McCain's Vice President

[Curiosity]

Today John McCain released his Vice Presidential candidate choice - Sarah Palin - currently Governor of Alaska. Most of the websites are difficult to get into right now - but this is an interesting one about her...if you don't already know her. Certainly in line with Obama's prediction of Change.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64876

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]GOOD NEWS![/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=+2]Mom rejects abortion after Down syndrome diagnosis[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=+1]Praise for governor: 'May God give America more women like her'[/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=-1]Posted: May 20, 2008[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]9:29 pm Eastern[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]© 2008 WorldNetDaily [/SIZE]

Gov. Sarah Palin
Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska is known for being attractive (a former pageant winner, she was featured in a Vogue photo shoot this year), forceful (her opponents have nicknamed her "Sarah Barracuda") and a possible running mate for John McCain. Challenging circumstances now also have made her a shining example of personal pro-life convictions.
In December, her doctor told her that prenatal tests indicated the child she was expecting in May would be born with Down Syndrome, a genetic condition that stems from an extra chromosome and that impedes a child's physical, intellectual and language development.
Only one year into her governorship and with four children at home already, a child with Down syndrome would present serious challenges. Studies in the late 90s showed that more than 80 percent of prenatal Down syndrome diagnoses end in abortion.
Ending the pregnancy, however, was never an option for the Palins. On April 18, Sarah Palin gave birth to a 6-pound, 2-ounce son, Trig Paxson Van Palin.
"We've both been very vocal about being pro-life," Palin told the Associated Press, speaking of herself and her husband, Todd. "We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential."
The day after the birth, the Palins released the following statement: "Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed."
Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, commended Gov. Palin, telling WND that she "is even more beautiful inside than out. Her proud and warm announcement of the birth of their special child revealed the depth of love and faith of this extraordinary woman. May God give America more women and statesmen like her."
Trig Paxson Van Palin gets his unusual name from a number of sources. Grandfather Chuck Heath told KTUU in Anchorage that Trig is named after his great uncle, a Bristol Bay fisherman, and Paxson comes from a well-known snowmachining area in Alaska.
The middle name Van, however, may have the most interesting origin. Gov. Palin joked with an Anchorage Daily News reporter that she and Todd have "always liked the middle name Van because, you know, growing up in the '80s, Van Palin (which rhymes with rock band Van Halen) would be a really cool name."
Three days after the birth, the governor brought baby Trig and husband Todd to her office in Anchorage. There seemed to be little slowdown for the governor who in her short tenure so far has line-item vetoed massive sections of the state budget, taken on her own party's state chairman for ethics violations and fired the Alaska Board of Agriculture.
"It's a sign of the times to be able to do this," she told the Associated Press. "I can think of so many male candidates who watched families grow while they were in office. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected."
Gov. Palin has some precedent to follow. U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas has a son with Down syndrome. U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Washington state Republican, is campaigning for her third term, even while she celebrates the fire birthday of her son Cole, also born the genetic anomaly.
"It's in human nature to focus on the negative," Rodgers said, "on what the person can't do. In our mind, we are focused on what he can do, what he will be able to do and do very well."
Gov. Palin has a similar outlook. In an e-mail she sent to relatives and friendsthe day of Trig's birth, she wrote: "Many people will express sympathy, but you don't want or need that, because Trig will be a joy…Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed-up world…Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome."

 

[Kreskin]

Is America ready for her to be President should McCain's health become an issue?

 

[Tonington]

Smart choice for McCain.

 

[Curiosity]

Kreskin

She has been managing the affairs of Alaska very successfully since she became Governor and that state is busy with offshore drilling and pipeline issues in the past year or so - I am surprised she had time to make a baby. I am also surprised because she turned down the original offer months ago. (Unless they agreed to keep it quiet - a good idea).

She is only 44 - not exactly geriatric material or did you mean her lack of experience or ?

So many websites are stunned into non-operation down here, I think the announcement is having an impact.

Perhaps it would have been more interesting if Hillary had been nominated as BO's VP.

She seems like an intelligent and active woman politically with a supportive family backing her up.

 

[Curiosity]

Smart choice for McCain.

Agreed - I love the idea of a change - that's what Obama was asking for.

http://iowaindependent.com/2535/commentary-why-john-mccain-will-select-sarah-palin-as-running-mate

 

[Tonington]

So, no matter which party wins the Whitehouse, there will be change, at least as far as race and gender go.....the rest, I'm not so sure.

 

[Kreskin]

I'm glad she had the 'choice' to carry her baby to term. Are there many Hillary supporters who want a woman in office who supports any federal or state legislation outlawing the right to make your own reproductive decisions?

Will be an interesting two months.

 

[Praxius]

Well his pick is certainly predictable.... No offensive to McCain, but in general thinking, he's an old white man running on many of the same principles Bush has been using for the last 8 years..... he needs a counter-balance, and a youger female can do that for him. At the very least, she holds the potiential of snatching a few more female voters who wanted to originally vote for Clinton.

Regardless of who she is, It's still McCain people will have to have as president if they vote Republican..... just as it doesn't matter who Obama's vice is going to be..... it'll be Obama people will have as president if they vote Democratic..... which they will both carry their plans and objectives as already stated as before if they win..... for the most part, the Vice isn't going to make that much of a difference..... if it was, then we'd be voting for her, not McCain.... he's running for a reason.... because he's supposed to be the best the Reps have to offer, just like Obama to the Dems.

I mean, being straight forward and honest about it..... Obama has age/generation, race, and the hunger for something other then Bush policies supporting him..... it's typical, if not the only option, McCain has to have a fighting chance against Obama now, which is to get a female backing him up. The Race/Gender issue worked well for the Democrats for the last number of months.... why not stick with the formula?

If not.... what else does he have?

 

[Colpy]

I'm glad she had the 'choice' to carry her baby to term. Are there many Hillary supporters who want a woman in office who supports any federal or state legislation outlawing the right to make your own reproductive decisions?

Will be an interesting two months.

Nobody, in the USA or here, is going to try and institute a ban on early-term abortion.

This is the greatest fear tactic of the liberal, and it has no basis in truth.

 

[Colpy]

I mean, being straight forward and honest about it..... Obama has age/generation, race, and the hunger for something other then Bush policies supporting him..... it's typical, if not the only option, McCain has to have a fighting chance against Obama now, which is to get a female backing him up. The Race/Gender issue worked well for the Democrats for the last number of months.... why not stick with the formula?

You should look a little closer Praxius.

Bush and McCain disagree on about everything.

Bush is the darling of the republican right-wing, McCain is the nightmare of same.

Bush and McCain, despite public appearances to the contrary, loathe each other.

McCain is a man of principle........imagine! A strong, man of principle as President, a woman of principle as VP. I like it!

 

[TenPenny]

I can hear it now, just like poker: 'I'll see your black guy, and raise you a woman'....

 

[Avro]

Nobody, in the USA or here, is going to try and institute a ban on early-term abortion.

This is the greatest fear tactic of the liberal, and it has no basis in truth.

Nobody will try, but that dosen't mean many don't want to, I mean, doctors in the states have to go for special training to deal with nutty god freaks who believe in devine intervention.:roll:

This choice by McCain will appease many of the loony whack jobs on the right and take some of the thunder away from the dumbocrats in being progressive on race and gender.

Good pick, but nothing more than a political one.

 

[Walter]

An inspired choice. Just heard her acceptance speech; Wow!

 

[talloola]

It doesn't matter how had they try to hide it, that nosy snoopy pushy media always finds
out before it is announced. They did it with Biden, and they did it this morning as well,
as CNN announced that they had found a private plane 'somewhere', which had just landed
and saw a woman with a group of men, secretly leaving the plane, and into a building, so
they figured it was her.

I'm sure she will be fine, one doesn't need, and probably shouldn't have, inside washington
experience to be president, washington needs fresh ideas, fresh faces, and many of the
old boys, including McCain, should be launched, on the next ship to mars.
If she happens to become president, cause you never know what will happen to McCain,
she could get Condi to come back to her sec. of state position, what a fresh cabinet
that would be, as I'm sure Condi Rice is sick, sick, sick, of the cabinet she is stuck in.

Our world needs to stop this type of governing which is eating up the lives of the citizens,
stealing from them, and killing them in wars that shouldn't happen, and at the same time
threatening others in the world, it makes me sick.
And, it's too bad other countries, with the same type of leadership, haven't got the right
to vote them out of office, as we have.

 

[Avro]

It doesn't matter how had they try to hide it, that nosy snoopy pushy media always finds
out before it is announced. They did it with Biden, and they did it this morning as well,
as CNN announced that they had found a private plane 'somewhere', which had just landed
and saw a woman with a group of men, secretly leaving the plane, and into a building, so
they figured it was her.

I'm sure she will be fine, one doesn't need, and probably shouldn't have, inside washington
experience to be president, washington needs fresh ideas, fresh faces, and many of the
old boys, including McCain, should be launched, on the next ship to mars.
If she happens to become president, cause you never know what will happen to McCain,
she could get Condi to come back to her sec. of state position, what a fresh cabinet
that would be, as I'm sure Condi Rice is sick, sick, sick, of the cabinet she is stuck in.

Our world needs to stop this type of governing which is eating up the lives of the citizens,
stealing from them, and killing them in wars that shouldn't happen, and at the same time
threatening others in the world, it makes me sick.
And, it's too bad other countries, with the same type of leadership, haven't got the right
to vote them out of office, as we have.

If Condi wanted out she would have left like everyone else did. She knows what shes doing and subscribes to all the wrongs of the Bush admin.

 

[Colpy]

I can hear it now, just like poker: 'I'll see your black guy, and raise you a woman'....

:lol::smile::lol::smile::lol::smile::lol::smile:

Good one, TP, you old cynic...

 

[Praxius]

You should look a little closer Praxius.

Bush and McCain disagree on about everything.

Not from the direct words from McCain's mouth I have heard in regards to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, frig, just about every policy. Out of the select few things they disagreed on here and there, it's outweighed by much of what he already supported, approved and plans to keep doing.

Bush is the darling of the republican right-wing, McCain is the nightmare of same.

Regardless of what the Republicans think of either, they both sound the same to me, and haven't really seperated their differences enough for me to see any difference.... then again, they don't have to convince me, I'm not in a position to vote. But I do read very much the same information as the average person from the US, and if this is the impression I have of McCain, I'm sure there's a few in the US who feel the same.

Bush and McCain, despite public appearances to the contrary, loathe each other.

Hating each other is irrelevent.... the question is: what will he do differently and will it be good enough to make him win the election?

McCain is a man of principle........imagine! A strong, man of principle as President, a woman of principle as VP. I like it!

As I say about Obama, I will say the same about McCain: Saying is one thing, doing is another. What you did or didn't do in the past doesn't matter, it's what you plan to do now and for the future that people care about.

Somene who holds to certain principles is a good thing, but that's not everything. I'm sure Bush had his own twisted principles he was holding to.... that doesn't help much though does it?

 

[Avro]

McCain is a man of principle........imagine! A strong, man of principle as President, a woman of principle as VP. I like it!

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

That's what you cons said about Bush Jr. Strong and oh what was the other one.....oh yeah, decisive and look what happened.

Hitler was strong as well, was he a good leader?

Honestly do all cons have their head under a rock.:roll:

 

[Tonington]

You should look a little closer Praxius.

Bush and McCain disagree on about everything.

They did before McCain became the presumptive nominee, and now the Presidential candidate. Since then, he's been on key for nearly all of Bush's policies, which are still very popular with the Republican base.

So, which McCain would America get should he win the Presidency? The maverick, or the copycat?

 

[Curiosity]

I heard something on the radio this morning about Palin getting on the case of the top Republican in Alaska - a member of the party she belonged to - before she entered politics.

I think this is the story... she sounds like she isn't going to bow down to anyone if she has a job to do....in Washington that would be refreshing! Oh my looks like a grass roots s**t disturber even in her own party....woohoo!

http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/afb/archives/027011.html

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's a good profile



Here's the best profile on Sarah Palin, by Fred Barnes in The Weekly Standard in July 2007:
The wipeout in the 2006 election left Republicans in such a state of dejection that they've overlooked the one shining victory in which a Republican star was born. The triumph came in Alaska where Sarah Palin, a politician of eye-popping integrity, was elected governor. She is now the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating in the 90s, and probably the most popular public official in any state.
Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle--especially to transparency and accountability in government--can produce political success. And by the way, Palin is a conservative who only last month vetoed 13 percent of the state's proposed budget for capital projects. The cuts, the Anchorage Daily News said, "may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history."
As recently as last year, Palin (pronounced pale-in) was a political outcast. She resigned in January 2004 as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after complaining to the office of Governor Frank Murkowski and to state Attorney General Gregg Renkes about ethical violations by another commissioner, Randy Ruedrich, who was also Republican state chairman.
State law barred Palin from speaking out publicly about ethical violations and corruption. But she was vindicated later in 2004 when Ruedrich, who'd been reconfirmed as state chairman, agreed to pay a $12,000 fine for breaking state ethics laws. She became a hero in the eyes of the public and the press, and the bane of Republican leaders.
In 2005, she continued to take on the Republican establishment by joining Eric Croft, a Democrat, in lodging an ethics complaint against Renkes, who was not only attorney general but also a long-time adviser and campaign manager for Murkowski. The governor reprimanded Renkes and said the case was closed. It wasn't. Renkes resigned a few weeks later, and Palin was again hailed as a hero.
Palin, 43, the mother of four, passed up a chance to challenge Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, the then-governor's daughter, in 2004. She endorsed another candidate in the primary, but Murkowski won and was reelected. Palin said then that her 14-year-old son talked her out of running, though it's doubtful that was the sole reason.
In 2006, she didn't hesitate. She ran against Gov. Murkowski, who was seeking a second term despite sagging poll ratings, in the Republican primary. In a three-way race, Palin captured 51 percent and won in a landslide. She defeated former Democratic governor Tony Knowles in the general election, 49 percent to 41 percent. She was one of the few Republicans anywhere in the country to perform above expectations in 2006, an overwhelmingly Democratic year. Palin is unabashedly pro life.
With her emphasis on ethics and openness in government, "it turned out Palin caught the temper of the times perfectly," wrote Tom Kizzia of the Anchorage Daily News. She was also lucky. News broke of an FBI investigation of corruption by legislators between the primary and general elections. So far, three legislators have been indicted.
In the roughly three years since she quit as the state's chief regulator of the oil industry, Palin has crushed the Republican hierarchy (virtually all male) and nearly every other foe or critic. Political analysts in Alaska refer to the "body count" of Palin's rivals. "The landscape is littered with the bodies of those who crossed Sarah," says pollster Dave Dittman, who worked for her gubernatorial campaign. It includes Ruedrich, Renkes, Murkowski, gubernatorial contenders John Binkley and Andrew Halcro, the three big oil companies in Alaska, and a section of the Daily News called "Voice of the Times," which was highly critical of Palin and is now defunct.
One of her first acts as governor was to fire the Alaska Board of Agriculture. Her ultimate target was the state Creamery Board, which has been marketing the products of Alaska dairy farmers for 71 years and wanted to close down after receiving $600,000 from the state. "You don't just close your doors and walk away," Palin told me. She discovered she lacked the power to fire the Creamery Board. Only the board of agriculture had that authority. So Palin replaced the agriculture board, which appointed a new creamery board, which has rescinded the plan to shut down.
In preserving support for dairy farmers, Palin exhibited a kind of Alaskan chauvinism. She came to the state as an infant, making her practically a native. And she is eager to keep Alaska free from domination by oil companies or from reliance on cruise lines whose ships bring thousands of tourists to the state.
"She's as Alaskan as you can get," says Dan Fagan, an Anchorage radio talk show host. "She's a hockey mom, she lives on a lake, she ice fishes, she snowmobiles, she hunts, she's an NRA member, she has a float plane, and her husband works for BP on the North Slope," Fagan says. Todd Palin, her high school sweetheart, is a three-time winner of the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race from Wasilla to Nome to Fairbanks. It's the world's longest snowmobile race.
Gov. Palin grew up in Wasilla, where as star of her high school basketball team she got the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" for her fierce competitiveness. She led her underdog team to the state basketball championship. Palin also won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest, in which she was named Miss Congeniality, and went on to compete in the Miss Alaska pageant.
At 32, she was elected mayor of Wasilla, a burgeoning bedroom community outside Anchorage. Though Alaskans tend to be ferociously anti-tax, she persuaded Wasilla voters to increase the local sales tax to pay for an indoor arena and convention center. The tax referendum won by 20 votes.
In 2002, Palin entered statewide politics, running for lieutenant governor. She finished a strong second in the Republican primary. That fall, she dutifully campaigned for Murkowski, who'd given up his Senate seat to run for governor. Afterwards, she turned down several job offers from Murkowski, finally accepting the oil and gas post. When she quit 11 months later, "that was her defining moment" in politics, says Fagan.
Her campaign for governor was bumpy. She missed enough campaign appearances to be tagged "No Show Sarah" by her opponents. She was criticized for being vague on issues. But she sold voters on the one product that mattered: herself.
Her Christian faith--Palin grew up attending nondenominational Bible churches--was a minor issue in the race. She told me her faith affects her politics this way: "I believe everything happens for a purpose. In my own personal life, if I dedicated back to my Creator what I'm trying to create for the good . . . everything will turn out fine." That same concept applies to her political career, she suggested.
The biggest issue in the campaign was the proposed natural gas pipeline from the North Slope that's crucial to the state's economy. Murkowski had made a deal with the three big oil companies--Exxon, BP, ConocoPhillips--which own the gas reserves to build the pipeline. But the legislature turned it down and Palin promised to create competition for the pipeline contract.
She made three other promises: to end corruption in state government, cut spending, and provide accountability. She's now redeeming those promises.
Palin describes herself as "pro-business and pro-development." She doesn't want the oil companies to sit on their energy reserves or environmental groups to block development of the state's resources. "I get frustrated with folks from outside Alaska who come up and say you shouldn't develop your resources," she says. Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on "federal dollars," as the state does today.
Her first major achievement as governor was lopsided passage by the legislature of the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, which is designed to attract pipeline proposals this summer. The state is offering $500 million in incentives, but the developer must meet strict requirements. The oil companies have said they won't join the competition.
Palin's tough spending cuts drew criticism from Republican legislators whose pet projects were vetoed. But her popularity doesn't appear threatened. "It's not just that she's pretty and young," says Dittman. "She's really smart. And there's no guile. She says her favorite meal is moose stew or mooseburgers. It wouldn't shock people if that were true."