Washington File

With a president with the lowest approval in
history (xcept Nixon), the country at war
and the economy a mess, the real question is
why isn't O'bama 20 pts ahead of McCain?

The presidency is of course a real job, and as such a proven ability to make good decisions, and recognize good character is essential.

Thankfully alot of people have scratched beneath the surface to find that of the 4 candidates running for high office, only one, with minimal political experience and without one significant piece of legislation to his name, has chosen as a few of his closest associates; a criminal by whom he got a deal on his home, his minister of 20 yrs, a racist, and admitted terrorists who helped launch his career. Meet the real Obama.

Other people prefer to allow slick media soundbites, and sleazy witchunt tabloid journalism to form the basis of their knowledge, but then the people in Cuba thought Fidel was a good deal until he got elected too.

If Obama wins, it'll likely be because the
result of an enormous amount of green wallpaper in the swing states. Weak as the choices are, Americans are not as dumb as
many people seem to think they are.

To Notaliberal

If you honestly think that Palin and McCain are strong candidates that will improve your country and not continue to drive it into the ground as Bush as done, then by all means vote for them! It is not a coincidence that Canada, Australia, and most European nations can clearly see that Obama is the only candidate available to you that seems to have a sane idea about what is needed and has the best odds of improving your country. Feel free to laugh at us because we can't vote. If McCain (god forbid) is elected, the rest of us will be laughing right back at you because we will be eternally thankful that we don't live in your country where extreme conservatism seems to rule. Where the leaders of the country don't believe in global warming. Where the economy is in an extreme crisis yet your Republican candidate claims to not know much about the economy (and his comments clearly prove that point). Where your leaders want to take away the rights of women in allowing them a choice in regards to pregnancy. Where a candidate doesn't even have a prayer of being elected unless he or she has a proven record of being a religious person. Where universal health care does not exist and families have to file bankruptcy just to give a loved one necessary treatments. Laugh all you want. If you honestly think that McCain getting voted in is for the best and you want to rub that in our faces, by all means go ahead. The rest of us will be silently watching and shaking our heads.

To my dear Canadian friends,

Your vitriol towards Sarah Palin is simply shameful. Being that I actually LIVE here in the US, I have a vote, and I am voting for McCain/Palin because he is a PATRIOT, who not only endured five terrible years in N. Viet Nam when he could have left ahead of his comrades because of his family's military history and status, but then went on to serve in the US senate for more than two decades without beholding to special interests. Palin has made her own way, prompted to get involved in her local politics because of the rampant corruption on BOTH sides of the political machine. If she were a liberal/socialist/democrat, you loudmouth morons would be singing her praises instead of running her into the dirt with your uneducated vitriolic spew. She is not going to DC to get rich, she is going there, along with McCain, to help drain the swamp of all of the corrupt liberal spendthrifts who are hell bent on raising taxes on an already overtaxed populace, and wasting our hard earned money on failed social giveaways. If you don't like, tough. You don't get to vote anyway. BWAAHAAHAAHAA.

Signed,
A PROUD US citizen and Taxpayer

When Palin makes comments about the Iraq War being "God's will" and drilling in Alaska being "God's will" it is no different than the Islamic extremists saying that killing Americans is also "God's will". It's all about twisting facts and using people's religious beliefs as a form of control. Palin is no better and no different than any Islamic extremist making extreme claims in the name of God. But of course the conservative Americans would never see it that way....because everything is in black and white terms for them.

the sarah palin phenomenon is media created. the only interesting thing about her as a v.p. nominee is that she's a completely ridiculous choice.

Since shes so anti gun control my only hope is shes a better shot than Dick Cheney.

I really wish people would take some responsibility for themselves and stand up to make a difference instead of taking cheap shots at the one who are at least "trying". If you are truly making a difference in society today then stand up and be heard. If not be more constructive and supportive of those who are. It's about time we rallied around someone and supported them regardless of their faults. Maybe we could make the world a better place...Think about it!!

Gee Rodney H. lighten up. I said I liked the lady. I'm not voting in the US elections so can't I be allowed to comment favorably on the woman's personality, her ability to deliver a speech and to perform when it counts? I can't help but enjoy the befuddlement of the media and the stuffed shirts when faced with this gun-toting Momma. Do those traits guarantee she would be a good VP? No. But they don't necessarily mean she would be a bad one either. The next couple of months will reveal if she has any substance at all or if she's a flash in the pan.

If one is commenting about gimmicks--I expect the Democrats weighed their own "gimmick" choice (race or gender or if you prefer: youth versus age) and gambled on the one they thought would more likely give them the election. Politics plays out on many levels--image and substance for all parties.

The unadulterated hypocracy of people such as Palin is beyond belief. Her Christianity teaches love thy neighbour, look after the poor, do not kill, and with every breath in her speech she spouted hatred, anger, sarcasm, war (killing is ok as long as it is in a foreign country, I guess), and was proud to veto all the spending which would have helped the disadvantaged in her community. Her creationalist views are ? 10th century? - The world was supposed to be flat then - now it is only 6000 yrs old, and we are to hate any idea or any group of people we don't understand, especially if the idea is based on sound 21st century scientific evidence... The crowd roared with every sentence she yelled as if they were out for blood....

I'm getting a vision of a society going back into the dark ages.

Cliff,

You are completely correct that the Democratic party did not say Mrs. Palin was a bad mother. But lots of people have and it does not matter if they are democrats or republicans. It is tacky and only makes her look picked upon. The democrats need to start attacking her politics so that this stupid stuff gets ignored.

If Senator McCain or Governor Palin accused Jamie Lynn Spears' parents of lack of moral fibre, or made other accusations about their parentage then I would agree that they are being hypocritical. I suspect that is not the case. And we all need to remember that teenagers do what they want, and Bristol Palin may have completely different views than her mother.

Try turning it around and looking at it the other way. I believe in sex education. I believe in choice. I talked to my daughter about sex. I talked to her about birth control and STD transmission. I did everything that Mrs. Palin would lose her lunch over. And yet my daughter chose to have sex long before she was old enough to fully deal with the consequences. I was horrified. Does that mean I should never get to say I believe in sex education? I hope not. I intend to keep standing up for sex education. But that means I need to respect Sarah Palin's right to stand up for abstinence education, no matter what her children choose to think and do.

Sorry folks, snide comments and sarcasm do not a politician make. I found her to be juvenile, insulting, and a real smart-alec. Her snide insults were childish and utterly without class. I was embarrassed for the Republicans, and I don't even like them!

Perhaps her kind of rhetoric wins elections in Alaska where the sled dogs are about as sophisticated as the people (and a state with a population less than what, Halifax?), but I'd love to see her crack wise to China's Premier or the President of France and see how far that gets her. Best of luck US if you get her as your VP, or god forbid, President.

To all those who ignorantly invoke the "separation of church and state" to validate their hatred of religion, please get your facts straight.
The second ammendment, far from banning religion in politics, only prohibits the establishment of a national religion by Congress, or the preference by the state of one religion over another, and goes on to guard religious liberty for all.
It does not prohibit (or even discourage) the belief in God, or the expression of that belief, by any elected official.

rita guigon from saskatoon wrote

"I like this lady. She has galvanized a country that has been languishing in post 9/11 depression. I don't care about the detractors (didn't write the speech etc. etc.) she delivered exactly what was needed. She's genuine. She's got style. I don't agree with many of her views but it's still refreshing to see someone with an actual personality enter the fray. The Dems must be gnawing their guts now after scuttling a lady who had true presidential cachet. They've lost and they deserve to and they know it."

Lady, it's thinking like this that's responsible for the poor state of the world. You don't agree with her views but you "just like her". This is the type of thinking that kills everything good. This is the type of thinking that the Republicans are counting on: failure to think critically and easy to pursuade with cheap gimmicks. Please, educate youself on what you're supporting.

I find her the most unpleasant person to grace the American political stage. I guess she's just fabulous for the Pitt Bull loving crowd but to me she smells and sounds like a supporting member of the white supremest cult. Welcome to middle America! But hey, if that's what Americans want then get to it I say. We found out how smart they are as a nation when the put Georgie back in the White House to screw with them for another 4 years. I say continue the trend and we Canadians will have another 4 years of fun making wise cracks at stupid Americans and their insane political choices.

How mocking, deriding, belittling, insulting and rejecting substitutes for substance, solution, understanding, compromising and common goals. She ( and they) sounded angry and eager; she sounded sectarian and extreme; She sounded like irate and irrational hockey parents who lose it all when the kid gets ruffed around.

America needs a leader and because they are the most powerful nation on earth, the world needs their leader not to be like a parents in a hockey arena but rather like a school principal in a school yard: tact, diplomacy, understanding and a bit of forceful and commanding authority. Alas, MacCain tried to be that on the last night but wasn't it too late?

Governor Palin is not even Hillary lite. We’ve been told she will be kept off the major news talk shows for the rest of the campaign because she likely has no depth when the questions on policy become detailed. There’s that recent interview where she reveals that she really doesn’t know what the vice-presidency does. That might have been true for many forty years ago but if she couldn’t figure out what a modern vice president is capable of by looking at Dick Cheney then she is pretty much out of touch. We also know she just got a passport. We know Bush was not a world traveller before entering the Whitehouse but did she have anyone around her while she was growing up who had a wider view of the world. She really only represents that hard-nut kernel at the base of the Republican Party that has only one angle to their political lens; if it ain’t white, it ain’t right.

@Sones from Barrhaven

"... but the difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is, the Republicans place their inexperienced rock star candidate at the bottom of the ticket and the Democrats put theirs at the top."

Kinda like the republicans did with Bush/Cheney ticket. Bush is totally incompetent and Cheney is the brains of their operations.

See the big picture. Not selectively what you like. You obviously don't learn from history and comments like yours is why real people have little faith in this world.

She should be careful, what she says, as in Ontario Canada, the label "pit bull" is an automatic death sentence after August 29, 2005. Sorry, but even if you are not dangeous, or your disposition is kind and gentle, you are a walking dead dog, no matter what. Sad but true.

I watched her speech... lots of noise, nothing new. Poor John was in the Hanoi Hilton, so we should all vote for him. Barack Obama is bad. The left wants to kill America. Americans should have all the rights and freedoms that God wants us to have, and we'll decide what that is. Vote for me, I'm a pitbull with lipstick. Hooray.

What if America elects McCain, and something should happen to him, and Palin should become president? That is a scary thought. From mayor of Tinytown, Alaska to President of the United States in what... 4 years?

McCain ought to have his head examined. If this blatant fumble doesn't cost him the election, then something is seriously wrong with the system.

I am unmoved by Sarah Palin but understand she has become for the Republican Right the wind-up toy they wanted. After all the criticism we heard this past week none of it matters. She is everything the middle of the road crowd thought her to be, and more. She is a right wing fire breather without contrition and she is wound up and ready to campaign. The heads are talking about "where the country is right now" as if only they knew. Truly the only thing we know for sure is that no one knows. I don't care for the two party system and think even less of these candidates. What confirms that for me is that either is more likely to win based upon the others mistake(s) rather than to have earned the respect of voters. If ever the issues surface they will not get more attention than sound bites, and the resulting drivel will serve only as distracting cloud cover.

No-one dislikes Americans more than they dislike, and sadly, with good reason often hate each other. They are separated by meaningless circumstances and choice such as race, religion, education, economic, regional, national origin, left, right, republican or democrat and countless other reasons. Against this background and in this mix issues only serve to further divide which is why they are never clearly discussed.

The religious right has stolen the Republican Party and has cheated Americans of their right to separation of church and state. The US constitution would be better written had it declared: “freedom from religion”. So written that right would inherently include the guarantee to the individual of their personal freedom of religion.

Her name should be Sarah Patsy. Good try old boys - its the "Beauty Queen and the Beast" vs "Hussien and BinBiden"

LETTTTTTSSSSSSSS GETTTTTTTTTTTTT
READYYYYYYYYYY to RUMMMMMMMMBLEEEEEEEEE

YE HA

The Democratic Party never said anything about Gov Palin being a bad mother or that she should "stay at home". People with an internet connection went and had a look at the "wisdom" spouted by Ms Palin during her run for office in Alaska.
All I'm asking is that these people be consistent. When Jamie Lynn spears got pregnant the conservative press went bananas.
"Blame the Parents! Lack of moral fibre in America! Bad example for the nation!"
Look it up on Youtube. But now that Palin's daughter is in the same boat?
"personal choice, nobodies business, blah, blah" Amazing how much they (Republicans and Conservatives) can forget what they said previously about Sen. Clinton's run for the office now that the GOP has nominated a Woman.
The stealing of the 18 million cracks rhetoric is pretty lame as well.
But you cannot expect this party to do anything but steal old ideas.

This woman is offensive. Sarah is offensive. She is a woman who can't speak for herself. She is a woman who can't control herself. She is a woman more than willing to be in service; two steps forward and five steps back. This nomination is the ultimate all-time low. Internationally, the world must be laughing at the clowns, all of them, and what they have managed to accomplish in a very, very short time.

Mrs Palin did run her small town (nearly 6,000) from a balanced budget into 20 million in debt. She should fit in well with the current ideology, but that is not conservative.
Her faith views should be her own not forced down others throats. Be it abstinence as the only sex education or book banning, what ever happened to separation of church and state?

I like her. I don't disagree with anything she said. Maybe a little inexperienced but the difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is, the Republicans place their inexperienced rock star candidate at the bottom of the ticket and the Democrats put theirs at the top. I think she will be the next Vice President.

The thing that set me off was that I was watching Wed night's convention with my 17 yr old daughter . She asked me that "if Sarah Palin is such an outsider, such a small town folk, not at all like washington. Then why is she so full off hate?"

My worry was the apparent isolationism just below the surface in her speech. Because the supply of oil from "unfriendly states" is uncertain, then "drill, baby, drill" (from the audience, I know). How about trying to convert them to "friendly states"? No sign of trying to improve the US image around the world - if they don't like us, we'll get along without them.

Coupled with "Country First" signs, it looks like a strong move to the US going it alone. I hope Canada never appears "unfriendly"...

Sarah Palin scares me. Her views on Iraq, abortion, same sex mariage, global warming, drilling, all of it. But those are the things that are going to get a certain part of the republican base out to vote. Her speech was good and as Mr. Champ said it got much better as it progressed.

What really upsets me are all these attacks she is under that have nothing to do with her political views. Claiming her infant son is not hers is nuts. Accusing her of using her family as props by having her infant and soldier sons present. Suggestions she should not have allowed her pregnant daughter to be there. If I were nominated to such a position I would want all my kids around me. Suggestions she is a poor mother because her daughter is pregnant, and that she should get back in the home to become a proper grandmother. That would never happen to Mr. Biden. These attacks are just plain rude and frankly make the accuser look bad. She scares me and I suspect I do not like her as a person but when I read these things I start to feel sorry for her and want to see the good side of her. I bet some American voters start feeling the same way too.

The Democrats and their supporters had better start going after her views and not her family. Otherwise I truly suspect she is going to be the first female VP of the US. And that scares the stink out of me.

keith southey, you should be ashamed of yourself. We have come a long way from the time when people with Down's syndrome are hidden away in shame in institutions. The first woman in US history is giving a speech as a vice presidential candidate - did you honestly expect her family not to be there? As someone with family member who has a son with Down's syndrome, I assure you the ENTIRE family would be out to support their mom.

Pretty sad that some people thought it an act of "desperation" to have her Downs Syndrome baby with her. Her entire family was there, even mom and dad. Was she supposed to leave her youngest son hidden away, out of the picture? Why? Were you uncomfortable or embarrassed to see the baby? I wasn't. He is a member of the family and is obviously a treasured brother and son. What's your problem, besides being warped in your soul?

As Mr. Champ alluded to, I am eager to see her in a real debate, without the aid of a telepromter. In all honestly, I think she will be slaughtered in a debate vs. Biden.

I've read through the Obama campaigns energy policy which stresses renewables and getting off foreign oil, and on this issue alone Palin has no leg to stand on: not only has she supported tax breaks for oil companies and drilling in protected wilderness areas, but her husband works for BP in Alaska!!

On top of this she believes intelligent design should be taught in science classes, the Iraq war is a mission from God, and that it's OK to fire people for no reason other than a quest for personal vengeance.

The nice thing about the conservative crowd is its flexibility on the politics of morality. They can criticize actions among others what the right wing calls immoral and describe them as signs of the decline of the social order, but when its one of their own caught up in failure, she can be turned into a hero, or at least others have no right to draw attention to her lapse and inconsistencies.

She was given softballs infront of the home crowd. A few home-runs is to be expected. Let's see what happens when they play hardball?

Sorry, but Palin has had her fifteen minutes of fame. For knee-jerk voters, she will make some already red states a little redder and some blue ones bluer. Anyone awake enough to wonder about Obama’s lack of executive experience is going to wonder so much more about her lack of anything remotely approaching preparation for the job and about McCain’s lack of judgement in choosing her that she will end up being the crucial element that clinches the election for Obama.
As for her personal narrative (the consequences for her family of the know-nothing ideas she would like to turn into public policy [i.e. abstinence-only sex education]), Obama has wisely, and completely predictably, chosen to take the high road, but most folks will rightly conclude that the appropriate venue for hearing about it would have been the Jerry Springer show, not the Republican National Convention.
It doesn’t take too much reflection to realise that the sort of person most Americans want to have only an elderly cancer-survivor heartbeat away from the presidency is not a vindictive control freak just a step above trailer trash.

@Allen W: Geraldine Ferraro (D).

Possibly the most cynical moment of the campaign was smear on community organizers. Such an elitist a denigrating comment. Is the mayor of your town who makes "actual decisions" qualified to be VP, I mean, they've made actual decisions. One of her 'actual decisions' was approaching the city librarian about banning books to protect her daughter from the bad words. Another 'actual decision' she made was hiring a lobbyist to collect ear mark money from the federal government. That truth of her experience contrasts everything she said in that speech. Luckily, some of the media hasn't been too timid to point that out.

Also, Pit Bull with lipstick? The dog that apparently wags its tale before it attacks? How appropriate.

Garth, can you even spell "speech"?

Following up for our non-reading canadians...
PALIN: “Senator McCain also promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest - and as a chief executive, I can assure you it works.”

REALITY: PALIN OPPOSED CRUCIAL EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND SENIORS FUNDING

EDUCATION/CHILDREN

Total: 396,000.

Anchorage – Fire Lake Elementary School Replacement of Unsafe Sports Equipment. Palin vetoed $10,000. [FY08 Budget]

Tanana City School District – Repair School Bus. Palin vetoed $36,000. [FY08 Budget]

American Lung Association of Alaska – Asthma Control Program and Champ Camp. Palin voted $350,000. [FY08 Budget]

HOSPITALS/HEALTH CARE

Total: $4,527,500.

Ketchikan General Hospital Surgical Suite Expansion/Relocation. Palin vetoed $4,400,000. [FY09 Budget]

Ketchikan General Hospital – Replacement of Outdated Equipment. Palin vetoed $70,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]

Sitka – Community Hospital – Medical Equipment. Palin vetoed $31,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]

Kenai Peninsula Borough – Diagnostic Hospital Equipment. Palin vetoed $26,500. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]

SENIORS

Total: $600,000.

Ketchikan Senior Citizens, Inc. – Access Road for Pioneer Heights. Palin vetoed $300,000. [FY08 Budget]

AARP Ketchikan – Access Road for Ketchikan Senior Housing Project Palin vetoed $100,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]

Catholic Community Services – Angoon Senior Center Stove, Refrigerator and Freezer. Palin vetoed $20,000 twice. [FY08 Budget, 2007 Legislature Supplemental]

Alpha Omega Life Care, Inc. – Delivery Van and Moveable Building. Palin vetoed $20,000. [FY09 Budget]

Older Persons Action Group – Senior Voice Equipment Upgrade. Palin vetoed $20,000. [FY09 Budget]

Statewide Independent Living Centers – Assistive Technology for Alaska’s Centers for Independent Living. Palin vetoed $125,000. [FY09 Budget]

Kodiak Senior Center – Facilities repair and Equipment. Palin vetoed $15,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]

I love it when the Republican party goes on about the political elite, or indeed the elite at all. Dear Republicans: you are the elite. You have managed to fool many blue collar types into thinking you're looking out for them. Some of you may even have fooled yourselves. Dubya was such an outsider. Oh yes. The son of a former president and head of the CIA who went to an ivy league school managed to convince voters he was an outsider. Puh-leeze.

This is but another ploy. Better this time because Palin actually appears to have real roots in a small town. The lowly wife of a snowmobile-ididerod grand champion.

Her politics are terrifying. She doesn't want to teach sex ed in school. I think her pregnant 17 year old is a pretty good illustration of the idiocy of that policy. She wants to roll back abortion, gun control, and put more religion in schools. There's some questions I'd like answered about her firing someone who refused to fire her ex-brother in law.

So she gave a good speech. So what? Nothing she said made me feel confident in anything but her public speaking.

What seems to have been missed by many commentators is that John McCain has used a pit bull with lipstick (Palin's own words) to dumb-down the political arguments of the campaign (i.e. whip up the rah-rah votes with 'words of one syllable,' but little, if any, substance).

How convenient for Senator McCain. How tragic for the U.S. people.

I like this lady. She has galvanized a country that has been languishing in post 9/11 depression. I don't care about the detractors (didn't write the speech etc. etc.) she delivered exactly what was needed. She's genuine. She's got style. I don't agree with many of her views but it's still refreshing to see someone with an actual personality enter the fray. The Dems must be gnawing their guts now after scuttling a lady who had true presidential cachet. They've lost and they deserve to and they know it.

Well, she does give a good speech (preaching to the choir at the RNC). And, she does have that pitbull fire that Republicans want in their VP.

Yet, who in their 'right' mind would want her as a VP...besides the fundamentalist Christians (who simply don't think for themselves), the camo-wearing, rifle-toting NRA crowd, the simple folk who never did learn to read and write, and members of various Aryan groups. Oh wait, that's the entire Conservative base, isn't it?

Personally, I have nothing against her...except everything she stands for.

It still rings in my ear what obama said "there is no blue america or red america but there is united states of america and the troops are for that". This woman is pandering to the right wing people purely and says that they are close to victory in Iraq(may be she and her writers have different perspective of what it means). And Afghanistan is not finished job as we have been reminded time and again. It is the unnecessary involvement in Iraq which prevents the full concentration on Afghanistan(the place which the real perpetrators of 9/11 ) are supposed to be(or in Pakistan).

She sounds Canadian! I love it! She's got more machsimo than Nancy Dion, err I mean Stephane Dion, that's for sure.

I am SIMPLY AMAZED by the short sight of the canadians commenting here. You are buying the label - not the contents. Just because she says REFORM , she lies about her earmarks, Alaska received 789 million during her stay as Alaska's gov. Do your own search, the media will cloud the views as they have good reason too. Lied about the Brige to Nowhere as well.

Did you hear that sound? It is the sound of the glass ceiling splintering into a billion tiny shards. Hurray Governor Palin from us older working women who helped knock a few cracks in it for you. You did us proud last night. I am Canadian but I cried with joy. And regarding the Downs baby being a prop, my beloved 50 year old brother has Down's syndrome and he goes everywhere with us, is he a prop?

Earlier, I heard critic decrying her lack of pedigree, unwed, pregnant daughter etc etc, basically and elitist, white bread, aristocratic view of politics. Yet now she has spunk, hmm.

By selecting a working Mom, he addresses the blue blood vs. blue shirt issue and he brings forth a women for Vice-President, which makes this presidential election one of firsts, about time n’est pas? Obama couldn’t select Hilary for VP, because their egos wouldn’t fit in the same room, but who did he pick? No really, I haven’t heard anything on the significance of his choice.

Sadly, I think this campaign like all campaigns (Canada & USA) are more about rhetoric and less about ideas or substance. I heard about Obama’s speeches that everyone fawns over and it’s no better than a chicken in every pot routine.

To those luminous commenter’s calling McCain as McSame and a GWB wannabe, it’s not getting tired, it is tired. These rants like all anti-GWB rants are droning, strawman, boogley buggabo BS., mindless and tedious. Please please come up with a new rant, maybe about why your garbage man changes his pick up time just to get you, yes you.

Sarah Palin is nothing but the continuation of Bush- Cheney era, only worse. Last night she only talked about Obama in very colorful terms; so no wonder the flag draped red necks loved it. But, it had very little substance, as to how she is going to make the lives of average Americans better; there was no talk about economy, Iraq war, health care and environment ( oh sorry! she does not believe in it ). I hope Americans actually can make a educated choice this time around, and not chose Palin ( more so than McCain) based on her flowery speech.

Cliff - Obama has speech writers too. And he uses them. Everyone uses the teleprompter, not just Sarah Palin. And it's harder than it looks.

She was brilliant.

If monkeys could read and speak you could have gotten one to give Palin's speach. Anyone can give a speach as long as they have talented writers and a teleprompter to read from. Attacks on the person rather than dealing with the issues is this woman, and rest of the Republican's style of campain tactic. Its getting old and displays huge lack of tact. Palin is merely a temporary character in this election. Post election she will return to her state and carry on with her life.

Chris from Oregon States,

"As a transplanted Canadian, I can tell you this..
Sarah has no special interest ties holding her back,
She has the sarcastic wit that is darn near Canadian in tone,
She is spot on when she tells the media that she isn't there to please them,
She expressing a practicality that I see in a Canadian lifestyle (non-urban)."

Is this Canadian lifestyle:
Anti-Abortion
Anti-Gun Control
Anti- Health Care
Pro-War

What are you talking about? Everything she spouts is Anti-Canadian.

Having Mrs. McSame holding the baby through half of the speech was in your face wagging the dog. A pit bull with lipstick is not that pretty a picture actually. And using an infant as a propaganda tool reeks of desperation!

The problem with Americans today is they do not know their own history. The country was founded on humanistic values and now they actually believe they are God's chosen ones...God help us all

Haha I haven't laughed that hard in ages as I did watching the Republican VP nomination. The audience members would give Palin a standing ovation at least every 30 seconds. Screaming and cheering for no reason... almost seemed as if they weren't even listening. Honestly, Palin seemed more like an MC and NOT a candidate for VP.

I can't believe this is real. I can't believe Bush was elected not once but twice.

Someone please wake me up. Pinch me... I dunno? This has got to be a dream.

Well, if the Republicans win, US better stock up on bleach- dye their flag white cause they won't own their country.
George W has left every American with a $30,000 debt because of an illegal war and McSame will continue on the same path.

How much in debt does a country have to be until the people no longer own it?

As a transplanted Canadian, I can tell you this..
Sarah has no special interest ties holding her back,
She has the sarcastic wit that is darn near Canadian in tone,
She is spot on when she tells the media that she isn't there to please them,
She expressing a practicality that I see in a Canadian lifestyle (non-urban).

I don't agree with ever position she holds, and she couldn't possibly keep her family cloistered out of view without being accused of being ashamed or embarrassed by something they may say or do.

I'd much rather hear from someone with genuine experiences in life that I can relate to and know that I may not have been as courageous or eloquent if I had to walk in her shoes.

The glass is more than half full. Take the opportunity to be inspired and do something good for your community. No harm in that.

A fresh view and a spotlight on the debates and discourse is good for the process of selecting leadership; whether it is for dog catcher or president.

She has already done something good for the country by accepting the challenge.

sarah palin represents 4 more years of the george bush legacy----no end to the war in iraq, continued muddying of the water for the separation of church and state, abridegement of civil liberties, and a ruined economy. i want to hear how our country will be improved, but sadly, sarah and john want to stay the "george bush" course. in my view, this will surely lead to a further decay of our national prestige.

Oh so the little woman was just 'reading a teleprompter?' But no sexist double standard here! Why do you insist on infantilizing conservative women?

We know the States are polarized, but Sarah Palin just reinforces that she is playing to the white working middle-america that was always set to vote Republican. She will pick up the racist voters too, but what her speech is not going to win is the lost Hillary-voters.

I agree with Jeff Noel below - I would love to see Dion or Harper with this kind of quality speech writers...

RE: Cliff comment

Too true! When someone cannot fight the ideas, they attack the person.

Perhaps someone who is not corrupted with the old style politics is exactly what the USA needs!

Having watched the governor’s speech, I have to agree with Mr Champ, it was a great speech, near the end of it though I was waiting for the Daily Show assessment of the speech, as a sort of Counterpoint to the rhetoric we are hearing. Sarah Palin seems to be exactly what the Republican Party needs, someone to vote for. Next to John McCain she simply exudes warmth and life, he seems wooden and tired.
I hope that she gets a fairer shake from Conservatives in the US than they were willing to give Ms Clinton in the primary and hope that when the Democrats go after her for the Dubya-Style speech she gave last night. It’s easy for the media to say that she gave a good speech; lots of people can if a good speech is written for them. This is the reason that Obama frightens the Republicans, he writes his own stuff and doesn’t go after the man, he goes after the ideas. This speech reminded me in tone of the 2004 election due to the “swift boating” of John Kerry, which was probably written by the same guy. It went after Obama, not his ideas, similar to the Tuesday night line up which goes right after Michelle Obama. The Republican Party is the Party of the Double Standard: they found there Standard Bearer.

Perhaps I am cynical or perhaps overly sensitive but,was anyone else offended at what appeared to me like using her youngest son, with Downs syndrome, as a prop?
I see no reference to this is the post speach analysis. Was it truly perceived as a symbol of a loving close knit family? not through my eyes!

Well, here we go again. Another rightwingnut politician so out of touch with reality, she makes McCain seem normal..LOL.Good luck righties.

They should of introduced this women to the rest of her country along time ago. She has the abiltiy to grab an audience's attention and inspire them towards her goals. I was quite impressed with her. Quite an entertaining group they got south of the border.