"Not only is she the least qualified candidate for national office in decades, not only is she virulently anti-choice and anti-environmentalist, she's a Pat Buchanan supporter."
1) She has more executive experience than Obama.
2) She is Pro-Choice, just chooses life.
3) She knows more about environmental impact than you do about writing and deals with it on a daily basis as the governor of Alaska.
4) She is Pro-family as proven by 20 years of marriage and 5 kids.
5) Pro-American with Disability programs since she deals with it every day.
Look at the positive side of this. We are getting a new leader that truly loves the outdoors and making a positive difference in life.

Her "executive" experience is well documented in a possible abuse of power investigation against her. But then that's the Republican MO.

McCain's choice of Palin as a running mate changes nothing. A McCain administration will mean continued dependence on foreign oil, more people (including many children) with no health care, continued burdens being placed on American families, more lost US jobs as they continue to be shipped overseas, more tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of the rest of America, more global warming and environmental degradation, more lives of US troops lost in Iraq, more homeless US veterans who don't get the help they are entitled to when their service to country has ended and the continued decline of US influence across the globe. And a would-be VP Palin doesn't change one thing about how a McCain administration would do the nation's business...McCain/Palin 4 more years of the last 8.

And she is a Pat Buchanan fan too? Go figure, lol...

Glad to hear your aunt has made the correct choice MJ. :)

Well I never thought I'd be reduced to citing Charles Krauthammer, but hopefully he was spot on today in his Washington Post commentary...

"The Palin selection completely undercuts the argument about Obama's inexperience and readiness to lead -- on the theory that because Palin is a maverick and a corruption fighter, she bolsters McCain's claim to be the reformer in this campaign. In her rollout today, Palin spoke a lot about change. McCain is now trying to steal "change" from Obama, a contest McCain will lose in an overwhelmingly Democratic year with an overwhelmingly unpopular incumbent Republican administration. At the same time, he's weakening his strong suit -- readiness vs. unreadiness.

The McCain campaign is reveling in the fact that Palin is a game changer. But why a game changer when you’ve been gaining? To gratuitously undercut the remarkably successful "Is he ready to lead" line of attack seems near suicidal."

For once I actually hope he's right!

If McCain was elected can you imagine the temptation of wingnuts of all persuasions – anti-immigration, NRA extremists, the Christian right –to get rid of him to have one of their own in power?

She is Bush squared and just as deceptive because she hides it behind a skirt, a smile and a pretty face and is “authentic” to boot. No foreign policy experience? The neo-cons would fill in those blanks. This wouldn’t be Bush’s third term, it would be Cheney’s third term.

Sarah Palin could easily end up looking like a "deer in headlights" when she goes up against Sen Biden in the V.P. debates. The smart thing for Biden to do is to let Palin make her own "unforced" errors. That way, Biden can't be accused of being a misogynist. But then again, Sara could be really thinking….aren’t ALL men sexist pigs and deserve to be kicked in the ballz with their hands tied behind their backs and better yet, having the personal pleasure of hitting a man below the belt, especially if it’s the Presidential Nominee of the Democratic Party.

Interesting contrast, isn't it, between Obama, citoyen du monde, and Palin, the girl next door? In a typical election year, I'd put my money on the local gal, but after eight years of Bush, I think Americans are looking for a leadership team that will garner greater respect around the world. But with the addition of Palin, the Republican ticket looks especially provincial, I think--and even more so when contrasted with the cosmopolitan feel of Obama-Biden. The spunky, homey Palin has her charms--and doubtlessly will win her share of voters--but I think she'll make the Republican ticket look less appealing in world capitals and, for once, the opinions of the rest of the world will actually matter to American voters this year. Because of this, the Palin pick will likely hurt McCain.

Has it occurred to anyone that McCain picked Palin knowing full well she'd create a hoohah, and that she's implode before the convention?

Why aren't we talking about Obama? He didn't even get 24 hours after the speech of a century? hmm If McCain had announced some boring old white guy we'd be talking about Obama.

Why is the GOP steering the conversation towards a completely unsuitable choice for VP. Why are TPMers wasting time justifying that choice? We should be questioning his sanity.

If Palin makes it to the convention. I'll be surprised.

McCains doing a bit of effective clock management, if you ask me.

Has anyone considered that it is the Republican Convention that might have a little rebellion? A rebellion they thought Hillary was going to throw at the Democratic Convention.

Well not all Americans are looking for the same thing. After eight years of Bush, though, a lot of Americans are looking for competence in managing both domestic affairs (Katrina) and international relations (Iraq). Sarg may vote for the pretty girl who shoots straight, but there are a bunch of us Americans who are actually looking for a competent President (and wilderness skills aren't really what we're thinking of when we think about Presidential competence).

That said, as someone whose passions are fishing and hunting (and pretty girls, too), I understand what Sarg likes about Palin. And I know she'll play well in small-town America.

As I said before, the Palin pick sets up some interesting contrasts: Citoyen du monde or girl next door? Most years, I'd agree with Sarge and bet that girl next door wins. This year is different though, since Bush has exposed the dangers of an unsophisticated, unprepared leader.

Got something also good on her judgement and public behavior.

Here's a link to an audio recording as she laughs along with a host who was insulting and making fun of a female senator who survived cancer calling her a bitch and a cancer to boot.

Courtesy of Dailykos:
'http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/82113/4808/746/579971

She's definitely thick skinned, all right, to the point of destroying all PR with any one she dislikes or doesn't care about.

Buchanan was slimed by association and now you are trying to slime Palin by association with someone slimed by association. And yet you argued that guilt by association (the Obama in church with Farrakhan canard) is patently wrong-headed fear mongering.

You don't specify what views of Buchanan's she backs. You back candidates some of whose views you don't agree with. It's nearly inevitable or else you'd back no one. And yet you imply that she holds Buchanan's views but don't say which ones other than pro-life.

I suspect the pro-life view is the key to her support for Buchanan.

I'm not so sure the virulent insistence on terminating unborn human beings as an act of angry political protest for lack of equal pay and the glass cieling issues is NOT a very Judaic ethos at its heart. Whacking the defenseless and innocent to express anger at one's percieved oppressors is a policy of bitterness and revenge masked as "choice." It's hostage taking and killing of innocent lives. Many Palestinians do it because they have an "unwanted neighbor" and most say couples abort because of an "unwanted pregnancy." However, if you risk something, are related to something, and then disclaim responsibility for it, the fact you don't "want" it is irrelevant to your responsibility for "it."

Atrios asks poignantly now that the Republicans have chosen a fervent Buchanan supporter for VP, will the crack mainstream pundits even discuss whether McCain has a Jewish problem (or are such discussions reverved only for the Democrats)?

This person was not the choice of McCain. This needs to be exposed to the max. The Republican party has been taken over by political hacks like Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh. McCain did not pick this person. This is the choice of the far right. This is to shore up the so called base of the party. No matter WHO it is. John McCain is not in charge of his own party--by a longshot. He cannot call the shots during and after the convention, either, because he allegedly picked Palin. The right wing of the Republican Party is calling the shots. McCain is powerless against them.