I hear ya...it's not Salon's fundamental mission to get the Dems elected. But it has positioned itself as a liberal, progressive newsmagazine.

I'd like to think they want a liberal progressive America. But the constant harping on Obama for more than a year, and the institutional acceptance of the maxim "all criticism of a woman candidate = sexism" has done NOTHING to help the Democratic cause this year, and in fact, has helped contribute to the current political situation.

I'm not saying it's not real reporting, or that it's damaging.

But is this article going to help elect a Democrat in November? Is this particular article on this issue, vis a vis Palin, contributing anything to the national discourse?

Nope.

Not a bit.

the less enlightened family members I have who think voting McCain/Palin may be a good idea don't give a shit about wolves.

And if they are anything like my less enlightened family members they don't give a shit about much of anything else except themselves and maybe unborn fetuses (feti?).

I wouldn't worry about them, I'm not worrying about mine, they are so far beyond hope that the light from hope won't reach them for ten billion years.

I don't need to worry about it any longer. This will seal the deal with Obama for them. Guaranteed.

This is just following the tradition of Republican vice presidents. Dick Cheney shoots pheasants just released from cages. Any evidence that Sarah has shot any of her hunting partners? Those high powered rifles would do more damage than bird shot.

What has our country come to?

Killing animals from helicopters is NOT really hunting, and few legitimate hunters consider it acceptable. This kind of criticism could actually make a difference to the people who are likely to vote for McCain/Palin.

Penis envy.

"She pointed out that her state has "managed its wildlife so that we still maintain abundant populations of all of our indigenous predators almost fifty years after statehood."

This is something no other US state has accomplished.

You said: "Is this particular article on this issue, vis a vis Palin, contributing anything to the national discourse?"

I would argue yes! It underscores her fundamentaly bankrupt views on both science and animal issues. I have family that is gung ho over McCain but are also animal lovers (especially dogs and their geneticaly identical cousins canis lupus). This article may not change their vote but it may get them to think just a little more about the consequences of their vote. Remeber that Rome was built one brick at a time.

On a personal note I also found the article informative and interesting and I got something out of it.

I've been hearing for a week that Palin enjoys shooting wolves and other animals from airplanes. And at least one LW here condemns her for doing that. But the article makes no mention whatever of Gov. Palin shooting wolves from airplanes, and so far I haven't been able to find any reputable source for this accusation. Her position on the culling of wolves is abhorrent to me as to most others, but who can tell me she does it herself, and how do you know?

I believed the charges also that Palin opposed contraception, but that turns out to be false. In the LA Times an article quotes her specifically talking about favoring abstinence programs but "I do support contraception if it is a form which is not abortifacient."

Lots of Palin critics claim that the first thing she did as mayor of her town was to try banning books. Turns out, that's not true either. There's some smoke there, but damned little fire.

Gov. Palin has some ideas and beliefs and policies which are actuallly dangerous to and harmful to our nation. But if we persist in rumormongering and exaggerating her faults, we lose any credibility on the actual points. It's sort of--ironically--a question of crying wolf.

Is incredibly powerful, especially when you see the wolf limping and struggling through the snow after it has been wounded. Send it to every animal lover you know, especially dog lovers. The video is way more moving than any description. This way of wolf killing is a nightmare and a tragedy.

A lot of these anti-choice extremists think that birth control pills are abortifacients. Someone should flat out ask her if she wants to ban the pill.

I so hope this horrific, brutal practice gets some mainstream traction...or becomes the basis of a chain email campaign (hint hint)

If they want to start a culture war, then someone should be explaining to all those suburban white mothers what exactly Palin's culture looks like.

Cause I'm guessing that gunning down exhausted wolves from airplanes is NOT in the mainstream of American culture...

Toss desperate garbage. Palin does not participate in aerial hunting, something which can be ascertained on rather more objective sites.

Small wonder some of you are suddenly so interested in the fate of wolves. You've shown yourselves surpassing eager to toss any number of women to them.

This is something no other US state has accomplished.

Palin has only been in office a couple of years, it takes time to wipe out all the predator species in an area as big as Alaska.

And speaking of size, Alaska is by far the largest state and has a population about the same as Memphis TN.. We aren't exactly comparing apples with apples here.

You said: "She said her state has "managed its wildlife so that we still maintain abundant populations of all of our indigenous predators almost fifty years after statehood." This is something no other US state has accomplished."

No other state has a territory over twice the size of Texas with a total population that's less than Salt lake City.

Completely unfare comparison!

Palin does not participate in aerial hunting, something which can be ascertained on rather more objective sites.

Palin advocates aerial hunting.

Still bitter about Hillary, eh?

I think Obama is a world class hypocrite and I loathe Biden but the other two are much worse. I'll be holding my nose so hard it hurts in the voting booth.