Obama Biden kind of looks like Osama Bin Laden

...and Sarah Palin looks like my best friend from high school. Love her dearly, but I'm not sure I'd want her a 71-year-old heartbeat from the Presidency.

Sarah Palin:

Mayor of town with only 8,000 people
Under ethics investigation
Desperate attempt by McCain to get Hillary supporters

Make that 72 years old West81st. Today is McCain's 72nd birthday. He wanted to hold a borthday aprty at the Hilton, but Bloomberg siad that many candles violates the city fire code.

Give the Bushies 4 more years. We won't care about NYC property values; we'll be fleeing to any country that will have us!

Obama really screwed the pooch by not picking Clinton as his VP. Now, with McCain picking a female VP who isn't a neo-con just might be the winning ticket for the GOP. As much as I liked Clinton, Obama just can't compare to her. The main thing going for Obama is the color of his skin and that is not enough for me to vote for him. I wouldn't be surprised if the GOP wins.

that's right. all women will vote for republicans just because they are women. they have no other identities besides the fact that they are women. they have no other issues / beliefs besides those that all other women also want.

and ofcourse, all women agree with each other - particularly the liberal democrat women and the conservative republican ones.

"More of the Same"

A guy who hates Bush and the first viable Republican female nationwide candidate. That sure sounds like "more of the same" to me. Unlike raising taxes, ignoring the Second Amendment, free abortions. Nah, thats not "more of the same" from Dems.

I can just see the Veep debate:

Biden: "Now, you're a nice little gal, but you just don't have the chops"

Palin: "Chops? I squirted out 5 kids! What makes you so tough? Cause of you're repeated hair transplants?"

I'm waiting to see Biden call her 'toots' or 'sweetie' or something like that...maybe 'sugar-tits'

"I'm waiting to see Biden call her 'toots' or 'sweetie' or something like that...maybe 'sugar-tits'"

LMAO!

You do realize that John McCain is old enough to be Sarah Palin's father? How weird is that???

maybe he IS her father...did I just blow your mind?

wheres petrofitz when we need a good laugh

two of his children are older than this girl.

i think mccain is trying to do what most old geezers do to look young - be seen in public with a much younger woman.

that's just sick

McCain = Hugh Hefner

Palin was a mayor and a governor, with executive experience and a record of fiscal discipline. It might be that she doesn't have enough experience, but what has Obama accomplished exactly? Whenever I ask an Obama fan to name me one accomplishment of his, I usually get a blank stare.

The truth is, all four candidates seem like good people, all have overcome significant obstacles, and all four have significant liabilities. Biden has accomplished the most in government, but that weird, compulsive-plagiarist thing makes you wonder what's wrong with the guy. McCain is a genuine hero, and a reasonably genuine maverick, but before he turned reformed he was at the center of the worst financial scandal in American history, and his marital background should be repugnant to anyone who takes family values seriously. Obama and Palin are attractive, charismatic young winners with beautiful families and thin resumes.

The policy differences between the two tickets are pretty stark, so 2008 should be a no-brainer for anyone with strong beliefs about legislation, judicial appointments, or national security. But if you want to base your choice on personalities and records rather than platforms, this election could be a tough one.

dude, this girl is a miss-alaska candidate - one of those typical barbie types - if mccain is disabled (he's like a 100 years old - right?), then she gets to run this country!

McCain was not "at the center" of the Keating scandal. Get your facts straight. The special counsel, Bennett, a Democrat, cleared McCain of any wrongdoing. Please get your facts straight on this one and have a great labor day.

As to Palin, I cannot wait for the swimsuit photos from the pageant to surface, but before you snicker, beauty pageants actually remain a viable springboard for women and they especially were even in the 80s when she competed and out of Alaska no less. I think Obama had better options than Palin probably had back then.

And McCain was actually tortured by the NVA communists. Not "water boarded" but tortured. Repeated physical torture over 6 years. Its not something to take lightly. The man is a genuine hero whether or not jaded new yorkers believe it or not.

As Hillary put it, Obama's accomplishment is a speech he gave in 2002. O and another one yesterday. Quite a record.

"Palin was a mayor and a governor, with executive experience and a record of fiscal discipline."

Ummm, you might want to think about that again. Palin's state was the recipient of the $230 million "Bridge to Nowhere." And she has only been governor for 18 months.

Vote Palin! Bridges for Everyone!!!!

Alpine, if you atched the speech you'd know they refused the federal grant. And she as governor had absolutely nothing to do with federal earmarks in this respect. the senator responsible is under indictment.

again, facts are a sacry thing to democrats.

Obaba Bi Den

Palin

Pro-Life and had a Downs Sindrome kid (knowing in advance)
Son in the Army in Iraq
Outdoors person
NRA Life Member
Pro-Drilling, a great way for McCain to shift position without shifting position
Pro-Drilling, on the merits
Young
First Female
Not rich, so avoids the class issue that would have occurred with a McCain - Romney disaster ticket

totallyanonymous: Your partisanship is making you ridiculous. The opportunities available to a young female athlete from Alaska in 1982 were exactly the same as those open to Barack Obama a few years earlier: in short, with comparable academic credentials, either could write a ticket to an elite school with generous financial aid. Attending the University of Idaho doesn't diminish Palin's achievements in any way, but it's silly to say she had fewer opportunities than Obama. She probably was just less aware of the opportunities open to her.

As for the Keating Five scandal, McCain was in it quite deep, though not as deep as Senator DeConcini and not to the level of an indictable offense. The Arizona Republic offers a fair history, including the ways that McCain's temper made the situation worse than it needed to be:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter7.html

I'm okay with the term "President Barack Obama"

In case of a terrible occurence, I'd be (sadly) okay with the term "President Joseph Biden"

I'm not thrilled with, but respect the term "President John McCain"

I'm not remotely comfortable with the phrase "President Sarah Palin"

West81...Gov. Palin has more experience than Sen. Obama and your problem is???

Palin is under investigation by the Alaska state legislature.

I'm a lifelong NYC liberal but Dems don't make the mistake of underestimating Palin. She is very bright, articulate and straightforward. She has great appeal to many Americans in middle America and most importantly in Pa., Ohio and Florida. She is very ethical and has performed admirably in her short time as Governor of Alaska. Anyone has to be impressed with her routing out unethical behavior in Alaska primarily with fellow Republicans. I can't stand her personal politics but underestimate her appeal at your own peril.

A woman with 5 kids, a son going to Iraq, a Down Syndrome child and an excellent grasp of the economics of energy is a strong combination. Did I mention she is very physically attractive? She deserves respect and I compliment McCain on a very wise choice.

Guys, listen to hear speak and not from a NY vantage point but an American apple pie perspective.

One point though, being mayor of 8000 residents does not make for executive experience. So please, don't get carried away. Alaska, as a whole, only has 600,000 residents, I think. Let's keep things in perspective.

Let's hear what she has to say on issues other than energy, abortion and guns and see if she has any gravitas.

Palin considered applying Christian sensorship to library(ies)?
Palin is against considering polar bear endangered?
Palin in under investigation for the Alaskan version of trooper-gate and the final report by the Alaska legislature is scheduled to be released in late Oct?
Palin didn't devote much time to thinking about Iraq policy as recently as 18 months ago?

These are things raised on Andrew Sullivan's blog in just the hours after McCain named her as his VP. This is going to be fascinating.

and what does all of this have to do w/ real estate???

My crystal ball shows President Obama/VP Biden 2009-2016.

I agree abrokernyc - what does this have to do with real estate?

Let me add though.....did anyone see Maria Bartiromo's interview with Governor Palin, in
Alaska, last night (sat.) on CNBC??? All I can say is WOW....what an exceptional woman and legislator!

shes an executive not a legislator...unlike Obama Biden and McCain

this is a comment from a site I was reading earlier that made me laugh...

"If the Democrats had an airline, the captain would be just out of flight school, and the co-pilot would be the one with years of experience.
And they'd criticize the Republican airline because the co-pilot had just moved up to large airliners after flying commuter planes.

Who do you want to fly with?"

Who else could McCain have picked? Picking another older white guy probably wouldn't have helped in the election. I think Condoleeza Rice would have been excellent, but I don't know if she was interested and the fear would have been the pick aligning McCain to Bush.

kylewest,

Who do you think has a better grasp of the polar bear siituation, Andrew Sullivan or Palin. Pleeese. Andrew wouldn't know a polar bear if it sat on his face. Andrew was a right wing nut before reality set in. On this topic, the NY times has a dated post in its paper today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/opinion/05palin.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

As far as Trooper Gate, I don't think this is a fruitful venue for attack. The trooper has admitted using a Tasar on his own child among other infractions. Do you think the American public will blame her? Hell, they will praise her. Hopefully, the DNC is smarter than Andrew Sullivan. Last night I cringed when Bill Mahr referred to her as a stewardess. ARE WE GOING TO BLOW ANOTHER ONE? This is where we get the elitist label and it sticks.

I didn't suggest there is substance to the Sullivan-raised issues. I said I think this is going to be very interesting. Dems and media aren't going to just watch this unfold. They have to do something. And say something. What gets said, and how this unfolds is going to be fascinating was my point. It isn't unlike a court case where a guilty as sin defendant still has to mount a defense. It doesn't mean it'll work--it just is interesting to watch what the defendant's lawyer comes up with.

And what does this have to do with RE? Nothing. And even though I tried to resist this thread, I couldn't help myself. Like many others, it seems, I can't stop watching this election season unfold. So if streeteasy isn't going to pull this thread, why fight it? Join in!

I'm waiting to hear Joe Biden say, "Gov. Palin. I know Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is my friend. And you're no Hillary Clinton."

shed probably take that as a compliment

kylewest,

I didn't mean to suggest that you suggested.... My fault. I guess it was the pleeeeese insert.

I agree, it is a long weekend and this is very topical. Let us have a reprieve from reading the same old doomsday predictions ad nauseam .

Some may say what does 90% of EddieWilsons diatribes have to do with real estate.

Is McCain smoking crack he only met her once before selecting Palin for VP. When I interview prospective employees for my business I require at least 2 interviews before hiring them and if doesn't work out I can fire them within 90 day's. I think she is one embolism away from the highest office in the US. No wonder why Airlines force pilots to retire at 60.

for what it's worth re: Biden and his plagiarism:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200808240005?f=s_search

Media outlets continue to report that Sen. Joe Biden was accused in 1987 of plagiarizing then-British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock without noting that while Biden did paraphrase from a Kinnock speech without attribution on at least two occasions in August 1987, he had reportedly credited Kinnock when previously using the same language.
...
The New York Times reported that during a debate, Biden had plagiarized a speech by British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock. Biden had used Kinnock's words in speeches before, always crediting him, but this time he didn't.

he's still guilty of it, but this lends it some context.

For all those bragging about how Palin is the only one with executive experience, well then put her at the top of the ticket. If that's your criteria (despite jurisdiction/breadth etc.). Ok sounds like that works for you?

Check this out:
Ms. Alaska (from the NYTimes)

http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/ms-alaska/
from a responder to the blog who is very familiar with Palin:

"This was shocking. I have met her several times, once in a candidate forum where we were able to ask questions. She was utterly ignorant of how State government worked, and her response to hard questions was that she could learn and was open to feedback. “I want you to call me at home if you have a good idea.” Not a bad plan for a mayor of a town of 9,000, but impossible as a governor and ridiculous as President.

She has serious ethical problems involving her ex brother in law, a trooper who she hounded once she was in office. The guy is a jerk, and was investigated and punished for his violations of policies before she got elected. After she got elected, she, her husband, and staff members contacted department members over two dozen times to pressure the department to fire the guy. She fired the Commissioner of Public Safety in part because he refused to deny the trooper due process rights. She has been lying, and getting caught lying on tape, about the events ever since. These events are probably not enough to impeach her or derail her, but it shows a nasty side of her character. All of the details are on the Anchorage Daily News site.

She will get killed by Biden in a debate about anything. She was/is woefully unprepared to be Governor, familiar only with issues from her neighborhood, and has shown that in her decision making as Gov., directing most spending, programs, etc. to her hometown region(Wasilla, just north of Anchorage). I sincerely doubt that foreign policy is a hobby of hers, and she certainly has had not professional exposure to it.

Scary that an old man who gets Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan confused in debates chooses a woman who could not find them on a map on a bet as his back-up. She makes Cheney look good.

It should be entertaining to watch, but she is as lightweight a politician as they come. I actually am frightened that McCain could get elected as the oldest President yet with someone as unqualified as Palin as VP. I can’t imagine Palin in a diplomatic meeting with Putin. She would get run over."

— Posted by R. Claus

good thing we know the NYTimes is a reliable unbiased news source

And how many months did McCain have to find a running mate? Like 5 months? He has a reputation for making rash decisions, and then "living with his mistakes." Yeah, just what we need.

Sizz,

NY Times reporting is best that there is, hands down. I can appreciate your having problems with their editorial pages which other than Brooks is very liberal but their news division is second to none. Fact is, if they offered a job to any of your FOX analysts they would jump at the chance. ie. Kristol

my fox analysts? I had no idea I worked there...damn they owe me some money then. The only point I was trying to make is for everyone one of those 'Ms. Alaska' articles that paint Palin as beyond unqualified, I can find one that states the same about Obama. Hey I'll post a fox analyst buddy of mine's piece from the NYPost this morning (Kirsten Powers, she is a liberal be warned):

"IF they hadn't finally started giving male names to hurricanes, the only thing anyone would be talking about here at the GOP convention would be women. Gustav is shaking up the Republicans' schedule, but Sarah Palin has brought the party back to life.
In picking the Alaska governor as his running mate, John McCain made a high-risk, high-reward move.
She might fall on her face in the glare of the national media - in which case, McCain is toast. But if she doesn't, she'll be a huge plus for the ticket.
The national media glare can overwhelm candidates who haven't been exposed to it before. In 2000, Gen. Wesley Clark stepped in it on the second day of his presidential campaign when he told The New York Times that he would've supported the congressional resolution that authorized the Iraq war, even though he had fashioned himself as a major war critic. It was just the first of many misstatements. He went from riding the top of the polls to flaming out.
Palin's challenge is to avoid any major gaffes that give the media the excuse to expand on its narrative-in-the-making that she's a ditzy beauty queen from Nowheresville who was only chosen because of her ovaries.
Yes, being a woman was a factor in the choice - but fully in keeping with the way smart veep picks are always made: She energizes the ticket with the whiff of change and could attract disgruntled Hillary voters. And now the Democratic ticket isn't the only one that can lay claim to making hsitory.
But she also goes a long way to reconciling the party's base to McCain, while also restoring his standing as a maverick and a reformer - an image critical to attracting independent voters.
Palin is a true-blue conservative, but also has a record of taking on her own party. And she's a religious conservative - with a beautiful Down's syndrome baby (in a country where 90 percent of such babies are aborted).
The rest of her personal story is just as compelling: a working mother with five kids (one on the way to Iraq) and a husband in the Steelworkers Union. She's gorgeous and feminine but she hunts and fishes. She's charismatic and a good speaker. She's the kind of woman you'd like to have a beer with.
She has energized a gloomy Republican Party in a way that none of the other picks - Tom Ridge, Joe Lieberman, Tim Pawlenty or Mitt Romney - would have. The McCain ticket desperately needed energy. The excitement for Palin is palpable.
Negatives? Well, there's a scandal involving the firing of her brother-in-law from the state troopers. The national news media has found this far more fascinating than it ever did Obama's dealings with the slumlord Tony Rezko. Rezko was a blip for Obama; Palin's scandal will become a test of her integrity.
What of the claim that McCain's pick undermines his assertion that experience is what matters in a president?
Hmm: Palin isn't running for president; she's running for vice president. Last time I checked, John McCain isn't dying. And if experience is your worry, there's plenty to worry about on the opposing ticket if, God forbid, something happens to Joe Biden.
Dems have been comparing Palin to Joe Biden and laughing derisively at the contrast. But for some reason, the comparison between Obama and McCain - who are light years apart in terms of experience - doesn't incite the same level of concern or condescension.
I actually buy the Obama camp's original argument that Washington experience isn't the only thing that matters. Life experience, thoughtfulness, intellectual curiosity, a willingness to listen and learn, shared values and an ability to inspire and communicate - all count as much.
The jury is still out on Palin but the argument that Washington experience isnt the most important criteria still holds true, even if you have ovaries.

From Sizzlack:
"The jury is still out on Palin" (but the argument that Washington experience isnt the most important criteria still holds true, even if you have ovaries.)"

Oh yeah?? Of course you've heard today's latest on Palin--the daughter, unfortunate, but did McCain know this or did Sarah voluntarily tell him? Good vetting!!!

How about this breaking news:
From ABC News, Jay Tapper: (I know, not Shawn Hannity)

Members of 'Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Say Palin Was a Member in 90s
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html

Concerning Palin's husband: (straight from Alaska--not Washington)
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/shadow_governor

From Sizzlack:
"The jury is still out on Palin" (but the argument that Washington experience isnt the most important criteria still holds true, even if you have ovaries.)"

Oh yeah?? Of course you've heard today's latest on Palin--the daughter, unfortunate, but did McCain know this or did Sarah voluntarily tell him? Good vetting!!!

How about this breaking news:
From ABC News, Jay Tapper: (I know, not Shawn Hannity)

Members of 'Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Say Palin Was a Member in 90s
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html

Concerning Palin's husband: (straight from Alaska--not Washington)
http://www.andrewhalcro.com/shadow_governor

not from me...from Kirsten Powers...you want to bug out on someone because this womans daughter had a baby go right ahead
but in the real world it is ultimately irrelevant.

and shawn hannity is a crazy dickwad...I duno why liberals automatically paint anyone who doesn't carry their socialist attitude as a fox groupie.
do you secretly want to screw Keith Olbermann? Doubt it but I can make the same stupid insinuations too

I agree that the daughter had a baby - but it is ironic given the focus on abstinence-only education. . .I guess that didn't work too well. . .when you preach this so much, then it is more ironic. It's nice to keep drilling in how ordinary this gal is but. . .

That's what gets me - not that her daughter's pregnant but that Palin supports policies that promote abstinance - programs that many states rejected because they proved ineffective.

It tells me that the religious right and their hypocracy is still alive and well in the GOP.

or that people are human and are capable of making mistakes?

She supports abstinence-only education - in the face of it not working empirically and otherwise. . .That's exactly the issue people are capable of "mistakes" and so this method doesn't really work?! So no need for preaching it!

I agree that there is no need to preach it...I just dont get why so many people are making this out to be like her daughter committed a deadly sin. She got knocked up...big whoop.

No it is the hypocrisy given the lady's beliefs. . .and what she has espoused is suitable for education for the rest of us.

ok so it is enough of a reason for you not to vote for her. Just like Tony Rezko and Bill Ayers are enough of a reason for me not to vote for Obama.

Personally - I don't really get over religious zealots. . .McCain wasn't so bad without her and he had many better choices. . .but when i see religious zealots who want to codify some of those beliefs in law, I run the other way. There are additional issues - Alaska Independence Party etc. I didn't say Obama didn't have any issues - but I got over them. And again, I've seen religious zealots in real life and there is no way I want that in office.

Oh trust me nothing is scarier than a religious fanatic. I am in total agreement with you there. The fact that I read Palin was a creationist scared the crap out of me...but upon further reading I found her saying that she does not want nor would she push to to have creationism included in school curriculum...which at least made me feel a bit better.

Yes, we all make mistakes, but that's not the issue.

What bothers me is that Palin endorses a policy based on religious beliefs rather than practical ones. Despite it happening in her own household.

Luckily Bristol has a family to support her decision; many girls in her position don't. And Palin doesn't support policies that would effectively prevented unwanted pregnancies.

As to how her policies would support unwed teenage moms, I'm unsure.

Its a religious belief to tell your kids not to have sex now? I always thought that was a practical belief.

What NYT doesn't tell you is that her brother in law used a taser on her nephew, then claimed the kid asked him to do it. He also "allegedly" abused her sister. Attempting to get a state trooper fired who used his state issued weapon on an underage kid to me is not an abuse of power.
Great to see all you pro cop liberals coming to his defense though.

Kindly explian to me how a President Palin is somehow more unnerving than a President Obama? Oh, I know why. because she's a woman. And a conservative to boot. What was Geraldine Ferraro's mindnumbing experience when she was nomintated in 1984? She was a congresswoman for 6 years. thats it.

Public policy should be driven by practical means rather then religious. Teaching children to abstain from sex and teaching them where babies come from and how this relates to birth control and STD's are two different approaches; the first was rejected by 14 states because it was found to be ineffective. And in this case you're dealing with a matter that has a huge impace on public resources.

I think people - in the Northeast anyway - are more uneasy about a Prez Palin than Prez Obama because (1) she's unknown, (2) her support of conservative social issues and (3) Obama is more academically accomplished and appears more worldly.

And I don't buy the "because she's a woman" argument. People were also highly skeptical of Dan Quayle.

The significance of Palin's position on abstinence and the like, along with her daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy, becomes more poignant when you consider that Sarah Palin gave birth to her first child eight months after she got married.

Got hypocrisy? (among other things)

How long before we find out about her former drug use, to go with her drunk driving arrest, her anti-American splittest Alaskan political party, etc. etc. etc.

McCain seems to have a history of being distracted to blindness by much younger, prettier-than-the-last women. That's his family's problem until it becomes ours.

oh that one is good. I like it. Because you know, Obama never did drugs, didn't attend an anti-American black nationalist church, never befriended a domestic terrorist, never had shady real estate dealings with a convicted felon...

it just goes round and round

I'm not trying to go out of my way to smear Obama
I just don't get those who love him trying to smear Palin with stuff that is far less disturbing than some of Obama's past.
Pregnant daughter or launching your political career in the home of a unrepentant domestic terrorist?
"trooper gate" where the cop tased his son or real estate dealings with Tony Rezko who was convicted?

does this make any sense?

Putting aside the Obama/McCain "who'll be the best president argument" for a moment, here's what I see. Naming your VP is the first (and probably most important) choice of you presidential campaign. It says a lot about who you're going to surround yourself with if you win, and what your cabinet may look like.

McCain chose Palin, basically a nobody, but it is a choice that makes HIM look like a maverick, it's a choice that makes HIM look like an out-of-the box thinker (supposedly). This choice was about HIM - not the country.

Obama chose Biden. Regardless of whther you like the guy's politics, he's a 30+ year vetern of Washington, and whether he's liked by everyone, he certainly is a respected quantity. A choice like this shows stability, and the ability to make the best choice for the country - not for HIM, specifically.

As far as their first choice goes, I think Obama's shows wisdom. I think McCain's shows - well, honestly, I'm not really sure exactly WHAT McCain's first choice shows, to be honest.

I don't think people have a problem with what's going on in Palin's family; it's that it smacks in the face of what the religious right stands for. And to many Americans Palin represents the religious right.

I get that...but you should check out the responses by the religious right...Dobson...Robertson...none of them are pissed in the least. If anything they are proud because the way the Palins are handling it is the way they preach about handling it (of course after it's already too late and your kid is already preg).

which totally surprised me because I otherwise completely agree with you

Check this out...taking bids on whether or not she will withdraw as the nom

http://www.intrade.com/#

I'm actually not surprised; they're not going to support Obama, and how the Palins are addressing the matter agrees with their views on right-to-life.

What I find strange is that they are against policies that would have effectively PREVENTED this from happening.

I also understand that Palin supported Buchannan, but that's beside the point.

I think that Palin is the most qualified Republican for office and her selection is a testament to the judgement of McCain and how much he will or will not allow politics effect the decisions he will make on the security of our nation.

uptowngal...your buchanan info is wrong. She supported Steve Forbes in 2000. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080902/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_politics

McCain is not only old enough to be her father, he is actually older than the State of Alaska.

Palin is absolutely prepared to become Commander in Chief. I can see her using her experience as mayor of a town of 5700 to stand up to Putin and Iran.

"Obama chose Biden. Regardless of whther you like the guy's politics, he's a 30+ year vetern of Washington, and whether he's liked by everyone, he certainly is a respected quantity."

Ummmm, so is McCain. The difference is he's running for, now stay with me here, PRESIDENT. I heard nary a peep out of people as it relates to Obama's status as utterly devoid of applicable governing experience. Wiat, I forget, he was Editor of the Harvard Law Review. My mouth is now agape.

Lets face it, liberals are certainly not unable to display their sexism and/or racism, provided it suits their purposes.

I remind that the guy all of you voted for for Veep back in 2000 is backing McCain, not Obama. Oh, and your current veep nominee said it would be "dangerous" to have Obama as President. Of course you seem to be blind to their advisements.

I also forget. The sexual organs of children of the "religious right" apparently are not supposed to be funtional. Must have missed that one in biology.

Go on and vote for a guy who admitted to smoking dope and doing blow and has zero experience to be President. I'd love him to make his and his wife's grades at Occidental and LSAT score public so we can see how he and his wife got into Columbia/Harvard/Princeton. I know why she got into Princeton. Her brother was on the basketball team.

The problem with Joe Biden is he said many times that Obama is not qualified to be President...

You want to argue about raw intelligence (as far presidential intelligence) - well that's tricky i have to say. I'm pretty sure we know where McCain finished at West Point. . .thought honestly I haven't seen that idea used by McCain supporters - i.e. raw intelligence and comparing the tickets that way. . .um ok.

Anyway - I think what has been set up now is a culture war of sorts. That's what is playing out now with the pick of Sarah Palin.

McCain went to Annapolis.

Re: teen pregnancy. Abstinence policies have been all but eradicated from public schools yet teen pregnancy is way up over the last decades. So you tell me which policy works.

As it relates to "academic accomplishment", if thats a litmus test you want to apply to Presidential candidates, I remind that Reagan went to Eureka College. GW, a guy you folks probably hate, went to Yale/Harvard Business, Carter went to Annapolis, LBJ went to some school that no longer exists I think, and Nixon went to Whittier College.

By the way, Obama grew up in Hawaii and Biden is the Senator from the massively important state of delaware. again, delaware. Oh, and Clinton governed that hugely populous and cultural mecca that is arkansas. again, arkansas.

I didn't care which school necessarily for McCain - but saying he finished near the bottom. I am just saying that wasn't the best route for you to go if you are trying to support him.

Btw - i wasn't applying that litmus test for them - you brought it up!

Your example about teen pregnancies being up - i would guess your point may not be telling as teen pregnancies are probably up at places with abstinence policies and those which don't have them. In a house which was well aware of abstinence (Palin), clearly it didnt work. That is Uptown gal's point.

"Members of 'Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Say Palin Was a Member in 90s"

Oh did you see the NYT retraction of this unsourced bogus story? Probably not, but they retracted it, reliable journalists that they are.

I'll vote for a guy who withstood NVA torture for 6 1/2 years over a guy who wrote a law review article about eminent domain any day of the week, whether or not he got a C in college level Civics.

My point is that this purported lack of experience issue doesn't see, to apply to the Dems Presidential candidate for some illogical and sinister reason.

POW experience is wonderful - that's often a reason i see touted by supporters. I am just not in agreement that it makes for a better president. Hopefully it hasn't had repercussions physically on temperment etc. That's what you hold in high regard - great! Some people are worried about his risk-taking nature (what got him his maverick brand) which may have evidenced himself here and may create worry for people as to how he will govern/make decisions.

Btw - you started about the education - so please don't berate me now. I've got a lot of work to get back to now.

Yes i saw that the AIP story was rescinded though you can be a member of the Republican party and it as well. Her husband was certainly a member. . .I guess we shouldn't talk about associations in the case of Sarah (just for Obama). . ..anyway - I will stick with my last statement again - back to work. I can't continue this conversation - like the bridge to nowhere. . . .it leads. . ..

A heart beat a way from the Presidency:

"look at the actuarial tables insurance companies use to evaluate customers shows that it’s not an irrelevant one. According to these statistics, there is a roughly 1 in 3 chance that a 72-year-old man will not reach the age of 80, which is how old McCain would be at the end of a second presidential term. And that doesn’t factor in individual medical history, such as McCain’s battles with potentially lethal skin cancer.

“For a man, that’s above the expected lifetime at the present,” said Michael Powers, a professor of risk management and insurance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

The odds of a 72-year-old man living four more years, or one full White House term, are better. But for a man who has lived 72 years and 67 days (McCain’s age on Election Day this year), there is between a 14.2 and 15.1 percent chance of dying before Inauguration Day 2013, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2004 actuarial tables and the authoritative 2001 mortality statistics assembled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners."

Should that happen then Sarah would be in charge of the Free World, winning 2 wars (maybe a 3rd soon with Iran), saving the troubled American Economy, fighting Global Warming and freeing America from its dependence on foreign oil and foreign debt.

girlygirl77, you're right, areas that provide teaching abstinance' in lieu of sex ed have higher rates of teen pregnancy and STD's than those that offer comprehensive programs that teach kids the facts.

In a perfect world parents would be teaching their own kids this stuff but unfortunately many don't. I remember in high school how much gross misinformation even the most studious kids believed.

And the US has the hightst teen pregnancy rate of all industrialized countries. Europeans laugh at the fact that we even have to debate this.

"A heart beat a way from the Presidency:"

You mean Obama right? I forget, his vast experience writing speeches overwhelms me. Do you read anything besides Politico and NYT/MSNBC? http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080903/pl_politico/13096

Also McCain's 96 year old Mother would disagree with you and Olbermann.

"you're right, areas that provide teaching abstinance' in lieu of sex ed have higher rates of teen pregnancy and STD's than those that offer comprehensive programs that teach kids the facts."

Kindly cite your source for this one. And for your spelling of abstinence.

"Europeans laugh at the fact that we even have to debate this."

Yes, the Danes are as i write this laughing at us, as are the mighty Albanians. Much in the same way they laughed at Hitler in 1934 I suppose. Perhaps we should withdraw our funding of the UN and the IMF and allow the sophisticated Europeans to handle these types of matters.

The most qualified, experienced President of our time was George Herbert Walker Bush. Rightly or wrongly, voters repudiated him after a single term. Lyndon Johnson was eminently qualified too. He was so unpopular by 1968 that he didn't even run for re-election. Predicting presidential performance from resume, temperament, shoe size or anything else is almost impossible.

It's funny to see Obama derided by Republicans as insufficiently battle-tested. He beat the Clintons, which is more than they could ever do. [If you polled rank-and-file Republicans a year ago about who scared them most among Hillary, Putin or Ahmadinejad, I think Clinton might have won.] As for Palin, who knows? The choice is classic McCain: a little reckless, but undeniably fun.

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/09/biden_on_mccain.html

"WEST PALM BEACH, FL - As the Republican National Convention finally got underway, John McCain got some unexpected praise from a colleague nearly 2,000 miles from St. Paul.

"He is my good friend," Joe Biden told a large crowd here tonight. "I get in trouble for saying this with some real strong Obama supporters. ... [But] if John McCain picked up the phone today and said, 'Joe, I need you to get in a plane and fly out to Missoula, I can't tell you why,' I'd get in a plane and I'd go."

Later, when asked about an effort by Republicans to portray their ticket as one of ethics and reform, Biden called McCain "a thoroughly ethical guy.""

Sizzlack - what the hell is your quote supposed to mean?

The Palin pick was a desparate move that puts the national security of our country in jeopardy. We cannot afford an inexperienced unvetted creationist book burner a 72 year old 4 time cancer survivor heart beat away from the Oval Office.

totallyanonymous, from the Nat'l Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association -

"The United States has one of the highest rates of unintended pregnancy among Western nations. Each year, half of the more than 6 million pregnancies in this country are unintended, and nearly half of those end in abortion. Publicly supported family planning services, such as those provided by Title X, help to prevent 1.3 million unplanned pregnancies each year, which would result in 632,300 abortions"

Read more about it: http://www.nfprha.org/main/family_planning.cfm?Category=Main&Section=Main

And the CDC has a number of studies on teen pregnancy rates that demonstrate that effective use of birth control prevents unwanted teen pregnancies. http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/index.htm

Maybe we should leave family planning expertise to the Europeans, and the US can continue to handle people like Hitler.

PetroFitz...my quote? It was Joe Biden who said it. Take it as you may. If the Palin pick was as desperate a move as you suggest, then you should be a happy clam who just sits back and watches the entire RNC come crashing down. However that wont happen and I think you are probably a bit scared...which is why you post all this alarmist bs.

I think what is scary is Sarah Palin and if she is on the ticket there is a chance she could be in office. My fright is not that she is better than anyone else, but that anyone running could be in office. Many other picks may have actually had a better chance of winning for McCain but would not have scared me. It is the religious zealot factor - can't get over it.

and "my quote" had absolutely nothing to do with Palin. You somehow made a linkage between Biden's quote and her. That's ok. I know she is one scary individual. Right?

She's a book burning, abstinence-only loving, moose-hunting, anti-science, non-environmental loving freak. That is scary to me. She got her passport in 2007 and Alaska living is nothing like the rest of the contiguous 48 (it's all a new world) and that's on top of the stuff in my first sentence. As long as she is on the ballot, she could be in office and given McCain's age (yes his father died at 70 i believe even if his mom is alive) and his previous cancers - that is a bad combo.

I work with someone and she has a friend who heads the Sierra Club in Alaska - she met Sarah Palin at some event. Since the woman was from the Sierra Club, she said Sarah Palin would not (refused) to even shake her hand. She's a zealot.

I can make the same ridiculous statements about Obama....watch...

Hes an inexperienced domestic terrorist loving semi marxist black nationalist follower who will do nothing but turn this country into the second coming of Communist Russia.

how was that one?

oh and I forgot to add that he likes to make shady real estate deals with convicted felons....oops!