BETWEEN THE LINES | Jonathan Alter

McCain’s ‘Hail Sarah’ Pass

Palin's debut was good theater, but there's a reason that rookies rarely score hat tricks.

By Jonathan Alter | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Aug 29, 2008 | Updated: 5:18  p.m. ET Aug 29, 2008

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  • Posted By: SarahJ @ 11/12/2008 10:05:05 PM

    Comment: You know, when I was a young woman working for MSNBC, I thought Alter was great. Since then, I realize that sarcasm is the tool of the cheap shot, and I tune out as soon as I start detecting that unmistakable method of expression. Though I lean left, I still can't stand the Olberman foaming at the mouth bit, and here, Alter does not appear nearly as buffoonish as Olberman, but the sarcasm wears on me. Can't you lose it, and still make your (very valid) points? Though I have consistently voted for Democrat candidates (except for one Republican congressman, which I then regretted) I am currently reading Peggy Noonan's little book called "Patriotic Grace." It's a refreshing break from the polarized sneering punditry with which we are innundated. When are these "journalists" going to step up to the plate and discourse in ways that will help our nation move forward and really solve our problems? With their finger-pointing mockeries, they are acting as nothing more than court jesters for the parties.

  • Posted By: billtill @ 10/14/2008 10:12:09 AM

    Comment: About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

    'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'
    'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'
    'From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

    'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years'

    'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

    1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
    2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
    3. from courage to liberty;
    4. from liberty to abundance;
    5. from abundance to complacency;
    6. from complacency to apathy;
    7. from apathy to dependence;
    8. from dependence back into bondage'

    Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul , Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:

    Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29
    Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000
    Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million
    Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

    Professor Olson adds: 'In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...' Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the 'complacency and apathy' phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the 'governmental dependency' phase.

    If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

    If you are in favor of this, then by all means, delete this message. If you are not, then pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.

    WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
    ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

  • Posted By: bradfied @ 09/26/2008 10:51:32 AM

    Comment: Is anybody else as sick as I am of the vitrolic he-man woman haters club the democrats have turned into?
    Inclusive is not their watch word of the day, neither is tolerence.

  • Posted By: bradfied @ 09/26/2008 10:46:06 AM

    Comment: Mr Alter continously underestimates the abilities of women. This is just more of his 'that woman can't do that job" hysteria he always writes about anytime a femal republican is elected to or appoitned to well, pretty muvh anything. When you don't like or respect republicans and you do not like or respect women you wind up working for newsweek or time or any msm writing hatchet pieces with little or no truth, just his "opinion."
    tiome or newsweek cutting up republican women.

  • Posted By: allisongayle @ 09/23/2008 7:06:08 PM

    Comment: Just like the 2000 presidential election where you had the incredible audacity to declare that Al Gore should be the winner because he had collected more popular votes, and had to be corrected by Tim Russert before a national audience about how presidential elections are actually won by the electoral college.... you were wrong then and you are sooooo wrong now about Sarah Palin.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 2:07:57 PM

    Comment: Kingfish Obama is using the same cadence as was used in All The KIng's Men to portray Willie Start aka Huey Long/ Listen to it and you will see.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 2:04:09 PM

    Comment: To be honest I think he would be wise to call Obama - Kingfish. Listen to a the old movie of the All the King's Men and see how Obama has copied the exact style of speech the actor use to emulate Willie Start. How many years did he practice that??? Kingfish Obama - every man a king, every women a queen, a chicken in every pot. How dumb are you Obama supporters not to see this? You have been bilked big time.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:57:51 PM

    Comment: SArah to belly flop. Heh! Obama can't even swim!!!! roflemao!!! How sweet.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:56:01 PM

    Comment: The Left Wing od the Democratic Party hates witha passion all things American - especially the muddle class of America. the hate everything Sarah Palin represents and guess what --- that is most of America. Grow up!

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:51:08 PM

    Comment: I was refering to the "Democratic Underground". You nailed it perfectly for your own identiy. LOL!!! Eat moose.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:46:53 PM

    Comment: Sarah Heah Palin is the Mother of Modern Conservatism. Westward-Ho.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:37:14 PM

    Comment: Enter Your Comment
    When will Obama be vetted with the hard and corruptness by the press as has Sarah Palin. huh? huh?

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:33:48 PM

    Comment: Obama is nothing more than Puff the magic Dragon. SAD

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:32:26 PM

    Comment: Before the election arrives - the American electorate will consider Obama little more than Puff the Magic Dragon.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:27:59 PM

    Comment: If Obama was not man enough to offer the VP slot ot Hillary Clinton ---- he certainly is not man enoughto be President of the USA.

  • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:26:22 PM

    Comment: Welcome Sarah Palin, Vice President of the United States of America!!!!!

  • Posted By: Nins @ 09/18/2008 8:05:33 PM

    Comment: Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, Bear Sterns, Lehman Brothers, AIG and the rest of the failed institutions have failed primarily because of former Senator Phil Gramm. The Gramm-Leach-Biley Act stripped away the regulations separating banking from investment companies, insurance companies and mortgage guaranty companies. Those regulations were added after the Great Depression when it became obvious that allowing banks to be in bed with the stock market was a sure way to rig the system to collapse, as it did in 1929.

    Lo an behold, a few years after the regulations were removed, the sh!t has hit the fan, and the inter-related investment, insurance, mortgage and banking industries are now starting to collapse, and guess what, you, the taxpayer will have to pay to clean it up.

    Phil Gramm is the Senator who brought you the "Enron Loophole" that de-regulated futures trading, causing the prices of oil, gas and food to spiral out of control.

    Senator Phil Gramm was McCain's top economic advisor until recently, when he was forced to step down after he said that there is no problem with our economy other than a "mental recession" on the part of a "nation of whiners." Phil Gramm is the man who McCain said he wants to name Secretary of the Treasury if he becomes President. You have to believe John McCain when he says that he knows little about the economy -- so little that he doesn't even know who to choose as an advisor.

    Barack Obama addressed the Enron Loophole, futures trading, short-selling and Wall Street de-regulation months ago in his economic position papers, which are available on his website. Obama has been saying all along that he is going to put in strict regulations and clean up Wall Street.

    McCain just started saying that he favors regulation in the past couple of weeks. How is it that McCain is going to put in new regulations, when he plans to appoint Phil Gramm, the man who caused the de-regulation, as Secretary of the Treasury? McCain says he would fire Christopher Cox, the SEC Chairman, to solve the problem. However, the problem is caused by lack of regulations on the legislative level, regulations that were removed before Cox was appointed. The SEC can only enforce regulations that actually exist, so making a scapegoat of Cox solves nothing. I would suggest that McCain is guilty of saying what's politically expedient, that he does not actually intend to regulate the banking industry. McCain knows that most Americans are unaware of the details.

    I am a middle-aged white conservative Republican who loves America. I am voting for Barack Obama.

    http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15050.html
    http://www.newsweek.com/id/145011/page/1
    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6007788.html
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E0D81038F934A25752C0A9649C8B63
    http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gG5Rzb

  • Posted By: Anniep @ 09/18/2008 4:12:39 PM

    Comment: Obama is a graduate of the top universities in America - hardly an auto -didact.The undisguised contempt for intellect and education in this country is astonishing and really depressing. Obama combines a well honed intelligence with a real understanding of the problems facing the country. Palin understands herself and her own ambition. Just saying something doesn't make it so. If your 12 year old tried to convince you he could drive the car, would you let him if he just kept on and on about it?
    Palin's relationship with the truth is tenuous at best and downright delusional at worst. If my 5 year old daughter played as fast and loose with the truth as Palin does, she would be told in no uncertain terms that that kind of behaviour is reprehensible and wrong. She is not even honest enough to realise that she doesn't know something, a sure sign of a fool according to the proverb. (He who knows not,and knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him.) Obama and Biden are keeping it honest. Let's give them the power to do some good.

  • Posted By: Anniep @ 09/18/2008 4:04:49 PM

    Comment: Obama is a graduate of the top universities in America - hardly an auto -didact.The undisguised contempt for intellect and education in this country is astonishing and really depressing. Obama combines a well honed intelligence with a real understanding of the problems facing the country. Palin understands herself and her own ambition. Just saying something doesn't make it so. If your 12 year old tried to convince you he coulsd drive the car, would you let him if he just kept on and on about it?
    Palin's relationship with the truth is tenuous at best and downright non existant at worst. If my 5 year old daughter played as fast and loose with the truth as palin does, she would be told in no uncertain terms that that kind of behavious is reprehensible and wrong. She is not even honest enough to realise that she doesn't know something, a sure sign of a fool according to the proverb. (He who knows not,a nnd knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him.) Obama and Biden are keeping it honest. Let's give them the power to do some good.

  • Posted By: ToadTreeHugger @ 09/18/2008 7:32:29 AM

    Comment: "Palin's debut was good theater, but there's a reason that rookies rarely score hat tricks."

    Replace Palin with Obama and you come to the same conclusion. Attacking her experience only boomerangs and smacks Obama in the face. A quarter of Americans are undecided and that's because they do not have confidence in Obama.

  • Posted By: sunoverla @ 09/17/2008 8:00:50 PM

    Comment: Alter: When Palin is sworn is as VP, will you please resign from Barack NewsWeekly and never write again, puhleeeze!!

  • Posted By: wchang @ 09/17/2008 11:40:16 AM

    Comment: JoanR -- but Palin's governorship and Obama's senate experience are different. Obama's already been dealing with the issues he'll face, national and international issues.

  • Posted By: JoanR @ 09/17/2008 10:14:39 AM

    Comment: Interesting comment about the "prep work" Governors do before running for President.By the way, this Governor is running for Vice President. Better question is what "prep work" do Senators usually do before they ask for the key to the Oval Office and has Senator Obama done that prep work? To paraphrase one of Newsweek's other favorites, I realize that this is an inconvenient question.Hint: Any voter who considers "experience" to be a deal breaker is already voting for McCain

  • Posted By: gobbledegook @ 09/17/2008 5:48:41 AM

    Comment: Palin is a pustule, Biden is a blister, Obama is a bruise, McCain is a sore.

  • Posted By: Pat from Hendersonville @ 09/17/2008 12:14:56 AM

    Comment: Palin certainly looked unpresidential when she winked at Charles Gibson...unpresidential is lying, being caught and then saying it again and again...unpresidential is refusing to participate in an investigation of her abuse of power...unpresidential is trying to charm the voter rather than delivering substance and qualifications...unpresidential is McCain picking such an unqualified running mate in an attempt to try to woo women by insulting their intelligence...I could go on and on...but I'm just getting frustrated! How could anyone vote McCain/Palin?

    • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 09/17/2008 3:05:37 AM

      Comment: Sorry about your frustration but it is common for american libeerals because the DNC wages discrimination campaigns against americans!
      You are supposed to get frustrated EMOTIONALLY with achievers,christians, gun owners, miliary experts and police! These are the non-stop campaigns of distrust and lies--discrimination campaigns-- the DNC targets at Americans in an Americans Suck First campaign!
      Your frustration has a source and cause! You are a true believer Liberal and democrat, so will never really be at ease---because the DNC won't let you be!
      By the way..Palin is not running for President. Obama has you VERY frustrated,we see!
      And McCain chose Palin to attract CONSERVATIVE voters indiscriminetly and it's working just fine! during the Debate with Biden she'll no doubt land some seriouse political blows against Obama who lack substance and qualifications, being all show and no go!

  • Posted By: LMAO @ 09/16/2008 8:29:56 PM

    Comment: How come we arte not delviong into whether there was a quid pro quo when Obama earmarked +1 million to the his wife employer and then she gets a whopping 159% increase in salary. Obstensibly that was because she was promoted.. But you have to wonder at the timing. Then how about checking the connection between Rezlo (the Iraqi billionaire) & his real estate deal to ensure there were no quid pro quo. That is our tax payer dollars that is at stake here. That is more important than someone firing an employee.

  • Posted By: SKVAM @ 09/16/2008 6:26:52 PM

    Comment: Mr. Alter: You are actually comparing Obama to a rabid right small town mayor, now governor of a state with fewer people than most mid sized lower 48 cities? Her speech was not Obama like, it was nasty, mean spirited and took low blows. It was pure and simple serial name calling. Pathetic. Her town under her charged rape victims for the test kit! This is un Christian, inhuman, and vicious. And Republicans blame parents for out of control teen mothers, so why go light on a woman who along with her husband botched her most important life task, raising a child, with the lowest bar of success being not a pregnant teen. Then, instead of abstinence, which Republicans preach, she chose to have a child (the choice begin made by having sex without protection) when she and her husband were in their 40s, at high, high risk of bearing a Down's syndrome child. Now that life is going to be one of limitations and pain. And she wants to go eyeball to eyeball with Putin? On what planet? She is just a face, Bush with lipstick, and another flop that lets us know McCain values winning over this nation. His other appointments are lobbyists that control his campaign. Maverick? This bronco has been busted by money and power.

    • Posted By: Anniep @ 09/18/2008 4:07:41 PM

      Comment: great post! thoroughly agree!

  • Posted By: jshimota01 @ 09/16/2008 5:05:43 PM

    Comment: continuing the hockey analogy, 'The Sophmore hump" is now beggining to occur. The theory is that after your big splash as an energized Rookie in your first season, the second season is nearly impossible to sustain or even approach as you settle into the league. Welcome to the Bigs Sarah.
    With the newly released info on her flipflop regarding transparency in Troopergate (it was announced today she WONT testify - the repubs are trying desperately to bury and undermine the whole thing on her behalf now) I think she's clearly into her 'second season'.
    ahhh. how low we've come.

    Jim

  • Posted By: yupik1 @ 09/16/2008 4:41:13 PM

    Comment: Say the words: "Commander in Chief Sarah Palin." Two emotions come to mind: "Laughter" and "Fear" which breed "Disbelief." She is a terrible choice which highlights McCain's BAD, BAD judgement.

  • Posted By: RiversideWarrior @ 09/16/2008 1:18:14 PM

    Comment: A question I have is why Hillary is not more actively involved in the campaign, especially as a counter to Palin? She and Biden working together would do a great job exposing Palin for what she is, a former hick-town mayor and governor of a small state (tiny Hawaii has twice as many people as Alaska) with a large redneck constituency. Is Obama not letting HRC get involved? (big mistake) Or is it Hillary being lukewarm because she wants Obama to fail (unforgiveable mistake)?

  • Posted By: rockye @ 09/16/2008 1:40:53 AM

    Comment: IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SARA HAS A B.S DEGREE, EXPERIENCE AS A MAYOR OF LESS THAN 9000 POP. AND TWENTY MONTHS EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE AS GOVERNOR OF ALASKA, LESS THAN MILLION POP. AND THE REPUBLICANS CALL THAT EXPERIENCE? BULL! WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID? THE AMERICAN VOTERS ARE NOT MORONS OR STUPID. THEY WILL SEE THROUGH THIS SMOKE SCREEN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE VOTERS ALREADY HAVE SEEN IT. SHE IS POPPING HER OWN BUBBLE EVERY TIME SHE LIES LIKE FLY. WAKE UP AMERICA...AND SMELL THE LIPSTICK! HELL NO, SARA NO! HELL NO, SARA, NO! HELL NO, SARA NO!

  • Posted By: informed 1 79 @ 09/16/2008 12:08:49 AM

    Comment: I know for certain that Sarah Palin is going to mess up big time. She doesn't do press ,interviews. Doesn't know foreign policy. Thinks global warning is a joke. Can see Russia from her house. Hasn't been in charge of a town of at least 60,000 people. Hasn't been grilled and put to the test like the other candidates.

  • Posted By: LinBon @ 09/15/2008 6:40:17 PM

    Comment: Interesting that McCain and Palin are both anti-abortion, yet McCain voted for partial-birth abortion which occurs after the 20th week of gestation and cannot be conceived of as anything less then murder. Wonder if Palin would follow suit here at well.

  • Posted By: PBrady @ 09/15/2008 3:55:31 PM

    Comment: FYI: Community organizers are the folks who brought us special education and benefits for our special needs children. Palin obviously didn't know who she was insulting when she used such a disparaging tone toward a group of people who work for changes for the greater good. Can't wait till Obama fires back on that one!

  • Posted By: ericsoka @ 09/15/2008 3:37:35 PM

    Comment: I agree completely that Sarah Palin will fall flat on her face. John McCain has gotten a bump out of this, but I feel that the Obama campaign will start hitting back. Already the media is all over McCain/Palin's distorted advertisments. They are horrible and I used to think much more of John McCain then I do now. He is just more of the Bush Doctrine. (someone please tell Sarah what that is)!

  • Posted By: klulich @ 09/11/2008 11:29:51 AM

    Comment: Let's be honest. The only reason you have decided that this article is a blog and will not be reading it is simply because the article goes agasint your beloved candidate. We need to start being open minded and looking at both sides of the debate by looking at both Republican and Democrat opinions of our candidates. Now is the time in which people need to start picking a candidate that is going to be good for our COUNTRY, not what is good for us as an individual. So let us stop getting angry at a news article for their opinions, we are all entitled to our own opinions, that are in fact based on factual information of our candidates! Don't shoot the messenger because you don't like the message!
    Kristen

  • Posted By: teainthesahara @ 09/11/2008 11:02:13 AM

    Comment: Dear freedomthinker:

    This is a blog. It contains opinion. You can find a definition of 'blog' in any good online dictionary.

  • Posted By: freedomthinker @ 09/10/2008 10:01:57 PM

    Comment: Mr Alter, You're clearly an Obama supporter and cannot be considered an objective journalist so I have decided not to read Newsweek anymore. It's liberal baised writing like yours that has made Newsweek an untrustable news source. I have always been an independent but am now so repulsed by the way that democrats down play and disrespect the accomplishments of Sarah Palin that I am leaning more and more towards the republican ticket. I hear the democrats like yourself claiming Palin has no experience while Senator Obama has only been a Senator for little more than a year ,while Governor Palin has been running a town and a whole state for more than 5 years.. Do you really think that the American public is so stupid that we will all believe your lies just because you believe them? Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts.You Mr Alter are out of touch, and so is Newsweek.

    • Posted By: MsChiTown @ 09/17/2008 2:02:00 PM

      Comment: " Senator Obama has only been a Senator for little more than a year ,while Governor Palin has been running a town and a whole state for more than 5 years." Brother, no wonder you like McSame - he lies just as easily. Obama was a state senator for eight years, has been a U.S. senator almost 4 years and taught constitutional law as well as being a community organizer. And unlike when Sarah was mayor, he didn't need an "administrator" (Ha Ha) running the government, and there was never an attempt to recall him for abusing his power. It says something when you can't use facts to defend your candidate.

    • Posted By: ksliberal @ 09/16/2008 12:08:43 PM

      Comment: Your joking right. If you honestly think you are changing your mind on issues due to what you believe is a "liberal bias" then you are lying on here when you say that. You sound like a normal republican. I am an independent voter and do not think that the media is out to get Sarah Palin. I don't see the "liberal bias". First off- this is a blog. Second- there are shows that are obviously liberal, and there are many that are obvious conservative. All other three candidates have gone through the media and she needs to also so we know what we are getting ourselves into.

  • Posted By: tender @ 09/09/2008 11:57:25 PM

    Comment: All of this is amusing, ........... but pure folly.
    Until we become a nation that takes care of it's people, and keeps jobs/prosperity here instead of sending them to China / Mexico, allot of us will become the new working poor, catering to the 2% that run this country.
    The 2% that have always run this country.
    I'm keeping the goal in sight.
    Which is .......... the movement, and revolution that is to come.
    What side will you be on?

  • Posted By: tender @ 09/09/2008 11:29:36 PM

    Comment: Hey floidave,

    So where will you be when the revolution begins.

  • Posted By: tender @ 09/09/2008 11:20:48 PM

    Comment: So 3riverspress... are you part of the dumb vote?

  • Posted By: tender @ 09/09/2008 11:11:27 PM

    Comment: Hey aok7....... make no mistake, she's a dunce.

    • Posted By: Many @ 09/23/2008 1:38:45 PM

      Comment: Yes, You are a dunce of the Underground.

  • Posted By: tender @ 09/09/2008 10:59:30 PM

    Comment: So, dcjdjay..... are you going to vote?

  • Posted By: dcjdjay @ 09/09/2008 4:46:36 PM

    Comment: Almost all politicians have scandals, minor or major, in their past. So that's no big deal here. Palin's just another politician who's been dipping into the honey pot for both personal and political gains. What I find disturbing is her "family values" ideological hard-line stance, people's lives be damned. How thoughtless does one have to be to insist that a woman be denied abortion if she were raped, or that an adolescent who has just suffered incest be denied the same? Her decision to carry her own child with Downs syndrome to term is commendable, but her disdain for the victims of rape and incest is deplorable. Mrs. Palin is entitled to her own opinions, her own ideology, and the way she wishes to live her own life. She is not entitled to decide the fate of victims of heinous crimes. How on earth can we trust someone who is so doctrinaire to understand the subtleties that dominate the grey area of foreign policy?

    • Posted By: fargo2008 @ 09/11/2008 6:49:17 PM

      Comment: I agree with you complitely. On one side she goes out of her way to explain that her daughter "made a decision" to keep the baby and then she turns around and decides to be the one "making decision" for all the American women. Power to her for keeping the sick baby and having the baby in her forties but "us" lower erning class has to have the option of family planning. Morals are things that you eather follow or not. Power to her daughter for keeping the baby but nobody is asking what happend to abstenance as a moral. Do public figures get to choose which morals are wort political fight and which ones are not. So far we know that she can talk the talk but can she walk the walk. I'm afraid not.

  • Posted By: dcjdjay @ 09/09/2008 4:35:43 PM

    Comment: If this

  • Posted By: tenooo566 @ 09/08/2008 9:19:38 PM

    Comment: oops! I see Nobama is getting desperate. He's now reaching out to the women.

  • Posted By: tenooo566 @ 09/08/2008 9:15:41 PM

    Comment: oops! Nobama is getting desperate. I just saw that he is reaching out to the women.

    • Posted By: MsChiTown @ 09/17/2008 2:05:12 PM

      Comment: Hey twit, come out of your cave. All politicians reach out to women.

  • Posted By: alarmistead @ 09/07/2008 7:33:50 PM

    Comment: In the third sentence of your article you state that Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla just a year and a half ago. Why don't journalists check their facts before publishing an article? I read this obvious mistake and immediayely question the credibility of the author. The info I've seen says she hasn't been mayor of Wasilla for about six years. I guess you missed the whole governor thing too.

    • Posted By: ksliberal @ 09/16/2008 12:11:20 PM

      Comment: She has only been governor for 18 months. FYI- that would be a year and a half

  • Posted By: RoRell @ 09/07/2008 5:21:29 PM

    Comment: This is for "Perusing through" fondly nic named by me: "onethrueleven". I ditto 3riverspress's response to onethrueleven!! And let me add that even after 19 months, I also have questions about Obama. What is a community organizer? I can't find any openings in the want ads, I've even Googled it. Now to be fair, I did read an article stating that Obama worked with laid off steelworkers during his 3 years as a community organizer. What was the outcome? Can he pull any of them up on stage with him to offer a testimonial or would they block the teleprompter? Even John Kerry had one guy on his side to counter punch the 16 swift boaters. My next question about Obama's resume would be, "What subjects did he teach in law school?". I know he taught some semesters and he didn't publish any papers. What did he teach and why wasn't there any mention of his time as a teacher in his own short film produced by his campaign and presented at the Democrat Convention? With all the coverage (I'm speaking of magazine covers mostly) that Obama receives from an adoring press (followers), why don't we know the outcome of the steelworkers (even one?) and why don't we know what Obama taught in law school? Very simple question directed at "onethrueleven".

    • Posted By: Anniep @ 09/18/2008 4:15:50 PM

      Comment: constitutional law

    • Posted By: PBrady @ 09/15/2008 3:52:23 PM

      Comment: FYI: Community organizers are the people who brought us special education for our special needs kids. That all started at the community level by community organizers. Ms. Palin obviously does not understand how many people she inadvertently offended with her disparaging tone toward community organizers

  • Posted By: Jim Bradley @ 09/07/2008 2:22:48 PM

    Comment: If the media loves scandal, especially one involving use of public power to settle family scores, why are
    they giving Bush a pass? The only reason for invading Iraq that has stood the test of time is "He tried to
    kill my daddy."

    • Posted By: katvan @ 09/07/2008 4:25:32 PM

      Comment: I agree 100%. Bush 2 should have gone head hunting himself and left the American people out of his revenge.

  • Posted By: LibertyLumen @ 09/07/2008 1:39:44 PM

    Comment: Jonathan Alter...has been saying that Reagan era is over for some time now. Even though for the American people his era is never going to be over,..he thinks by declaring it..it will happen. His disdain for The Mayor of Wasilla, AK shows that he doesn't understand and never will understand what Americans see in the All American can do spirit of Frank Capras movies and Ronald Reagans philosophy and time in elective office. Sarah Palin is Ronald Reagan come back to life and his son Michael Regan said so in a column that he wrote. She is wildly popular and there isn't a thing that the media or the Democrats or anyone else can do about it.
    This election is over...the left lost..and they won't get over it...they never do...and they never learn. Being a phony, lying and taking advantage of the American people is not popular and never will be. We don't need crooks and ne'er do wells running our economy, our lives or our nation. Bye, Bye.

    • Posted By: HeavySeas @ 09/10/2008 10:56:35 AM

      Comment: I agree. America does not need liars in charge of our economy. Particularly ones that don't know much about the economy and have said so. McCain\Palin claim they were against the bridge to nowehere when they were for it, claim they sold planes on eBay when they didn't, and claim they fired staff when they didn't. Lying is the only word in the english language to describe what's happening here. People that lie are liars.

      The right is caught in a tangle here. They love McCain\Palin's extreme views on abortion and big oil but they just can't get around the fact that they're liars. Good luck trying to continue to pull the wool over our eyes. These are serious times we need serious leaders like Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

  • Posted By: aok7 @ 09/06/2008 6:36:48 PM

    Comment: Oh, I forgot to say, so it is logged here for all posterity... THE ELECTION IS OVER! You liberals had better start getting used to the idea now. It was over the day McCain announced her. I must say that I do have occasional flashes of genius, not all the time, most of the time I'm just above average intelligence. But this calculus appeared to me in an instant as I saw the news unfold. Unlike Einstein I am not able to specify the equation that brought this conclusion, yet, it is still a fact. -- Mark my words.

    • Posted By: americandefender @ 09/15/2008 3:29:28 PM

      Comment: You had your chance you right wing nut job! Your beloved administration has run this country into the ground, so I guess your head as been in the sand for the last 8 years don't worry Palin will soon self destruct it's only a matter of time.

  • Posted By: aok7 @ 09/06/2008 6:24:23 PM

    Comment: This is funny. Sarah Palin was a journalism major in college and worked in the field. She could know just as much about world affairs as the guy who wrote this story, and since I'm sure he figures he knows everything, there should be no problem. Another funny thing, people who read and think about world affairs, which I will grant could include every journalist and professor of the subject, and who are very intelligent and quick witted could appear to know a hell-of-a-lot. The libs have already fallen into the trap of attacking her, they had better be careful if they take the bait of thinking that she is stupid.

  • Posted By: Yes2Poetry@comcast.net @ 09/06/2008 4:15:51 PM

    Comment: Democrats have to make sure that Joe Biden is at the top of his game when he debates Ms. Palin. If Biden, as he is wont to do, makes any intemperate remarks about Ms. Palin's lack of qualifications, an obvious and irrefutable fact, he may hurt the Democratic ticket. But he can't let her get away with making clever, sarcastic criticisms of the Democrats' "soft" foreign policy tactics, either. Biden must, to use an old sports cliche, "play within himself" to win that debate.

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/06/2008 11:39:46 AM

    Comment: Who is Sarah Palin? Good question. My answer- someone very diferent than she portrays herself to be and I don't mean that in a good way. Imagine her trying to get her sister's ex boyfriend fired.

  • Posted By: willnotvoteobama @ 09/06/2008 11:20:08 AM

    Comment: HEY WE CAN USE JOHN McCAIN'S MIDDLE NAME(SIDNEY) AND JOE BIDEN'S MIDDLE NAME(ROBINETTE) OR EVEN SARAH PALIN'S MIDDLE NAME (HEATH) BUT YOU BETTER NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT MENTIONING BARACK OBAMA'S MIDDLE NAME BECAUSE IF YOU DO THEN YOU ARE TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE ! IT IS HUSSEIN ! THAT DON'T SCARE ME BUT HIS POLICIES DO !!

    • Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 09/07/2008 5:59:26 AM

      Comment: Don't worry, soon you'll just call him Mr. President ;)

  • Posted By: tmiusa @ 09/06/2008 8:15:06 AM

    Comment: You hope.

  • Posted By: tmiusa @ 09/06/2008 8:14:45 AM

    Comment: you hope.

  • Posted By: Perusing-through @ 09/06/2008 5:15:42 AM

    Comment: .
    [1.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #1: THE "WE DON'T KNOW HIM" LIES
    After 19-months on the campaign trail, detractors of Senator Obama (mainly GOP constituents), claim they "still don't know Obama" well enough to make an informed decision as to how they should vote. But within 48-hours of Sarah Palin's introduction to the GOP, Obama's critics suddenly knew everything there was to know about Sarah Palin. How is it that the religious-right cannot know Obama after he endured 18-months of brutal media scrutiny, but suddenly 'know' Palin within 2-days of popping up on the national stage and without one public interview?

    .
    [2.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #2: THE "EXPERIENCE" LIES
    After Senator Obama spent 19-months running a campaign that has totaled $350-million; and after 3 ½ years in the Senate negotiating legislations for the nation and for his 12.8-million Illinois constituents; and after 8-years in Illinois State Senate fighting for the middle-class; and after 3 ½ more years fighting as a community activist and organizer; it is genuinely hypocritical for McCain to pound Obama on the experience factor, and then turn around and install Sarah Palin with NO national and foreign experience, to be a single heartbeat from Commander-in-Chief of the United States. This is a GARGANTUAN HYPOCRISY and a RECKLESS decision that puts the nation at risk just so McCain can win the presidency.

    .
    [3.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #3: THE "CHANGE" LIES
    Up until last week, McCain's campaign has been on "EXPERIENCE", while Obama's mantra has always been on CHANGE. After watching the DNC performance, McCain 'blinked' and changed his campaign to run on the same mantra as Obama's which is CHANGE. This is after McCain accused Obama of saying anything to win!!

    .
    [4.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #4: THE "APPEASEMENT" LIES
    Bush and McCain accused Obama of wanting to "appease" Iran so they would stop their nuclear program. Obama blasted back and said McCain and Bush hold hawkish views and poor judgment, and their refusal to open diplomatic channels with Iran amounts to failed international policies. Ironically, Bush followed Obama's strategy and began backdoor talks with Iran. As it has turned out, neither Bush nor McCain are calling their own talks with Iran "appeasement", or given Obama credit for what Americans wanted the Bush-McCain leadership to try prior to military exercises. And by the way, Bush and McCain supported 'appeasements' to North Korea in exchange for shutting down their nukes. Again, how ironic, appeasement was the very thing Bush / McCain hypocrites accused Obama.

  • Posted By: Perusing-through @ 09/06/2008 5:15:03 AM

    Comment: .
    [5.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #5: THE "TAX CUT" LIES
    McCain accused Obama of trying to raise taxes. But Obama has continually advocated tax cuts for the middle-class with annual salaries of less than $250,000.00, which is about 98% of the population. However, McCain doesn't tell the public his health insurance plan is going to effectively raise taxes for all Americans that have health insurance, while making permanent tax cuts for the riches upper 2% of Americans.

    .
    [6.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #6: THE "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE" LIES
    Sarah Palin claimed on several occasions that she turned down $350-million of federal government earmarks for the "bridge to nowhere". But what actually happened is Sarah campaigned to get the money for the "bridge to nowhere", then flip-flopped after McCain voted the bridge down when she won the Governor's office. Ironically, Alaska still got the 'bridge to nowhere' funds but it was used instead to build a "highway to nowhere".

    .
    [7.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #7: THE "PLANE SALE ON EBAY" LIES
    Sarah Palin insinuated she sold state plane on EBay for a profit, and more recently McCain repeated it as a fact that the plane was actually sold on EBay for a profit. That lie has now been debunked, and the good Christian Sarah Palin has no shame that she was caught in another lie. The plane could not sell on EBay so it was taken down and sold "privately for a lost".

    .
    [8.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #8: THE "ABSTINENCE-ONLY" LIES
    Sarah Palin as an Ultra Extreme Religious-Right advocate uses her State office bully-pulpit to knock down public school sex-education, while plugging her "abstinence-only" religious views to public schools. Ironically, her 17-year old daughter Bristol fails to practice the "abstinence before marriage" views her mother is trying to push in Alaska schools. Then Sarah tries to hide it with another lie by telling the school where Bristol attends that her daughter must drop out because she has Mono. Sarah continued to hold fast to the Mono lie until rumors break loose just after her VP announcement. It was only then the "abstinence-only" hypocrite came clean.

  • Posted By: Perusing-through @ 09/06/2008 5:14:33 AM

    Comment: .
    [9.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #9: THE "TROOPER-GATE" LIES
    Sarah Palin claimed she never called the State Trooper Magistrate to have her ex-brother-in-law fired. Soon after investigators got on the seen, emails were retrieved to dispute that fact, and now all seven of Sarah's state appointees have refused to testify. It has been learned that more than 20+ plus calls were made to the State Trooper Magistrate regarding the firing of Sarah's brother-in-law, and because the seven witnesses have 'lawyered-up', the investigators must use subpoenas to get the seven that initially volunteered to testify to give an account of what happened.

    .
    [10.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #10: THE "POLITICS BEFORE COUNTRY" LIES
    McCain and Rove accused Obama of picking Virginia Governor Tim Kane as VP for political expediency, and also because Tim Kane would bring a southern state into the Democratic "Win Column". Instead Obama went for Senator Joe Biden to sure up the leadership ticket for the White House. McCain assuming it would be an Obama-Kane ticket, wrongly accused Obama of putting politics ahead of country. Well McCain and Rove got busted. The whole world (except blinded Religious-Right) witnessed McCain picking the least qualified Republican to be his VP in hopes of: (1.) stealing Hillary's voters from Obama; (2.) pleasing James Dobson's religious-right. Clearly a hypocritical VP pick by McCain for the "sole purpose of political ambitions", is now on record for the world???s eternal observation.

    .
    [11.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #11: THE "SADDLEBACK CONE-OF-SILENCE" CHEATER-LIES
    It was McCain's responsibility to be in Pastor Rick Warren's "Cone of Silence" before Senator Obama got the first question. McCain was not in the cone-of-silence. Therefore McCain cheated. The issue is not whether McCain heard any of the questions posed to Obama, the issue is that cheating did occur when McCain did not follow the rules to be where he was suppose to be, at the time he was suppose to be there.

    .
    [12.]
    "McCAIN / PALIN / GOP" HYPOCRISY #12: THE "IRAQ TIMETABLE" LIES
    Senator Obama was consistent in his call for a responsible U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq under an agreed timetable. McCain and Bush said "absolutely" no timetables and anything like timetables was tantamount to "cut-and-run". It was Bush and McCain's desire to stay in Iraq indefinitely. Only after Obama took McCain's challenge and went to Iraq & Afghanistan, and secured an informal agreement to pull U.S. troops out by 2010, did Bush and McCain changed there views to accept timetables. Now Bush and McCain don't call timetables cut-and-run any longer.

    • Posted By: 3riverspress @ 09/06/2008 10:03:04 PM

      Comment: #1 Obama's running for president. His detractors are not mainly GOP. They're the people in small towns, the rust belt and Appalachia who he hasn't deigned to meet. It's easier to call them bitter racists who cling to guns and Bibles.

      #2 Obama spent 3 1/2 years in the Senate? Since Feb 2007, he's been campaigning while she's been Governor. He's spent about 130 actual days in the Senate and missed 40% of the votes. 40% not having to take a stand. And on the critical vote of whether to label Iran's guard a terrorist group, Obama stayed on NH. Said he couldn't make it back and he wasn't told there'd be a vote. And in the IL Senate all of "Obama's legislation" was passed in the last year. Obama does not have a single day of executive experience. He has never had to execute any of his decisions and be held accountable. Just like his Iraq fairy tale. 130 *presents* and *I pushed the wrong button* show he doesn't have much of a spine making a stand. And as president?

      #3 Is a moot point. Either will be change. Obama has just now (at the convention) started talking about what he means concretely. You completely disregard the fact that Obama will be PRESIDENT with complete and utter control. Palin is running for VP. Very very very different. Did you get a glimpse of Sen McCain's 96 y/o mother? Obama's mother died at age 52 and his father 46.

      #4 The 'appeasement' in North Korea involved NATO. Obama has changed his commitment to sitting down with rogue leaders without preconditions.

      #5 How is Obama going to pay for his healthcare plan? What has he settled on? Universal?

      #6 Flip flops? Obama: FISA, DC handguns, abortion, public financing, nuclear power.....all since he starting running for president --mostly since he sewed up the nomination..

      #7 Obama lies are innumerable and well-documented. His life was changed because he saw a picture in LIFE magazine where a black man tried to bleach his skin white (doesn't exist). Said it must have been in Ebony then. (doesn't exist) His parents were inspired at Selma and had him (Obama born 8/61 and Bloody Sunday was 5/65) and by then Obama Sr had abandoned Jr. Many many more.

      #8 Yes, Gov Palin believes in abstinence as a politician. Her daughter is a teenager. Gov Palin believes murder is against the law. So if her son murders someone, does that mean she's hypocritical? And bringing up her daughter when you have 11 other points shows you have no common decency.

      #9 Is under investigation. Curiously or not, Obama's camp has already "reached out" to the trooper's union. Did you believe Trig was Gov Palin's grandson too?

      #10 Completely irrational. McCain has proven with flesh and broken bones that he has always put country first.

      #11 Time to update. Warren loves Obama and admitted he gave Obama a heads up about adoption, which is one of Warren's big deals.

      #12 Timetable was made possible by the success of the Surge.

      No. I am not a Republican.

      • Posted By: katvan @ 09/07/2008 4:28:00 PM

        Comment: They write all that crap and think nobody's gonna check it out? Have you noticed how much nastier Obama people have gotten -- especially since Gov Palin's speech? Reeks of desperation.

        • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 12:23:36 PM

          Comment: Obama supporters including me, are not reeking of desperation. If McCain( God forbid) were to win the presidency, this country will reek of even more desperation for 4 more years. PS- I voted for Pres. Bush both times. Now I am voting him and McCain out! McCain=Bush!

          Extend your pain-vote McCain.

          Obama 08!

          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 12:31:26 PM

            Comment: Katvan-PS Sarah Palin's speech- No substance at all. All she did was cheer on McCain and bash the Dems, and Obama and Biden. Where was her speech about the economy? She and McCain don't have any plans for the economy because they just don't get it. This is why they lose in Nov. Btw, I used to be Rep,... never again.

  • Posted By: 3riverspress @ 09/06/2008 4:37:11 AM

    Comment: Alter - how could you possibly say "DISABLED INFANT"? What is wrong with you? Is there nothing you won't stoop to to get your candidate elected. Gov Palin woke you all up. You saw what Change! and no old Washington is. 35 years in the Senate is not exactly change. She rocked because she was authentic. And the good old boys (Reid) brought out your favorite sexist word: Shrill. You men get threatened by a strong woman and that's all you can come up with?

  • Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 09/06/2008 3:19:35 AM

    Comment: McPalin 08! Country First, Condoms Second!

  • Posted By: KatieKatz @ 09/06/2008 2:20:24 AM

    Comment: My favorite exchange in this otherwise illiterate, shockingly immature series of comments is the one between Floridave and Likeitis. Both are refreshingly smart and succinct, even though they are on opposite sides.

  • Posted By: air35 @ 09/05/2008 10:48:30 PM

    Comment: what did the HAIL OBAMA pass get kenya?
    http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/senator-barack-obama-in-kenya-obama-and-odinga-the-true-story/
    or google obama and odinga

  • Posted By: DocJRGarza @ 09/05/2008 9:13:00 PM

    Comment: Recently, you wrote that America would be judged as racist if we did not vote for BHO. Are you THAT bigoted against:
    American mothers,
    Native Americans,
    Special-needs children and their loving families,
    Union workers and their families,
    Fully involved husbands and fathers,
    Hard-working, independent, intelligent women,
    Families that embrace life and practice their faith (when Planned Parenthood is targeting minorities and your heritage just barely survived another recent Holocaust),
    Military volunteers and their families (when our minorities are carrying more than their share),
    Families that want a better public education than the union is dishing out.
    Even against faithful Roman Catholics (because that bigotry is fashionable ??? again).

    By the way who voted you my judge and jury? As any socialist, you project your bigotry and bias and can???t see the ??????mote in your eye.???
    JRGarza

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/05/2008 4:33:37 PM

    Comment: I think it is in poor taste for Mrs. Cindy McCain to wear 300 thousand dollars worth of fashion and jewelry to the RNC when her husband is running for presidnet of a country whose people have lost theor jobs, their homes and their lives in Iraq. Laura Bush dresses more discreetly, why can't Cindy? What would be wrong if she wore a 5 or 10 thousand dollar outfit? She's not royalty..not even Princess Diana whom I love and admire after all these years, was that wasteful.

    • Posted By: 3riverspress @ 09/06/2008 4:35:09 AM

      Comment: You're joking right?

      • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/06/2008 11:21:05 AM

        Comment: No, I'm dead serious and you are the one who must be joking asking me this stupid question.

        • Posted By: 3riverspress @ 09/06/2008 8:25:02 PM

          Comment: Obama has raised a HALF A BILLION dollars so far. How many people could have been fed? How many jobs and houses saved? How much health care could have been set up for Iraq/Afghan veterans? How many gas tanks could have been filled with the jet fuel Obama wasted on his world tour? Btw, the actual dress cost around 3K - the jewelry she's had for years. Go ahead and call me stupid again if it makes you feel better.

          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 11:44:36 AM

            Comment: Thank you for a stupid answer...very nice. Obama has raised money for his camp from donations by everyday people like me! McCain's major donations to his camp are from PACS and lobbyists. You do know that but as usual McC supporters are in denial. As or Cindy wearing one outfit that equals the price of a house for one night....it is in very poor taste... in fact, disgraceful would be the better word. I care not how much money she has... if she cant humble enough not to wear soemthing so pervertly expensic to the RNC, she should at the very least have enough common sense not to publicize the cost of the outfit if she doesnt want to be criticized for he wearing it

        • Posted By: Floridave @ 09/06/2008 1:36:38 PM

          Comment:



          What question was that? You mean why can't Cindy dress more like Laura? How about personal taste, personal wealth, because she can... take your pick. Interesting that you were a Lady Di fan but can't stomach Cindy's over the top tastes... very ironic and very telling. How about Jackie Onassis spending a fortune redecorating the White House with tax dollars? Is it okay when liberals blow money? How Cindy spends her own money is Cindy's business. She has done plenty to help the world with HER money... she even adopted a less fortunate baby and has given her a wonderful life. Lady Di ever do that? Jackie O? Hillary? Michelle? What? I can't hear you.

          Cindy's wealth came the old fashioned way: She inherited it. But her father did it for his family and she is still able to enjoy it. I laugh at people that are offended by that notion. Liberals can't stand it and that's why we have death taxes. And that's why everything I own is in trusts for my family... to keep liberal thieving hands off of it. Anybody in America can be anything that they want... if you fall short in America today it's you own fault.

          Rich people should take pride in their wealth. Why not? If I could afford 7 houses I would have them. Anybody in America can make it big with a good idea and hard work, the trouble with the left is that many of them want wealth without the work. Entitlement programs breed laziness. If you are not handicapped, you probably don't deserve a handout.

          Okay, I admit that I have over-answered your question but I am always amazed to see how resentful people can be of wealth, deserved or not. And that's why I never understood America's fascination with Lady Di. In my opinion she was nothing but an opportunist that married for money, cheated on her husband but received world wide sympathy when her husband did the same. The English Empire was built upon oppression and America freed herself from it years ago. How their royals continue to exist at all is amazing to me.

          That's all I have for now. If I can be of any further service please let me know.

          Hope this helps.

          Your Pal,
          Floridave



          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 11:53:27 AM

            Comment: Floridave- once again, my question was if it is appropriate for Cindy McCain to wear a $300,000 outfit to her husband's RNC while many Americans are losing jobs, their homes, and their lives in Iraq. What message is she sending people while her husband is running to get elcted? Not a humility message. I don't care how much money she has and I certainly am not envious.. I do pretty well for myself and I have everything I need. I can't say that for many Americans who are struggling. As for Princess Diana..she was cheated on by her husband the very first year they were married. Camilla. Btw, I am no liberal.. I voted for the president twice..now I'm voting him out.

          • Posted By: peace4all00 @ 09/06/2008 8:49:42 PM

            Comment: Floridave - How can you possibly say that, "if you fall short in America today it's your own fault."? Honestly, do you think that all 34.5 million people who live under the poverty level in America (meaning, if an individual makes less than $9,000 per year and a family of four makes less than $18,000 per year) deserved it? How about the 12.9 million children living in poverty? Is it their fault that our country cares more about our military, spending $443.7 billion on the war in Iraq (but the number increases by 186,000 per minute, because the war is still going on) and only about $56 billion per year on education? (I???ll do the math for you: 56 is a little less than 13% of 443.7) As we all know, quality of education can highly affect how well one succeeds in life - if children are lacking basic education, how can you expect them to get ahead without a little help? They don't deserve an ounce of the blame you put on them. Also, I'd like to point out that the money spent on our military could have been spent like so:

            * 21,510,598 full four-year scholarships to public universities
            * 7,689,734 new public school teachers
            * 58,770,981 chances for children to attend head-start

            The money could have also purchased health insurance policies for 265,701,285 uninsured people or housing for 3,995,293 homeless families.

            I know many people blame the poor for making bad decisions in life, like getting involved in drugs, alcohol etc. ??? however, we as a country need to help these people make better decisions, and a whole lot of that starts with a solid education. If you conservatives want a better economy, start with improving our lower class ??? they???re the only thing holding us back. Can you imagine a country with no poverty? Well guess what ??? it???s possible, if everyone pitched in a little bit. (Also, we wouldn???t have to give free movie tickets to homeless people on the nights of the RNC so that the media doesn???t see them.)

            • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 11:57:03 AM

              Comment: Excellent, thank you.

              Regarding, my post, Floridave doesn't want to understand that I meant that if a man is running for president in these times of troubles in America, his rich wife should show some humility and discretion regarding her wealth if she wants to be taken seriously.

            • Posted By: Floridave @ 09/06/2008 10:34:05 PM

              Comment: Sheesh.... more hands out looking for governmental free stuff. Here's where the republicans are exactly right about family values: If you can't afford kids, don't have them. Poor children? Sad, but the government can't support every child that is getting screwed over by indigent parents. What about family? What about church? What about civic organizations? What about you?

              And yes, I do believe that anyone in America can be a success. You want less poor people? Stop paying them to be poor. Welfare has created a mentality where welfare moms raise welfare children to someday have welfare kids of their own. Restore pride in work and poverty will decrease dramatically. You shouldn't ever be comfortable when you are taking money from the government. You should be embarrassed and working towards independence.

              Success is relatively easy in America. Finish school, don't get married until you can afford it. Definitely don't have kids until you can afford them, keep your job until you find a better one, save some money and buy a home. How is any of that so hard? Why can't any healthy person with half a brain follow that formula? Welfare should just be for people with disabilities, both physical and mental. If you are poor and able bodied, you are just lazy. If you are poor, able bodied and have kids, you are not very smart and probably don't deserve the honor of raising children. This is where Sara Palin's kid screwed up but I bet she somehow manages to avoid government subsidy.

              We all either create our own paradise or dig our own graves in this life. Expecting the government to take care of you, special exceptions aside, is selling yourself short.

              Less government, lower taxes, and incentives for entrepreneurs are what can make America great. I see that more likely coming from the right than the left. I believe in pride in work, self sufficiency, and charity from individuals and organizations, not the government. I am sure you will disagree, and I respect your right to do so. But if everyone followed my formula the country would probably be a better place.

              Hope this helps.
              Floridave

            • Posted By: peace4all00 @ 09/06/2008 9:54:37 PM

              Comment: Oh, and here's a little quote about education:

              "It may be buried under loads of putdowns, negative evaluations, low grades and test scores, delinquesnt behavior, self-hatred and more, but like the seed in winter that lies dormant...only to blossom in the sun's warmth in spring, this genius too, can survive if you will study the optimum conditions for its growth in the classroom."
              Thomas Armstrong

              I think this quote helps to illustrate my point, showing that the conditions students are put in highly influence their success. If our government doesnt care to provide those "optimum conditions for [students] growth in the classroom" then our society will never meet its fullest potential. (...and will never eliminate poverty.)

              Yours truly,
              peace4all

    • Posted By: Floridave @ 09/05/2008 10:49:30 PM

      Comment:

      I never understood America's fascination with Princess Diana, or for that matter, the whole British Royalty nonsense.

      Isn't that the crap we were trying to get rid of with the Declaration of Independence?

      Princess Di did prove one thing: Some people might think they are above the law, but when it comes to the laws of physics... nobody is exempt. Seatbelts save lives, Lady Di.

      Hope this helps,
      Floridave

      • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/06/2008 11:23:01 AM

        Comment: Floridave- one word for you- Shallow. Oh, and of course you did not answer my question. Spin, avoid, evade, deny.

        • Posted By: Floridave @ 09/06/2008 2:13:45 PM

          Comment: Pia,
          Scroll up a little bit... there's my answer.
          Also, why would you call me shallow?
          I can see why you might use plenty of
          other terms... but shallow? How does
          one achieve great depth by blogging?
          Your Pal,
          Floridave

          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/08/2008 12:06:25 PM

            Comment: Yes, I saw your reply and responded. Sorry, mine was so short, I don't have the to go on and on about this..wish I could. What I will say again is that I believe Mrs. McCain shows that she has no humility. Again, her husband is running for the presidency during troubling times in our country. She should have the common sense to be a little discreet with her wealth. wear 300K fashion on her own time...why wear that particular out fit to the RNC? To show what..that her husband understands that many Americans are struggling? He does not and neither does she. McCain is painfully out of touch with America's problems right now.

            I say you are shallow regarding your Princess Diana comments and physics. How about a little compassion.

  • Posted By: STEPUP @ 09/05/2008 2:12:31 PM

    Comment: Mr. Alter your first Hail Sarah " opinion " piece was offensive to me and to all women who think; to all women who live and make their lives work, no matter.... It was offensive because you pre-judged her and tried to shoot her down with every stray. cynical bullet, fact or fiction, your brain could muster. Your second "opinion" piece was more of the same but seemed defensive. I don't think you should worry, your candidate could still be elected

    • Posted By: 3riverspress @ 09/06/2008 8:47:38 PM

      Comment: Anything and anyone who stands in Obama's way will be attacked by Alter.

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 09/05/2008 12:49:53 PM

    Comment: Zombiehero-where are you?

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 09/05/2008 1:41:30 PM

      Comment: HIDING!