More than 1,000 cheer Palin in Michigan for book tour

Wouldn`t it begreat to see our next President and buy her book.

She is amazing and if she had run instead of McCain, she would have beaten Obama and his style of substance nonsense hands down.

She stands up to anyone in the wrong, has great morals and is an inspiration to all patriots. I want this book for Christmas too!

DickMorris- wrong. If McCain had chosen someone with half a brain, he would have done better. Still would have lost, but better. A couple thousand airheads from Michigan does not a movement make. Still, I look forward to her running in 2012 for the comedy. SNL sucks these days..

I believe she can do what needs to be done to get ahead.

For example, lie, cheat and steal from the taxpayers of Alaska. Then she ran out on her supporters and job to get rich. The only real experience she has is failure and quitting. The whole country is lucky she isn't President.

Bush Jr. was light years smarter than her and people thinks he is an idiot. The majority of Americans believed he did a terrible job. I cringe at what could if she becomes our President. I would vote for almost any Republican over her.

I don't think much of Sarah Palin as a potential candidate for any high office in the U.S.-especially the Vice Presidency or the Presidency-yet, that being said, I'm happy for her that she's getting back at some of the jerks who tormented her and her family, and making money in the process.

"Thousands cheer Palin"

This is no surprise to me.

"Palin's honesty and down-to-earth manner"

This is Sarah Palin.

This news story must be disheartening to all the Palin haters on this site.

I am in two minds as to whether to buy this book or not.

On one hand, I would like to read up on contemporary republican ideas, then again, I gave up browsing through comic strips when I was about 10 years old.

While I wouldn't vote for her, I say hats off to her. The media was scared to death of attacking Obama, even his current administration of crazy nuts who believe in sterilization of populations and forced abortions (very Nazi like). They were also scared of Hillary (who somehow remembered a sniper attack that never took place nor was tolerant to a misinterpretation) so they attacked the hell of Palin and her family. Some say she bought it on her self, maybe in some cases that's true but her kids did not warrant such attacks - including her kid not being hers but that of her daughter's which was published even in Huffington...the most respected rag in the ultra liberal world.

Good for her. Dont see why people hate her so much. After all she's a politicain. How are yours anybetter? Atleast i dont want to puke when i look at her.

I don't hate Sarah Palin, I just think that her popularity indicates that there is nothing to the leadership talent pool in the US. It also shows that because she was/is considered a serious candidate the USA has become a joke, a bad joke.

I reckon she could be America's Margaret Thatcher, best leader Britain had these last fifty years!

I don't hate Sarah Palin, I just think that her popularity indicates that there is nothing to the leadership talent pool in the US. It also shows that because she was/is considered a serious candidate the USA has become a joke, a bad joke.

I must say that I fully support this comment. During the last election, whereas Senator McCain always portrayed the image of somebody who had a vision for the country and somebody who would be able to lead (he looked Presidential), on a number of occasions, the image projected by Palin was of somebody who was clearly out of her depth, when discussing issues of policy. I don't know if this was because she was badly briefed, or because she just does not have "it."

Furthermore, when put under pressure, Palin displayed a tendency to become a little bit too folksy for her own good. This in itself is not a problem, with many Presidents (Reagan and LBJ) making their careers by just being "normal guys." However, there was just something about Palin that failed to click with the electorate. Anyway, I hope that the GOP can come up with some serious other options before the next election, because I don't think democracy would be best served by trying to make this souffle rise twice.

1,000 people does not equal "thousands". 1+0=1

Finally those with single digit IQs have someone to look up to.

doesn't Obama's relatives belong to a religion that think it is even less that that and prefer the world to be under just one?<

Skip, missed out on morning coffee , I guess.

You keep on harping on your Cuban heritage. Does that make you a commie?

Finally those with single digit IQs have someone to look up to." Well more that one.. we've had every president since Regan to look up!

1,000 people does not equal "thousands". 1+0=1

Yeah, all the other articles I read about this say hundreds or almost 1,000

"She could be your next-door neighbor,”

I would move.

GMONEY7: 1,000 people does not equal "thousands". 1+0=1

Its just the type of thing a cheerleader would say though, and essentially, the GOP is a pack of cheerleaders. They seek to inflate themselves and deflate everything else. Also they look for psychological ploys, such as clever rhymes, "like bomb, bomb Iran" rhymes with "Bar-Barbra Ann". Hard realities are not what they focus on. Too somber.

"I reckon she could be America's Margaret Thatcher, best leader Britain had these last fifty years!"

uh..haha.. no.

Read up on Maggie Thatcher. She had a long career as a minister and worked her way up. She was not a college dropout or housewife. Hillary is Maggie Thatcher. But thanks for playing.

Her glasses from Japan were her only distinguishing feature. And I wish she'd stop harping on that "hockey mom" identity. Give me a friggin break. How about all the mothers of OTHER Sports, who never glory their childs involvement in something like that. Culture, sports, music and other arts are all part of our lives. NO ONE person has the dibs on being a __ mom/dad. I think she repeats this for lacks any thing more important to say.

"I'm happy for her that she's getting back at some of the jerks who tormented her and her family, and making money in the process."

Yeah. Like John McCain and Charles Darwin. Haha. Seriously. You people are all joking, right? This woman is being tormented all the way to the bank. Taking it seriously is like watching professional wrestling.

I wonder if it'll have the pop-out sections with the country of Africa. :) Nah, the editors probably edited that out.

The best part about this 'book' is that when Palin inevitably gets slammed by the media and the actual facts come out instead of the things she probably makes up, she'll just cry victim and say the media is painting her unfairly, that she doesn't deserve to be criticized, etc. The fact that this book will be a best seller only proves the lack of intellect of the average reader; that, or that comedy still sells very well.

Well more that one.. we've had every president since Regan to look up!<

Aw no Skip, Bush Sr was at least double digits, Clinton had a more distributed system for thinking, brain was used partially. Dumb a** was double digits for sure, even though he didn't come out like that. After all he had a doctrine named after him. Obama is too smart for the GOP types, they can't figure out half the time, what he is saying.

I have no doubt that a great number of people who are not at all even remotely as close to being dumb as Palin will still be curious what she wrote. This is not to say they want to know her ideas, just see what all the fuss is about. So not ALL the people who buy it will be in the single digit IQs, just the people who believe what she says.

I reckon she could be America's Margaret Thatcher, best leader Britain had these last fifty years!

Yeah and Pinochet was Chile's best leader right?

I for will be poping the corks very soon! :)

Thought this was going to be about Michael Palin for a moment ...

"Beautiful plumage ... he's pining for the fjords"

Finally those with single digit IQs have someone to look up to.

Actually, I think most of those are worshiping the current President. Pretty much have to have some intelligence to like a woman like Palin, wheareas only idiots buy the things Obamas selling.

Pretty much have to have some intelligence to like a woman like Palin,<

Good one Molenir, I fell out of my chair laughing.

Scores more who couldn’t get wristbands awaited Palin’s arrival outside, braving the cold and yelling“USA!”

Hahahahaha!

sorry have to agree with those who dont like Palin, she is just not anywhere near smart enough to get into politics at any level let alone thinking she actually is capable of going straight to the top.

She shud stick to organizing car pools with other hockey moms & similar, nothing at all wrong with that nice everyday living stuff, but to take the leap to presidential level just insnt using yr noodle correctly

Well if gathering 1000 people to shake hands with a celebrity at a book signing is any indicator that a person person has a chance of being elected president, then perhaps J.K. Rowlings should become an American citizen.

I doubt even half the people who attended that Michigan event even read the book but just want to shake hands with someone they saw on TV so they can tell Ma an Pa.

Yeah, Palin as president is nigh impossible. Doesn't have a rich and powerful ex-prez oil tycoon daddy. We can all breath a sigh of relief.

"More than 1,000 cheer Palin.."

Is that all??? Sarah Palin's star has already fallen.

After slamming many of her aides and colleagues in the McCain camp in her book and filling it with lies and untruths, Ms. Palin has little if any chance of going anywhere in the political mainstream from this point.

And related news, Fox News have been caught (again) using old footage (from the election campaign) to try to make it seem like more people attended the book events than actually did

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/18/fox-crowd-shot-palin/

2nd time in about 10 days Fox have made such an, ahem, oversight.

"I'm happy for her that she's getting back at some of the jerks who tormented her and her family, and making money in the process."

Kind of reminds me of the old saying, 'a fool and his money are easily parted.'

yokomoc - thanks for mentioning that. I saw the newsclip last night about this.

Looks like Fox News - the media arm of the GOP - has been caught red-handed again.

'Fair and balanced'....sure, if you're as crooked as the GOP. :-)

I would not hire this woman to clean my toilet, let alone any job that requires any sort of intelligence. If your 5 year old child needs a complicated type of surgery do you go the “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots” doctor or do you go to the best doctor possible, with experience, skill, and intelligence. Being president of the United States requires vast amounts of problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and intelligence. When I hire someone I do not look for someone “down-to-earth” and “inspiration to all patriots", I look for someone who can get the job done. Why should electing a president any different. This woman may have a good heart, but she is not qualified to be in any type of leadership position that could affect the lives of people. I have been a Republican for 54 years and I know there are highly intelligent Republican leaders out there. However, Republicans can never hope to hold the presidency if we continue to hold out such morons as this woman as our leader.

Sarah Palin is to serious politics what Mickey Mouse is to period dramas.

Molenir: "Pretty much have to have some intelligence to like a woman like Palin,"

That is the absolute best comment of the day... in terms of laughter, my friend. Oh my god, if comments like yours are any indication of what we can expect in terms of humour from Palin fans, I'll be laughing for ages about this comedy book.

Honestly, dude, funniest comment of the day, hands down!

Yokomoc: Thanks for posting the link. Not surprised... 1000 in the state of Michigan might be enough for people like sarge to jump for joy and proclaim success, but in the real world in a country with the population of the US, that's tantamount to less than nothing. Gotta hide the embarrassment by adding in footage, as you pointed out. Good work.

smithinjapan at 01:01 PM JST - 19th November

I have no doubt that a great number of people who are not at all even >remotely as close to being dumb as Palin will still be curious what she >wrote. This is not to say they want to know her ideas, just see what all >the fuss is about. So not ALL the people who buy it will be in the single >digit IQs, just the people who believe what she says.

Rather the fool that knows he's a fool than the fool that thinks he's wise.

GW at 02:15 PM JST - 19th November

sorry have to agree with those who dont like Palin, she is just not >anywhere near smart enough to get into politics at any level let alone >thinking she actually is capable of going straight to the top.

She shud stick to organizing car pools with other hockey moms & similar, >nothing at all wrong with that nice everyday living stuff, but to take >the leap to presidential level just insnt using yr noodle correctly

May I suggest you read the book. You might learn how to spell.........

SushiSake3 at 04:17 PM JST - 19th November

Sarah Palin is to serious politics what Mickey Mouse is to period dramas.

Yes. We need idiots that spend trillion on stimulus packages that don't work. We need politicians to introduce health bills that will cost further trillions, when the cupboard is bare. Honestly, nothing Palin could do could be any worse than the "geniuses" in power now.

Yes. We need idiots that spend trillion on stimulus packages that don't work.

Actually she made Oprah's ratings the highest they have been in two years, Harpers Collins her publisher can't get up with demand and has ordered a second printing, Amazon is going nuts trying to fill the orders and the Barnes and Noble here in Michigan just had its best business day ever. Sarah Palin is a one woman employment stimulus package all by herself! The only one not really getting a boost from her is Letterman by the way and he apologized to her not once but twice.

Not to shabby, not to shabby at all for the Lady from Alaska.

Javnation - "Yes. We need idiots that spend trillion on stimulus packages that don't work. We need politicians to introduce health bills that will cost further trillions, when the cupboard is bare."

Do you think things would have been better if the Govt. had not spent trillion on stimulus packages?

If they hadn't, here's some companies that would now be history:

General Motors, Crysler, AIG, Bank of America, Goldman Sach, and more.

And about healthcare reform - people are dying due to lack of health insurance. Something has to be done and the Obama Administration has come further to reform healthcare than any U.S. government in nearly 70 years.

Sail - "Not to shabby, not to shabby at all for the Lady from Alaska."

She still doesn't have a hope in politics.

Sarah Palin was right about Michigan -these people are like her and even talk like her (somewhat). No matter what people say you cannot fool the populace.

It makes absolutely no sense in bailing out the Federal Reserve banking cartel. -Right now these low interest rates are supporting an Asian bubble (a future disaster). These banking terrorists need to stop.

JP Morgan / Goldman Sachs are Federal Reserve owners - In fact JP Morgan is Rothschild = they own it all. =The reason why JP Morgan knew about this "recession" and got out of the market about a year before the recession = profited quite handsomely. Same can be said for Goldman Sachs. =These two are more powerful than ever and the low interest rates power them even moreso.

Contraction of the money supply by the Fed = Recession.

Badsey is a breath of fresh air. A lot of judgement of a book you won't buy nor read.. I thought the ultra libs were don't judge a book by its cover... One good thing about Sarah is that she is white trash, but with a bit of class. Can't ask for more than that for people living north!

Another amazing point about all this ranting against this lady is that she is really the same sort of all the Canadians here criticizing her. Like her, you don't know how to shop nor dress properly. Have that trailer park attitude to everything and maybe you are really not going to look at her book is because you can't read.. just like so many in Alaska.

skipthesong: " I thought the ultra libs were don't judge a book by its cover..."

When there's nothing between the covers but a puff of hot air all you can do is judge the thing by what all the hot air is encased in.

"Another amazing point about all this ranting against this lady is that she is really the same sort of all the Canadians here criticizing her. Like her, you don't know how to shop nor dress properly. Have that trailer park attitude to everything and maybe you are really not going to look at her book is because you can't read.. just like so many in Alaska."

Okay, while Molenir took the prize for FUNNIEST comment of the day, you take the prize for lamest and most unrelated 'comparison'. How about I say she is so utterly like some Cuban exile livin' in LA because she's all for guns, doesn't know how to dress well, gets agitated and lashes out when you criticize her, can't figure out where she is on a map... lest where other places are, brings in too much emotional baggage and history to her arguments and so constantly contradicts herself, etc. See how absurd resorting to such comparisons are? What nationals should we jump to next? How the people of the 'nation' of Africa? :)

In other words, there's nothing similar at all about this dolt and the average Canadian, and even less similar with Canadians who come on here and chide her for her incompetence, running from her job, her cowardice, etc.

Well, it's just too, too funny that the few remaining palin supporters on this site have had to resort to posting 5 or 6 times here in order to TRY and give the appearance that she is still relevant. In actuality, EVERYBODY knows she is anything BUT relevant.

Grand Rapids, Michigan? Well, it is practically a rock's toss from my hometown of Kingston, as the loon flies. I know it well. I had to unfriend a former student of mine living there who posted some pro-whaling garbage on Facebook.Oh and if the sargies of the world don't like that well TOO BAD, it's just the fashion in which I roll, dammit!! Anyways,If palin can only get 1000 people to go to her stupid book signing it means she is even more finished than she was last November when she and old man Mccain took a shellacking they are STILL licking their wounds about.

Anyways, my friends, I don't even see why this is news. The US economy is rebounding at an INCREDIBLE pace, the dollar gained against the currency of several countries today and clearly Obama clearly wowed China,8which palin probably thinks she can see from her trailerpark.Hah ha ha ha, its really a funny!)

As for any comparisons and lame attempts at jokes Canadians don't even know who palin is, so anyone trying to compare her to a Canadian dolt is just exercising a futility in performance.

Now get out of my head, palin !!!!!!

Okay, while Molenir took the prize for FUNNIEST comment of the day, you take the prize for lamest and most unrelated 'comparison'." Nope yours did and here's why: How about I say she is so utterly like some Cuban exile livin' in LA because she's all for guns, doesn't know how to dress well, gets agitated and lashes out when you criticize her, can't figure out where she is on a map" That's most latinas man - they ain't afraid of no one!!!!! And, I happen to think that's sexy... lest where other places are, brings in too much emotional baggage and history to her arguments and so constantly contradicts herself, etc." Its that emotional part of latinas that guys like you find attractive. As for contradictions, dude give it up. You know I'm right! Besides, most Latina don't bother saying things more than once. See how absurd resorting to such comparisons are? What nationals should we jump to next?" How about the fact that she walks, even has that Canadian accent. Dude come on, if you met her on the street, you'd think she was Canadian.

How the people of the 'nation' of Africa? :)" Well, not defending her on that one, but I like to see you under the spot light. Even the god like Obama didn't know how many states there were and he opened his mouth about the government "post office - and you wonder why many lost confidence?

Nobody seemed to take note of the place where Palin drew this crowd: I was born and raised in Michigan and we all know the area around Grand Rapids is ultra-conservative. In one of the nearby towns -- Zeeland -- it is against the law to wash your car or cut your lawn on a Sunday (and you will likely be cited and fined for doing either).

Pretty much "Children of the Corn" country.

and about 10,000,000 give Palin a horrified look and "what's next on SNL?".

McCain was an idiot to officially announce, which he did, that he was suspending his campaign in Michigan. I mean, he could have just stopped campaigning there without shouting it out to everyone officially. What a nitwit! He conceded the race in that state before it was over. Nobody does that! Jeese!

Palin is gold compared to "my friends" McCandy Cane.

To be honest, I'm rather split on Sarah Palin. Most of the Palin haters out there, seem to despise her for being a successful, conservative woman, something in their minds that shouldn't exist. Rather like Clarence Thomas in that respect. They talk about how she is an idiot, but anyone with half a brain realizes thats 90% spin. She wouldn't have managed to get elected, much less parley her position into the success she has, if she was as stupid as the posters here want to make her out to be.

Myself, I admire a woman who isn't afraid to say what she believes in, regardless of who thinks she ought to. A strong, pretty, conservative woman. Its a nice package. This said however, I'm torn about it, because she bailed on her job. Sure she had good reason, especially in retrospect, but it doesn't change the fact that she quit as Governor. The question I would have to ask myself if she were ever running for President, is, would she bail again when times get tough? Don't know. Until she decides to run, thats a question I won't need to ask. Until that time, I'll just sit back and enjoy all the vitriol and hatred being spewed by all the people preach about tolerance and love. Be it Gays, Lesbians, baby Seals, whales, oh but not conservatives. No, no must not tolerate anyone who disagrees with us...

Pretty much "Children of the Corn" country.

So what you're saying then Yabits is, you're one of the Children of the Corn? Heh, good to know, that makes things much clearer.

Sarah Palin was instrumental in Sen. McCain and the GOP getting buried by candidate Obama, she has serious issues with her native language and clearly clings on to attitudes that lie on the extreme right of American consciousness - and she still illicits idol-like love....pretty amazing - not to mention disturbing - that some people can't see through her for the under-perfoming, unintelligent diva she is.

molenir: "she bailed on her job". I look at it different. I have advocated for a long time when a politician seeks another seat, they should give up their present one. Can you imagine telling your boss that you are going to try to get a better job but if you don't get it or it doesn't workout, you will just simply show up to your old seat? I mean, how much did these candidates, including McCain and Obama, on the roads? Again, I took it as a noble thing for her to give up her seat while she spent time trying to clear her name up thus not taking tax money, unlike a lot of repubs and ESPECIALLY dems.

skipthesong - "I took it as a noble thing for her to give up her seat while she spent time trying to clear her name.."

I stopped reading right about there.

Sarah Palin's activities were the subject of ethic probes.

What does that tell you?

She was leaking money, time and energy to deal with them.

That's a huge red flag in my book.

She is a joke, and after bashing her former aides and McCain campaign team members in her just-released book, Ms. Palin is one Alaskan resident who is going nowhere fast.

About the only thing I admire about her is that she made stupid sexy.

Oh, that and the fact that she can insert 'hockey mom' so many times into a speech while winking like an idiot.

The above two character flaws are trivial, I admit, but they are just the tip of an ever-lengthening list of flaws this woman has, and let's face it - it was her flaws that brought her - not to mention the McCain campaign and the GOP - down.

The longer she stays floating around in the murky depths of the GOP, the longer they are going to stay a shrinking minority party.

sushi, there are a whole lot of politicians who have ethic probes going on. I would have thought someone as smart as you would know that. Do I really need to waste time and give you a list?c'mon. And don't start with the angelic dems please! Give me a link that states that is the reason, and not the Huff. But even if you are right, I know I am right that politicians should give up their seats before seeking new ones. As a progressive, you should support my call.

"she is just not anywhere near smart enough to get involved in politics at any level"

That must be why she became one of the most popular governors in the country.

She wouldn't have managed to get elected, much less parley her position into the success she has, if she was as stupid as the posters here want to make her out to be.

Your claim is that no one who has ever been elected or achieved notoriety could be considered stupid. Nobody here ever claimed that she is dumber than her supporters.

No, no must not tolerate anyone who disagrees with us...

No. People should not tolerate gross stupidity.

So what you're saying then Yabits is, you're one of the Children of the Corn?

If you think I'm saying that, then you must have concluded that the area around Grand Rapids represents all of Michigan. (See my previous statements.)

sarge: "That must be why she became one of the most popular governors in the country."

HAHAHAHA... yes, sarge, in the UNITED STATES! You're really, really insulting your country.

Boy you walked RIGHT into that one!

Yabits: Good thrashing of Molenir!

"Nobody here ever claimed that she is dumber than her supporters."

Bang on! In fact, a whole lot of posters went out of their way to touch on the single-digit IQs of the people who support this dolt.

Sarah Palin was right about Michigan -these people are like her...

Rural Michigan is where the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City was planned and practiced. Yes... people "just like her."

"Your claim is that no one who has ever been elected or achieved notoriety could be considered stupid."

Are you saying that Barack Obama could be stupid?

"Nobody here ever claimed that she is dumber than her supporters."

You just dissed millions of people.

smith: "You're really, really insulting your country"

Really? By stating the fact that Palin was one of the most popular governors in the country? Are you feeling OK, smith?

"the single-digit IQs of the people who support this dolt"

You just dissed millions of people.

Are you saying that Barack Obama could be stupid?

To people who don't have one whit or clue of what real intelligence is, he very well could be. I would not put it past some.

You just dissed millions of people.

And they would need you to illustrate that to them. Palin's proving Mencken's old saying that no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the common American. The governorship of Alaska gave her only limited access to the dollars all the suckers out there are prepared to shovel her way.

yabits: "No one here has ever claimed that she is dumber than her supporters"

You should apologize to the millions of people who support Sarah Palin.

Sarge - "That must be why she became one of the most popular governors in the country."

Sarge, do you know nothing about America?

She became popular because they are sitting on a ton of oil in Alaska and residents have been given free cash from oil proceeds for years.

You don't know that?????

Wow.....

Sarge - "You just dissed millions of people."

SmithinJapan must have taken a leaf out of Sarah Palin's book - you know - how she dissed hundreds of thousands of Alaskans by quitting.

She has 'loser' written all over her.

If you are interested, I'm not 'scared' or 'afraid' of her in the slightest. What I'm afraid of is if the size of the group of simple-minded people who think Sarah Palin has sufficient talent to be POTUS actually gets bigger.

Let's face it - the support for Sarah Palin within the States has made much of your country an international laughing stock.

And like the WMD that were supposed to be hiding in Iraq, once again the rest of the world knows more than a disturbingly large number of Americans.

Going by the comments here it looks like it's going to be rough for Palin to get to the top. But she sure has a lot of attention.

I'll have to agree with "SushiSake3's" assessment of Palin. She's totally overmatched as a Politician on a National and certainly a Global scale. However, I wish her much success with her book. The book is on the Best Seller list and she was able to promote it on Oprah, and you know if a book is endorsed by Oprah - instant millionaire - so more power to Sarah P .. Her experience as a VP candidate was unsuccessful but it's going to make her a multi-millionaire, so I'm not mad at her. Plus, you have to look at the fact that she did not apply to be McCain's running mate, they came to her. McCain's camp tried to dupe the American public, thinking a female, any female, would put them over the top. So it's not her fault, and believe me, I've never been a Palin supporter (even if I sound like one) but I can't help but admire her capatalistic spirit. She took advantage of the opportunity; who wouldn't?

“Alaska and Michigan have so much in common, with the huntin’ and the fishin’ and the hockey moms, and just the hardworking, patriotic Americans who are here.”

It's statements like that which spell her doom. Hockey is a cool sport and I love the Leafs - but give it a rest. I don't want 'down home' corniness to be the characteristic of my president. Eloquence and intelligence serve much better. Her appeal to the masses is that she's 'like on of them'. Perhaps it's time to be self-aware and honest enough for most of us to realize that we aren't smart enough to be president, therefore we don't need someone 'like us' - but rather smarter than us.

The disconnect comes of course because politicians are by nature usually pooled from the wealthier class (you have to have that advantage to be able to campaign while most of us actually work) and therefore out of touch with what the common people have to deal with daily to survive. Her sole appeal - other than being relatively attractive - is that she seems at least a bit more in tune with the average American dysfunctional family than some law school graduate that never struggled a day in their lives. Assuming she has - and I don't know that and shall not waste my time on the research.

I think all of the comments about Republicans being stupid however shows an arrogance and stupidity that surpasses Mrs. Palin's. While I realize it is largely playful banter to illustrate party differences, I think there is an arrogance in the Democratic party in assuming their consituents are much brighter in nature. Granted, I will give you that likely more mouth breathing, flag waving, likely blue collar Americans are Republican, it's a grossly unfair generalization to assume and make statements to the effect that the majority of democrats are any brighter. You can look at segments of the population and make general statements - more college professors are liberals, therefore the dems are smarter by makeup. But how many college professor are there compared to normal folks working normal 9-5's. A lot of liberal these days tend to be college students - and from what I've seen (and I live in a town where the majority of residents are college students) attending school past the required twelve grades most certainly does not make you a genius, or even that smart.

There are many who are either in the Republican party, or who are supporters that are extremely bright. Just because you don't like them or agree with their politics does not lessen that fact. If the Republican party could convince Charles Krauthammer to run, I'd vote for him hands down. And before you reject him as some 'Fox News' automaton - read some of his articles. Brilliant, brilliant man and not so hypocritically biased as so many others seem to be.

The Democratic party and most of its supporters reminds me of the more right wing christian groups. They talk about Jesus and God, about love and understanding and peace - yet they hate everyone who isn't in their camp. The liberals are the same; they try to espouse that they are somehow enlightened to bring more peace and harmony to mankind - yet they hate anyone that is not a liberal. Political hyocracy, religious hypocracy - it's all the same.

workhomeunion - "you have to look at the fact that she did not apply to be McCain's running mate, they came to her."

I'm glad you mentioned this as it melds beautifully with a thought I just had in the bath.

Two key points -

1/ Sarah Palin was not selected for the VP spot for her talents 2/ You reap what you sow.

Point 1/ first - John McCain picked Sarah Palin as a last resort to fill the VP spot on his ticket.

You will remember the two leading male candidates - Mitt Romney and Joe Lieberman - were ruled out due to the Mormon beliefs of the former and the pro-abortion views of the latter. Both of these were red capes to a bull to the conservative base.

Then candidate Obama brought Hillary Clinton on board and suddenly the game changed. Sen. McCain was virtually forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel AND choose a woman to counter The Hillary Factor.

You will also remember Sen. McCain had barely said a word to Sarah Palin before he called her and asked her to run.

This alone shows Sarah Palin was NEVER a factor in Sen. McCain's strategy until his strategy had nearly hit the wall.

Add to that, Sen. McCain's campaign team said they had thoroughly vetted Sarah Palin - which turned out to be one of the many bizarre claims on the campaign trail that turned out to be false.

So, point 1/ Sarah Palin was not selected for the VP spot for her talents.

The last point - You reap what you sow - is precisely what happened as a result of Sen. McCain's disatrous choice of Sarah Palin.

She exploded on the scene with a roar, and then rapidly went downhill as she displayed shocking knowledge holes, intelligence flaws and character deficiencies both in interviews and on the campaign trail.

You will also remember that McCain's team were doing everything they could to keep her OFF the campaign trail because they realized what an incompetent disaster she really was.

Sarah Palin's flaws, added to the fact she was never a realistic choice and never had talent that would have made her a realistic choice, then became instrumental factors that brought the GOP house of cards tumbling down.

Oh, and the economy that Bush/Cheney sent flying off the cliff.

1000 pro-life right wing nutters who actually think this empty headed idealogue will return the GOP to power. It's amazing how people seem to live in a bubble and think that while they're part of a narrow minority they really are in the mainstream.

Heh, and the low-rating JT sitcom continues.

There are many who are either in the Republican party, or who are supporters that are extremely bright.

I know that there are many Republicans who are bright. It's just that many of those do NOT support Palin. The brighter they are, the less likely they are to think Palin is a good choice for their party.

You should apologize to the millions of people who support Sarah Palin.

You mean the same Sarah Palin who went on the campaign trail and said the following: "We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation." -- thereby dissing millions of Americans who don't fit within her narrow little mind?

What a dumb thing for any candidate to say....

I think all of the comments about Republicans being stupid however shows an arrogance and stupidity that surpasses Mrs. Palin's.

What? You don't think the Republicans have hurt the country enough? I won't mind being called those things as long as it prevents another one like the last from inhabiting the White House. Put a decent, intelligent Republican up there instead of this representative of the dregs of their party.

If the Republican party could convince Charles Krauthammer to run, I'd vote for him hands down. And before you reject him as some 'Fox News' automaton - read some of his articles. Brilliant, brilliant man and not so hypocritically biased as so many others seem to be.

I've read Krauthammer since he wrote for The New Republic back in the 80s. His "brilliance" comes in very narrow areas. Meanwhile, there are entire dimensions that are missing from his thinking.

They talk about Jesus and God, about love and understanding and peace - yet they hate everyone who isn't in their camp.

Actually, liberals are like lemmings who understand the law of gravity. We do not like those who want to lead us off a cliff and tell us it's flying. (Be it supply-side economics, or Bush's "ownership society" which promoted the housing bubble.) For those who truly want to do the right thing, and who are dedicated to the pursuit of truth, we have plenty of love and understanding. Lying dissemblers should know no peace.

Skipthesong.... "Again, I took it as a noble thing for her to give up her seat while she spent time trying to clear her name up thus not taking tax money"

but wait a minute. She did not give up the seat when was running for another office, so is that ignoble??

She kept drawing a salary from Alaska while she was shopping in New York and campaigning for Republicans, but she quits when the campaign is over so she can write a book?

Maybe your heart is in the right place, but you are blatantly ignoring the facts, the timelines, and the expense accounts.

Fair enough Yabits - and given that the last dolt was indeed just that. But the dems have had their share as well. As much as you guys love to slobber over Jimmy Carter - and I don't care if he gets a bloody sainthood for hammering together some plywood homes - he is still rated as one of the worst presidents ever, and deservedly so. And I'm not making that up - check it out. Examples abound of idiocy and bad decisions on both sides. But calling each other idiots seems rather childish and something relegated to the playground. I suppose if that's your style, so be it. I personally don't think arrogance and a superiority complex are traits to be proud of, nor deserved. I've yet to see any person without fault. With the risk of over-exaggerating the reasoning, thinking 'your side' is superior to 'their side' is the stuff and stomping jackboots and twisted crosses. Certainly not what your party is about, so why practice such unpleasantness?

"I don't agree with you, so your stupid" just seems an unhealthy and non-productive line of reasoning.

Sarge

""the single-digit IQs of the people who support this dolt"

You just dissed millions of people."

Careful Sarge. There is some Republican math sneaking in here. It is unlikely that there are millions of people with single digit IQs, if that is your point. IQ is a bell curve. Cutting the US population in half, lets say you get 150 million people. Single digit IQ is basically human vegetable territory, accounting for certainly no more than 1% of the low end of the bell curve. 1% of 150 million people is 1.5 million. I would say that Smith might be dissing a million people when he makes that comment, but probably much less.

Tigermoth. Great honesty. It seems you have a decision to make. If you don't like the religious right controlling your party and you think that the Dems are whacko, then you are out of luck. That pretty well sews up your choices.

Assuming that Krauthammer will not start his own party, where do YOU think moderate Republicans will go in 2012?

5speedracer5: You've hit the nail on the head where will moderate Republicans go in 2012. At this rate they'll stay home. I'll probably write in Ron Paul if he doesn't run again.

Good question 5Speed and I'm not sure. According to some loons the earth will end and we'll all be dead by 2012, so who knows? Amazing that a bunch of Mayan Indians could frighten all hell out of a whole slew of 'civilized' people by simply ending their calendar.

I'm one of the likely growing numbers of Americans who simply are tired of politics - and politicians - in general. Two party systems, checks and balances. Great. It means most of the time they're deadlocked and nothing gets accomplished. Well-meaning bills get crammed full of tag ons that spell their doom. Idealists and those with real vision get shot down or corrupted. Rosey picture? No. Right wing religious wackos with no cluse, left wing hippy wannabees that are unrealistically out of touch. I'm seen as middle class, but actually live quite hand-to-mouth so they want to tax me more when I barely make ends meet so that those 'less fortunate' can survive. Hey, I'm barely surviving.

We've taken a good, workable at least semi-democratic experiment and turned it into something of a nightmare. Doesn't anyone see issue when Wall Street would panic and the Dow would fluctuate wildly if there was a storm in the gulf or Prime Minister of Pickledash split his trousers and threatened armed conflict?

I'm not all gloom; we can repair it all and make something work. The President's wild spending - while at least he's trying something and I understand why he did it - is not effective and is going to be a nightmare for later generations (my opinion - but not an economist and not arrogant enough to claim that I know any better). On the other side we have Palin. Okay - that's a joke. And that's the problem, there are few to no strong leaders in either camp. I don't root for either 'team'; I think that when someone becomes our President we have to give them our hope and support. I had genuinely hoped President Obama might be in the mold of FDR and help drag us out of this mess. I haven't seen it yet. He's young, the adminsitration is young. While unfair conclusions seem to be the American way, time will tell.

Tigermoth: You are presenting a very confusing line of reasoning.

First you agree with most of humanity that the guy before Obama was indeed a "dolt." Then you say that the Democrats have had their share of bad presidents, and use Carter as an example. But Carter, while an ineffective politician, has never and could never be descibed as someone who is a dolt. (Not unless the person trying to do so was a dolt themselves.) You could not get far in Admiral Rickover's Navy by being one. Nuclear stuff is very unforgiving.

So let us focus on your great truth that the U.S., in 2000, was responsible for putting a real dolt in office. And re-electing the dolt in 2004. How does this happen without the willing support of millions of stupid people? I give you the rise of Sarah Palin, on her little book tour.

This goes FAR beyond simple disagreement of the issues. This is about the hiring of a complete dolt to run the country. Just because the nuclear engineer Jimmy Carter disappointed you personally does not mean we should be seeking out leaders who are stupid as well as unqualified. The stakes here go far beyond what someone thinks of as proper decorum.

"I don't agree with you, so your stupid" just seems an unhealthy and non-productive line of reasoning.

I can't see how calling out stupid AS stupid is unhealthy in any way.

left wing hippy wannabees that are unrealistically out of touch

Where? Who?

Where? Who? Where do you live? I'll give you an example. I'm in NY but not so long ago worked in Vermont. Vermont is the liberal capital of the world. If you've never been there - trust me. They decided to have a protest because some local stores in Burlington were carrying a brand of apparel made by what had been charged as child/slave labor in some third world country. Out come all the university kids protesting; many hundreds (if not the 'thousand' as in Palin supporters!) of mostly young, liberal, hippy wannabee university students. They interviewed one kid who seemed to be a spokesman. As he was boldly denouncing the clothing manufacturer using this child/slave labor, the interviewer - with some amusement - pointed out that he was wearing a parka made by said company.

My liberal hippy wannabee definition: A liberal who will jump on the bandwagon of some issue, protest at the drop of the hat, is anti-war without ever understanding what the actual conflict is about, is more often 'anti-establishment' without really knowing or understanging what said 'establishment' is. Is all for social welfare programs - without any thought to where the money might come from, or the demographics of those being taxed to pay for said programs. Thinks any form of patriotism is corny and not in touch with our 'global society'. The 'think green man' crowd who don't realize that many of the very 'green' programs instituted are worse in the long run (example - my office - printers set to print on both sides of the page to 'save trees' and waste. The printer must run almost three times longer to print in this manner, so the electronic signature of the fan and printer running is more harmful than saving a bit of a tree). The hollywood types that hypocritically pretend to be so liberal, but live in million dollar mansions and likely do little to help their 'brothers' in need. I could go on and on. I perhaps use the term hippy a bit too loosely, but it's a metaphor I suppose for those who in the 1960's thought they were bringing about great social change by doing drugs, 'tuning in and dropping out man'. Great social change?? The greatest generation got us through a world war in the 1940's - their children were a huge disappointment. Today's liberals come from the generation of the 1960's that thought they had the answers to all, when they in fact had the answers to nothing. Is that clear enough man?

So let us focus on your great truth that the U.S., in 2000, was responsible for putting a real dolt in office. And re-electing the dolt in 2004. How does this happen without the willing support of millions of stupid people? I give you the rise of Sarah Palin, on her little book tour.

This goes FAR beyond simple disagreement of the issues. This is about the hiring of a complete dolt to run the country. Just because the nuclear engineer Jimmy Carter disappointed you personally does not mean we should be seeking out leaders who are stupid as well as unqualified. The stakes here go far beyond what someone thinks of as proper decorum.

I think much of the 'stupidity' here involves the same ignorance of actual brain usage that makes so many on here support one person over the other by nature of their political party. Republicans voted GB in mostly because he was a republican. Much as you hate all republicans and think they are 'stupid' - they hate all liberals and think your stupid. It's a never ending circle of stupidity in which you happily play along.

Tigermoth your post of 3:19am all I can say is you are exactly where I am.

Thanks usaexpat. It's a lonely place and nice to have the company. It seems as though all have left as I suppose the issue of Palin and her book is becoming tiresome. I cringe when she does her 'hockey mom and apple pie' thing. Not that I think there is anything wrong with what I hate to term as 'good old American values' as it's difficult to define what that means today. The religious right nuts like to go on about god and morality while the left denounces it as passe and somehow a bad thing. It seems that crowd want us to feel ashamed to be either proud of our country or who we are. I find that rather sad. While I too hate the arrogance of Americans at times, barring certain events we should be proud of what has been achieved here. That self-hate started in the 1960's with that lot of unwashed bozos. While getting high and listening to the Stones might be fun, it most certainly wasn't 'revolutionary'. Humankind was contemplating morality and the human condition long before the 1960's. To me that era is certainly where the liberals and conservatives really made the big split. And somehow as that generation of libersals grew up they deemed themeselves the 'new intelligensia' and fooled themselves into thinking they're somehow better and smarter than everyone else. It's akin to the Beatles going to see the Maharishi during that time and claiming him to be the end all in spiritual enlightenment. I've recently heard an interview with Sir Paul who now says it was all a load of garbage. The whole era was a load of garbage.

Obama was change and Sarah Palin is about real change. McCain had no chance of winning and it was actually a Hillary vs ObamaCash battle. Obama was almost his own party and Palin is similiar = maybe it is time to end the two-party race. I vote for the anti-Federal Reserve party.

Check it, but I never said that Palin supporters were smart, rather that the Republican party, or conservatives as a whole are not as stupid as liberals hypocritically claim them to be. Admittedly in this thread you have confined your denunciations to her supporters, but in general here, and in the past, the pronouncement has been much more all ecompassing.

Check it, but I never said that Palin supporters were smart, rather that the Republican party, or conservatives as a whole are not as stupid as liberals hypocritically claim them to be.

And I would certainly never classify people like the late Wm. F. Buckley, the late Bill Safire, and George Will (and countless other examples) as stupid.

If we can look at actions on a spectrum where at one end we have "self-destructive" and at the opposite end "sustaining," then, when I use the word stupid, I am decrying what I see are ideas which promote policies which are unsustainable to the point of being self-destructive. For example, on the campaign trail last year we had all those Palin toadies who would grunt out "drill, baby, drill..." as though drilling was the solution to the energy needs of the United States. (The U.S. can only supply less than 5% of its energy needs from domestic supply and drilling in places like ANWR might bump that up a couple of percentage points for less than 2 years. Some solution.)

I grew up in the 1950s and 60s and I don't disparage those times as much as you appear to. The tools that we take for granted today likely appeared as prototypes and concepts in the Whole Earth Catalog back in the 1960s.

And so as not to stray off topic, I want to point out one very seminal event of the early 1960s -- the Cuban missile crisis -- and the importance of having sane, rational, intelligent, wise people in and around the Oval Office. I am over 90% certain that had the U.S. had trigger-happy, mindless gunslingers in the office (like Palin and the dolt you mentioned earlier), none of us would be around today to be having these discussions. Not that those dolts and psychos didn't exist back then: LeMay was all for a shooting war.

And that's where I formed my permanent derision with U.S. ultra-conservatives, of which Palin is the latest in a much-devolved strain. Back then, those conservatives were saying that an all-out shooting war with the Russians was going to be inevitable because they could and would never, ever change their system from within. Once Red, always Red -- once the dominoes fall there is no going back, and therefore it was better to be dead (and bring death to everyone else on the planet) than to be red. Never in history has a group been so wrong about something with such self-destructive consequences.

The intellectual depth of Palin's staunch supporters just so happens not to be one of them.

Actually, you are definitely understating. Palin has a lot of very intelligent people who like her, and who agree with her. That you are on the opposite side of the political spectrum and choose to denigrate people who disagree with you is fine. But keep in mind, Dems themselves have 2 main groups of supporters. The poor, and the elites. That is who primarily make up the Democratic voting bloc. Those like yourself who think they know everything, and the poor and uneducated whose votes are bought and paid for by the Dems. These facts more then anything else suggest that there are idiots on both sides of the fence. Her supporters are not all just white trash as many of you Palin haters want to infer.

I agree with much of what Tigermoth stated above. Some good posts there, thanks.

Tigermoth, your assessment of the religeous right and the liberal left generally follows how I see it as well. Voting has become a real problem as I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. I'm proud to be an American and wish we could get our moral, financial and social footing back. The religeous right scares me and they've hi-jacked the Republican party. The democrats have shifted far enough left that John F. Kennedy wouldn't be among their ranks today. Where does that leave us in the middle? I tend to believe for the most part America is center right or center left. The problem is that our whole political process has been hi-jacked by fringe groups, special interests, and those that scream the loudest. The political discourse has been reduced to soundbites and "hot button issues" it's really very dicouraging.

(The U.S. can only supply less than 5% of its energy needs from domestic supply and drilling in places like ANWR might bump that up a couple of percentage points for less than 2 years. Some solution.)

That 2 year figure is of course nonsense. Prudhoe Bay has been providing oil for nearly 40 years now. And its estimated ANWR is even bigger then that. Mis-quoting figures provided by the environmentalists is not a good way to make your case. Drilling more is a solution, combine it with effective action in other areas, and it would help reduce dependence on foreign oil. Very few people would deny this. Its not the sole solution, nor the only solution, but its an effective one. And every barrel of oil we provide domestically is one less we have to import from elsewhere.

LeMay was all for a shooting war.

Talking about the Cuban missle crisis is quite the digression, so I won't follow you into it, but you seem to be implying that LeMay, one of the most brilliant and farseeing generals the Air Force ever had, was an idiot. Allow me to simply disagree, and leave it there.

sushisake3 says: Sarah Palin was instrumental in Sen. McCain and the GOP getting buried by candidate Obama, she has serious issues with her native language and clearly clings on to attitudes that lie on the extreme right of American consciousness . . . .

Uh . . . could you give concrete examples of native language issues and her extreme right attitudes?

"Cling" . . . . that word has become a cliche of the left. Rather than cliches or copycat language, how about some real examples justifying your statement?

Palin has a lot of very intelligent people who like her, and who agree with her.

Whoa, hoss. Can you provide examples of some intelligent Republicans who think Palin is a good choice to lead the party?

Whoa, hoss. Can you provide examples of some intelligent Republicans who think Palin is a good choice to lead the party?

How did you get from what I said, to this? I said...

Palin has a lot of very intelligent people who like her, and who agree with her.

Please note here, that I said nothing about thinking she is a good choice to lead anything. To me, she is a big question mark. I think a lot of people are the same way. I like some of what she has been saying lately, I think she is a bright woman who espouses at least publicly conservative principles. I don't buy into the haters spin that she is an idiot, or poor white trash. However it doesn't change the fact that she quit her high profile elected office, regardless of the reason for doing so. So lead... No, not right now. Maybe in 2012, but thats a couple years off still.

The poor, and the elites. That is who primarily make up the Democratic voting bloc.

Where do you classify college-age kids, who came out for Obama by a wide margin? How about union workers? You really think states like Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio are mainly made up of poor and elites?

I try not to make sweeping statements about ALL Republicans because I know there are some decent ones. But I can make generalizations about the kind of people who would wait in a line for hours for a bimbo, be she Paris Hilton or Sarah Palin.

Those like yourself who think they know everything, and the poor and uneducated whose votes are bought and paid for by the Dems.

So anyone who has more than a high school education is an "elite" by your definition. You must be able to squeeze some funky wine out of all those sour grapes: Isn't it amazing that the more intelligent a person is, the less likely their vote needs to be "bought" by Democrats? And so we have your sweeping generalization: A poor, uneducated person who votes for Democrats does so because they've paid for his vote.

And yet, if we look at the most uneducated areas of the country (by academic achievement) we'll find that these are generally solid red states -- Palin country.

Her supporters are not all just white trash as many of you Palin haters want to infer.

Not all. Not all. I would not be guilty of that sweeping generalization.

The democrats have shifted far enough left that John F. Kennedy wouldn't be among their ranks today. Where does that leave us in the middle?

Utter baloney. The conservative party has swung so far over the Palin lunatic fringe that the real center now only looks to be far left.

JFK would be perfectly comfortable with his fellow Harvard alumni, Barack Obama. And Teddy would have been the first to agree with that.

Prudhoe Bay has been providing oil for nearly 40 years now. And its estimated ANWR is even bigger then that. Mis-quoting figures provided by the environmentalists is not a good way to make your case.

Unless you consider the previous administration's Department of Energy as "the environmentalists." There is a great deal of doubt and uncertainty regarding the amount of oil in ANWR. Everyone who knows anything about it agrees that there isn't enough to make any kind of dent in world oil prices or U.S. consumption.

Yeah, we all know Palin wants to drill there. (Even though her running mate didn't.) That should be as good as an endorsement from Wilhelm Klink on how to run a prison.

Please note here, that I said nothing about thinking she is a good choice to lead anything.

I appreciate the clarification. Now about all those throngs who think she is....

I see this article about Palin's popularity has really got yabits hot under the collar! Tee hee!

JFK would be perfectly comfortable with his fellow Harvard alumni, Barack Obama. And Teddy would have been the first to agree with that.

Read some of JFKs positions and you'll realize how off base you are. Its certainly not a stretch to say that JFK from the 60s would be a conservative today. Admittedly people change over time, some become liberal, some become conservative. Look at Byrd for an extreme example. Going from a member of the KKK and opposed to Civil rights, to being a champion of them. However the point stands, JFK would be a conservative today by anyone's definition.

Unless you consider the previous administration's Department of Energy as "the environmentalists." There is a great deal of doubt and uncertainty regarding the amount of oil in ANWR. Everyone who knows anything about it agrees that there isn't enough to make any kind of dent in world oil prices or U.S. consumption.

Thus the case is made for actually drilling there. We don't know how much is down there, and until we do, we can't really make any kind of predictions. That said, the geologic formations are there for oil, everything points to it being a massive amount. Efforts to downplay this, either to keep hopes from becoming unrealistic, or because of environmental goals are not helpful, and quite frankly patently false. Regarding making a dent in world oil prices. Look and see what a short term disruption to the Alaskan pipeline did to energy prices a few years ago. Is rather obvious if you think about it. Every barrel of oil produced domestically, is one less needing to be imported. Why anyone wants to 'protect' ANWR from the evil oil companies is beyond me. Setting aside the facts that Caribou herds seem to be healthier due to Prudhoe Bay, the fearmongering by eco nuts about 'polluting' the environment, is really just a bunch of nonsense. The environmental laws are extreme, making even the slightest oil spill a big deal. Even oil leaks are immediately dealt with and cleaned up. So the scare tactics to me, just make no sense. This whole thing though is a digression from the original point, which was the drill, drill, drill. Increasing energy production here at home is a no brainer, and yet Dems don't want it. We can't have coal plants because ooh, scary pollution. Can't build nuclear because ooh, scary scary waste. And of course can't drill for oil either because, oh heaven forfend, we might spill a milliliter of oil, and then some poor bird might get that on them and get a rash! Enough said.

Regarding your response about who mostly comprises the Democratic parties voting bloc. Sorry, but the numbers speak for themselves. The majority of Dem supporters tend to be either highly educated rich white people, or high school educated poor blue collar type people. That said there are people of all races and demographics in each party. There are poor blacks who are Republican, and rich Whites likewise. Though the majority of Republicans seem to be middle class types.

Regarding who comprises the elites. How about college professors. Can't remember the exact number, but I saw a thing awhile back that said about 87% of college professors admitted to being or supporting the Democrats. Hollywood of course, but quite a few business people as well. Again, you have Republicans among these groups too, but say what you will, the numbers pretty much speak for themselves.

I appreciate the clarification. Now about all those throngs who think she is....

Getting back to Palin now. I think a lot of the people who are supporting her are jumping on the bandwagon. They see the media didn't give her a fair shake in the election, did everything they could to destroy her in point of fact. However when it comes down to election time, I seriously doubt all these cheerleaders will support her for elected office. Maybe if she is running to replace the newly elected Democratic Senator from Alaska, but for President, I think not.

Sorry Yabits, that is a huge post in response. But you had all those smaller posts, I wanted to respond to all of them together. Hope you can get through it.

5SpeedRacer5 at 02:08 AM JST "but wait a minute. She did not give up the seat when was running for another office, so is that ignoble??" You are correct and I do hold that against her and if I ever meet this great Canadian like lady, I'll tell her that. But really, I did fail to bring that part up.

She kept drawing a salary from Alaska while she was shopping in New York and campaigning for Republicans, but she quits when the campaign is over so she can write a book?" yes, she did and I think there needs to be a law against that. I don't want my tax dollars paying for a politicians salary and all they are doing is writing a book or not doing something for what they were elected for. This is a big problem in the US. Any other countries allow such crap.

Maybe your heart is in the right place, but you are blatantly ignoring the facts, the timelines, and the expense accounts.

Well, it is Michigan.....

Going Rogue? Is that the US way of saying Going Feral?

Have to comment on the Alaska/oil drilling thing only because it reminds me of another humorous incident involving what I coined earlier as the 'liberal hippy wannabees'. When Stevens was governor of Alaska there was a big call to begin drilling there and truckloads of 'environmentalists' - our heroes the liberal hippy wannabees - were trucked in to protest any such effort. At one point the issue was some road they were going to build that would cut through the wilderness. The humorous part was that one of them was going on to a reporter about how the drilling would utterly ruin the serenity of the area and ruin the lifestyles of the locals (keep in mind - none of the protestors were from Alaska). Then this reporter talked to the locals. Every one of them was for the road. As one put it (paraphrased) 'right now we can't get to stores or a hospital without driving a rough and dangerous route - this road would give us much better access to the neccesities of civilization'.

On that note, personally I don't think finding more oil is the answer. Developing a science to power hybrid cars in a clean and efficient way is the future. I think the global warming panic and a lot of the crap spewed by Al Gore and company is just so much panic bunk. Normal climate cyles and changes are more in effect than some mega-disasterous ecological melt-down - and many scientists agree with that - just depends which ones those with an agenda wish to ask. But like it or not, oil is a depletable source. And my main motivation would be to end dependence on foreign oil and tell them all to get stuffed. If part of the anger in the region is western interference, let them return to being nomadic herders and we can move forward.

Sorry, tying that in to Palin - the source of this thread - is tough. She's certainly not the answer to America's woes. I always think you can gauge a politician's intelligence and thoughtfulness in the first few minutes of listening to them speak. Look at the great ones; Lincoln, Churchill, FDR to a large degree, Jack Kennedy - even though he's a tad over-rated by longevity alone. When I first heard George Bush II speak it was instantly apparent that he didn't have it. Same with Palin. Love her, hate her, think she's kind of cool, hot - whatever; she's not presidential material. It's a shame that in this age of speechwriters and teleprompters it's more difficult to tell. Read some of Lincoln's papers and correspondence and you can see that he was a man of great intelligence, compassion, insight and depth. I have to admit that Palin's book is not, and will not be, on my 'to read' list. But I'm betting there isn't much of that in her book.

yabits: not buying it for a minute the left and right have both swung to their respective sides. Your going to tell me that Nancy Pelois is a moderate? You have to admit both parties are guilty of padering to their bases to have any credibility. Like I said there are a lot of people in the middle who really can't find much redeemable in eather party.

Read some of JFKs positions and you'll realize how off base you are. Its certainly not a stretch to say that JFK from the 60s would be a conservative today.

Yes, if he were alive and didn't learn a single thing since the early 60s, he likely would be a conservative today.

The thing we do know is that conservatives of the time tried to paint him as a liberal, just as the Palin crowd tries to paint moderates today. So this proves my point that it's the conservatives of the Palin variety who have gone over the fringe.

Your going to tell me that Nancy Pelois is a moderate?

One of the trademarks of a moderate is the willingness and ability to seek out a compromise. I see that quality in Pelosi, and I don't find it at all in Palin.

Yabits: seeking compromise maybe a sign of a moderate but her political idealogy is on the far left of the party. Palin is just a nut case who will hand the democrats four more years if she runs for president. I think your missing the point. Your comment on Kennedy is especially telling "and didn't learn anything since the early 60's, he would likely be a conservative today" Do you mean if he didn't swing to Pelosi's side of the party? Is that learning something? Look, Obama pulled center moderates like myself by pretending to be a moderate, his spending spree is assuring many people like myself will not vote for him in the next election. I want a moderate, intelligent, fiscal conservative who does not pander to the hippy dippy left or the bible thumping right wing droolers.

usaexpat: I know far left. Trust me. Pelosi is pretty far away from far left. The problem comes when those on the right (like Palin) try to define "far left."

You make some very interesting points on which I'd love to comment at length in response. Unfortunately they don't relate to the topic.

Yabits: 8:10am. I try not to make sweeping statements about ALL Republicans because I know there are some decent ones. But I can make generalizations about the kind of people who would wait in a line for hours for a bimbo, be she Paris Hilton or Sarah Palin.

I disagree. Your completly wrong. She might be label as you say "bimbo" with Paris Hilton, but Palin has positioned herself as the single most valuable power broker for the GOP in the 2010 elections. In reality, in close primaries pitting Republican against Republican, and in close general elections for the Senate or Congress, Sarah Palin's endorsement and/or campaigning for a candidate can get that person elected. In addition, Palin can raise alot of money for a party and for candidates who would otherwise be strapped for cash. These are formidable political powers and by freeing herself from Alaska will she be able to exercise them. I wouldn't take her lightly.

She might be label as you say "bimbo" with Paris Hilton, but Palin has positioned herself as the single most valuable power broker for the GOP in the 2010 elections.

Yes, she knows how to get the birthers, wackos, teabaggers, and other knuckle-draggers -- aka Republicans without much cash -- to show up and throw what few dollars they have her way.

Sarah Palin's endorsement and/or campaigning for a candidate can get that person elected.

I agree with you. And what a sad commentary that is for the Republican Party and, in turn, for a country which desperately needs a credible opposition party. Sarah Palin is the Republicans' Reverend Al Sharpton.

Clever move by an Alaskan politician the state media keeps dismissing as irrelevant.

Democrat-controlled Michigan has the highest unemployment rates in the country.

Democrat-controlled Michigan....

LOL!! That will come as news to the Republican majority in the upper house of the state's Congress. The state has had plenty of Republican governors too.

Here's a great Palin quote from her book: "If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come he made them out of meat?" (There's a great case to be made for cannibalism out of that one.)

Again, as I stated earlier, why -- if the detractors of Gov. Palin are right about her -- is she still getting so much press, negative press? The Left-leaning MSM in the USA cannot leave her alone, and are even going after FOXNews (AGAIN) on her account. If Gov. Palin is so NOT it, why all the snipping and sniping at her from the left, from Democrats, and from the Media? If Sara Palin is so irrelevant to the political world in the USA, why is she still gaining headlines? Why does Bristol's jack @%!! former boyfriend find more and more life in the media? And if others, such as Pawlenty, Jindal, Romney, and Giuliani -- or Ron Paul, for that matter -- are so relevant and "better" for the GOP niomination, where is the MSM and their sniping? Why is it that the left are basically leaving them alone, yet almost incessantly coming after Gov. Palin?

This is more and more telling as time goes on. Like killer bees, the left in general is attacking the one they see as a serious threat, all the while, leaving the rest alone...

If Gov. Palin is so NOT it, why all the snipping and sniping at her from the left, from Democrats, and from the Media?

Maybe because they actually do want the right to be sensible? Its like trying to get a relative to back away from the cliff's edge. Things might get a little tense!

Palin left 300 plus of her fans in the cold and rain to leave her Indiana signing early. She just took off without saying anything to the folks who had waited all day.

She will take the wingers money but when she if finished, its sayonara baby.

Anyone waiting for her book deserves to be shafted.

I disagree. Your completly wrong. She might be label as you say "bimbo" with Paris Hilton, but Palin has positioned herself as the single most valuable power broker for the GOP in the 2010 elections. In reality, in close primaries pitting Republican against Republican, and in close general elections for the Senate or Congress, Sarah Palin's endorsement and/or campaigning for a candidate can get that person elected. In addition, Palin can raise alot of money for a party and for candidates who would otherwise be strapped for cash. These are formidable political powers and by freeing herself from Alaska will she be able to exercise them. I wouldn't take her lightly.

Palin is a brainless embarassment for the US, having said that I actually agree with the above to some extent. It is evidence of the dumbing down & stupification of america, it is scary & for me its sad watching many of US population becoming dumber & dumber.

thx for confirming what I just wrote, wish what I wrote wasnt true but sadly yr comment only reaffirms my theory

"Palin left 300 plus of her fans in the cold and rain"

Is that your best shot? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

"Palin is a brainless embarassment"

She can most likely spell embarrassment correctly.

And if others, such as Pawlenty, Jindal, Romney, and Giuliani -- or Ron Paul, for that matter -- are so relevant and "better" for the GOP niomination, where is the MSM and their sniping? Why is it that the left are basically leaving them alone, yet almost incessantly coming after Gov. Palin?

Look at it this way: If a major party is so dumb to have seriously considered this unqualified bimbo for their ticket, why not trump it up? The Republican Party can't be seen as dumb for promoting a Pawlenty or a Romney. But Palin? Hoo boy....

Did any of that sink in?

"this unqualified bimbo"

Palin is more qualified than the current president.

sarge

how so?

GW - She has executive experience, plus she realizes that capitalism works and that government needs to stay out of people's lives, something our current president doesn't realize.

Palin is more qualified than the current president.

I agree with the statement to the extent that Palin is more qualified to lead the ignorant rabble who don't know what leadership in the 21st century is, and who want to turn the clock back to some time that existed only in the fantasies of their feeble minds.

The yearning for Palin to take charge is the yearning for angry barracuda pit bull shotgun-toting hockey mommy to come and spank the unruly kids who are ruining everything. In other words, the yearning of an immature child.

Yabits is just pissed off that Palin is proving to be more popular than ever.

Yabits is just pissed off that Palin is proving to be more popular than ever.

I would be upset if the United States electorate ever stooped so low as to scrape the bottom of the barrel that the dregs of Palin represent.

But as to her growing popularity, I remind myself of the saying that there's a sucker born every minute.

I would be pleased to see the GOP send an unelectable candidate like Palin to the 2012 election.

After the Obama debacle a candidate like Palin stands little chance. She's too young and like Obama she is untested.

"I would be pleased to see the GOP send an unelectable candidate like Palin to the 2012 election"

Assuming Palin is unelectable ( she wouldn't be ), you mean you would be pleased to see the Obama debacle continue for another 4 years?

Assuming Palin is unelectable ( she wouldn't be ), you mean you would be pleased to see the Obama debacle continue for another 4 years?

If the GOP feels so then they will send her. I have no doubt she would lose. The Obama presidency isn't great but it's vastly superior to the Bush presidency. I can't imagine a Palin presidency would be better.

I see we have another 'Big Oil' fantasist here.

Specifically, mr zurcronium, can you tell us what oil companies former Governor Palin is in the pockets of?

Question for all the Palin haters:

Did you think John Kerry's vice presidential running mate John Edwards was a good choice? Yeah? Then how come y'all can be considered to be qualified to judge Sarah Palin?

I cant believe this story got even ten responses. Palin is irrelevant. Irrelevant.Irrelevant.Irrelevant.Irrelevant.

seiji - Amazing, huh!

In her book, Palin says the McCain campaign spent $50,000 to investigate her before he chose her as his runnning mate. When McCain heard this, he said, "We should have spent $75,000." Hee hee, that one tickled my funny bone!

seijichuudo9sha: I cant believe this story got even ten responses. Palin is irrelevant. Irrelevant.Irrelevant.Irrelevant.Irrelevant.

The reason why there are so many comments about Palin is due to the hatred that the Left feels for her. They see any prominent woman who doesn't agree with them as a threat that must be destroyed. It's the same irrationale fear that generated so much vitriole for Clarence Thomas.

In the Liberal mind, a successful career woman cannot have traditional values. She cannot believe that abortion is a serious moral issue. She cannot believe in individual freedom and liberty. For this reason, Palin has garnered millions of supporters that are repulsed by such hatred for someone that has the same world-view as themselves. Liberals do not like it when someone that is supposed to be on their side dare to think differently from them. They can't understand why a working woman like Palin can be a Conservative - they just can't comprehend it.

Palin is a moron. The media is trying to set her up as the next president. likely because she is a complete moron.

Yes, she knows how to get the birthers, wackos, teabaggers, and other knuckle-draggers -- aka Republicans without much cash -- to show up and throw what few dollars they have her way.

Ah, Yabits my friend you crack me up. So now anyone who is a Republican without financial means up to your level is stupid. Is that the mindset of most of the liberal faux intelligensia these days? Reminds me of one of my university suitemates. Great guy; became fiercely liberal, smoked a lot of weed and then started smoking a pipe and talking about how much he adored 'fine wine'. He's a social worker now; noble in his own way - but smart? That would be a great stretch. My point? I have friends that are liberal that are brilliant, and friends that are liberal that are morons. Conversely, I have friends that are conservative that are brilliant, and others that are indeed your knuckle dragging morons. Same with the independents/in-betweeners. I just don't buy into the 'we're brighter that you' nonsense. It's self-serving and hypocritical of the liberal mob - not to mention contrary to your basic believe system I should think - to assume any air of superiority. A great portion of the democratic party is poor - does that make them stupid as well? Or do you suppose that somehow the indigent masses are more intelligent based upon a lever they flick in an election booth? Don't answer - I already know your reply.

belief system - sorry, had better check my spelling so as not to be categorized!

The republican party is full of morons, Palin is just one of them. In a country that could elect an imbecile like Bush for two terms anything is possible. The republicans tend to be nothing short of criminal and ought to be outlawed. Palin as president would ensure USA isolation.

I don't know whats up with all the Michigan being a super conservative state. I use to live there.. well I'll be honest I wanted to move from there for the longest time I'm note defending it for other reasons .....anyways you all realize Michigan voted for Obama right? Palin would never stand a chance getting a vote from there.

I don't know whats up with all the Michigan being a super conservative state.

It's mostly been conservative democrates winning elections lately. But due to mounting disatisfaction with elected officials and what can only be described as pure vitriol for Governor Grandholm. While I wouldn't go so far as to support Palin I can understand that frustration may lead some people to do peculiar things.

The left's hate for Sarah Palin is interesting. They were so exuberant with their fearless leader, Obama, but then he turned out to be worse than an empty suit. I continue to find it interesting to watch the left, with all of their failed policies, go after a women who speaks her mind. I guess the left is a group of misogynists after all.

She can write? Those cheering can't read. What's she doing????

The reason why there are so many comments about Palin is due to the hatred that the Left feels for her. They see any prominent woman who doesn't agree with them as a threat that must be destroyed. It's the same irrationale fear that generated so much vitriole for Clarence Thomas.

You couldn't be more wrong, but what do you expect from someone who voted for Bush.

No the reason most rational people despise Palin, and it's not just the left, is because she is an even less qualified idiot than Bush was. 8 years of international embarrassment was enough.

I hate to smack down an unarmed person in a battle of wits, but please use a spell checker. The words are "irrational" and "vitriol."

Question for all the Palin haters:

Did you think John Kerry's vice presidential running mate John Edwards was a good choice? Yeah? Then how come y'all can be considered to be qualified to judge Sarah Palin?

Because she's an idiot. Very simply. This is a content-of-character judgment. Not more. Not less.

And also because John McCain picked her purely to pander American women into voting for him. Because she is a woman. Because Hilary lost and he thought he could rake in all the butt-hurt feminist voters who really wished for a Madame president, this time around. Any woman with active brain cells should have seen right through this & been capitally insulted by the gesture.

She makes no sense whatsoever, accept for when she stands there. In those cruel and unusual moments between the opening and closing of her mouth (accept maybe for Todd Palin..), migraines activate, Jesus cries, small children also cry. And veteran reporters punished by being assigned to listen to it.. contemplate suicide.

If you can listen to her speak and not suffer from either an aneurysm, or a fit of nonsense-induced rage.. then not only do you deserve a medal but I wish to know where you acquired your vaccination.

If you can listen to her a glean from it a coherent expression of coherent, original and/or factual thought, then I demand to know which Rosetta Stone volume showed you the way.

One reliable way to assess people is by the names they choose for their children, the Palins and the Heenes being good examples.

So now anyone who is a Republican without financial means up to your level is stupid.

I notice how you took my description of "teabaggers" and other types who drool over Palin to make it somehow to apply to all Republicans, or even an entire class of Republicans whose annual income is below that of the average American.

A great portion of the democratic party is poor - does that make them stupid as well? Or do you suppose that somehow the indigent masses are more intelligent based upon a lever they flick in an election booth?

Is a chicken who votes for Col. Sanders stupid? Since I believe that a vote for self-destruction (as opposed to sustainability) is a vote for stupidity, I say "yes." You obviously feel differently. A poor person who rejects Palin has something on the ball.

She makes no sense whatsoever, accept for when she stands there. In those cruel and unusual moments between the opening and closing of her mouth (accept maybe for Todd Palin..), migraines activate, Jesus cries, small children also cry. And veteran reporters punished by being assigned to listen to it.. contemplate suicide. If you can listen to her speak and not suffer from either an aneurysm, or a fit of nonsense-induced rage.. then not only do you deserve a medal but I wish to know where you acquired your vaccination.

Are you recommending she get a teleprompter??