What did you think of Sarah Palin’s speech?

Palinspeak

For my part, not knowing what to expect,
I was impressed. She fought her cornerPalinstand_3
well, if you’ll permit the sports metaphor. If nothing else, she showed she could use a teleprompter more naturally and with greater poise than the guy at the head of the ticket.

She sort of turned my sitcom analogy around. Rather than whipping off her glasses and letting down her hair to reveal the beauty queen, she kept the specs on and unveiled a smart woman, an Earth Mother type from the small-town frontier who is a tough cookie, unintimidated by the condescension of the cosmopolitan types Rudy had mocked so earlier in the evening.

But write in and tell us what y’all thought. I’ll read it in the morning; gotta hit the sack.

76 thoughts on “What did you think of Sarah Palin’s speech?

  1. momof2or

    Her speech was full of lies, she was incredibly disrespectful to Obama and Biden. I think she came across as being very low class.

  2. Steve

    It is hard for a woman to be both feminine and strong and powerful when being a politician. Palen balanced these perfectly, and made a lot of good points that slammed Obama and his experience. For not having a lot of time to put the speech together, I thought she nearly hit a home run.

  3. Mike Cakora

    A slow start, but when she got going, she connected solidly. Great delivery, good timing, superb use of knife with a smile, in high heels yet. Overall an excellent performance; she has a masterful presence.
    Biden better not be himself when he debates her.

  4. liz

    momof2, she was disrespectful of Obama and Biden?! That’s the Pot calling the Kettle Black! I think she did a great job and has been underestimated. America loves an underdog, and I hope the Obama – Chicago machine “chickens” come home to roost.

  5. Lee Muller

    A lot of what Sarah Palin said in her speech tonight came from her contemporaneous answers to questions in the interview she did last month.
    She didn’t have a speech writer or teleprompter then, and she didn’t need one tonight.
    All 4 speakers did a good job of laying out the stark differences between the GOP wanting America to lead the world by freeing people to make their own decisions, and the Democrats wanting to retreat to the failed socialism of the 1960s radicals, Great Society and New Deal.

  6. p.m.

    Obama and Biden deserve the disrespect they got. She only raised the questions the press should have been raising again and again and again.
    To wit: What has Obama ever done?
    Answer: Speak (and vote present).
    Palin’s line about Obama using change to promote his candidacy and McCain using his candidacy to promote change is classic.
    The Kenyan ticket has a war on its hands.

  7. Lester Terry jr

    What a new fresh breath of life,finally we have hope.She has more sense than the other canidates put togeather.GREAT JOB.

  8. joe

    It’s Palin, not Palen.
    Gees, not even the base knows who she is.
    Palin delivered her McCain prepared speech. (Staff writers, nothing unusual or different, no a dig at her) Problem is the speechwriters didn’t update the content to match her stories with the now well known facts. When you go on the attack, spewing lies just makes you look status quo politician and not the outsider that they wanted to portray. You can’t be maverick doing the same thing that you claim to criticize as status quo.
    Plus she missed the chance to introduce herself, herself. She totally skipped over the chance to talk directly to the US people and tell them what she believes in She missed a chance to set her own message.You could hand her speech to any other potential VP candidate, change two lines and it would read the same. Questions left unanswered. Big mistake on primetime as people will seek out their own answers from any source and the risk is that people will get answers that are not kind to her or off of the campaing message.
    McCain team blew it.

  9. p.m.

    Wow, Joe. What speech were you watching? Something from an alternate universe?
    The McCain team nailed it.

  10. bill

    I’ve become one of those crotchety old guys who yell at the television in helpless frustration: “Lies! How can they say such things? How can anyone sit still for this stuff?”

  11. samuel n smith

    The democrats are in for one big crash. They cannot hide from the truth of who they really are as shown by the sharp, on-point presentation Mrs. Palin gave. As some of the experts have said-“while Mr. Palin was incurring his little speeding ticket, Hussein was doing his crack-but as always-the media makes a big deal out of a speeding ticket but not once do they want to talk about Hussein doing his crack. September & October is going to fun watching the democrats take a licking.

  12. Guero

    Ok, Sammy, tell us about Mr. Sarah belonging to a party that advocates seccession from the United States.
    That was twenty years after his drunk driving escade.
    The “truth” ? of her presentation? What was true other than she believes in George Bush’s dream for America? George Bush’s eight years of failure are ok w/her. And John McSame. America doesn’t need a third Bush term.

  13. p.m.

    Wolf Blitzer, CNN: “A star is born.”
    Tom Brokaw, NBC: “A very auspicious debut.”
    Chris Wallace, Fox: “A star is born.”
    Jeff Greenfield, CBS: “Perfect populist pitch.”
    Anderson Cooper, CNN: “A star is born.”
    Notice the pattern?
    Analytically, I’m seeing the hockey mother of five send the puck flying past the humdrum of political correctness into America’s heartland, where few see our country’s enemies as negotiating partners. She’s a gamer, guys, not just a practice player. Obama’s paling by comparison to Palin.
    I like it.

  14. p.m.

    I understand why you’re upset, Guero.
    Palin just stole the show from your guy.
    Mike Huckabee described how you sound pretty well yesterday:
    “The reporting of the past few days has proven tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert.”

  15. Herb Brasher

    Listened to it on the way back from Charlotte on NPR. Not bad, as political convention speeches go. Not a whole lot of substance, but then it’s hard to get substance anywhere. It is interesting to compare speeches in general today with Truman’s speech in 1948 or those of the Eisenhower era. They seemed to be a lot more specific back then.

  16. Guero

    The two words Republicans fear the most: Subpeana Power.
    Is Little Miss Sarah going to get Alberto Gonzales to represent her when she defies a subpoena?
    Is she going to plead the Fifth?
    Why won’t she testify? Is she afraid of perjury?
    Are any of the Nixon stone-wallers still around for her to use? How about the ultimate toadie, Robert Sandman? Has he been reincarnated to defend Little Miss Sarah to the last subpoena?
    Can she read Spiggy Agnew’s book on executive experience? He can certainly tell her how to plea bargain.

  17. James D McCallister

    An “earth mother” type? Bradley, sometimes you worry me. Palin’s not an earth mother, she’s a redneck who shoots wolves from a helicopter.
    Peggy Noonan said it best: It’s over.

  18. Lee Muller

    Subpoenas were issued August 28 to Hussein Obama, his campaign managers, and DNC officials to provide proof of his country of birth and citizenship papers, and to explain why he has used six different names and failed to disclose them on the FEC forms.
    Democrats are already telling their rabid base that they will indict Bush, Cheney, Gonzales and other in 2009. For what, cleaning up the terrorists and recession left behind by Clinton?

  19. Bubba Fetner

    “The truth shall set you free ” and that is what she told. all politicians have help with their speeches and use telepromptors so that argument does not hold water. She was powerful and compliments McCain perfectly. If Obama was white no one to would listen to a thing he has to say, Hillary would be their candidate and the Dems would probally win. thank God they chose that rookie Obama and thank McCain for picking her !!!!

  20. Herb Brasher

    Lee, re your insistence that Obama is not a US citizen, I think you are wasting your time, as this shows. I don’t think the Democrats are as dumb as you seem to think they are.

  21. Susan Quinn

    Sarah Palin, who is a combination of Jamie Lynn Spears’ mom and Tanya Harding (and has as much national governing experience as both), gave a very hard-hitting speech which was long on sarcasm and the same old,hollow (but appearing OHHHH-SOOO patriotic) worn out Bush/Cheney Republican rhetoric but short on anything resembling real maverick reform.
    Palin, while having a short political career, comes into this race with a long history of serious ethical questions which demand explanation, not the least of which is her habitual vindictive abuse of power tactics used on those “small-town” folks back home whom she purportedly loves so much. Specifically, Palin needs to account for the firing of the local library director because she wouldn’t cowtow to Palin’s book banning plans, Troopergate and several reports of heavy-handed political dealing and overreaching by her husband Todd Palin.
    At a time in our nation’s history when our Constitution is being mocked and violated with such impunity, electing someone with so little understanding and appreciation of what our Constitution stands for ensures that our rights and liberties will only be further eroded.
    The Palins preach “values” but they appear to be bunch of rough necks who lack true political gravitas and will stoop to anything, including throwing their 17 year-old unwed, pregnant daughter under the scrutiny bus, to get what they want. Someone better warn Joe Biden to watch his knees, lest they get whacked with a crowbar, ala Nancy Kerrigan

  22. JimT

    Well, she’s really got that sarcasm thing down pat. There was a lot of snipping and sniping. I hear a divider, not a uniter.

  23. Sigried Johnston

    It doesn’t take a “rocket scientist” to practise a speech adn read a “teleprompter.” She did not come out to be a “classy” woman. Instead, she hit “cheap/innacurate shots” at Obama. She did this with the biggest smile on her face. Margaret Thatcher she is not. I pray for her children who need their Mother. She just had a baby with “Down Syndrome”. This msg. is to Sara: “Sara, go home and be a Mother to your children. They need you. Yes, you are Governor for the past two years, which I am sure has taken a lot of your time, but now your on the V.P. ticket which will take even more of your time. Your children need you. You didn’t have a “down-syndrome” child when you entered into your current position as Governor. For the sake of your children: “be their Mother and give them the time that they deserve.”

  24. bud

    Palin’s speech can be divided into 4 parts labeled as follows: Family, VP credentials, Dem/media bashing and McCain praise.
    Family
    All speakers in these type of events make mention of their families. Especially for someone as unknown as Palin this was an important ice-breaker. But she got a bit carried away with it and frankly she was losing me somewhere around the 2/3 point of that. Still, I would grade her a B- for this part.
    VP Credentials
    Palin really has very little to work with here. The fact that she actually had the hutzpah to mention her tenure in the PTA showed a bit of desperation here. She talked briefly about her tenure as mayor, comparing it to Obama’s community service efforts, yet she avoided any discussion of real accomplishment as mayor. With a $21 million debt she incurred the less said the better. And of course she trumpeted her short tenure as governor suggesting a whole host of accomplishments. All in all this was a difficult challenge for the governor but she got through it. Grade – C.
    Dem/media bashing
    This was by far the weakest part of her speech. Of course she had to go after the Dems. This was, after all, a political speech and I don’t fault her for that. The problem was she didn’t really offer anything different from the dozens of speakers who went before her. It was all about how the dems are going to increase your taxes and invite terrorists to bomb our cities. It was a repetition of the same old mantra that the GOP has been pushing since 1980. It was fresh then with Reagan but now it just makes them look out dated. Given the GOPs appalling fiscal record over the last 8 years this was really lame. I guess this is their strategy. Not much if you ask me but given her marching orders Palin delivered with conviction. Her delivery here was certainly much better than the excruciatingly bad Romney, by far the worst speaker at either convention.
    A word about the media. This is really silly. The media has been a champion of John McCain’s for decades now. For the GOP to continue with this elitist media nonsense is now becoming quite irratating. It’s a useful distraction I suppose but still only shows how shallow the GOP has become.
    Grade – D
    Finally, her gushing of John McCain. Thankfully her gratuitous comments about McCain’s time in the Hanoi Hilton were brief. Romney, Huckabee and Guiliani went on and on and on about this. A word to you folks in the GOP, we all get it. John McCain suffered terribly in captivity. Why they continued to waste valuable speech time on this well-known part of McCain’s life is beyond me. I guess they really couldn’t talk about the years after he came home and the disgusting treatment of his first wife so a bit of repetition was all they had.
    But I digress. Did Palin break any new ground here? No. Same ole mantra about McCain has walked the walk and he’s a maverick. Perhaps her delivery was a bit better than the previous speakers though.
    Grade C-
    On balance her speech did show a tough side of her and she was better than the simply awful speakers that came before her, especially Romney (how I wish he was the VP choice). So I’ll give her an overall grade of C.

  25. Wally Altman

    I didn’t watch it, only skimmed over some of the text, but the little I saw was highly disappointing. It seems to have been a nonstop parade of lies. Here’s a fact check by the AP.

  26. dawn

    Agreed, I heard a divider as well..
    A true leader has the ability to be truthful and respectful, without being nasty, sarcastic or lying.
    Perhaps people have forgetten that as citizens of this country, common every day citizens, we all serve our country. Some serve in the military and others in daily life.
    Did anyone else but me catch the hypocrisy of Guiliani toting her rights as waoman (which of course I believe in in every aspect of a womans life, not just when its convenient) saying “How dare they” question how she will be vice president and take care of her children….when she doesnt truly support womans rights????
    It was really difficult to listen to. Not because I believed it was full of truth. Check out her so called “facts” and see whats what yourself. But mostly it was very sarcastic condecsending to me as US citizen!!!I heard nothing about how they plan to improve the mess this country is in. It was wasteful and discouraging…
    I see no “Maverick” here, no free thinker, no reformer…just more of the same..
    Peace
    and God bless all of us…

  27. Janet

    Guero, you spout lies (she wasn’t a member of the party you speak of) and hope noone will check. That’s low.
    She was awesome and the Democrats are quaking in their boots. They will step up the negative attacks to try to neutralize her. She stood up to it and I’m a proud woman today.

  28. Mike W

    Palin is the poster model for the “stature gap candidate” in this election reflecting: undignified behavior(nationally showcasing one’s pregnant 17-year-old daughter negatively influences pre-marital sex); the use of extreme vitriolic language (verbal attacks on her political opponents and the “old boys network” in her convention speech were in poor taste); questionable ethics (now under investigation involving her role in the questionable firing of a law enforcement official); undistinguished political track record (undetectable on anyone’s ‘national radar’ — except McCain and Bush — prior to her VP selection); there’s more, but let’s throw in her winy, squeaky speaking voice–which is not a thing of beauty! The republicans choice of a candidate with a “stature challenged” will drag down Obama’s stature. Laughable! That may have worked before Obama’s candidacy ignited legions of supporters in a worldwide political renaissance. Palin’s ID as a stature gap candidate may serve to drag down a candidate in this election–John McCain.

  29. Doug Ross

    And when she was mocking Obama for being a community organizer, what exactly was she trying to say?
    Here’s her exact quote:
    “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities.”
    What was she saying?
    That the person who works at the food bank isn’t as important as she was as mayor of Wasilla, AK?
    That the person who tries to set up programs to aid the homeless shouldn’t be proud of herself?
    That the people who run community sports programs for no salary are just in it to put a line on a resume?
    That the people who work to register voters shouldn’t bother?
    That the guy who organizes a Meals on Wheels program to feed senior citizens is just doing it for the photo opportunity?
    Unfortunately, that one sarcastic line aimed at Obama defines the current Republican Party. It’s about the politics, not about getting things done.
    I think the Obama campaign will get a lot of play out of that one line.

  30. ValuesVotingLiberal

    Please take a look at The Daily Show from last night for some interesting soundbites from both Senator McCain and Governor Palin. It is episode 13112, available at http://www.thedailyshow.com. McCain/Palin have problems most of the RNC isn’t even thinking about.

  31. Tim C

    Republicans like her and Democrats hate her. Republicans will defend whatever she says or does and Democrats will counter that. We are in the middle of a divisive, hate filled campaign which Palin fueled even more. I am disappointed in John McCain’s campaign and the candidate himself for his pledge for a respectful campaign followed by the entire line-up of speeches last night. Palin gave a good speech if you believe her views. I personally am not a hate filled, bible thumping separatist and believe there is a semblance of truth in global warming and a woman’s right to choose so she did not appeal to me. But didn’t the Republicans say it is more than giving a good speech?

  32. Bill C.

    Look everybody… little Dougie didn’t like what she had to say!!! That’s a surprise.
    Doug admits to not trusting Obama and will not be voting for him. Doug also appears to not like Palin so I don’t think he’ll be voting for McCain. So if he’s not going to vote in November, why is he so worked up over everything? Maybe he needs a vacation from all this mental anguish.

  33. Bill C.

    “Sneering and mocking while family members pass around your baby with Down’s Syndrome to maximize camera time.
    Classy. ”
    I prefer that to Michelle Obama’s actions of entitlement on stage.

  34. some guy

    Yeah, I found the bit — she brought it up twice — ranking on community organizers to be offensive.
    And wouldn’t true small-government conservatives be all for non-profit organizations at the grassroots level trying to help those in need?

  35. Doug Ross

    Bill,
    Apparently Rush didn’t tell you that there are more than two parties in this country.
    I even have the right to write in a name.
    It’s a really cool system called democracy. You oughta look into it.
    Sorry that it bothers you that I actually take the time to analyze what the candidates say and do. I don’t get my marching orders from an overweight, drug abusing, draft dodging entertainer.

  36. Doug Ross

    And I want to make sure I understand you correctly, Bill: you agree with Mrs. Palin that community organizers have no actual responsibilities?

  37. Wally Altman

    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when they played the community organizer line on NPR this morning. I agree with Doug, that is one she’s going to regret.

  38. Bill C.

    Doug – I never said you couldn’t write someone in, but wa write-in vote for a presidential election equates to not voting at all.
    What makes you think I get my information from that pompus windbag Rush Limbaugh? I’m guessing you have more free time to listen to him than I care to.
    I didn’t listen to all of Palin’s speech since I got in late… so please show me a transcript quote showing that she said that word for word. Some of us actually work for a living and don’t have all day to listen to NPR or Rush Limbaugh like you do.

  39. Mike Cakora

    It’s an issue of accountability.
    Community organizers are fine folks, but they can work at their own pace, not driven by externalities to the extent that folks who are responsible for making decisions are. The buck stops with the mayor, whether Palin, Coble, or Guiliani, Mayors periodically stand for re-election, work with a council, etc. Lot’s of folks don’t care for Coble too much, but he does have a lot of responsibility and had proven that he can work well enough with others in managing the city.
    Community organizers and volunteers come in all varieties. Their participation in society is valuable, but they are accountable to no one except themselves and the grassroots or other voluntary organizations that may support them financially.

  40. Doug Ross

    Bill,
    That quote was from the AP transcript of the speech. Go to http://www.yahoo.com. Right at the top is a link next to her picture with “Her Speech”. Go to that link and search for the word community. Direct quote.
    I care about who I vote for because I guess I fall into that category of grumpy middle aged men who see a whole lot of bad stuff going on around me. And the problems start with a government that has grown too big and is dominated by politicians who care about two things: money and power.
    There are politicians who I do respect. I’d vote for Mark Sanford every time. Jim DeMint has surprised me in a good way. He does truly seem to have the interests of his constituents in mind versus Lindsey Graham’s constant need to be in front of a camera. I would have voted for Romney for President in addition to Paul and Huckabee… but never Thompson or Rudy “911” Giuliani.
    Maybe when things get worse in four years, we’ll see another Ron Paul type make more headway.
    For me, these last eight years with Bush/Cheney/Rice/Rumsfeld/Gonzalez have been the worst period in American political history. I want to see change but not Obama change. Change driven by removing the shackles that government has placed on our society through complex tax codes, excessive bureacracy, redistributing money to people who haven’t earned it, and following a foreign policy that goes well beyond the idea of national defense. McCain/Palin won’t change any of that. And neither will Obama/Biden. So I won’t vote for them… and will do everything I can to convince others not to either.

  41. Lenin Muller

    Pit Bull Palin is a Pork Princess.
    If you are from a town with a population of under 10,000, GET A LOBBIST. Palin did and brought on $23 million of federal earmarks for Wasilla.
    Palin even made John McCain’s list of “objectionable” spending for three years.
    Palin “said no to ‘The Bridge to Nowhere'”, after she supported it. Then she kept the kept the federal funds for the Great State of Alaska, which receives more federal money per capita than any other state in the nation.

  42. p.m.

    Dang, bud, the Dem bashing was the strongest part of her speech. She took your guys apart like she was firing an AK-47.
    Be afraid. Be very afraid.

  43. mattain

    Her speech was as empty and onanistic as every other convention speech I’ve heard thus far, Democrat or Republican. Doug is right find a third party candidate or just write your own name in.

  44. Guero

    Janet, I won’t repeat the Jane Curtin line but it certainly applies to you.
    You seem to need a remedial reading course. I said “MR. SARAH” was a proud card carrying member of a secessionist (some might say tresonous)party, the AIP. Little Miss Sarah spoke at their convention but apparently never joined.
    No Democrat is afraid of a cross-dressing Dan Quayle. The polls out already show independents don’t like her sarcastic arrogance.

  45. just saying

    So, in general, is there ever any useful information in the positive comments about a speech like this from someone in the same party? (e.g. could a Dem’s positive comments possibly be informative about Obama’s speech, or a Rep’s positive comments be informative about McCain’s?)
    It seems like the only comments worth listening to _from the partisans_ are the positive ones about the opposition or the negative ones about the home team team.

  46. mattain

    I wasn’t there with a decibel meter, but Lieberman seemed to draw more than just tepid applause. Especially when talking about McCain’s heroism and unity over partisanship. I’ve always felt pep rallies are a little corny.
    What I find interesting is how much troopergate will affect the next two months. Did you happen to hear the taped conversation between a Palin staffer and Public Safety official that Nightline, oh so conveniently, did a story about immediately after Palin’s speech?

  47. Lee Muller

    Herb, that ignorant article you linked ASSUMES that Obama was born in the US.
    That is the basic fact which Obama has, so far, been unable to substantiate – hence the court order to produce documentation. His mother listed his place of birth as Kenya on the divorce papers. Later papers show his mother changing his citizenship to Indonesia upon his adoption.

  48. Not on the Fence

    Has anyone posted a link to The Weekly Rader? That site gave her speech a letter grade. He’s a liberal writing professor, but it’s a fun read. http://weeklyrader.blogspot.com
    At least he watched it with students, as long as he didn’t brainwash them.

  49. Ish Beverly

    Gov. Palin is awesome. She is a natural and she is genuine. She is just as qualified as anyone on the Democratic ticket. More so, considering how she has shook up the liberal media machine. The Democrats are desperate. They would not be doing all the gutter press against her if they did not think she was qualified. They are worried.

  50. Cheryl W.

    Terrible speech – it was borderline angry and I resented how she used it to tear down another candidate when she has so much room to be torn down.
    I resnt the fact that she parades her pregnant teenage daughter around on stage as if it is something to be proud of, I think this is ridiculous.
    This is a must see,
    http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=J8uGenNjOAI

  51. Lee Muller

    The federal lawsuit may not even be the definitive word on Obama’s citizenship, because it will likely go to a quick appeal.
    The core evidence in the case is the Obama divorce papers stating Barack’s place of birth as Kenya, his Indonesian citizenship papers, his lack of a INS documentation.
    Now, back to the better speaker, Sarah Palin.

  52. Winnie

    Seemed a little childish to me at times. “Na na na goo goo” kind of childish. I WANT to like this woman, but it just isn’t happening.

  53. Richard L. Wolfe

    Palin committed two sins that have set the liberals and MSM’s panties on fire. She is a conservative woman and she told the truth.

  54. Red

    I think many overlook the fact that of the four candidates – Obama, McCain, Biden and Palin — Palin is the only one with executive experience (Governor and Mayor).

  55. some guy

    Sarah Palin and her speechwriters liked the “community organizer” jab so well they included it twice. And didn’t Rudy Guiliani crack on it?
    Weak, and I hope it’s something they’ll be blasted for.

  56. Norm Ivey

    Here’s a question–she said she had experience cutting taxes. Can anyone find a link describing what taxes she cut? Alaska has no state income or state sales tax. I’m serious.

  57. Mike Cakora

    Norm –
    This blog summarizes and has links to Palin’s tax reductions (retail gasoline tax among them) and oil company tax overhaul. It also covers the corruption in the oil tax mess and what she did to stop it and prevent its recurrence.

  58. p.m.

    “Palin committed two sins that have set the liberals and MSM’s panties on fire. She is a conservative woman and she told the truth.” – Richard L. Wolfe
    Amen, Richard. Amen. Amen. Amen,

  59. Mike Cakora

    Here’s a link to a 10/15/2007 article on women governors that has a bit on Palin. It’s interesting because it predates the current fascination with her candidacy. It notes too that by that time she’d already begun distancing herself from Ted Stevens, and that she believed that Alaska had to grow up.

    In an interview with NEWSWEEK, Palin said it’s time for Alaska to “grow up” and end its reliance on pork-barrel spending. Shortly after taking office, Palin canceled funding for the “Bridge to Nowhere,” a $330 million project that Stevens helped champion in Congress. The bridge, which would have linked the town of Ketchikan to an island airport, had come to symbolize Alaska’s dependence on federal handouts. Rather than relying on such largesse, says Palin, she wants to prove Alaska can pay its own way, developing its huge energy wealth in ways that are “politically and environmentally clean.”

    So her dislike of earmarks is not new.

  60. --

    I keep trying to find the source of a fleeting quote from Charles Krauthammer re: McCain committed political suicide with this VP move. I can’t find it — but he said it, and I believe it.
    Nothing against Sarah Palin. She is something else, no doubt!!! I just think the whorish move on John McCain’s part doesn’t sit well with some of us. And it never will.
    ~~~Another dose of my bitter 2 cents’ worth of it all~~~

  61. Brad Warthen

    Folks, I unpublished a comment from Bill C. aimed at Doug Ross, because it was below the belt. It was something a Catholic like me doesn’t think anyone should say to anybody.

    And besides, Doug is a Made Guy on this blog. Ya gotta show him more respect than that.

  62. Doug Ross

    > Folks, I unpublished a comment from Bill C.
    >aimed at Doug Ross, because it was below the
    >belt. It was something a Catholic like me
    >doesn’t think anyone should say to anybody.
    Thanks, Brad, but feel free to publish it. I wouldn’t be a true Libertarian if I didn’t let anyone say what they think. It’s just words. It’s my choice to react to them or not. I just wish he didn’t feel obligated to hide behind an anonymous name. It’s baffling to me that people are afraid to be associated with their own words.
    Anyway, I’ve got a wife and three teenagers — there’s nothing Bill C. can say that can penetrate this thick skin. 🙂
    >And besides, Doug is a Made Guy on this
    >blog. Ya gotta show him more respect than
    >that.
    Uh oh. Somehow I think this will be connected to an offer I cannot refuse on Election Day… kneeling to kiss ring.

  63. Ann

    I find it wierd that I never once heard mccain or palin mention afganistan. “war in iraq” “war in iraq” theres another war going on too the war from 9-11 but people seem to forget about that. theres thousands of men deploying to afganistan everyday and thousands lost there lives there too Including my husband for 15 months I am a mccain supporter I just found it wierd.

  64. Lee Muller

    You weren’t listening.
    McCain, like any sane person, knows that we are in a world war with Islamic terrorists, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Israel, .. and most of Europe.
    It is the Democrats who want to cut and run, party up on taxes while they can, then leave a bigger mess for the next generation.

  65. Brad Warthen

    Ann, you’re absolutely right that we should all be talking and thinking more about Afghanistan. I had a number of posts here during the time the 218th from SC was deployed, but not much lately.

    I think the reason you hear so much about Iraq at political conventions is that the parties define themselves so much in terms of their positions on Iraq, whereas our mission in Afghanistan is not controversial.

    As the fighting there intensifies — a couple of month ago we got to the point where we suffered more casualties there than in Iraq (converging statistics, as the surge succeeded in reducing violence in Iraq and the Taliban resurged in Afghan) — we all need to be paying more attention.

    When I heard James Smith’s presentation to Rotary recently, and also conversed with a young officer who is one of my son’s best friend, I was very mindful of how little I know, even about the basic geography there.

  66. Kelly

    She really made me angry. She has the nerve to insult the Obama/Biden ticket. To me, she came across as an evil dictator who pretends to be this wholesome small town figure, when in fact, she’s a judgemental, evil, sarcastic liar! There were so many lies in that speech that even Pinnochio would cringe. As much as everyone seems to think she excited the GOP base, they need to realize that she also energized the supporters of the Obama/Biden ticket. She represents the “same old divisive with us or against us” crap the current administration has been shoving down our throats. ENOUGH!!!! We are ready to take on McSame and Pack of Lies Palin!!! Game on!

  67. Lee Muller

    There is no separation between the war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. They are the same war, against the same set of enemies.
    We have defeated Saddam, but there are still remnants and others who want to grab power. We have chased what remains of Al Qaeda out of Iraq and into Afhghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban had fled in 2002.
    We have to pursue them and exterminate them, wherever they try to set up a base.

  68. mary

    Sara Palin is NOT a good choice for VP! She looks floozy, wears too much lip gloss, too much make up, does her hair like a high school girl and wears stripper pumps. All the men -( including herself) thinks she is super woman and can do it all, when actually she is so lucky to have a wimpy husband who kisses her booty to excess, and allows her to wear the pants in the family. Most woman in this world don’t have a husband who does all the work with the kids, the house hold, cooks dinner, and would allow their wife to not be home like her. I think everyone is giving this woman way to much credit. So she did good things in Alaska……what makes us American’s think this woman is capable of running America if McCain kicks off? Plus, who is running here for president?…McCain or Palin? I think McCain is using her as a crutch because all the men think Palin is eye candy to them….what if Palin cut her hair professionally, took off 90% of her makeup and shiny lip gloss and lost the “Pumps” and looked like the other woman who desire respect from the woman in this country? If she didn’t look like she was going out for ‘happy hour’ every time she stepped on stage, she may get the respect the American woman. Sell the tanning bed she just bought…and quit bragging about how she squeezed her last kid out and was ‘back to work within hours of giving birth.’ Oh, and running track the day after. Wow, super woman Sara…Isn’t she so perfect…I think there are many things about this woman us American’s DON’T know….. Lose the Sara Barracuda act, we are not in high school any more. She is not running for Prom Queen or Miss America contest….we need a REAL VP in the house whose concern is not her expensive clothes we all keep hearing about and all the make up she wears on stage…..
    Who is raising her huge family while she is off running for Miss America…I mean VP? The only ones who will suffer are all her kids she has at home who don’t have a mom there to raise them daily. That is just plain sad. I am glad Sara Palin is a lucky enough woman to have other people take the responsibility and raise her kids for her while she is NOT home doing her job there. I guess that is why one of her kids is pregnant so far at 16 years old.
    Think about it….Do you think her 16 year old daughter would have got knocked up if her mom was around the last 5 or 6 months to guide her and make sure she was where she was supposed to be? I doubt it. Why did Sara Palin have all these children when she unloads them and the responsibility on other people to take care of? That is plain selfish….but it sure is a good thing she manages to squeeze in running the track everyday and working out for herself as she says, also to get hair done constantly by the hair dresser they interviewed on national t.v. Oh yes, and then to come on National tv globed with makeup and dolled up like she does. She wants to win the beauty “contest” and she is good at pretending to be everything to everyone and pretending to be able to juggle it all…..including America!!! Very scary.
    **Remember: She is only human, just like everyone else. I am very afraid if she becomes the VP. She will finally crack and we will then see the true Palin for what she is….a woman who has tons of kids she is neglecting. A woman who is more worried about herself and winning the “contest”, not 100% focused on America, or her own huge family. Remember a few things…beauty pageant runners must win. They know how to say what they need to say to win.
    I guess you can’t blame all the American husbands who won’t take their eyes off Palin for a second while she is on tv dripping with lip gloss and makeup, in her ‘high heeled new fashioned red pumps’ sashaying around on the stage like she in a new age fashion show and bragging about how she is so great….her puffy hair and wide eyes…’had a baby and back to work within a few hours’ attitude. That is JUST NOT reality in American woman’s eyes. We don’t all have husbands like hers who gives her money to grow and be who she wants to be in this world, and do all the family work for her, and raise her kids for her. Maybe you should go apply at the Mac counter in the mall Sara…I am sure they would love the lip gloss dripping off your lips, all the makeup and your puffed out ratty unprofessional hair and Miss America attitude.
    ****** Sad but true. ****All American woman have either said this already…or thought this about Sara Palin. Very sad for Sara.***************

Comments are closed.