I discussed tMcCain's VP choice with several women I'm related to by marriage (including my wife, obviously!).

Two of them who graduated from Smith College were "insulted" that McCain would use such a shameless ploy to suck the Angry Hillary Women vote.

My sister-in-law who has three children of her own (one with a serious medical condition) was shocked. "She has a small child with Down's Syndrome and she's running for office?? What kind of a mother does that???!!"

It might be considered a smart choice: Attract women voters while quieting the Neanderthal Wing of the Republican Party with her ultra-conservative credentials.

Plus she knows how to hunt and fish. Should an international crisis arise with China, Russia, or Iran, those attributes will really come in handy.

Daniel A. Brown dbrown1793@rcn.com

It sure makes them look dumb for questioning Obama's experience!

My wife called it demeaning to think that a mere selection of a woman will sway certain women voters.

I think most would be hard pressed to prove that wasn't McCain's intention, though. So, demeaing it is.

One would have thought with bread, butter and gun issues that McCain would have picked someone with experience in bread and butter. What we're let with is guns & guns.

It might be considered a smart choice by social conservatives and women who are strictly pro-life, but then again, they were going to vote for McCain anyways...so the netgain is ZERO.

This is obviously a ploy. The fact that it came hot on the heels of Obama's historic speech was a clear message that he was trying to steal some of his thunder.

One can only hope that the electorate sees it as the empty gesture that it really is.

i think everyone is blown away by mccains choice of palin

it seems to be a political ploy to bring hillary voters to mccain....i hate to tell him.....but a pro-life and gun toting mama WONT bring hillary voters

i think paul begala made the best comment on it

mccain would not trust palin with his daughter megans care after only meeting her face to face ONE TIME....

and yet mccain looks to put the PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES in her care.....and she ISNT qualifed

mccain just handed the dems the election

imho

I'm insulted that you think women will fall for this. Women aren't smart enough to listen to what any of the candidates say? You mean blacks are falling for Obama because he is black?

And for a women to run with kids...5 kids...what, she can't run because she has kids? Is she to stay in the kitchen, barefoot with the 6th?

Why can't a woman be veep with kids?

Black people are definitely voting democrat whether its Kerry, Gore, Clinton, Hillary or Obama. To imply that AA's are going to vote for the black guy every time is insulting. If you have been aware of the national political scene there is a certain black republican that ran against Obama in the senate race. He had no chance because Obama better represents his base.

Its fine Paline is running. If you want more of the Iraq war, abortion to become a felony murder charge. If you want more of the same, go ahead and vote for McCain and his candidate.

She has a four month old with Downs' Syndrome. I would totally understand your indignation about "Mom's can work" in most situations, but in that sort of situation, both Mom and Dad should be working out how they can be home and available more often to greater improve their new son's chances at life.

I don't think being anti-abortion entitles you to bring a Down's child into the world.

As an educated, professional woman I am insulted by the implication of McCain's choice for VP. Does he and his campaign think we are all so dumb that we would accept the choice of just "any" woman to fill the bill? Obviously, he does. Too bad he and his party still view women as second class citizens. As a former Hillary supporter, he does not get my vote. I'll stick with the party who has moved beyond 1955 in their thinking!