I want to write that Salon is better than this, but that's not true. Too often Salon feels it's okay to be the liberal counterpoint to Rush or the right-wing blogs. We don't need that. We want well-written, intelligent, insightful and researched articles from a liberal point-of-view. Silly sexist drivel like this isn't worth the bandwidth it takes to download it.

Fucking hell. Good to know decrying sexism in the media's portrayal of political candidates not named Clinton isn't one of Salon's priorities. Seriously, that photo is beyond offensive. Is your whole editorial staff composed of asshat misogynists?

Another thin-skinned neocon who can dish it out but can't take it:

You think you're so flipping clever, don't you?

Smarter than you, but then, so are the begonias.

You're exactly the kind of 'clever' that's winning votes for McCain - and you're apparently too dumb to know it.

All the neocons tell me that too.

The fact is, McCain't is working hard to lose without any help from me.

It's even worse. How in the hell does this crap get published on this site? I am all for SM humor, dirty jokes, whips, chains, and democracy. I am not for the tiny segment of left media this country has left disgracing itself with empty, unfunny attempts at...what? Is this supposed to be serious? Is it supposed to be irreverent? Angry? Persuasive? Or just an example of some gross dude airing his pedestrian fetishes online? There are plenty of websites with really bad "erotic" writing. Does Salon have to compete? As an attempt at humor, this article goes over like a lead balloon. As an attempt at political commentary, it belongs somewhere between Mallard Fillmore and Sarah Palin's acceptance speech. As a swipe from the left, it actively helps John McCain. Just gross. Joan Walsh, you're a tool. Gary Kamiya, you and Dirty Old Lech Gregg Easterbrook must be good friends. Ugh.

An article on the 'doability' of the vice presidential pick, and whether she is more dominatrix than pinup seems like a prima facie case for sexism. I mean, like, what the fuck?

As Barack Obama’s early insurgent and wildly successful primary campaign proved, Americans are hungry for a fresh faced Washington DC outsider who will bring real change to the political landscape.

Two things have happened to weaken the Chicago Senator’s hold on the change mantel:

First, this campaign has gone on so long that the press has literally taken photographic note of the graying of Obama. Meaning, BHO has been in this fight so long, has made so many speeches, and appeared in so many thousands of political ads that he seems less fresh than old hat.

Second, Obama made a tactical choice in the face of blistering attacks from Hillary Clinton to abandon (or at least set aside) his core message of hope and change to crawl into the gutter and knife fight it out. In other words, Obama became politics as usual. Obama’s shift from his original core message has been incremental, and culminated with the selection of Joe Biden—a political has been who garnered all of 10,000 votes in the primary and had to chuck his 1987 bid to become president after lying about his resume—and getting caught.

Enter Sarah Palin in the final act.

Fresh face. Reformer. Fought the good-old boys and entrenched interests in Alaska. By most accounts the real deal. In any event, with the ring of that rarest of political commodities: Authenticity.

Thus, Palin’s appeal is not as “dominatrix,” cultural warrior, standard bearer for the right, tongue talking religious extremist—or any other of a dozen labels that the Republican’s tried to pin on Barack Obama when HE was unstoppable: She has taken on the mantle of change. SHE has become the embodiment of America’s change hunger.

In addition, like Obama—before he wore out this mantle—nothing, no rumor of baby fraud, no bridge to nowhere inconsistencies, no preacher-gate, no trouper-gate, no nothing will dislodge Sarah Palin as the living embodiment of America’s hope-change dream.

At least between now and election day. Or have you all forgotten how NOTHING could stick to Obama in the early days, no Jeremiah Wright, no nothing.

Stephen R. Gianelli

Registered Democrat

Former Hillary Clinton Supporter

9-8-2008

San Francisco, CA

Seriously, that photo is beyond offensive. Is your whole editorial staff composed of asshat misogynists?

No need to feel - how shall we say? - inadequate. They have outfits in your size too.

She comes across no such way--except to an effete little paranoic like yourself.

What type of weed have you been smoking? She wants to enable Americans, not punish them. She wants their children free to attend quality schools of their choice. She wants affordable fuel for Americans. And she wants to stop runaway government spending.

Did you notice one of her early acts as governor was to sell the frivoulous Gulfstream jet her predecessor had purchased.

You do not need to fear change, Gary. Freedom and empowerment of individual Americans is good.

Then again, perhaps you simply like to fantasize about the image of her with a whip dominating you.

It takes all kinds, Alfie.

An image of her with a horny moose? People will only vote for her because she gives them a woody?

I've never seen the dems so desperate as they are now. Even in the worst Bush hating days the panic wasn't this crazy.

I love it.

My points were sincere. The point of this column is banal and not worth the controversy it is likely to generate.

By the way, when I pay for porn sites (and I've done that before), the pop up ads usually stop. No such luck at Salon -- and I am a premium subscriber because I used to think it was worth paying for Salon.

I guess Obama was wrong. It's going to work "this time" too.

PLEASE UN AND NATO do NOT allow the US to run around playing world cop if you can POSSIBLY do ANYTHING to prevent it.