The reason people think you're a gop troll is because you took the stance that Obama did not receive offensive treatment on these boards. A statement so untrue that it makes people think you are either unintelligent or deliberately obfuscating to advance an agenda. Take it as a compliment most people chose to think you're a gop troll cause the alternative is that you're not too bright.

To the McCain/Palin base, standing up for her pastor no matter how inflammatory the remarks would garner them only more support.

Progressives don't hate the poor. They hate poverty. Thats the kind of nuance you miss that make people question either your intelligence or motivation.

And while the bile spewed at Obama hasn't been sexual in nature, it has been just as offensive. Or does only sexual offensiveness offend you? When Obama's patriotism, faith, motives, experience are all called into question in the most horrific ways by outright lies its not offensive to you if its not sexual in nature? When Obama is basically treated as if he might be a secret terrorist trying to take down the country from the inside, that's not offensive cause it doesn't mention his dick? Whats wrong with you?

Fox news operates all but openly as an official propaganda wing of the RNC and other than some grumbling on the Left there is no consequence, yet let the Right wring their hands and bemoan NBC and all of a sudden there is a problem?

I don't know how to characterize the lopsidedness of that double-standard nor why the Right should dominate it as it does, but unless we figure it out, the Left will always lose.

I don't like to think it but it could just be the outcome of the unprincipled vs. the principled and the principled will always lose for they are fundamentally disadvantaged by their principles.

Didn't read the article but based on the blurb I'd glibly say that its not surprising, if true. The more egalitarian and prosperous a society is, the freer its members are to be themselves. i.e. women are womanly and men are manly.

These kids are being raised by people who believe in nothing. The only value these kids learn from their folks is economic.

Better that kids should be raised with bad values than no values. They form a base of a sense of orientation with the universe, without which leads them to founder with no moral compass. With no values, nothing matters, nothing counts.

And when I say 'believe in' I'm not talking specifically about religion. I'm talking about a sense of self, who you and your family are in the world and what you think is right and wrong based on strong feelings. These kids need the sense of belonging that comes from a strong sense of us (family) and them (everyone else).

“an independent journalist” ≠ “Fox News correspondent Oliver North”

For that matter: “an independent journalist” ≠ “Fox News correspondent”

While funny and Tina Fey as Palin a no-brainer, I think Julia Louise Dreyfus (Elaine from Seinfeld) would have fit better.

McCain's biggest weakness (electorally speaking) is the relative apathy and demoralization of republicans. Look, we all know here what Palin is and how bad she'd be. But the more you harp on it, the more red meat you provide McCain to incense and rally his troops with. Let it go, focus on the issues. If you play the 'character' game, you're playing to McCain's strength.

No we don't NEED population control. Controls are already in place. The question is do we want to be subject to natural controls?

Ty Ishmael.

Hey Salon, thanks for offering up some MORE red meat McCain can use to rally his base!

This site is turning into a Palin-centric tabloid.

Look, everyone here knows she and McCain suck. Cut it out.

Thanks for the Palin fix. I was jonsing hard!

Heard Bill Richardson on the radio this morning talking about how McCain is for de-regulation when what we need is regulation.

Big mistake.

Obama and his campaign should not promote regulation as much as enforcing the regulations that already exist. Frame the issue as that the current problems are due to the out of control companies not being held accountable by corrupt republicans and are cheating the American people.

People hate regulation (irrationally its true, but its still true) but they love cheaters and those who helped cheaters being held accountable.

I know it sounds like these conservatives are being hypocritical in the decrying the loss of Palin's liberty, but you need to remember these people have drunk the kool-aid and they really believe that ONLY terrorists are losing their privacy under Bush's rape of the constitution.

Good thing you're all over this Palin thing. I'm much better off as a voter if I'm primed with tabloid-like info rather than knowing about the issues!

No need for trolls, Salon doing their work for them. McCain's greatest weakness is the relative demoralization of the republican party right now. In that vein, everytime the 'liberal' media attacks Palin, it inspires another mouth-breather to drag their knuckles to the voting booth in December just to teach them 'elitist bastards' a lesson.

If Salon had any intention of helping Obama, they'd focus on the issues and how Obama's ideas are good for alleviating those issues. Aim for the undecideds, let the McCain/Palin and his base languish in anonymity.

There is a difference between reportage and harping.

My point though is all this attention helps McCain/Palin.

Why do you think he chose her?

We all know she sucks. She represents her base and party well in that respect. The more we revel in it, the more it drives that base to the polls, that might have stayed home due to the extreme unpopularity of the republican brand right now.