control of her body, since there is another life like entity involved.

    2. Anybody that dare question this is crucified and condemned for imposing their morality, etc, telling a woman what to do and thus declared sexist, etc. "

    Actually it's anti-choice because it is essentially advocating forced childbirth.

    Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 3:39pm

54. "The McCain campaign today released her voter registration records showing that she has been a registered Republican since 1982."

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:29pm

    Uhhh you can be a registered Republican but still sign up for an Alaskan Secessionist group.

    "Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence party (AIP) before becoming an elected Republican official, according to party members, and recorded a video message for the AIP convention this year."

    This from the Guardian UK. She WAS a member and still records messages for them.

    "And I find it ironic that no one here was castigating Vermonters when they were proposing secession because of disagreement on the Iraq War."

    I find it ironic that you will jump all over Obama for not wearing a flag lapel pin but you will then defend someone who was apart of a secessionist party.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:42pm

55. But, even if she had participated in that group, it would not change anything. They are very popular in Alaska for a variety of reasons. Nor does everyone who belongs to it do so because of a desire to secede from the Republic. ----Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:29pm

    SO members of the "Alaska Secessionist Party"....don't belong to it because they desire to secede from the Union?!?!?!??

    Plus I love "She WAS NOT a member...and, uh...even IF SHE WAS...."

    LOL.

    BTW, LVLIB, the Klan was very popular in the South once....is popularity an excuse?

    (BTW, BTW, I feel free in using a KKK analogy, since YOU use an analogy that having pre-marital sex is equitable to murder and robbery!....heheh)

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:42pm

56. ""Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence party (AIP) before becoming an elected Republican official, according to party members, and recorded a video message for the AIP convention this year.""

    This by the way is just like how LVL defends Huckabee for recording message for the CofCC. These people don't speak for groups without knowing what is involved. They speak to racists and separatists and these are the representatives of what it is to be truly Christian Right.

    They call us morally bankrupt...

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:44pm

57. Mask-If one tries to compare them then one is saying that they would just as soon have their kid get murdered than to have sex outside of marriage.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:12pm

    A silver dollar to the man in the balcony. You hit the nail on the head.

    Here's the thing. These religious fruitcakes think that those things only happen to "others" not them or "their kids".

    You show me a teenager and I'll show you a bag of hormones on the prowl. It's part of being human.

    Condoms are the first and best defense against STD's and these right wing jack asses know it. Abstinence works rarely works and when it does work, you'll find that those kids are still sexually active, just doing "other" things.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:45pm

58. We're posting about Palin's views on sex ed. and her daughter's pregnancy over at the CA NOW blog: http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2008/09/sarah-palin-and.html

    Posted by canow at 09/02/2008 @ 3:46pm

59. LvLiberty-people in Alaska, who know her, are saying that she was, and is, quite active in the Alaska independence movement and that is the reason she was elected to be gov, in the first place..It's quite a big thing up there and it is about leaving America..It is quite irrelevant as to what party she officially belongs to.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:46pm

60. If McCain is forced to fire her because the charges against her come even more to light it will be a sweet sweet thing to hear them yell about a "conspiracy".-----Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:16pm

    I'll declare it again (again, somebody alert HSUB)...

    John McCain WILL NOT ask Sarah Palin to step down as his Veep AND SHE will not offer to do so. Both have too much riding on this.

    She? Because she's the darling of the Right and if she quit, it'd KILL her future career and these jokers think they've got "Margaret Thatcher if she had been a beauty pageant runner-up!" Plus, she's an ideologue and THEY DON'T QUIT!

    McCain? Because he would get CRUCIFIED by his own base for "selling out poor, persecuted Sarah".

    No...we will have the pleasure of Governor Sarah Palin's company for some 45 days....AND if "beyond", it will be the Greatest Show on Earth as MORE stuff comes out and as Lyle Johnston gets offered his own "So You Wanna Be A Hockey Pro" reality show on VH-1!

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:46pm

61. wolfgang-Until recently, kids got married when their hormones started to rage,but we upped the marriage age and can't figure out what to do with their raging hormones.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:48pm

62. Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:12pm

    I'll go further than that...If LVLIB were truly honest, he'd admit that if he had the choice, and Bristol Palin was sexually active, he'd MUCH rather have seen the girl be on birth control...

    than try to salvage THIS mess and show IN GLORIOUS DETAIL, the failings of abstinence-only in a "good Christian family"!

    Hell, if Larry had caught Bristol and Kyle...and knew "Mom" was going to be GOP Veep (and they weren't going to listen to him, anymore than they listened to The Gov)....he'd BUY the condoms for them!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:49pm

63. A lot of comments here, mostly moot points -

    I felt relieved last Friday. When I found out the V.P. selection, I realized the election was decided:

    President - John McCain Vice President - Sarah Palin

    There is minutae on this website about an Alaska independence whatever, no purpose in paying attention to that nonsense.

    And also arguments about abortion and choice, etc and abstinence only education.

    Remember - the left has promoted more than just sex education in the schools - some schools indoctrinate in leftist attitudes about sex. NO I AM NOT GOING TO POST LINKS OR PROOF. I have seen references to this at different times over the years. THIS IS NOT IN EVERY SCHOOL, since schools are locally controlled. But it does happen. I am commenting on what I have seen referenced over the years, and am not going to PROVE it to a liberal who will not accept the PROOF anyway. And if a liberal posts in and says because I did not post proof my point is unproven, I do not care.

    But, attitudes by the left along these lines undoubtably add to the incidences of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Abstinence period, let alone abstinence only education, is downplayed, pooh-poohed and left out completely by some elements of the left.

    This is reality and I am a little tired of leftists parsing words of conservatives posting in, just to advance the agenda.

    I am in a bad mood now, for reasons other than a visit to The Nation website. But as a result my level of tolerance for some remarks, such as those of Maskdelta, hsuBfools, i'm nobody, brunowe, crabwalk, Wolfgang1, etc is kind of low right now.

    So libs, Sarah Palin is the next Vice-President of the United States.

    If you don't like it, you will have to deal with it anyway.

    Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 3:50pm

64. Mask-I have no doubt that luvvy would have preferred birth control to this mess.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:52pm

65. Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:45pm

    LVLIB practically admitted it, WOLF.

    He DOESN'T CARE if more kids get pregnant...he just wants us to TALK about abstinence only, so that we're "doing the right thing" (even though it would be "doing" nothing)...and let the babies fall where they may.

    BTW, he also probably doesn't care that abstinence-only leads to....MORE ABORTIONS!

    But, hey, atleast we'd SOUND like we were a "more moral country", huh?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:52pm

66. No...we will have the pleasure of Governor Sarah Palin's company for some 45 days....AND if "beyond", it will be the Greatest Show on Earth as MORE stuff comes out and as Lyle Johnston gets offered his own "So You Wanna Be A Hockey Pro" reality show on VH-1!

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:46pm

    MASK, How much hush money do you think it will take the wingers to come up with to have the "daddy" play good at least until the election? After that, it's back to beers, hockey and teenage women for him. Yep, a typical redneck rethug type.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:53pm

67. Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 3:50pm

    So....no proof for your claims and you still support a FAILED policy, made even more stark by having (what you claim) will be the next Vice-President of the USA's daughter a prime example of that failure!

    Believe it or not, SJ....I'm GLAD to hear you talking that way.

    It gives me great hope for November!

    BTW, what "leftist" or "liberal" convinced Bristol and Kyle to have unprotected sex, in direct contradiction to (atleast) her parents' teaching? Alaska a real hot-bed for "Do your own thing" hippie'dom and "good, Christian kids" helpless to their wily ways????

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:56pm

68. Mask-Unlike Luvvy,I'm the type of anti abortion person who realizes that the GOP uses the issue to get votes with,but won't do anything about it so I vote,not for those who claim to be anti abortion,but for those who have ideas that will lower the abortion rate.My goal is to stop as many abortions as possible.Luvvys goal is to push morality even if that increases the number of abortions..

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:56pm

69. How many of Obama's millions would have to be spent to get the press the GOP is getting for free??

    This is looking more and more like a good move.

    Until the last few days "The Nation's" headlines were usually something like:

    >Obama really IS god...

    >Obama's sweat cures cancer...

    >Obama's intelligence greater than supercomputer's...

    >Obama better than Kennedy...

    Now it's Palin this, Palin that, Palin Palin Palin....

    I'm starting to forget how great Obama is..

    Posted by bleedingheart at 09/02/2008 @ 3:58pm

70. Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 3:52pm

    In a HEARTBEAT....Given a heads-up (perhaps a divine revelation by God), Larry would have had a suitcase full of Trojans packed and been on the next plane to Juneau. (Sure, he'd TRY to talk the kids out of it....threaten Hell...then offer cash...but one look at Kyle Johnston and he would have handed over the rubbers and said "USE THEM, Beavis!")

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 3:58pm

71. " the left has promoted more than just sex education in the schools - some schools indoctrinate in leftist attitudes about sex. NO I AM NOT GOING TO POST LINKS OR PROOF. I have seen references to this at different times over the years. THIS IS NOT IN EVERY SCHOOL, since schools are locally controlled. But it does happen. I am commenting on what I have seen referenced over the years, and am not going to PROVE it to a liberal who will not accept the PROOF anyway. And if a liberal posts in and says because I did not post proof my point is unproven, I do not care."

    I guess sjchermak must be about five years old mentally. He's putting his fingers in his ears and going "LA! LA! LA! LA!"

    "Abstinence period, let alone abstinence only education, is downplayed, pooh-poohed and left out completely by some elements of the left."

    Wrong again. Abstinence isn't dismissed by the left, abstinence-only programs are because they don't work.

    "But as a result my level of tolerance for some remarks, such as those of Maskdelta, hsuBfools, i'm nobody, brunowe, crabwalk, Wolfgang1, etc is kind of low right now."

    Pretty much admitting that he's having a temper-tantrum.

    "So libs, Sarah Palin is the next Vice-President of the United States.

    If you don't like it, you will have to deal with it anyway."

    Right, because that Palin bounce in the polls is so obviously...NOT THERE.

    Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 4:02pm

72. Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 3:53pm

    Probably a big slush fund being organized right now by the Council on National Policy that "vetted" Palin, that will keep Kyle in school in Alaska (and away from the Media).

    But they HAVE to get those two crazy kids hitched SOON. Bristol will be nearly eight months pregnant by November 4th and if no SERIOUS wedding plans are in the works, it'll appear what it seems to be...not a "shotgun wedding", but a wedding likely to be "indefinitely postponed" right after McCain/Palin wins or loses.

    Kyle is like Beavis without the brains. You REALLY think they want him hanging around the Naval Observatory....he'd make Billy Carter look like Bobby Kennedy, PR wise.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 4:02pm

73. Posted by bleedingheart at 09/02/2008 @ 3:58pm

    Hey, there's an idea....let's try to change the subject and set up some straw men, because the NEWS OF THE DAY sure as hell isn't too helpful!

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 4:04pm

74. sjchermark-In my travels around the country I haven't noticed that there is a left or right wing view of sex.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 4:07pm

75. palin is a waste of flesh neophyte pandering trophy distraction, they got the unwed teen mother vote, or are trying, but not hillary supporters; this is demeaning from GOP and insulting to women everywhere including previous teen mothers....they are very shameful...btw: palin is against ANY sex education.....and against women's right to choose....so not a surprise for GOP....not maverick not independent thinker....

    let's please not let these low-brow GOP tactics detract from the fact that mcbush is a flip flopper with no new ideas, no ideas about saving economy, no plans to help middle class...

    he has already stated he will still give top 1% the biggest tax breaks on the backs of middle and lower income...

    GOP will still try to keep Dems from polls by all sorts of tricks such as producing enough ID to keep minorities from voting.....

    how about smart growth???

    mcbush wants to keep americans safe but bush passed laws promoting unfettered globalization and destroyed thousands of jobs with bills promoting foreign ownership of US companies...

    Where is mcsame's speech about regulating chinese imports..bush has closed over half of FDA offices nationwide at a time of record imports...tainted petfood, shampoo, mouthwash, fruits, veggies, toothpaste all in the last year..more americans have dies than in 911 directly from neocon policies promoting unsafe trade and ZERO protection for American consumers......look it up...yourself...

    Obama has spoken about smart trade, smart growth protecting american jobs....

    your taxes are going to pay off iraq war debt no matter who is president???

    if you still want a job and union and benefits however, vote Democratic!!!!

    if you are a horse with blinders on and covering your ears and head in the sand, vote mcsame..

    Posted by jrs112 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:17pm

76. "I am pro-life," Palin wrote

    not if you're a bear.

    http://www.grizzlybay.org/PalinBear.jpg

    slime.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/02/2008 @ 4:23pm

77. So libs, Sarah Palin is the next Vice-President of the United States. If you don't like it, you will have to deal with it anyway. Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 3:50pm

    Haha. Unless the charges against her are proven true in which case we can't have a criminal as VP.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:28pm

78. BTW....here's Sarah talking to the Alaskan separatists...

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

    Can you IMAGINE what the Right would do if Obama had SMILINGLY addressed a separatist group????

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 4:28pm

79. Obama, having eviserated whatever hope progressives had for, inter alia, an end to war and government snooping, McCain deals sensibly with his base, giving them what they want. And they, unlike most progressives, are now excited about their candidate. Obama is about to have his touche kicked and the DNC types here and elsewhere suspect it and are just beside themselves about Palin who, with every attack, takes the play away from Obama/Biden. Give it about two weeks. McCain will be ahead in the polls, we'll be marching toward war with Iran and Russia, and the doofuses here will be getting ready to explain the coming election loss as thievery. Progressives need honorable representation. Progressives should vote for Nader.

    Posted by john lowell at 09/02/2008 @ 4:34pm

80. i've heard enough conservatives legitimately criticize this selection that it is truly laughable to hear somebody defend palin as the best possible selection as VP, this has to be the same twenty something percent that actually think Bush is doing a great job... and imagine if the democratic pick had a pregnant teen... we would not hear the end of the evils of a liberal upbringin...

    my personal thought is that the RNC conducted numerous focus groups and determined they needed a VP that was a PTA mom with some beauty pageant experience... you know a milf... kids love milfs...

    she doesn't need foreign policy experience, she's miss congeniality with a killer rice krispie treat recipe... al queda doesn't stand a chance...

    McCain Palin Got Milf???

    Posted by jarhead59 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:35pm

81. sjchermak,

    I would love to see any examples of Sex Ed programs that include no reference to abstinence whatsoever, or actively pooh pooh it. Personally, what I have seen of both comprehensive sex ed and pregnancy prevention programs emphasizes that absinence is the safest and most trustworthy method of birth control, but that there are other generally safe methods that can be used "if you are sexually active." I haven't heard of a single sex ed program in wide use today that could be called, to use a late 80's-early 90's feminist term, "Sex-Positive" ever since the Unitarian Universalists junked their curriculum because one frickin' family protested against it and demanded a more conservative model.

    Personally, I think the emphasis on sexual abstinence even in comprehensive sex ed programs as the "preferred" method of birth control and STD prevention is morally wrong. I have no problem with praising its strengths, but I'd like to see the positive side of sex, responsibly engaged in, talked about, too.

    Posted by cka2nd at 09/02/2008 @ 4:37pm

82. Posted by john lowell at 09/02/2008 @ 4:34pm

    Crazy old John who has been saying for the last month that McCain would be up in the polls next week.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:38pm

83. Most self-respecting, strong, independent women would support someone like Sara Palin.

    Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 2:12pm

    especially women who hunt down animals from helicopters.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/02/2008 @ 4:40pm

84. imagine if the democratic pick had a pregnant teen... we would not hear the end of the evils of a liberal upbringin...

    Posted by jarhead59 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:35pm

    Absolutely true, but a religous right upbringing is supposed to be off limits.

    Posted by cka2nd at 09/02/2008 @ 4:41pm

85. Maybe the Vice-President (Sarah Palin) can convince the President (John McCain) to govern as a conservative, once they are in the White House after next January.

    Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 2:46pm

    hopefully a fiscal conservative like st. megadebt ronald, ¿right?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/02/2008 @ 4:43pm

86. JohnLowell will,of course,be voting for McCain as he tells others to vote for Nader.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 4:46pm

87. Jomamma-There was no reason for Obama to spike in the polls, to any degree, because we have all heard his speeches before,but there should have been a good spike in the polls for McCain, after picking Palin, if the GOP was really as energized by the Palin choice as some claim.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 4:57pm

88. How about: the Republicans figure they won't win this election, so , so they picked a woman of little consequence. They don't want to waste any "good" candidates on this one and McCain won't run again anyway. And maybe she will syphon a few women's votes away. And if they win she will be easy to steamroller over to the neocon agenda. Sen. Schumer of NY said, "Well, this sure puts the lack of experience thing to rest". She's a token female Mitt Romney, and a token nod to the extreme right.

    Posted by fiona33 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:58pm

89. fiona-Good theory.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 5:00pm

90. From an Alaskan Liberal. Sarah is a well liked governor by most in Alaska except those who are pushing for the big oil control of the state. In trying to get the gas pipeline bill through, big oil tried it's best to push her around and she did stand up to them and get a pipeline bill through with the contract going to a Canadian company. While mayor of Wasilla in the early days she did try to push some socially conservative agenda. As governor, while maintaining her own social conservative views privately, she has functioned as a moderate and has not pushed those agendas. The Alaska Independence party used to be fairly vocal about its plans to have Alaska secede from the union in the early days, that agenda, while I believe it is still on the party's platform, has not been in the forefront since the mid 80's. The Republican Party in Alaska was a good old boy party and Sarah is not the only politician in Alaska to use to use the AIP as a stepping stone into politics when the Republican party was keeping them out. Check out the conflict between Sarah and Randy Reudrich http://www.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/183181.html . Having said all this, no, she is not ready for the national stage. On the national stage I am also concerned that her personal social conservative views would recieve lots of backing and come to the forefront. In the meantime, while we are all paying attention the Bristol's baby (by the way, the boyfriend's name is Levi, not Lyle) I wonder what "W" is up to? I would call you attention to the following opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/513084.html by John Havelock.

    Posted by bollerud at 09/02/2008 @ 5:09pm

91. Haha. Unless the charges against her are proven true in which case we can't have a criminal as VP.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:28pm

    And Dick Cheney is ???

    Posted by skeletonman at 09/02/2008 @ 5:09pm

92. Posted by JOMAMMA at 09/02/2008 @ 4:53pm

    Actually McCain should have had a bump by now. He picked her Friday. That's 4 days. 3 day's for people to mull it over. 2 days for it to take in the polls. It hasn't. If it had as big an impact as you people are purporting to have then it would have shown up by now.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 5:16pm

93. Posted by skeletonman at 09/02/2008 @ 5:09pm

    Fair point.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 5:16pm

94. Chip--I had to laugh when you said that none of the questions being posed here matter to the future of our country.

    According to the Republican Party, whether or not a person wears a lapel pin matters to the future of our country. If that petty an issue can be raised by the Right, then the rest of us certainly deserve answers to more substantive questions.

    Posted by danap at 09/02/2008 @ 5:17pm

95. I'm really concerned that McCain and Palin both lack the intellectual fortitude needed in the presidency after 7 years of a man who proudly proclaimed his lack of intellectual curiosity. We need someone who will be willing to seek out advice from experts in their respective fields. Someone who is not intimidated by them and won't surround himself with people who just do as they're told because of their own ambition.

    McCain has shown that he doesn't have the spine to stand up against the crowd. He did what he HAD to do to get into office. He's backpedaled on everyone of his "maverick" stances; not that there are that many. He did vote with Bush the vast majority of the time. This is something neither he nor his political strategists can deny.

    So, his pick, Palin, is of no surprise to me. The maverick turns out to be nothing more than an old bull put out to pasture. He may still have his balls but they don't have the same potency needed to get the job done.

    Posted by vestokes at 09/02/2008 @ 5:27pm

96. I don't think Bristol had much of a choice, considering the creep her mother is. It just goes to show you how idiotic the Rightists are, they don't want to prevent pregnancies either, just want to practice ignorance and a sort of sexual fascism. And this from a woman who can kill an innocent, already living breathing animal, like a moose. I call it the Cult of the Fetus, they value them more then a woman's life. I hope that somehow Obama gets elected, or else, it will be World War III and sexual fascism all the way in this country.

    Posted by CCNatreader1 at 09/02/2008 @ 5:42pm

97. Hello Cccomfo1,

    You mentioned "Haha. Unless the charges against her are proven true in which case we can't have a criminal as VP."

    Why not? We had a criminal as President, Bill Clinton.

    Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 6:05pm

98. if you are a horse with blinders on and covering your ears and head in the sand, vote mcsame..

    Posted by jrs112 at 09/02/2008 @ 4:17pm

    Good God Man / Woman. Sorry, I don't know which persuasion you are, but it doesn't matter anyway. Issues?! Talk about the issues?!

    The rethugs would never stand for that. If we were to talk about the issues, they'd have about ....28% of the vote...yes, the same 28% that think Palin is a fine choice.

    Mask is right. If Palin stays on the ticket, that will be the final nail in the coffin for our lunatic fringe friends on the right.

    I guess they'll have to go back to planning blowing up planned parenthood clinics being all Christian and everything. Palin will be lighting the fuses.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:12pm

99. Jomamma-One more time.We have heard Obama speak before so there is no reason to expect him to jump in the polls just because he spoke,but one would expect a spike in the polls for McCain if Palin really energized the GOP, as some claim.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 6:25pm

100. Palin's conservative religious views were exposed by this video on the Huffington POst of her appearance at her hometown Pentecostel Church. Ye gads, she is out of her league as a VP candidate because of her very limited world view. This should be a gift to the Democrats, but then stupidity, alas, too often rules. Check her out at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/02/

     Posted by leemiller38 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:29pm

101. Johnnie, you're no more pro choice than Palin; it's just other choices which you wish to limit: the freedom to drill, to eat trans fats, to use incandescant light bulbs, to not legally support social policies such as publicly funded abortions and contraception, same sex arrangements, which are morally repugnant. You're not pro choice even a little. S. Marshall

     Posted by stefaneau at 09/02/2008 @ 6:34pm

102. i'm nobody: Hardly! The republican base is fired-up. It is apparent the dems are paniced, and for good reason - when all they have is gossip...and Rep Wexler is spirling into a black hole of insanity with his comments. This is going to be very interesting at the least.

     Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 6:36pm

103. Why not? We had a criminal as President, Bill Clinton. Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 6:05pm

     He wasn't elected as a criminal.

     Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:39pm

104. pyeatte-You keep telling yourself that,but I'm going by reality and not by you guys who are trying way too hard to try and claim that you're energized because all that matters are votes and no spike for McCain because of Palin means no votes because of Palin.

     Posted by i'm nobody at 09/02/2008 @ 6:41pm

105. come on ...it is embarassing for Obama NOT to have a huge bump of his own, not rely on a drop for McCain...jeez. Posted by JOMAMMA at 09/02/2008 @ 6:15pm

     McCain hasn't dropped. McCain has stayed the same. I don't think we have seen the end of Obama's bump either.

     Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:41pm

106. With the press and the country focused on the hurricanes...and the Repubs with no convention schedule? come on ...it is embarassing for Obama NOT to have a huge bump of his own, not rely on a drop for McCain...jeez. Posted by JOMAMMA at 09/02/2008 @ 6:15pm

     I also like that you immediately tried to switch the subject from talking about McCain's lack of a bump to trying to insult Obama for not getting a big enough bump. Again you don't care what you are saying as long as it is an insult to Obama.

     Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:43pm

107. Palin needs to expalin WHY she waited to Seek Medical Attention after her Water broke.Why did she put the delivery of a speech Above the priority of Delivering a Child? Why did she, fly back to AK,AND Bypass other AK hospitals to get back to BFE. Why would any woman delay seeking immediate medical attention when she had gone into Labor 1 month Premature? Why would any woman decide not to be alarmed knowing her baby already had complicating factors?What Woman would not consider the distinct possibility that her baby was in fetal distress? Who would Forgo immediate Fetal Monitors, and poss Ultra sound to assure the Cord was not around it's neck and That is Why it is coming Prematurely! Seems to be at the least Palin has no regard for the safety of her child, and acted as though she Had no concern her inactions could actually CAUSE a further complications and poss late term Abortion!Thats shows utter disregard for the life she was carrying, Self centeredness and dispictable Judgement. I had hoped the child was her daughters, I could have understood her reluctance to focus the spot light on her daughter. It certainly would have been easily forgiven, but now that her claim is that It is her child and she's sticking to that story- I am Outraged and Disgusted! her action constitute Reckless endangermnent and indifference to life. Now where are all these So called "Pro Lifers"?More accurately 'Pro Birthers' they don't care what condition you give birth to them in or into, as long as you keep dropping them. Funny who will be the 'mother' Raising her 5 month old special needs Son Now? As a ProChoice (No such thing as a 'Pro abortionist') i have come to realize these 'Right to lifers'are Only concerned with 9 months, but not the next 90 yrs!What a Facade, Blatant LIE!

     Posted by Purple girl at 09/02/2008 @ 6:50pm

108. >>>Palin is a good deal less flexible on the issues than McCain. <<<

     I think we should AMPLIFY Palin's effort to BAN BOOKS FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY when she was Mayor of Wasilla, even threatening to fire the city librarian unless she went along with her request to ban books that had "inappropriate language".

     http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html

     Palin is TOO EXTREME for America, and the more we know the worse it gets!

     Posted by Metteyya at 09/02/2008 @ 6:53pm

109. Rumor is, McCain wanted Lieberman, but Rove called Lieberman and said "Drop out officially or the base will turn on McCain!"...

     Joe the Schmoe told McCain and McCain got pissed at Rove's candidate (Romney) and went with a QUICK and DIRTY "Plan C"....Sarah Palin of Alaska.

     It was so quick that the vetting process wasn't fully through...and....

     Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 6:57pm

110. Somewhere in the heartland, Mike Huckabee laments, "Boobs! If only I had Boobs!"

     Posted by nathanhale at 09/02/2008 @ 7:27pm

111. Posted by nathanhale at 09/02/2008 @ 7:27pm

     LVLIB was all for Huckabee, but SEEMED satisfied with Palin (until he had to start defending teen pregnancy, firings for political purposes, and being friendly with Alaskan separatists)....

     He loathed Romney as Veep and threatened to bolt the Party....but what's ironic is...

     NONE of Mitt Romney's kids are or were pregnant out of wedlock and Romney is relatively "clean" on corruption or power mis-use.

     Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 7:49pm

112. Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 7:49pm

     Romney? Ha! Isn't he from that crackpot religion? There's no such thing as a clean apostate!

     Of course, McCain's a bit of a cypher on his personal relationship with Christ. But I can't help feeling that his saviour came to him in a dream last Thursday and whispered in his ear, "John...John...Boobs! Huckabee's got no Boobs! Choose Palin!"

     Posted by nathanhale at 09/02/2008 @ 8:08pm

113. He wasn't elected as a criminal.

     Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/02/2008 @ 6:39pm

     Right you are. Criminality is a prerequisit for the rethug party. A DUI under the belt is mandatory for all presidential tickets....at least it's been that way for the last 8 and now going on 12 years.

     Way to lead by example rethugs. There's some morality, goodness and Godliness to smoke in your pipes.

     Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/02/2008 @ 8:29pm

114. Looks as if, in choosing the divine Sarah,McCain has taken his free pass from the press & torn it up.

     Under scrutiny, the GOP's nominee appears to have now begun his 10-week descent into the flames.

     How many GOP candidates for the House & Senate will he take down with him?

     This is the only real suspense remaining in election '08.

     Posted by sloper at 09/02/2008 @ 9:20pm

115. Hmm, how wise a decision was it to get pregnant at 17 in the first place? I hear it still takes 2 to tango...

     Surely there was some promiscuous behavior for which the girl should be banished or stoned or disowned, or ex-communicated...isn't that the the right-wing fundies stance? Sex before marriage is a sin, right?

     But as long as one keeps the baby after getting pregnant in sinful behavior it's all good?

     Ah, let's go arrest someone practicing free speech instead!

     Posted by Sarojin at 09/02/2008 @ 9:30pm

116. ..seconds after Palin annoucement the ball game was thrown into extra innings with an excitement...we will see if it plays out or fizzles..too early yet.

     Jomamma, I think you're right to a point. There certainly has been time for the polls to take in the initial response to the Palin pick as an offset to Obama's convention bounce. The longer-term effect can't be gauged yet.

     I do think the expectation of a 15% jump is a bit much. The current issue of the Economist stated "Republicans sought to raise expectations impossibly high, by predicting that he would get a 15% post-convention bounce in the polls."

     On the other hand, I don't know what the average post-convention bounce has been.

     Posted by brunowe at 09/02/2008 @ 9:45pm

117. As a woman...and a liberal one in most cases, I am pissed that McCain chose Palin. He basically used her...and if he really used his common sense would have known that she was going to get bashed for a number of reasons. I felt bad for her as she stood up in front of the crowd in Ohio as many booed McCain & Palin (if you listened on CSPAN you could here those who weren't happy with the decision...NBC, CBS etc. would turn the sound down so that you couldn't hear the boos)

     I would have respected him ten times more if he would have stood up for what he believes and chose Leiberman. The sad part is that the ulta-conservatives have stolen the Republican party from those who believe in the origional Republican ideals.

     Why is it that to gain the presidency you have to bow down to people like Carl Rove? We have created a sad system.

     I respect Obama because while it made most sense for him to choose Hillary...he went with a man that he respects and wants to work with, rather than listen to those who might say, "you can only win with Hillary."

     I think McCain would make the country proud if he stood up and said..."I've decided to stand up for what I believe in rather than bow to the ultra-conservatives...I will no longer be running with Palin...meet my new runningmate...Joe Lieberman."

     I still wouldn't vote for him but at least I'd respect him a little bit more...

     Posted by jenjenjen at 09/02/2008 @ 10:03pm

118. Somewhere in the heartland, Mike Huckabee laments, "Boobs! If only I had Boobs!"

     Posted by nathanhale at 09/02/2008 @ 7:27pm

     he used to have 'em:

     "Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a successful loser.

     In the past 18 months, he has whittled 110 pounds from his 5-foot-11 frame, going from 280 pounds (and a body mass index of 39 , which put him roundly in the ranks of the obese) to a trim 170 pounds and a healthy body mass index of 24."

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/02/2008 @ 10:27pm

119. Posted by jenjenjen at 09/02/2008 @ 10:03pm

     Almost NOTHING McCain has done since deciding to run this year....is garnering any respect.

     Hell, most of the RIGHT don't trust him, despite his numerous attempts to kiss their butts (s'why he needed Palin)...

     and the old "McCain Democrats" sure as hell don't.

     Posted by Maskdelta at 09/02/2008 @ 10:32pm

120. Obama didn't choose Hillary because he didn't want to have to hire a food taster and someone to start his car for him...

     Posted by pyeatte at 09/02/2008 @ 10:32pm

121. I just think that McCain's move proves that the Republicans are so out of touch with things.

     The right to choose is a major major issue for liberal women...Why would we vote for someone who opposes the right to choose? (i.e. Palin)

     The Republicans wonder why the US is falling apart...one reason may be that too many people are having children when they aren't ready or commited to being parents. I feel for Palin's 17 year old. She looks like a sweet & smart girl, but did anyone teach her how to use a condom? Or was the issue swept under the rug only to come out to bite those who believe in abstinence only education in the buns.

     Posted by jenjenjen at 09/02/2008 @ 11:11pm

122. MSNBC made a disturbing comment tonight about the Republican Party delegates being more conservatives than the delegates four years ago and those delegates were more conservative than in 2000. So Mrs. Palin is more in tune with today's delegates than McCain is. Which is to say she is a right wing extremist who would take this country back to the 19th century. If that is how they define change, they need to join Bush and Cheney on the unemployment line. At least McCain showed us yet once again how poor his judgement is and how stupid he thinks the American public is. Unfortunately contrary to his "American First" rhetoric, he put his personal ambition first. If he truly was a "maverick" he would have bucked the party and chosen Liebermann like he wanted to. McCain has sold his soul to the extreme wing of the party and to Bush/Cheney.

     Posted by Bobzmcishl at 09/02/2008 @ 11:22pm

123. If I could just throw in a unique perspective on the possibility of the wildness of Palin's college days, consider the fact that the University of Idaho was eight miles away from one of the most notorious party schools of the 1980's. In fact, it was an underground recruitment tool (athletically it wasn't the best in those days) so I'm certain there may indeed be quite a wild past there. Couple that with the fact that Idaho did not raise its drinking age until the 1990's and the odds of her being a major party girl go up significantly. I know a lot of folks who have a wild youth like that who grow up to be big CHristian conservatives, it's a penance for a reckless past.

     Posted by yutsano at 09/02/2008 @ 11:24pm

124. Hello Frosty Zoom

     above you said ""Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a successful loser. In the past 18 months, he has whittled 110 pounds from his 5-foot-11 frame, going from 280 pounds (and a body mass index of 39 , which put him roundly in the ranks of the obese) to a trim 170 pounds and a healthy body mass index of 24." "

     To add to your comments - it actually was 4 years ago. Gov. Huckabee couldn't walk around the statehouse, was developing diabetes, and was told by his doctors he may only live 10 more years.

     He lost the weight, exercised, and began eating healthy and today he runs 5 k races.

     I know this - I knew this 4 years ago, long before any involvement by him in national politics.

     I have mixed emotions about his politics. (not the most conservative on economic issues, etc.) But I think he should be made surgeon general - and the country would be more healthy and live better as a result.

     I just wanted to add to your remark by pointing out a positive non-political aspect of Mike Huckabee.

     Posted by sjchermak at 09/02/2008 @ 11:47pm

125. Hello brunowe,

     You said "Actually it's anti-choice because it is essentially advocating forced childbirth."

     You are looking from your perspective and really twisting things around big time.

     It is a BABY in the womb, close to being a human if you declare it is not actually one, an entity that exhibits life-like behavior.

     It is not just an inert piece of tissue that is nothing at all until it pops out of the womb.

     But you say that if you suggest someone should not abort, then that is forcing childbirth.

     I can not buy into the concept that it is the mother's decision alone and that if she decides to abort, then no one can question it.

     The BABY can't speak up, thus the other party involved in this has no say.

     I am angry. I did not create the situation were women give birth to children. I am not responsible for the fact that God designed things that way.

     But this concept that you CANNOT and DARE NOT tell a woman what to do with her body, and if you do otherwise is forcing childbirth, is ridiculous.

     Since God designed things such that this is how childbirth works, then I believe that once conception has occurred, to be told you can not ask WHAT ABOUT THE BABY?, is not appropriate.

     How many times do I have to say this- I am not comfortable telling someone, anyone else what to do. But there is more than one person involved when a woman is pregnant, and I resent implication that I am trying to force my morality upon someone when I ask WHAT ABOUT THE BABY? and I resent that I am advocating forcing childbirth on someone because I ask WHAT ABOUT THE BABY?

     It is not an inert piece of tissue that is nothing at all until it pops out of the mother, and then, and only then does it become something.

     SHOULDN'T THE BABY have a CHOICE, as well?

     Posted by sjchermak at 09/03/2008 @ 12:06am

126. Here's an Aussie Journo's view of Sarah Palin as a potential P. Funny how she's dominating the Left's minds. (I weren't a polite Aussie I would think the Left is shittin' itself).

     Andrew Bolt says: "Sarah Palin's a huntin', shootim' go-gettin' Alaskan "mom" with grunt and principle. Vile smears against her prove the US Left is running scared."

     http://tinyurl.com/5lfwps

     Posted by lrjones4 at 09/03/2008 @ 12:11am

127. Hello madlib,

     You said way above "Now, you can't actually tell me that you think, deep down that McCain is going to be president."

     I have told you and others over and over again what I think is going to happen.

     Until last Friday, I was only hopeful about the election outcome, but would not have predicted it. "Deep down" I didn't know whether the liberal Obama or the liberal McCain would be president, I didn't know which liberal would be elected.

     Friday changed things, I know now how the election is going to come out.

     I can tell you what I think "deep down", have told these blogs on Friday and again today - you can either believe me or not believe me.

     Note that I am not saying what you believe or what you should believe, I am telling you what I believe.

     And you can either believe me or not, and since I can't control what you, a complete stranger, think about what I really believe, I will not worry about what you think I really believe.

     If my telling you what I believe is not good enough, then I can't worry about how you interpret my comments.

     Posted by sjchermak at 09/03/2008 @ 12:15am

128. "It is a BABY in the womb, close to being a human if you declare it is not actually one, an entity that exhibits life-like behavior."

     Sorry, it's a fetus. That's why pregnant people say they are GOING to have a baby.

     Posted by brunowe at 09/03/2008 @ 12:31am

129. God is such a great abortionist, so why should we worry about safe, legal abortion. About half of all pregnancies end in miscarriages so obviously God isn't concerned about embryo death rates if he/she is truly omnipotent. The world's population is expanding by over 70 million a year and 2 billion are living in poverty and these anti-choice people only seem to be concerned about killing eggs, sperm, blastocysts and embryos. It is time to rethink this moralistic nonsense as our civilization moves ever closer to collapse and a planet wide population crash. Abortions are going to happen whether illegal and unsafe, so lets make them legal and safe rather than ruin women's lives. If everyone had Palin's views and apparently uncontrolled fertility, we could bring on disaster even faster. I don't think people will vote for this if they know the facts or are capable of thinking about their future.

     Posted by leemiller38 at 09/03/2008 @ 12:49am

130. Since God designed things such that this is how childbirth works,

     prove it.

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 01:03am

131. Posted by lrjones4 at 09/03/2008 @ 12:11am

     that's what i keep telling 'em.

     let her go.....

     focus on real things.

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 01:04am

132. that's what i keep telling 'em.

     let her go.....

     focus on real things.

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 01:04am

     7.50pm Tues here FZ so I'm not burning the early morning oil.

     My son just told me the Dems had pretty extensive dirt files on the two they thought McCain was most likely to choose from. So its a bit of a giggle to see the Dems , and their running dogs, scraping the bottom of the dirt barrel to smear this , sweet, winsome , barracuda lady.

     Hope you noted that it took an Aussie journo to remind us that this gal is a real, redneck man's woman, as if any red blooded man didn't know, and that that demographic combined with the re-energised religious base, that helped get Bush across the line twice, could make it an interesting election. In other words who needs Hillary's old maids ....whoops I mean sheilas?

     Posted by lrjones4 at 09/03/2008 @ 05:52am

133. KODIAK MOMENT

     NEWSWIRE--The 17-year-old daughter of vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin is five months pregnant. She plans to have the baby and marry the father.

     Juno made its film debut About an unwed teenage mother. Alaska has a Juneau, too. As well as one of the other.

     www.newsandverse.com Light verse, ripped from the headlines

     Posted by newsandverse at 09/03/2008 @ 06:57am

134. I know a lot of folks who have a wild youth like that who grow up to be big CHristian conservatives, it's a penance for a reckless past.

     Posted by yutsano at 09/02/2008 @ 11:24pm

     The old do as I say, not as I do addage. If people wish to be born again, that's their business, but being a hypocrit and throwing stones for other's doing the same as you is indefensible.

     This holier than thou attitude of the extreme right which just happens to be the same group of cocaine,weed,alcohol,sex drugs and rock and roll folks out of their younger years.

     There's nothing wrong with partying and carrying on, but there sure as hell is something wrong with doing all of it and then telling other's they can't do it because you've done it and have now decided it's evil and unholy.

     The rethug hypocracy knows no bounds.

     Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/03/2008 @ 07:38am

135. There's nothing wrong with partying and carrying on, but there sure as hell is something wrong with doing all of it and then telling other's they can't do it because you've done it and have now decided it's evil and unholy.

     Posted by Wolfgang1 at 09/03/2008 @ 07:38am

     REPUBLICAN'TS

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 11:01am

136. Can't wait for the question: "Gov Palin, what is your position on sex education?" Hopefully an independent journalist will video that and put it on YouTube.

     Not to move the subject away from Palin and her daughter's pregnancy, which has of course morphed into another abortion rights battle here (sorry, but that is so incredibly boring! - stop making women's bodies a political plank in your damn platform once again!) -

     Have any of you seen what is happening to the independent media in St Paul? The first amendment is dead in that town.

     Thinking that is more important news than the "news" that abstinence didn't work well for another teenager - and frankly whose fault is that? But, oh, I forgot: all is forgiven 'cause she CHOSE to have the baby. right - like she even had a choice with Palin as her mother.

     Posted by fiona33 at 09/03/2008 @ 5:26pm

137. For all of those questions for me regarding Bristol's pregnancy:

     •••• hmmm? that's private.

     Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/03/2008 @ 7:48pm

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:13am

138. Even if I had some future knowledge that Palin would be named, I still would not have given her birth control.

     ••••• 5 kids? that's a lot of hydrocarbons. plus, if she's elected, imagine the size of the secret service detail!

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:14am

139. A 17 year old has no business being sexually active.

     •••• please, please respond to this:

     "[F]OR ANOTHER 17-YEAR-OLD FROM THE SHIA HOLY CITY OF NAJAF IN SOUTHERN IRAQ, AN EVENING'S WORK IN AN ADULT BAR OUTSIDE DAMASCUS STILL BRINGS HER SHAME. BUT IT IS THE ONLY INCOME HER FAMILY HAS.

     "NO ONE IN MY FAMILY CAN SHOUT AT ME, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW WHAT I DO, BECAUSE I AM THE ONLY ONE WORKING," SAID THE GIRL, WHO HAS CHANGED HER NAME TO AYMAN SINCE ARRIVING IN SYRIA IN JUNE 2003 AND WHO EARNS $60 A NIGHT DANCING AND SLEEPING WITH WEALTHY SYRIANS AND ARABS FROM THE GULF.

     "I DRINK A LOT OF WINE BEFORE I HAVE SEX WITH THE MEN. SOMETIMES I HATE MYSELF FOR DOING THIS JOB, ESPECIALLY WHEN MEN ASK ME TO DO UNUSUAL THINGS TO MAKE THEM HAPPY," SAID AYMAN. "I WANT TO BE MARRIED TO A GOOD HUSBAND AND TO HAVE A FAMILY OF MY OWN, BUT THE WAR FORCED ME TO COME TO SYRIA. I KEEP THINKING I SHOULD JUST RUN AWAY TO START A NEW LIFE IN EUROPE, OR MAYBE EVEN AMERICA.""

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:15am

140. As I said before, we teach not to steal or murder to our children, but every thief and murderer is someone's son or daughter. Teaching what is right and having someone fail to keep what is morally right does not mean you abandon teaching what is right.

     Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/03/2008 @ 7:48pm

     i thought only catholics confessed....

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:16am

141. I applaud Bristol and her boyfriend for making the responsible decision about the pregnancy that resulted from some irresponsible decisions, and Gov Palin and her husband for demonstrating the right response as Christian parents.

     Posted by lvliberty1 at 09/03/2008 @ 7:48pm

     me, too.

     but not as christians,

     but as humans.

     i ain't christian,

     but i'd sure do the same thing.

     thank god for birth control!

     simply disgusting how this family is being used by "both sides"

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:18am

142. don't worry,

     god still loves you.

     me, too.

     fun with syntax.

     that's god's favourite.

     Posted by frosty zoom at 09/04/2008 @ 12:37am

143. "A 17 year old has no business being sexually active."???Tell that to the hormones of every teenager, lvliberty1. But, then again, you and every other "Christian parent" who believes that abstinence actually works for teenagers, are truly entitled to your opinion. It's just very sad that the teenagers of these "Christian" parents have no "choice" in the matter also. You all can go ahead and continue to live in your small minded religious bubble, while the rest of us actually take on the problems of the country and our children without relying on wishful thinking.

     Posted by fiona33 at 09/04/2008 @ 5:23pm