I agree with your opinion, but she did all her debate preparation outside here in Arizona it may get to her being inside. But no matter how she does by winning it or not Obama-Biden will go further up in the poll numbers which is just fine with me. She has no experience other then shoo'in Russians away and shooting moose in Alaska. If they ask her any question outside of that realm who knows what she'll say. I just once would like her to answer a question for her side kick is flippin and floppin and ziggin and a zaggin so much, if he's driving a car get off the sidewalk immediately.

The best Palin will do is show off her expertise in the "Non-Answer" answer. What really bothers me is the fact that everyone is saying Biden should go easy on her and not bully her, and the fact that they have cut down the discussion time to 2 minutes so she won't feel cornered. I say BS to that! Would they say that if she were a man? No, if it were two men in this debate they would go at it head to head, and that is how I think it should be done regardless of her delicate gender. If (God forbid) she ends up someday as POTUS, will Putin go easy on her because she is a woman? I don't think so!

Now that is funny! Thank you for brightening my day!

I think we underestimate her at our own peril. That she is having a tough time in interviews is no reason to assume she will not come out and kick it in the debate. Why?
1. She will have her opponent right in front of her which will not only energize her, it will absolutely focus her. This is a woman who is gifted at using her beauty and spunk to completely unhorse men she opposes (even men who don't like her.)
2. Joe has the almost impossible task of trouncing her and looking like a respectful and serious statesman in the process. He cannot muss her up at all. He literally has to treat her so well that we all realize he is the only suitable weep choice among the two of them.
I don't know if the rough-shod, loose canon from Scranton can get it done. He is coming onto the stage with every vote to lose and she is coming on with every vote to gain.
PS. Protestants think Catholics are wrong simply for being, so don't expect her to have any respect for him at any level. She holds him in complete contempt.

I'm not completely convinced Sarah could write a complete sentence, let alone be able to speak one.

She reminds me of the character in Blazing Saddles that couldn't be understood, even though he was yelling. Gabby Johnson was the name of the character.

Except she won't have her opponent in front of her. Palin won't be actually debating anything with Biden, they'll be asked the same questions and the best it will get will be Biden saying "I'm not sure what she's trying to say there Gwen, but...". The McCain campaign will be filling her head with lines of attack against Obama, not Biden, and so all Biden needs to do is politely point out that she's talking in circles using the "she's confusing isn't she?" line enough times.

Palin will attack Obama, and Biden will attack McCain. Who ever lands a better punch while boosting their own candidate will win... that and the complete sentances helps here. My money is on Biden.

Being coherent could be a problem. She hasn't shown the ability for that.

Sarah Palin is a complete joke! Her nomination and John McCain selecting her, has made a complete mockery of this process.

I think Joe is great on the stump, sure he makes gaffes, but his commanding presence makes up for it, he's very real, and I hope that shows up in this extremely "regulated" debate.

Having that one sentence coherent could be a problem for Sarah?

What really bothers me is the fact that everyone is saying Biden should go easy on her and not bully her, and the fact that they have cut down the discussion time to 2 minutes so she won't feel cornered.
Ms McGee
....................................................................................................................................................

Do you think if Hillary had been VP to Obama the Republicans would agree to "go easy on her"? Some more of that Republicans get a pass, Democrats get left out side.

Maybe Biden should have Hillary stand in for him.  He DID say that she's a better candidate than he is.  Of course, the bar isn't very high there either.  One good thing about Joe is that he doesn't need a speaach writer, he can just continue plagarizing.  Well, actually both he AND Obama do that...

Woof, this dog hunts.

but she can't even do that.......as we've seen in all her previous interviews!

She can’t put together a coherent sentence.  Even after 6 years in college she has no clue about US history, Poli Sci, or English!  Watching her trying to BS her way though questions she clearly has no idea how to respond to makes me cringe.  The question is, is she like Elaine on Seinfeld who thought she danced well or John Lovitz playing the compulsive liar on SNL? Does she really think those answers are ok?  If she knows she is BSing and thinks she is fooling us she is stupid, if she thinks her answers are OK it is even sadder.  The only person I can remember who expressed herself in a more inept way was that beauty contestant but she only wanted to be Miss America not the VP of America.  Her candidacy is an insult to every citizen of the USA.  

Palin can win if she has a teleprompter with lies, innuendo and half-truths.

It doesn't matter what Biden does, the right wing conservatives are going to say he bullied her. The charm of Biden is that he does have GAFFES.  Everyone knows he is smart and knows his way around Washington, but he has done a lot for women's rights.  The Republicans have really played this smart by lowering the bar so low for Palin. Biden will have to not only concentrate on the question, he has to be careful with the tone of his voice, his posture, his hand movements, etc. It is impossible to have a Great Debate when you have to be so cautious.

Oh yeah! Hello you know Sarah will win. Obama's supporters will continue to cry. Many of them will continue to vote skin pigment. Gwen Ifill will use tone and demeanor to try to help Biden but Americans see through that bull. Gwen, you will make more money on your book about Obama if he wins. However, your obvious love for Obama will be Bidens demise at this debate. Carry on lovies.

I find it amazing that you republicans can use the moderator as an excuse for a poor performance BEFORE the poor performance was given!  Maybe a bit of FACT will help you out, the McCain campaign AGREED to the moderator, this was not something forced on them it was someone they think would be, to use words you might understand, “fair and balanced”.  This Rush Limbaugh crying before it starts is simply your way of making it appear that, when she is shown as having no clue on any subject, this was all a Liberal trick and she had no chance!

I give Biden credit. It takes alot of ba%ls to look America in the eye and try to tell us Obama is qualified to be President, when he himself said Obama is not qualified to be President.

These kind of comments make me laugh.

Ronald Reagan was an actor who then served as governor who was then elected to President, and did a bang up job on the international scene.

Bill Clinton was just governor of Arkansas, for Pete's sake - NOTHING of any significance nationally or internationally goes on or comes from there?, before becoming President and the Dems still fawn all over him.

You cant compare Sara palin to either she is by far less impressive than either one> I cringe every time she opens her mouth I wouldnt want her to spend too much time with my kids much less be in a position to be commander and chief

Well we're even then because it troubles me greatly that the Dems have at the top of their ticket a "community organizer" with even less experience and ties to radicals like Ayers who is unrepentant about his terrorist acts against our country, maintained a 20 year relationship with a pastor, who married him, baptized his children and hates America, and whose campaign contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to ACORN, another radical group.

True, and dont forget that Bushy was a baseball team owner, but for goodness sakes, Palin makes Bush look intelligent. SERIOUSLY, REALLY, SARAH PALIN AS A POTENTIAL PRESIEDENT.

I love the ole agism thing that the media brought up....did you know that sexism, and racism ARE social commentaries and should not be brought up however, agism is a medical condition and should be considered in everyones vote. ARE YOU SERIOUS, REALLY, SARAH PALIN AS PRESIDENT.....wow.....

Yes, Adak... And Reagan had eight years of experience as governor and more than five years of experience leading the Screen Actors' Guild after WWII, which numbered 120,000 at the time... Clinton was governor twice for over ten years of experience and was that state's Attorney General before that... While Palin had one term as mayor of a town of 6,000 and has only been governor for 20 months... In that time, she's charged the people of Alaska for travel expenses while she's stayed at home and fired a person that wouldn't fire her ex-brother-in-law...

God Bless her for being a working mom of five children, including a special needs baby... Any mother can tell you that's an accomplishment... I applaud her for having the hutzpa to get out there and try in the face of the good ol' boy network -- we all know it exists... But that's where my kudos end... I think she was thrown to the wolves in a purely shoot-from-the-hip move and it frankly boggles the imagination when there were so many other republican women out there who are more qualified and experienced than she... Sarah Palin having the nuke codes just gives me the heebie-jeebies...

Given Obama's ties to radicals, I say YES to President Palin, at least she is a person of dignity and principles and I would take that courage any day over someone who supports anarchy in our country. NO WAY - NO HOW - NOBAMA!!!

Davido -- please expand and provide sources for your "ties to radicals" comment... Every credible news agency has debunked the "muslim" myth for a long time... If you don't believe me, go to www.snopes.com and look for yourself... Another sheep...

Ignazio - It troubles me deeply that the Demo's have a candidate that has less experience than Sarah Palin and all you Dems are falling for his rhetoric. I'm sorry to say that if Obama is elected, if you think you don't think that he is not going to raise taxes on everyone (including the lower income) I want some of what you're smokin'. He can't possibly give you what he's claiming to put in place, (healthcare, tax reform, etc.) without printing more $$$$ or taking more from all. This Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac problem that has started the economic down turn was all created by the Dems in order to allow "equal housing for all" even ones that weren't qualified to afford such large mortgages. Go back and research who passed the equal housing bill and defeated the measures to regulate Fannie & Freddie, I think you'll be suprised, Good Luck to your $$ if Obama's elected and God Bless America! Go McCain/Palin

Adak--The difference between Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Sarah Palin is that they could actually speak in coherent sentences. Palin is not ready! She just cannot bring herself up to the level of Vice President, and the Republicans know that. Why do you think they are keeping such a tight rope on her? I don't even want to think about the fact that she could be a heartbeat away from being President.

who said anything about being a Muslim, not I. Get your facts straight, as part of his work as a community organizer, he had ties with Ayers (forget his first name) who committed terrorist against us by setting off bombs in 1960s and has publicly stated recently that he has no regrets and that he didn't do enough. Obama has sat on a board in Chicago with Ayers (maybe it's William Ayers") and has attended fund raisers at his house. If you don't know the hatred of his 20 yr pastor, then shame on you. ACORN is a radical group who has "some" responsibility for the FreddieMac, FannieMae crisis. The Community Restoration ACT from 1977 was supposed to make loans available to people with poor credit, a worthy cause but someone forgot to ask "how will they repay the loans". ACORN with its radical agenda forced the issue with Fannie & Freddie to force them into making more and more of these loans which brings us to today. Are you familiar with Obama's ties to Saul Alinksy who wrote "Rules for Radicals" which was a instruction manual for leftist grassroots agitators from the 1960s. You want more good information, read David Horowitz's book "Unholy Alliance - Radical Islam and the American Left". Before you start saying he is some kind of right wing fanatic it may interest you to know that he too was a 1960 left wing radical who has put his "Country First" in revealing this information on the left.
NO WAY - NO HOW - NOBAMA!!!

Umm, no, davido, you get YOUR facts straight. Understand that I have nothing against people saying things against Obama (it's a free country) as long as their arguments are sound, but your argument, to put it frankly, sucks.

You keep arguing against Obama because he knew Ayers. Firstly, it's not as if he and Ayers hang out every weekend at the bar or something--they were not close buddies or anything--Ayers was just an acquaintance. Besides you can't blame people for things that their acquaintances have done in the past--it's not like they have any control over what was done. Ayers' actions against the government were done in not the 90s, not the 80s, but THE 60s--a lot of civilian unrest and activities were occurring during this time (do the terms Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War mean anything to you?); besides it's not like Ayers is still running around today blowing things up. And, oh yeah, not to mention Obama wasn't born until 1961, so considering your argument, you're blaming Obama for things a man did while he was still in diapers--GET REAL. Also, I am tired of hearing everyone rant about Rev. Wright. The media took a few soundbites from his sermons and presented them to America so that Wright looks as if he hates America--he doesn't. If you would take the time to listen to his sermons IN FULL, not just the little clips, you would find that if anything, his anger is against the racial injustices that exist in America, and not the country as a whole (watch them on YouTube it if you like).

Next time you make an argument, TRY DOING YOUR HOMEWORK IN FULL, first considering all views, and then making a decision for yourself. Reading one book by Horowitz does not make you some sort of expert.

Noone in America should vote for a vice presidential candidate. Obama is the mail clerk at a small company, McCain is the VP of Operations. DO NOT MAKE THE MAIL CLERK CEO.
HE SIMPLY IS NOT QUALIFIED.

McCain has proven ability with foreign leaders and foreign policies. He's on a 1st name basis with many. His resume speaks for itself. To let the mail clerk who's only been in the game for what, 20months? be the CEO is ludicrous.
If you want action, pick McCain. Otherwise, it'll take Obama 3 out of the 4 years just to understand the legislature and be able to affect change. In the US, and abroad.

sorry to disappoint you my friend, but saying someone is a an acquaintance does not make him an acquaintance. Sitting on the board and having fund raisers at his house is hardly an acquaintance. The point you fail to realize is that that Obama has poor judgement in who he chooses to associate himself with. Yes, you are correct, Ayers' terrorist acts were done in the 60's (that's what I thought I said earlier, if not it was a typo). But, he is still unrepentant in the 2008. A tiger does not change is stripes and Obama has chooses poorly in his associations. You can try to color it any way you want. You are obviously partisan. The point is this, the difference between McCain and Obama is like the difference between FACT & FICTION. McCain is a true American hero and deserves the benefit of any doubt. Obama has not earned that and IMHO has only cast doubt upon himself by his unscrupulously associations. BTW, the fact that media kept replaying Rev Wrights hate speech and not his entire sermons does not make it any less hateful. If your argument was correct, then why did the almighty Barack Obama speak out against his remarks and leave the church (finally) when he came to his senses and the indefensible could no longer be defended (as you aer still trying to do). It's all very easy, the truth will set you free. Seek the truth instead of all the BS you are being fed and falling for.

Thank you, Indie... Davido, I will apologize to you for assuming you were speaking of the myth of Obama being muslim... Since I was born after Obama, I had not heard about this Ayers person... I did go to the web and try to read up on the subject so I could make an informed opinion before responding to you... I didn't go to all the blogs out there, but went to Politico.com and the Washington Post's website...

From what I've read, Indie is dead on... Ayers was and is a "well-known" figure in Chicago liberal political circles and Obama only MET him when the incumbent senator was stepping down and she took him to Ayers' house for an informal gathering... There were many other people there, not just Obama and Ayers having a cozy tea party... Far from "holding fundraisers" at Ayers' house, Ayers has donated a total of $200 to Obama… While I don't condone Ayers' past actions in any way, he and his wife are now both professors and he has worked for Mayor Daly in the past... The only recurring connection Obama has with Ayers is that they both served as part of an 8-member Board in Chicago for three years... Ayers has also repeatedly said in news articles from many sources that when he made the statements about having no regrets and not doing enough, he was referring ONLY to that time in American history and the raging Vietnam War... It's also noteworthy, I think (though not excusing his actions in any way) that nobody died from his actions except one of his own movement, plus the fact that Ayers was never convicted of anything...

I guess I just hope that nobody takes a look at what I did when I was 20 and hold it against me when I'm 60... We ALL have the capacity and duty as Americans to inform ourselves and make the best choice possible as to who will lead us... The job is not one that can nor should it be fulfilled by Jane Six Pack... We deserve better than that and it's up to us to demand it... Society has long been bemoaning the "dumbing down" of our education system to the lowest common denominator -- why should we settle and dumb down the 2nd highest office in the country???

And Davido -- you're NOT partisan???

let me show you something gracie, since you are so adamant that obama is not muslim.
I have a quote from an actual book that he wrote. In fact, I have several from books he has written.
From Dreams of My Father: 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.' I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race. 'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white. 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names. 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.' And FINALLY the Most Damming one of ALL of them!!!
From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

how can you refute this ......... ????? He himself has been quoted saying this
DOESN'T TAKE A HAMMER ON THE HEAD TO SHOW ME WHAT OBAMA'S ABOUT!

Well, my first response to you, stancy, is that "muslim" is not a race... The term "race" refers to biological differences consisting more or less of anatomical traits that distinguish one clearly from other races... (I'm paraphrasing, but the site won't let me quote my source -- which was from a anthropological course at a university...) The term "ethnicity" -- which includes muslim -- refers to mostly cultural, but sometimes physical characteristics, used to classify people into groups or categories... So -- while white, black, hispanic and asian are all "race" terms, christian, mormon, protestant, baptist, and muslim are all ethnic terms... So -- your quote from his book "Dreams of My Father" is not relevant because you're comparing apples to oranges...
As far as your quote from his other book about muslims, I noticed that you didn't put the quote into any kind of context -- just stuck that sentence out there and expected me to bow down and blindly follow you??? I guess you're right -- because, as we all know, every single muslim MUST be a horrible person... They are ALL out to get us... Give me a break... There's good and evil in every single racial and ethnic group in America... Thank God most of us have the intelligence not to lump everybody together based on one stereo-type...

It is appalling that you would deign to put Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Palin in the same league . I am a dem and not a Reagan fan, but I can say unabashedly that Reagan was perhaps one the most adept at articulating his message whether you agree with it or not. This is far too serious for one to defend the ineptitude of this lady regardless of one's partisan bent.

So, you would rather have Obama at the top, with less experience than anyone ever on a presidential ticket. So sad, you obviously don't know what you're talking about.

Did I just read Obama's a "mail clerk", McCain's a "CEO"?

Clinton, and even Reagan, personified the kind of statesmanship that came off as reasonably representative of most Americans. They both seemed relatively sane.

Palin does not seem sane at all. She represents the far right nut jobs who shoot innocent animals from helicopters, thinks rape and incest victims shouldn't be allowed to have an abortion, and have to be de-witched in an uber-evangelical church every now and then. She wants to impose her own screwed up values onto everyone else - which is about as un-American as you can get. Values like abstinence for teens, even with a knocked up teenage daughter in their house. What next? Will her husband be rubbing his foot on the dude next to him in a Minnesota airport bathroom? Honestly. You have to be smoking something to try and put Palin in any kind of acceptable category on the national stage. The only national stage she belongs on is Jerry Springer.

They make me laugh too, Adak! Everyone's problems with Palin seem to be quoted straight out of every biased news source out there. (Yes, there are biased sources) Palin has FAR more experience leading than Obama does... FOR SURE! I know this debate is about Palin v. Biden. I think the winner will be the VP Candidate who shows the most integrity, honesty, RESPECT, and knowledge. VPs are important. But it's the main guy we're looking for and McCain STOLE THE SHOW on the 26th. Whoever disagrees probably is scanning headlines, not keeping up-to-date on the countless times Obama has changed his platform (said he agrees with our man Johnny COUNTLESS times), doesn't know each candidate's position well enough, and is just plain BLIND to the fact that all this change Obama and Biden want will make things even worse for us. Change is good. Too much all at once will stifle this country! We are the United States not the United Socialists Everyone-deserves-things-they-can't-work-hard-enough-for-because-we-like-to-blame-everything-on-the-President States.

VoteSmart.org is a GREAT, UNBIASED place to get al the facts straight!!!

P.S. Biden and Obama voted YES on pork-barrel spending (*cough*TheBridgeToNowhere*cough*)

A hockey mom with no experience doing anything? Being Governor of a state is no experience? Driving your kid to hokey is a bad thing? I bet Obama took a kid to some sports event sometime, does that make him an idiot as well? You're just repeating chatch phrases you heard on TV without thinking about they mean.

I see everyone here say what an idiot Palin is and that she can't speak without a teleprompter - does anyone talk about the fact that her teleprompter went out in her first address to the nation and she had to do the first few pages from memory and improv? Your comments have no bearing on her character and abliity to lead - THAT is what is important, not if she gets flustered once on a TV news show after being thrust to the forefront of the national eye just a few days beforehand. I care that she has the character to do things like sell a jet she didn't need and put the money back into the state's coffers WAY BEFORE THERE WAS ANY VP IMAGE REASONS TO DO SO - name ONE polititian that you have heard of EVER doing something like that? Especially at a time when we are in the econimic calamity that greed has put us in, you'd think that someone would talk about something like THAT. Think based on the truth of her record, don't get sucked into thinking whatever the marketing is telling you to think.

Let me just say to those saying that Palin has more experience than Obama, I won't even count the stint as mayor and community organizer gig, 2 years as Governor of a State with the population and budget of Austin, Texas... versus... 6 years as a US senator. I don't know what everyone is talking about, all these idiots backing McCain, how come nobody cacked him in 2000? I'll tell you why, because he was too liberal. What did his experince count against GW? Nothing! I voted for McCain in that primary because I just knew Gore would win the election, and I also knew, as a Texan, that I didn't want Bush anywhere near the presidency.

So according to the Republican view, in 2000, experience didn't count for anything, and in case you didn't know, McCain has made the biggest platform change ever, when he went from a liberal Rep. to a wayyyyyyy more conservative Rep. to win his parties vote! So what that Obama agrees that some of the policies that McCain claims are his idea worked, if it works... it works, there is no reason to deny it. BUt changing what you stand for? And already breaking promises before you're in office? (hem hem, Johnny Boy swore he would never fall into running a dirty campaign and mudslinging, and, he has done alot more of it than Obama.

Good luck tonight Joe!

Palin is more suited for the VP job versus Obama in the #1 spot!

HOW COME REPUBLICANS GET SO UPSET ABOUT SOCIALISM, EXCEPT WHEN WE'RE ALL ASKED TO BAIL OUT A CORPORATE FAILURE.

There is little need to spin anything. What we've seen so far from Palin is gaff after gaff. She doesn't appear knowledgeable in politics 101. The only spin I see, are the ones we've seen from people like Bill Kristol and Pat Buchanan when they say things like Let Palin be Palin. What does that mean? Questions from voters are spinned into gotcha politics. How does that happen, voters asks questions mainly to learn a view or when attempting to grasp the thinking process of a candidate. Palins lowered expectation is not the result of the Liberal media, keeping in mind that the conservative media is on the same page for the most part. It's Palin that continues to show her readiness or lack thereof.

Are you kidding me!
The fact that she can't put one COHERENT sentence together without a teleprompter in front of her is the "LIBERAL MEDIAS" fault.
C'mon man, Katie Couric asked her as simple of a question that anyone could possibly ask and she couldn't answer it. "What newspapers do you read?" I mean really "WHAT NEWSPAPERS DO YOU READ?" notthing like What's the chemical compound makeup of rocket fuel? NEWSPAPER?
And that's the "LIBERAL MEDIAS' fault. Really?

Can you spell socialism if Obama gets in? The point is, Obama is hell bent on changing the entire structure of our capitalistic government AND society by redistribution of wealth, rather than private enterprise. This is the same old story that Lyndon Johnson tried to do in the 60's with the War on Poverty and other ill begotten social programs. Palin may just in fact surprise alot of people in the debate, and we may find Biden stumbling for words, and only come up with the same old democratic left wing dialogue, "Our government will take care of you."

I love how all you righties keep on harping about the "Liberal Media" when all you have to do is look at radio, t.v. and the newspapers to see that the conservative viewpoint outnumbers the liberal viewpoint by about 2 to 1 in any given market! I'll take socialism over the Neo-Cons version of capitalism any day! Why are so many people who profess to love this country so much willing to sit back and watch it being dragged through the mud the way Bush & Co. have done for the last eight years? The people running this country are not Republicans. I don't know what they are, but they bear absolutely no resemblance to the Republican party of Lincoln, Eisenhower or Nixon. Today's Republican party began in 1980 with Ronald Reagan, and hopefully it will end in 2008. We can't take any more of this!

Winston - Speaking of "politics 101", last week Biden had FDR as president in 1929. Not hardly. When I was in school that was politics 100 - "bonehead"!

An avowed socialist president with a bonehead vice president - hell of a team!

NO WAY, NO HOW, NOBAMA!

reading through these comments does not confirm your numbers, I would say about 4/5 to 1 left to right. All you guys make these underhanded comments about Palin's experience, etc., etc. But lefites are so taken in by a candidates "charisma and rhetoric" that you can't seen the forest through the trees. You are all driven by your emotions instead of common sense and be logical. When I was growing up, common sense was a commonly used phrase; you did something stupid, you parents would tell you to use some common sense. But it seems ever since the Clinton era, common-sense has been replaced with "political correctness" and you can see where that has gotten us over the last 15 yrs. I am an independant by the way; I grew up in a dem household with a lot of union workers in my family but about 4 yrs ago I had enough of both parties. Even though I am somewhat conservative in my views I can clearly see the social needs that we have in this country. The trouble for me is that Democrats having been talking the talk for so long and have never accomplished anything on these issues. Say what you will about Bush, he certainly has made his share of mistakes, the biggest in my opinion was sticking with Rumsfeld for way too long. Now, I am not saying that he has "solved" these problems but at least he has "done something" in the way of no child left behind and prescription drugs for seniors. These plans are certainly not perfect but at least he has put those balls into play and give the country a starting point to work from for fine tuning and improving these programs. The dems have had health care for all Americans on their platform for 50 yrs and have done nothing except talk about it. Look at all the inner city problems we face. Most cities are and have been run by the democratic machines across the country for decades yet we face the problems over and over and over. So, I asked myself one day, WHY? Maybe it's because without "victimization" that democrats want people to feel they would not be needed to lead their charge in class warfare. Getting back to common sense, you may hate big business, wealthy people etc (and believe me I am not one of them) but where do you think jobs come from; they just don't magically appear. Yes, there are cheats and scoundrels in business, but look around you, how many pastors, lawyers, accountants, union workers, non-union works, rich people poor-people, etc. etc, who all are looking for any edge or advantage in this highly competitive world. My solution is this, anyone convicted of crimes of fraud or greed should be punished the same as any criminal who commits a violent act. A violent act is not only physical, but emotional. When you have peopled in responsible positions committing crimes for greed /fraud, they take someone elses livlihood away. We've seen this with the savings and loan crisis, Enron, and what we are facing now. Put these b______s away with the other violent criminals and then we'll see how many of them will take the risk to do these heinous acts of emotional violence when they don't just get slap on the wrist.

davido-597486 - Well said!

As to the appeal of "a candidates charisma and rhetoric" - from 1920 to 1945 declining millions unquestioningly believed the same about Adolf Hitler.

the "liberal media"??? really???

I have to laugh when people like davido make comments about Obama's ties to radicals, and make it sound like he would support terrorists because of that. What about McCain's ties to some of the biggest crooks and terrorists this country has ever seen?! I'm talking about the Keating 5! They did more harm to this country and its people than any of these "so called" radicals could ever dream of!! The real terrorists in this country are the Keating 5, the Wall Street crooks, and others who bilk the people of this country out of their money, their savings, their livelihoods, and in some cases their very lives!!

OBAMA/BIDEN 08/12

No way, no how, no McCain, no Palin!!!

you're drinking the kool-aid again.  McCain was cleared of that charge way back when.

I don't understand how people can say Gov. Palin is inexperienced. She has way more experience than our nominee Obama. The media is painting a good picture for him but she has accomplished way more than he has ever attempted. As far as the debate, she can hold her own.

Thats the point. The repblicans are swimming up stream because most of your media and news channels are liberal. I have been watching all the news channels for this election. Only Fox News has been fair. All the other ones just point their view, put liberal minded people on for comments and never give the other side a chance to refute anything. They are taking this country down, and a lot of good people dont see it.

I think "fair" has come to mean something very different.  I see viewpoints from all sides in all the news channels I watch, views I agree with and views I disagree with but I wouldn't try to silence any of them.  Our current VP reportedly only talks to and watches FOX news.  Bush told people who disagreed with his views that they were "either with him or against him" and unpatriotic if they tried to question his plans.  That was a very scary time having our rights diminished and having people sign the Patriot Act without even reading it.  I feel like we are finally getting our chance to hope and breathe again.

 It seems to me that you want to silence views that you disagree with.  Understandably so, we (liberals, moderates, everyone who does not think like you) will be expressing our views right along with yours, hopefully on the same channels.  We are becoming a nation of people who search out our views and only our views in the news subscriptions that we take out, therefore making it impossible for us to have a balanced viewpoint about what is going on in the world. 

I don't know who is going to win, but I do know that every time Biden opens his mouth w/out a script in front of him, he sticks his and Obama's feet in it.

Biden is a joke and was a poor choice for VP. I don't know what Obama was thinking.

And Sara Palin was a great choice, it is clear McCain was not thinking

And what he don't know he makes up....

Gracie, I don't mean to be rude, but your arguments are ridiculous.  You cherry pick the BS out of all liberal spin and try to pass it off as truth.  "The only recurring connection Obama has with Ayers is that they both served as part of an 8-member Board in Chicago for three years" - that ceretainly makes him more than an aquaintance.  And all your sping on Ayres, it was all in the 60s, nobody died; listen to yourself, trying to make a case how people can change, blah, blah, blah.  The point is HE HASN'T and HE ADMITS IT and Mr. can do no wrong because is butt is being protected by the MSM still sat on a board with this guy.  PLus the other stuff I mentioned, Rev. Wright, ACORN and countless other things that I haven't mentioned.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see a patern here.

If she is so fabulous and is so perfect for the job why is it that even the rules for a debate have to be edited because discussing problems that she would be facing as VP are "unfair" to her? Why is it that EVERY past candidate in the age of modern media has faced the press with no strings attached yet she has to be coddled like she is made of porcelain? Why is this "pitbull" choking on the kibble being tossed at her?

Spin your way out of that one.

Also, Davido, Palin had a witch-hunting preacher pray over her since connecting candidates to weird people is up for grabs.

In response to the comment that "she will get by just for showing up and supporters will praise her for it," it sound a lot like last Friday's debate when obama was shown as the underdog in the category of foreign policy but the media praised him and proclaimed him the WINNER of the debate just because he held his own. WHAT A JOKE!! It is obvious that you people will skew the facts in any direction that benefits your skewed views.

We DO need intelligence and deep thinking - but it's a whopping mistake to believe that the Obama/Biden ticket provides that.  O is more of a lightweight than any state governor and both he and Joe are plagairists ()

independent of that, they espouse socialist principles.  Let them go rule Cuba.

I believe it was the polls that showed Obama won, the media just reported it.  Forget experience all together in all 4 candidates and listen to their words and watch their actions. 

McCain is all over the place; campaigning - not campaigning, rushing to Washington to help - but hindering the process, changing his campaign slogun from "experience" to "change" (Obama's slogun - after his choice of Palin which even he knew was in direct conflict with his "experience" slogun), stating the economy is sound one day - in crisis the next.  The list goes on and on.

Palin cannot make a comprehensible statement about anything, even as to which magazine she reads.  They are spending days coaching her as to facts and ideas that are obviously totally foreign (pardon the pun) to her.  She gets them all mixed up trying to use all of them in her answers to appear knowledgeable, which only makes her look like a complete baffon.  If you were appalled by the last SNL skit, please remember, those were her EXACT WORDS!  She is snide and condescending, which is hard to be when you're at the bottom, but she's cute and a woman so they seem to condone it for some reason.

Biden is also going through some debate coaching.  He has to be taught to carefully not be condescending or sexist.  He needs no coaching on the facts or ideas as he is chairman of the foreign relations committee and in congress for years.  He also is so knowledgeable, he tends to go overboard and speak too long to an issue.  And, yes, in doing so, he occasionally has "hoof-in-mouth" disease.  That does not make him any less genuine.  He must be doing something right or his constituents would have voted him out years ago.

Now to Obama.  Listen to the man.  He has been accused of "stuttering", however, I believe it is more a case of being thoughtful and fully accessing the question posed before answering it.  Knowledgeable?  He held his own with McCain and won in the public's opinion on the subject that was supposed to be McCain's strength. 

All polls are showing Obama's lead growing.  Thank goodness some are listening to what the candidates say about the issues and themselves more than criticisms of the other side.  All of the little shenanigans McCain has pulled to try to get a lead in the polls have back-fired, right down to the choice of Palin.  That initial bump was their campaign high.  It's all downhill from here for them and the nightmare of the last 8 years.

8 years ago, we had a huge surplus in the federal coffers.  Now we are going to be trillions of dollars in debt.  It will take generations to repair the last 8 years.  And we need to start now.  McCain and Palin are giant steps backwards.

Zippety, I respectfully have to disagree that it was the polls that declared obama the winner.  As soon as the debate was over, the three gentleman covering the event stated obama won.  I personally feel that this could be a major factor in the way people see the end result.  Not all people are like you and me and actually listen to what the candidates are saying over what their newscaster says on the air.  I think it would be real interesting to see who the people were that were polled because I guarantee I could set up my own poll and come up with a different consensus.

No one has to 'spin' anything for Palin to be dazed and confused when facing real issues and basic questions, like 'what newspapers do you read', 'tell me about your foreign policy experience'....must I go on?

Yes this all started when the "left leaning" media started asking Sarah such hard questions. She should be treated like the prarie flower, not the pitbull she claims to be. If those moderators ask Sarah those hard questions again, it will be the liberal media's fault that she lost. How strange though that, even though the "liberal media" declared the Obama/McCain debate a draw, the american voters gave the edge to Obama? They can't make that fit into the "liberal media bias" conspiracy theory yet... but give it time... Let's see now, Gwen Ifel is black, Obama is black... inference and inuendo will abound. Can you say differenty, risky, celebrity, unpatriotic, Hussein?

Spence,
This is Jimmy Carter's fault? Did Jimmy Carter deregulate Wall Street? How funny!

Today's economic plight began in 1977? Why stop there? Why not take it back to the 1800's or, I know, let's blame george Washington!

I regret to inform you that we are already a third world country. We have a crumbling infrastructure, a massive debt that is owned by other countries. We have virtually no manufacturing left in this country. Plus a financial system that is about to collapse. Now explain to me how we are not on the edge of becoming a third world country already, under GOP leadership.

Democrat or Republican... the choice now is clearly not for Obama.  His universal health care, tax cuts, and loose immigration stance, climate change policies, foreign policy ideas will surely send us right into the septic tank of the West!!!

Mcain has the same enviromental policies that Obama has, giving tax breaks to the middle class is better for the economy because they will actually use the money.  Foreign policy wise there is all this rhetoric about having talks with other leaders.  In my opinion when you start your low level discussions you need to start with a clean slate and work from there.  We are no longer in a position of power in the world as we once were, we can't continue to rattle the saber when most of the countries we are at odds with own much of our debt (china) or rely on them for our energy consumption (russia, venezuela).  There is a new dynamic emerging in the world and we have been left behind due to gross mismanagement of our govt and cowboy diplomacy.  We need to begin to concentrate more on our domestic well being instead of wasting money on other countries tha could care less about us or dont even want us there anymore.

How nicely set up P.J. If she doesn't do well, it's because peodple didn't give her credit because of gender. If she does well, it's because she's the better candidate regardless of her gender. nice job... Wasn't Palin "wanting it all" when she sent her family on sight seeing tours and charged per diem from her own home at the tax payers expense?

to Pj what has she said to make anyone say Oh she cares so much for the country. Being a woman who works hard is nothing new in America it does qualify her to be a good vp pick. If that the case My mom and my wife need to be in that debate

Pj was wasn't saying anything about gender!!!  Go girl is just the same as saying whatever you guys say to eachother.  "ATTA BOY!!!"???  PJ's point was that she cares for this country and has the passion and drive to do what's right for it.  Not the limelight seekers Obama and Biden who only want us to be socialist - (because everyone knows that the leader gets a posh pad while us peasants do the grunt work just to stay afloat.  It's NOT a gender thing.  It's NOT a race thing.  It's who's more qualified!!!

Jumper & PJ, tell me again about Palin being qualified. She was a Mayor of a small town of 7,000 (I have more people in my subdivision and I am the HOA President does that qualify me?) She is a governor of a State with about the same population of our 7th largest city in Texas. Take a population of 700,000 and spread them out in communities of anywhere from 500 to 10,000 people in a state that is 570,380 Square miles.  These communities took care of themselves.  She has only been Governor for 2 years and has only had 1 budget to deal with that was already in place before she became Governor.  The Pipeline deal she signed off on had been in the works for years, she was just the lucky person that took office next and got to sign it.  I'm sure we will be here again tomorrow, let's see what happens in the debate.   

Well Unity, after Jumper and PJ tell you about Palin being qualified maybe you could explain why you think Messiah Obama is qualified. Looks like Palin is more qualified than he is. he just happens to be a charismatic speaker (so was Hitler).

I agree, she is no Hillary Clinton. She is not a feminist and has no respect for woman's rights. Why did she accept John McCain's offer? Did they pay her to be so incredibly ignorant just to throw the "good ole boys" a bone? Be afraid. Very afraid.

From your blog I'll bet you I can tell what you look like .ugh.....

Oh my, R.E. you are an angry little man, aren't you?  Reverting to personal attacks because you feel incapable of competing on an intellectual level--sad, sweetheart.  It's terribly sad to feel so inadequate, and I am sorry for you.  I wish you peace.

Her book is not a pro Obama book. It is a book written about the the roll of African Americans in politics. Obama just happens to the the most recognizable right now.

Also, the moderators for the debates are approved by both parties after extensive research. So don't for a minute think something was pulled over on the McCain campaign.

Pgy,

"Gwen Ifil, just wrote a pro-Obama book..."

Actually it was a book about up and coming black leaders in American politics.... Unless you think all black people think alike, you cannot make the claim that Ifel is anything but the quintessential professional. Have you not observed her over the years? There will not be one shred of bias in her performance. Get off FOX and drop the Limbaugh talking points.

Oh you read the book? Poor picked on Sara, I suppose you think when other leaders get in her face that tatic will play then also. If she cant take the heat get off the ticket I didnt wont to offend any delicate feelings

I hope the knee-jerk right does try to make this about Gwen Ifel. How silly are they going to look then? But then, accidentally releasing ads against Obama because the "bailout" plan passed and another against Obama because it failed, simultaneously, is pretty darn silly!

I guess it's the same as firing Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews from covering the debates after their pathetic, subjective coverage of the RNC. Hmmm - sounds a little like writing a pro-Obama book, doesn't it? Because the American people were aware of their political leanings, they were forced off of these very important events. The same should be done about Ifel.

No one wants to see Palin speak more than I do. But to publically wish her the worst is so immature and juvenile. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. And to say such childish things about her is just embarassing. I would never put Biden down - he's got a lot of good qualities. It's hilarious to see you people focus so much attention on Palin - the VP running mate!! You don't have a leg to stand on with McCain so you have to bash Palin? Give me a break. Why don't you take a good hard look at your PRESIDENTIAL nominee.

The book title has Obama's name in it, for crying out loud!

"The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama"

Yes, LOOK at the title... Breakthrough -- meaning somebody had to do it first so others can come after... Politics and Race -- two general terms encompassing a broad spectrum of ideology... In the Age of Obama -- meaning at a time when Obama has burst on the national scene (as in broke through it)...

I don't see anything in that title that says the book is about Obama... And McCain has a book out too -- but I'm not going to knock him for it...

If you watch any of the shows Gwen Ifill has been on, she offers well-reasoned arguments from an educated black woman on issues of the day... And another poster had it right -- BOTH camps had to agree to the moderators... So get off it already -- another smoke and mirrors "tactic" instead of sticking to the original strategy of the campaign of experience!!!

This is directly from RandomHouse:

"ABOUT THIS BOOK

In THE BREAKTHROUGH, veteran journalist Gwen Ifill surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama's stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power.

Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the "black enough" conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history.

THE BREAKTHROUGH is a remarkable look at contemporary politics and an essential foundation for understanding the future of American democracy."

His name is in the title, because he is the one that is breaking through the *cough* glass ceiling *cough* from a racial stand point.

If she doesn't cry?? What an immature, stereotypical comment. You should be ashamed of yourself. You can't think of anything educated to say, so you have to make comments that only a 5-year-old could think of? Why don't you just tell her to iron your shirts while you're at it!

I've got $20 that says she cries!

Cox:

The 15-20% of the US population who don't believe in a supreme being are allowed to spell it any way they choose.

Since we are debating spelling now, when referring to a letter it is "CAPITAL," not, "Capitol." A Capitol is a building where members of the government meet, not a place for GOD.

If we're going to debate the correct way to write out the Lord's name, why does your way get preference? Jews write it as G-d.

But I would never insinuate that everyone should write it that way. Different strokes for different folks, live and let live. And before you criticize, try thinking of things from another point of view.

Great Post.......LMAO

People who profess to love and respect... god in my EXPERIENCE are the most staunch....

critical.... nasty.... hateful...deceitful...lying.... closed minded.. people I have ever encountered.

If they are to be gods VICARS on earth ....count me out...no thanks.

and how is God going to protect you if she gets in office or if the country needs any thing....uhh i will get back to you! you bunch of of fox idiots

K,
No one takes Couric seriously? I think most objective people who saw the interview, were struck by how much more confident Couric was then this potential United States President....

Well, its very true that they cannot just stick to the issues, because they would have to openly admit to aligning with this failed administration. Its funny how even the repubs on this site seem to divorce themselves from making bad deicsions. For the guy on here who keeps bringing up Ayers and whomever, let me guess who you voted for in the last two elections, and sure as heck McCain and Palin.. I didn't I am certain that Obama and Biden didn't and yet NONE of you will take responsibility for that atrocious choice. If its guilt by association than every one of you reds should humbly stay quiet in some recognition of what we are all going through, especially in regard to those of us who didn't make this horrific choice. Are you really going to sit here and support that again? You could start with apologizing and we'll go from there.