I used to have quite a bit of respect for Sen. McCain. Not any more. And, to be quite blunt, McCain has chosen a trophy VP, just as he chose a trophy heiress and got his marriage license before he got divorced. And if McCain thinks we are such dummies as to equate Sarah Palin with Hillary Clinton, well, that's quite insulting. As Lloyd Bentson famously said to Dan Quayle, "You're no Jack Kennedy." Gov. Pallin likely has many good qualities, but we the voters know, "She's no Hillary!!"

I need an answer to this:
How can a woman , who is Pro Life , be okay with having guns, and be okay with a son going off to War to possibly kill others or have others kill her son? Is it okay to kill others if they are not still in the womb ?
How can a woman who is Catholic, go against the Commandment – Thou Shall Not Kill, yet let her son go off to War ?

I think her Values have gone astray.... with thinking like that, I would be leary to have her within Office of ANY kind.

I dispute the facts of your guest blogger, and I suggest his post borders on hyperbole, as Gov.Palin has been in office almost two years. Barack Obama has similar length of time as US Sen. Also, the office of Governor is considered executive experience moreso than the office of Senator .

The Mccain people are saying Sarah Palin has more "executive" experience than Obama or Biden. I think that includes Mccain himself. So what they mean is, she is the most experienced and qualified to be President among all 4 of them. hmm Good judment right?

Tokenism is right. To the McCain camp, women are just like furniture: you put them where they are useful, and one couch looks like the other. Transparent and stupid move to get disgruntled Hillary voters! But I do hope that this will really intensify the investigation about her undue influence regarding a personal vendetta against her former brother-in-law and the fired Commissioner of public safety! Those phone calls are on record. Keep digging! It's scary to have this small town wanna be in any position of power!

Just when the Republicans looked to have regained their footing. The last time we had a president as old as John McCain his wife had to answer simple questions for him. And now as a backup we have the recent mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (ever been there? I have, holy cow). There goes the inexperience argument that seemed to have traction.

Can you say "landslide"?

There are pros and cons to them all. Obama has just as little experience as Palin and he is running for the top spot! That is the big difference here. Obama is running for the presidency Palin isn't. McCain has to die for her to get the spot. He has proven to everyone that he is healthy. People are living into their 80's now and are very spry at that.

Cindy...Ga.

This is akin to starting a long road trip with tread bare tires and throwing a flat spare in the trunk, just in case. What was he thinking? He must believe that he is invincible. At the end of the day, this is an example of a very flawed thought process and I hope that Republicans will think very seriously about putting our country in imminent peril by voting for this ticket. Furthermore, what an insult to Hilary supporters. Did he imagine that just any woman would do? Hardly!

Anderson, I'm curious. Will Sarah Palin, if the Republicans win in November receive less pay as the first female Vice President since McCain "opposes a Senate bill that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits?" I also curious as to what Palin's take on this would be. Do you think that the Republicans will be able to provide her with enough "education and training" before they start campaigning together.

Governor for 2 minutes? That means Obama has been a junior senator for 2 minutes; and has been spending that 2 minutes trying to get elected president.

Completely agree with you Ramesh, it will be intersting to see how Republicans sell this over the next 2 months

Tokenism. Can anyone say with a straight face that Obama would have gotten picked if he were a white man?

A surprising choice that may backfire. I received a phone call from a friend – a female and Republican turned Independent – who said "Does McCain think I'm stupid. I'm not going to vote for him just because he picks a woman as VP. Sarah has no experience and is next in line for the Presidency. McCain is pandering."

So now he has a trophy VP along with a trophy wife – oh and by the way my vote still goes to Obama

Is McCain confused already? He just handed over the position of president to Obama. Thank you McCain and McCain advisors!!!!!!

Obama had the judgment to pick a strong VP who could step in if he could no longer continue his duties as president. McCain's pick of this completely unqualified person is an obvious political ploy and an insult to any voter who can think clearly–something McCain appears to be incapable of.

I keep hearing Obama and his supporters say things will "change." I live near his old haunts in Chicago; the only "changes" Obama has ever brought to Illinois have cost me more money. I am paying the highest taxes in the nation living in my hometown (in Cook Co.) I am tired of the local, state and fed. government taking more every year from my check.

Has Obama once stood up against the government wasting my money? No. Has Obama brought sweeping changes to Congress? Don't think so. At least Gov. Palin reduced property taxes by 60 percent in Alaska. That's an amazing and almost unbelievable accomplishment. Sen. McCain voted against tax increases just like Gov. Palin. Now give them the chance to cut wasteful gov't spending on the federal level.

Why do people care who McCain picked as his vp, since he was not going to win anyway?

McCain's "bold" choice of VP I and surely many others find ludacris and much less than impressive. She has nothing in common with Hillary other than her gender which targeting her supporters was clearly the reason why he chose her. She's younger and more inexpirenced than Sen. Obama and the thought of her having a legitimate chance of becoming our commander-in-cheif both frightens and sickens me. Between last nights monumental speech and this – for lack of a better term- stunt, McCain just gave Barack Obama the presidency; not that he didn't already have it in the bag. Democrats should not be intimidated or concerned about this choice, the McCain campaign just did us a tremendous favor!

*Wake up Call for John McCain!!!:*

America voted for Hillary Clinton because she was capable of becoming president,
not because she is a woman. Shame on you to assume you will obtain Hillary votes
by picking a woman. America is smarter than that. Not to mention, Palin does not
show to have more experience than Obama!!!! Hypocrite

I wonder if Sarah Palin has the good judgment to be vice president? She boarded a commercial airline from Dallas to Seattle then to Anchorage AFTER her water broke, did not inform the airline or the crew she was in her 9th month and what her condition was. She was seated in the exit row and said she could be responsible in an emergency! Never would she be allowed on board if the airline knew of her condition. How can someone be so selfish to jeopardize a whole plane had she gone into labor and had to be delivered onboard an airplane? Or if they would have had to make an emergency landing? Was she thinking of her baby when she boarded that flight? This was 4 months ago, the day before she had her baby.

I'm trying to get my mind around the events of the last week and not buy into the pomp and circumstance of the marvelous pageantry unfolding before all of our eyes. Just when I thought it had all ended for John McCain in a Karpov-style check mate by his opponent, out of left field to most of us, the saga continues. I'm excited that, at least to the naked eye, votes will be cast for something other than American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, of whom I am a great fan of. Also on my mind, (note to self to watch BBC News) is the world's reaction to what's going on, since I'm sometimes afraid that we are guilty of living in a self imposed bubble.

Listening to the possible successor of John McCain, I find myself wondering why all of a sudden we are so transfixed with just being a part of making history, jumping on a band wagon of change for the selfish reason of being able to tell our grandchildren, "I voted for the first woman Vice-President"or first African American President but not really believing in their policy. I'm getting nervous that the candidates are now in a competition of who is least qualified for their said positions and are more concerned with picking up disgruntled voters from each others parties.

Sarah tried to give us a quick insight into who she is and what she represents, but chose a very unoriginal strategy of picking up the baton in a relay race from hell with remarks like, "Good ole boy network". She's the male maverick version of her partner in crime, a member of the NRA who likes to hunt her own dinner and spoke volumes for Pro-Life by giving birth to a child with down syndrome. Her eldest enlisted in the army on September 11, and will soon be deployed to Iraq, in a marvelously choreographed game of Tit for Tat on both sides. She touched on the anniversary of women's right to vote, but didn't mention MLK (remember McCain voting against making it a national holiday?). Unfortunately, she lost me the second she said "nucular"...talk about Freudian slips.

With everything from the gender card to the race card already in play, now, more than ever, I think that Obama should play the ace up his sleeve, the Hillary card, through the remaining days of the campaign. Not a gambler by any means, I am totally enjoying this all out game of political poker complete with calling gutsy bluffs and all out raising of the stakes left and right. I want to see if someone in the McCain camp will jump on a comment Obama made in his speech last night..."Change doesn't come from Washington, it comes to Washington" and boy is she making a cross country trip!

RI-

As a business owner and former registered Republican -turned Independent and voted for Hillary-it is clear the Republicans and in particular McCain are so out of tune with America-THEN picking this lady I have never heard of with Zero experience is amazing -nothing more than apathetic typical Washington politics as usual-Obama's heart to heart last night in creating this "Millenial Movement" is amazing and a Breath of Fresh Air- McCain MUST be realizing his ultimate fate. PS: Hillary's response to Republican VP selection is nothing more than classy.

I think she is an excellent choice. Smart, young, strong and willing to expose corrupt State Government. She has an approval rating of over 80%, five children and a son in the military. This is an out of the box candidate and one who now has an opportunity to show the Republicans in Washington that the days of the good ol boys are over. I was undecided in my vote but not anymore. If McCain is willing to take a chance on reforming the party then I will support the McCain/Palin party with my vote in November.

Those of you who say she’s not Hillary are correct – and Thank God for that.

I do not want to take away the accomplishments Palin has made. I believe to get as far as she has, she must have intelligence. However, as McCain has pointed out on many occasions about Obama not having experience, the same argument can be made for Palin.
In my opinion, I believe the only reason McCain decided to choose Palin as his running mate was to gain in the popular vote, and to try to steal away some of Clinton's deligates. This should be a wake up call to America. McCain has shown the American people that he is not necessarily concerned with the problems in America, rather, he is more interested in his own agenda. As an American woman I am offended by his choice. The reason I am offended is because I do not believe McCain picked Palin for her intelligence, rather, he picked her for her gender. Anyone with intelligence should be offended by McCain's decision. And to answer the question if Palin would have been picked if she were a man, my answer is no. Further, the fact that this question is even being asked should also be a wake up call for Americans.

It will not work Obama has built a movement. I would love for
CNN go through the archives and see how many Republicans
who took to the airwaves saying Obama is inexperienced and
not ready, now saying Palin is ready. More than 38 million
people watched Obama last night. The McCain campaign needs
to be original and to stop trying to rip off Barack Obama. The
movement is subterranean and does not operate the old fashioned
way. Barack Obama can make historic to profoundly change the
course of our nation. Electing John McCain does not have the
same impact. Something tells me the McCain campaign might
be in trouble.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THANKS YOU JOHN MCCAIN!!!!!!!!! A 44-year old governor of a state that Cafferty states "has 13 people and some carabou" who prior to that job was the mayor of a town of a mere 8000 is capable of being our commander-in-cheif?? That has to be a joke. By the way she has nothing in common with Hillary. Great tactics McCain!

Sarah Palin comes across as a very likeable person and a person who really cares about her family and Alaska. She is very popular in Alaska but popularity doesn't necessarily equate to the ability to get the right things done for long term improvements.

However, a number of us living in Alaska question her understanding of how to encourage new oil & gas developments on the North Slope of Alaska. Her AGIA (Alaska Gas Inducement Act) bill seemed to easily pass through the state legislature in what appears to be an attempt by many lawmakers to disassociate themselves from the corruption scandal that was running its course through Alaskan state government starting in 2006. The AGIA process is providing $500,000,000 of Alaska state money to a Canadian pipeline company for a gas pipeline study which the oil companies themselves were willing to finance.

Her administration has been very adversarial with the major oil & gas companies that currently operate on the North Slope which by itself is not the issue. The real issue is the new higher tax structure which does hamper new investment into old fields, required to slow down the natural production decline as old reservoirs are depleted. Additionally, her administration's effort to take back natural gas leases (Point Thompson) on the basis of non-development seems to be questionable for several technical reasons why the development could not be made earlier.

When she was running for governor, she could not start a discussion without mentioning ethical violations by GOP chairman and fellow AOGCC commissioner Randy Ruedrich for using his state position to run partisan politics. Great! We love to see corruption or ethics violations exposed. However, recently, Sarah has come under suspicion for inappropriately using her position to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper and for including her husband, Todd, on state business emails from her Governor's office.

Alaska politics are very intimate and almost everyone in government also has some type of personal interest in business whether its oilfield, fishing, the railroad, real-estate or construction, you can usually find a connection.

I only hear the positive aspects being discussed on her nomination as John McCain's VP running mate which does make a good story but in Alaska we would like to get answers to some outstanding state issues.

Frank Pugh
Anchorage, AK

First of all who is this lady, where did she come from, and what qualifies her to be Vice President of America. I hear a number of people say being Vice President is not as important as being President, well I disagree. People die every day from unexpected deaths young and old and where would this leave our country if Sahara Palin became President. Remember just because she is a women she is no Hillary Rodman Clinton.

Con: She's CREATIONIST.
I find no good reason for a creationist to possibly be our president. That's not change. That's backward thinking.
And her lack of experience makes any argument against Obama's "lack of experience" completely irrelevant.
I hope it becomes more widely known that she is creationist. Maybe then independents will realize that the McCain campaign is trying to pull a fast one on America.

With all that talk of Obama not having enough experience to lead, it baffles me that Mr. McCain choses someone that many people didn’t even know of until today. Sarah Palin was runner up for Miss Alaska and I see history repeating itself.

McCain has shown poor judgement and that he does not mind taking risk in his pick of Palin. I would rather have someone in the Oval office who makes choices with a level head and who won't possibly put this country in jeopardy. This is not a game of one up.

As usual the "sharks" are circling. LOL
AND itroducing "misleading" information. Since when is the VP the "commander in chief"? ONLY when the POTUS is incapable of performing the duties of office. This "yahoo" thinks that will be NEXT YEAR? DELUSIONAL!

I can't believe that Hockey Mom Palin is going to schlep her new baby around the country on the campaign trail. She's supposed to be high on [conservative] family values. What mother would do that to a newborn?

Me again....
I forgot one other thought..this issue with McCain's age.
You all DO realize, don't you, that he is ONLY one year older than Reagan was when he became POTUS. Just a little "inconvenient truth" for you.

I am a registered republican and i am planning on voting this november for Mr. Obama. I have decided to vote for him because I am tired of republicans asking for a 3rd term. To do what? follow the same Bush policies, no im sorry! My husband is in the military and I have a mother that is loosing her home. Mccain is just a fake! he has nothing to say after Obamas unbelieveble speech last night. Anderson, can you give McCain a message for me? tell him I am never going republican again even if jesus is his VP choice. and like former Pres. Bill Clinton said..he did it in 92' you know the whole fixing the country after bush senior ruined it. Obama doesnt need McCain's so called experience!

we all realize the making of history here with color and gender, but the people of this country are hurting and THE ISSUES that we all face are way more at stake than who's party can make HISTORY first. This is becoming crazy now.

Now we see the back crawling! All those who supported Obama's inexperience now views the VP as a much more serious threat of being inexperienced.......come on- get real!

Gov. Palin has had more executive experience than Obama and she is just running as VP.

I am a supporter of Hillary -and Palin is not her. However, I think she is a great political leader and individual. I fully support her and McCain.

Too bad Obama.......you missed the train on your VP pick. We now have a election and not just a "after party" after the rockstar convention.

I agree with many that it is ridiculous that people would favor her just because she is a woman, because her political views are what must be looked at. She used the sole fact that she was a woman in her speech so that she could 'shatter the glass ceiling.' It should not only be based on that. The difference between Barack Obama and his race is that he is inspirational, many people agree with his views, and I have never seen him use just his race to gain votes.

Why not pick Erica Hill. She is hot and she is been covering news and events for years. I think she is most experienced than Palin who doesn't even know what a vice- president does. Can u imagine been nominated for a job and not even knowing your job description. SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A VICE-PRESIDENT DOES ON A DAILY BASIS. Well it is like the white house press secretary not knowing what the invasion of Bay of Pigs was. A Sad day for America!

With both campaigns focusing on the mantra of change, I find it quite interesting to see the Republicans, through the selection of Palin, enact change while the Democrats, through the selection of Biden, merely speak to it.

Palin is a Governor while Obama is a Senator; if one has no foreign policy, no military background and no proven track record, neither does the other; if one lacks experience, they both do.

It's going to come down to the voters to decide on change.

As a pro-life, educated, professional woman, I am so proud of McCain's choice of Palin. It is quite obvious that the media and many of the liberal elites are threatened by her. The Midwestern states will matter more than the predictable liberal states such as NY, CA etc. in this election and I think many of you will be surprised!! Not a single person in my office is voting for Obama and most of the office is composed of female Democrats! The choice of Palin today caused a major buzz in the office, in fact, in the entire building. Average, hard-working Americans with traditional values identify more with Palin than with Obama. McCain was brilliant in picking her. I suggest that the media and liberal elites spend more time in the Midwest to understand why Palin will appeal to many blue-collar Democratic women. Go McCain/Palin. p.s. Real feminists don't kill babies!!

xtina – tax cuts in the McSame Admin won't matter as they'll only make them so they can send more to Iraq/Iran/Russia/ or so they can spend more on military power. With Obama's platform for tax cuts he's cutting taxes for the MIDDLE CLASS and increasing taxes on CORPORATIONS and ESCHELON EARNERS in America! BIG DIFFERENCE! He has my vote and so does Biden. I feel much safer with a young, vibrant, educated mind and sound judgement with an experienced Politician and Leader as back up if necessary!
McSame and his choice for VP are two Risks I'm willing to take!

CORRECTION: Last line above: "McSame and his choice for VP are two Risks I’m NOT willing to take!

No one ask what if McCain is unable to finish his term as presdent can this mother of five do the job ..

Sorry xtina in Chicago, California has the dubious honor of having the highest Income Tax, Gas Tax and Sales Tax in the country. We are also ranked # 1 in the West with having the highest Business Tax. Thanks to our celebrity Governor Arnold Schwarzengger – he wants to raise our Sales Tax 1 cent for the next three years. Doesn't sound like much but when I look at my paycheck, it's not pretty seeing all the deductions – no more taxes!

It's too bad McCain didn't announce Palin before Obama had his convention, all the money spent on the convention could have gone to charity. Obama has won this hands down.

This Sarah Palin looks like Karen Walker of Will & Grace and I suspect as effective should she be called upon to fill the presidential shoes.

McCain has HANDED the Democrats a win.

Thanks!

No we couldnt, she is a woman, and as much as we have nothing against her being vice president, we are seeing just how low the Republicans are scraping the barrel to pull out any yrick that will put them one step ahead. Truth be told, they havent been ahead the whole time, never once from what i have seen. This is great for women, bad for the republicans.

Bridget, you have some kool-aid on your chin.

Look at all the people who are so upset because some individuals are proud the VP is a woman. I believe people were crying last night because it was such a historical night- why??? Was it because two men were on the ticket?

I doubt that. Why is it ok to celebrate and back the first African American for President but not get support a woman for Vice President?

The truth is, if the Dem. really wanted to win in Nov. then he would have put Hillary as his VP.

I liked Obama, I just can not get behind his views on abortion. I also do not like the way Hillary was treated. McCain can win now. So we can see what it is like in 2012 with Hillary vs Palin.

As a business owner I generally agree with the Republicans more than the Democrats. However I am registered as an Independent and have voted my conscience in the past. I can proudly say that I did not vote for Bush either time.

In the past I have believed in McCain, but the more I have learned about him, the less I like him. His latest choice in picking a woman for VP was a smart idea to pull away the Hillary supporters. However it was an insult to the same voters he was trying to attract by choosing somebody with so little experience. There are so many other Republican women who would have been a better choice. Aside from the negatives in being associated with Bush, Condi Rice is many more times qualified than Pallin to be VP. She is probably more qualified than McCain to be President. What McCain's choice tells me is that is judgement and decision making is impulsve and flawed. I am going to do more research on Obama as I am not convinced that he can turn his ideas into results. His lack of practical experience in the Senate makes it hard to determine his actual track record of accomplishments. With Biden as his VP, I do think that it will compliment Obama's lack of experience. I would have voted for Hillary, but I'm not sure about Obama yet. One thing that I am sure of is that my vote will not go to McCain.

Mayor of 5000 citizens 2000 – 2006, governor of 600K citizens 2006 – 2008 VS. State Representative of Illinois Population 12 million 1997 to 2004, US Senator 2004 – 2008. Palin's political experience compared to Obama's is not even close. Palin can't even figure out when to stop having babies. Being the VP of a whole country is not the same as being the governor of one of the least populated states in our union, when all you have to do is make sure the oil executives don't steal and hand out the Alaskan Permanent Fund checks. I get tired of leaders that pray for God to give them answers when they have to make a tough decision, that's what our current President has done. Maybe if those same leaders would look at the facts in the first place they wouldn't have to pray to God for answers.

My intelligence is insulted! If there had not been 18 million mad Hillary voters up for grabs do we really believe McCain would have picked a woman for the VP spot? I'll NEVER believe that! This is politics at its slimiest! I saw a reporter on TV say today "what does Sarah Palin bring to the ticket?" I can answer that easy. A VAGINA! McCain needed a woman to simply make him look good! I am a 53 yr. old middle-class white woman that supported Hillary but NOT simply because she was a woman. I don't vote for a man or a woman, for white or black or by religion – I vote for the person I feel is the most intelligent with the best ideas for the country with the most sincere intent for the good of the people & the future that would be a strong leader! THAT IS BARRACK OBAMA! At John McCain's age he may not make his entire 4 yr term should he win the election & that would put this woman in the Oval Office.(?) Oh my God! This woman is still raising children, a baby with disabilities that needs special attention. If she had to be President how is she going to divide her time, her energy, her heart & her mind? I have a grandson w/ special needs – I understand the huge commitment, the energy & time this requires! Either the country or the child will be sacrificed! Rather McCain picked a woman for the VP spot or not does not change his Bush views & Bush politics! I pray Hillary supporters won't forget that! And this woman is extremely conservative. I beg people NOT to vote for a gender or a race but to think about how their lives have changed for the WORSE in the last 8 years! WE DESPERATELY NEED CHANGE! McCain choosing a woman doesn't change his blind views to the common American citizen! I hope people see this as the political trick it is just to get the left over Hillary votes! If every Hillary supporter would have jumped on the Obama train McCain would have a MAN VP right now!! How can people not see what he is doing? I'm sure Mrs. Palin is a lovely person, I of course do not know her personally so I have nothing bad to say other than she is way too conservative for me after listening & reading about her all day but I know in my heart John McCain & his camp are using her!!! I guess he knew he was losing the battle. The politics he has stood for with G. Bush has thrown the average citizen & the respectful standing of America to the rest of the world in the toliet with NO regard so he needed a diversion! I'm damn tired of the rich getting richer at the expense of everyone else! I want their political foot off my back so I can get up again! MY VOTE IS STILL WITH OBAMA!!!

I am an independent voter gearing toward the Republicant. Thanks to McCain's VP selection, I am confirmed that Obama/biden is the only vote that I will cast now.

McCain! McCain, what in the world were you thinking! I've been a great supporter but...........it is all history now.

Mccain picking Palin solidifies his position in the white house, Mccain and Palin will mop the floor with Barrack Obapolis and Biden in the debate just you wait!!!

Given that she is just a heart beat away from become VP – is this how McCain puts his country first?
Are we, the American women, so very stupid that he thinks we loved Hillary for her gender? I find McCain's stop gap selfish choice of a woman VP both, offensive and unpatriotic.

Agree with Bridget – Palin more like average working soccer moms with kids like me. Obama can't relate to us – The Punahou, Harvard elite types – they don't get it anyway. Have you ever worked for attorneys they always talk a good talk.

I love how all the hard core right wingers love to regurgitate information just because someone else said it and it sounded cool. For instance: Palin has more "executive experience" than Obama. Really? Wow, I guess if you consider being mayor of a hunting village and 2 years as governor over a state with a population less than most major US cities as "more experience" than sure. If the key term here is "executive" than I'm sure you could find that Obama was president of a Chess club or something during his lifetime. There. Now we're even.

McCain's choice will go down like the choice of Quayle by the senior Bush. What a babe she is , though!!! She may be inexperienced but I'd love to put some love goo on the VPILF's face...OH YEAH!!! Bada Bing, baby.

The question of judgement has been answered – John McCain has none. This is grossly unfair to American Republicans, indeed all of the electorate, and to Governor Palin. (Although I fault her as well for accepting.) When a Vice Presidential candidate has to include being on the PTA as part of her resume – this country is in trouble. This decision is desperate and dangerous – Senator MCain is trying anything to get elected at the risk of the country.

Obama will be the next president and deserves to be – Senator McCain has proven himself unworthy.

Didn't Alaska enact a windfall profits tax on oil profits that will pay each Alaskan citizen $1200 this year. Sounds like Obama's plan.

Bridget-Michigan,

I guess you have women in your office whose intelligence wasn't insulted. McCain could have choose an EXPERIANCED pro-life gun toting woman. Instead, he picked a woman he met once prior to his selection to be VP. McCain has had Cancer several times, he is old and if something happens to him the best he could choose as a VP is Palin? Can you honestly say that was smart?

Its a shame gender and race is fueling the election. If Obama was white the deomocrates would be winning be a landslide and McCain would not had choosen a woman. I know America loves to tap dance around it. But Racism is alive and well in America.

I am getting tired of seeing bumper stickers that say "I support the NRA" and "Pro-Life" all on the same vehicle. How hypocritical.

Looks like John McCain doing prezel-like back-bends to NOT choose another oldish, baldish, white guy.

It won't help.

McCain managed to find a female person with nominal political credentials (though a junior State Senator from Colorado has more actual responsibility, and more issues to deal with - for that matter, so does a Borough President from Brooklyn, NY) who is as far out there on the Christian Extremist branch as he is. He's further out than BUSH! (No abortions, EVEN in cases of rape and incest).

I love the irony these idiots (all fanatics are idiots, including Christian ones) miss: they're AGAINST equal rights for women, but FOR equal rights for embryos. So, a female foetus is equal to an adult man, in their eyes, UNTIL she is born!

Women who think this way obviously haven't... thought, that is. Their heads would spin around and they would turn inside-out if they actually tried to work out their reasoning. Oh, right. Fanatics don't do reason.

Anyway... Palin. ROFLOL.

@ Bridget-Michigan: I'm a 'real feminist'. I was pregnant by my incestuous father several times, before I was 16. I could have jumped in front of a subway train, and killed both of us, when it happened again at 16. I thought about it - often. I finally did an abortion on myself, because when I asked him for the money, though he knew full well it was his, my father called me slut, and whore, and said 'make the father pay'.

During the abortion, I intentionally mutilated my uterus sufficiently badly that though he could still make me pregnant, I never stayed pregnant. I must have had a miscarriage every couple of months for the three years it took, for me to graduate from high school and get away from him.

YOU DON'T KNOW what it's like, so you say sh– like you did! YOU DON'T KNOW what it's like, to read sh– like you said!

Until ALL girls and women can REALISTICALLY say 'no', we MUST have safe, legal, and ideally free abortions, with no parental notification!

I'm not 'pro-abortion'. I'm against forced pregnancies. I'm against unwanted children. I'm against what happens to unwanted children.
I am pro-WOMEN.

BTW, what have you done lately about the men who push their pregnant girlfriends and wives down stairs, or punch them in the gut, or stab them in the womb? It's ok when the MAN chooses to end the pregnancy? I've never heard a single 'pro-life' person mention those men, when they're picketing (or shooting at) abortionists.

PS He died of cancer 20 years ago. I never had a chance to 'make the father pay'.

Gosh...What was McCain thinking? I am a hard core Barack Obama supporter. Thanks McCain, you have certainly made this campaign a little easier to win.

Excellent choice at a time when women are asking "When is it our turn?" She will pull a lot of the female vote, especially the disenchanted Hillary voters, with little risk. Her background and credentials indicate she takes tough conservative-minded positions that are struck with constituents at heart.

As for the age thing, three comments:
1) While it may seem that the lack of experience could be a risk, America has demonstrated their acceptance of that risk when they nominated Obama whose background as an executive is worse than hers (A US Senator does not perform in the executive role like a governor is).
2) At a time when energy is at the forefront, the R's nominated a VP from the state that likely has the most to offer and is closest to understanding the largest elements of the problem
3) Corporate America has demonstrated a penchant for going after younger and younger CEOs and top executives for almost two decades. If that's a problem, then why does the practice continue? You aren't suggesting that one so young running the most powerful nation and military might be as disastrous as ONES SO YOUNG running corporate America and its economy (into the ground) are you?

I say take your cake and eat it too. Those that now complain about Palin can't then turn around and raise Obama on their backs. Her credentials stack up at least as good as his and even better if you consider his Ivy League education and what that failed leadership has been spitting out for Presidential nominees of late!

Chandra,

Were you deprived of oxygen in the birth canal? Do you understand that having a gun at you're side greatly reduces the liklihood that Joe criminal is going to mess with you?

There is absolutely no comparison between defending oneself and one's family against violent crime and deliberately choosing to murder the defenseless.

Over 40 million infants have been slaughtered in this country since 1973, in the name of personal convenience. In case you are unaware, that is more than were killed in the Halocaust. There is no contradiction between the Second Amendment and the Sixth Commandment.

Although, I am wildly impressed with Bay Buchanan after tonight, Sarah Palin has sealed the deal for me!

Could it be that the true candidate of "change" is the "grey haired old dude"? Reaching out all the way to Alaska, he snatches what appears to be a shiny gem in a snow bank. A common sense feminist with traditional values, with whom most middle class Americans can relate. Now that is new and different. That is "change". She comes from about as far away from the beltway as one can get. A true outsider, and definately not a charter member of the Good Ol' Boys club. The purported "change" candidate picks a VP who has been inside the Beltway since the Beltway was a two-lane. I'm inclined to believe that by now Mr. Biden is pretty set in his ways, and change is something he will accept only grudgingly. For the Dems, it appears change is suddenly becoming an empty rally cry.
They better do something, and fast, or this election is going to slip right through their fingers. Like him or not, John McCain is a master politician. He knows how to win an election as well as anyone. This VP pick is evidence of his keen political sense. No one saw it coming, not even the conservative talking heads, and most all of them agree the pick was brilliant.

Old age and treachery trumps youth and skill. I think young Obama is about to get schooled on how win an election.

Uma,

Campaign for the slaughter of the innocent in your own homeland will ya! This is America, where the moral majority understands that God gives life and making ourselves judge over that child's right to life only brings retribution to our blessed land.

Just more proof , that women are`nt held in very high regard by those nasty Republicans.... McBush chose Sarah Palin , just because she is a woman,,,,, he thinks thats how he will get the female vote. I`m no genius , but I give the AMERICAN WOMEN way more credit !!!!!
I think this time around , even the Republican Women will not be fooled again by those sly old foxes...
Old John McBush would have done better if he`d of put a Skirt and Lipstick on Mitt Romney....
JUDGEMENT, MENTALITY, AND MORTALITY......

I wonder if McCain didn't want to upstage the Democrats so badly after their convention if he would have picked Palin? I truly wonder about his motivation on this decision. I'm truly not impressed with it.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

THANKS MCCAIN, you just gave us the white house!!! God bless this silly move by the GOPS. let's ask the bushies and the conservatives if they will be patriotic to this country and our new president Obama?? Then this will give us Dems a chance to say " you are not patriotic because you do not agree with our president". This is the tactic the GOPS used all along this past 8yrs on Dems and Independents during the tyranny of the bush regime.

I am a life long Alaskan, and love this great state. Gov. Palin has been a great contributor to this state and now will be to this great country. She has done many great things in this state and I don't believe that you need to have all the experience in the world to make a great leader. All you will have to do is wait and hold on Washington, she is going to be a change a big change and that is what this country needs, not somebody that just follows suit. She will be great, just wait and watch!!!!
Derek.

All I know is what I see everyday...I live in a state that is the most taxed in the nation which is ran by Democrats. Spend Spend Spend is all they know. I wouldn't mind the high taxes but it breaks my heart to see the violence in my major cities, where people can't afford medication or healthcare even with all of the money pouring into the state. Want to see what our country will look like with Obama in office just take a look at New Jersey.

What has congress done over the past two years...you cannot tell me it is all because of Bush. Don't get me wrong I am not saying that he had nothing to do with it but let’s be realistic.

McCain made a great pick for his VP. As her record shows she will go against even her own party for the betterment of the people. God bless McCain and God bless Palin. May they make history and bring the United States to the height and power it once was.

Obama is as likely to die tomorrow as McCain. McCain's VP choice has more hands on experience than Obama himself.

As a mother of four, a nurse, and a conservative, I am thrilled with Palin. I will definitely vote for John McCain now because I feel that Sarah Palin will keep him grounded.

Palin appears to be a real go-getter. She will encourage energy independence, she will put an end to wasteful spending, and she seems to be a down to earth, no nonsense type of woman.

@ Uma you've said so eloquently what I've been trying to say for so long. As much as I don't like aborting children – there are circumstances such as yours which is why I can never be Pro-Life. How many of these Pro-Lifer's have actually adopted an orphan or fostered a child?

I find it interesting that these so called feminists who demand equal pay and treatment still expect a man to pay for dates, buy them gifts, etc. yet not do the same in return because they're a woman. You can't pick and choose what you want to be treated equally in and what not.

Palin supports the teaching of creationism as science in public schools. Still afraid of Obama?

As a woman who defines herself as an independent and is registered as such, I had not made a final decision on whom to vote for. As usual, there are things I like and dislike about both candidates. However, John McCain's choice for Vice-President has made my decision easy – I will now vote for Barrack Obama.

I was originally a supporter of Hillary Clinton, not because she was a women, but because I thought her to be smart and with the necesary toughness and experience to be president – and I did believe she could handle Bill.

John McCain has made a choice for purley politcal reasons, hoping to sway the female voters who supported Hillary to vote for her solely because she is a women and would 'shake things up'. I can see no other reason to have selected her and I find it insulting that he believes that gender alone is enought to garner my vote. There were more experienced women who could have been selected that might have made my decision go the other way...Kay Bailey Hutchison, for example.

Living in a town of about 16,000, I can tell you that our mayor is nowhere near two years away from being president! I have no doubt that she is smart and capable, but her inexperience is downright scary, especially since John McCain is the age he is. Were she fours years from now in experience, I might have thought differently, but to me she is unproven. John McCain did not make his choice for the good of the Amerian people, but simply to get himself elected. He has very quickly reduced the respect I have always had for him with one quick move.

And give me a break, but John McCain might have as well have said, 'and isn't she just so darn cute?'.

Sarah Palin is George Bush! From the reports of her decision making, she makes decisions from her own right mind out of her OWN sense of righteousness. This has worked for her considering the ethics areas where she has shined. And, she can accept some new ideas. BUT, she clearly (like GWB) does not have the complexity of thinking to tackle multi-layered issues. This is seen in her stand on creationism and global warming. See how she is not yet able in her own development to separate science from mythology. This is a developmental issue, the same one that GWB has.

However, like GWB, the popularity of one who can communicate this sense of righteousness is very attractive in uncertain times.