Actually, the rumors about her (Sarah's) pregnancy have been circulating up in Alaska since April. I have family in Wasilla. It is unfortunate that due to woefully incompetent vetting and ambition that a young woman is being pulled through the mud. I am sure that every candidate has things in their background that can be devestating or no big deal depending on how they are packaged and explained. Because of McCain's rash decision-making process, there was apparently no time to do it properly. If they had come out and said initially that they were the proud parents of five children, one young man going to Iraq this fall, one young woman who is pregnant with their first grandchild that they are SOOO excited about and the youngest blessing from God. (I have a special needs son who is 20 now and he is the best thing that has ever happened to me.) So the problem is not the young woman's pregnancy or the rumors about Sarah's pregnancy -- both of which became more than they should have because of an effort to cover them up. The issue is McCain's behavior, decision making and judgement.

Posted at September 2, 2008 1:34 AM in response to Offended and Demand Action

Wrong. I was 38 years old with my first pregnancy. (Actually tested okay genetically but turned out to have autism which is not relevant here.) I was 36-1/2 weeks' pregnant and got my doc's permission to fly on Christmas eve. I had had a "perfect" pregnancy. I was already in labor and didn't realize it -- back pains at 8 months, ask a woman. Anyway, they took me to the hospital on Xmas morning in Junction City Kansas. A little community hospital -- the only one in town. The 70+ year-old doc in charge on Xmas was told by the one OB/GYN in town that day that if ANYTHING changed, they were to send me to the nearest regional medical center. That night, in the middle of a blizzard, I was transported by ambulance 60 miles to Topeka, where I ultimately delivered my premature, otherwise healthy baby, who had to stay in the hospital for a month to catch up. Her story simply does not make any sense. Her judgement or lack thereof and her family issues were really between her and the people of Alaska -- until McCain chose her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. What is happening now was inevitable under these circumstances. McCain should never have picked someone (his "soul mate") without full vetting. If true, her daughter got pregnant and the family covered it up -- like so many families have done. Ms. Palin doesn't strike me as stupid and must have known the impact this type of story would have on her daughter. She apparently chose her personal ambition over her family. So much for family values. There's just a lot of stuff here that isn't logical and/or is contradictory. The threads are being pulled and the truth will ultimately come out. She may be a barracuda, but she is swimming with the sharks and the sharks smell blood.

Posted at August 31, 2008 10:50 PM in response to "Water Breakgate" - 8/31/2008 - New and Disturbing Information

Biden feels like a good choice to me. He is seasoned and comfortable - counters that "otherness" that bothers so many people about Barack. He will also be an incredible attack dog. Can't wait to see him take on Mitt and all those other stupid pundits on McSame's team.

Posted at August 23, 2008 2:16 AM in response to ABC: Secret Service Headed To Biden's House

Where does the whole Keating-five thing fit in?

Posted at August 22, 2008 11:53 PM in response to Obama's Nuclear Options

Whereas I would honor any of our men and women who have ever served our country, McCain's tenure as a POW should disturb everyone with respect to his mental capacity to be President. In order to mentally survive torture, assault and physical abuse, whether at the hands of parents, rapists or, in this case, your captors, the human mind pretty much has to compartmentalize what's going on -- allowing the "real" person to retreat from reality in order to maintain sanity and separate from what is being done to them. McCain obviously suffered severe physical torture. No one knows what it did to his mind. Post-traumatic stress syndrome is not something that goes away or resolves easily. I remember a friend whose husband came back from Viet Nam and would never talk about his experiences. However, any time a car backfired on the street outside the home, he would instinctively throw himself on her or the kids to protect them. McCain was a womanizer before he went to Viet Nam and obviously afterwards. He got into Annapolis on the basis of his father's and grandfather's ranks as Admirals (which McCain was passed over for years later). He ranked about fifth from the bottom of his class of 900. Learned a lot about military history and tactics, did he? However, he clearly sees the world through the eyes of a warrior, as his first response to a political probelm is to destroy the enemy. His temperment and inability to control his temper are well-documented. He has been extremely disrespectful to his first and second wives (calling Cindy a C___ in public for teasing him about going bald, wet T-shirt contest, etc.) and is on record as not supporting a single so-called woman's issue that he has ever had a chance to vote on. He is a compulsive craps player and has had to be pulled back from the gaming tables in Vegas lest someone get the wrong (right) idea. Craps is a game of pure chance and epitomizes the rush of the gambler. His so-called Maverick appeal has been more attention-getting behavior or political positioning than anything else. So let's see, he is not particularly intelligent, he survived five years in captivity at an unknown cost to his psyche, he is a womanizer from way back and is disrespectful of women in general, he has never held a private sector job (other than as a beer distributor, presumably for Cindy's father), he is a compulsive craps player, a political opportunist of the worst kind nand his first impulse is to attack a problem militarily in a world of complex nuances. Did I mention that he was a POW?

Posted at August 22, 2008 3:12 PM in response to Using the POW Argument One Too Many Times OR When Being A POW Become THE Reason He Should Not Be President

Very, very powerful post. Thank you. I have a brother who has spent the last 35 years in uniform and he is pro Obama all the way. Military personnel know a good leader when they see one.

Posted at August 14, 2008 3:05 PM in response to The Shelf Life of John McCain's Honor

My brother and his family live outside of Anchorage and have been there for years. He is a life-long military guy -- currently in charge of something for the VA up there (so you can imagine were he comes down on Bush et al). I was amazed to find out that they were pro Obama. Tomorrow is his birthday and I will probably talk to him --I'll have to ask him what's going on up there!

Posted at August 12, 2008 8:52 PM in response to Poll: Obama Leading In Deep-Red Alaska!

Here is what struck me about the ads. First we had McCain's "Celebrity" negative attack in the middle of the march of nations. It stuck a very discordant note and did not speak well of McCain and his campaign. Second, we have Obama's ad that through visuals and words reminds Americans of how great we can be -- that we can solve problem facing not just us but the world. Those of us who watch the Olympics share a love of country and pride in our country. I think Obama's ad played to our better selves. That's what I found impressive -- even without the contrast to McCain's ad.

Posted at August 9, 2008 5:46 PM in response to Truly Impressive Ad, "Hands"

May your heart be filled with joy, laughter, love and music. Thank you for sharing.

Posted at August 8, 2008 8:44 PM in response to In Which I Finally Get It

One of the best posts I've read lately. I remember. All too well. I too came away from those years disappointed in Bill's inability to keep his pants zipped, but thoroughly disgusted with how the Republicans "set him up". Unfortuantely, my opinions about both Clintons have changed dramatically after watching them up close and personal over the last several months. I would still have voted for her over McCain because there is so much at risk, but I would have been holding my nose. Obama has allowed me to cast aside some of my cynicism and to hope again.

Posted at June 1, 2008 11:13 PM in response to LIPSTICK ON A PIG