Gov Palin is not 'unknown' -- she is well known for her far far right positions, some so extreme, even Pat Buchanan can't relate. This McCain pick just shows his poor judgement, his inability to read modern times -- 'any' woman would do, I guess.

We are so tired of the religious right extremists and their distruction of the American way of life. Obama is right: enough is enough!

True -- in this hamhanded pander to Clinton's PUMAs, McCain has failed to realize that what matters to voters is what is between a woman's ears, not what is between her legs.

Beathan

Umm...care to explain how religious right extremists have "distructed" the American way of life? You do realize that America has always been a very religious nation. The trend toward secularism, particularly as advanced through the courts, is a relatively recent phenomenon.

PUMAs that have decided that instead of sitting out this election because they just cannot vote for Zero meaningful experience, radical leftist Obama, BECAUSE McCain say fit to honor women when the DNC spat on women are now going to vote for McCain.

Where there are two there are one hell of a lot more. With Obama's refusal to select a woman as his vp pick he has doomed his bid for the presidency.

prorixum wrote the following post at 08/30/2008 6:14 PM: Umm...care to explain how religious right extremists have "distructed" the American way of life? You do realize that America has always been a very religious nation. The trend toward secularism, particularly as advanced through the courts, is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Priorixum, while not "secularism" in itself, the separation of church and state has been around for sometime, since oh...the beginning and stuff. Religious right wing extremists have created a panoply of programs and strategies in order to erode that constitutional philosophy. So, religious or not, the extreme right wing has been in the vanguard of attacking constitutional principles. I'll leave it to you whether that translate to the "distruction" of the American way of life.

Demcon, you are a Republican troll. Everyone knows this. No on believes you. You're sort of like a pop-up ad at this point.

Only more irritating.

mcgeorge, religion has informed and guided American life and policymaking since the Founding. The Establishment clause was added to the Constitution in order to prevent the federal government from adopting a national church, a la the Anglican Church in the UK. After ratification, several states actually adopted state churches, and this was not considered to be unconstitutional.

I guess I don't know what "programs and strategies" you are referring to. If you mean "faith-based initiatives," I frankly don't know or care much about them, though I suspect if you eliminated them, net social welfare would decrease. If you are talking about abortion, I think that any group that says the Constitution either sanctions or prohibits the practice is wrong. As for people simply allowing their faith to inform their values and what they look for in a candidate, I can't see anything wrong with that so long as the actions taken by elected officials are indeed constitutional. Which leads to the rub: the Supreme Court. I think Scalia is exactly correct that the reason the Court has become such a battleground is because the American people have figured out that the Court is where important public policy is being made. Query whether that is the appropriate arena.

Well --

I know at least four libertarian western Republicans who are so horrified by Palin that they are not going to vote for McCain. They will not vote for Obama -- they will write in Paul (because Barr is too socially conservative for them, too) or do something else -- but McCain has lost them.

There are many, and I mean many, such rugged libertarian conservatives out west here. This race is shaping up to be a race for the west. Palin is a governor of a western state -- but she adds value only in Alaska and Idaho. She will cause McCain to lose ground in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon. The other states -- especially Montana -- are more iffy, but I think that she is likely to be a net negative there, too.

Also, expect to find statement from her or her pastor about how satanic Morons are -- that will play well. Here come the Udalls.

Beathan

You live in fantasyland. PUMAs are nothing more than Republicans--co-founded by a woman that donated to McCain during his 2000 bid (and then gave the lamest excuse when discovered).

PUMA brought an underwhelming hundred or so folks to Denver.

McCain, despite picking a woman, is a misogynist through in through. He once called then first daughter Chelsea Clinton, when she was only 18, ugly. He has also publicly called his wife a cunt.

No self respecting woman would vote for a man with this track record. And every single woman I have spoken with has been completely unmoved by the selection of the far-right, anti-choice, anti-science Palin.

After the Democratic primary, many Clinton supporters said if Obama were to pick any other woman than HRC for VP, it would be a slap in their face because HRC was the only one that truly earned it. At the same time, most realized that, with such an acrimonious race, that it would be highly unlikely for him to pick her. Now, many of these same woman are saying how demeaning it is that McCain thinks he can win their support by merely picking a woman.

Fellow Republicans also haven't gotten the message. When Palin gave a shout out to Clinton today, the Republicans booed. That's the way to win over the other side! Way to go Republicans. (Yes, all you HRC supporters, go vote for the party that boos the mere mention of your candidates name.)

proixum, just today, I read in Time magazine that the illustrious Bush administration is trying to pass legislation that will make it OK for doctors and other health care providers to refuse to provide care to someone due to religious preferences and beliefs.

Hey, Bush -- ever hear of the Hippocratic Oath? This is just one more example of the religious right forcing itself into every aspect of our lives.I'm sorry, but this is America, although the America I know is quickly becoming a theocracy.

I say this as a Christian that believes in God, but also believes that my religion is my own business and it is not the place of the government to legislate my beliefs.

Sheldahl,

I know the issue you are speaking of. Either you didn't read the article fully or are purposefully distorting the facts. If you want to repost with more complete and correct information, I will respond.

OK, if that's not good enough for you, then how about this? Theocracy here we come.

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