After reading this article, the McCain campaign issued the following statement: "The authors quote four scholars attacking Gov. Palin's fitness for the office of vice president. Among them, David Kennedy is a maxed-out Obama donor, Joel Goldstein is also an Obama donor, and Doris Kearns Goodwin has donated exclusively to Democrats this cycle. Finally, Matthew Dallek is a former speech writer for Dick Gephardt. This is not a story about scholars questioning Gov. Palin's credentials so much as partisan Democrats who would find a reason to disqualify or discount any nominee put forward by Sen. McCain." Okay, I don't know a lot about the rest of those guys, but suggesting that Doris Kearns Goodwin's judgement on executive experience is somehow compromised is pretty stupid. She's got a Pulitzer and a 30year history of pretty accurate presidential analysis on all parties. If she's donating exclusively to Democrats, that's a strike against the Republicans, not against Goodwin. On a side note, someone on MyDD collected some anti-Palin conservative opinions. Like this one from Ladies Against Feminism: Isaiah 3:12 truly applies: "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths." I can assent to Sarah Palin's conservative views and even applaud them, but I mourn for a nation whose men have forgotten how to lead their families and their land in the way our Founders envisioned and the way God intended. A wife and mother has already been elected by God to the highest office in the land. She has her own particular husband to help, his calling to make successful, and her children to nurture and train to the glory of God. How could the vice-presidency possibly compare with a task that God has personally designed her to fill? The mysogynistic patriarchy is really coming through for us. Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". If she voted for Bush, ask her what her "intuition" told her back then.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Also, she doesn't like pronouns: Exactly, I agree with him. The country is America, not this country". EDIT: Last time, I believe she voted on the "lesser of two evils" approach. That wouldn't work anyways, she thinks I'm trying to force my "liberal views" on her.

Like this one from Ladies Against Feminism: Isaiah 3:12 truly applies: "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths." I can assent to Sarah Palin's conservative views and even applaud them, but I mourn for a nation whose men have forgotten how to lead their families and their land in the way our Founders envisioned and the way God intended. A wife and mother has already been elected by God to the highest office in the land. She has her own particular husband to help, his calling to make successful, and her children to nurture and train to the glory of God. How could the vice-presidency possibly compare with a task that God has personally designed her to fill? The mysogynistic patriarchy is really coming through for us. Wow. People actually think like this still?

Oh, lesser of two evils. Ask her how much more evil John Kerry would have been.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". That's, um, a bit opaque. You could say "shady." It seems like she would appreciate it if there was light shown on the matter. ... In other news, they seem to have declared martial law due to the storm. They're saying that looters will go to jail apparently without trial. There's no chance of THAT going poorly, eh?

That Palin baby stuff is so stupid, and seems the equivalent of "Obama=Muslim". And in the same way that smear is ridiculous, if this were true why the fuck would it matter?

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". That's, um, a bit opaque. You could say "shady." It seems like she would appreciate it if there was light shown on the matter. ... In other news, they seem to have declared martial law due to the storm. They're saying that looters will go to jail apparently without trial. There's no chance of THAT going poorly, eh? Is foraging fine?

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Also, she doesn't like pronouns: Exactly, I agree with him. The country is America, not this country". EDIT: Last time, I believe she voted on the "lesser of two evils" approach. That wouldn't work anyways, she thinks I'm trying to force my "liberal views" on her. ... can you, like, tie her up and lock her in her room on Election Day? Please? Spoiler: show spoiler hide spoiler No, don't

Well palin is moving undecided voters. http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.co...deds-dont.html To vote for Obama This is effin' sweet right here

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect.

That Palin baby stuff is so stupid, and seems the equivalent of "Obama=Muslim". And in the same way that smear is ridiculous, if this were true why the fuck would it matter? Well, like the Muslim thing, it's not the truth that would matter as much as the fact that it had been lied about. Well, to me. Other Americans would be loading rifles if a Muslim got elected. As an aside, I was cracking up when the DNC did a chant in Spanish.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect. I don't think they even are opinions. She works in the military too, of all things.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect. I don't think they even are opinions. She works in the military too, of all things. That kind of does explain it... I guarantee the majority of her co-workers are reds.

That Palin baby stuff is so stupid, and seems the equivalent of "Obama=Muslim". And in the same way that smear is ridiculous, if this were true why the fuck would it matter? Well, like the Muslim thing, it's not the truth that would matter as much as the fact that it had been lied about. Well, to me. Other Americans would be loading rifles if a Muslim got elected. As an aside, I was cracking up when the DNC did a chant in Spanish. I'm sorry, but when a Republican's kid has a child out-of-wedlock, it absolutely matters. They're the party of abstinence-only sex education, slut-punishing, virginity fetishes, and "family values."

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect. I don't think they even are opinions. She works in the military too, of all things. That kind of does explain it... I guarantee the majority of her co-workers are reds. It's not even that, she has mostly liberal opinions on things, this is almost entirely her not liking the way Obama "seems".

A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Respect isn't something you can just demand defacto. It's something you have to earn by giving to others, and as far as I'm concerned respecting other people's opinions means at least trying to understand why they hold them (whether or not you're successful). If you're unwilling to do that, then don't complain when people don't respect yours. And yes, willful ignorance would qualify as not trying to understand why an educated person holds their opinion.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect. I don't think they even are opinions. She works in the military too, of all things. That kind of does explain it... I guarantee the majority of her co-workers are reds. It's not even that, she has mostly liberal opinions on things, this is almost entirely her not liking the way Obama "seems". Call her a racist.

A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Respect isn't something you can just demand defacto. It's something you have to earn by giving to others, and as far as I'm concerned respecting other people's opinions means at least trying to understand why they hold them (whether or not you're successful). If you're unwilling to do that, then don't complain when people don't respect yours. And yes, willful ignorance would qualify as not trying to understand why an educated person holds their opinion. Just say "I'd respect your opinions of they weren't wrong." You know, just to keep the stupid going.

Sorry if I'm potentially derailing the discussion here, but does anyone know someone who plans to vote, but isn't willing to educate themselves on the issues? My mother recently told me that she didn't plan to vote for Obama, not because he didn't like his military plan, or because she felt he was inexperienced, but because she had a gut feeling; an "intuition". Welcome to 20-30% of the electorate. A tried to tell her that this was a terrible thing to do, but, defensive of her ignorance, she tells me that I "don't respect her opinions". Tell her that you'll respect her opinions when she has one worthy of respect. I don't think they even are opinions. She works in the military too, of all things. That kind of does explain it... I guarantee the majority of her co-workers are reds. It's not even that, she has mostly liberal opinions on things, this is almost entirely her not liking the way Obama "seems". Call her a racist. I'm actually her half-black son, so that would be a more interesting line. This discussion is kind of weird, it feels less like discourse and more like a comments listing on Livejournal; an H/A topic.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/ea..._id=1003844476 Washington, D.C.: Why don't reporters and legislators have a high opinion of the governor? Gregg Erickson: It is clear that she has not paid much attention to the nitty-gritty unglamorous work of government, of gaining consensus, and making difficult compromises. She seems to be of the view that politics should be all rather simple. That often appeals to the wider public, but frustrates those who see themselves as laboring in the less glamorous parts of the vineyard. Washington, D.C.;: You wrote: "If you took a poll of reporters and legislators I expect her approval rating would be down in the teens or twenties." What do they know about her that the general population does not? Gregg Erickson: One example: The Republican chair of the Alaska State House Finance budget subcommittee on Heath and Medicaid says he can't find anyone in Palin's executive office who cares about helping bring that budget under control. He is furious with her about that. Washington, D.C.: What should we expect from her during the VP debates? Gregg Erickson: I expect her to stick with simple truths. When asked about continued American troop presence in Iraq she said she knows only one thing about that (I paraphrase): no one has attacked the American homeland since George Bush took the war to Iraq. May god have mercy on McCain.

Oh, lesser of two evils. Ask her how much more evil John Kerry would have been. Try this for qualifications: He couldn't beat George Bush

Oh, lesser of two evils. Ask her how much more evil John Kerry would have been. Try this for qualifications: He couldn't beat George Bush Being able to win an election does not qualify you to be president. Not being able to win an election doesn't mean you're not qualified to be president. Do you know what the word "qualified" means?

Oh, lesser of two evils. Ask her how much more evil John Kerry would have been. Try this for qualifications: He couldn't beat George Bush Being able to win an election does not qualify you to be president. Not being able to win an election doesn't mean you're not qualified to be president. Do you know what the word "qualified" means? Yeah. Do you know what a joke is?

He's saying the line of thought the joke takes is stupid.