While I feel for Alaskans that you might be getting your Governor back (unless Palin's race-baiting and hatemongering work), she can do less damage there in the next 2 years than 4 years as VP and potentially President. I pray the majority of Alaskans share the views you expressed in your well-written piece and limit her damage to just 2 more years.

Also, most Minnesotans are very well educated and can name the magazines and papers we read without pausing and can speak our views on a variety of issues without cuecards or cues from Karl Rove.

Finally, I received an email today from Defenders of Wildlife with a video of the wolf pup slaughter. I have not been able to view it yet and don't think I have the stomach to do so. It is just too upsetting. I grew up with hunters and this is absolutely appalling. She is not a sportsman or hunter. She is a pillager.

I am wondering why a resident Alaskan and American, Mr. Jans, would need credentials to write an opinion piece about his Governor? I am fairly sure that Mr. Jans knows more about Alaska and Sarah Palin's policies than you do, DCRG. Remember, most of us were just introduced to Palin in September when she was picked for the #2 spot in the country. Just who is this Sarah Palin? I am not sure she is "one of us."

Thank you, Mr. Jans, for letting us know that not everyone in Alaska thinks the earth and its majestic animals are here solely for our exploitation and that Sarah Palin is not the be all, end all. And, if I hear "Drill, baby, drill" one more time out of her mouth, I think I may get physically ill. Women just don't talk like this. I'm sorry, we really don't. It is so offensive on so many levels.

Also, DCRG, since when are hope and change socialist ideals?

I believe the article is written by an Alaskan about Alaska. It is not an article on voter registration in Ohio. You are most welcome to write an article on that if you wish. Can you please try to stick to the subject? You are sounding like Palin when asked a simple question like what newspapers do you read?

Obviously, Polar Bears are threatened because their habitat is threatened by the effects of climate change and the melting polar icecap. I don't think any qualified scientist or biologist worth their salt would dispute this fact. Yes, Virgina, this is a global issue, hence the name Global Warming. I wish the Bush administration would have asked us to sacrifice; stop driving so much or at least encourage us not to drive SUVs and Hummers, provided incentives to Detroit to build more fuel efficient vehicles, etc. Also, killing of pups in their dens is abhorrent and against the law. You can't tell me that the wolf is wreaking ecological havoc in a state of over 500,000 square miles and only 700,000 people.

If Alaskans want to keep Sarah as governor, that is your right, but please don't try to tell us in the lower 48 that she is even remotely qualified to be VP or President. Plus, a non-partisan investigation, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats 2 to 1, found that she did indeed abuse her power as governor, but that no laws were broken. It is an ethics violation. Maybe no big deal to you, but for someone running for VP, I'd say it is relevant. Perhaps abuse of power would be a job prerequisite in the Bush-Cheney administration, but us regular folks are kind of tired of this standard operating procedure.

The one thing you got absolutely right--we are absolutely scared of Palin. She is one frightening (wo)man.

We shall overcome, it is just a question of when. Let's begin by removing the hatred from politics and for those with divergent views, skin color or religions. I believe this is what our country was founded upon. Disagreements and heated discussions are fine; vitriolic, ignorant hate speech, not acceptable and not welcome. McCain and Palin are treading a very dangerous path with their current tactic of riling their base into a rabid, racist frenzy. Palin and McCain are ruining this historic election. We are better than this. Let's evolve already.

John McCain did sell his soul for this election and he deserves to lose. If he is running a campaign that doesn't reflect who he really is, why on earth would we want to vote for him? I suspect that John McCain suffers from a pronounced entitlement complex stemming from his upbringing with his family and his years as a POW. He somehow feels he deserves to be President. Why else would he be running at age 72? McCain's hypocrisy can be seen at every rally he speaks at with the "Country First" signs waving in the crowd. If he put country first he would never have put Palin on his ticket. This campaign has always been McCain first and the presidency at any cost. Too bad he paid with selling out his name and reputation. Very costly mistake I suspect he will regret dearly starting on November 5th.