Comments on Weigh in on Palin!

She's got my vote.

I don't really see how those last two choices are relevant to her speech performance.

she's an affront to my sensibility and i'm offended by her nomination.

She was a pitbull, and a well trained one at that, last night.
Thats with a teleprompter and friendly audience. The Mccain campaign has 2 months of keeping her from putting her foiot in her mouth, betraying her inexperience, and generally fucking up. She'll be more secure than Ft Knox. Can they do it? We'll see, she definetely is gonna be challenging to keep in abottle

Trouble with the poll is that I think she did give a great convention speech... but I don't think that suddenly means Obama's in trouble, nor do I think it means McCain's not still fighting an uphill battle.

ok this is hilarious. all i see in the space for the survey are the stranger personal adds - what appears dead center is the photo of the blond woman seeking a man "Aprilinparis"

@2

Agreed. It's like two polls in one.

She can rally the troops, but Biden will make mincemeat of her at the VP debates. November is still a ways away.

Where's the "she did a great job reading the speech Matthew Scully wrote for her" option?

I guess thinking she's the Antichrist is not a poll response. Fine.

I think she is straight up scary. I still am at a loss at how someone can believe the republican propaganda. It's all twisted. But she does have energy, and she might be able to get some town folk to pick up some pitch forks and torches.

I think she is straight up scary. I still am at a loss at how someone can believe the republican propaganda. It's all twisted. But she does have energy, and she might be able to get some town folk to pick up some pitch forks and torches.

Trig misses her. http://downspalin.blogspot.com/

RNC speechwriters + reading from a teleprompter = WHATEVER

Obama/Biden in '08!!!

For some reason, it won't let me vote. But here are my thoughts (I know you've been pining for them)

Sure, she rallied her base. But I would hope she also rallied Obama's base, and pissed off some media types. I know she pissed me off, which her folksy scmaltz, tired cliches, and nasty outlook.

It will be interesting to see if she can hold her own one-on-one and not on script. My gut intstinct tells me no. That she'll make a real ass out of herself if the right reporter gets to her. But then again, that would mean the right reporter would have to get to her.

And I would advise the Obama campaign to drop the gloves and go for the jugular on this one (how's that for mixing cliches?) and don't worry about claims of sexism. This one's a junkyard dog, and needs to be treated as such.

Patrick, a simpleton.

Effective at finally getting the base energized? Absolutely. But this election won't be won or lost with the base. It says more about McCain's flimsiness as a candidate that his VP is getting all this attention than it does about their fitness to lead this country. Which, fail.

We're so pretty,
We're so pretty,
Pretty va-cant.

And wasn't that lipstick crack a variant on that tired old joke about a woman with PMS?

Okay so we found out she can read a speech. I am curious to see how she will hold up in debates when there isn't anyone there to help her.

I don't like her, but I think Obama may be in trouble.

Anyone who claims that we are doomed and is a democrat should be kicked out of the fucking party for being such a suck ass pansy loser.

I am curious to see how she will hold up in debates when there isn't anyone there to help her.

Maybe there will be someone there to help her.

Lying sack of shit wasn't on the list either.

Did you guys here what Ben Stein had to say about her? My favorite quote, "She should have Henry Kissinger babysitting her."

It wasn't a GOOD speech, yet it's getting spun that way. In fact, it was a BAD speech, and delivered poorly-- like she was reading from a teleprompter and had no idea what she was talking about... Especially when it came time to stop slamming Obama/praising herself and McCain and start talking policy. I almost fell asleep while she was talking about oil. The only decent parts of the speech where the parts where she veered from the script and displayed her down home, backwoods bullshit. The "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull" shtick sealed the deal with middle-America. They love her. Those that aren't already in love with her are going to be after this week is over. Anyone with half a brain cell who watched that speech could tell you what a BAD speech it was, and how lacking in actual substance it was. (And how full of lies and half-truths is was!) The problem is that most of America? They're DUMB. We're a dumb country. Painfully, glaringly DUMB. Yet even the dumb get to vote. And you know what dumb people love? They love people like Sarah Palin. They love people who validate their way of life, that make them feel good about themselves. To hell with logic or fact, they want to hear their politicians say "NO TAXES! NO ABORTION! NO GAYS! NO BIG GOVERNMENT! YES GOD! HOORAH U-S-A!" That's it. They don't want to hear about how those things are going to be implemented or how that actually would work. They don't care about the reality of the situation. They are DUMB. Plain and simple. DUMB. And the fact that the McCain camp pulled this off, found this redneck breezy to transform into America's sweetheart, terrifies me. I'm afraid that this is 2000 and 2004 all over again. I'm afraid that those of us in the Blue states, the Blue cities, are going to get arrogant and lazy and hyper-confident. We know that Obama-Biden SHOULD win. We know that they're amazing and what America needs. We know that they're the most qualified. But we also need to know that we've got our work cut out for us-- the next two months are CRITICAL. We should be worried about Sarah Palin-- really worried.

@21: I am extremely worried because I saw what happened in 2004. And the fact that Obama is not like, 30 points ahead right now speaks volumes to how divided and ignorant the country is.

My father, in all regards a very smart man and a libertarian, wants to vote for McCain and voted for Bush in 2004. There is a disconnect here, and she is going to exploit the shit out of it. I am adequate concerned, and I think we all need to take the offensive ball back. NOW.

How about 1 and 3. She gave a good speech, AND McCain's still screwed. Much as I loathe her, the speech was well written (by someone else obvs), and she delivered it well. Her skill at reading teleprompter is confirmed.

I don't think Obama is in trouble, but I think it would be wrong to dismiss her entirely.

Fucking fuck monique. You are the biggest self defeating person in this entire election and it makes a mockery of any integrity that Democratic voters could possibly.

You know when they say that liberals are pussies? It's because people like you are claiming we already lost over some diatribe written by a professional speech writer.

You know when the right says that the youth vote is a joke? It's because people like you are flailing about over a small slap in the face like the world is over.

You know why the right wins elections at the margins? Because they don't open their yaps about how theyre screwed and they don't admit when they've been bested. People LOVE A HUMBLE YET CONFIDENT PERSON AND A GROUP THEM THEY CAN GET BEHIND. You talk about going on the offensive but you're just being plain offensive to smart politics.

The Republicans are fucking confident fuckers and to their credit it definitely helps their image. Instead of making prognostications of how we're gonna get a red ass red state beating, how about you calm down, cut a check to Obama, and get out there and talk to people.

You know why we shouldn't be worried about Palin? Because the entire pick, the person, and the politics are a joke. If you and Obama's supporters show fear and outrage over a pretty face saying dirty things then it's obvious the Obama campaign is held together by a piece of yarn and gum. Calmy point out the facts and be done with it.

I'm SICK AND FUCKING TIRED OF DEFEATIST LOSER TALK FROM OBAMA SUPPORTERS EVERY TIME THE RIGHT DOES SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT POSITIVE FOR THEMSELVES.

How come "hit it out of the ballpark" and "threw it under the bus" aren't on the list?

Palin is a huge distraction. Step away from the Palindrone and focus on McCain.

You people disgust me.

I'll have to admit I don't get where all of this hype in the media for her speech is coming from. I thought the speech was on par with someone say running for Register of Deeds or some similar office in a small town but otherwise it was very stiff and filled with fear card cliches and Republican fluff.

@21: Of course SLOG readers can see through the shit-show that is Palin and the McCampaign. But what worries me is that this election is going to be decided by swing voters in PA, OH, FL, MI, CO, NV, and NC. They don't read SLOG (not that kind of "swing" voters). More than anything, they make their decisions based on the pretty pictures and soundbites on the evening news.

Yeah, and I don't see how this changes anything. More attacks on Obama from a different person? I'm shocked!

I propose a poll for which of the family is most likely to drop the n-word first. I vote Levi, but the husband seems likely as well. This is not a group of people who are going to hold up well under intense scrutiny. They are far too used to being themselves. If they aren't actually muzzled it's going to be "Welcome to Gaffe City".

By most standards here I'm just like one of those simple minded midwesterners. In fact I was born one. For fucks sake though, nobody in the Midwest or "Swing States" gives a shit what a Governor from Alaska thinks about Obama. The only reason she has a voice at the convention is because of shrewd political crap from the Republicans, not because she's actually important or noteworthy.

Sorry, I see a Redhook ad ... which is not a bad option under the circumstances.

@33- That was my point exactly! It doesn't matter if WE know that this is a fucking joke... What matters is that middle America doesn't see it.

Worse, they LIKED what they saw last night. Even worse is that the media is spinning it like she's an actual threat, something that the Dems need to be worried about. That lends the McCain camp even MORE credibility in middle America's eyes. They're not going to do the research, to try to get to the truth. All they see is a woman they identify with, a woman who is promising them that she loves God, guns, and her country. A woman who is offering up lower taxes and cheaper gas and makes jokes about being a hockey mom. Add to that the media lovefest that's going on right now and you've got a joke that just turned into a serious threat.

There's no amount of "pointing out the facts" that's going to help, Bellevue Ave-- if the Dems want to win in the Swing States, they have to get dirty. They're going to have to make McCain and Palin unpalatable. We're going to have to go there. The reason we keep losing (reference 2000, 2004) is because we DON'T go there. I know Obama doesn't want to play dirty, but that's the way this country works. We (not us, them) don't care about facts, we just care about who lies better.

@13 -- !!!

Tom Peyer reads Slog?!?

#25, marry me?

(Just kidding honey... love you!)

listen chicken littles: who are they and how do you know they liked it. you're chugging msm cock without any evidence to back it. start worrying when obama is losing.

I agree with Bellevue Ave...the democrats--if they have any balls at all--should blow this trollop out of the water with their eyes closed.

Still, I must say this, it's a shrewd, cynical ploy by the GOP, even for them.

Palin enables the GOP to:

* Inflate Obama’s relative inexperience versus McCain by implicitly comparing him to a small-town beauty queen (“if Obama’s ready to be president, then so is this chick!”)

* Take out of cold storage Obama’s “gaffe” about “clinging to guns and religion” and show small-town voters that the GOP truly cares about their precious “values”

* Invent stories about the “liberal media” launching sexist attacks and then valiantly defend her (while also insulating her from legitimate attacks using the same flawed logic), bringing at least a few deeply gullible women onboard

* Give racist idiots an excuse to vote GOP and still feel like they’re “progressive” because they’re electing a woman for VP

* Whip up the base and finally put to rest lingering doubts from the hard-core right fringe about McCain and his occasional outbursts of reason (some people have long memories)

What it does NOT do, of course, is say anything complimentary about McCain’s judgment. Putting this woman a malignant melanoma away from the Presidency is deeply irresponsible, and McCain knows it. But all he cares about is getting elected and so he’ll do anything Rove and his minions tell him to do, even knowing those same people ripped him to shreds against Bush in 2000.

The man has zero integrity. Zero. Let’s hope Obama and the democrats step up the attacks, quit talking about John McCain as a "good man" who "cares about the country" (what crap!!) and take this horrible woman and her ilk to task for their lies and cynical manipulations.

The key word that comes to my mind is:

DESPERATE.

Cause McCain is.

@9,14,19 tied for the win. Triple Play!

also im not saying the problem going tough. the problem is all of yall losing your shit over stuff you don't have anything backing up.

pointing out facts when they lie is effective. hope and change in action 2k and 2K4 weren't lost on anything but capitulation by the base that looked weak as fuck to indies. nobody likes a unconfident loser

@40, sorry, w7ngman... Another Slogger's already staked his claim on this fine piece of opinionated ass. :)

@41 & 42 - I'll own up to some chicken little-ishness. I agree with both of you that dems have to show some confidence here. But if the left plays Palin the wrong way, she is a threat.

The key is to NOT attack Palin for her background, circumstances, or character...making fun of her in the media (however good it feels) only makes her a sympathetic character to middle america. (This doesn't help http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/welcome_to_the_palindrome)

What dems SHOULD DO is attack the McCampaign again and again and again on its failure to offer anything different than the last eight years. Keeping the conversation on repub failings is the way to keep middle-american heartstrings from resonating to new faces on a tired old conservative platform.

#45, oh do tell...

The GOP and McCampaign are trying to put some lipstick on eight years of failed republican leadership.

Again, nater @46, I'm with you. I don't think that Palin SHOULD be a serious threat, but if the Dems don't, as Original Monique said earlier in the thread, "...take the offensive ball back. NOW." we're going to be in for a rude awakening. This is the game the Republicans play, and they're damn good at it. If we don't hit hard, and where it counts, we're going to be curb stomped by McCain and Palin in November.

@47: He's going to kill me for making our private life public, but Ryan S. Jackson is my other half.

#50, nice... I like Ryan S. Jackson.

@51. Me, too, w7ngman, me too... He's dreamy. :)

I'll keep you in mind as a back up, however, should I ever tire of him.

You'd have to run it by Aislinn at the next Slog Happy. She might be inclined to share...

@53: I am going to lend her my golf club so she can beat your ass with it.

I hate to agree with Bellevue Ave about anything, but I have to admit that I agree with him here. All of you scared whiners shut the fuck up, seriously.

Sarah Palin is an empty suit, and, unlike George W., she's an unlikable empty suit. This speech and her candidacy help McCain only with the Republican base; that's it. I don't want to be prideful and say we have this election in the bag, but there is no reason to be terrified of that airhead. None.

Nine-iron?

@ 39: Every damn post.

Just more of the same creepy and vile lies (wrapped up in a pretty package) that the GOP seem to deliver in infinite quantities.

More stridence than substance.

Call her "The Cheerleader." All pom-poms and no study.

Frankenscum,

Hey scum suckinger I hope you get mangled or die slowly and painfully in some horrible accident you low life piece of sh*t, you don't deserve to have hands to type with.

And 46 O!bot slugs have nothing to say about that, nice to see what kind of garbage is hiding behind Obama.. Can you get any lower?

#54, now, now...

@26 "My father, in all regards a very smart man.."

Well, my father is a white high school dropout in the twilight of his life, not rich, comes from dirt poor, lives in the middle of nowhere in a state known for its bigotry thanks to the primaries, labored for 40 years, attended fundamentalist Christian churches for the past 50 years, and not only supports Obama, but is working to get him elected.

Seriously, no offense, but your dad really doesn't sound like a very smart man to me. I know mine's not. But he also doesn't want to cut his own throat with this election.