Where is Sarah Palin?

[dragonrider]

Has anyone seen any kind of interview at all with Sarah Palin since she was announced on Friday? Today is five days after they announced she is going to be the VP candidate, and there hasn't been even one interview yet, at least none that I have seen or read. That seems wierd. She can speak and aswere questions, right?

There has been all this dumb speculation and stupid rumors about her family, which is really mostly unfair. But she hasn't had any actual interviews about any of it. She's in danger of being defined as a joke if she doesn't get out in front of some of this junk. No one knows who she is, so it's easy to let an unfavorable charicature settle in. But they haven't had a single interview yet.

Personally, I thnk she was a big mistake and not ready for this at all. The best thing she could do for herself to dispelll that inpression would be to have an interview.

[killerweed420]

Looks like she's just waiting for a little of the smoke to disappear first.

[TheMetal1]

Looks like she's just waiting for a little of the smoke to disappear first.

Hopefully not a tactic she plans to use if she ever makes it into the White House ;) Shouldn't fires be extinguished as soon as possible? Doesn't make sense to let it burn straight to the ground before you toss a cup of water on it :jointsmile:

Sorry... I couldn't help it. Personally, I feel that anyone has the right to potentially run this country. I will not condemn her..... yet. Muhuhahaha :stoned:

[Psycho4Bud]

Why even respond to the left wing media regarding this issue? This is the perfect time to spend learning about the federal response procedures considering Hurricane Gustav just hit. I mean really, what would she say? "I guess my lil' girl was to horny to grab up the rubber for her boyfriend."

So how many women in the U.S. or women that have daughters in the states have gone through the same thing? On the other hand, how many people in the U.S. have associates like this:

-Leader of the 1960s and 70s domestic terrorist group Weatherman
-"Kill all the rich people. ... Bring the revolution home. Kill your parents."
-Participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, of the Capitol building in 1971, and the Pentagon in 1972
-Currently a professor of education at the University of Illinois
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2169
I think Obama owes the U.S. another pretty speech.

The dems are all about freedom of choice regarding the issue of abortion, adoption, keeping the child. Also, that is the party of teaching the children sex education in our schools. NOT saying I'm against either but why the hell would they consider going after Palin about this?

Have a good one!:s4:

[thcbongman]

Obama did say children were especially off-limits. Only ones attacking Patin are the usual haters who'd fling a rubber ducky.

[dragonrider]

I haven't seen any Democrats going after her on this family stuff at all. I think they are pretty much leaving it alone and letting the Republicans hash it out amongst themselves and letting the media do the inquiry.

It seems to me to be mostly Republicans raising the questions about whether or not her family values pass some kind of test --- not the Democrats or the media.

And the media is spending it's time following the question of whether she is a good choice politically, and whether she was vetted properly, and whether she and her family are ready to handle all the spotlight. The media are also the main ones askiing whether the choice of such an inexperienced person point to a hypocrisy on the part of McCain given that he has bashed Obama so much on experinece. Mostly Democrats are shying away from that topic, if you ask me. I think they'd be happy to the the experience debate die out, because it has been damaging for Obama up until now, and just let her qualifications or lack thereof speak for themselves during the campaign and the dabates.

I saw one interview in which the Democratic "panelist/pundit" said that the family is off limits, but the political issues that surround the family decisions are not. For example, no one would criticise Palin or her family for any of the choices they have made regarding keeping the daughter's baby or keeping her own Down Syndrome baby --- however, it does bring up the abortion issue and the fact that Sarah Palin would like to deny other women the right to make the choices she and her family have been making. She would like abortion to be illegal even in cases of rape an incest. Basically she would like to remove the choice and have the governement force others to make the same choice she has made.

Not everyone would want to carry a Down Syndrome baby to term or have a baby at 17, but Sarah Palin would force them to.

[happiestmferoutthere]

Well, I for one am grateful I live in a state that teaches real sex ed. They teach abstinence but they also teach prevention. They also teach them about condoms and birth control and sexually transmitted diseases. I was "scared straight", in a manner of speaking, when I became sexually active at 16 from what I learned in sex ed. Kids are gonna do it. Give them some real choices and a real understanding of the consequences of making such a big decision.
I had my first child at 23, and my daughter is 20 and not pregnant yet. You see... I actually talked to her about sex. I didn't just tell her " Don't do it. Period. End of discussion "
Abstinence only teaching not only doesn't work, I believe its socially irresponsible!

[Aslan King]

I saw an interview with her Saturday night on CNBC with Maria Baritiromo. Palins was going on and on justifing why the US should drill in Anwar. May have been recorded before announcement. She had some baby weight.

I do have a thing for brunettes with glass the hunt and fish but outside of that I am not attracted.

[khronik]

I'm not defending the guy's actions here, but what you've posted about Bill Ayers needs some clearing up:

On the other hand, how many people in the U.S. have associates like this:

-Leader of the 1960s and 70s domestic terrorist group Weatherman
Bill Ayers adamantly denies he was ever a terrorist, in part because they selected only military targets.

-"Kill all the rich people. ... Bring the revolution home. Kill your parents."
This was actually part of a joke, and Bill Ayers himself doesn't seem to think he said it. Yeah, those 70's radicals had a bizarre sense of humor.

-Participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, of the Capitol building in 1971, and the Pentagon in 1972
True, but they did make every effort to not kill or injure anyone.

-Currently a professor of education at the University of Illinois
Well, at least he's not bombing stuff anymore.

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2169
I think Obama owes the U.S. another pretty speech.
Bill Ayers was never a close friend of Obama's. They served on a board together. Ayers donated to a couple of Obama's campaigns. That was pretty much it.

As far as your source, the information is filtered from this article:
No Regrets for a Love Of Explosives; In a Memoir of Sorts, a War Protester Talks of Life With the Weathermen - New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E1DE1438F932A2575AC0A9679C8B 63)
You should probably read it, since it was pretty distorted by the time it got to you. Ok, so the guy is probably a communist with a skewed view of the world, but that's not a crime. And he's admitted all his crimes and accepted the consequences of them. It's clear he hasn't done anything like that in at least 30 years, and Obama didn't associate with him until the 90s. I'm sure we've all associated with some shady people, but that doesn't mean we share their values.

By the way, Ayers has commented on the issue himself, in a much more nuanced way than your bullet-pointed description. He's a more complex person than you make him out to be.
http://billayers.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/im-sorry-i-think/

[flyingimam]

back to Palin

Searching for Palin's 'Hot Photos' - TIME (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1838041,00.html?cnn=yes)

:S2:

[TheMetal1]

Just goes to show that, no matter what kind of mess our country is in, people don't care. They want boobs, fights, car crashes, and competitive singing or dancing.

Cue the apocalypse in 3.......... 2......... 1 :stoned:

It's so funny/sad how people instantly want to see pictures of her in a bikini or some 20 year old polaroid of her at Daytona Beach getting wild. Well... yeah, I guess I understand it. It just makes me picture some really old lady sitting online trying to Google "John C. Calhoun lost-porno." Hahaha

Anyone have a guess as to how long it takes for Tina Fey to guest on Saturday Night Live and do a DEAD ON impersonation of Gov. Palin? Looks just like her :stoned:

[daihashi]

I'm not defending the guy's actions here, but what you've posted about Bill Ayers needs some clearing up:

Bill Ayers adamantly denies he was ever a terrorist, in part because they selected only military targets.

I can pass gas in an elevator and deny I ever did it. It doesn't change the fact that I still farted :thumbsup:


This was actually part of a joke, and Bill Ayers himself doesn't seem to think he said it. Yeah, those 70's radicals had a bizarre sense of humor.

True, but they did make every effort to not kill or injure anyone.


Making every effort would mean not blowing up buildings.


Well, at least he's not bombing stuff anymore.

Bill Ayers was never a close friend of Obama's. They served on a board together. Ayers donated to a couple of Obama's campaigns. That was pretty much it.

True, he's just teaching our kids now. A person who was so radical they attacked their own nation is out there teaching impressionable young people.

Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn were both partly responsible for helping to start Obama's political career. While I agree this in itself does not make Obama a bad person I question his judgement and what kind of person he actually is behind closed doors. These people combined with others like Tony Rezko, Jim Johnson, William Wright and others make me very wary of Obama. Especially after hearing his economic and foreign relations plans. I cringe even more.



As far as your source, the information is filtered from this article:
No Regrets for a Love Of Explosives; In a Memoir of Sorts, a War Protester Talks of Life With the Weathermen - New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E1DE1438F932A2575AC0A9679C8B 63)
You should probably read it, since it was pretty distorted by the time it got to you. Ok, so the guy is probably a communist with a skewed view of the world, but that's not a crime.

You're right, being a communist is not a crime, but attacking your own country is. TREASON


And he's admitted all his crimes and accepted the consequences of them. It's clear he hasn't done anything like that in at least 30 years, and Obama didn't associate with him until the 90s. I'm sure we've all associated with some shady people, but that doesn't mean we share their values.

This does not forgive him of what he's done. And you're right, we do all have shady people in our lives, but with Obama it seems there's always someone popping up from his past. Also last I checked Obama won't release documents about his relationship with Ayers. Seems odd doesn't it? Maybe that's changed and he's released them, but last I checked he was still refusing.


By the way, Ayers has commented on the issue himself, in a much more nuanced way than your bullet-pointed description. He's a more complex person than you make him out to be.
I’M SORRY!!!! i think…. « Bill Ayers (http://billayers.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/im-sorry-i-think/)

No offense, but Bill Ayers lost all credibility in my opinion when he was with the Weather Underground.

If they release those documents then I may rescind what I said. However I already gave Obama a free pass when Bill Ayers first came up in the media. I even defended him saying we all have someone in our lives that's shady. Then Obama had a flurry of people pop up in his life... I took back the free pass I gave him. I do not trust that man. He comes from one of the most corrupt governments in the United States and he obviously surrounds himself with some pretty scary people.

[texas grass]

why is it obamas falt that ayers is teaching at UI. yall should be yellin at illinois state for hiring him.

as for him being on a board with him. woud yall quite a good job because someone else was working there. i seriously doubt it.

now back to why hasnt palin showed herself if shes so good and honest

[McDanger]

Well, I for one am grateful I live in a state that teaches real sex ed. They teach abstinence but they also teach prevention. They also teach them about condoms and birth control and sexually transmitted diseases. I was "scared straight", in a manner of speaking, when I became sexually active at 16 from what I learned in sex ed. Kids are gonna do it. Give them some real choices and a real understanding of the consequences of making such a big decision.
I had my first child at 23, and my daughter is 20 and not pregnant yet. You see... I actually talked to her about sex. I didn't just tell her " Don't do it. Period. End of discussion "
Abstinence only teaching not only doesn't work, I believe its socially irresponsible!
Abstinence is the only method that works 100%. Not teaching it is irresponsible.
The way I look at it is what they are telling them is if you don't have sex you will not get disease or pregnant, but, if you are not going to listen to me about this, I'll give you another option. Then if you do get pregnant (by making the choice to have sex), then you can always abort.
Your made your "choice" when you decided to have sex. Now you must live with your choice.

[khronik]

I can pass gas in an elevator and deny I ever did it. It doesn't change the fact that I still farted :thumbsup:

Making every effort would mean not blowing up buildings.
Well, Bill Ayers didn't kill or injure anyone, which is why he's a professor and not an inmate today.


True, he's just teaching our kids now. A person who was so radical they attacked their own nation is out there teaching impressionable young people.
It's possible for people to change, you know.


Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn were both partly responsible for helping to start Obama's political career. While I agree this in itself does not make Obama a bad person I question his judgement and what kind of person he actually is behind closed doors. These people combined with others like Tony Rezko, Jim Johnson, William Wright and others make me very wary of Obama. Especially after hearing his economic and foreign relations plans. I cringe even more.
Tony Rezko - donated to a lot of political campaigns. Obama was a state senator at that time and needed all the help he could get, plus there weren't any corruption charges surrounding him at the time. Even during the corruption charges, Obama was never suspected of any wrongdoing.

Jim Johnson - was picked because he had experience on John Kerry's VP vetting team. This guy didn't do anything wrong. He got a good deal on a loan and that's it. Supposedly, loans like that are very common among people who have a lot of income and are virtually guaranteed of not defaulting. And even still, Obama made him leave the team when he found out.

William Wright - the only one of these "connections" that Obama actually did have a close connection to. But Wright isn't corrupt, just a little crazy. The guy is actually pretty admirable when you look at some of his accomplishments. He was a Marine surgeon during Vietnam, and was part of a team that operated on Lyndon Johnson. He became a preacher and activist after the war. The reason Obama joined his congregation was mostly because of his church's history of activism. Oh yeah, and it's the same church that Oprah went to. Wright was part of the old-guard civil rights movement, which probably made him a little racist, but that doesn't necessarily transfer to Obama. My mom and grandparents are a little racist, having lived in Cleveland, Ohio during the race riots. But it's not the core of who they are, and I imagine the same holds true for Wright.


You're right, being a communist is not a crime, but attacking your own country is. TREASON
And he accepted the punishment for said crimes.


This does not forgive him of what he's done. And you're right, we do all have shady people in our lives, but with Obama it seems there's always someone popping up from his past. Also last I checked Obama won't release documents about his relationship with Ayers. Seems odd doesn't it? Maybe that's changed and he's released them, but last I checked he was still refusing.
UIC releases Obama-Ayers papers :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: DNC (http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/dnc/1127918,ayers082608.article)
Are those the papers you were talking about?


If they release those documents then I may rescind what I said. However I already gave Obama a free pass when Bill Ayers first came up in the media. I even defended him saying we all have someone in our lives that's shady. Then Obama had a flurry of people pop up in his life... I took back the free pass I gave him. I do not trust that man. He comes from one of the most corrupt governments in the United States and he obviously surrounds himself with some pretty scary people.
Couldn't the fact that he comes from a city that is known for being corrupt, be the reason that he has associated with several shady people? I mean, trying to be a politician in Chicago without associating wish shady characters is kind of like trying to shovel manure without getting any on your clothes. Ok, bad metaphor, but still, despite where he came from, Obama has never even been a suspect in any corruption charges. You have to admit, he's done a pretty good job of keeping his hands clean.

[daihashi]

Well, Bill Ayers didn't kill or injure anyone, which is why he's a professor and not an inmate today.

He directly may not have participated but he was involved which makes him an accomplice. Why do you defend this man so adamantly?



It's possible for people to change, you know.

It is possible for people to change, but Bill Ayers has been quoted as saying that he does not regret what he did.

No Regrets for a Love Of Explosives; In a Memoir of Sorts, a War Protester Talks of Life With the Weathermen - New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E1DE1438F932A2575AC0A9679C8B 63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all)

From that article:
'I don't regret setting bombs,'' Bill Ayers said. ''I feel we didn't do enough.''

I believe the following is from his book, I also pulled it out of the article above:

''Everything was absolutely ideal on the day I bombed the Pentagon,'' he writes. But then comes a disclaimer: ''Even though I didn't actually bomb the Pentagon -- we bombed it, in the sense that Weathermen organized it and claimed it.'' He goes on to provide details about the manufacture of the bomb and how a woman he calls Anna placed the bomb in a restroom. No one was killed or injured, though damage was extensive.

You see here he acknowledges that he did have some role in this.. directly or indirectly he bares responsibility just for simply being a part of that organization.

Why do you defend him so adamantly?


Tony Rezko - donated to a lot of political campaigns. Obama was a state senator at that time and needed all the help he could get, plus there weren't any corruption charges surrounding him at the time. Even during the corruption charges, Obama was never suspected of any wrongdoing.

Let's make some excuses for Obama. Tony Rezko may not have had any corruption charges but his name wasn't exactly unknown. He has had a history of owning housing that is below code. Why would any up and coming politician want to recruit someone like this. It would just come back to haunt him. This is a perfect example of "whatever to do to get elected.". Once elected into office Obama helped Tony Rezko get government money to build more sub par housing.

So we have Bill Ayers... sure let's give the man 1 free pass. Everyone has a unsavory person in their life but here we have two people that Obama welcomed into his life.


Jim Johnson - was picked because he had experience on John Kerry's VP vetting team. This guy didn't do anything wrong. He got a good deal on a loan and that's it. Supposedly, loans like that are very common among people who have a lot of income and are virtually guaranteed of not defaulting. And even still, Obama made him leave the team when he found out.

So there is nothing wrong with getting preferential treatment DIRECTLY from the CEO of Countrywide? You don't see anything fishy with that? It's not like he just got a good rate. Furthermore Jim Johnson used to be the head of Fannie Mae.

Also they say that Jim Johnson did not take just 1 loan, but 5 real estate loans totalling about 7 million. Now I don't care how many mortgages you get, but it's fairly obvious due to his old position, and the fact that he's getting preferential treatment that something is up.

Legally nothing wrong may have been done but there is a Moral problem here.

So again we see the type of people Obama surrounds himself with.

That's 3 shady people that have emerged out of his life that he has current ties to.



William Wright - the only one of these "connections" that Obama actually did have a close connection to. But Wright isn't corrupt, just a little crazy. The guy is actually pretty admirable when you look at some of his accomplishments. He was a Marine surgeon during Vietnam, and was part of a team that operated on Lyndon Johnson. He became a preacher and activist after the war. The reason Obama joined his congregation was mostly because of his church's history of activism. Oh yeah, and it's the same church that Oprah went to. Wright was part of the old-guard civil rights movement, which probably made him a little racist, but that doesn't necessarily transfer to Obama. My mom and grandparents are a little racist, having lived in Cleveland, Ohio during the race riots. But it's not the core of who they are, and I imagine the same holds true for Wright.

You're right.. it doesn't transfer to Obama and I completely agree. I do not think Obama is a racist, but I question when someone says "GOD DAMN AMERICA" and constantly bashes the country that we live in... why would you stay there? Why would you stay in a church that maintains such hostility for the nation it lives in?

That just seems like a deal breaker. Church should be about worship and prayer etc etc. Since when was Church a venue for semi-quasi political rallies daming your own home country?

Personally me.. especially if I was a politician.. I would've darted out that door. But then again I don't believe in his particular form of brain washing.... also I won't stand for someone to bash my country. I admit we have our problems, but to paint us as the enemy of the world. I won't stand for it. I imagine if you're a politician your constituents probably wouldn't stand for it either.

So that's 4 people he surrounded himself with.



Couldn't the fact that he comes from a city that is known for being corrupt, be the reason that he has associated with several shady people? I mean, trying to be a politician in Chicago without associating wish shady characters is kind of like trying to shovel manure without getting any on your clothes. Ok, bad metaphor, but still, despite where he came from, Obama has never even been a suspect in any corruption charges. You have to admit, he's done a pretty good job of keeping his hands clean.

Indeed it could be, but you would think a person who preaches a sermon to America of Hope and change would be above the corruption. You would think they would seek to put down these corrupters whose deeds only hurt the American citizens. For someone who says "Change you can believe in" you would think that he would exemplify that through action. I am really baffled how you can use Chicago's own corruption as a means to Defend Obama.

And you know it's very easy to keep your hands clean when you don't do anything. Show me how many pieces of major legislation this man has written. Show me how many bills he's supported and advocated for. It's nothing against him, he honestly just hasn't done much and it's not like I fault him for it. He's been in office only a short time.

[daihashi]

and how did this thread turn into another Obama thread.


Can we go back to talking about that hottie Sarah Palin? :hippy:

[khronik]

and how did this thread turn into another Obama thread.


Can we go back to talking about that hottie Sarah Palin? :hippy:
All the Obama threads got locked. And you started it. :cool:

[daihashi]

All the Obama threads got locked. And you started it. :cool:

Actually I didn't.. go back and re-read the entire thread. I just got caught up in the conversation.

You should check before you finger point. You're the one who initiated the topic change from Sarah Palin to Obama.

P4B had used Bill Ayers as an example of people who Palin does not surround herself with and you chose to engage P4B solely on Bill Ayers and Obama.. totally leaving out Sarah Palin.. effectively changing the subject. There were several posts in between where people were back on topic and instead of join in you decided to stay on your off tangent path.

I joined in after you and am calling for a return to the topic at hand.

[khronik]

Actually I didn't.. go back and re-read the entire thread. I just got caught up in the conversation.

You should check before you finger point. You're the one who initiated the topic change from Sarah Palin to Obama.

P4B had used Bill Ayers as an example of people who Palin does not surround herself with and you chose to engage P4B solely on Bill Ayers and Obama.. totally leaving out Sarah Palin.. effectively changing the subject. There were several posts in between where people were back on topic and instead of join in you decided to stay on your off tangent path.

I joined in after you and am calling for a return to the topic at hand.
My apologies. P4B started it, not you.

Anyway, like Obama, there isn't too much to say about Sarah Palin's past experience since there isn't quite as much of it. She does have executive experience, which makes her the only person on both tickets with any. She sounds like a really cool person. I mean, a sexy woman who hunts moose? Her husband sure is lucky. Still, she does come off as not being up to speed on world affairs, and not as substantive as the other candidates. Her platform is pretty much just the standard Republican fare, and no matter how you look at it, she has less foreign policy and national experience than Barack Obama. Plus, John McCain is getting on in years, so it's not unreasonable to suspect he may have health problems that could at least temporarily require him to transfer power to Palin.

I hope that she does give a speech or an interview. We need to see what she's like, and what she's capable of.

[dragonrider]

I can pass gas in an elevator and deny I ever did it. It doesn't change the fact that I still farted :thumbsup:


Aw, man! I knew that was you!

[dragonrider]

I hope that she does give a speech or an interview. We need to see what she's like, and what she's capable of.

Her speech at the RNC is tonight, so we'll get to see her in action pretty soon. But I'd like to see an interview or press conference where she takes some questions too.

[daihashi]

My apologies. P4B started it, not you.

dude.. P4B stayed on topic.. he mentioned how she doesn't have the unsavory characters that surround Obama due to the stupid gossip going around about Palin's daughter.

You took it upon yourself to defend Bill Ayers and Obama when this was a Palin thread.


Anyway, like Obama, there isn't too much to say about Sarah Palin's past experience since there isn't quite as much of it.

It's more like he can't. He would be calling the kettle black. The office of presidency is an executive office, not a legislative one, The office of governor is also an office of executive power. In a sense she has more experience than Obama and would be better prepared for the demands of the position since she's already held an executive office.



She does have executive experience, which makes her the only person on both tickets with any. She sounds like a really cool person. I mean, a sexy woman who hunts moose? Her husband sure is lucky. Her platform is pretty much just the standard Republican fare, and no matter how you look at it, she has less foreign policy and national experience than Barack Obama.

Considering Obama doesn't vote nearly 2/3rds of the time I would say he marginally beats her out on the national experience. She does have some foreign policy experience with Canada. There is documented evidence of that, I do not know about Russia and I won't even comment on that. What foreign Policy has Obama written and gotten passed through congress? NONE.. that's right none, Obama has only had 5 pieces of legislation Approved during his time in office, 1 of those things had to do with getting funds to congratulate the White Sox on winning the world series (woopty doo).



Still, she does come off as not being up to speed on world affairs, and not as substantive as the other candidates.

Well that's pretty amazing considering she hasn't given any in depth interviews. I don't even know how you began to draw that conclusion. I suspect she's stronger than Obama. The only reason we know anything about Obama is because he's been in the spot light for over a year now. Give it time and people will start interviewing her.

It's the RNC, How many interviews on foreign policy and international affairs did you see Joe Biden give after he was announced as the democratic VP nominee.

The following isn't directed at you khronik but rather everyone who's breathing down her neck... give her some breathing room. No one was up Biden's butt asking him to give in depth answers and analysis of the direction our country needs to move.



Plus, John McCain is getting on in years, so it's not unreasonable to suspect he may have health problems that could at least temporarily require him to transfer power to Palin.

Wow.. you're right it's not unreasonable, but it's a good thing we're voting for most qualified person and not who's not going to die. There have been many people on this forum who feel Obama's would die at the hands of racists if he took office. Personally I wouldn't want Biden as my president.



I hope that she does give a speech or an interview. We need to see what she's like, and what she's capable of.

Well despite her pro drilling stance it seems that she's not in the bed of big oil.

Once in office, Palin took an aggressive stance toward the oil companies. Her nickname from high-school basketball, "Sarah Barracuda," was resurrected in the press. Early in her term, she shocked oil lobbyists when she was so bold as to not show up when Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson came to Juneau to meet with her. Palin, after scrapping Murkowski's deal, would not give Big Oil the terms they wanted, yet insisted that the companies still had an obligation under their lease to deliver gas to whatever pipeline Alaska built. She invited the oil companies to place open bids to build a pipeline, but they refused. A bid by TransCanada, North America's largest pipeline builder, was approved by the legislature in August.

How's that as an example for "change that we can believe in". Sarah Palin told Big Oil to shove off basically. She said that they were negotiating under her terms. Even more impressive she got the Alaska Pipeline underway without using government funding. That alone is better than most politicians currently in office have done against big oil. It's reasonable and benefits Alaska.

Furthermore I wonder where Obama got his idea for windfall profits tax and giving everyone a rebate check from it:

Palin also raised taxes on oil companies after Murkowski's previous tax regime produced falling revenues in 2007, despite skyrocketing oil prices. Alaska now has some of the highest resource taxes in the world. Alaska's oil tax revenues are expected to be about $10 billion in 2008, twice those of previous year. BP says about half its oil revenues now go to taxes, when royalty payments to the state are included. Earlier this week, Palin approved gas tax relief for Alaskans, and paid every resident $1,200 to help ease their fuel-price burden.

I don't necessarily approve of this but this seems to be something Obama fans foam at the mouth over. They love the idea of windfall profits tax.... Look at who was doing something similar a year previously?

For those people concerned about possible Alaska corruption due to Ted Stevens:

In that same interview, she said she intended to change Alaska's relationship with "the lower 48." She saw part of her responsibility as delivering her state's natural gas to those hungry markets. "We're still too reliant on the federal government," she said. She canceled Alaska's support for the "Bridge to Nowhere," a proposed $320 million bridge to sparsely populated Gravina Island, that Senator Ted Stevens, now under indictment for public corruption, famously included in the federal budget.

For those people who want health insurance. Sarah Palin has made health insruance available to everyone in Alaska. She's already walked the walk. If someone can help me find a source for this I would greatly appreciate it. I know this to be fact as I have several friends who live up there in Alaska and speak with them regularly. I've found a few links but I try to post sources from well known media publications so people will find it more credible.

Sarah Palin also assisted with the reform bill that helped to uncover the corruptness in Alaska. I believe she even opened an investigation on herself in order to clear up allegations of any involvement by her. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (http://gov.state.ak.us/print_news-4693.html)

The girl has guts.. and she's not afraid to actually stand up for what she believes in. She has a spine of steel... which is more than I can say for the the opposition.

[daihashi]

Her speech at the RNC is tonight, so we'll get to see her in action pretty soon. But I'd like to see an interview or press conference where she takes some questions too.

I would prefer to see her in an interview or press conference as well.

Everyone knows that the DNC and RNC is just stupid hype. People patting themselves on the back when they should be discussing issues. Honestly both the DNC and RNC are nothing but big pep rallies.

I hope to see a quality interview or speech from her sometime after the RNC. We'll see.

[dragonrider]

Regardless of what you think of Palin, good or bad, the McCain camapign sure has bungled rolling her out to the public.

They should have known that people would be intensly curious about her because she is so unknown. They should have had her ready to answer questions and do interviews. Instead, they leave the media digging for anything they can get their hands on to define her, and most of it is not good news.

You didn't see the same kind of frenzy around Biden because the public has had something like 36 years to get to know him. He has a solid record that is well known. Palin is unkown and a big surprisse, so they should have been ready for a media blitz. Hell, if she is actually any good at all, they could have used all the excitement to their ADVANTAGE. She is all the media is talking about right now. They have the spotlight, so why aren't they using it? The McCain campaign has struggled to get media attention during this election, but now that they have it, it looks like they can't manage it at all. They are hiding her.

If you don't give the media something, then they just go with what they've got. That's why you've got them pulling out video of her asking what exactly it is that the VP does. And that video of her addressing a church and saying that the war in Iraq is a mission from God and that God wants a natural gas pipeline. It's a fiasco.

They aren't offering anything to put this stuff to rest, so she is looking more and more like Bush's pick of Harriet Myers for Supreme Court --- an underqualified woman picked solely for her gender. The Republican party is not big on affirmative action, but it does seem like they picked an underqualified woman mostly for that fact that she IS a woman, not for her credentials.

Maybe her speech tonight will put some of it to rest, but with the way the 24-hour news media works these days and how quickly public opinion can form, it may be too late.

Has a candidate ever withdrawn a VP pick? Not saying that it will happen --- it's definitely too early, given that we know nothing about her. But if she turns into a real liability, is there precedent for withdrawing a VP nomination?

[dragonrider]

One thing's for sure --- there will be MILLIONS of people watching her speech tonight. I bet more tune in to see her than tune in for McCain himself on Thursday.