snap out of it!

Congratulations to the Republicans I guess for being bold enough to put a woman on the ticket as VP twenty years after the Democrats did it.

That's not change we can believe in.

KayWWW, I second that. I too was wondering why she bothered with "prenatal genetic testing" if aborting was not going to be on the table anyway. There's something to hit her with during the campaign.

I am shocked that Ms. Traister is wasting so much thought and time on this story. And, I am not worried that Sarah Palin -- graduate of the University of Idaho with a journalism degree -- will not be the first woman president of the United States.

This craven political calculation by McCain means no more for women's progress than the nomination and confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court did for the progress of African-Americans.

Sarah Palin is a local beauty pageant-level politician who would NEVER have been considered unless she had had ovaries. This nomination is an insult to women.

That is what the headline should have been Ms. Traister.

...to Hillary supporters that they will be placated by any woman, issues be damned. Her nomination seems more like a bone thrown to the fundamentalist wing than anything else.

This changes nothing, except for those few independents dumb enough to swing because the VP pick has a vagina or a penis. Palin stands for the same wrecking ball of idiotic Republican policy that has brought us to the brink of ruin - and unlike the Democratic ticket, adds nothing in the way of contrast to the Republicans. Biden brings in his own unique strengths - Palin merely compounds McCain's weaknesses.

T

Many women who would not choose to terminate opt for the testing so that they can make arrangements for the added care the baby will need. It gives them time to mentally prepare as well.

and in all those States where "the bitters" live, having been royally condescended to by metropolitan sophisticates. Did you know that former President Harry S. Truman had no formal college education? Did you know that it's often a sign of insecurity if a person or associates of that person have to keep on flaunting Ivy League qualifications. The world is full of lawyers whose careers are of varying degrees of integrity. Think of John Edwards! But there are people who believe a carpenter, a plumber or a farmer is more worthy of respect. Strange, isn't it!

I know there will be feminist hand-wringing when people question Palin's decision not to stay home and take care of her Down Syndrome baby, when they would not ask the same question of a man.

But I think she deserves the questioning because of her position on abortion. She's one of the hard hard liners who even oppose abortion in cases of rape or incest.

The thing is, Evangelicals want everyone to be forced to HAVE the babies, but they don't much care about what happens to them afterwards. No childcare, no healthcare, no help with education. As soon as they're out of the womb, who cares? I wonder what her position is on special education and if it has evolved now that it will affect her family personally? I can take a wild guess.

I didn't vote for Obama because he's black, although it's a history-making bonus. I wouldn't vote for Alan Keyes, that's for sure. I hope Hillary hangers-on can use the same logic. Is ANY woman really what we want?

The other Palin would have been sooo much more interesting - and a great comment on the absurdity of U.S. politics.

yes, because the passion for her in the Democratic party was so great, it would have been a very wise and gracious move by Obama.

not, however, because the Republicans have successfully co-opted anything with McCain's irresponsible, purely political pick of Palin. If anything, it seems likely that Obama's not picking Hillary will be seen in retrospect as baiting McCain into his disastrously inappropriate choice and further paving the road to the White House for Obama.

Compare Biden's hard-hitting, substantive speech when Obama introduced him as his running mate to Palin's empty, cutsie-pie remarks today. Bill Clinton may want to sleep with Sarah Smile, but it's highly doubtful she'll appeal to Hillary's voters... who unlike Palin, also believe in the theory of evolution.

...Did you get enough sleep before writing this?

No serious Hillary supporter would switch to being a Sarah Palin supporter! Why even write such drivel! Sarah is the anti-Hillary, not a substitute.

Palin is the knockoff version of Hillary you buy in Chinatown for 8 bucks. And the thought that she'd be one stumble down the White House stairs away from being President is no laughing matter (except for the thought of McCain stumbling down the stairs).

I have read some pretty stupid things in Salon but this one is one of the dumbest. What advantage to having a woman on the ticket would there have been if the woman was not Sen. Clinton. Her supporters would have started a jihad if another woman had taken her place. Oh, there are so many reason why this was not going to happen with the biggest being that she and her advisors mismanaged their way to defeat. Unless Gov. Palin is an awfully quick study she is going to go the way of Dan Quayle in record time. Really, if there was any reason to come to the conclusion that John McCain is not the man for the job his vice-president choice should be exhibit 1.

It's barely even worthy of debate.

If Hillary had been the pick, then the whole "is the Democratic party united" narrative would never have happened. The tone of the Democratic convention coverage would been about it's historic nature, and not "are the Clintons serious about endorsing Obama"

Salon wouldn't be publishing article after article about the Republican vice president pick.

We wouldn't have to hear or read about PUMA again.

As to some specifics, because I think I spend more time among conservatives than most here, and can speak more clearly to what they actually feel.

1. Republicans HATE her [Hillary Clinton]. Nominating Hill would definitely motivate some Con voters who might otherwise stay home.

A. Yes, they do. A wide segment of the Republican party hates H. Clinton, they would never vote Democrat, but they will still turn out at the polls in November.

B. A smaller but large group hates Biden even more. They loath and hate Biden with a burning passion over Bork and Thomas. They blame Biden for the "personification of personal character attacks." These people are now more fired up than had Clinton been the VP. While they are smaller in number, they are far more motivated as well.

2. Bill. Obama doesn't need Bill Clinton in the White House bigfooting all his decisions.

Why would the President have to listen to an ex-President? B. Clinton doesn't even get access much less the ability to determine policy.

BTW, this line of thought really minimizes Obama. It makes it seem as if he can't make decisions on his own, so any powerful personality will dominate his decision making.

I know that was not your intent, but it still comes across that way.