Yearh Matt. I read this little gem on CrooksandLiars.com and was laughing with barely controlled glee.

I am usually a little ashamed of wallowing in other people's unhapiness, but this was just too ironic:

 

Here's the link: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/26/conservatives-starting-to-panic-about-palin/

Those are all very scary points Matt. Not just for "atheists or secularists" but all of America. It appears to me that she is just not that informed about political issues but has a great grasp on the more 'emotional' issues. How will emotion influence the UN? How will emotion help to keep relations with Russia from blowing up into another cold war?

 

I know she's scary and all, but still you guys: people in the McCain camp whispering nervously to eachother: "What are we going to do? She's clueless!" should calm us all down a little.

I mean, when the conservative pundits are allready loosing faith in her after a month, and are openly criticizing her, doesn't that indicate that she was a huge mistake on McCain's part, I mean purely from a political perspective?

Or you underestimate the intelligence of the American independents and moderate conservatives.

I don't live in America. I don't want to pretend like I know better, but when the conservative media is not all celebrating Palin, I see that as a symptom that the people that stands in the middle between the two sides of the culture war can still save the country.

Remember that I don't underestimate the stupidity of some of the American puplic. Many many people will vote for Palin (that is, they'll vote for McCain, only because of Palin) simply because she's a woman, simply because she's evangelical, simply because she's "hot" or whatever.

Sure many many people are so stupid they shouldn't be trusted to sit the right way on a toiletseat, let alone vote.

But we've always known that. But they would have voted for McCain regardless of Palin anyway, because of Obama (that is again, nothing to do with McCain, and everything to do with Obama). They'd do it because his black, or because he's "a rotten ol' Moslem", or "a stinkin' Lib'rall".

But the people who will decide the election are the people who are stupid enough to not be liberal, but not stupid enough to be rednecks, and they can be swayed by conservative pundits saying things like: "Palin is an earnest, attractive, confident candidate who is way out of her league"

You are absolutely right. The race is still too close to call. And it is a shame, a travesty of human intellect even, that Obama isn't a landslide shoe-in, because he ought to be, if Americans really wanted what's best for their country. Of course, they do, but some are stupid enough to Believe that McCain/Palin is just that.

But I see things moving in the right direction, and I don't think people ought to be too alarmist about Palin, since she is as much a danger to the McCain camp as she is an advantage. So at worst, I think the votes she'll scare away equals the votes she'll pull in, making her completely neutral.

But you are right. It's too close to call, and resting on your laurals would be a very dangerous thing indeed.

I'm rooting for you from over here, and I'll be following the election intensely, and certainly with some trepedation. Alot is, after all, ridding on this.

You're right, I don't. Well at least, what I think I understand, I should remember to take with a grain of salt, because the US is very far away from here, and not just in terms of miles.

But I hope you are a little wrong too. I hope you have an exagerated impression the facts a little. Otherwise you really are screwed. Hell, we all are.

But, hey, we'll know come November.

 

I disagree.

I'm hesitant to bring-up an example from a T.V. drama, but: for those here that also used to watch 'The West Wing', do you recall the episode where Bartlett nearly caused a huge international crisis when he picked-out the wrong flag for Taiwan and people thought he was making a complex political maneuver - but, in reality, it was as simple as him not realizing he'd picked the wrong flag because he couldn't see it (his medical condition, I think it was MS, had cropped-up and blinded him in one eye - unknown to anyone at the time).

 

I think McCain had called Palin or Palin's office for a matter totally unrelated to the VP ticket, and then got talking with Palin but forgot why he'd called her. Someone or something then just incidentally (and most certainly accidentally) queued him into 'remembering' that he'd called her about the VP ticket, and things spiraled into their ridiculous current state from there.

The Republicans clearly look embarassed about the whole thing, McCain's campaign commitee included. This is clearly visible in the fact that Palin is kept on such a short leash and largely out of camera view. If it was their 'master plan' to get the hot young sportscaster riding with them, they sure aren't acting like it.

Whoaaaa.... she almost called out my name!!!

 

I can't quite make out the cartoonist name....

looks like Oliphant ?   Good job, in any case.

Saul Paul resurrected as a girl,  clever lying Paline , yicks ....

She got elected Mayor of Wasilla, a town of (then) 6,000 people, but the fastest-growing area in Alaska. It's not hard to get elected Mayor of a small town like that. And, she is fairly-well liked in Wasilla. (I have relatives there who know her through PTA and council meetings and sports and such. As one said, "I like her good enough, but there's no way in hell I'm voting for her." )

She got elected Governor of Alaska because she was running against the least-popular governer in a long while. Actually, she beat him out in the primary; he was also Republican. Alaska is, in general, a Republican state. Rather, a libertarian state where the libertarian party calls themselves Republicans. Don't get me wrong -- Alaska has a large liberal contingent, as well. In 2000, 10% of Alaskans voted for Nader (me included). Also, Murkowski left the senate to fill the void left when democrat Tony Knowles decided not to run for governor after two popular terms. So it's not that bad.

So, Palin beat Murkowski out in the primaries, and got elected because she was a Republican. She's not stupid, but she ain't real bright, either. She's not acting stupid, she's just out of her league.

As for the reasons McCain asked her to run as his VP candidate: he's hoping to sway the disillusioned Hillary voters. Also, Palin had a very high approval rating in AK, something like 80%, the highest of any governor. So she probably seemed like a good choice.

I think Biden is going to crush her in the debates, though. When people look back at this election, this upcoming debate will be noted as the rubicon. I don't think McCain can possibly recover.

Wow. The more and more I hear her talk and read about her, the more it makes Dan Quayle look like a genius.

I'm dubious of her 'putting on an act'. Don't suspect malice when stupidity will suffice, as they say.

 

At any rate, I doubt Biden will mop the floor with her. The man is a loud-mouthed idiot himself, and incredibly likely to say something self-damning in the heat of the moment.