I dont know, about this pick. I have my reservations. What about the Scandal that Palin is in. See her full background info, Pictures, and the Scandal at http://www.theveep.com

Are you applying to be McCain’s press secretary if he wins? I know it’s a FOX NEWS tradition, but you shouldn’t be so blatant. Then again, I guess you could be a Monica-esque intern if need be. I’m sure FOX has plenty of kneepads sitting around.

fuck you, fox

1 meeting and 2 phone calls later he picks a soccer mom as V.P.

And if McSame dies in office who do you want going face to face with Putin and the like??

Didn’t McSame go on an on about how Obama lacked experience?
Didn’t McSame say he would not pick a VP based on personal gain?

This is a joke and an insult to the American people.

Just what we want, a hard-right, beauty queen, soccer mom who’s under investigation, totally unprepared and inexperienced to be–dare we say it–PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? hahaaaaaaa what about some of the other GREAT Republican candidates that were overlooked? BAD JUDGEMENT, ONCE AGAIN.

Talk about voter apathy. The US is so going down the crapper. There are no good candidates anymore.

Why does she need to be congratulated at all? She made the decision to join the race, so let the games begin. Don’t assume that because she is a woman that she needs to be pat on the back first and then knocked around with kid gloves until it gets personal.

She wants to be the first female VP. No statements need to preceed that. It stands alone. Why applaud her for something that she is clearly capable of doing?

This is not news.

Are their statements about her qualifications correct? Fair? That would be news. But, then, you might have to be in Alaska instead of Obama’s plane to find out.

Are you intentionally an idiot? Even if you’re with FAUX news, how in heaven’s name did you get an adult job? You sound like a 7th grader.

Of course, the Obama campaign was dumbfounded! Nobody could have expected/anticipated/even imagined such a blatant and shallow reaction/choice to trying to get the disgruntled Clinton voters. I’m one and I’m disgusted.

Grow up, will you please, so we can actually get views we can at least attempt to evaluate.

Do you actually imagine that all on earth but you and your network are the morons you take us to be? I ask because that’s what your “news” piece sounds like. You do your parents a huge dishonor. Shame on you!

Man, this is the best you can do? That they issued two communications, one critical, one complementary? Gee. That sure must mean I should vote against Obama (excuse, me, I meant for McCain…. no, I guess I meant against Obama….wait, I mean for McCain).

Um, the Obama response is not a major news item in the large scheme of things. You may want to go back to journalism school. That said, what are they doing? She listed PTA experience in the announcement! McCain is just tempting god now.

I can’t believe they would contradict themselves like that. That’s WAY bigger than this insignificant issues where McCain and his campaign haven’t been on the same page. Minor things like taxes, Social Security, bringing back the draft; you know, things that don’t matter at all.

I think McCain’s choice is a stroke of genius! He’ll win more favor with conservative Christian voters and hopefully grab some of the female undecided voters. Palin appears to be sharp and she is pleasant to look at as well. I hear people question her experience, but we all know that is why the White House has expert advisors. McCain/Palin will be a sharp contrast on the podium to OBama/Biden and I have a feeling when the debates begin, the latter will not be able to stand.

2 things…….for some women ive talked to they feel that its an insult…..mccain has obviously chosen her to get women and angered hillary supporters…..

but heres something too……Palin is pro-life, pro-big oil, anti-gay rights, pro capital punishment, anti-universal healthcare, pro-taxcuts for the rich………All the things Hillary Clinton was AGAINST

so those hillary supporters are going to vote for McCain because he has a woman on his ticket who is a 180 from Clinton…….they never believed in hillary clinton, they believed in her gender

Palin is a pretty looking McBush…….If John Died his first couple of months in office (god forbid) This 2 year govenor of 8000 people will be dealing with global climate change, war, peace talks, our economy and other disasters…….a gamble indeed

I will leave to others as to whether you should use the word “weather” when trying to make a pithy partisan point.

You mean like how McCain put out the message yesterday saying congratulations to Obama and that he’d resume the next day? Only to have his campaign put out a message trashing Obama after his historic speech?

Hypocrisy – call it both ways Garrett.

This news must drive F-news bonkers. Pandering stupidity mixed with cynicism. What a pick. A heartbeat away, what a foolish pick.

Faux news is at it….again

I would not expect anything else from a die hard republican channel. You people have no ability to be unbias in your reporting.

Mr Garrett, What is your point?

It is whether not weather. Spell Checkers don’t replace human editors.

Welcome to the fight, Governor. Re you ready day one?

BTW, FOX, the word is “whether” not “weather”.

“Fox, Fox! McCain’s ship has crashed into an iceberg named Palin!”

“Okay, here’s the headline: Obama more gracious than his press staff!”

What about the Scandal that Palin is in…

that scandal as you call it is so small potatoes it’s not worth mentioning… you’ve probably done worse already today.

I think it’s funny they are acting like she’s from an igloo up north with statements about eating moose burgers etc… or her husband is an eskimo.

the old stereotype of Alaska is alive and strong… there are many thriving cities here people. Skyscrapers, giant Walmarts, Costco, Starbucks everywhere …etc…

Palin will do at least as good as the other fat cat politicians… she’s extremely smart and well spoken. You’ll see and come around… you can’t help it… she’s open, friendly and has solid family values. I’ve met her several times.

It was civil of Obama to congratulate Palin, just as it was civil of her in her speech to give the nod to Clinton. Make the election about issues – not silly fights. America is better than that.

Wow. You guys dogged that statement all day, and you got Obama to make a statement to reverse his “press shop’s” statement. Fox, you sur eknow how to spin a story out of nothing.

Your style of blogging sensationalist “journalism” is what drags this country down and this entire presidency campaign season. Get a clue dude. You clearly work for FoxNews.

Could we find anything less trivial to talk about? It says a lot when you need to divert attention away from the real story and back to Obama negatively when there is no real story there. This is a disgustingly poor piece of writing if you ask me.

Perhaps this reporter should examine his own writings as intently as he examines the Obama campaign. Is it weather? or whether?

I’m confused; what are you upset about? Obama said how he felt and it sounded pretty fair and genuine to me. Is this story seriously about what some adviser piped out off their blackberry? Linda Douglass is a spokesperson and campaign-media strategist, hardly a senior policy maker. If you want to compare apples to apples, stack up her up against Phil Gramm (McCain’s senior economic adviser) who said our country is a nation of whiners ( http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/jul/09/mccain-adviser-addresses-mental-recession/ ). My guess is you wanted to get a headstart on the weekend and typed up the first half baked story you could come up with.

The lies of Fox News can be seen so easily. Here Major Garrett calls his take “fact” while it is far from that. It is somewhat ridiculous that an entire article was written on such a small thing. This article is pure propaganda that was written with no intentions except to smear the Obama camp.

The facts are that the first statement was presented by one of Obama’s staff members. The official announcement was made by Barack and Biden directly later. So big deal. You should quit writing.

I have been planning on voting for McCain, but I am really worried about this pick. McCain would not be my first pick for a candidate, but I know he would do the right thing on Court appoitments. However, while I think Palin is a smart capable person, and is doing a good job in Alaska, I can’t in good conscious vote her into a position that may led her to become the Leader of the Free World. I guess i have to stay home on the 4th.

…or perhaps Mr. Garrett the Obama campaign is doing what most campaigns do by having the staff do the dirty work whlie the candidates play the more diplomatic roles. This is nothing new nor unique to either party or campaign so what exactly is your point?

Or maybe Obama had nothing to do with any bad message. Maybe it was just the scum of the earth pols that fill any campaign office–Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green–and subsist solely on riding the coattails of greater men/women and taking tired, uninspired potshots on their opponents.

As much as I love both candidates, modern politics still sickens me–if only for the people who work under the surface.

I will leave to others the judgment as to weather the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging on Palin could not A) Get off the ground properly or B) Found the need to reverse itself before stepping aboard the first day of a three-day bus tour.

…what does the weather have to do with this? (besides showing the reading level of a typical Fox News “reporter”)

dude, maybe you should grammar check before posting, “weather” or not you think it’s necessary. it makes you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about. thanks

Well, is there some piece of truth in: “You know, I think that, you know, campaigns start getting these hair triggers and that statement that Joe and I put out reflects our sentiments.”

Or, is it required that some poor butthole’s hide be nailed to the wall before that sentiment becomes believable? Places I’ve been where this happens, someone goes to the woodshed and it doesn’t happen any more. However, it is a big campaign and there will be more of this on both sides.
-Dick

FoxNews: more of the same. Why don’t you surprise us once by saying anything positive about anything from democrats without not pulling it into the dirt one line later

Major,
You need to use spell checker and grammar checker on your online comments…

THE WORD, ‘WORDMAN’, YOU INTENDED TO USE IN YOUR PENULTIMATE PARAGRAPH WAS
‘WHETHER’, NOT ‘WEATHER’ – BUT, SPELL CHECK ALWAYS WAS USELESS IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ;~)

Reagan rising?
Another Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir in the making?
We can hope!

Learn to spell, moron. “Whether” (not “Weather”) or not you can is open to debate.

Your criticism would carry more weight if you could spell words correctly. “Weather” refers to atmospheric conditions. “Whether” is the word you wanted.

Can you say tokenism? McCain’s choice shows the Republican party’s continued lack of respect for women. Otherwise, they would have chosen a candidate with far more experience and know-how. How dare they try to pander to Hillary’s supporter with such a lame choice. Women are smarter than that.

I think Obama did a good job of congratulating the vp selected by McCain. He was gracous and his usual charming self. What was interesting to me about the announcement of a woman is that on the news I noticed a snippy attitude about her when the lady commentators spoke about Sarah Palin. Guess they feel a bit cheated THEY didn’t get their gal Hill in first as vp. Understandable, I guess. McCain one-upped Obama with this one. First lady vice prez is what Hillary likely would have enjoyed being. However, I don’t think she is that much out of shape over it because if she were to run as vp this time around, she’d be in the same boat at Mitt Romney had he been picked for vp. I’ve heard that both want to run in 2012.

Um, first off there’s two typos in your editorial: “Governor Palin SHARE’S John McCain’s commitment to…”
and “I will leave to others the judgment as to WEATHER the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging on Palin could…” But beyond the grammatical errors, this is kind of the partisan hackery I’d expect from FOX News, and it’s also a bit of a joke. The woman is a weak VP candidate to put it lightly.

Major:

Great talking points. How soon did Roger Ailes get those to you? Does anyone at Fox have the liberty to speak for themselves – oh yeah I forgot original thoughts aren’t exactly a prerequisite at Fox. Here’s a question you’ll never see from a Fox “correspondent”. Q: Ms. Palin as an opponent of abortion and one who believes it is the taking of another life – if abortion were outlawed in Alaska if Roe v Wade is reversed will you then support the death penalty for a woman who has an abortion? If not, what penalty would you invoke since you believe it is murder?

Here’s another one: Ms. Palin have you read Thomas Ricks’ book Fiasco? Please describe in detail the realtionship between the DOD, the CIA and armed forces as it relates to US implemetnation of policy in Iraq betwenn 2003 to present? Yeah I can imagine a real thinker like Megan Kendall asking such a question.

“Whether”, not “weather”. Keep up the fairness and balance, MG.

And I am certain you’ve been equally critical of ‘hair trigger’ responses from the McCain campaign too? Oh wait, everything that comes out of John ‘honorable campaign’ McCain’s campaign is hair trigger.

Only McCain speaks for McCain… but everyone speaks for Obama. Fox is such a joke.

The comments from the Obama campaign seem perfectly consistent to me. A) Kudos to the Republicans for nominating a woman to the VP candidacy, and to Gov. Palin for having been the one to break that barrier for the Republicans; B) it doesn’t matter, because this campaign is about issues, and whether the VP candidate is a woman or not is irrelevant beyond the publicity stunt level. She’s a hard-line Republican and that’s all that matters.

Not like this glass ceiling hasn’t been broken before in this way, either: the Democrats did it in 1984 with the Walter Mondale/Geraldine Ferraro ticket.

I believe he meant whether.

I am thrilled with Palin. I do not worry about any imperfections afterall no such thing as a perfect person. She has it all and I do not trust Obama one bit. He is to slick and a minister too(he probably takes all the tax breaks for ministers too) and Michelle I do not like at all. Obama says what he thinks you want to hear……..It just does not feel right. I think alot of people will say they will vote for Obama but when they get in the booth they will vote MCCain.

I am for McCain and Palin and will never vote for Obama.

I don’t know Setay… you have a pretty solid ankle grabber name…

You Barak Osama loyalists are fighting a no win battle! McCain will win a mandate from the American people come November 4th!

She will chew Joe Bidens car salesman A$$ up and spit it out…!

If you want to address the question posed and not whine that the incendiary effect has in 24 hours been dramatically flung from the Democrats to the Republicans, I’d say that this pick is out of the park. Looking into her record, you will find she is oh so easy to defend. Check it out America. This pick is out of the park. If this were chess, I’d almost say checkmate, but clearly we have over 60 days till the election and that’s plenty of time for politicians to do a lot of goofy things. Like the way the Obama campaign responded to the news initially, then realized, they were criticizing experience, and oh yeah she’s yet another historical milestone in a campaign of many new milestones (the first female Republican vice presidential candidate). Maybe those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling created by Hillary do have a better option now. Hillary could have only been VEEP too, this year.

Good things happen when the maverick McCain picks Annie Oakley of Alaska as his VP who will be leader of the free world if McCain dies in office. She is a good looker and could pose for the Playboy centerfold. McCain gives America a big heehaw by selecting a female Dan Quayle for his VP. Take that you Democrats. McCain must be suffering from senility to have selected a nonentity as his VP especially at his age.

darling Setay.
You must learn the difference between a blog which is a an editorial, hence the blogger’s opinon, and a news article which is unbaised and contains facts.
You will find the unbais news articles on the main page. You however, choose to read a blog which may be and usally is chockfull of opinions

The fact you made a comment displays your lack of knowlege in this subject. I know it may be confusing these days with MSNBC and NBC and often CNN blatenly mixing editorial opinions into news reporting (hello, Andrea Mitchell). This campaign season they were starry eyed over Obama and were completey sexist over Hillary in their reporting. Now dear, let me explain: shows like O’Rielly, and Nancy Grace, Hannity and Combs are editorial based shows on a news networks–they are opinions.

Let me share another little fact with you, as a Democrat, I only watch Fox news, and I am not alone, as more than 51% of Democrats watched the DNC on Fox news which received the largest network share– for the DNC! Sort of blows away the snipping comments that claim Fox is a GOP network. Get your facts straight and learn if you are reading a blog or an news article. Lesson over.

Fox News IS THE PROBLEM.

Setay, you obviously lack the intelligence to make a compelling argument about the topic at hand. Please keep your vulgar and inappropriate comments to yourself- or at least limit them to other websites with your far left views.

I think that this was both a gutsy and good choice by McCain, and that Obama is now stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he slams anything about her, he risks losing more of the women’s vote who are already angered by his treatment of Hillary. This is evidenced by the quick about-face press releases regarding the nomination. Palin has a lot going for her, one of the most noteable is that she is the only one among the candidates that has served in an exective office (Governer is an exucutive position, congressman/senator is not). Palin also has the advantage of not being sucked in to the Washington political scene (everyone in Washington has compromised themselves to get where they are one way or another). As far as the “scandal” goes, nothing has been proven against her so the outcome of that remains to be seen.

This is a really stupid, hyped, desperate, and biased story, although not surprising coming from a FOX loudmouth.

Ah, you have a reputation to congratulate newcomers on to the political scene, you support women and minorities and you are a true champion of the forgotten. Thank you for your deep compassion and engagement to create a better world, Mr. Garrett

Palin seems like an sharp choice — I did some quick reading up on her and though I differ on a few key points, her efforts to weed out corruption and to govern according to the constitution even when it differs from her personal beliefs earns her my complete respect.

That said, I do not like McCain and will almost surely be voting for Obama in November.

My guess is that the negative comments that leaked out at first were not directly approved by Obama or Biden, but rather came from the roomful of vicious little public relations people that make up so much of every campaign team. So many in politics are hot to get negative. I respect Obama’s efforts to cool such things, but it doesn’t surprise me that some on his team would still jump the gun. I think Obama’s direct statement was spot on.

In any case, congrats to Palin.

PALIN AS PRESIDENT LOL AMERICA LOL LIKE HELL. THE PANDERER IN CHIEF HAS NOW OFFICIALLY LOST WHAT WAS LEFT OF HIS FEEBLE MIND! AMERICAS WOMEN ARE NOT THAT STUPID JOHN EVEN CINDY MADE YOU SIGN A PRENUPTIAL.

I think Sarah Palin is a perfect choice for McCain. I am a die hard Hillary Clinton supporter but I want a woman in office NOW not in 12 years. I would have gladly voted for a Democrat if Obama was not so immature or so arrogant that he would dismiss 18million voices. Actually it is that action that made me look closer at his character. I will not be convinced by Hillary or Oprah or Denzil Washington to vote for Obama the only one that could have convinced me to do that was Obama and he screwed up big time by not even considering Hillary OR her 18 Million supporters.
He couldn’t care less about us -so why should we care about what he wants.

First, there is no reversal here, Bill Burton just takes a much harsher tone and omits the congratulatory BS.

Second, I happen to be a person of small stature, and I find your use of the derogatory term “midget” very offensive. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Who the heck cares what the Obama campaign thinks of the pick? What will resonate is what the American voters think of the pick. I personally think the pick hands the Democrats the White house (thanks very much, Senator McCain).

“I will leave to others the judgment as to weather the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging on Palin could not A) Get off the ground properly or B) Found the need to reverse itself before stepping aboard the first day of a three-day bus tour”

Well, I would say were too busy checking the calendar to see if someone had sprung April 1st on them unexpectedly … and what has “weather” got to do with “whether”? Geez …

LOL, its pathetic if all the DemocRATS have on Palin is her firing that worthless ex brother in law. She was well within her jurisdiction to do that and there is no dirt there. EVERY attack on Palin is going to backfire tenfold on the DemocRATS. Hussain Obama, son of a muslim polygamist and Biden a milquetoast left wing creepy old guy are going to look like the biggest duchebags if they attack this mother of five, a self made person and an inspiration to women everywhere!!! Hey if you going to mention her being a mayor of a town of 9000 have the sack to mention her being the GOVERNOR of ALASKA! She is a REAL person, NOT a washington insider, and mark my words, she is going to be the FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF THE USA!

Palin translates from Inuit to it’s English translation, Quayle, commonly known as “dummy bird” or “easy prey.”

It’s hilarious! Right wingers who would have laughed themselves stupid if a Dem had made such a choice as Palin are now tripping over each other to find some way to justify this crazy, desperate, cynical, amateur-hour move by McCain, who is so out of touch he believes just sticking a woman on the ticket will attract all those raging Hillaryites and hand him the election. I’ve been to 9000-population Wasilla (Palin’s main experience is on the town’s city council, dealing with the abandoned snow-machine issue). I think the town has a Circle K and a couple of gas stations… and a Wal-mart, of course. Old Abner showed up at the council meeting one night to grouse about those consarned cusses who park outside his cabin. Palin turned red when he cussed her, but she finally gathered her wits and told Abner she’d look into it. Then she went out and plugged a moose.

Meanwhile, Vlad Putin is hoarse with a raging case of Spastic Guffaws. Hugo Chavez is breaking out champagne. Kim Il Sung’s jowls are jiggling with delight. Ahmadinejad is raising his arms to chant, “There really is a god, and he really IS on our side!”

McCain turns 72 today. Happy birthday, senator.

Wow, what a non-story.

Wow. How about a journey back to journalism class. You are stretching, forcing conjecture to the point of placing the facts first and foremost. The gentlemen got on a plane just receiving the news of Palin and got off with a voice of their sentiment. How do you arrive at, without a ludicrous sense of journalistic integrity, that Obama/Biden changed their tune? A campaign staffer commented and the candidates commented. Two separate things until you demonstrate the blackberry was an email from the candidates. There is more than enough fodder around in this campaign to report on without the “journalist”, if you call the writer of this article one, taking the extra steps to make news, not report on it. You are edging more and more towards propaganda tnan news and lose credibility with each step. Or perhaps that is ok and journalism is not your real objective? Come on!

Umm, both the campaigns early statement and Obama/Biden’s statement are true so I fail to see your point. It’s the campaign staffers job to research the opposition. It’s the candidate’s job to lead the tone of the campaign. I see no reversal here. I’m sure Obama and Biden will go on to emphasize the points expressed in the early campaign statement in the months ahead, that doesn’t mean congratulations are not in order for Palin on such a momentous occasion. I would think you would understand how this works…

You Fox Spin-Meisters never stop amazing me. I check in on you once or twice a week just to get fired up for the change that is coming when your toadies are voted out of office. It can’t happen soon enough. The thing I can’t quite understand is how anyone can read or listen to you and not see the agenda driven BS you spew.

I am so tired of this democratic bologna. If you want to let the terrorist into America, elect a chicken liberal as president. If Bush hadn’t been in office at this time, I shudder to think of what America would be like. Probably a Muslum state.

“Weather” (in your last paragraph) being an appropriate slip-of-the-pun, as the Obama-Biden assumption of smooth sailing ahead seems no longer such a safe bet!

She’s a wacko social conservative, how can Rove possibly think she’s going to garner the Hillary vote – their just not that stupid!

The Architect has lost his touch!

Your article displays obvious bias and your literacy lacks a bit. “Weather” refers to climate
and “whether” presages the presentation of two or more choices. I realize that you were probably
educated in a school system where literacy is not taught. But you have the option of educating yourself. Read the classics. Flawless literacy is impressive to the intelligent and educated.

Let’s hope Obama and McCain can keep this about the issues and not allow themselves or their advisors to turn this into an exercise in mudslinging. And please note: her’s is not an historic nomination – the Democrats had Geraldin Ferraro on the ticket 24 years ago.

Setay That was the best comment I’ve ever read. Right on! RI G H (f-n) T ON!

Well, John McCain can officially stop criticizing Obama for lack of experience. For a man who could easily die in the next 4 years to nominate someone with no experience in national politics and no foreign policy experience is simply breathtaking.

How do you sleep at night? Is nothing sacred, like the truth, to you guys. This is why you are called “Fox Noise”.

I think the first response from Obama’s campaign was dumb and possibly damaging. The facts about her will come out on their own in due time. The last thing Obama needs right now is to add further distance between himself and working women. The second response was much smarter and will, hopefully for him, keep him above the fray.

The congratulations are pro forma, and the “dismissive ” criticism is dead on. There’s no contradiction.

The spelling is “whether” not “weather” – lazy r-tard.

I heard about Palin this morning, and having heard that she has a four month old baby with Down syndrom you would think that she would focus on the needs of her child instead of taking on the ambitious task of running as vice in a presdiential election. But I guess that’s nothing because she went back to work 3 days after he was born, forget mother baby bonding… So if she doesn’t even hold the best interest of her child as a priority, I’m sure the baby is well cared for with hired help, but that doesn’t make up for the love and attention of one’s own mother.

And not to mention conflict of interest with her oil dirlling husband…

As an American mother yes, our generation of women has a lot to live up to becuase we are expected to be all you can be professionals as well as mothers, as Michelle Obama has demonstrated. But at the end of the day we’re mothers first, but I guess this is not Palin’s priority. So if her own kid is not her priority what does that say about her interest in our children and their future.

Obama is another sexist pig politicain.
A little to in love with his reflection.

Major Garrett implies that Palin is Obama’s problem. Wrong, Major, she is the problem of the voting American public. If you want to continue the Bush policies, vote for McCain, and uh, Palin ? Major is a minor – seriously.

Their first statement was absolutely their honest reaction, and very telling about what kind of people the Democratic nominees are. One of their senior advisers must have realized how insensitive they sounded (especially to women), and reversed course on the statement. This is exactly how the Dems operate. They usually have to hide their true opinions and put on a facade in orer to sound likable to average Amercians. The republican candidates are honest and decent citizens who have absolutely nothing to hide or be ashamed of.

Last paragraph… it’s whether, not weather.

Whether, not weather.

I guess you know the difference between –weather– and –whether–. Perhaps you want to ask whether Obama/Biden can weather the storm? I give kudos to McCain for going the maverick way. Again. And kudos also to Rush Limbaugh to come out strong for the Republican ticket.

It isnt the republicans who used knee pads if my memory is correct .And by the way it is the dems that used them.

You mean “whether”, not “weather”. Arguments are always more persuasive when the correct terms are used. Good luck with that…..and find some more competent editors !

DS

This is Harriet Miers all over again. Repubs think that just because she’s a woman and born again, we’ll all just trust our Repub leaders better judgment and obediently fall in line. Palin does not have the experience for the VP job. Period. If McCain really wanted to break gender barriers and still make this a race, he should have asked Condoleeza Rice. Condi has her detractors but at least she’s got experience on the world stage. With his health history and age, McCain needed to pick someone who could actually do the job if he couldn’t. What a big mistake! What about Elizabeth Dole, or Kay Bailey Hutchinson? Is Palin really the BEST female he could get? What is McCain thinking?

[...] reporter who was on the Obama plane when the Palin news hit has a play-by-play of how the Obama campaign put out a rude and ungracious attack on her as an official campaign [...]

I think Obama and Biden are playing nice. but really does anyone think she is a viable candidate. As a woman I find her pick offensive. She is neither an exemplary mother, nor an experienced businesswoman. I have worked most of my life but I would never leave an infant, especially one with down’s syndrome to further my career. And as far as career almost every woman I know has more experience to run the country than she has. Does McCain think I am so dumb that I would just vote for a woman because we share the same body parts? And I would not pick a candidate just because of the color of his skin. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were not the right candidates but Obama appears to be. And as far as experience how can you equate being a senator from Illinois a major city and a Harvard educated lawyer with a woman who has been a mayor of a town the size of a high school and governor of one of the least populated states, a state that is hardly mainstream who is originally from Idaho….where is her world experience. She probably has never been in Europe or Africa, or Asia. This is scary. I think McCain has lost it.

I know this is Fox News, but come on, are you a reporter or a campaign spokesperson? Seriously.

I can’t think of a worst decision that McCain could have made in selecting Ms. Palin. It horrifies me, as it surely does American women and men across this country, that Ms. Palin would be one heart beat away from becoming the leader of the free world. Aside from being a beauty queen and a barracuda she brings not much else to the table. Folks, keep in mind that McCain is 72, has had numerous health problems, and both his father and grand-father died in their early 60’s. If you vote for McCain you may very well be voting to put an inexperienced and unknown leader for our country. McCain is a man of the past, and Palin, an extremist from the frontier with virtually no experience or proven track record in the national or international stage. Neither McCain or Palin offer more education than a bachelors degree. Obama/Biden, on the other hand, offer crystallized intelligence, freshness, hope, integrity, and a path for a better America. WAKE UP folks.

I suggest this guy get a better proof reader.

If nothing else, we should have an interesting election.

Yes, the Obama campaign should take example from Foxnews. Always appreciative, fair, objective and only tells the truth, unbiased of political agendas. Your article shows this clearly!

I’m sure she is a nice person, even though it is McCain who I will not be voting for. But, really? The Republican are going to send that person to debate Joe Biden? It is more than plain that the calculation is putting a woman on the ticket on the hopes of picking up some of Hillery’s disaffected supporters. The pick is just twice too clever. And, some of the measurements of the Hillery acolytes are a bias sample, since many of them were false, as in the Rush Limbaugh pretenders. Maybe, McCain believes that Obama is the best for our country. Sometimes he does things for the right reasons.

As A registered Republican I am getting more and more discouraged by what goes on in the Republican party during this election campaign. In my opinion the GOP has lost its marbles, common sense and a complete interest in what is best for our country.

I am all for a diverse team to govern our country, but this selection is completely ridiculous. Palin is completely unqualified as a VP and will only cast a serious doubt on the sanity of the GOP.

The Democratic ticket is getting more and more appealing. HELP

It’s hard for me to take seriously the writings of a man who doesn’t know the difference between whether and weather. You could almost make an argument for its use as a verb, but I prefer to see this as just one more hack who’s not nearly intelligent as he would like us all to think.

Typical FAUX news report. Why don’t you just call yourselves the Republican News Network and be done with it? No one with any brains takes your “fair and balanced” news seriously anyway. Fox is a joke.

The stupidity and hypocrisy of the republicans never ceases to amaze me.
The only thing more amazing is obvious bias and idiocy of the fox news network.
You people need to stop manipulating the facts for your own profit, shut the F***
up and just report the news the way it happens. Not the way you WISH it would happen.

Fact: We are fighting the WRONG WAR AGAIN.
Fact: George Bush is the worst president. EVER
Fact: John McCain is just too old to be drawing a paycheck
Fact: John McCain has no idea what it’s like to live pay check to paycheck.

Fact: People giving speeches at the DNC last night were
drowned out by your egomaniacial reporters yak yak yak yak yak……

You’re not even really a major are you?

Dear Fox,
The first comment is spam and the blog is poorly copy edited.
All best.

Beauty queen. Soccer mom. No domestic policy experience. No foreign policy experience. Mayor of a tiny town in Alaska followed by less than two years as governor of the state that has more reindeer than people. Blatantly anti-choice to the point she opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Opposed to same-sex marriage. Under investigation for ethics violation. And McCain apparently had to drill all the way to Alaska to find this person, whom he thinks, and I quote: “She’s got the grit, integrity, good sense and fierce devotion to the common good that is exactly what we need in Washington today.” And this is the person he thinks if god forbid he were to kick the bucket on Jan 10, should sit in the Oval Office and assume the post of President of the most powerful nation in the world. (But he thinks Obama is not experienced enough!)

If he wanted to impress the PUMAs, I thought he would have picked Elizabeth Dole. If he wanted to impress the right wing foam-at-the-mouths, he should have picked Ann Coulter. If he wanted to impress everyone, he should have knelt at the State Dept and begged Ms. Rice to stand by his side. The debate between her and Biden would have been THE sport event of the year.

But no, he had to pick the token female with zero experience and zero qualifications to be second in line to the office of the leader of the free world. There’s something to be said here about the judgment of someone who got himself shot down in Vietnam and thinks frequent stay points at the Hanoi Hilton trump the constitutional requirements to take the oath of office.

Obama and Biden are going to bury these two s-o d-e-e-p, the story of this election will qualify as a dual history-archaeology thesis subject. Mark my words.

Oooops…. check your spelling of weather… there is a storm a brewing isn’t there?

you are just ignorant as most of the foxies.

the old adage used to be, “watch what they do, not what they say”. In Obama’s case it becomes clear that it is best to watch both what he says and what he does. neither are his actions consistent and neither do his words speak the truth. there is no there there.

Wow, nice spelling error in the last paragraph. It’s so encouraging when journalists don’t know the difference between the words “weather” and “whether”. This guy would be better off covering high school sports! Let’s leave important topics such as politics to the journalists who actually know what they’re talking/writing about!

Well, nice try to work this against Obama, but honest to god, Obama didn’t have to turn around on this one. He didn’t make any unfair allegations or misrepresentations, even though such negativity in general right off the bat is disappointing no matter who it comes from.

While Obama deserves no applause for his kind words for Palin, he also doesn’t deserve these insinuations that actually he’s a naughty mean boy despite his willingness to offer a bit of praise.

Gulliani, Ridge, Susan Collins, all better candidates. But they do not pass the Neo-conservative litmus tests, abortion, gay marriage and guns.

Those issues are important. But not at the expense of ALL other issues.

I will wait and hear more, but for right now, this doesn’t even sound like “party before country” it actually sounds like “Extremism over party”, and “Extremism over country”.

Common guys. This actually seems like the Republican’s problem with the religious right and not Obama’s problem.

Can’t we do better than this?

major garrett knows the facts, if only he could get the difference between weather and whether… fox news please hire reporters who have had fifth grade english. then maybe i’d be more obliged to listen and respect your stupid, pathetic opinions

You/’ve got to be kidding Major or is it Lt. Col. of Fox by now? Digs against this woman are only beginning after the garbage being thrown at Obama all of August. She’s certainly not a breath of fresh air but the same old right wing-anti everything-abortion, gays, same sex marriage, etc-foul mouthed rhetoric we’ve heard since rat Reagan.

The retards in the republican party deserve her as they go down to defeat. Maverick Mc Shame-what a joke and a definite pandering by this choice to the Hillerites and women in general. I wonder if the ice princess approves-maybe McShame is into threesomes?

How can a mother of 5 be a dedicated mother and Vice President at the same time. If McCain wins, Palin will not be able to be a hands on mother. So who will raise her children? I am a mother of 2 and I know what the needs of raising children are. It’s hard enough to be a working mother and give a child all that he/she needs, consider the demands of VP of the US. Palin seems to be sacrificing her children for her career. I am glad McCain picked her. It says a lot about him.

The candidates are the final word on their opinions – NOT their campaign. If they had no formal comment yet, it was not appropriate for their office to supply a comment (I’m willing to bet they’re getting some coaching on that today).

I actually echo the sentiments provided by the campaign office, but since the news channels are already all over it, there’s just no need to throw down at this point.

All I can say is this is the first time since the Dan Quayle / Lloyd Bentsen meeting that I’m really looking forward to seeing the VP debates now… “I know Hillary Clinton… and Governor, you are no Hillary Clinton.”

This is a non-issue – let it drop.

This is absolutely an insult to women all over this country. Just because someone has the same female anatomy as I do, or Hillary Clinton, doesn’t mean they believe in all the ideals women like Hillary fought for in her campaign, the Obamas believe in, or women have battled for, for decades. Nor should anyone believe just any women has what it takes to be just a heart beat away from the most powerful position in the world. How dare McCain parade out a women with less than two years of any kind of public experience and expect the country to flock to her like she some kind of feminist savior. I feel sorry for Palin to be thrust in front on the political stage in such a degrading fashion. Palin is a former beauty queen, beauty queens are there to look pretty and answer silly questions about world peace not run countries. While I am sure she might be a wonderful mother and strong, outdoorsy go-getter. She hands down just lacks the experience to be in this game and McCain has lost the decision making skills to have our trust in making the right choices. Palin is the governor of Alaska but just because Alaska is next to Russia doesn’t mean she has ANY foreign policy EXPERIENCE or any experience at all for that matter. And with her families ties to oil, I am a bit afraid of what might happen to the environment if we are allowed to drill for oil all over the country. Women rights is about having the choice to making decisions about our own bodies and having equal rights. Palin does NOT believe in these issues or choices. So anyone who is going to change their vote to McCain simply because now he has a women on the ticket never really believed in the ideals of Hillary, the Obamas, the many women who have fought for our rights over the years, or the Democratic Parties ideals in the first place. We need Obama to heal this country and get us back on track. We NEED Obama to bring back the hope that Kennedy gave us back in the 60s and we saw that coming back last night. We need Obama to help us out of our economic, educational, and international slumps. WE NEED OBAMA now more than EVER because he is going to fix this country and he believes in what we women believe in: equality. We need Obama because he is the most qualified for the job! We don’t need McCain or anyone leading us who makes ridiculous decisions based on political stunts and media attention.

Learn to spell and edit: whether, not weather.

‘historic elevation’?
‘unique place in American history’?

Congratulations, Republican party, and a mere 24 years later!

whether not weather

It seems that the only problem here is that the Obama campaign is more concerned with policy than the race or gender of individuals.

fox news sensors bloggers… major garrett needs to learn the difference between whether and weather… pathetic

Hey Setay. this is how news is reported. You see, the story was about the ObamaBiden campaign ’s obvious rethinking of how it should respond. Why don’t you go back to CNN or MSNBC if you want all of your stories portayed through the lefts myopic glasses.

I am still amazed that Fox chooses “we report – you decide” & “fair & balanced” as their taglines.
It’s just unbelievably funny!

An excellent analysis. Thank you.

Want to know “What the Obama-Biden ticket have in common with a kangaroo?”

Click >> http://www.dianosphere.com/2008/08/what-obama-biden-ticket-and-kangaroo.html

nice typos, major. thanks, mccain, for the election. i will enjoy laughing at sean hannity and bill o’reilly when they whine and cry after the republicans lose.

fox news is a joke. hahaha. it’s funny.

Don’t you guys proof-read anymore? Just look at the last paragraph and tell me what’s wrong with it? It’s a simple grade 3 English (even that)…

Either that or fire the editor… what’s the use of having an editor if all articles are just going to be nilly willy published?!?

I am flat out puzzled by this pick. How did he not pick Tom Ridge to carry PA– a crucial swing state.
I think the fact that 99.999% of this country had no idea who this candidate was last night, brings more liability than legitimacy.

dont you have missing kids or bushs daughters breakfasts to report on?
if this is an issue your head will explode when obama wins
if dick cheney gives fox permission, try some real news reporting
then you may actually be believed

Thanks for the insight. She seems genuine and has garnered more decision-making skills than any senator would have, as a governor. The fact that they(Obama-Biden) have already reversed their response only goes to highlight their weak diplomacy skills and strategic shortcomings.

It just goes to show…that even the secular messiah can’t control the vitriol of his supporters.

I’m so excited that McCain picked Harriet Miers!

“I will leave to others the judgment as to weather the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging on Palin could not….”

I will leave to others the judgment as to whether the “weather” was whether or not the right weather.

how do you spell potato? or whether?! (see the last line of the “news article”). i think you have the qualities that republicans usually look for in a vice-president.

“judgement as to weather”? Is this guy really a journalist or just another dimwitted talking head? His article borders on the edge of literacy. He is not quite as smart as a 5th grader, gramatically and otherwise.

It was a little interesting that the hair trigger response was what the Obama has been complaining about. It doesn’t appear that anyone sould be holding themselves too much above the rough and tumble of politics in America. Politics is much better than a gun to take power – even if the words get a little harsh. America may not be perfect but we have the best form of government in the world. I wish both teams good luck. Let’s get this match in the ring – America is waiting with bated breath. I can’t wait!!!! May the best team win.

Setay, you sound bitter. What about all the biased reporting for Obama, especially from MSNBC. Hmm, as a democrat I will be voting for the best qualified and not based on gender, race, or party affiliation. McCain has my vote, Obama has great speeches and looks good on TV- that is about all he has. Empty hope and promises.

I like it. McCain will grab a lot of women voters with this pick. Also, Palin still has MORE experience than the empty suit, Obama. (a street agitator with 140 some days in government office) AND she’s not affiliated with folks who set bombs off at the Capitol Building and the Pentagon and various police stations.

Wow, nice spelling error in the last paragraph! I find it so encouraging when journalists don’t know the difference between the words “weather” and “whether”. This guy would be better of writing about high school sports. Let’s leave politics to the journalists who actually know what they’re talking/writing about!

In the larger scheme of things I am not sure I get what point you are trying to make. With respect to the differences between the Obama staffers comments and the candidate himself don’t you think we should believe the candidate? If you want to criticize perhaps choosing issues that are substantive would be better than insignificant communication crossed wires. Be an objective journalist and try to keep your personal or bosses spin out of whatever you report on…thanks

As to the last paragraph, it’s not “weather.” It’s “whether.”

Also, as to the last paragraph, I have no idea what (or whether) you are trying to communicate.

Good thing you and your editors are not in a business requiring familiarity with written English–just a nice haircut and a remarkable chin.

Whether not weather. Obama’s only Palin problem is trying not to laugh too hard.

How dare the Democrats compare and denigrate a Republican Presidential candidate with great credentials, lots of experience, honest, no questionable background, no teenage pictures in Muslim garb ,who has chosen a Vice President with less experience, honest, no questionable background, female, to a Presidential candidate with limited experience, questionable background, who has chosen a Vice President explicitly to make up the huge voids in his candidacy?

Come on guys, state the obvious!

Major Garrett proves himself to be a minor thinker. The fact is, Gov. Palin is a joke. When asked what her plans for Iraq were, she said she “hasn’t given it much thought.” But what do you expect from this neo-con nut job, real reporting?

you used the wrong “weather”

Mike,
Be sure to note the “scandal” is nothing more than allegations at this point and that she has welcomed and encouraged an investigation. With “gotcha politics” it seems that if you aren’t in a scandal, it is an insult. Governor Palin has certainly ruffled some feathers, so I’m sure there are political types who would be happy to go after her. Let’s see how this situation plays out before we get too excited.

Fair and balanced? Nice try Major. Propaganda is alive and well at Fox News. Edward R. Murrow would roll over in his grave if he read this article. Your blatant effort to try and find any possible angle to appease neo-cons is gross. I bet your college journalism professors are ashamed…although Karl Rove must be proud. Clowns…

My guess is that the Obama campaign, like everyone else in the country, spit out their coffee and said “WHY????” when McCain announced Palin as his running mate. Obama and Biden happen to be able to restrain themselves better than most, it seems.

anybody who is all weird about the “scandal”, is WAY TOO INTO SCANDALS. That’s why nothing ever gets fixed in this country, nobody can see beyond these diversionary flash points when it comes to voting. Tit for tat is not even the point, scoring political “points” is not even the point. The point is, what needs to be done, and who is the person to do it? I’m not for Obama or McCain but the nation will be in a lot better shape if all those here and around the country will forget about trying to be political experts and FIND THE BASIC QUESTION AND CHOOSE A SOLUTION THAT IS ABOUT RESULTS. OF course, that entire concept might as well be in Latin as far as this election goes. We are so screwed.

k.thomas.j@gmail.com

BIG DEAL.

Yep, I’m making my donation today! Palin surpised me, and I couldn’t think of a better choice. There’s a lot of people contributing due to this pick. We’re off to the races! What could be better? The white haired dude experienced in Washington and abroad at the top. And for VP, someone who’s run a business, a small town, and a state. Obambi and Biden have run nothing, not ever. This is going to be cool. Setay, you’re hilarious. The MSM has been in the bag for the left so long you don’t even know what balanced reporting is. Wonder what feeling is running up Matthew’s leg now…..

[...] also couldn’t help but notice that after attacking then praising Palin’s selection, Obama finally settled on his campaign’s message … Palin’s selection, Obama said, [...]

You’ve nailed it pretty much as I would speculate it, Major. The initial predisposition of the party apparatus was to belittle the other side’s decisions, followed by a more considered reaction, which was of course to congratulate an otherwise conservative, backward looking party for selecting a woman.

But so what? In usual Fox News style, are you trying to squeeze something substantive out of this natural and understandable phenomenon?

Which of Hillary’s supporters would be swayed away to vote for the evil, failed conservative policies of Republicans which are diametrically opposed to Hillary’s own platform? If your answer is “The racist ones who can’t imagine an African American in the White House”, then keep the answer to yourself; it’s not a truism we want to articulate out loud even if we all know it.

How exactly did McCain praise Biden for being an historic VP pick as someone whose foreign policy experience rivals or exceeds that of anyone on the Republican primary slate? Your audience is obviously endlessly pathetic. Shame, you actually once seemed to be a journalist before FOX outbid your previous employers.

I wish both sides would drop religion and faith – it’s making me sick – srsly – Obama speaks like he’s a preacher and Palin doesn’t even believe in evolution (obviously due to her religious nonsense beliefs)- we can’t even get a president elected unless he/she believes or professes to believe in an invisible sky daddy – simply rediculous-

If it were real progress for either party, the gender/ethnicity[sic] of the candidate would be irrelevant and there would be no mention of this invisible entity crap either.

What possible difference does the timing make?

McCain congratulated Obama.

Obama congratulated Palin.

Both parties operatives remained in attack mode.

Sarah Palin will make a terrific VP to John McCain’s Pres. The arguements against her are so insider Washington elitist. Those poor fools don’t even realize this woman is main stream America, she is me and all my friends. She connects; Obama/Biden are arrogant, elitist, POLITICIANS, they are more of the same, the same the Obama says he will change. Don’t think so. Palin has BEEN THERE DONE THAT! And she is a woman, she will suck in all the Clintonistas. And that comment by John Roberts….leftist tolerance?

There are millions of Hillary supporters that will now enthusiastically support McCain/Palin. Thank goodness the Republican Party is not taking advantage of women and Hillary supporters the way the Democratic Party has this election cycle!

THE DEMS MUST BE RUNNING SCARED, BECAUSE THEY PUT THEIR HATCHET PEOPLE OUT TO ATTACK PALIN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. WAIT TIL SHE STARTS ATTACKING TWO LIBERAL LAWYERS WHO ARE IN THE TANK FOR LITIGATORS, AND STARTS TALKING ABOUT THE DEMS HEALTH (MORE LAWYERS TO SUE DOCTORS) CARE PLAN. THE FACT IS WE HAVE MORE LAWYERS IN THIS COUNTRY THEN DOCTORS. LETS CLOSE SOME LAW SCHOOLS AND OPEN MORE MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

The first two comments on Major Garrett’s articles are, so say the least, disgusting.
The second one in particular.
Everyone has a right to express views, but to sink to the level of such sleazy comments reflects no class, no culture and certain is not civilized. Shame!!
One can easily suspect that these despicable comments are from an ultra-leftist supporter of Obama. Not suprising. Hatchet jobs are common.
Mr. Garrett is a highly respected journalist. Garrett covered the Obama campaign with fairness and objectivity. The article above objectively attempts to describe the reaction of the Obama caomp—-typically saying one thing and then reversing their comments when they realize is was not going over very well with the American people. Obama is an empy suit, a liar and a gassbag. He simply is not qualified to be President.
I have not always been a fan of John McCain, but I commend him for his selction of Governor Palin. The real problem with Obama and many of his wild-eyed supporters is that, in their heart of hearts, Governor Palin’s selection puts the finishing touches on what appears, more and more, that John McCain will be the next President of the United States.

“I will leave to others the judgment as to WEATHER the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging on Palin could not A) Get off the ground properly or B) Found the need to reverse itself before stepping aboard the first day of a three-day bus tour.”

Before posting this biased reactive crap, you could at least get your grammar correct.

Is this a news report? It sounds more like a blog… I don’t know why it popped up as news.

Major, I’m still voting for Obama, though I’m very pleased to see Palin’s nomination.

I assume you’re still voting for McCain

Well both are true. She is a political midget with no experience and it is great that a woman is the VP appointee. Just because one is positive and the other is negative doesn’t mean both can’t be true.

That’s it? The Obama campaign said something critical about the selection? That ranks as news to you worthy of critical “analysis”? Really, how did you get this job… I think I’ll apply.

I agree with Major Garrett. Obama’s team went for the dismissive slam and then regretted it. Palin’s nomination works in a couple of ways, her “scandal” pales in comparison to those of Obama and Biden (plagerism, racist reverends, unrepentent terrorist, racist mentors and back room financing to name a few) and Palin’s experience is at least as “extensive” as Obama’s. I was not a McCain fan, but he has chosen a woman of accomplishment and someone the Democrats need to watch out for. Her nomination also secured my vote for McCain. Her support for a natural gas pipeline, strong ethics, going against her own party when needed and actually believing and acting on her belief that what the taxpayers of Alaska earn is actually “their” money says volumes about her. Biden and Obama’s history of back room Chicago-style thug politics will contrast nicely with both McCain and Palin.

This article by Fox News is still another example of “news” that is not really news. It is simply propoganda for the Republican attack dogs. When someone in the McCain Campaign makes a statement that John McCain does not agree with (like the “whiners” statement), we don’t hear a word from Fox News, Karl Rove, the Watt Street Journal Editorial page, or the Republican attack dogs placing the blame on McCain. But here, where both Obama and the VEEP nominee state their positions, Fox News drivels up something allegedly said by someone in the campaign to try to smear these good people. Shameful.

how do you spell potato? or whether? (see the last line of the “article”). maybe you should run. i think you have all the qualities that republicans look for in a vice-president.

WOW! its so funny how Fox News thinks they are all above the fray with unbiased coverage…yet their team is so conservative its not even funny…All i know is that John McCain lost his biggest attack on Barack Obama…Experience is obviously not that important to being a president as Gov. Palin is far less experienced than even Obama…HYPOCRITES!

What possible differnece does the timing make?

McCain congratulated Obam.

Obama congratulated Palin.

Both staffs stayed in attack mode.

I think the choice of Sarah Palin is a great choice and the issue of experience needs to continue to be directed at Obama. With less than 200 days of actual experience before going full time on the campaign trail and no executive experience, It seems to me that Palin has all over Barak in the experience area. Some have talked about his incredible campaign, but I have to say that even I could have run a successful campaign with the help of the national media and other candidates who were unwilling to ask Obama the tough questions. Palin has already had to field tougher issues than Obama has in his multi-year campaign.

fair and balanced views. I will tell you a secret Palin and hillary r twins

What a lame blog post.

I’m pretty surprised by the pick, actually. I think it shows that McCain’s internal poll numbers are lot worse than the public polls that show a tight race.

I was leaning toward McCain because of experience and judgment, but this pick torpedoes both. The guy is 72, and has had repeated skin cancer and other health scares. Sarah looks good, but can she be president? I don’t think so.

Enough with the affirmative action already. A qualified woman would be one thing, but she is a total flyweight, chosen only to try to steal away a few crabby Hillary backers.

Dan Quayle in a pantsuit. Nice to know that a bachelor’s degree from U. of Idaho is enough education for the person who might be a heartbeat away from being the ruler of the free world. She does have a solid record of success as playing second fiddle, as she was the runner-up in the Miss Alaska Pageant.

Yes, the facts do speak for themselves. It is unfortunate so few appear in this column. And Google showed this as “news”? Go figure.

What scandal?! She’s apparently the ONLY one in Alaska (and most of politics) to blow the whistle on the crap she sees happening in her state and stand up to the ‘Good ol’ boys’ that were running it
she’s not the scandal she exposed the bad behavior

Hey! You read these things! Thanks for correcting the “weather” typo to “whether.”

Still have no idea what your point is.

Nice chin, though.

I changed parties so that I could vote for Hillary in the Democratic primaries.
When Obama didn’t select Hillary as his running mate, I was disillusioned with the Democratic party. They have shown me that it is the Democrats who are the status quo.

The Republicans have impressed me with their selection. I look forward to a good campaign. However, the Democrats are a very distant second. “Politics as usual for the Democrats”

You mean “whether” not “weather.” Try proofreading sometime.

Obama is a smart cookie! He’s not going to offend the American women and mother’s first of all! He is showing his coolness and poise. It’s McCain who by choosing a Beauty Queen as his running mate, when there are so many other qualified women in the republican party, who has offended all of the intelligent women of America. She’s is obviously a figure head and nothing more! No substance here! Just wait for the photos of Palin in her bathing suit and tiara surface! It all speaks for itself! LET THE OIL DRILLING OFF THE SHORES OF ALASKA BEGIN!

Tim4hillary is gay.

It is what it is. The fact is the first statement is true. The second may be more gracious but the choice of Sarah is a transparently political move when Karl Rove assured us that McCain would pick someone who could take control (when John falls asleep in cabinet meetings).

you should change your name from fox news to fox commentary, or fox opine.

I think you mean whether, not weather.

Typo in the last sentence: weather to whether. Idiot.

Perhaps you’re being a little over-critical about what was clearly Bill Burton jumping the gun because he feels that’s his job. It’s just a product of a political system that puts more emphasis on painting a sordid picture than always debating policy issues. This is a problem on both sides of the aisle, and anyone who thinks that the republicans are any less guilty than the democrats really need to get their heads out of their rear-ends. Unforntunately, it’s all summed up with the all too often used term “Game of Politics”!!!

McCain is 72 years old and has had health issues. If he wins, she will be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I don’t think anyone in his right mind thinks that she is equipped for this job.

right on, Major!

The Obama campaign can issue statements independently of the candidate. Obama’s explanation is perfectly reasonable — he saw what his campaign said on his behalf, disagreed with it, and refuted it within hours. In other words, he did the right thing.

Obama and the crew got caught off guard and didn’t know how to handle it. McCain put one over on the Dems and it will pay off in the end. Palin is a firecracker and will be more than Biden can handle in the debates.

This guy is a reporter? Does he not have spell check? Well, regardless, he’s uncovered a majorly scandalous talking point that should be repeated ad nauseum by any and every McSame Conservative in the country.

Speaking of McSame, does anyone think he’ll dump Cindy for the new hottie? That IS his MO. I’m looking for the rumors to start flying.

In fact, I’m certain I saw the two of them holding hands in a Washington restaurant last night….

Dear Mr. Garrett – It’s “whether” – not “weather” (see last sentence). Otherwise, thoughtful and insightful piece.

Obama is not qualified to be President so he and his staff look absolutley ridiculous to bring up or dismiss her qualifications for VICE President. It is not she, but McCain at the top of the ticket. And HE IS WELL QUALIFIED. Obama blew this in a big way. It just shows what we are writing about. His total lack of experience and qualifications.
Obama/Bidem 08
This Democrat and Proud American is voting for McCain/Palin ‘09 – ‘12

When I heard of McCain’s choice of Palin one word immediately came to mind, senility. What else could make him think this person has the qualifications and depth to be president? I am stunned.

Palin just makes McCain look even older, as if that was possible. And she’d be just one feeble McCain heartbeat away from the Presidency. I cannot vote for McCain because this pick is irresponsible.

Sarah, a new Reagan rising?
A Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir in the making?

Unlike several others in the ball game, she’s actually got a track record of providing leadership and management skills.

She will shake up the status quo like we haven’t seen in many years.
She’s got some credibility unlike Biden…………who lost his in the process of trying to puff up Obama’s resume. The public isn’t stupid as Biden must believe.

Four years down the road we’ll see Sarah and Hillary facing off!

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.” Uh…you guys know that McCain’s not actually the President, right? I’ve heard about Obama being presumptuous, but this is ridiculous.

[Obama campaign] spokesman Bill Burton:

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.”

Really? An official campaign spokesman said that?

Why does McCain’s choice for vice-president matter, if one assumes—as a senior Obama/Biden campaign staff member should—that Joseph Biden will be the next vice-president of the United States?

Reporters who criticize other need to learn the difference between “weather” and “whether.”

I think you should check the spelling and grammar of your articles. “Weather” in the last paragraph should be whether. Are we supposed to take you seriously when you are unable to master third grde grammar?

Have you been drinking the contents of the barrel that shares your logo?
I bet Hannity is spewing the same non-issues right now as I write this.
It’s funny to observe how desperate the right-wingers are right now.

What a pathetic attempt at spin. You suck as a writer. No wonder FOX hired you.

As always, What The Fox!
Funny how Fox always tries to make something about nothing, usually the story is being told by a convicted felon or a traitor like rove.
So, What The Fox?!!!

Heartbeat away from running the COUNTRY? that scares the nuke out of me. I served in the military. scary. this choice’s lack of representing the majorities in so many things.
For Alaska’s needs over the rest of country? . wow.

McCain choosing a political fixit, while saying trash on Obama with his youth and inexperienc, now brings someone with a GEOMETRICally smaller national and international experience depth.

wow

Dear Mr. Garrett,

It’s “whether,” not “weather” (see last sentence).

Thoughtful and insightful piece.

Obamas choice of words is representitive of how he comes across in the media. Less of a fighter more of a leader of change. Thats what we need, someone who doesn’t run smear campaigns like the GOP.

I”m sure you are shocked, shocked I tell you, about the slight. After perpetrating the worst kind of innuendo possible about Obama, who the HECK are you to comment on a perceived lapse of decorum. God, have you no shame. Sorry, I needn’t ask.

Seems like this article is really stretching to find something to complain about here. Can the campaign & candidates not have multiple opinions regarding this VP choice? And, if they do, do they have to say them all at once?

Republican pandering at it’s finest! If Americans buy into this, they deserve what they get. I guess According to McCains choice Obama does have the experience needed.

Complete gimmick and unbelievably hypocritical. I think it is sad that McCain thinks Americans will fall for such shallow cheep tricks. She is the opposite of Hillary on EVERY SINGLE ISSUE! I think it may work to some degree however just because people won’t know what to make of her. This however, is a sad new low for elections – seems more like an eppisode of Jerry Springer – She stole my pantsuits!

correct your grammar, please!

Are you really a reporter, I thought basic writing skills were required?
“We were briefly assured by senior Obamas traveling staff ….”
Obviously, another hiring based on political persuasion versus talent. Dept. of Justice comes to mind. If you want to talk about American patriotism, why are you listening to an Australian billionaire?

The candidates are setting a positive tone, the spokespeople project a negative tone. Those are tones, not contradictory statements. And who cares?

Slow news day I guess. But since it is slow, take a little longer to proof read your article. It is “whether”, not “weather”. Or maybe you are trying to reinforce your far right credentials.

I’ve been saying all along. That if McCain were to choose a female as his running mate that it would have been someone with more notoriety and more gualified! Condi would have been a more reasonable choice…not that she wants the job…but she is one out of a dozen others he could have chosen. Instead he goes for the beauty queen! I can’t wait for the pictures to start surfacing of Palin in her tiara and bathing suit. LET THE ALASKAN OFFSHORE DRILLING BEGIN!

Is this news? You could’ve written the exact same article regarding the McCain response to the Obama speech last night. Within ~15 minutes of the end of the speech all networks are reading a scathing (or trying to be) statement from the McCain campaign, but later you hear that McCain issued a commercial of himself congratulating Obama and his historic candidacy.

To paraphrase you:
“Did the campaign suddenly regret failing to take note of Obama’s {Palin’s} unique place in American history as the first African American {woman} tabbed by the Democratic {Republican} Party as a {vice} presidential nominee?”

It’s the exact same story…quick attack response from a campaign spokesman followed by a more civil response from the candidate.

Stop feigning indignation, it’s embarassing.

I usually do not come to this site, but now I know why people say that FOX news is so bad. The fact is that Palin is a laughable candidate and you are just trying to put a nice spin in a disastrous decision. McSame has shown his senility.

Major… are you really that stupid?

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.” -Bill Burton

Strong words coming from the representative of a man running for the presidential seat who has zero foreign policy experience himself; lest we forget Obama has almost zero experience formulating any sort of policy in the real-world aside from a list of unkeepable promises of “change”.

How many unique ideas has Barack brought to the table in the Senate during his 3 1/2 years in office? Hey many laws has he, or a small committee that he’s been a part of, pushed through the senate for ratification? Hey look, that zero number pops up yet again.

you used ‘weather’ in you last paragraph. You should have used whether but hey we all make mistakes sometimes, even presidential candidates.

This so-called “official statement” that you speak of is fabricated. If the entire press corps heard it, then why has it not been reported anywhere else other than here?

Personally, it makes me pretty nervous to know that if McCain is elected president, the ailing 72-year-old (who would be our oldest president ever) would be one heart attack or stroke away from handing leadership of the free world – the MOST IMPORTANT JOB ON EARTH – to someone who was running city council meetings just two years ago in a town that had fewer people than the office building I work in.

McCain made a very disappointing decision – I am an independent and have always been impressed by his leadership. But to make this important decision purely based on politics – picking someone that fits his campaign needs – is extremely disappointing. Intelligent women across the country should be offended that McCain seems to think he can just win them over by putting any woman on the ticket, regardless of her experience or qualifications.

What a terrible pick. No foreign policy experience, anti women’s rights, former mayer of a tiny town in the US state with the smallest population, and no other experience besides almost winning a beauty pagent?

I think the Governor is an excellent choice – a real American woman. She has more executive experience than any of the candidates and hits all the bells and whistles as far as I am concerned. Her selection has turned me from a tepic McCain supporter to an ardent activist.

Reis Kash
Springfield, Oregon

Joe “who”. She has done more than Biden or Obama put together.

The Democrats statement about her not having any foreign policy experience exactly fits LiarObama. The difference is she will learn fast from McCain as his VP; Obama is running for President without any foreign policy experience. Bet she’ll whip Biden’s behind in the debate.

WE ARE WOMAN, YES, YES, WE CAN11111111111111111111111111111111111

Hey Carol Vrooman – we don’t want you and all your friends to be president (yes, that’s what a VP becomes when the president dies) … you’re not qualified!

Republicans are desparate and all you will make from here to election day is more mistakes like the one made today. It is unbelievable to see the Republican reaction to everything the Democrats do, but it is even more so, to watch how you try to justify every stupid move that your candidate and party make.

It would be pretty interesting if McCain still tried to accuse Obama of being inexperienced as he has so much already. It’s a little contradictory, though, that McCain has used that accusation as a foundations of his campaign and yet he chooses someone who resembles (and actually has lesser experience than) Obama. It makes me question what he really thinks, if he continues to go back and forth regarding so many different topics…

Does the McCain campaign think voters are completely stupid? That suddenly women all over the nation will vote for a candidate who is COMPLETELY unqualified (after lambasting Obama on how “unqualified” he is, mind you) just because she is a woman? Apparently so….

What r u an idiot? “Did it regret a swift descent into the negative …” They didnt attack her person – thus they are doin what they said they would – not questioning her patriotism , not questioning her character BUT questioning her positions ! Thats fair and civil – unlike McCain ads – you are obviously biased

I think it’s insulting to think that women will now vote for McCain because he picked a femail VP. If both McCain and Obama died in a plane crash which person would you want to be the President???? Come-on get real!!! I’m sure Mrs Palin is very nice but being a governor of <10,000 people and being a President of a country w/ millions of people are 2 very different things.

What the “H” do this JACKA$$ from FOX NEWS knows…

are american women really stupid enough to vote republican just because mccain picked a vp? just because they are feeling “scorned” (lol) about not getting hillary? u betcha. american women are retarded, just like everybody else in this country. ive lost all faith in any legitimate political process in this country. everybody is just pandering to stupid idiots all the time.

Is this supposed to be an Op-Ed?
You say at the end you leave judgment to the reader but only after rendering your impression and judgment.

Geez, Mr. Garrett. You’re not fooling any of us. This has nothing to do with Obama-Biden or with Palin. It has to everything to do with the “aides” pandemic that has already overtaken this election. Most of the back and forth between “Obama” and “Clinton” were really things that their aides said. Consider Clinton’s infamous Kennedy assassination comment. Obama’s campaign aides released a response criticizing her. But in his own remarks, he expressed sympathy because of how often his remarks had been taken out of context. I don’t think any of these candidates has the time or energy to micro-manage everything single thing their so-called strategists do and say on their so-called behalf.

Major:

I’m sure whatever statement the Obama campaign put out would have known the difference between “whether” and “weather”.

I hope Fox will step up it’s own literary standard with the next president, since it’s easy to get complacent with the current Republican standard-bearer.

I guess it just never occurred to you that letting his press people dis Philin and the candidates then taking higher ground could be a good strategy??

The most important thing about Palin is not the fact she is a woman. It is the fact she is a pro-Bush Republican who (just like McCain) represents more of the same. I’m curious to know what she thinks about George Bush? Does she think he was a great president?

Why is Fox News always so biased towards the Republicans? Tony Snow, voice of Bush is a veteran Fox “reporter”. As always, it is impossible to trust anything said by Fox because of blatant and unabashed bias.

McCain had to go all the way to Alaska to find someone as out of touch as he is. Nice pick, McCain – try a winner next time.

As a Republican, gotta say I am not impressed. Not impressed at all. McCain is 72, and this woman has a great chance of becoming President of the United States. President! Plain has done anything on the national level and my party wants me to get behind this ticket. It’s painful, but I’m going in for Obama.

Well, it is another big day for Obama and “more change you can depend on.”

First Obama’s team hammered McCain choosing Palin as nobody and then they immediately changing their statement. So now we can see Obama making a big change in less than 24 hours. Give the governor a chance to be heard.

His really significant big change was when he was in Iraq and practically mirrored McCain’s position realizing that the surge worked even though he earlier said it could not work. With the truth being realized, either candidate will come out of Iraq on the same timetable and with the same expenditure and result – a sort of success. So this is truly a non-issue. Obama merely moved to McCain’s position – another change.

What is the main issue are the massive social programs that Obama wants to initiate just to benefit the poorest of American’s poor people. But this social experiment is just not working. Lazy mooches will just continue staying at home drawing enhanced social benefits on the backs of the remaining people who work. If this further accelerates in the US, the former group will just grow LARGER as the latter group declines to make the US MORE noncompetitive. Say NO to socialism. Say no to Obama. If you work, keep more of your money to spend on your family. Resist subsidize the people who don’t work. Obama wants to take the nation down the WRONG road at great future expense to America. Don’t you see America becoming broke on increasing expenditures. Vote for McCain.

First response from Barack’s spokeperson… unscripted
Second response from Barack & Biden…. scripted
Result…Priceless

Senator McCain accuses Senator Obama of being willing to loose the war in order to win the election. Now he’s willing to gamble the country’s future in order to win the election….. I don’t get it.

As an independent, I think that McCain made a strategic choice with Sarah Palin for Vice President, one which complicates the identity politics at play in this presidential election. Palin will appeal to many conservative women around the country. Still, I think that she will have a very tough time making the case that Republicans deserve another round in the White House. She has to defend McCain’s legislative record, one which largely conforms with George W. Bush’s unpopular administration. While Palin may be a Republican reformer, she has to make the case that McCain and her can reform Washington better than the Democrats. I think this will be very challenging and perhaps impossible for her or anyone else to make. Still, Palin is McCain’s best bet for the presidency.

I’m an Alaskan. I know Palin. She is a winner. Strategically, McCain could not have made a better choice. When America gets to know her, they will wonder why she is not at the top of the ticket…someday…in the mean time, I hope she pushes for as many VP debates as possible – she steals the show in that venue. This will change the race as much as Bill Clinton’s focus on the economy vs Bush 1. She is the best representative women could have. This is not a political hail mary, but a shrewd and wise choice for VP. It fundamentally changes the nature of this race, and makes the Obama/Biden call for ‘change’ look superficial and weak.

Much ado about nothing. Republicans have ranted about Obama’s lack of experience so, it was only natural some staffers immediately pointed out inconsistencies when asked. Two main points, Obama himself said the right thing and Palin doesnt change the fact that McCain means more of the same. War, poverty, manipulated healthcare and world destroying Free Trade.

I think you’re judging Obama based on a comment that someone else made.Congratulations to Palin, good for her. Does anyone think that this is anything other than an attempt to win over Clinton backers? I for one just don’t think that McCain felt she was the best PERSON for the job.

Great job of reporting as always, Major !!

The TRUE Obama comes out under pressure – sure don’t want that clown any where near the little black football…

Gov. Palin is an excellent choice for our country –

McCain/Palin ‘08

seph…

“I will leave to others the judgment as to __weather__ the first day of the Obama-Biden …” should be “whether”

I cannot understand why the McCain campaign is not making counter argument to Dem’s concerns about Governor Palin’s lack of foreign affairs experience.

Obama has admittedly no foreign affairs experience and that is why he has hired Biden. Should God forbid and Governor Palin has to step into the Oval Office, I am sure then she can hire or choose as her VP some other qualified foreign affairs / National Security guru. She will be in luck because Senator Biden also will be available then.

My concern is what happens if Obama is in the White House and God forbid and something happens to Senator Biden!

Governor Palin is a wonderful selection and John got my vote.

I had voted for Kerry last time!

Well I don’t think that Obama has done anything wrong. I am a born and raised alaskan and I think it was a comical choice. She has no foreign policy and she is just a pretty face for McCain. She has done nothing really for Alaska, she is into big oil and money. There is a very real rumor that the baby she is holding isn’t really hers it is her daughters. Who knows if this is true but none of us knew that she was pregnant and her daughter got taken out of school for 7 months and sent away and then look Palin has a baby. I think it will be rather controversial if we find out that this is true.

I can’t believe the comments by the so-called experts. Sexist remarks are rampant. I hope someone points this out before this woman, who is just as qualified as the other sides #1, gets dumped by the “in the tank” media.

This series of comments from the Obama camp is typical. They get someone to say negative things, then Obama comes back with just the opposite. Obama was behind both comments. It is his trademark of being a mean spirited person.

Not a very smart commentary at all. This woman is not even on the same level as Hillary. And I, as you all know from my Fox show, am not a huge fan of Hillary. But this woman’s inexperience bugs me the same way President Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers bugged me and a lot of other conservatives. The parallels the Obama camp draws with McCain and the current administration are overblown but here is one case where McCain does not seem to learn from the mistakes of the current president. We can only hope the American people overlook this Vice President Gaffe which will be hard to do considering she will now be sharing the stage with Mr. McCain.

*Bill O’Reilly is a non-partisan political commentator and can be seen weekday evenings on Fox News’s “The O’Reilly Factor”*

I applaud the pick of Mrs Palin. Her values fall right in line with the true conservative values of America. She may be a little light in experience, and we’ll soon find out if she has the ability to inspire or reassure more than the Buchanan Republicans.

I apologize for confusing the subject, but is it too complex for the media to understand that the Obama campaign can run against Pailin the VP candidate and applaud Palin the woman at the same time. Get real. It may seem odd to actually respect the opponent but it was done in politics before. They shouldn’t let Rovian politics bring these two campaigns into the gutter. Its not fair to any of the candidates, whom I believe are four of the finest people we have seen on the ballets in a long time. Both parties have great people and as an American I will be proud and happy with whomever wins…. mostly

HIlarious.

Obama is a Harvard trained expert on our constitution. Bush jr. should ve been one of his students, maybe he’d have learned something.

But this Palin is just plain hilarious. A beauty queen runner up who was placed into office for 18 months by the oilmen to push their agenda is supposed to be our next president (after McCain keeps over)?

Why not just put a dress on George Bush jr. and let him be VP? Same thing.

PUMAS can’t be that easily manipulated. They may be angry, but THIS woman is no Hillary.

Funny stuff. Can’t wait for the Biden debate.

Blah,blah,blah, blah, blah,blah, blah. Same old same old.
C’mon people. Engage brain…then mouth (fingers)

I like Pailn as McCain’s VP. With the inexperience Palin and Obama, maybe both campaigns will take inexperience off the table and focus on the issues.

I believe that the choice of Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as the vice-presidential candidate is an excellent decision for the success of John McCain’s campaign. Prior to this, there were many conservatives who were reluctant to support McCain due to his views and positions on many issues that are not in agreement with main stream conservatism.

Sarah Palin brings a new (and beautiful I might add) face to national politics. She brings a unique experience as the first women governor of the state of Alaska, and as a leader who knows how to bring the responsible development of natural resources to success and use for all of America (goodbye $4 per gallon foreign gas!). Recently, she was instrumental in a deal that could lead to a natural gas pipeline bringing much needed energy resources to the lower 48 states.

Moreover, she brings the experience of a wife and mother to a high national office, which this country needs to move forward in the 21st century. She understands the impact of a foreign war as the parent of a soldier in the military serving in Iraq.

In conclusion, I believe the choice of Sarah Palin as a running mate for John McCain was the one thing needed to energize millions of voters who were previously disinterested in politics to exercise their right to vote. She is young and very energetic and will lead to much positive change in our government that is desperately needed.

That the McCain camp is in trouble is now more evident than ever. Gone is his argument against Obama;s lack of experience. If McCain were still running his own affairs, I’d say he’s finally lost his mind. As it is, the religious right is walking him like a dog. The radical evangelicals are the only folks thrilled by the Palin pick and Tim is obviously still hung up on the idea that the Hilary supporters will be drawn to any candidate with ovaries. Oh, I do so love the musky stench of neocon fear in the morning. It smells like victory.

R u serious? I can’t wait to watch Bill O’Reilly’s fair and balanced opinion on this pick. Unbelievable. I mean who is this person….a mayor in a small Eskimo town or now Governor, for how long 1.5 years or so? Be fair. This is truly.

I think Bill Burton needs to emulate his boss, not the other side.

Learn to spell whether!

I WANT a president who is both elitist and elite. I want somebody in the White House who is smarter than me. I want a president who is both an excellent leader and brilliant. None of us should settle for less, no matter what the gender or race of the candidates is. C’mon electorate; let’s step up and educate ourselves. And while we’re at it, let’s actually vote! In 2004, barely 60% of eligible voters bothered to cast a ballot. I’m a solid Obama/Biden supporter but I believe that our nation will be stronger if we engage in constructive dialog with one another and participate in the process.

Typical stupid news article from FOx. is the reporter actually surprised that there is a difference between the immediate unofficial reaction behind Obama’s closed doors and the more careful official reaction that is put out there for public consumption? Of course the reporter knows better. This is nothing more than partisanship masquerading as journalism. Many of the “comments” are way out ahead of the Fox hatchet-journalist.

Five reasons that I think McCain’s appointment of Sarah Palin as his running mate is a slam dunk for him. (1) She appeals to the conservative base, which candidates such as Lieberman and Ridge would not have (2) She has a very clean an impressive record – minus this firing of a Public Safety Commissioner, which no voter who hasn’t already decided to vote for Obama, is going to care about. (3) She is going to excite many women voters, especially those who feel jaded by Obama’s poor treatment of Hillary Clinton. (4) Like McCain, she has the image of a Washington outsider/maverick who will enact change for the betterment of society. And (5) She is a total couger/milf!

Major you are a reporter not a commentator. Try to be a professional. Fair and Balanced? You have got to be kidding. John really knows how to pick his women. Great Bio, very articulate and charsmatic. Conservative women will adore her. Sarah, John and Cindi will make quite an attractive threesom. Though I would be careful touting her as an “energy expert”. She can just as easily be represented as a shill for the oil and gas industry. Do we really need another VP with those creds?

I love it! John McCain is beating himself and Obama doesn’t have to do anything. Easiest way to lose an election… pick someone from the boondocks who has next to ZERO experience. Yeah, she has been governor for the last 2 years, but only because the incumbent Republican governor was more crooked than an EKG readout. The Democrat put against her was just supposed to be a token-sacrifice for the incumbent, and when the scandal hit, the Republicans put her in his place, and she had an easy time against a political nobody. Before that, her experience was just as a municipal manager for a town of less than 10K people. She has no foreign policy cred. She has almost no domestic cred. She’s an anti-science creationist moron. AND she’s ALREADY involved with a scandal about her using her influence to get her ex-brother-in-law fired and then fired the Alaska state police chief because he wouldn’t bow to her cronyism. And she was only picked because she’s a woman and because she’s a right-winger. I am SO happy McCain picked her. Obama, make sure to thank him repeatedly for giving you the Presidency!

another religious nutjob..

!LET THE ALASKAN OFFSHORE DRILLING BEGIN! Screw the polar bears! Let’s go out and club some baby seals while we’re hunting wolf pups. UNBELIEVABLE!

Good Job McCain – I will vote for anybody BUT obama – he is the one that is NOT qualified to lead our country. Hillary Clinton should have all this – but – the DNC picked the WRONG, Arrogant, Radical FRAUD – who will NEVER be elected.

McCain/Palin – much better choice for our country.

I love the unhinged comments from the Obamorons questioning the validity of the article. I couldn’t think of a better example exposing their commonly shared traits–a detachment from reality, and an amazing ability to self-deceive.

I’m very excited about Sarah Palin.

Palin is more like the rest of us. Obama, you should have picked Hillary. You may not have picked her because she would have cast a shadow over you but it would have been better for the party. I am a Dem. but will be voting McCain. the first time that I was able to vote was for Carter and have not doubted my party until now. Maybe in four more years

Fox news is an abortion. It’s not anywhere close to the truth on anything. Everyone should see the documentary” Outfoxed” . When the g.o.p.controll the news media like they do in the case of Rupert Merdock, this is what happens. It’s pure propoganda. I feel sorry for the working people of this country who are convinced Fox News is even close to a reliable source of truth.

read between the lines when john called to congradulate barack on his nomination speech he also told him that he was the man and that he has his vote.john mccain will vote for barack the obvious has taken place.read between the lines.

Palin is quite brilliant. The media has totally underestimated her abilities to lead and govern. She is well liked in Alaska as well.

She will do well against Joe Biden who primps himself in front of a camera every minute of the week.
Biden will meet his match…..she is very effective while debating.

She has gotten an Alaska Pipeline moving towards construction while the good ole boys couldn’t get anything done over the last 30 years.

What has Biden got done during the same period of time? Talking …..more talking……and more talking. It’s just like Diarhea, when listening to Biden every weekend.

Wow! Fair and Balanced? Is this article actually supposed to present an unbiased view of the incident? McCain has been hammering on Obama’s lack of experience full force for quite some time now and you are critical of Obama’s campaign for a solitary quote. Astounding.
Well, I guess this is another example of why FOX News is really no more than the GOP’s public relations arm.

This is not fair and balanced. Just state the facts and let people decide for themselves. How did journalism become this biased mess? Also, always check your work before submitting, the public can be brutal to hasty reports filled with one sided commentary.

PS: “The Bourbon Room” logo is horrific.

I am so confused…last I heard, FoxNews had Obama picking Big Foot as his running mate and Jesus was McCain’s pick.

If you can’t get the facts from FoxNews who can you believe these days?

So much faux ‘objectivty’ here, especially in the first 10 or so posts. Is this the Obama quick reaction team at work? Go back to your day jobs at the intellectually stimulating DailyKos or as ‘researchers’ for lunatic KeithO of MSNBC, who makes Matthews seem like Tim Russert – talk about kneepads & journalism or credible punditry. Let’s waste more time showing how smart you are correcting whether/weather. That must be from defending Obama from Weatherman Ayers associations. Palin will expose the hypocrisy & vapidity of this version of Democratic Party & their enablers, the manin stream media. Written by a former liberal Democrat who finally wised up.

uh, yeah…a large majority of “Clintonistas” are going to jump ship and vote for Gov Palin just because she happens to have the same set of sexual organs as Senator Clinton.

Sure, why not.

There is no chance that this Hillary supporter will support McCain/Palin. How cynical can he be? Does he really think that putting up any young former beauty queen is comparable to the wealth of intelligence, foreign and domestic policy experience Hillary brought to the table? Reminds me of employers who tap unqualifed, non-competitive minority candidates for jobs and then, when they didn’t work out, use them as proof that minorities in general can’t handle the jobs.

Palin’s reputation in Alaska is one of ignoring its (massive) rural areas and caring little for its substantial Native population. Her ethics are questionable and currently under investigation. Way to go, McCain. Is this really the best you could come up with?

My first choice was Hillary. I have to admit that after listening to Palin’s speech this morning, I was considerably impressed. She reminds me of my own best friends–people I know, love, and trust. She is not politics as usual. I wasn’t going to vote–but….maybe I will now. I want to hear more.

She got to Governor of a state with 670,000 people from being the MAYOR of a town of 5400 people. How can you possibly take her seriously? I don’t care what kind of person she is, you are not really going to say her level of inexperience is the same as Obama’s? His is 4 years of FEDERAL, preceded by several of STATE, preceded by several of LOCAL. And a Harvard and Columbia grad. AND SHE WOULD BE A VERY FRAGILE HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM BEING PRESIDENT?!?!!

This was a great pick for McCain, because it seals his fate. Hillary supporters would never vote for a pro-life candidate, so that’s a waste. And how much time is she going to have for those 5 little darlings if she were to be VP?

What another biased load of crap your Palin /Obama report is!
You people have no shame in your blatant pandering for the Republican Party.
You are a journalistic joke.

If it werent for hate mongers like Limbaugh and your own O’Reilly, pandering to ignorant disaffected Americans, exploiting their frustration with their own stupidity, you would have no reason to exsist.

Calling yourself “News” is the height of arrogance. Better to call yourself Fox “Propaganda”.

No, too honest for the likes of you lying facists.

Carol Vrooman,

You are wrong about being “main stream” America. (It’s spelled mainstream, by the way.) This country is divided roughly 50/50. There’s nothing mainstream about you and your friends. And this “elitist” crap is nonsense – something cooked up by the fundamentalilst right wing because they can’t think of anything better – just insults, and lame ones at that.

As far as HRC’s supporters go, they will see right through this move and believe me, they will NOT vote for a woman so far removed from Hillary Clinton’s point of view. Get over yourself.

Lout. Learn to write.

you are an idiot.

Fox is the pits, a propagand machine, not a real news organization.

In about 30 days, you are going to see Hillary in front of a camera. She will be sad. She will be serious. She will tell the world how she now feels that a woman in the White House is a mistake at this time, this country that she loves…..is just not ready. She will pause, she will look more serious.

She will deliver this message with the same seriousness that she used to proclaim Barak unfit for the job he is running for.

Guys, if you don’t like FOX, just watch CNN and only read the NY Times. I can’t stand either of those two. I have the same comments that you state regarding positive spin. But neither FOX nor the Wall Street Journal have ever had to fire a reporter for lying.

Wow – this is such a blatant insult to women that only someone from McCain’s generation could think of this as an equal replacement for a woman like Clinton.

Not only does is Plane just another BIG OIL crony in a party plagued by such accusations, but she hasn’t even displayed the same level of intellectualism or drive that we expect from men. She’s not pushed herself to achieve so that she could go to the best schools. She could have at least earned the grades to go to a Harvard, Yale, or Columbia even if she declined later on.

And her exposure to the world is limited to a town of 9,000 people, and a state with one of the lowest population levels in the country?!? If this were a male candidate would he stand a chance of becoming President? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! And Huckabee’s loss during this Presidential season helped prove that.

Worse yet, apparently, her supporters expect that Biden will have a difficult time debating her because he may be overly forceful with her. LOL!!! There’s a very realistic chance that she may become President and she will have to deal with world leaders who will most certainly treat her roughly. If she wants to play the weakling woman then she has NO PLACE in politics and certainly no PLACE IN WORLD politics.

What a pathetic choice!!!

Her only real drive has been to have 5 kids and to tell other people what they can and cannot do with their bodies even though this is a democracy.

Welcome to the Republican version of the Nazi Female leader Gertrud Scholtz-Klink. Another ‘cute’ woman who happened to be a good speaker and the epitome of backwards thinking for both women and democracy.

Oh how I love to see conservatives piss themselves in fear of the coming 8 years!

Congratulations spellers! I’m guessing most of you are Democrats as you have shown little to no insight into what is truly important.

Wow, who cares about a small typo. You PC fools, can not understand why this pick is awesome.

The GOP picks a women for VP! My wife was on the fence, and was going to vote for a 3rd party canidate.

Now she will support McCain. How many more women will now support McCain that were on the fence?

As far as the bitter , spiteful, comments made here, it sounds like some Clinton or Kerry supporters are still bitter poor losers!

MG,
I am an immigrant and i can write articles better than this, What a crap!!! No flow, no substance and damn the spelling mistakes………
FOX NEWS, you should be ashamed of getting this dude here.

Wow….just wow.
McCain just lost my vote AND I am from AZ…
Just an average Hockey mom…with a new born?
My god have you heard her thank you speech. Its like a PTA meeting. She will kill this election…can you imagine her as President if something should happen to McCain. This women may be like your neighbor but…god forbid your neighbor becomes president.
Floored.

Major:

Good job fixing your English grammar error. Next time, find one of those elitist NE Democrats to spell-check for you.

Are you kidding? Get real! Since when did campaigns have their act together right out of the starting blocks or learn how to react with a unified voice within 30 minutes of unexpected events, to wit, the nomination of an outsider not even on most people’s (and Fox news’s) shortlist shortly before the announcement this morning. Will you hold both campaigns to a new standard of single-minded, clear, consistent responses to every news break?

How can the writer sugeest that he’s leaving others to judge the facts in an article that is framed negatively towards the democratic ticket. This is decision making 101 and it’s unfortunate that this pee works in most people.

Heart,
Skeptical Republican

Obama reads a speech very well, but that is all he can do well. Senator McCain once again has shown he is his own man. May all Republicans, Democrats and Independents vote the McCain ticket and provide some balance to the Democratic led congress.

Comment by rich ….a glowing review of Palin indeed.

But I would not count on it changing the outcome significantly. I would refer to what Thomas Jefferson said about the office of Vice President if I were you.

we Canadians just don’t understand how anyone with the slightest intelligence can give Fox News an iota of credibility. It’s like watching a circus. Wake up America. Wake up! Why am I posting here? Because if the Republicans get elected again – I’m screwed too. Go Obama.

Wow, what a huge problem! I can’t believe an Obama advisor would state, off the cuff like that, what a poor choice McCain made, and then other Obama staffers would then offer praise! This is scandalous, not having everyone’s Talking Points synchronized!

Geez, do you have any real stories to report? Do you also check to make sure Obama’s socks match everyday?

What a load of garbage.

In retrospect, Burton’s comment bringing up “zero” experience will prove to be the absolute dumbest blunder of the heavily orchestrated Obama promotion effort in 2008.

This should prove that Hillary was right. As President, you are not in control of the events. But Obama only works well within his handlers’ tightly scripted advertisement and promotional environment.

Palin’s appointment obviously caught them completely off guard, and spokesman Burton exposed not only himself, but also their own hypocrisy. He opened Obama’s jugular…whoopsie!

If they blundered this bad (since they obviously had geared up for Pawlenty as VP nominee, who, for his part, played them and their lap dogs in the mainstream media along like violins), how can we trust their “vision” of actual real world events?

And if the Obama camp’s immediate response (Burton threw out incendiary dogmatic rhetoric before even thinking) has to be recalled before Air Pretense One and the following press plane, Air Semblance Two, touch back down on the tarmac from way up there in their formerly lofty ethereal heights, how well does that speak to their purported “judgment”?

Judgment and experience. Both qualities, and their lack, will undo the glossy polished ads pushed by Obama’s Madison Avenue crowd.

When the consumer figures out that Obama is just another overpriced useless gadget that no body really needs, that doesn’t work as advertised, that breaks easily and that there is no express warranty which allows for a return, there’s going to be an awful lot of unwanted junk merchandise on the shelves of the Democrats, to be had at discount.

“Zero” experience, boys? You’ve been hoisted upon your own petards!

The original reaction of the Obama campaign passing disparaging comments about Palin was totally acceptable. After all, it’s true.
Why should they feel compelled to backtrack or appoligize because she’s a woman?
It doesn’t matter if Palin were a man, a woman, or a Martian….she isn’t qualified to be VP, or God forbid, President.
If my some terrible quirk of luck, or an attack of stupidity by the American public that McCain/Palin win only because Palin is a woman….then then USA election process has decenced into the realm of a joke. We would have to right to make defamatory remarks about the corrupt electorial system of other countries, when ours would be one of the worst….if the McCain/Palin ticket wins simply because Palin is a woman.

First impressions are important. The 1st time I saw Obama he was very articulate and confident. I thought then that he would one day lead the party. This lady was very impressive. Not only was she articulate and confident but if she were reading from a teleprompter she never let it show. If she was nervous she never let it show. My first impression is that she is going to carry McCain to the White House. For the first time since this thing started I can say that I will vote for McCain.

I was going to vote for McCain,until he made the VP pick.

Full speed ahead! The USS McCain just hit an iceberg named Palin. Horrible lack of judgment on the part of McCain. I can’t vote for him anymore; the VP slot makes it too risky. I honestly don’t think the “hockey mom” is qualified to be leader of the free world.

The author is obviously a McCain Palin supporter. Palin is pathetic attempt to get Hillary voters…He could have done better.

I find it very refreshing that Sarah Palin is only somewhat involved in a firing of her ex-brother in law .This will be resolved early and there will be no more dirt to dig up. (If anyone can really count this) She doesn’t have convicted felon friends,terrorists or radical white supremist church ties. Those seem to be not the least bit significant with the Democratic Presidential Candidate. So what is this big “ethics” deal! She has at least run a government and very sucessfully.
If you take away all of Obama’s time he has spent running for office, her experience is vastly greater than his.

It is not surprising this type of commentary coming from FOX News. That is why I seldom read or tune to Fox. They are known to be pro Republicans instead of remaining neutral. Well known.

This is not a serious selection. Ms. Palin has been a governor of a small state for fewer than 19 months and was on maternity leave for 4 of those and her only prior elective office was mayor of a very very small town. Her being a heart-beat away from the presidency should scare any American concerned about our global standing.

Mr. Obama is a veteran of over 12 years of elective office in the complex world of a large state’s legislature and the U.S. Senate, there is no effective comparison between the two. Ms. Palin appears to be a pleasing woman, but her lack of gravitas (mentioning her serving in the PTA as credentials for being a Vice President, for God’s sake) calls into question Mr. McCain’s judgment, if not sanity.

From a political standpoint it is a facile, transparent attempt to peal off Clinton voters from the Democratic ticket; but its utter transparency dooms it failure. Karl Rove is better than this, this must have been a McCain only selection. Another senior moment.

Obama has met his match with this beautiful, smart and articulate woman. Gov. Sarah Palin is perfect. She is at Obama’s level of good looks and poise.
I am a registered republican of “a certain age”. And I am delighted with this choice.
I kept thinking about who was going to be standing on the podium, next to McCain, during the convention, and anyone who came to mind, just didn’t do it for me. The word bland kept coming to mind. The energy on the podium this morning was palpable. When I saw and heard her speak I said WOW! I was exstatic. I can’t think of a better choice. I wouldn’t change a hair on her head.

A clever move. The press will now be focused on digging up stuff on Palin. They will find little. But, McCain will get lots of free press, and divert attention from other more important issues. Then there is the undeniable Hillary cross over voters. It scares me to think of her running the country in this critical time in our history, though. I hope to God she has something upstairs if the Republicans win this thing. Hopefully the press will search out some answers to that question.

I think they will find she is a woman of integrity, a reformer, has an enthusiastic outlook and that her leadership skills, so far have been reasonably well respected. All that’s good, but it’s a pretty thin resume. I wish John had picked someone that we absolutely know would be ready to run the country if he passed. I would sleep better.

I can’t believe I read this whole article. It tries to give “insight” into the fact that Obama’s camp attacks McCain’s choice of VP. Isn’t it expected that Obama’s camp will try to smear McCain’s camp? A reader gains absolutely ZERO from reading this article.

This is a good pick by McCain. Why? because Obama would have done exactly the same. Pick someone to supplement his own shortcomings, like Joe. Now I really see a good match on both sides, for the good of the nation to move forward, to change the old ways. Obama does not own the “change” just because he said it out loud. Palin is a known fighter and a reformer and McCain is a known independent thinker and a fighter as well. That means that they both had a long history of fighting the status quo. That is the real story about CHANGE. In contrast, Obama said a lot, but did little. Not because he won’t do it or that he does not believe in it. We just have not seen much records to back up his claim. But I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Please do not make gender, race and age an issues. Anyone using those factors to attack the other side is a looser. Instead, look for qualifications, vision, experience, passion, skills, characters, integrity, etc. for the sake of our country.

Mr. Obama is too nice in his comment. He should have mentioned that almost 30 years after the first woman nominated as a vice president (by the Democratic party, of course), the “other” major party in the United States finally decided to follow suit. I certainly hope that this selection is sincere and really indicates a move forward rather than just a tactical move to distract and divide for a short-term personal gain of “you know who”.

Thank you.

What a WOW moment. So glad you’re reporting captured it so poignantly. Obabam’s campaign rush to judgement is typical of his Chicago style politics. If his admirers think he will bring change to Washington, they need to look no further than the intial response from his campaign handlers. I was earlier not that enthused about McCain as the Republican candidate. Now I am energized and behind him. I think this was a very wise choice. She is the bomb.

As I read this stuff i realize that it is all BS.

No-one, I mean, no REASONBLE person believes that this is a good choice. SHE IS NOT QUALIFIED. That is a fact and there is no reason to even debate that point.

Great, you can argue that neither is Obama. But the Democrats voted for Obama, you can blame democrats for having bad judgement.

But THIS IS McCains First PRESDIENTIAL DECISION. And the best that anyone can do here is to say (and it is clearly debatable) “On a scale of unqualified, she isn’t at the absolute bottom”?

McCains experience really paid off this time. He got someone that even his most blind supporters think is a tad more qualified than someone who they believe is totally unqualified.

He didn’t hit it out of the park. The best we can hope for is that the pop fly to the infield is dropped.

How sad.

Why do we see people who is closer to the average American (a self-proclaimed “hockey mom”) as the ideal leader? Why are competent and intelligent individuals consistently labeled as elitist and therefore unfit to lead? Personally I trust intelligent people to make the decisions that affect our country, not people who are “just like us.”
Aside from that, thank you FOX News again for providing another poor piece of coverage on the election.

Palin is a great choice. As for lack of experience….how can any liberal bring that up for debate? Palin has done more than Obama ever has, she was atleast running a town long before Obama held any office. The other thing I have been reading, is that this is a political ploy to win more votes. Well duhhh its politics, does the left not do things like that? Guess they are ABOVE all that. These hippocrits make me sick.

I so laugh at journalists who are shocked–SHOCKED–when they “discover” campaign politics going on. This post is a total over-extrapolation of events in the Obama camp and an attempt to distract your readers from a discussion about the merits of Sarah Palin. Believe me, after Biden shreds her in a debate, you’ll realize why the Obama campaign decided to simply let things be and wait for the American people to understand what McMaverick has done.

Funny how a few commenters are bashing Fox for not jumping on McCain’s hair-trigger responses and then calls Fox biased.

Ah-hem… McCain’s team does do that junk, never has, so there’s nothing to report.

Sorry, your Obama machine dissed Hillary and then dissed Palin and had to backtrack. It was their fault. Sorry, McCain has more respect for women and political opponents than to do something low like that. And THAT’s why it’s never been reported. Only Obama has shown to be the one with a hair-trigger and a temper. Imagine that!

LOL!

Can someone please get a grip? Obama not only pinpointed issues surfacing throughout America, but focused on our children’s education to make them the best they can be. He also pointed out concerns about our nation’s Veterans on several occassions in his speech and in his past actions even though he was against the war in Iraq. The war he voted against, but not the Soldiers who serve and place their lives on the line daily. He has supported or introduced bills to help our Veterans, past, present and for the future to come. Senator McCaiin has voted against the majority of bills that could help our Soldiers. Senators Obama and Biden praised Governor Palin, going against what their advisor stated. People say what you want or what you will, our country is the greatest in the world and we need the best person leading it.

Keep using the Zero experience Obama! PLEASE!!! Keep using it!

The only one with less experience than Palin on either ticket is Obama himself.

LOL!
Keep using it Obama! Keep using it! Please!

All blah blah and meant to distract from the real problems facing the US, which neither Republicans nor Democrats will admit to being able to fix. It’s as if everyone is glued to their TV sets, watching a football game, not realizing that their houses are being robbed (except for the TV sets) top to bottom.

Nice, equal handed perspective. I am continually surprised at the lack of professionalism at FOX.

This is an insult to professional hard working women, especially those with serious credentials. I can understand Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Palin? Then there is Republican former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina. Compare HP to Alaska and Carly ran an empire. What about real experience Senators like Elizabeth Dole or Kay Bailey Hutchinson from Texas?

No, McCain picks Palin. Her claim to life was winning the Miss Wasilla beauty contest, finishing second in the Miss Alaska pageant. In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality. For crying out – this is a smack to all women.

Palin holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho, where she minored in political science. Her resume includes: marriage to Todd Palin, her boyfriend since high school, on August 29, 1988. She then briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage TV stations while also working as a commercial fisherwoman with her husband. In other words, without him, she is a beauty queen that can fish and nothing more.

McCain’s home State of Arizona also has bright Republican women with real credentials – Jan Brewer, Lisa Keegan, etc. McCain flipped the bird to smart Republican women. Imagine this -McCain dies in office and the beauty queen has to manage the fiscal deficit – another idiot to add to our woes. Palin has no law or economic degree, no chops, just pretty smiles, no thanks!

Hi – Your entry is interesting; however, as well all know, both parties are guilty of such tactics.

I would appreciate, though, if you’d learn some simple English – it would make your argument much more respectable:

–You likely meant that Palin was “tapped” to be running-mate, not “tabbed”.
–Yes, it is good to leave it up to us to judge “whether” (not “weather”) the first day of the Obama-Biden messaging, etc.

Somehow I’m not surprised that FOX News doesn’t spell/grammar check its articles, even if they are on blogs and not in print…

That’s a pretty desperate “analysis” if that’s what you call it. It’s like what children say when they talk about politics (no flag pin=unpatriotic, waving with hand part closed=black power sign, etc.). As all Faux News automatons, you are trained in the tactic of conflating two unrelated things so that one casts doubt on the other. In this case, comments about policy and comments about personal character. Anyone who thinks they are equivalent is too dumb to be allowed to vote, I think. Yeah, she’s inexperienced but apparently very good. Sound familiar? Anyway, you’ll hear personal praise combined with policy criticism. Or is that too complicated for you guys at Fox News-based Entertainment. No wonder your viewers are so dim. Nobody else would fall for that kind of illogical thinking (you use it every time). Go write something about some real news for a change.

Obama who?

As usual, FOX “News” tries to find something negative to say about Barack Obama.

This time it’s a little more blatant than usual, probably because it’s so hard to find anything positive to say about Sarah Palin’s qualifications to be a heartbeat away from taking over the most demanding job in the world.

That kind of article, exploring Governor Palin’s qualifications – the type of article responsible journalists prepare – would be short indeed.

To help you get started, Major Garrett, here’s your headline:
“Sarah Palin; Are You Kidding?”

Go to it, Major; I’m sure you’ll come up with something. . .

Hirotomi said: ” doesn’t matter if Palin were a man, a woman, or a Martian….she isn’t qualified to be VP, or God forbid, President.”

Then, by your own reasoning, Obama isn’t qualified to be President.
So, I guess you won’t vote for him, either, huh?

Thought so. The least experienced candidate here is OBAMA! DUH!

This is what our country needs, a real person. Not a ninny politician but someone that has close ties with the normal every day American, bot a brain washed politician.

I’m excited about Palin – so far she has shown backbone and is feisty. She got rid of the state jet and flies commercial or drives – she has stood up to the existing power structure in Alaska and turned it on it’s head. She has huge approval ratings and those who know her say she is not to be underestimated.

I agree with her values and think the contrast between pro-infanticide Obama and Palin, who feels blessed with a Down’s baby, couldn’t be more stark. I also like her “can do” life that’s she’s led.

Of course the Democrats will say the worst they can – just imagine if she were a Democrat what they’d be saying about her – it isn’t too hard since they think BO is the second coming, he of no track record of accomplishments saving beating Hillary.

And, Steve, anyone who says they’re a Republican and voting for Obama is someone I figure is most likely lying – or uninformed – or maybe just a garden variety misogynist.

Wow. He overlooked the likes of Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Sen. from Texas) for THIS? As a female, I don’t think I’ve felt more disrespected by a male political figure in a really long time. The old cliche comes to mind: Is he that stupid? Or does he think I am?

No way am I voting for someone whose judgement is so poor that he picks this particular woman for a running mate. Tell you what, Governor: How about if you stay home and tend to that little one who obviously needs a full time mama right about now. And put some clothes on. I’m not voting on your figure, hon, I’m voting on your intellect and judgement.

I’m so not impressed that I figure I’ll vote Democrat for POTUS, even if I have to throw up after. Not just any woman will do for VP.

What one Hillary supporter had to say about McCain’s VP choice.

This is worth repeating:

I was a Hillary supporter not because of her genetalia, but because of her policies. Policies that are closely linked to Obama’s. So why would I ever, even for a fleeting moment, consider voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin? He voted against equal pay, and against the domestic violence act (penned by Joe Biden). So why, why would I find his choice anything other than a gross misjudgment and slap in the face of the American people, especially women. A woman with no policies or bad policies is no better, and in my opinion, much worse than a man with okay policies.

I note that it has now been changed to “whether” so someone must read these comments, trivial as the article is.

So much for “we report, you decide”. Someone from his campaign says something negative but Obama says something positive. So what? Tell us some news for a change instead of trying to create it.

talk about the odd couple, mccain looks like he could be her grandmother

I have heard that McCain only met Palin face-to-face once before this moment — In Jan/Feb of this year. What kind of judgement does it show that a 72-year-old presidential nominee would pick ANYONE with whom he’s only casually familiar? That’s not a MAVERICK — that’s a LOOSE CANNON.

Hey Marcus, you should check your own grammer, hack!

to truly get grow past the fact that a woman is running for a position of political authority it is imperative to look more closely at her credentials than at her skirt. she doesn’t have the record or the ability to serve the country in the capacity that the mccain campaign has bestowed upon her. no matter what party line one falls on, this is clearly a stunt to pull votes away from obama, and doesn’t benefit anyone. i enjoy fox news because of it’s opposing viewpoint to the more liberal media, but to shout sexism on the part of the democrats is self deprecating. you’re clearly sexist if you can’t see that by not mentioning the achievement on her part of being the first republican female nominee for the seat of vp, they are clearly judging her correctly, that is, on her lack of experience. this is coming from a campaign that has been the first in line to shout that obama is dripping from behind the ears. come on garrett, you’re smarter than this. these aren’t digs, they’re the facts. digs would be more like taking a photo of obama wearing a turban out of context. oh wait, that was fox news, wasn’t it.

No news source has zero bias; do we want another CNN and MSNBC that only panders to the left and trashes the right? FoxNews is a good source of information and other sources (and Dems) are simply troubled that all of America does not walk jack-booted behind their elite “Leader” Obama. The entire concept of Liberal should embrace and tolerate other ideas; instead it is only able to embrace its own ideas and gets upset when people do not agree with “elites.” Every vote counts, regardless of your education or economic status. If Obama has his way, only a few people will have power while the rest of us become mindless drones obeying his will. Sounds like he wants us to be like Iran instead of a free country like the United States of America. I bet he has statues raised to himself that we need to pray to 5 times a day.

I like Palin; she does not come from Washington, she has her own ideas, and she comes from a new background. Good job for McCain and America. We can actually see that other people can get involved to lead our country.

Wow, I can’t beleive teh number of libs that sit around waiting for Fox to publisha story so they can trash it. Amazing. No wonder they want to steal from the rich. They don’t have jobs!

This article is typical Fox News rubbish. I’m not surprised some pampered white boy at fox put this doozy together. I’m assuming News Corp pays well, well enough to sell your dignity.
That’s ok, it’s free market. I don’t begrudge you that, Major.
I have no idea who this broad is. Nor do I care. Governor of where… Alaska? Where a few dozen people live? Yeah that’s great. Get a shovel, people. The amount of BS I’ve seen about this in the last 2 hours could already fill a condo.

I am sure you all know that the only job requirement for a VP is casting votes in case of a tie and attending funerals. That being said experience hardly matters. Oh, and the occasional shot gun blast to your friends face experience is a plus and she is a hunter …….

Palin is like Obama. How can Obama attack her? She is like him. Young, charismatic, reform minded, energetic, ordinary American, interested in public affairs, smart and well educated. Obama’s camp made a terrible mistake by attacking her. Just read the statement again and replace Palin with Obama and you can almost give that scrip to McCain camp. I think Obama’s own statement is an honest one and reflected the true good side of Obama. Attempt to scandalize Palin will backfire badly, especially in the very first statement put out by Obama camp after Pulin was selected.

please. anyone on THIS board who claims to be a republican who’s now going to vote for obama is a poor judge of how to put one over on people. the fact is that today millions of people, me among them, are being introduced to one of the most inspiring and real politicians we’ve ever seen, and the obamaphiles (including many of this board’s commenters) resort immediately to petty nastiness because that’s just what they do. they see what we see: she’s charismatic, smart and effective and she inspires real loyalty and optimism. in other words, she’s dangerous.

These comments are predisposed, pre-spun & silly. They accuse the Obama camp of all the worst tendencies of the Fox “news” team. The vast majority of Americans perceive Fox as neither fair nor balanced, but since we have a hearty, red-blooded contest shaping up between 2 formidable foes, maybe Fox could fake it for the next few months. What do you say?

And you call yourself a news organization?

Give it a break for goodness sake! Don’t you have better nits to pick? How about dealing with matters of substan . . . Oh–never mind. I just realized you’re with Fox.

The Obama campaign had trouble finding seats for 90,000 people at their convention. The Republicans are having trouble filling 10-15,000 seats, resorting to busing people in on the campaign’s dime.

And now, they’ve gone and blown their VP pick by using an affirmative action ploy. “We’ll just hire the least qualified of all candidates, because she’s a woman.” It’s no wonder so many women ( and men ) are angry at this.

McCain is such a shallow old man that Cindy is not enough “arm candy” so he selects voluptous Sarah as his confidant and VP. Hillary’s backers supported her because she is smart, a champion of women and blue collar voters, universal healthcare. To suggest that Hillary’s supporters are so fickle that they’d switch to this lightweight only slanders the integrity of Hillary’s supporters like me and my wife. Go get ‘em Bulldog Biden and Oracle Obama.

The spin-masters are at it again! You guys are doing a wonderful job poisoning this country and making a mockery of politics. How do any of you sleep at night, knowing that you intentionally mislead the public for your personal gain?

Oh, get OVER it already–of course those working for Obama reacted as they did–they are protecting the guy and see this choice as what it was; a very poor attempt to reach a constituency they don’t have a chance at–women who were pro-Hilary.

Obama had time to consider a response that would not draw fire and that is what he does.

You people need to relax and give this guy a chance. Imagine having an intelligent person in office for the first time in 8-years–that is what Obama will be.

-Catlyn

I assume Fox “Fair and Balanced” News wouldn’t ask Karl Rove which type of comment he would endorse. I think Obama said what he thought and the hair-trigger negatives that preceded it reflect the Rovian approach, which I earnestly hope will disappear from presidential debate.

MCCaine has just demontrated an INABILITY to make the best executive decisions for America. He has impaled himself playing political games rather than Patriot games. McCaine also thinks that pro-choice means the right to choose a woman. So, he has not even appealed to the intellect of most of the women out there.

WHAT A JOKE

Obama could have selected a woman as his running mate. McCain DID!

Nice False Dichotomy Fallacy at the end there.

The answer is not necesserily A, or B, but could be C, D, Etc…

Hopefully Palin does 1 thing….tort reform……no one, liberal or conservative, will touch that and none of the bloggers will either…..hmmm…let’s keep paying the lawyers……more frivolous lawsuits!!!!! yeah!!!!! which means higher insurance rates, healthcare rates yeah!!!! let’s pay pay pay……..

You have got to be kidding McCain. This has got to be a joke. A beauty queen whose only experience in government is as mayor of a fishing village? The cynicism is astounding! Can McCain possibly believe that women will vote for this lady simply because she’s a lady? Truly incredible.

First impressions are important. I want that Alaska Governor for Vice President…..She is for the people, for this country….she walks the walk she talks as witnessed by birthing her downs syndrome child and having a son in the great USA volunteer army! She drives instead of flying in a jet….she counter balances the age factor with McCain. She will make a wonderful VP.

Jim in CT….That’s exactly why we don’t want Obama…..He hung out with a bunch of Liberal Terrorist supporters at Harvard and Columbia in a little room with the shades drawn.

We’d ratgher have someone who actually lives her life and has real experience. We don’t need baffoons who learned about life froma book they read at Harvard.

When Palin see’s a bear she says,” My what a wonderful creature.”
When Barack Obama or Joe Biden see a bear the say,” Oh my….I saw one of those creatures in a book in the Harvard library.”

Biden and Obama are still misled into believing everyone in Alaska lives in Igloo’s too. What do they know…..they learned it all in a book at some puppy mill for rich college babies.

Let the Librarian at Harvard lead the country…..if you really believe that qualifies everyone to be president. She has more experience than Biden or Obama.

The facts are, she WAS the mayor of a very small town, she has NO foreign policy or national government experience, she IS opposed to Roe V Wade, she DOES lean corporate, she IS being investigated for improperly attempting to fire an ex brother-in-law. What, Democrats are not allowed to use factual arguments to delineate the differences between them and the Republicans? What, now that the Republicans have picked a VP with even less experience than Obama, the lack of experience argument is no longer allowed? What a double standard!

Typical FOX skewed, slanted, Republican mouthpiece bullcrap!

Ask yourselves Repub’s if Pale(n) is the person you want as LEADER of the free world in case McCain doesn’t live to be 76. Ask yourself if your party’s BLATANT pander to the Hillary Clinton base is worth the risk of President Pale(n); who CURRENTLY is under investigation for mis-use of power.

I know that the Red’s look for victory at all cost’s but; right now it’s costing homes; jobs; money. If McCain croaks; how will Pale(n) deal with China; or even Iraq. How will she even deal with OUR Georgia? I know 51% percent of you voted for Bush(league) and only 20something % are still hapy with the choice they made; but DIZZAMM. has Pale(n) even BEEN to Washington(the city ; not the state)? Once again; mcCain has shown YOU how out of touch he truly is? “some people would rather destroy a country than lose an election.”

Pretty petty observance on the part of your reporter. I found what Obama was quoted as saying much more telling, interesting and reputable than your reporters “insights”.

“So we dialed up the Obama press shop and found ourselves in the middle of a ripe field of dismissive comments about Palin’s lack of experience, her tenure as mayor of a small town”

Hey, Obama! They are talking about YOU again.

See Republicans “teach” Prospective Presidents the job, Democrats just throw the unqualified in there and HOPE they Change enough to do the job.

Fox news/corporate/GOP lapdog. Back to work everyone. Nothing to see here, not real news, please move along.

WHO CALLED PALIN A POLITICAL MIDGET? WAS IT BIDEN OR OBAMA? OR MAYBE IT WAS MAJOR GARRETT.

HEY FOX F*&K OFF!

I am voting for McCain/Palin. What a terrific team.
This is really going to be a fresh new beginning for our country and completely straight talk!

Wow, what a non-story. I read all of the comments from the Obama camp and didn’t find any inconsistencies. Why don’t you dig into the real issues instead of trying to make up the news?

this is some terrible political jiujitsu, major garret. do you not remember the republican response to obama’s selection of Joe Biden as running mate– many hours before McCain made known his phone call to the dem vp nominee?

of course not– because you’re interested in disseminating mischaracterizations and falsehoods.

THIS WOMAN IS AN INCOMPETENT EX-BEAUTY QUEEN BIMBO WHO IS UNDER OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION IN ALSAKA AS WE SPEAK… WHEN THE HANOI TRAITOR FINALLY DIES AND GOES TO HELL, THIS OIL COMPANY PAWN IS NOT READY TO BE POTUS

I think Palin is a great choice. Those who say she does not have experience need to take a good at Obama’s experience, which is even less.

Why does the liberal media say McCain assuming he will get more of the women vote by choosing a woman vp should be insulting to women? We all know that the majority of blacks are voting for Obama because he is black(98%(?)).

For months now we have had to listen to the press whine about the lack of sustenance in Obama’s speeches. I’d like to voice my concern for the lack of sustenance reported by the media.

The press has single-handedly turned American politics from the debate of policies ideologies into a cat-fight of uninteresting stories and irrelevant campaign memos. Forgive my French, but who the fuck cares? Start doing your job and REPORT the NEWS, not the trivialities of yesterday.

And for the record, the Obama campaign was right. In both their announcements.

You are a hack, and your organization, although, entitled News Corporation, is hardly newsworthy. My question for the bourbon-swilling “fair and balanced team”: Why didn’t Fox News air the pro-troops movie produced by Spielberg that was played at the DNC convention? You right-wing knuckle-draggers don’t own the flag or the right to support the troops. President Obama will respect the troops in a way you can’t fathom: by respecting the value of their lives and families by not putting them in harm’s way for political gain and unilateral nationbuilding escapades.

I can NOT believe that some of you Obamaites and your “leader” are questioning the resume of anyone. If there is anyone in this race that has an unproven resume it is Obama.

I do not think that there is any inconsistency in the statements about Palin coming from the Obama-Biden camp. Because she is such a neophytes, the Obama/Biden strategists will have to quickly do their homework to figure out how to approach her. But I doubt she will be very helpful to John McCain.

My personal view is that McCain made a bad mistake in choosing her. I feel bad it. I have been on the fence between Obama and McCain. But I think this choice shows poor judgement on McCain’s part. It is as if just choosing any woman, regardless of how inexperienced, would be enough to capture the Hillary Clinton supporters. This won’t influence many women to vote for him. The women who were for Hillary aren’t going to be drawn to an anti-abortion pro gun ownership candidate. The women who support those ideas would vote Republican anyway. Maybe there will be a slightly higher turnout of right wing women, but I doubt that there will be enough of these to give much of a positive effect for McCain. In fact, this may cause him to lose in overall amount of female support because many women will be offended by such a cheap and thoughtless attempt to curry their favor.

How can McCain now argue that Obama lacks experience when he chooses a VP candidate with no international or and little or no national experience? The only purpose in most administrations for even having a Vice-President is to have someone to take over if the President dies. So McCain would give us an elderly President backed up by a shockingly inexperienced VP. He might as well not even have a Vice-President if experience is important.

And what are her economic credentials? Living in Alaska the key to economic success is similar to the key to success in Saudia Arabia—drill more oil. Live on subsidies from the oil companies. There are very few other states that are similar. So, even her governship experience is not very transferrable to the rest of the country. McCain’s best choice might have been Bloomberg. Then he would have gotten someone brilliant in economics and business who had governed a large diverse city. Romney would have been another good choice from the viewpoint of bringing on someone with solid business credentials. Christine Whitman would have been good. Carly Fiorina would have been good as well. Again, she would have brought business and economic knowledge to the table. Choosing a woman with substantive accomplishments would be much more likely to impress the Clinton supporters than someone who seems to be a female GWB clone.

McCain’s choice brings nothing substantial to the table.

Charming woman; I’m not surprised at her political rise in Alaska. I could never, however, consider anyone with her lack of credentials for the vice presidency of the United States. With all the negative buzz about Obama facing unfriendly world leaders getting so much press, I will truly be stunned if Sarah Palin gets a pass on that point. The main issue here is that the office of vice president should be held by someone prepared to step into the oval office at a moment’s notice. That issue is all the more important in the case of John McCain, because of his advanced age. (God forbid anything happening, but …). I suggest that Sarah Palin do what many have suggested to Barack Obama: Go back to Alaska, get reelected a couple of times, put in your time, pay your dues, then try your hand at national politics. I’m voting for Obama, partly because of his habit of welcoming his opponents. As to the aide’s comments, I agree. We don’t need a small town mayor in Washington just now.

How is this article on the top of Google News?

Oh I know. Because Fox has yet again made up some nonsense title with whatever keywords they want people to associate with Obama. i.e: Obama’s supporter Clooney to make a movie about Osama’s driver.

I’m NOT voting and I’m NOT defending Obama. I just have an issue with Fox’s ridiculous titles. I’m sure liberal media does similar thing. But a mainstream media delivering irresponsible journalism is a concern.

I don’t mind them being biased. But they don’t even back up their claims in the title with the article. Which is misleading. Putting a question mark after implying whatever they want or tagging words with negative connotation (i.e. Problem) is unethical.

I hope Mrs. Palin is a good VP. I had hoped for McCain to pick someone who knows more about the movement within the black community to return to the Party of Lincoln and of Martin Luther King, the Republican Party. Someone like Herman Cain who really understands black history and the massive sellout of his race to the liberal elitist Democratic Party. Someone who understands that the Democratic Party is the home to the deepest and oldest racism in America. Don’t believe me? Check out the National Black Republican Association. Economic opportunity can only be shared when business owners are able to hire people and banks are able to make loans. They talk of tax cuts for the wealthy? Please get real ………have you ever been hired by a poor person?

I think she’s a great choice, and clearly has more leadership experience than Obama. Go Sarah!

I find it shocking that credence is given to Palin for being a soccer mom. The world is full of soccer moms so does that mean any soccer mom can run this country? I can’t support a woman who has 5 children, 1 with Downs Syndrome. She, who would like to overturn Roe v. Wade, should be home with her children. So her son is going to Iraq! So McCain was in a POW camp! Do either of those quality either of them to run this country? What happens if McCain meets an untimely death? That plus Polin’s lack of foreign policy experience, on which McCain has based his whole campaign, makes me very fearful of the direction this duo plans to take us. In addition, her little experience as being mayor of a small town plus 18 mos. as govenor does not quality her for this high position period! I believe McCain chose her because he was hoping to pick up votes from Hillary supporters. I would never vote for a woman just because Hillary lost. I will save my “woman’s” vote for when Hillary runs again.

Tonight on ABC News George Stephanopoulos said that the Obama campaign has decided that they went on the attack too fast against Palin and that the campaign has decided to let the media (drive-byes) do the “dirty work” (not his exact words but his meaning was abundantly clear).

John McCain selection of Palin is brilliant! It strategically places the Republican party’s presidential ticket squarely between the far left and the far right of the American electorate.

Obama – Biden don’t have a chance, being placed squarely between Vladimir Putin and