She was a JOURNALISM major?!? Hahahaha... compared to, say, top-of-the-class at Harvard Law? Yeah.. she's wayyyy experienced... all those Republicans who say Keith Olberman should go back to Sportscasting... feel free to weigh in now…

This was from Wonkette today:

I watched most of the major speeches, save for Thursday night's, but I really want to watch Obama's. Everything about it, I hear, is inspiring. The Clintons were great (of course), Teddy Kennedy was really inspiring, John Kerry was fantastic (he looked like the guy I voted for in 2004 but didn't sound like him - he sounded awesome!), Michelle Obama was very good, Joe Biden was great. Mark Warner was absolutely terrible and a horrible pick for the keynote address.

I really think the Sarah Palin selection is a transparent attempt to get the PUMAs ("if you want a woman president, I'll give you a woman vice president and that's better than what you'll get from the Dems"). I'd love to see her even try to debate Joe Biden. That won't even be a contest!

President Obama gets sworn in 3 days before I turn 30 - what a great birthday present!

OMFG Chris, that is the greatest thing I've seen all week.

I am awaiting my sweet daughter taking a nap to chime in more extensively here (it's relevant, trust me) - but damn, hilarious. I love how it's like -- they wanted that woman to be prez, so we'll pick a woman veep and those 18 million votes will come to us! So simplistic, so underestimating the brains and values of those 18 million people. As if the only reason people wanted Hillary was her gender.

Sheesh.

I'm totally feeling what you guys said about the insultingly crass attempt to steal some of the Clinton supporters. I think this shows just how stupid McCain thinks either Democrats or women are.

This woman was the mayor of a town of 9,000 then governor of the union's least important state for two years. After attempting to hammer at Obama for a lack of experience, this sure is an odd choice. It's a crazy weird choice.

And, since McCain is like 9000 years old, there's a good chance the VP will inherit the office. Are we ready to trust the reigns of a country to some woman whose only political experience is a backwoods mayorship and governor for a largely rural (and pretty desolate, I think) state?

It seems apparent that he chose Palin in order to try and woo the most bitter Clinton supporters. Who does he think he's fooling?

Every time an Obama speaks I cry. Barack and Michelle are the most eloquent couple and the most talented orators, I was in tears this whole convention.

Tears of joy, mind.

This week has been way too busy for me, and I've missed all the good stuff. I'm going to have a serious extended youtube session this weekend and watch all the convention goodies.

And yeah, Palin? McCain's got nothin'.

Palin for VP... "it's k-k-k-KEN coming to k-k-k-KILL Meeeeee!!" ...Otto from A Fish Called Wanda

OK, baby is down for nap and Bumbershoot plans have been made. So, a few thoughts.

First, the obvious: Palin's profound lack of experience, especially while vying to veep for a candidate who is older than dirt, is terrifying. After all the months of knocking Obama's for his alleged lack of experience, it's actually laughable. Bringing a woman onboard to attempt to woo former Hillary supporters -- that's as hilarious as it is insulting. As if all the Repubs had to do was play map-the-gender and 18 million votes would come on over. Lunacy.

But you all knew all of that.

Here's what's so interesting to me: Being the new mama that I am, I was intrigued to hear Palin also has a new baby, born in April. Apparently she kept her pregnancy a secret because she knew the baby had Downs Syndrome because she didn't want any pressure to terminate the pregnancy (cause we pro-choice people go hassle women who decide to keep babies, dontcha know). She made a very big deal about keeping her baby {insert Madonna lyric here}.

These alleged family values of hers have caused the Evangelical nutters to slather her with exuberant praise. I heard Ralph Reed on NPR after her speech, falling over himself to praise her family values. James Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, practically drooled with delight with the veep choice, as did loads of other so-called Family this-and-that groups.

Check out this quote from Janice Shaw Crouse of the conservative Christian group Concerned Women for America:

"Sarah Palin is pro-life, pro-marriage and pro-family. She is a woman who is balancing the personal and professional in admirable ways. Sarah Palin is chief among equals with American professional women; she brings the kind of balance that characterizes the high-achieving women of today."

Balance? Really? I understand juggling career and baby (I do it myself). Take today, for example. I'm having a damn hard time just trying to figure out how to cover Bumbershoot weekend with an eight-month old. And that's a lot easier than tackling foreign dictators, presiding over Congress, etc. Can someone from Team Fundie please explain how one balances raising a baby and um, running the country as second in command? Who the hell do they think is going to raise Sarah Palin's baby now that she's on the campaign trail? And more importantly: Why are all these Family Values people not up-in-arms that Palin isn't Focusing on HER Family? These so-called Family Values people are drooling over a VP candidate who is clearly not living up to the values they preach (and I use that word literally).

And if I feel this way, as a wild and crazy rock and roll liberal, then shouldn't these Evangelical nut jobs be squawking on behalf of Palin's neglected child?

When Palin chose to have a child, she should haven chosen to raise it too. Put that in your Family Values pipe and smoke it, evangelicals!!!!

@7 -- I twittered that exactly today!! My first thought when I heard Palin was the VP -- J-j-j-john, is t-t-t-trying to k-k-k-kill me! (with laughter).

Dana @ 8: That is EXACTLY what my mom said when she found out the pick

The Governor's baby brings the total family progeny to five... one w/ down's is a lot, but five kids??? Let's just call it for what it really is and acknowledge she has some real efficient nanny help here. Michelle Obama was an accomplished attorney who recognized really nurturing two high-profile senator's kids was a big job. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think a Governor's job (even in Alaska) is a little weightier. Her nod is just another former beauty queen changing John's future colostomy bag.

Palin's a heart skip away from the presidency... or (#7) perhaps a squashed yorkie
(;-D)

This is a music forum, so I don't expect much deep political analysis (or informed analysis, for that matter), but I'll point out that choosing a woman does not win PUMA votes. Sure, he might win a few here and there, but no, that's very simplistic thinking. Palin's pro-life bona fides are unlikely to attract women who put "choice" at the top of their list of important issues.

Palin is a play for undecideds, as well as a galvanizing force for base Republican voters. She's a particularly canny choice for undecided married women, who are more likely to vote Republican than single women.

It's fun to see identity politics turned against those who are most prone to its seductions. Though Palin has some remarkable accomplishments for a mother of 5, those who oppose her politics would rather deride her as simply a "beauty queen" or a "baby machine," or even make classy comments about her hair and glasses.

I find it hilarious that "what about her children?!" hand-wringing comes from the left now, with a woman that is truly proving we can "have it all." It's a remarkable display of hypocrisy, and highly entertaining to those who have recognized it for what is all along. Live by identity polics, and die by it, my friends.

Cheers!

@michael palin -- Re: "Her nod is just another former beauty queen changing John's future colostomy bag."

I think I just fell in love with you.

@Jana -- answered you where you cross-posted.

But really, Palin is the VP. I think we've all been fascinated with this insane nomination in a Perez Hilton can't-resist-looking sort of way.

I think I'm nearly over it.

Unless we find out that baby isn't really even hers... ;)

I know it's all hearsay right now, but it sure is juicy!

"The following [addition to the Bill of Rights] would have pleased me: The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or otherwise to publish anything but false facts affecting injuriously the life, liberty or reputation of others, or affecting the peace of the [United States] with foreign nations." --Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1789. ME 7:450, Papers 15:367

I think too many of you enjoy your own self deception. Palin and Mcain are real. I've had to write $46,000 checks to the government for money I was "projected" to earn. Then I had cut 7 workers (including family) because the unemployment and other taxes were too much to bear. Lower taxes would have changed that.

I think schools generally suck. My 7 year old knows all the presidents, has been around the country, and loves to read - because I have school choice - home school.

Take off your liberal head phones. I worked in DC at the State Dept. and have seen these yo yos up close and personal. Too many of them are full of themselves (in all parties)- and they often DO believe they are superior. They are using psychological tactics on you...you libs fall for it...and they eat it up.

People said Lincoln (he was the 16th president) was an idiot, moron and did not have all experience they "wanted." Oh yea- he gave simple, basic, short, straight-talk speeches. EVERYONE else gave flowery talks to sway the weak -minded. (Remind you of someone???) Old Jedi tricks.

AND - did you notice that oil prices came down as soon as the "conservatives" began to commit to the idea of drilling, exploring, and inventing. I spoke with a liberal scientist at a conference recently, who complained about oil and Bush, bla, bla, bla. I asked him what technological solutions he was developing. But he was a talker - not a doer. I ask you zealot critics - if your so right, why don't you devote your time and money to invent new energy solutions (I am)? And give all your money to the poor. You can't, and won't.

So don't pat yourself on the back too hard, for your astute analysis of Palin. Cause she is going to truly change the face of politics. Obama is fake, Biden is a liar, Mccain and Palin are real - they will win.

BTW: do you prefer bonds, REITS, or apply technical analysis to your investment philosophy? Why? :)

Go Mccain

"An American":

Nice handle!

I hope you're not teaching your children that "headphones" is two words or that "yo-yos" is not one hypenated word.

I noticed that oil prices have been dropping lately too, but I thought that was due to conservation and actual changes in commuting habits along with an increase in the value of the dollar. Not to mention a market correction because oil was way overvalued.

I don't know if you read Elizabeth Kolbert's short piece in The New Yorker recently, but she points out that according to Department of Energy estimates, there are around 18 billion barrels of oil that can be recovered through offshore drilling. Using the current usage numbers (and assuming unrealistically that the number of cars in China and India as well as elsewhere in the world won't increase), that's a 7 month supply. Plus, it will probably be 7 to 10 years before we even see a drop of this offshore oil. Then what? I heard the people chanting "drill, baby, drill" at the RNC last week as though that would magically solve all of our energy problems.

I'm not in favor of attacking Palin for how she raises her children, but I thought there was little in the way of authenticity from her. Her speech was written by a Bushie and had a few good one liners but I thought it was condescending (what's the problem with community organizers anyway? Don't they try to improve the community they live in? How is that a bad thing?) and I've heard the chattering class (including on Fox News) that the best way to sell her to the American public is through scripted events like last Wednesday and not to let her go on "Meet The Press" where she might have to answer tough questions. That actually seems to be the plan with her. Conversely, I just saw Barack Obama being interviewed by Bill O'Reilly the other night.

I don't get the point of including the Jefferson quote above because it seems to be in contrast with Sarah Palin's record on banning books from the Wasilla library.

I never really bought in to the "yes we can" stuff anyway, so I could see the fake point about Obama (although I still think you're wrong) but how is Biden a liar? I've always found him honest and candid (sometimes much to his detriment). Sarah Palin, in her speech on Wednesday night, said that she said "thanks but no thanks" for the "Bridge to Nowhere", which we know that she initially supported it and was all to eager for it (as she was for every other dollar of government money she could get to flow to Alaska). I'm not saying she is a liar, I'm only saying that she knowingly said something she knew to be false. She's also under an investigation in Alaska for using her office to fire a state employee for a family vendetta. The revelations that have come out thus far seem to indicate that she has also been less than truthful.

@ "An American" -- I thank you for stopping by and commenting. I'm going to follow your lead and kick in with a Thomas Jefferson quote of my own:

"A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit."

To that end, before I address a few of your concerns, a statement of my intent. Your comment lobs many insults my/our way, implying that we "libs" are ignorant. I reject your premise. I reject it because, after a week of obsessively reading political blogs, I am exhausted by the hate-speak. So let's start from the premise that we both have different views on the proper role of government. Just because you don't agree with my views doesn't mean I'm ignorant. I will grant you the same courtesy.

OK then -- onward to your comments.

I cannot speak to your particular business difficulties, having no context for the size of your business or even the year in which you faced these woes. But your statement that schools "suck" -- that view is troublesome. Good for you for choosing to home school your child, if that works for your family. Surely we can agree that very, very few families have the luxury of that option (I know mine doesn't). And even if we did, I wouldn't opt for it. While I know my husband and I are damn smart, I have no illusions that we're equipped to teach our child everything she needs to know, academically, socially, or philosophically. And more importantly -- while I want good schools for my own child, that's only the tip of the educational iceberg. The entire country has a collective interest in having well-educated citizens. You're an employer, apparently -- how do you plan to have high-quality workers if we don't have, you know, schools?

To quote our mutual pal Thomas Jefferson again:

"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."

Palin wants to teach creationism (so I guess that means McCain will too). Obama aims to make math and science a national priority, and wants to make loans affordable for college students. Myself, I am firmly pro-science and anti-dogma, and pro-higher education.

As for oil prices, ChrisB addressed that pretty well above. I will only add that -- a monthly ebb and flow in the oil market doesn't in any way increase the finite quantity of oil on the planet.

Your Lincoln analysis made me chuckle. I can only presume you're comparing... um, McCain to Lincoln? I can't think of a single similarity. On the other hand, Obama and Lincoln -- both so-called inexperienced legislators from Illinois, both tall and thin, both lawyers, both inspiring with messages of unity and hope.

Fakes, liars, and "real" people -- you're tossing these insults around and not substantiating. Obviously, I believe Obama's message is real -- me and the ~19 million people who voted for him in the primaries. Palin and McCain are "real"? Real what, exactly? Really old? Really snide and bitchy? I agree with you there. :)

Here are this imaginary girl's real thoughts on Palin and McCain:

McCain has been so blown by the political wind, who knows what he stands for? He was pro-choice until he had to pander to the crazy conservative base of his party. He was against drilling in the ANWAR until he brought his perky new veep on board and everyone chanted "DRILL" at the convention. He was a maverick, until he towed the line with GWB often enough to earn an A in Republican school. He is a politician, defeated. Which makes me sad; back in 2000, when he was more of a social moderate, I was kinda excited about McCain. Now I think he's just not courageous enough to lead -- he's trying to tow the line with the current GOP powers-that-be while stealing the whole "change" theme from Obama's campaign. Total political fail.

As for Palin -- she's a rabid social conservative. Of course I don't like her. She lost me at "no abortions, even for rape and incest victims." And with teaching Creationism in public schools. And drilling in the ANWAR. What else do we know about her? Not much. I know that as of a few weeks/months ago, she proudly proclaimed she wasn't interested in national or international issues -- hell, in July she was on the news, stating she didn't know what the VP does. I agree, as you claim, that she's "changing the face of politics," right now; she's lowering the barrier to entry. I find this terrifying, in a most non-partisan sort of way.

Bigger picture, the Republicans have given up their claim of economic responsibility, and the economy has shrunk more and the deficit has grown more when they are in charge for the past half century. Are you seriously claiming our country has been better off economically for the last eight years than under the Clinton's? That's just a false statement by any metric.

On a final note, WRT my investment policy -- dude, what a luxury, to have those concerns. I, like most Americans, am more worried about paying my mortgage (with my home value dropping), health insurance (which skyrockets year-on-year at least 20%), and keeping my country out of the hands of the Republicans who keep the focus on ridiculous social issues and dig us on average 1.93 million dollars deeper into debt EVERY DAY.

This coming from an imaginary community organizer with over six years Executive Experience running a music website.

BTW: do you prefer bonds, REITS, or apply technical analysis to your investment philosophy? Why? :)

WTF are you talking about? My sole investment at the moment is hoping I can afford to pay my rent.

Nice talk, Hot Shot, but that's all I hear from you.... talk, talk, talk,

Go Obama

notice how all the media (including this site) talked about this week was palin, and by extension, john mccain? all press is good press, which could mean devastating consequences for the obama campaign. if you'd honestly look back at the past 8 years of american history, you'd see that it's not experience most people care about, but exposure; sentiment, not reality. the more time the left spends ridiculing and criticizing palin, the more the general public will view her as the "underdog". call me cynical, but i do believe people are just that simple.

let's shift the focus back to obama, and the good that he can do for this country. positivity is the only way back to the path of real change.

@blah -- you are exactly correct. At this point, Palin is a distraction from the issues (as much as she has no idea what many of those issues are ;).

Anticipate more pro-Obama blog posts coming soon. We will focus on McCain and Palin only when there are gross inaccuracies or scary truths we wish to report (not to simply bitch and moan, as tempting as that is).