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McCain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

By David Bender

Well, John McCain's judgement has now been tested. And he's failed that test spectacularly. The most important test of anyone who runs for president is the ability to choose first a running mate, then an administration. On the occasion of his 72nd birthday, in front of a banner that, without irony, read "Country First," McCain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, a hard right-winger who is plainly not ready to step-up in the event of McCain's inability to serve out his term.

This is a stunt pick that is an insult to truly qualified women like Hillary Clinton or Kay Bailey Hutchison and, by extension, to all women. You don't break through a glass ceiling because of gender or race, you do it on the basis of ability,experience, intelligence and judgement -- all qualities that Governor Palin either sorely lacks or has yet to demonstrate. Even Pat Buchanan (who Palin once supported for president) called this "the biggest political gamble, just about, in American political history." And joltin' Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, for once got it exactly right: "If John McCain's campaign thinks he can get Hillary Clinton voters by choosing Palin it is condescending and insulting to women and it is a terrible political faux pax."

Gambling with the nation's future may seem like smart politics to John McCain, but with this pick -- a cynical pick out of far right field -- he's plainly put his country second to his own personal ambition.

Comments

(220)

So much for the judgement and experience bullshit

that Crash has been trying to sell us. He once again displayed his complete lack of judgement by picking someone even more inexperienced than the opponent he calls inexperienced.

I hear she did a great job as mayor of her city of 6700 residents. She's also had almost two whole years running a state that has fewer people than the Twin Cities she will be visiting next week. Hopefully, she won't be too scared at seeing so many people in one place at a time.

Some of the questions she'll be answering while here:

"Ms. Palin, how did you deal with mass transit issues in Wasilla?"

"Ms. Palin, what's it like to come to a place where people actually outnumber the bears and seals?"

"Ms. Palin, how did you deal with keeping Alaska free of terrorists?"

"Ms Palin, how many heads of state have you negotiated with, or even met, in your extensive 20 months in office?"

"Ms. Palin, if chosen as VP, will you fire personal enemies as you did in Alaska?"

By UffdaguyAugust 29, 2008 - 1:55pm

Yea, Alaska. Is that even a state?

How can she run for VP? She is not a North east snob. She didn't come from money. And she sure did not got to the right schools. Does she even know the right people?

She got her political start by joining the PTA. We can not have that kind of person in the White House.

By Jim2244August 29, 2008 - 2:25pm

She comes from a state that didn't even become a state until

McCain was in his 20s!

I'm not saying a damn thing about where she came from, despite what you are trying to imply. What I'm saying is that she is so woefully out of her league as a VP choice, it would be funny if it weren't so important. You guys rag on Obama for not having experience, but he has served in the Illinois legislature and as a US senator. Palin has absolutely no national experience of any kind. Even the governors that went on to become presidents, like Carter and Reagan, ran states that were far, far more populous that Alaska. It makes a huge difference, going from running a state of 670,000 people for 20 months, to becoming the leader of 300 million. If she is the best that McCain could do, when even as a dem, I can quickly come up with at least half a dozen repubs who would have been better, even if I personally don't like their politics, then repubs are in deep trouble. If he wanted a woman VP, why not Elizabeth Dole, with lots of national experience, or Kay Bailey Hutchinson?

By UffdaguyAugust 29, 2008 - 2:36pm

Come now... you don't want

Come now... you don't want to open the experience can of worms. For every one of those fingers you point at her, you point three at Obama. For anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty, regardless of your political persuasion, it is plain to see that she runs circles around Obama. He's got literally nothing - "Community Activist", 143 days in the Senate prior to declaring his candidacy, NO executive experience, as to his committee chaimanship; what did he do? Nothing - not ONE meeting - PLEASE. He is a total joke. I could go on and on. She made her way to where she is by successfully delivering for her constituents at various levels of public service. The fact that she will be villified by the press and liberals only serves to illustrate the point that she is the perfect choice (and will illustrate clear bias on the part of the media). Conservatives were disillusioned... now they're fired up. All the platitudes that Obama spews, she has lived, barring the 'government-will-take-care-of-your-every-need' bit. From the standpoint of playing to win, this is clearly brilliant!

By truthifierAugust 29, 2008 - 4:02pm

How about intelligence?

Anybody want a smart president? Compare the intelligence of Obama/Biden and McCain/whatshername. Experience means nothing if you are dumb. Your experience cannot inform you. That is why we have had so many failures under Bush. And it will be the same if McCain and co wins. Truth is McCain has not been very bright in his life, but he was very privileged. His Admiral Dad and rich cutie second wife have put him where he is today. Plus he is no longer a maverick but has caved in to the right wing and republican party. Obama/Biden are just the opposite. Two individuals from humble beginnings - but because of their intelligence and hard work they both went far. Obama's accomplishments and his intellectual skills are clearly superior to the soccer mom. There is no argument. Obama is more qualified. The soccer mom was only selected because of her token appeal to the right wing conservative christians and to women. Let's not pretend that her selection had anything to do with either her abilities or to her experience.

By osmith1956August 31, 2008 - 3:25am

Experience debate - NOT

Come now... you don't want to open the experience can of worms. For every one of those fingers you point at her, you point three at Obama. By the way, how many people does Biden represent? For anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty, regardless of your political persuasion, it is plain to see that she runs circles around Obama. He's got literally nothing - "Community Activist", 143 days in the Senate prior to declaring his candidacy, NO executive experience, as to his committee chaimanship; what did he do? Nothing - not ONE meeting - PLEASE. He is a total joke. I could go on and on. She made her way to where she is by successfully delivering for her constituents at various levels of public service. The fact that she will be villified by the press and liberals only serves to illustrate the point that she is the perfect choice (and will illustrate clear bias on the part of the media). Conservatives were disillusioned... now they're fired up. All the platitudes that Obama spews, she has lived, barring the 'government-will-take-care-of-your-every-need' bit. From the standpoint of playing to win, this is clearly brilliant!

By truthifierAugust 29, 2008 - 4:05pm

You could go on

and on but we've already heard what druggie had to say today.

By justintymeAugust 29, 2008 - 4:14pm

Experience?

.

Like:

Keating 5

Suncore

EADS

John McCain's senate experience is 30 years of scandal.

By deanrddAugust 31, 2008 - 7:23pm

She sure did a nice head shot though

By Repug standards, that and opposition to abortion makes her qualified for anything.

I'm surprised the Far Right is not hooting and hollering about this pick the way they did about Harriet Miers for the Supremes. Oh, wait, Ms. Palin is clearly opposed to abortion. That makes her okay.

By blogbobAugust 29, 2008 - 11:47pm

Sarah Palin's Qualifications to be President of the United State

She helped the team win the Alaska small-school basketball championship in 1982, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds of the game, despite having an ankle stress fracture at the time...and was the leader of team prayer before games.

In 1984, Palin won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest, then finished second in the Miss Alaska pageant...In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute, and won the title of "Miss Congeniality."

She then briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working in commerical fishing with her husband.

Palin began her political career in 1992, running for Wasilla City Council, as the supporter of the controversial new sales taxand with an advertisement advocating "a safer, more progrssive Wasilla." She also increased the city sales tax to pay for construction of an indoor ice rink and sports complex.

Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders.

Palin has strongly promoted oil resource development in Alaska. In response to high oil and gas prices, and the resulting state government budget surplus, Palin proposed giving Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards, She subsequently dropped the debit card proposal, and in its place she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly, paid for from the windfall surplus the state is getting because of the high oil prices.

In 2007, Palin approved a $150 cash incentive to aerial gunner-pilot teams for each Alaskan wolf they kill. In May 2008, Palin objected to the decision of the Secretary of the Interior, to list polar bears as an endangered species. She threatened a lawsuit to stop the listing amid fears that it would hurt oil and gas development in the bears' habitat off Alaska's northern and northwestern coasts. She said the move to list the bears was premature and was not the appropriate management tool for their welfare.

She has called the global warming theory supported by [U.S. Secretary of the Interior] Kempthrone "unreliable", and asserted that human activity has not caused Arctic ice to melt, stating that "I'm not one though who would attribute it to human activity."

Palin cancelled the bridge [to nowhere] because Alaska's congressional delegation was unable to prevent the state of Alaska from having to pay for part of the bridge's construction [this was after initially supporting the project]. Alaska still kept the federal money, but she stated that Alaska should rely less on federal funding.

Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan...her power to fire him is not in question, but Monegan alleged that his dismissal may have been an abuse of power tied to his reluctance to fire Palin's former brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann. Palin is currently being investigated by an independent investigator hired by the Alaska Legislature, to determine whether she abused her power when she fired Monegan. The investigation is scheduled to end October 30, only days before the November 4 presidential election.

So, we can expect that Vice President Palin/President if she succeeds, will:

1. Look good in a suit

2. Play the flute at White House state dinners

3. Be able to accurately report the play at a Washington Redskins football game

4. Stand up for the position of the NRA without question

7. Raise taxes for pet projects, while lowering them

8. Crack down on people who piss her off in a way not seen since Nixon

9. Resign in protest if she encounters unscrupulous people and can't get her way.

By blogbobAugust 30, 2008 - 10:15am

Judgement, Ya right

You don't want to go there. (Rezco, Wright, Aires) but with all that aside. Mr. Obama never negoiated with any head of state. He just met with them with his fan club, (CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS) right on his heels. And after the bands played at each event to get poeple to come to the show, and a lot left be for he came on, that wasn't reported. He had to trash every American. If he thinks it is so much better some place ells. MOVE. When he met with the heads of states, it was only for photo opps.Hell, even being a mayor is tougher than being a community activist let alone being a Governer of a very big state. 9000, 670000, 300million, They are all still Americans. All with wants and needs like everyone ells. Why do you have to trash everyone or start with the name calling because someone thinks a little differnt than you. That is why we have Dems. and Reps. The House and Senate. Liberals and Conservitives. All Americans. With a right of free speech. I maybe as some call me a low life truck driver, clooging up the highways and byways moveing the goods you want and need. But because my problems, and the rest of us out there are having a some what of a hard time, We are still Americans. When some say we need to go after big oil or big corparations, We forgrt about big Governmaent. That keeps raising all our taxes and not giving it back to us.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 9:48am

"We forgrt about big Governmaent

That keeps raising all our taxes and not giving it back to us."

And so I should go with more of the same? Or am I suppose to believe the same failed policies Palin supports will produce better results because she looks like a different Candidate?

Are you planning on going with more from the 'spend don't tax' crowd? Cuz, I'm a huge fan of rhetorical fiscal policy.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 10:58am

Are Republicans really for family values?

Spend don't tax=Borrow and spend=tax our children and grandchildren to pay off the debt=huge tax increases for them.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Dwight Eisenhower

By MichtouSeptember 1, 2008 - 11:03am

Big Government

I never said keep spending. As I have said in Obamas tax plan, We don't need any more doggie parks. We need better infrostucture. Less big Government spending. Less spending, less tax. If I want something, I work hard and save for it. But when the government wants to take our tax dollars to a golf club in South Carolina, because someone thinks it would build caractor in a young man. Well do the math. We need to stop spending on both sides.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 12:00pm

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 1:00pm

Where do you want to stop spending firs? Repeal of the Medicare perscription drug program? Another entitlement? Defense spending?

Recently the Republican's have outspent LBJ (in terms of growth in spending) and I think arguably produced more negative results. What do you consider more likely to change that trend? A McCain Presidency or an Obama Presidency? A Republican Congress or a Democratic Congress?

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 12:19pm

What do you think pays for

What do you think pays for "infrostrucure"...the tooth fairy?
Seriously, although there are some pork barrel projects in the budget, no infrastructure can be paid for without taxes. And right now, do you know where your tax money is going? To IRAQ, to companies like Halliburton and KBR which have managed to syphon off YOUR tax dollars directly into their pockets and give very little in return. Not just billions anymore, trillions. It's a con game, and you're being conned.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Dwight Eisenhower

By MichtouSeptember 1, 2008 - 12:21pm

I pay

As a American truck driver, I see where the money is not going. Why is it when I say that Washington sould cut spending, you all start with Medicare or perscription drugs. I ment wastefull spending. But when I read and hear about wastefull spending on a Republican or Democrarts pet prodject, something has to give. The amount of tax that I pay to drive down the road to bring you as I stated befor, the prducts that America wants and needs then I hear how they are talking about another 10 cents fuel tax to make up for what we are trying to conserve, It makes no sense to me. Back in June, South Carolina reported that they were already 33 million short because everone is not buying enough gas because of the high cost. And now they want to add more to make up for it. I do have some math skills.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 1:51pm

I do have some math skills.

I believe that is a truthful statement.

What was the stuff before it suppose to mean?

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 2:53pm

In the last 7 years

republican policies have added 2 1/2 dollars to the price of gas, most of it going into the pockets of big oil, speculators and Arab potentates and yet you continue to support them and complain about a dime increase in the tax.

The republicans have PROVEN to be bigger spenders than the Dems ever were. You talk about wasteful spending. The biggest waste in history is the occupation of Iraq.

Dr B brought up medicare because that and social security is where the repubs are always looking to cut but have no problem shoveling money to their corporate minions with contracts in Iraq or on boondoggles like Star Wars.

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 3:48pm

What about the last 2 years of control

The Democrats have had control and still the price went up with no real solution. And both partys spend your money like theres no tomarow. I still haven't seen any Democrat policies on the fuel problems. Oh wait, inflate your tires. Tell me how much air in my tires do I need or how much wind or solar power is needed to get that gallon of milk to your store. Untill the new technolagies come along that all can aford, we still depend on oil and all the other things that oil does for us.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 4:03pm

Democratic control

The republicans have filibustered more than at any time in our history. They are unapologetically obstructing any positive steps the dems take. If that were not enough, it is no secret that GWB would veto ANY attempt to legislate our way out of this. Beyond that are the policy decisions made at the administrative level that are not subject to congressional approval.

If you have not seen the Dems proposing things that will positively affect the situation then you are not paying attention. The point about tire inflation was merely an illustration of how little McCains plan to drill in ANWAR would do for us. It is true that proper tire inflation and tune ups would, indeed, have a greater effect and in far less time. The Dems are proposing MAJOR funding for renewable energy like wind and solar, Higher fuel standards for new cars, funding to support more hybrid technology and a bill to curtail speculation among other ideas.

The repubs only solution is to hand out more leases to oil companies to drill, but they are already sitting on 65 million acres of leases that they are not exploring now with record high prices. What are they waiting for?

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 4:59pm

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 5:59pm

He hasn't SEEN what the Dems are proposing on energy. But that will soon be rectified. Michael Savage will cover it Monday after he does the segment on treatment options for Palin's children.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 5:39pm

I wonder how that

I wonder how that woman-hater Savage will twist this and still make Republican sound good.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Dwight Eisenhower

By MichtouSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:33pm

Washingtons BS

Each side try to add on to each bill. If not earmarks, it is something eles. It is also not just the McCains plans or policies. Some say it would be anywere from 3 to 7 years to get the oil to the market. But what will be the price be then. And if some ones car still needs a tune up, They can't aford a new car let alone a hybrid. That to me was another insult to most Americans that we don't keep are tires inflated. But thats another story. They won't beable to stop the sepculation on oil. It is just not traded in the US. The world market also can set the price that the oil companys have to pay. And for the leases that they are not drillig. NO oil. What do you want with leases. And what do you think the place in the ANWAR is. If you take the New York Times front page, Opne it up to the full front and back pages are layed out. Then take a postage stamp and lay it down. That is how much land they are looking for. And tell me what is so bad about drilling land that can't be used for anthing. You can''''t build on it. And please don't for get the rule of suply and demand. Don't also for get what happehed back in the 70s. I don't want to relive that time.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 5:43pm

Who says the leases don't have oil?

Rush? If they have no oil then they shouldn't mind returning them to US. But they won't because they carry them as ASSETS.

Yes supply and demand. Drilling in ANWAR will do very little about the supply in global terms. That's why the best way to effect prices is by reducing demand. As the largest user in the world, by far, curbing demand here has a large effect on prices.

Those who cannot afford a tune up. by the used cars that are available down the road. A few years ago that meant Crown Vics, today it means Exploders, ten years from now it will be Escape hybrids. Supporting the sale of fuel efficient cars will have an immediate impact on fuel usage today with the new car buyer just as it did 30 years ago and it will have a lasting impact as todays cars are the used cars of tomorrow.

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 6:03pm

ANWAR

Who told you that ANWAR would not help. And please tell me how I can reduce the demand when my job requiers that fuel to bring you the goods you want and need. Please dont try and tell me abuot Bio fuel. It cost more to produce it than use it. And as far as the largest usage, We are also the most productive user of it.
why dont you tell me about how China wastes it and what are you doing to help them reduce the use. I am sorry that I need it to do my job. If you dont mind telling me what you do to support your family.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 6:54pm

Who told you that ANWAR would not help

A strawman named dumbass?

"And please tell me how I can reduce the demand when my job requiers that fuel to bring you the goods you want and need."
Dramatically raise the prices of your goods? That's what the dismal science's law of supply and demand says. Strictly speaking and ignoring elasticity that is.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:09pm

Prices

I do not set the price of the goods. And thanks to Mr. Carter back in the 70s deregulating us. We as owner operators can not go right to the shipper. We have to use a middle man by law who is not regulated like the regs. that were put on us adout time we spend on the road. If you are told that part of the high cost of those goods are from transportation, They are lying to you. Then why are so many trucking companys are closeing the front doors. Low rates and high Fuel.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:27pm

Um, deregulation happened

Um, deregulation happened under Reagan, not Carter.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Dwight Eisenhower

By MichtouSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:31pm

gkmtrucker,

Go here to www.biowillie.com and there you can find every bio-diesel gas station in the USA. My uncle is also an owner/operator and I replaced all the fuel lines for him, and with bio fuel he gets better mileage, and more hp. Now if you don`t want to do that then all you need to do is add a gallon of corn, soybean, plain cooking oil when you fill up.

Now I own an 1988 ford bronco II with a 2.9 V6 four wheel drive, and when I rebuilt the engine I also had my cousin go in and rewrite the code so it converted into a flex fuel. So I can in my SUV can run on e85 when it comes to my town.

FREE LEONARD PELTIER
www.aimovement.org
www.layoffinhofe.com
www.autismrocks.org
www.andrewriceforoklahoma.com

By rlm_dcbSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:55pm

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 8:27pm

"I do not set the price of the goods."
But you do ask pointless questions about the price of milk?

Btw, what's your occupation. Long-haul milk delivery?

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 9:09pm

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 10:09pm

Probably. In an unrefrigerated truck...

Support the Troops.
End the Occupation.

By Guy FawkesSeptember 1, 2008 - 10:21pm

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:54pm

"Please dont try and tell me abuot Bio fuel. It cost more to produce it than use it. And as far as the largest usage, We are also the most productive user of it."
I don't suppose you care to produce proof of either claim do you?

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:10pm

estimates are that ANWAR would reduce oil prices by about

$2 a barrel. But then if OPEC responds by reducing production that goes away entirely.
here is a link to an explanation http://www.env-econ.net/2005/10/impact_of_anwr__2.html

China is going to use more and more oil as their economy expands. So will India. Reducing our demand for oil will SLOW the rising price but not stop or reverse it other than temporarily. we can help them to reduce future use with research into alternatives. The ONLY sensible course is to find other ways to power us.

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 8:16pm

"why dont you tell me about how China wastes [energy]"


Sure, my pleasure.

China's mileage standards are over 38% higher than ours.

China has fully embraced all manner of fuel efficiency strategies and unequivocally acknowledges the reality of man-made global warming.

Same with Europe.

They all think we are a nation of dim-witted Contards... And lately, they've been right.

TIME FOR A CHANGE.

GOBAMA!

By A GSeptember 2, 2008 - 8:15am

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 6:43pm

"And tell me what is so bad about drilling land that can't be used for anthing"
Calm down. Nobody is talking about taking a core sample of your cranium. We just want to examine it from a safe distance.

"That to me was another insult to most Americans that we don't keep are tires inflated. But thats another story."
That, or it was a department of energy recommendation based on analysis. As if it would make a difference.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 6:09pm

More cut downs

Why do you have to cut some one down because he has a differnt opinion than you. You dont have tobe a Richard Cranium (if thats the way you want to go with this), But what came first. The speech or the report. And I alraedy know.

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:03pm

What came first. The speech or the report. And I alraedy know

The report. If you know why did you ask?

"Why do you have to cut some one down because he has a differnt opinion than you."
There is no obligation but ignorant frauds are the inspiration. And it's not the ideas being different. It's the baseless and willfully uninformed.

I'm still waiting for my delivery cost variables trucker-man.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 7:14pm

By gt6September 1, 2008 - 4:48pm

"Dr B brought up medicare because that and social security is where the repubs are always looking to cut but have no problem shoveling money to their corporate minions"
More than that. It was mostly because after you take out debt, entitlements and defense you don't have a lot of budet to work with. I think we fight and argue over the little shit while we blindly make the biggest stuff worse. It's like when people aquired some math, "<" and ">" weren't included in the acquisition. I went with Medicare because they took the LESS solvent entitlement and added to it PLUS they clearly enriched friends PLUS screwed the implementation.

And of course, the tool just knocks the spending since 2006. No comment about long-term trends or rate of increase in spending.

By Dr_BillionaireSeptember 1, 2008 - 5:35pm

Just for the record.

The population of Alaska is LESS than 700,000.

Being governor of Alaska for a year and a half is like being Burough President of Staten Island.

YAWN!

========================

She's a disaster.

She under investigation for her Cheeney-esque disregard for the rule of law.

Her medieval adherence to "abstinance only" sex education has been proven TO INCREASE teenage pregnancy AS SHE NOW KNOWS BETTER THAT ANYONE.

She rejects science which makes her JUST PLAIN STUPID.

And frankly, she's gotten through life on her looks! If she wasn't physically attractive, she'd be nobody.

============================

Your "big government" mantra rings hollow. It is your REPUBLICAN buddies that have expanded the government, shoveling VAST FORTUNES into the hands of military-industrial complex corporate CRONIES, and turned a budget surpluss INTO A TEN-TRILLION DOLLAR DEBT.

I'll take my chances with Obama, thank you very much.

As to "Rezco, Wright, Aires". This is nothing more than guilt by association... An old Rovian smear tactic as old as Lee Atwater's brain tumor... People are wise to it. It no longer gets any traction... If that's all you've got, you're in trouble.

TAXES:

ARE YOU GUYS FUCKING DENSE OR SOMETHING??!!... WHAT PART OF THIS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND??:

BARAK OBAMA WILL LOWER... LOWER... LOWER TAXES FOR 95% OF AMERICANS.

And oh, Did I mention?: BARAK OBAMA WILL LOWER TAXES FOR 95% OF AMERICANS.

===========================

"...some call me a low life truck driver, clooging up the highways and byways moveing the goods you want and need..."

I haven't heard anything like that here... In fact, myself and others have applauded you for your civility. This notion seems to be a recurring theme with you. You seem to always feel victimized.

Sounds like a personal problem to me. Have you concidered counciling?

By A GSeptember 2, 2008 - 7:59am

FRist to say NO to Palin

President Palin? Scary thought!

Lets see this for what it really is. Given McCain's history with woman, it seems clear to ME why he picked her. If I were Cindy McCain, I'd be very worried! John has a habit of "trading up" his women when he gets tired of the old one!

-- McCain = Four more years of the same --

By dtaylo75August 29, 2008 - 1:56pm

You ain't kidding about McCain

Check out this video that was posted on another thread:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RN5xbWtNSU
Look at the way he's playing with his wedding band as he checks out Palin's toosh.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Dwight Eisenhower

By MichtouAugust 30, 2008 - 11:58pm

It's all about experience!

.
John McCain graduated 5th from the bottom from the Naval Academy. 5th from the bottom. That puts him in the top 99.45%.

According to the Republicans, it's all about "experience", not judgement, or smarts, or education. Obviously, someone 72 has 72 years worth of experience. That is a lot of experience. How can Obama compete with 72 years of experience?

By deanrddAugust 29, 2008 - 1:57pm

Then why stop at 72?

Why not pick a candidate who is 75? 80? 90? Living a long time is not necessarily something that qualifies you to lead a dog on a leash, much less a nation.

Most major corporations have a mandatory retirement age of 65, or in some cases, 70. Why is that? Could it be that they feel that someone at that age is not quite as sharp mentally or capable physically as someone younger? If corporate America thinks having someone McCain's age running the company is bad, perhaps even dangerous, why is it no less so when it comes to running the country?

By UffdaguyAugust 29, 2008 - 2:13pm

72 is so old, Let's have a Mandatory Retirement age for Senators

Let's get rid of all the old guys now!! Start with Byrd and Kennedy

Senator Kennedy is 76 years old and has served in the Senate for 43 years. Compared to Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia), Kennedy is young. Byrd is 90 years old and has served in the Senate for 49 years since he was first elected in 1959. He is the longest serving Senator in the history of the legislature.

The average age of a US senator is 62. The ages of senators range from 90 to 43. Six senators are age 80 or older and thirty-five senators are between the ages of 65 and 79.

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By ThatTXGuyAugust 30, 2008 - 8:08pm

None of those others

is running for president. None is subject to phone calls at 3AM because of an invasion. None of them is counted on for quick decisions. None is suggesting they take on a whole raft of new responsibilities.

By gt6August 30, 2008 - 10:13pm

It's all about experience!

You bet! That's why the Dems should have nominated Robert Byrd instead of this Obama guy- let's see McCain compete with THAT!

By Freedom FriesAugust 29, 2008 - 2:16pm

Hey David

Ms Palin being selected as the Republican VP Candidate is not a slap in the face to Hillary Clinton or Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The slap in the face to these woman came from the democratic Party by not selecting one of these ladies as the presidential or vp candidate.

And say what you want (I am sure you will) but Ms Palin is more qualified to be Presidnet than Obama.

By Jim2244August 29, 2008 - 2:14pm

Jim - Come on. This is

Jim -

Come on. This is Derm. I produce Lionel's show.

Please...please...PLEASE explain to me, calmly and without needless insults, how this woman is more qualified to be President of the United States than Barack Obama.

Even if you think Barack Obama is NOT qualified, explain to me how this individual IS qualified. That's all I'm asking.

Best,

Derm

By The Lionel ShowAugust 29, 2008 - 2:21pm

Good luck on that one Derm...

Choosing her as VP is as bad as if Obama had chosen Tim Kaine. Nothing against Kaine, who was my governor when I used to live in VA, but he, like Palin, would bring nothing to the ticket. McCain's pick was pivotal, because of his age, and his occasional statement that he will serve only one term. As much as I didn't like Romney, even HE would be a better choice than Palin.

By UffdaguyAugust 29, 2008 - 2:29pm

Ms Palin has more executive

Ms Palin has more executive experience than Obama. She has beena mayor and is now Governor. What has Obama every managed?

By Jim2244August 29, 2008 - 2:35pm

I'm going to leave out the

I'm going to leave out the obligatory comments about your spelling and grammatical errors (whoops, I didn't leave 'em out at all, did I?).

She's been a mayor. For 2 years. Of a tiny, tiny town ("city"). And now she is the governor. Of a state with a tiny, tiny population. Forgive me for not being bowled over.

I'll give you this: she has more concrete political experience than ME; I would be a piss-poor Vice President. So would she be.

Look, I'm not trying to be a snarky little a**hole here - that's not really my style. I also don't like having protracted (that means "long") and pointless fights on blogs. Your answer to my question was exactly as underwhelming as I thought it would be.

Thanks for responding, though.

Best,

Derm

By The Lionel ShowAugust 29, 2008 - 2:49pm

Did Lionel teach you to be a

Did Lionel teach you to be a sarcastic little prick?

You asked how Palin was more qualified than Obama, he answered. It's not his fault that your party chose someone with ZERO qualifications. She may not be extremely qualified, but she is more qualified than Obama. She ran a state, he organized community bake sales.

I notice you failed to dispute the comparison. You failed to illustrate Obama as having more experience. That was suppose to be your point, wasn't it?

Mccain/Palin '08

By tropicaltoadAugust 29, 2008 - 3:09pm

Oh, look! A personal attack! That means you got NOTHIN'!

Yeah, running a "city" of 5500 people is a great qualification. Almost as much of a "qualification" as the two separate investigations she's under right now for abuse of power...hold on a sec, those just mean she's a tried-and-true RepubliCANT.

Why don't you just come right out and accuse him of saying Jukebox Johnny McWetStart named her because she can be the token MILF?

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. ~~~John Kenneth Galbraith

By nonexistent manAugust 29, 2008 - 3:11pm

He asked how Palin is more

He asked how Palin is more qualified and he got his answer. He chose to insult Palin's experience rather than explain how Obama is more experienced. Could it be that he can't explain how Obama is more experienced because he isn't?

You can insult her experience all you want, but remember that your party chose someone with less!

Mccain/Palin '08

By tropicaltoadAugust 29, 2008 - 3:18pm

What "experience" is that?

Being the target of two separate investigations for abuse of power? Yeah, that's really something someone wants to list on their resume.

Oh, that's right. IOKIYAR. My bad.

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. ~~~John Kenneth Galbraith

By nonexistent manAugust 29, 2008 - 3:20pm

yup - she's an exec

That's the TP (talking point) that they are throwing. she holds an executive office. and he holds a legislative office. Not sure how far that goes in terms of foreign policy. 2 years in Alaska doesn't make you qualified to take on Putin.
My counter TP would be that Obama has shown in this campaign that he is capable of working on the world stage. The way he has run his campaign so far shows impressive managerial talent. And, whatever he doesn't know he can turn to Biden for.

By zoomAugust 29, 2008 - 3:20pm

I think the term TP

in this case should stand for "Toilet Paper". The Repugs cannot criticize Obama's Thursday speech, so they'll go after his resume.

ENOUGH!

By blogbobAugust 29, 2008 - 11:07pm

What is this rapidly

What is this rapidly spreading talking point about "bake sales"? How do people come up with this stuff? And I'm not talking about right-wingers only; we seem as a race to be inexorably drawn to these absolutely meaningless little sound-bytes. "Bake sales"?

Obama was a community organizer, a civil rights attorney, an Illinois State Senator, and a U.S. Senator. He presided in an organizational capacity over more people than Palin ever has.

Relax with the desparate loyalty to your party for a second: even if you think the things I've mentioned do not add up to enough experience for Obama to be President, it is totally unreasonable to say that he has "ZERO" qualifications. I myself have zero qualifications to be President, and the chasm of political experience between myself and Barack Obama is quite large.

Again: if you want to tell me that you think Barack Obama doesn't have enough experience to be President of the United States, thats fine! You're clearly not going to vote for him and there's no reason you should. But that does not mean that Palin, by default, automatically DOES have enough experience to get anywhere NEAR the White House, merely because she's on the other "team". The two are mutually exclusive - no experience for Barack does not equal adequate experience for Palin. At the very least you should be admitting they are BOTH unqualified for their respective offices (although, I would be remiss if I did not again point out that by anyone's rubric, Obama has more political experience than Palin).

I'm willing to bet you'd never heard of this woman before this morning, and now you're making her sound like she should be the PRESIDENT! Something doesn't make sense about that.

And relax with the name calling. It's just pathetic. If you honestly think that Jim's response to my question was a "gotcha" moment, you and I are not living on the same planet. I remain, as previously stated, almost comically underwhelmed by the rebuttle he offered.

- Derm

By The Lionel ShowAugust 29, 2008 - 3:28pm

"Obama was a community

"Obama was a community organizer, a civil rights attorney, an Illinois State Senator, and a U.S. Senator. He presided in an organizational capacity over more people than Palin ever has."

In an organizational capacity???

Sitting on a committee is not an example of running anything. Raising your hand and saying "present" is not an example running anything. Organizing something is not the same as running it or being in charge of it. Organizational skills, wow, I'm impressed. Oh, and he's a lawyer. So what, who isn't?

This discussion really does amuse me. We are comparing the Republican veep to the Democrat nominee here. The bottom line is that Palin has run a city and a state. Obama has not been in charge of anything of any significance. I love it, the left loved that Obama was a fresh face, now they are surprised when their fresh face has little experience. Now they want to point out how much of a Washington insider he is!

And I'm sorry if calling you a sarcastic little prick hurt your feelings, but I would not have called you one if you weren't being one. "I'm not going to bring up your typos and spelling errors. Oops, I just did! Tee hee!" Sorry, but that is the type of crap sarcastic little pricks say.

Mccain/Palin '08

By tropicaltoadAugust 29, 2008 - 4:27pm

By tropicaltoadAugust 29, 2008 - 5:27pm

Just doing some wonderin'

Alaska is a small state and Palin is a conservative. So one would think that the entire Government of the State of Alaska would be a small efficient business like enterprise with only the number of employees necessary.

Obama on the other hand is a far left candidate running a national campaign. You've got to figure his campaign is oversized, wasteful, liberal organization, dominated by special interests with far too many employees.

So he has to be managing an organization much larger than Palin ever has, right? Isn't that the way the principle of akumus razortori non-sequitato works?

By Dr_BillionaireAugust 29, 2008 - 5:00pm

Even more woudering

Gov. Palin may only have had only 9500 as a Mayor, and 670,000 in the state, but Mr. Obama is not running his campain. He has speech writers just as the rest do. He has event planers like all the rest do. He is not running anything. He has others do it for him. Ask his campain manager who ie realy running it

By gkmtruckerSeptember 1, 2008 - 2:29pm

EXPERIENCE

.
It's obvious that even if Obama were a sitting president, he would never have enough "experience" for you.

McCain has 30 years of scandal, yet, all you talk about is Obama.

Obama is all every Republican talks about. They have these lofty, "McCain has years of experience", yet, when you ask for examples, they are strangely silent. Guess there aren't so many accomplishments after all. Just EMPTY rhetoric.

For every imagined McCain accomplishment, I can give two scandals.

Why do Republicans aim so low?

By deanrddAugust 31, 2008 - 7:31pm

Derm:

here are the reasons why Sarah Palin is qualified while Barack Obama is not (tongue in cheek of course)

1. She favors drilling in ANWR;
2. She is in the pocket of the oil companies;
3. She favors drilling in ANWR;
4. She is pro-life (at least until one challenges the constitutionality of private gun ownership)
5. She favors drilling in ANWR;
6. She's not BLACK
7. She favors drilling in ANWR;
8. She's opposed to all social programs...except those that benefit her;
9. She favors drilling in ANWR;
10. She's not a Democrat;
11. She favors drilling in ANWR;
12. She knows that the world was created by divine act at high noon on a given day about 4004 BC;
13. She favors drilling in ANWR;
14. She knows that men are not descended from simian primates;
15. She favors drilling in ANWR.

By blogbobAugust 29, 2008 - 11:11pm