Palin Is Ready? Please.

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  • Posted By: CharlieV @ 09/29/2008 1:09:42 PM

    All this talk abiut her not being qualified to be VP or to be President, but how do you judge qualifications - what would be GOOD qualifications? Many governors became presidents, and people from both sides of the aisle will argue they (Clinton and Reagan) were great presidents.

    So instead of characterizing and attacking her experience, let's start by defining what our criteria and method of evaluation are - and especially what would constitute "good" experience.

    Charlie Volkstorf
    shymathguy99@aol.com

    • Posted By: NH Independent @ 09/29/2008 1:59:31 PM

      How about being able to speak in complete, coherent sentences? Would that do? Even if she has unusual views, at least she ought to be able to, well, TALK about them, wouldn't you say? If we can't expect possible VP of USA to stand up and speak intelligently, we will get Palin. Think about it, please...

      • Posted By: PattyJ3 @ 09/29/2008 2:09:38 PM

        I think in the past Obama hasn't been able to speak in clear, intelligent sentences either. The telepromter is his great friend.

        • Posted By: Johnsonium @ 09/29/2008 3:52:30 PM

          Tell that to the people who watched the debate, a majority of which felt Obama won handily.

        • Posted By: Rose Black @ 09/29/2008 3:51:03 PM

          Obama has been put throught the media grill during the primaries for 18 months. Throughout this election he has held press conferences and taken unscripted questions from reporters. There is no comparasion! McCain's gamble in picking Sarah Palin is tanking fast and I'm very relieved. We're already world known for our stupidity in putting Bush in the White House and look where that has gotten u. People had better start voting for the person who is the most overall qualified candidate to deal with our issues and stop voting for someone they "can identify with". I want someone much smarter than your average American in the White House this time.

    • Posted By: Johnsonium @ 09/29/2008 1:23:58 PM

      How about "good" basic knowledge of key national issues? She had the chance to show her stuff and her responses are more than embarrassing.

  • Posted By: SlpAwy @ 09/29/2008 1:14:23 PM

    John - suncityca,
    I would not consider myself liberal, but I am really tired of the overuse of phrases like, "the liberal media." Liberal this or liberal that...as if this, in itself , is an effective argument. "Hey, I don't have any real constructive, or even logical, points on a subject, so I'll just throw out "liberal" and that is enough to prove me right." Yes, John, of course Palin is being attacked for her perceived weaknesses because she DOES have many. Should these be ignored? If she didn't and was being unfairly attacked, then I could see your point, but this is not the case. And why is it bias? Let me guess...because it's the "liberal media." I got news for you, the conservative media (and there is plenty) has frequently attacked her too. Why? Because she IS very underqualified, just as this article states. To make the comparison to Obama, as you have done here, is ridiculous. First of all, he is a Senator and has been for a number of years. Obviously, this in itself would garner him far more experience than a governor of Alaska would. Also, did you watch the debate? As the overwhelming majority of news outlets are reporting; Obama more than held his own with McCain on all issues. He looked very comfortable, spoke well, and proved himself very knowledgeable, unlike Palin and her canned response, completely ignorant style. John, you mention "glaring" but you provide nothing to back this claim. Also, so what if Palin has been only running for VP for two months. This is a "glaring reason why the McCain campaign should NOT have picked her. His "experience" should have told him this I would think, but he chose to take the gimmicky route to try and gain the presidency in a time when this country needs no part of gimmicks. This ploy is now backfiring and for good reason, Palin is a bad choice. This article was excellent, and it had nothing to do with "liberal." It simply stated the facts and should be commended. Good job Mr. Zakaria.

    • Posted By: John suncityca @ 09/29/2008 1:57:48 PM

      Please get your facts straight. Your argument that "First of all, he is a Senator and has been for a number of years. Obviously, this in itself would garner him far more experience than a governor of Alaska would" First: Obama was elected to the Senate in 2006. He has made relatively NO impact in the two years he's been their. Your confusion may stem from his stint as a state senator from 1996-2004. Of course he's never held an executive position like governor. Palin has been mayor of a small town from 1996-2002 and Governor of Alaska since 2006. In between 02 and 06 she worked in state government. So again, he woefully lacks in experience, similar to Palin.

      Your assertion that you are somehow non-partisan is laughable. You made the assumption that I somehow have a conservative bias by my statements concerning Obama's and Palin's qualifications or lack there of. Touch a nerve did it? Please get your facts clear before you make anymore emotional outbursts as to my objectivity.

      REALITY ONLY OFFENDS THOSE WHO ARE DELUSIONAL.

      • Posted By: Rose Black @ 09/29/2008 3:43:45 PM

        Even with his limited time in the Senate, Senator Obama has had more experience and exposure to national and international issues. You can say whatever you want; however, everytime Palin opens her mouth she provides proof of this statement. Even some conservatives within the Republican party have to state the truth about her and can't support her. I'm thankful they're honest enough to do so. Voting her and McCain into the president's office will put the final nail in America's coffin.

      • Posted By: summer4077 @ 09/29/2008 3:20:38 PM

        A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70% of the vote.

        As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he helped create legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the 110th Congress, he helped create legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. After announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama emphasized withdrawing American troops from Iraq, energy independence, decreasing the influence of lobbyists, and promoting universal health care as top national priorities.

        ...Ok, so he's not qualified? He's an extremely intelligent, level headed man which is exactly what we need. McCain admits he has a hot temper. Do we need another yahoo idiot in office with a quick temper, with things as precarious as they are right now? NO!

  • Posted By: seville @ 09/29/2008 3:28:41 PM

    mccain is so hung up on being president he went and got a person who is no where in the park, presidential or vp competent.He only is using her to try and get the people who is hung up on getting a female, that can pull the votes that Hillary had gotten.He has no real interest in her other that that,which may cause his down fall. The only reason palin accepted the vp spot is because she knows mccain is an old man which health probably fail him and she would becouse president,they are two lost canidates

  • Posted By: NH Independent @ 09/29/2008 1:51:06 PM

    I agree McCain is not the same man he was in 2000, or even before he had the nom this year. It is sad to see the last true R (since the neocons took over) make such a choice for VP slot. I voted for McCain in 2000 & this yr primary; not in the final: can't do it

    • Posted By: Brother Steve @ 09/29/2008 3:28:08 PM

      I always said if I ever voted Republican, it would probably have been for the man McCain used to be. That foolish notion has now been settled forever.

  • Posted By: ApostasyUSA @ 09/29/2008 3:22:07 PM

    I think Obama is right on the mark. I mean what else can the GOP do but put lipstick on a pig? I think McCain???s VP pick is a desperate attempt to repackage the Republican ???Brand??? in a new maverick mythology, which by all stretches of the imagination is entirely chimerical.

    I think it will be difficult for Republicans to make any substantial arguments against affirmative action after this pick. Affirmative action not for individual uplift but as desperate political maneuvering is a cynical betrayal of principals to gain power.

    One question - and please answer honestly:
    Were Palin a man, would McCain have picked her? Point made.

    McCain???s desperate selection just solidifies my original prediction... Obama by a landslide. Not that I have anything against Palin, whoever she is, but, rather, McCain knows he is on the downslide, and had to gamble. I would have more respect for McCain if he selected Tom Ridge (I thought FOR SURE he would have picked him). Yes, McCain would have had a slight problem because Ridge ran as a pro-choice Republican candidate for Governor of PA (which he won). But Ridge would have at least given McCain a chance in PA, a key battleground state. Plus Ridge was the first Secretary of Homeland Security.

    This is as good a pick as Harriet Meirs was...

  • Posted By: champ157 @ 09/29/2008 3:18:11 PM

    Remember Dan Quayle? He was a punchline but we elected Bush 41 anyway. It was a simpler and safer time.
    Palin in those times would be funny and endearing, now she scares the hell out of me. McCain in this election has sold his soul for the White House. When he accuses Obama of putting himself first, is McCain just imputting his own motives to others? Let's all think very carefully about this election

  • Posted By: rube @ 09/29/2008 3:14:50 PM

    McCains record as a senator reagarding the current national crisis cant be hidden!
    Not only did McCain vote for the iraq war he was first in line, a leading advocate to push for articles of war!
    McCain record regarding finacial oversight is a dude, he has is no record! 26 years of let supply side garbage,
    trickle down deception which has lead to the current meltdown. No wonder is is constantly attacking Senator Obama, Mccain has nothing benevoloent to offer our broken union except attact attach attach- bomb bomb bomb- fear this fear that. Enough of the "Maverick fundementalism!" change we can beleive in- dump Mccain!

  • Posted By: kshortSD @ 09/29/2008 3:05:28 PM

    AAARRRGH! Selection of a VP candidate is the MOST important decision a presidential candidate makes during the campaign and McCain blew it!! He just wants to get elected. "Country first"...yeah right!

  • Posted By: Rose Black @ 09/29/2008 3:01:44 PM

    Thank you for standing up and voicing the thoughts of many Americans. Even if I was going to vote for McCain, I wouldn't after his selection of Palin as VP, when she is so woefully unqualified for this position. If McCain were younger and did not have a history of cancer, maybe she could fly ala Dan Quayle; however, this is not the case. Please put country first and vote for Obama/Biden!

  • Posted By: Achilles22 @ 09/29/2008 2:57:53 PM



    Palin is an embarrasment to all Republicans - and more importantly all Americans. I'm sure she fooled the tiny population in Alaska after she was Mayor of a town as big as the bleachers at Fenway - but this is a whole new universe. We need to get real here and make McCain pay for his irresponsible poor judgement.

    Any Republican that can still support this ticket is doing anything but putting country first.

    Please is right - a great piece by Zakaria

  • Posted By: kmpeeling @ 09/29/2008 12:42:57 PM

    I agree completely with Fareed Zakaia. He hit the nail on the head. I was a Hillary supporter and wanted to see the glass ceiling shattered having dealt with denied opportunities in school as a youngster and being passed over for promotion by less qualified men. I was truly surprised and offended when I began to learn about Sarah. If McCain wanted to attract women like me, he needed to pick a seasoned, qualified woman and they are out there. I don't agree with Elizabeth's Dole's politics but she would have been an understandable pick and would have picked up more women than Sarah will but she isn't young and pretty enough. It truly points out that McCain is not putting Country first. I can live with the glass ceiling diappointment because I am putting country first and voting for Obama/Biden. they will do more to move this Country ahead and away from the mess that the republican have created. I just hope that the majority of American can see through the McCain ploy for women's votes.

    • Posted By: Mimi13 @ 09/29/2008 1:05:24 PM

      Actually Liddy Doe doe possess one requirement's McCain seems to have for "his" women -- she's a past beauty paegent winner (Duke U. May Queen). However, there are several other Republican ladies in politics who also wore a tiara --Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska!) and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) are alumnae of the Cherry Blossom Princess program. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) was the Oil Festival Queen in Laurel, Miss., in 1969, as well as a Junior Miss and a first runner-up for Miss U.S. Teen.
      Any one of these could probably handle a Katie Couric interview without becoming a national joke.

      • Posted By: Braes @ 09/29/2008 2:53:41 PM

        Gosh I don't wanna come off as a sexist, but Pageants used to help women advance, practice public speaking, show talent and yes.. that swimsuit gig.
        Oldschool, Miss America used to produce really good scholarship winners and ladies with serious poise, like my Aunt, who won a state competition in the 1940's. She is an active professional today, and hugely successful. When that was the only door open, women took it. Solid good women who paved the way for today.

    • Posted By: TaylorB95 @ 09/29/2008 12:54:04 PM

      Kay Baily Hutchinson...Olympia Snow....etc. There are plenty of female Republicans out there with oodles of experience that he could have chosen...but he went with Palin...putting his becoming President well before the country. I think he chose Palin because of her looks...how much more obvious could it be???

      • Posted By: lingram @ 09/29/2008 1:17:55 PM

        Please people, she looks like a stuffy Librarian. However, I am sure a stuffy Librarian could give more intelligent answers at interviews.

        • Posted By: Johnsonium @ 09/29/2008 1:28:15 PM

          Haven't you watched porn? The stuffy librarian lets down her hair and then gets busy.

  • Posted By: martinb80 @ 09/29/2008 2:10:54 PM

    first off....I support Obama because his views and ideas reflect my own. Nobody can argue that in a democratic society it is your RIGHT and RESPONSIBILITY to take part in the politcal process and within that includes choosing a candidate that YOU feel is best fit for the job. One thing that people seem to forget though is that the issues are still the most important part. As citizens it also your responsibility to seek out the truth when it comes to the issues and not always rely on one media source, or what you see on a blog. Some posters raise some interesting points about the issues and i can respect that, however it shouldn't matter what Obama's middle name is.....or why McCain chose Palin. The bottom line is that these Americans love their country, but each has a different way on how to fix some of the problems.

    • Posted By: John suncityca @ 09/29/2008 2:36:06 PM

      THE VOICE OF REASON. Well said. Hopefully other will profit from such wisdom.

  • Posted By: cbxjohn @ 09/29/2008 8:19:05 AM

    I don't get it, what makes the Community Organizer any better in the top spot? Ivy league college, I think not!
    Give me a person who knows how to pump their own gas, repair an oil burner, or dress an animal, common sense is what is needed in a leader. Sarah has the ability to sift through information relayed by advisor's and make a good solid judgment, WHAT MORE DOES ONE NEED FOR THE JOB? Remember, degrees don't Always =Smarts!

    • Posted By: dayvid @ 09/29/2008 2:35:17 PM

      I guess if the US needs a moose-skinner-in-chief she would be my first recommendation. Unfortunately the job description left out the animal dressing.

    • Posted By: meneither123 @ 09/29/2008 10:34:18 AM

      HUH????????/ Your comment was completly asinine. Wake up buddy, shes' not it. and Smart she's not by a long shot. Greedy yes, Hungry for power, yes, Hungry for longer than her alloted 15 minutes of glory...yes. Hoping McCain will die or get kicked out of office of OBS so she can step in...yes

    • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/29/2008 9:48:13 AM

      Perhaps experiece of Palin is sounding more like someone who has no brain. Experience that makes Dan Quayle sound like a genius compared to Palin. Experience that if I lived next to Canada, that I can say I have foreign policy experience. Experience to compare a Harvard constitutional lawyer who has a brain, to someone who is clueless? Do I need to go on? This is not a Republican versus Democrat issue, this is an issue that affects people on a global level too. Think MACRO!

      Kathleen Parker, an early supporter of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, said Friday recent interviews have shown the Alaska governor is "out of her league" and should leave the GOP presidential ticket for the good of the party leave the GOP presidential ticket for the good of the party. Parker's comments follow those by prominent conservatives David Brooks, George Will, and David Frum who have all publicly questioned Palin's readiness to be vice president.

      And the above list of conservative commentators are some of the most prominent on the right side of the spectrum. Considering the facts and the commentary of these well respected journalists posting what they did, can you still look someone in eye, knowing that Palin could become POTUS, and say without hesitation, or trepidation that she is ready right now to lead our country after seeing Couric's interview with Palin?

    • Posted By: jath123 @ 09/29/2008 9:33:04 AM

      I agree that education doesn't equal intelligence or ability. But I have yet to see any evidence that Sarah Palin has any capabilities whatsoever. Plus, she is a young earth creationist, which means she thinks that every museum of history in America is full of fake fossils. That doesn't make her devout, that makes her stupid. Eight years of stupid is enough.

  • Posted By: yeocarp @ 09/29/2008 2:33:05 PM

    And that was the heavily tutored Sarah Palin. Imagine if she ever had to speak off the cuff!

  • Posted By: richard iezzi @ 09/29/2008 2:27:25 PM

    Right on. In his first important decision, McCain chose a running mate who may get him elected but has nothing to offer re national leadership. So..He put himself first.. Do we really want this person representing us in foreign countries? Norm Crosby made more sense and was a lot funnier. McCain, for all he has accomplished does he look and act robust enough and mentally alert to take on the job? This is a tough job anand he is and is isand

  • Posted By: SimonSez @ 09/28/2008 1:51:45 AM

    Obama's executive experience : "managing his campaign" . I will take Palin's foreign policy experience with her executive experience anyday. McCain more than makes up for the foreign exp. and he is at the TOP of the GOP ticket.

    • Posted By: PanosQ @ 09/28/2008 2:02:01 AM

      Will you take her cluelessness too?

      • Posted By: RichardBrodie @ 09/28/2008 2:15:47 AM

        What we WON'T take is your vacuous calumniation of this eminently exemplary white American woman.

        • Posted By: PanosQ @ 09/28/2008 3:14:16 AM

          I dropped a comment on this earlier, but as I am reading this more carefully, I realized that there was a word that I missed the first time around: "white" American woman? What does her color of skin have to do with anything? Are you missing another era maybe?

          • Posted By: RichardBrodie @ 09/28/2008 11:40:04 AM

            Yeah. we're now in an era which features the multiculturalist double standard, where if someone said of Michelle Obama "she is an eminently examplary BLACK woman" no one would try to imply that a reference to "the color of her skin" was inappropriate - like what you want to imply concerning my reference to Sara Palin as a WHITE woman.

            • Posted By: Krismann @ 09/29/2008 2:19:27 PM

              It doesn't change the fact that you used the word "White" to describe Palin when it had no business being in there. Kind of like using the word "Palin" to describe a Vice Presidential candidate.

          • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/28/2008 3:42:27 AM

            I wonder too since you brought it up if there was some underlying meaning or context to what was said to you regarding "White" I tried to nail Richard on his $10.00 vocabulary word without paying attention to his whole message. I think consider the source with a posting like that and move forward. I know I got under his skin at least a couple times this evening.

        • Posted By: PanosQ @ 09/28/2008 2:56:26 AM

          You can try to insult me, but I am not the issue here. I don't run for office. I can be smart or stupid, knowledgeable or ignorant. All the good or harm I can do is one good or bad vote. Palin' s cluelessness on the other hand can break the entire country. At least whatever our current president will leave standing.

        • Posted By: marksgershenson @ 09/28/2008 2:25:22 AM

          However, when prominent journalists use the word vacuous about Palin, you can't handle them either. I won't repeat the list of people on the right that disagree with you.

      • Posted By: SimonSez @ 09/28/2008 2:13:16 AM

        Absolutely .. if the choice is a guy whose only experience is managing a campaign that faltered miserably in the big important states where Hillary won convincingly. How can he run the most powerful nation based on just his "executive" experience that he dared to even point out? Again, Palin is the VP candidate - Obama is the Presidential candidate. Howard Dean ran a great campaign last year - does that make him qualified for President?

        • Posted By: PanosQ @ 09/28/2008 3:03:26 AM

          George Bush lost most of the big states but won the election in 2000 and 2004. Should I assume that your conclusion back then was that Gore or Kerry deserved to be the president? Maybe Hillary was better than Obama. I don't know. What I do know is that either is much better than McCain. I can only believe that your point is based on political ideology and not on actual observations. You cannot possibly be seriously comparing Palin to Obama. Actually, the way you argue, makes me think that you believe that Palin is SO much better than McCain too. Maybe you would like a constitutional amendment that does not allow senators to run for presidents. Only governors and mayors who have executive experience. Right?

  • Posted By: deepu_djt @ 09/29/2008 12:00:28 PM

    Unfortunately as an unbiased undecided voter, the comments here that support McCain/ Palin dont seem to have any arguments of substance as to why they should be the ones chosen to run this country. I see more of "you are dumb", "Stop reading", etc - where is the comprehensive sensible fact based arguments for why they would be better than Obama/ Biden? All I can sense is the undercurrents that make me think that the only reason that Obama could lose (based on weighing points on both sides) is his race and how many white people come election day might base their important US trajectory altering votes on that one fact. If that proves true it will be the lowest point in American history and I would be ashamed to call myself an American after that. I hope I am proved wrong but I doubt it. All I can ask is that all of you do what is right for the future of America and its people and take all bias out of your mind. Our futures are at stake and this is not an exaggeration.

    • Posted By: 003abcd @ 09/29/2008 2:15:29 PM

      So what you are suggesting is this: Despite the fact that some people do not agree with his proposed policies and points of view, they should vote for him simply because he is black? To prove to you that they are not racist? Makes sense.

  • Posted By: Krismann @ 09/29/2008 2:10:13 PM

    I feel very fortunate that my application for citizenship (thru marriage) to a European country has been approved. The concept of McCain and that vapid nothing Palin in charge at such a delicate time in US history scares the hell out of me. Especially after watching McCain sell his soul to Bush's campaign people (sticking to a rigid line of talking points, becoming as unavailable as possible to reporters, trying to completely distract voters from the issues by using scare tactics, i.e. "Obabma wants your guns!!!") I had respect for John McCain until he became a viable candidate, and changed the way his entire campaign was run. Right now, his campaign is being run the same way the Bush administration is - uninformed, ignorant, incredibly secretive, bullying, and full of lies intended to scare the hell out of their base. Listening to Palin is worse, as the only bit of consistency she has shown is just how much of a bully she is, that she is fond of patronage and cronyism (as mayor, she unabashedly told the assembly in her town that the very people petitioning the assembly were personal friends, and that she favored them), and that she has virtually no understanding of either economics, domestic policy, or foreign policy. How the hell did she get elected Governor, anyway? I ferverently hope they don't win the election, either by popular vote, electoral vote, or another Florida-type "win". I'd hate to give up my military career and move to Europe with my wife and family to avoid the impending McCain-Palin disaster. (Did I mention that I saw several lawn ads in my city yesterday .... with the name PALIN where McCain's usually is ... do these supporters even know that McCain is the PRESIDENTIAL candidate? His name was not on the ad at all......)

  • Posted By: gffish @ 09/29/2008 2:07:22 PM

    Sarah Palin's rambling, non-sensical answer to Katie Couric's question about the bailout sounds like many of my students, who write exam essays containing all the terms which they remember from the semester, but when combined don't come anywhere close to answering the question. Her responses to Couric made George W. Bush seem like Socrates.

    Prior to the 1992 election, Molly Ivins wrote about George H. W. Bush (reprinted on page 137 in her book, "Nothin' but Good Times Ahead,") "The fact is that unless someone else writes a speech for him, the president of the United States sounds like a borderline moron." One wonders what Ivins would say about Sarah Pallin's unscripted performances.

    Palin proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she does not have the intellect to hold any national office.

  • Posted By: Krismann @ 09/29/2008 2:07:01 PM

    I feel very fortunate that my application for citizenship (thru marriage) to a European country has been approved. The concept of McCain and that vapid nothing Palin in charge at such a delicate time in US history scares the hell out of me. Especially after watching McCain sell his soul to Bush's campaign people (sticking to a rigid line of talking points, becoming as unavailable as possible to reporters, trying to completely distract voters from the issues by using scare tactics, i.e. "Obabma wants your guns!!!") I had respect for John McCain until he became a viable candidate, and changed the way his entire campaign was run. Right now, his campaign is being run the same way the Bush administration is - uninformed, ignorant, incredibly secretive, bullying, and full of lies intended to scare the hell out of their base. Listening to Palin is worse, as the only bit of consistency she has shown is just how much of a bully she is, that she is fond of patronage and cronyism (as mayor, she unabashedly told the assembly in her town that the very people petitioning the assembly were personal friends, and that she favored them), and that she has virtually no understanding of either economics, domestic policy, or foreign policy. How the hell did she get elected Governor, anyway? I ferverently hope they don't win the election, either by popular vote, electoral vote, or another Florida-type "win". I'd hate to give up my military career and move to Europe with my wife and family to avoid the impending McCain-Palin disaster. (Did I mention that I saw several lawn ads in my city yesterday .... with the name PALIN where McCain's usually is ... do these supporters even know that McCain is the PRESIDENTIAL candidate? His name was not on the ad at all......)

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