Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

No one could have predicted…

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

I conferred with the team and they all agree – still not tired of winning!

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

T R E 4 5 O N

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

“Cheese and Kraken paired together for the appetizer trial.”

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

Not all heroes wear capes.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / McCain’s VP

Reader Interactions

106Comments

  1. 1.

    zzyzx

    If so, I’m stunned. I’m reminded of 538’s comment on Biden that he would have short term negative bump followed by a long term positive one. Palin was chosen seemingly solely to get a bump for today. It destroyed the entire argument that McCain was going to use next week (that Obama isn’t ready) in the quest for an illusory PUMA voting block and winning the daily news cycle. Good job McCain!

  2. 2.

    demkat620

    Yeah, I gotta say, I could be wrong but, I don’t think the visuals will work out for McCain. He looks so old, she looks so young.

    Gonna be creepy.

  3. 3.

    PaulW

    The Alaskan chick who looks great in knee-high leather boots.

    If McCain wanted to drag down his ticket with Obamaesque lack-of-experience, only Jindal would have been worse.

    If McCain thinks this is gonna bring the PUMAs to his side… he’s forgotten that the PUMA crowd wants Hillary and Hillary ONLY (accept no substitutes!).

  4. 4.

    rob

    Except that she is still in Alaska.

    BTW: I live in Dayton, and have been trying to get off work to go and protest, developing…

  5. 5.

    LITBMueller

    But, check out Red State and how they are GUSHING….ooohh…PALIN would be an EPIC WIN!!!!…

    Huh?!??!?! I can’t help but picturing a bunch of nerds staring at her photo, chanting “MILF! MILF! MILF!”

    But, hey, Oliver Willis nailed it back on the 14th…

  7. 7.

    Benjamin

    It does destroy the whole inexperience attack on Obama.
    On the other hand, it is going to be really really really hard for us to attack without the Clinton female solidarity thing happening again

  8. 8.

    Garrigus Carraig

    ABC reported at 9:00 EDT that Gov. Palin was still in Alaska & was planning to attend the state fair.

    If it’s not her, Pawlenty, or Romney, it must be Huckabee or Lieberman. Right?

  9. 9.

    zzyzx

    It does destroy the whole inexperience attack on Obama.
    On the other hand, it is going to be really really really hard for us to attack without the Clinton female solidarity thing happening again

    So basically in exchange for the Republicans giving up their only attack on Obama, we have to go easy on their VP selection? Works for me.

  10. 10.

    Ed Drone

    Palin? Is she related to that Brit, Michael? Good! Now we can have one of those really funny Monty Python sketches in place of campaign blather.

    I would love to see the VP debate:

    “We’re having a debate!”
    “No, we’re not!”
    “Yes we are!”
    “No, we’re not!”
    “Yes!”
    “No!”
    “But you’re arguing with me!”
    “No I’m not!”
    “Yes, you are!”

    [Let the hilarity ensue.]

    Ed

  12. 12.

    Jon H

    “She demanded that her ex brother-in-law get fired after the divorce and when the public safety commissioner wouldn’t do it, he got fired.”

    Supposedly the ex-bro-in-law had tasered his 11 year old stepson.

    Seems like the guy definitely needed firin’.

  13. 13.

    TheFountainHead

    Does anyone have any clue what she’s like on camera and off-the-cuff? I have plenty of faith in Biden, and I think he’ll dispatch any of McCain’s VP picks easily, but this would be a twist on things.

  14. 14.

    cleek

    if so, the press would eat it up – they’d get to spend the whole next week explaining to each other who she is. her novelty alone would be a huge story.

  15. 15.

    Pooh

    As an Alaskan, let me just say

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

    I mean you want bloodshed? Joe Biden vs. Governor Hotlips in a debate…

  16. 16.

    Josh

    “…with the selection of Gov. Palin to be his running-mate, Sen. McCain is making a serious play for the all-important milfhunter vote…”

  18. 18.

    David Hunt

    So basically in exchange for the Republicans giving up their only attack on Obama, we have to go easy on their VP selection? Works for me.

    “Only attack?” What do you mean? They can still lie about everything he’s said and done and everything he believes and plans to do…and they’ll attack him on the experience front, anyway.

  19. 19.

    Ed Drone

    Isn’t she nearly the only Alaskan Republican office-holder not under investigation or actual indictment? Way to go!

    Ed

  20. 20.

    rob!

    it’s Michael Palin!

    no, wait…Sarah Palin.

    this seems like a “i need a huge story right now” pick. after the country gets used to her being the pick, the knives will come out.

    plus it OBLITERATES McCain’s main argument against Obama, the no-experience thing. this chick is one Denny’s Grand Slam away from being President.

  23. 23.

    Punchy

    So can I dream of Barry for pres, but dream of doing Mccane’s vice? Bipartisanship, bitches.

  24. 24.

    cleek

    the mother of a five-month-old with Down Syndrome doesn’t really sound like someone who’d be up for a lot of campaigning.

    but, i’m neither a mother nor a Republican, so what do i know…

  26. 26.

    Garrigus Carraig

    I’ve been duped?

    Everyone close your eyes & envision “President Palin”. I’m gonna go get a bottle of Cutty Sark. Anyone want anything?

  28. 28.

    dewberry

    I think they couldn’t get their first pick, Kay Bailey Hutchison and went for Palin instead. I’m just surprised she wants it.

    And I don’t see how they’re going to stand at that podium next week and say Obama’s not running. It takes their one 2×4 and whittles it down to a .2x.4!

  29. 29.

    geo_rockstar

    actually this pick scares the shit out of me. first, the corruption is based on firing her brother in law who not only tasered a kid but was abusive to her sister. second, she is someone the republican base will come out for – NRA, anti-choice, lowered taxes in AK, excessively “moral”. The debates with Biden could make him look like a bully. And this puts the emphasis back on Obama (rightfully) not picking Clinton. And while it seems unlikely, with her on the ticket, the Senate races in Alaska could swing away from the Democrats.

  30. 30.

    4tehlulz

    Wow, even the AP can’t help but notice how stupid this is:

    She is three years Obama’s junior, as well — and McCain has made much in recent weeks of Obama’s relative lack of experience in foreign policy and defense matters.

  31. 31.

    jibeaux

    She should most definitely be asked in the veep debate if she shares John’s opinion on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act legislation, i.e. it would encourage frivolous lawsuits.

    You know, how women’s ability to help provide for their families is “frivolous” and all…

  32. 32.

    Shackleton

    It looks like McCain is going with Palin in order to court the PUMAs. Makes me wish Obama had picked Hillary. Imagine what a debate that would be. Could sell it on pay per view.

  33. 33.

    Bill

    The visual that comes to mind is the infamous photo of Anna-Nicole Smith kissing her rich geezer husband.The sight of McCain-Palin is going to be the funniest f’n image in the history of political campaigns.Thank you god.

  35. 35.

    Punchy

    Peeps on TPM are reporting that, prior to being governor for only two years (so far), she was mayor for–get this–a town of 6,700 people.

    So mayoring a bunch of Eskimos and seals, followed by a stint of governor of a ridiculously corrupt state (if their congressmen are any indy), is enough to run the country should/when McCane starts pushing up daises.

    Stunning.

  36. 36.

    dickweathers

    Damnit, this is why Obama should have picked Jenny Granholm. So much for hot GILF on GILF action in the VP debates.

  37. 37.

    jibeaux

    That baby’s four months old. Good grief. I barely felt like leaving the house unless a run for a Cook Out milkshake was involved. Ah, glamorous times…

  38. 38.

    dr. bloor

    McCAIN/TROLLOP ’08!

    The buzz lasts only as long as it takes the fossilized old white guys in the MSM to rub one out.

  39. 39.

    Scott H

    Palin has a fairly decent résumé, with few problems (the wiki is under heavy edit at the moment, but the citations look good). She is pro-life, but whether she is actually anti-choice I haven’t seen. She doesn’t support marriage equality, but she vetoed a bill barring same-sex couple benefits. She smoked pot, and she hunts moose. She has a kid being deployed to Iraq and one with Down’s syndrome, total of five children. Her husband is Yup’ik. She’s a former beauty queen who has worked a commercial fishing boat.

    Hell, put Palin at the top of the ticket.

    The ex-brother-in-law is a certifiable nut-job.

  41. 41.

    ThymeZone

    The pundits are absolutely shaking their heads over the worst VP choice in history. Certainly the worst in modern times. You don’t know where to start with the incredible stupidity of this choice. The woman has an infant child at home and is under investigation, and two years ago was mayor of a small village in Alaska. Now she is on the road in a huge campaign until November and forced to debate Joe Biden on foreign and military affairs. She is reported to be a creationist and probably thinks the earth is 6000 years old, so she must have some interesting ideas on global warming, and stem cell research.

    I said, months ago, that McCain was going to be the worst candidate for president you ever saw. He does not disappoint. I said he would lose by double digits in the popular vote. He will not disappoint. I bet DougJ a hundred dollars that Crapper John would not get 35% of the popular vote total. I have a good chance to win that bet.

    But even with all that, I have to say, I am still able to be surprised by these inept people, their rotten campaign, their embrace of the past and disdain for the future, and their loyalty to dead ideas.

    This contest is over. Don Meredith can be heard singing “Turn Out The Lights” on McCain’s ill considered grab for the big prize.

  46. 46.

    LITBMueller

    first, the corruption is based on firing her brother in law who not only tasered a kid but was abusive to her sister

    Actually, the scandal is about firing Walt Monegan, Alaska’s Commisioner for Public Safety, after he refused to do her bidding. You know, sorta like the whole US Attorney firings… Here’s a good editorial about it. The best part:

    Palin contradicted Monegan when asked by Channel 2’s Jason Moore if she or anyone in her administration pressured the commissioner to fire Wooten. “No, no, absolutely not. No — I’ve never,” she said.

    But then last week she changed her story, admitting members of her administration and/or Todd placed at least two dozen calls regarding Wooten, one of them caught on tape.

    You would have thought at the press conference vindicating Monegan she would have publicly apologized to him. But instead she continues to criticize him.

    And then, just when you thought she couldn’t dig herself in any deeper, she said this about Alaska state troopers who felt pressured by her never-ending campaign to fire her ex-brother-in-law.

    “If that’s pressure, then (after) years in law enforcement, how do they do their job if that’s perceived as pressure?”

    Yeah, that’s a good idea. Portray the brave men and women of the Alaska State Troopers as weak because they are afraid of losing their jobs and their ability to feed their families. What’s wrong with these guys?

    The governor seems to be saying: Hey, troopers who felt pressured, man up, help me break the state’s personnel rules and stop your bellyaching.

    Remember all the complaints the Palin family filed against Wooten have been investigated and punishment was rendered. The governor might not have liked the outcome, but it was taken before Monegan was commissioner. Demanding further action of Monegan is a clear violation of the state’s personnel rules and something Monegan simply could not do.

    But there is something in Sarah Palin’s personality that prohibits her from saying, “I screwed up.” She seems to obsess on something and will do almost anything to get her way.

    Sound like any recent Presidents we know?

  49. 49.

    RareSanity

    I’d hit it…I wouldn’t vote for it, but dayum she has that naughty school teacher look that I dig.

    It actually makes McCain look even more creepy standing next to her.

  50. 50.

    ET

    I know that for Republicans this campaign is all about McCain but even so they are going to have spend time proving even on a superficial level that she is VP material. Time that could be better spent elsewhere.

    Also, the right is all about you can’t bring up his age. Now the left doesn’t have to because the campaign has done it for them.

    This may turn out to have been a good choice (or even the only choice), but right now I have a hard time seeing it.

  51. 51.

    mannemalon

    THIS is who is one weak ass heart beat away from being the strongest person in the world?!

    THIS?!

    Are people really going to fall for this shit?

    I-raq, I-ran, POW! POW! POW!

  52. 52.

    TR

    first, the corruption is based on firing her brother in law who not only tasered a kid but was abusive to her sister

    If true, she should’ve called the cops. If the facts were as stated, he’d have been found guilty and fired.

    Leaning on his boss to fire him without proof of guilt is an abuse of power, pure and simple.

  53. 53.

    TenguPhule

    Wonderful!

    McCain goes for the Corrupt Inexperienced Alaskan who was only elected because of who she’s related to.

    The Attack Ads are going to have a field day.

  54. 54.

    Church Lady

    I’m watching her on MSNBC right now. Wow- she’s not only beautiful, but her husband is quite handsome and her children are gorgeous as well. At a minimum, the entire family will be really nice to look at during the campaign.

    From what little I know about her, it will be hard to throw much dirt in that direction. It doesn’t look like there’s any dirt on her, she has a reputation as a reformer, her husband is a member of the National Guard and her oldest son is getting ready to deploy to Iraq.

    No, she doesn’t have much experience, but since that’s been one of the biggest arguements against Obama, I would not think that his campaign would want to go in that direction too much.

  56. 56.

    RareSanity

    AkaDad Says:

    When I think of Palin, I’m thinking “Drill Here Drill Now.”

    Bravo sir. Bravo.

  57. 57.

    RoonieRoo

    Really? Palin?? Seriously??

    Her experience for being the head of the US Senate, the VP and very possibly the President of the U.S. if McPOW kicks the bucket is being part-time Mayor of a village and governor for 1 1/2 years.

    Really??

  58. 58.

    handy

    No, she doesn’t have much experience, but since that’s been one of the biggest arguements against Obama, I would not think that his campaign would want to go in that direction too much.

    Ummm…it’s the McCain people who feed that meme about Obama, so this move actually hurts that line of attack for them, since they would be bald hypocrites for continuing to bring it up.

  59. 59.

    r€nato

    this pick just REEKS of desperation. I can’t wait to see Biden wipe the floor with her in the Veep debates.

    And yes it is creepy to see old man McCain standing next to a cute chick 30 years his junior.

    Even creepier when you remember that McCain’s second wife, Cindy Hensley McCain, is 18 years his junior.

    I think the Obama campaign should definitely consider pushing an undercover ‘McCain digs chicks young enough to be his daughter’ meme.

    I mean, great for the old guy that he can get young chicks… everyone else pretty much thinks it’s creepy.

  60. 60.

    Genine

    This thing with Palin is ridiculous. Its obviously a ploy because McCain doesn’t think much of women. I just hope any sexist talk against her is minimal. Even if its unintentional. *ahem*

  61. 61.

    Dusty

    No, she doesn’t have much experience, but since that’s been one of the biggest arguements against Obama, I would not think that his campaign would want to go in that direction too much.

    Obama earned his shot at being president by persuading millions of voters that he did have enough experience. Palin is being handed her shot because John McCain wants a token female/social conservative/fan of Big Oil on the ticket. Palin wouldn’t have made it to Iowa, let alone out of Iowa if she’d run for president.

    I don’t know that Obama needs to hit this point too hard, though. But it does allow them to push back on any further “He’s not experienced enough to be Commander-in-Chief” arguments coming from the McCain camp.

  62. 62.

    r€nato

    …and she just plain is not adequate to the job at that level, and I think that will become obvious over the weeks to come. McCain sure isn’t going to win PUMAs with this choice, not only does it reek of desperation, it also reeks of pandering.

  63. 63.

    Kathleen

    it will be hard to throw much dirt in that direction.

    what on earth would the Obama campaign want to do that anyway?

  64. 64.

    LiberalTarian

    It is something of an inexplicable choice, since Palin plays into several anti-Republican narratives:

    (1) Abuse of power (for reasons stated above).

    (2) Ignorance/incompetence/bald faced lying–she claims that yes, her staff did it, but no, she didn’t know anything about it. Right. And I’m a man.

    (3) Batshit crazy creationist.

    (4) IOKIYAR. She has a 4-month old baby? With Down’s Syndrome? And she is working a 14-hour a day job?

    On the down side for us, Biden can beat the crap out of her in debate. Yeah, that’s gonna look classy.

    On the upside for us–she is going to make McCain look like Monte Burns. Ew.

    It is possible that McCain has fallen on his sword (geez, that analogy is creepy, eh) for his party and trying to put Palin on a Hillary Clinton political level (as in maybe the first woman president). The Republican brand is damaged to high heaven now, but maybe they can count on the short attention span of the US electorate and come back strong in 4 years.

    Upside for Republicans–yeah, it did take the wind out of Obama’s post-speech sails. Sad, but (maybe) true. Hard to tell this early in the day.

  66. 66.

    tavella

    “She demanded that her ex brother-in-law get fired after the divorce and when the public safety commissioner wouldn’t do it, he got fired.”

    Supposedly the ex-bro-in-law had tasered his 11 year old stepson.

    Seems like the guy definitely needed firin’.

    It should be noted that the tasering was supposedly at the kid’s request, ie “I wanna try it out! Seen it on TV! I’m that tough!” thing, not him using it to discipline the kid. Which still makes it extremely fucking stupid, but not exactly what “tasered his kid” brings to mind as a default.

    But either way, it doesn’t matter; the divorce and custody should be dealt with in the courts, not by the powerful sister in law applying illegal pressure.

    Even assholes have rights.

  68. 68.

    handy

    This pick reminds me so much of what Bush has done with his picks over the years, from Goodling to John Roberts to “Heckuva Job” Brownie. Relatively inexperienced and arguably underqualified (I suppose that might be a little unfair to Roberts). So yeah, four more years, all that.

  69. 69.

    maxbaer (not the original)

    When I think of Palin, I’m thinking “Drill Here Drill Now.”

    The name Harriet Miers is running through my head. Were the same people involved in this choice?

  71. 71.

    David Hunt

    Okay…McCain ditched his first wife who waited for him while he was in the Hanoi Hilton and was disabled in a car accident for a younger, prettier, richer former beauty contestant.

    Now, McCain passes over all the people that made anyone gave even a second look at for the VP slot for a younger, prettier, former beauty contestant Governor (with a 1.5 years in office and was mayor of a fishing village before then).

    Does anyone else see a pattern here?

  72. 72.

    grandpajohn

    If I was Cindy, I would be pretty nervous right now. Just sayin’.

    Yeah but I bet that prenup he signed is in a safe somewhere that he don’t have the combination for.

  73. 73.

    Tonybrown74

    Damnit, this is why Obama should have picked Jenny Granholm. So much for hot GILF on GILF action in the VP debates.

    She was born in Canada, so she would not be eligible to be on the ticket.

  74. 74.

    Davebo

    She and her husband certainly get creative in naming their kids.

    Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig.

  76. 76.

    JGabriel

    Geo_Rockstar:

    … the corruption is based on firing her brother in law who not only tasered a kid but was abusive to her sister.

    If you believe Palin’s side of the story. Which, I note, she did not raise those accusations in interviews, but merely described the situation as a “years ago” divorce.

    Like any ugly divorce situation, it’s best to take any extreme stories with a bunch of salt.

    .

  77. 77.

    John Cole

    Are you jackasses with the Milf/Gilf/Girl on girl VP action trying to piss off women, or are you just such morons that you can not understand how stupid and sexist your comments are?

    Jesus.

  78. 78.

    LiberalTarian

    Ninerdave Says:

    She looks like a stripper in teachers garb. I keep expecting her to rip off her glasses and grab a pole.

    Pretty=Stripper.

    Classy.

  79. 79.

    b. hussein canuckistani

    McCain sure isn’t going to win PUMAs with this choice, not only does it reek of desperation, it also reeks of pandering.

    Given that the PUMA’s were Republican ratfuckers anyway, I think she’s going to go over just fine with them.

  80. 80.

    JGabriel

    Cleek:

    The mother of a five-month-old with Down Syndrome doesn’t really sound like someone who’d be up for a lot of campaigning.

    Would you say the same if she was a father instead?

    .

  81. 81.

    georgia pig

    The shelf-life of the novelty of this pick will be about two days, tops, and then McCain will be stuck with it like a boat anchor tied to his balls. The MSM idiots are talking about this being a “brave” pick, but it’s actually a chickenshit pick, as it ultimate shows McCain is unserious and too insecure to pick someone who might overshadow him. This is a pick only Jonah Goldberg could love, kind of like putting all your troops on Tatooine in Star Wars Risk. My eight year old isn’t that naive.

  82. 82.

    Common Sense

    No more bush in the White House.

    Sorry, it may be sexist but I think it’s still funny.

  83. 83.

    Jake

    She knocked Hillary for “whining” in March.

    Awesome. PUMA implosion countdown begins in 3…2…

  84. 84.

    b. hussein canuckistani

    Sorry, it may be sexist but I think it’s still funny.

    No. No, the GWB = female pubic hair may have garnered a smirk or two in 2002, but now it’s old as well as lame.
    The woman is a creationist, for FSM’s sake. Don’t be building up sympathy for her by acting like pigs.

  85. 85.

    Clio

    Does anyone else see this as insulting to the intelligence of female voters? I am getting angrier the more and more i think about it. She would not have even been in the running were she not a woman and the blatant appeal to gender politics was sickening. The gop has finally shown what they really think of women: that we are fools to be emotionally manipulated and props to be used to further their own power.

  86. 86.

    w vincentz

    The former Miss Alaska beauty contestant, Miss Wasilla, showed her special talent. I’m not making this up…WHISTLING! Also, Miss Congeniality. So congenial! Seems that since Monica is no longer around the oval office, Sarah will be putting those lips to good use.
    Of course, Gov Palin doesn’t think polar bears deserve any special protection (like endangered species status) from oil exploration in the ANWR, and who the hell needs all those fucking caribou that go there to have their calves.
    Alaska continues to allow arieal hunting (shooting from aircraft) of those nastey wolves (just like the ones that went after the three little piggies and Red Riding Hood).
    Pass the mooseburgers and the ketchup.
    McInsane…ya done good agin, vewy vewy goooood.
    HA HA HA HA HA!

  87. 87.

    KRK

    John Cole Says:

    Are you jackasses with the Milf/Gilf/Girl on girl VP action trying to piss off women, or are you just such morons that you can not understand how stupid and sexist your comments are?

    Jesus.

    Thank you, John.

    Palin is a DISASTER. And yet my attention is drawn to what f**kers these commenters are.

  88. 88.

    lilly Von Schtupp

    Anything is possible. This is a nation of low information voters. George W. Bush was elected twice!

  89. 89.

    jrg

    This is probably a good VP choice for the Republicans in the long run, because they need more women voting for the GOP. For McCain’s purposes, this pick is piss poor, because most Republican voters will see this as shameless pandering to HRC supporters, and Republicans don’t like HRC.

    This pick is style over substance, and it’s foolish because no matter who is running, discussion of women’s issues will alienate the GOP base.

  90. 90.

    Royston Vasey

    kind of like putting all your troops on Tatooine in Star Wars Risk. My eight year old isn’t that naive.

    ZOMG!! That is teh funny.

    =)

  91. 91.

    KRK

    Clio Says:

    Does anyone else see this as insulting to the intelligence of female voters? I am getting angrier the more and more i think about it. She would not have even been in the running were she not a woman and the blatant appeal to gender politics was sickening. The gop has finally shown what they really think of women: that we are fools to be emotionally manipulated and props to be used to further their own power.

    This is exactly right. Does ANYONE, even those who think it’s a savvy choice, think McCain of all people has the remotest intention of giving Palin any authority or including her in any policy decisions? He would set her on the shelf as soon as the election is over. What a victory for women that would be.

  92. 92.

    patrick

    Cleek:

    The mother of a five-month-old with Down Syndrome doesn’t really sound like someone who’d be up for a lot of campaigning.

    Would you say the same if she was a father instead?

    .

    as a father of a non-disabled 13 month old, yes. I’m exhausted trying to keep up with her and working 40-45hours a week, and can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing than spending time with my family….but that’s just me.

  93. 93.

    JGabriel

    KRK:

    Does ANYONE, even those who think it’s a savvy choice, think McCain of all people has the remotest intention of giving Palin any authority or including her in any policy decisions?

    Well, we’re talking about a choice who thinks the power of the Vice-Presidency is best measured by how it can be used to help Alaska:

    Sarah Palin:

    We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans …

    Ooh, just what we need — more parochialism in the White House.

    .

  94. 94.

    Scott H

    If somebody is going to say Palin is actually anti-choice, or a batshit creationist, it isn’t that I don’t believe them, but citations, please.

    Whether she was the mayor of a podunk town, or a high school librarian, Palin has been kicking ass in rowdy Alaskan politics. She’s going to play very well to rural voters, like it or not. ‘Though, probably not so well with Republican women of the club variety,

    And, if she parlayed a beauty pageant into a college scholarship, then fair play to her.

  95. 95.

    w vincentz

    Over at Dailykos is a video of her wherein she states that she doesn’t know what a VP does, but given the opportunity, she’d use that position to help Alaskans. Look for JohnnyNYC or go to Alternet and get it there (right side).
    I’d link it but I’m not good at it.
    It also seems that she is currently under a 100K investigation (approved by the Alaska Legislature) involving the firing of Walt Monegan (Public Safety Commissioner) for not firing her brother-in-law, a State Trooper. This is being called “troopergate”, and they have phone calls on tape.
    The clever thing about McIdiot’s VP pick is that it locks up Alaska’s three electoral votes, thereby avoiding a unanimous vote for Obama in November. Clever ol’ McCoot that Johnnie is.

  96. 96.

    liberal

    Scott H wrote,

    She is pro-life, but whether she is actually anti-choice I haven’t seen.

    Via TPM:

    Palin is strongly anti-abortion, and only makes an exception on abortion for the life of the woman — excluding even rape and incest.

    I’d say that forcing a woman to bear her assailant’s child is “anti-choice,” but that’s just me.

  98. 98.

    Scott H

    Thanx for the links. Fuck her. Which I do not say lightly.

    When she decided to carry her Downs child to term she had a choice, and she made a choice. And as long as she had that choice any blather she has about pro-life is crap. Pro-life is one thing. Anti-choice is about a desperate need to validate one’s decisions by denying any alternatives to everyone else.

  99. 99.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    Yet another data point in my theory that the GOP is taking a dive this year.

    Palin is to McCain what Ferraro was to Mondale in 1984. She’s as much a symbolic pick as anything else. I appreciate the significance of it, and I’ll give McCain props for it, but it won’t translate into significant numbers of votes in November.

    She pleases “the base”, which is good since “the base” isn’t that happy with McCain in the first place, but she’s not going to draw in massive numbers of votes across the board.

    McCain’s looking more and more like Dole in ’96.

  100. 100.

    gil mann

    Are you jackasses with the Milf/Gilf/Girl on girl VP action trying to piss off women, or are you just such morons that you can not understand how stupid and sexist your comments are?

    The answer is C. We’re sad, lonely shells of men, and the membrane separating porn from reality in our minds has become porous.

    But yeah, guys, fucking check yourselves. The PC dipsticks whose opinions you’re reinforcing are insufferable enough as it is.

  101. 101.

    Jeff

    Would she have carried her child to term if he had Tay Sachs?

    Infants with Tay-Sachs disease appear to develop normally for the first six months of life. Then, as nerve cells become distended with gangliosides, a relentless deterioration of mental and physical abilities occurs. The child becomes blind, deaf, and unable to swallow. Muscles begin to atrophy and paralysis sets in. Death usually occurs before the age of 4 or 5.

    This is a very real genetic test that many Jewish parents do among many.

  102. 102.

    w vincentz

    @ Gil Mann,
    The best way to show McIdiot’s VP choice for what it is is to allow female Democrats to call it what it is.
    This one is better left for Hillary, Wasserman, Sebelius, and many others to comment on.
    Males are better off listening as the cat fight develops, and believe me, it will.

  103. 103.

    LiberalTarian

    Jeff Says:

    Would she have carried her child to term if he had Tay Sachs?

    I would. I would never, ever have an abortion.

    But, I am pro-choice. My feelings are my feelings, and I would not force someone else to do what is right for me. There are women who do not feel the way I do about it, and would opt for an abortion. That is their choice, and it should be legal and safe. My mother grew up when it was illegal, and knew of women who committed suicide rather than have a child, and knew women who had illegal (and unsafe) abortions. If you don’t like abortions, make sure there is good contraception available.

    But, these freeze-dried whackaloons (FDWs) aren’t only anti-abortion, they are anti-contraception. Look to the recent redefinition attempt by the Department of Health and Human Services. They will start with abortion, then move to the morning after pill, then all hormonal BC, then condoms. These are not rational people.

    Palin is a very specific choice to throw a bone to the pro-life, evangelical base. I appreciate that she chose to carry and give life to her developmentally disabled child. Good for her. How lucky she is to have the resources that keep that from being a tremendous burden for her.

    But, she would force all women to carry unwanted pregnancies, and she has no right. McCain has promised the FDWs more Scalias/Alitos/Thomases/Roberts–and not for the sake of business, but to overturn Roe v. Wade. They would force women back into the forced child bearing business (or the hack job illegal abortion back alleys). No.

    No way, no how, no McCain.

  104. 104.

    Jeff

    LiberalTrain,

    I agree with you to a point. I brought up Tay Sachs as an extreme. The child does not just die, he/she suffers and the Terri Schiavo wing would just sit there waiting for a miracle.

    My wife and I would have made the same decision as Palin (we discussed it), but we are also pro-choice and went through the Eastern European Jewish genetic testing to make sure there was nothing worse lurking in our genome.

  105. 105.

    w vincentz

    Bottom line…McIdiot’s VP pick is HIS first decision.
    He chose someone to be “one heartbeat away from the Presidency”.
    Is Gov Palin the most QUALIFIED person for the position?
    If yes, vote for him.
    If no, vote for Obama.

  106. 106.

    corwin

    I occasionally read the comments here to ‘slum’.I’d like to comment,for the first time.First,Gov Palin has substantive accomplishments,certainly unaalloyed by familial/monetary advantages.(As a contrast,Speaker pelosi,anyone named kennedy or Bush and Barbara Boxer had familial help and money to become elected. That means she’s likely to be bright;certainly no one has said she isn’t hard working.
    Let’s focus on basic intellect.Sen Biden was 76th of 85 in his graduating law class.He was also math challenged,a drawback in an increasingly technological society,since he claimed to be in the ‘top half’ to a reporter.(I’d rather think he wasn’t very bright,than that he simply lied,but that may be because I’m so nice.
    And I strongly suspect V Vicenz of having been a Liberal arts major;not that there’s anything wrong with that.But it takes a certain lack of intellect to chortle on someone’s talent in a beauty pageant as a failing.
    Liberal/tarian;I’m bothered a little bit by her not believing in evolution.I let people have their own beliefs,but I find it a serious flaw to reject unpleasnt things solely because of their unpleanatries.Would you do me the favor of stating whether you believe ther is a biologiacl difference in average intelligence between ethnic groups.There is certainly well documented and replicable work on this,but some people find the subject,off putting and even unmentionable.

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