This choice seems sexist to me in the end. Why? Because Palin brings nothing to the table for women's issues except her gender. Think Condi Rice - how much did she help women in the end? Her substance seems virtually weighted in the looks department and little elsewhere. She is the Cindy 2.0 to McCain's Bush 3.0 - granted she IS a governor of a state, but had she been a man she would not have been chosen because McCain would have been ridiculed for the extreme lack of experience he'd bring, you can bet on that.

I also firmly believe that when the McCain straight talking bus finally veers off the path, the blame will sit solely on Palin's shoulders. A woman will take the fall for the Bush admin. disasters and their effect on the GOP candidate.

Republicans seem to be good at only "appearance" politics. They appear to care about "life" but enact policies that demean it. They appear to care about "fiscal responsibility" but bloat government bureaucracy and mount national dept on warmongering adventures that only profit their cronies. They appear to be concerned about "faith and values" but only inasmuch as whatever they determine all that to mean bolsters their sense of moral superiority, while vaguely masking their own morally bankrupt lives. They appear to care about "the economy", but only as it relates to their wealthy friends and corporate donors' bottom line. Now, they are using this poor Palin to declare they care so much about the advancement of women, but it's sickeningly obvious that it's all for appearances and yet another pathetic sideshow to rope in voters whose intelligence they insult and underestimate. God help anybody who doesn't see through this silly nonsense.

McCain has made a brilliant move!He has shored up his base by picking a conservative that will energize the republican party,to counter the enthusiasm of the demos.The base of each party has to turnout on election day or they will lose. Sara Palin provides the spark.She has raised a family,been a provider and managed to have a career,she is the ideal modern woman.Isn`t that what you feminists have been trying to achieve for so long? 18 million women thought Hillary should be the vp.Hell has no fury as a woman scorned!hilary got screwed!

Any thinking progressive woman will not be fooled by Republican trickery and this silly circus of parading Sarah Palin around as a palliative to their decades of rejecting, destroying, and counteracting feminist gains. Regardless of your cynical mockery, mere female genitals do not a suitable champion or representative of progress in women's rights make, and we will not follow and elect just ANY woman like dumb sheep just because she has a working set of ovaries. Sarah Palin's shockingly regressive and anti-woman politics are reprehensible to not only the disaffected Hillary supporters she is obviously being used to attract, but should be as well to any intelligent voter, who undoubtedly will see her selection as nothing but exactly the sort of silly religious conservative pandering you've so clearly described. What does she bring to the ticket besides reactionary backwardness (anti-evolution, anti-choice, and even anti-polar bear!)? Oh, I forgot... a brewing ETHICS VIOLATION SCANDAL INVESTIGATION in her home state.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UojMnCgqVA

Good luck with that.

the immediate widespread Democratic camp reaction "Palin wont get Hillary supproters; too different"; of course; but her presence would keep alive the issue "why didnt Obama pick Hillary" simmering making it harder for Hillary supporters to return to the fold; while very few would actually vote for McCain, some might choose to sit out the election

as for Palin's light resume, the crucial issue is how she performs in the VP debate against Biden; just a draw would be good enough, and the chance of her achieving this seems fair

I have not seen report of Hillary reacting to Palin's selection; it out to be very interesting; but this is up

Geraldine Ferraro on Sarah Palin's nomination

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, August 30, 2008

The only other woman on a major-party ticket – Democrat Geraldine Ferraro, who ran with Walter Mondale in 1984 – said the nomination of Sarah Palin could make a difference in the campaign. "There are a lot of women who are disaffected by how Hillary [Rodham Clinton] was treated" during her run in the Democratic primaries, Ms. Ferraro told Fox News. And either way, she said, the choice is historic. "I've spent a lot of time over the last 24 years saying, 'Gosh, I wish I weren't the only one,' " Ms. Ferraro told a New York TV station.

Quote from John Stuart Mill. As a result, I think most conservatives will love McCain's pick.

there will be a huge amount of division among the political ranks...for a generation of women,both republican and democrat, who have won the right to choose,crossover will not be easy....

although women may respect governor palin's achievements and

continuing glass ceiling shattering....will she make a good president if called upon to serve? Crucial votes call for crucial decisions.

there was no doubt hillary clinton was eminently qualified to be both vp and president....she proved without a doubt she could

endure and win votes regardless of sex, race or religious belief. She related to all age groups and socio-economic backgrounds..she was an excellent mentor for barack obama to

work with as a senator and potential democratic running mate.....

it remains to be seen if president hopeful macain and palin are truly in touch with the american people....who will not be left behind;record numbers of voters who will never be forgotten, as long as they have a vote

Gov. Palin is a brilliant choice for the Republican ticket. I was HOPING this would happen. I don't believe Palin will attract Hillary voters UNLESS Biden tries to make her look like an idiot during their debate. He'd better be careful about that.

Although inexperience can no longer be used as a criticism by Obama's opponents, there is something to be said for it. Obama's rapid rise as a politician was the result of corruption-as-usual Chicago machine politics (please read "The Case Against Barack Obama", by David Freddoso). As president, Obama would spend too much time shmoozing with his Democrat friends in Congress, and would continue to promise the moon to everyone else. Palin's brief experience in Alaskan government was spent taxing "big oil," and distancing herself from corruption within her own party. She is convicted and would do the right thing as a virtual unknown. Obama looks the other way from corruption and the status quo remains, without positive results.

In addition, as an Illinois state Senator, Obama voted against a measure that would ensure medical treatment for babies who survived abortion, fearing it would endanger Roe v. Wade by acknowledging the personhood of the baby thus born alive. Even Hillary and her ilk haven't gone that far. Palin's family life typifies the proper "hope" that America can believe in, having given birth to her fifth child, a Down Syndrome baby. How brave is that? She walks the walk.