She’s making history and creating controversy. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is only the second woman in American history on a major party ticket, and the first for Republicans. Her selection snaps a drought of 24 years, when then New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro was picked by the Democrats.
This 44 year old mother of five is a relative unknown, and many of you have no doubt have seen at least some of the intense media coverage this week.
What do you think of Governor Palin? Please leave your full name and your city or town and we may use your comments on Face the State.
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Dennis House blog 
Sarah Palin is a huge asset to the country. She is a LEADER who makes DECISIONS, unlike Obama, the “community organizer”??? who votes “present”.
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Sarah said the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom is “lipstick”. It’s a good thing she had lipstick so we could recognize her.
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Campaigning might as well be over right now!! Democrats don’t have a chance in November. Governor Palin is just what this country needs. A tough woman, mother and wife who has already proven how capable she is for the tough job! Would I fret if Govenor Palin had to assume the role of President of the United States? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!
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I can’t remember when there was a better candidate for Vice President. After Sarah Palin’s speech, and hearing what she has done with her career in public office, and the incredible American spirit, conviction and passion she portrays, I am totally energized and feel great knowing she won’t be sitting in the back seat if McCain becomes President.
She seems fearless, patriotic, educated, unwavering, and decisive.
We need people like her in office. We need people in office who bled for this country. Let’s get this country back to being a Super America, let’s stop farming out jobs, let’s lower taxes and keep government as efficient as possible.
I didn’t know Sarah Palin last week. What a good choice. GO MCCAIN..GOD BLESS AMERICA
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Governor Palin is an eloquent speaker, but according to the republicans, that is a short coming or rather inauthentic. She did not state her plans for the United States. This is a true shortcoming. It is all too easy to launch personal attacks and criticize. It is empty without a specific plan to counteract what she is criticizing. Moreover, since when have republican be ordinary people and not a part of the elite or aspiring elite? How can you run any organization while spending and not having an income? Currently we have more going out than we have coming in. Let’s not raise taxes and let us stop spending on an economy that has enough income to take care of its own responsibilities, namely Iraq. None of this was discussed. Instead, she took the path of small minds, personal attacks, rather than the path of great minds the situation we find ourselves in. Now of them, in either party has current experience of what it feels like to be working class or working poor in America nor do they truly desire to change this country because it would rock their boats.
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John McCain’s claim that he puts our country first is a sham. To select as his running mate a first term governor whose only prior experience was as mayor of a town of 6,000 tells us that McCain actually puts political expediency before anything else.
Additionally, if his choice of Palin is meant to appeal to women, he misjudges us badly. We don’t vote by sex; we vote for the candidate who advances positions in which we believe.
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We have a winner. Sarah Palin is certainly ready to run with the big dogs. I’m particualy glad she isn’t going to Washington to win approval from the Media and the Party goers, but to work for the people of this Country and to “Shake up Washington”. It’s been a long time coming. There are way too many Senators and Congressmen who think only of following the Party Line and don’t think for themselves, only of themselves. Women can have it all and Sarah will prove it by serving both her Family and her Country.
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As a woman, I am excited and proud that a woman has been nominated as Vice President of the United States. However I felt her speech was more of an audition for Last Comic Standing with her cheap shots at her running mate. Rather than reaffirm what she and Sen. McCain will do for this country if God forbid they are elected.
I also feel she is not as seasoned in politics as she should be. Two years in office less maternity leave hmmmmm, you do the math.
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I anticipate your next question will be about Vice-President Biden? Keep it fair or don’t ask.
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Insane McCain’s dosage of Aricept should be increased. He is obviously delusional. Ms. Palin told us absolutely NOTHING! For McCain to think that bringing in a fashionable ” Hockey Mom ” with a pregnant 17yr. old ( she can’t even effectively govern a teenager) ) and ta special needs child is going to pull the heartstrings of intelligent hardworking women across the country so hard that it swings the ‘ Hillary vote’ , is not only offensive and condescending, it is downright ludacrous! I work within the special needs community every day and with women of substance and integrity, none of whom would dump their challenged baby off to go out and hunt Moose and Democrats. As for comparisons between Hillary and Sarah Palin; gender aside, there is none. ” I knew Hillary Clinton; Hillary Clinton was a friend of mine. Govenor, you’re no Hillary Clinton. “
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S.P. may be an effective Govenor, but she is NOT V.P material! If Insane McCain and Failin’Palin’ do somehow lie their way in, I will be taking my 17 yr. old son and dogs and moving to Canada! He WILL NOT be my President! McCain is going to continue this war of lies, no matter how many more American sons & daughters die and no matter how he has to recruit more. I’ll be DAMNED if my son will be one of them!
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I think that in McCain’s choosing Sarah Palin for Vice Presidency, he just might have changed the terms of this election. A lot of people were undecided as to whom to vote for (or even IF they wanted to vote) in November.
Sarah Palin seems to be the strong, educated, down-to-earth person that everyone can identify with. While she may honestly lack some of the background in politics that her adversaries have, I think she more than makes up for it with her self-control, quick learning and level-headedness.
One thing to remember is, no matter who wins the election, it will be an election that will be quite a historic event.
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Let’s see, she supports the teaching of superstion (creationism) in our public schools, claims foreign policy experience because Alaska is geographically close to Russia, supported the so-called Bridge to Nowhere before turning against it (but kept all the Federal money anyway) and has a spouse who has been a member of a secessionist political party. Is this country really stupid enough to elect someone like this, 1 heartbeat away from a 72 year old re-hash of Bush?
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For those who think Sarah Palin, as a first term governor doesn’t have the experience to be VP, how do you explain Obama, a first term senator, having enough experience to be president? Sarah Palen has executive experience. Obama can’t even make up his mind or take a stand to vote yes or no, but instead votes “present”? Give me a break. Obama has no business in the whitehouse.
Yes, her 17 year old is pregnant. Do all your kids listen to you? Are all your kids little perfect angels? Obama was born to an 18 year old so his mom was probably pregnant at 17. Life is not perfect and challenges do arise. It is how you deal with them that counts.
Obama compared Palen’s former job as mayor, with it’s number of employees and budget to the number of employees and budget of his campaign, stating that her numbers were nothing compared to his. Guess what Obama– her current job is GOVERNOR, and her employee count and budget numbers are 35 – 45 times those of your campaign. This is Obama’s way though. Did he seriously think no one would notice? He is nothing more than a “community organizer”. He is NOT commander in chief material.
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I see nothing wrong with being a community organizer. I’m sure the people who left Louisiana 3+ years ago after hurricane Katrina wish there would have been a community organizer who happened to be President instead of a President who seemed to not care what was going on down there. Regardless of what either party says, no one has experience with being President until they hold the office. No one person knows everything about being President so they make sure they have people around them that know specifics and can brief them. Promises are just that – promises. Once whoever gets into office, reality is going to hit them and some of what they’ve promised will right out to wherever failed promises go to deal with this War. Sarah Palin scares me. President Bush’s speech writer wrote her speech – how can we know what she really feels about this country? Her family issues are her own concern but when her beliefs are made to look out of date, that doesn’t sit well with me. I do not want any person – woman or man – telling me what I can do with my body. While I don’t believe in abortion, I do believe that there are situations where abortion may be the only option (ie risk of health to the mother or a fetus that has so many medical problems that to carry to term could not only harm the child but also the mother). I also do not believe that a forced wedding is a solution to an unplanned child.
You know what would be truly historic? Having an election where it doesn’t matter what the race, religion, sexual orientation or gender a person is. I know I’m wishful thinking but it doesn’t hurt to wish.
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Sarah Palin is grabbing the spotlight this week, but not for the right reasons. She is grabbing the spotlight because she is ambitious and is not above using her family to get what she wants.
I hear the call to leave her family out of discussions – but her actions put them right back in the discussion. They are presented as the archatypes that fit her persona. The blue collar husband, the solider son, the ‘fallen’ daughter who will be supported, the special needs child. She needs them to present her picture as a ‘real’ person. But they are real people too and do not need to be locked into what she wants.
I have tried to understand her acutal positions, not the PR positions. Watch out – Creationism: how can a country move ahead if it does not teach science. No reproductive freedom or knowledge: our country needs to move out of the dark ages of controlling our ‘women’. Plus based on her family no reproductive education has not controlled her daughter. Book Banning: again she knows better and wants to control the people to what she beleives. Troopergate: Using executive power to supercede a legitimate investigation to control you family and relationships is dangerous. (Remember Bush wanted to get Iraq because they disrespected his father) Iraq War: this is god’s war…. Alaska Independece Party: sucession from the USA.
Sarah Palin is out for her and the power to force people to her ways. Wow – that sounds like a Bully, just what we have been living with for 8 years
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In response to Strat. I think the fact that Sarah has a pregnant 17 year old and a special needs child reaffirms the fact that she faces the struggles of many other families in this country. Do you really think that having a 17 year old pregnant daughter is uncommon????? You just don’t hear about all the other because they aren’t running for VP. And yes, she has a baby with down syndrome and husband who can take the time to care for him. Now if Obama had a down syndrome baby would people be criticizing him for not spending more time with the baby????? NO. And who did Sarah dump her baby off to??? Because I’ve seen that baby with Sarah at every event so far?? I wouldn’t categorize having your husband and other children caring for the baby as Dumping???? C’mon now!!! You are right about one thing. She is no Hilary Clinton. Sarah doesn’t strike me as the cowardess type to stand by her man who had an affair in the White House and publically humiliated her!!! Shouldn’t Hillary have been able to control her husband? Think before you write!
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Gov Palin offers more to this country than the entire Dem. ticket. She has more Executive experience – managing budgets of town and state – successfully. She is a no holds barred woman of substance with a get it done attitude. This is the Change America needs.
She talks about:
Education,
Offshore drilling and new ways to power cars,
Lower taxes,
Reformed healthcare (not gov’t run healthcare),
Winning & ending the war,
Bringing jobs back to the USA,
Reformed Unemployment laws,
everything our country needs. And yes, she isn’t afraid to nix big government spending and isn’t afraid to say the Pledge of Aligence (as is B.O.). Barack will lead this country into a Marxist country – run entirely by the Government. Taxing big business right out of business and jobs right out of our country. BO has tight ties to terrorists (Bill Aires) and his brothers are terrorists in Kenya – burning christain churches with christains because he didn’t get voted in as President. People – be very scared of BO – he is the ultimate Anti-American.
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I wanted to respond to Valerie re: abortion. I also dont believe someone should tell me what to do with my body. I do believe any unborn child is a child. But when the life of the mother and fetus is at danger, the mother should be the one to make the decision. Or when incest or rape is involved. Can you imagine being the child produced out of one of this circumstances, talk about issues!
However, I do not believe any Republican would even attempt to turn over Rowe V. Wade, and based on everything I heard from both parties (me being a moderate republican) I have to side on McCain’s side (although I am terribly sick of hearing about his POW days – that alone does NOT make for a great leader – so enough now).
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With fingers crossed I hope Sarah Palin’s ticket wins and she eventually becomes President. This, as long as her future actions for her ‘country’ stay within the outlines of the historical leadership she has shown for her constituents – as well as the type of leader she will become as portrayed by the national Republican Party the past few weeks. We here in Connecticut might reap great benefits.
First, consider her local government experience when she was a simple mayor of Wasilla, a town with a population a bit larger than that of Easton or Woodstock – and a bit smaller than Hebron or Litchfield. In spite of being a small town mayor she hired a Washington lobbyist who got her little town $27 million dollar over 4 years which worked out to over $1000 per citizen each of those years. No Connecticut town manager or mayor can even come close to sporting that feather in their cap. Lo and behold the Republican Party now paints her as the enemy of Washington elites and lobbyists, so as VP or Pres I want her to even the score and provide CT. residents with an equal per capita amount which means Washington owes our state over $14 billion dollars. Distributed to all our towns and our overburdened taxpayers can do a lot with that in 4 years.
Second, referencing her state government experience of about 1.6 years in extent, I want her to follow through with her anger at elite Washington belt politicians that dole out federal government kickbacks to states starting with the handful that get the most largess. Abolish future kickbacks and even consider making past hogs at the government trough pay some of it back. Start with Alaska that generally gets about 1/3rd of its annual budget from the national treasury and where its residents pay less in federal taxes than they get back. For example, an Alaskan that pays a $3,000 annual federal tax bill will see their state get back about $5,250. We here in CT. pay about the most federal taxes per capita and get the least back from our national treasury, with a $3000 tax payer getting only $2070 back in state allotments. Thus an Alaskan gets more than 2.5 times more federal support than a Nutmegger. CT. residents have been putting on a welfare benefit for Alaskans and several other red state citizens with anti-Eastern biases for years and we ought to keep more of our own money and make the malcontents pay more of their own way.
Then, I want her to put a whopper tax on the biggest national corporations – just like she did in Alaska when she recently hit the states biggest corporations (oil) with a tax that this year is projected to produce $11 billion – an amount which is twice what the state government needs to run itself. Prior to her VP status she was looking to give back to each Alaskan over $1000 this year to help heat everyone’s homes this winter leaving me to wonder if Alaskans with all that loose money floating around will continue to gladly accept our CT. tax dollar welfare benefit. Living next to Willimantic which is a great town with a terribly heavily burdened tax paying citizenry that has had to lay off teachers, forgo a senior center and many other badly needed fixes and improvements – it seems time for CT.’s citizens to step up to the plate and get our fair share.
But of course everything the national Republican Party is telling us about it being the anti-tax, anti-elite and anti-Washinton party is a bunch of lies. They are the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmas bedclothes. They have convinced a majority of decent Americans that black is white – and that the Democrats are the profligate wasters. The Republicans have enriched themselves on the backs of the average taxpayer and the busy taxpayer has been too focused on putting bread on the table, gas in the car, kids in decent schools and oil in the furnace to have the time to fact check the Republican propaganda. George W. was at the bottom of his class at Yale and McCain was at the bottom of his class at Annapolis. Palin dropped in and out of several low visibility colleges and universities. The American people elected George W. to 2 terms and he has put us on the road to ruin. And in spite of all this – it looks like America is priming itself to put another light weight thinker in charge of its future.
Some founding father once said to future Americans that with the form of government we have been handed, we will deserve whatever happens to us. Thus with George W. now running the show and our lack of moral will to kick the Republicans out of office and fix the problems of our time – we deserve the worlds approbation, we deserve crowded jails, our citizens being gunned down in the streets, our schools falling behind other nations, our jobs going overseas, the gap between rich and poor growing by leaps and bounds, foreign powers buying up our infrastructure, a huge percentage of our citizens lacking health care, two wars with dead soldiers continuously coming home out-of-sight and out-of-mind, a rejuvenated Russia taking back that which it claims is its own even including the Arctic Ocean, an almost insurmountable national debt that we are foisting upon today’s children to pay off– it just boggles the mind as to how far we have fallen. Given time and following this course for a few decades – America might even become a prostitute nation. Shame on the average American for letting America fall so far into the gutter. Shame on us if we elect more lightweight thinkers into the oval office and continue to make a conservative religious background the leadership litmus test for politicians. At the beginning of this great nation we mainly promoted based on intelligence and knowledge of science and history. Surprisingly most of the greatest early leaders were very liberal in their day and many even Deistic and some possibly atheistic. They would not even be allowed to be mayor of Wasilla, Alaska in today’s America.
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I’ll be interested to see how Gov. Palin responds to the tough questions that have been brought up in the past week. Until she justifies her personal need to impose her own beliefs on the general public, particularly when the stunning ineffectiveness of abstinence-only education has hit her so close to home, all I know is that she’s just another cheap-shooting politician willing to say anything to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I’m sick of the Republican ticket trying to bully the American public. This isn’t change. This is insulting.
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Palin is a supporter of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, of drilling in the Bristol Bay area and a supporter of aerial hunting (a practice deemed cruel by hunters and scientists alike) including allowing the killing of black bear sows with cubs. She has repeatedly opposed the listing of several endangered animals on the Endangered Species list, including the polar bear and beluga whale citing that protecting these animals would hurt Alaska’s “gas- and oil-dependent economy”. Palin still questions whether man-made fossil fuel emissions are responsible for global warming. As mayor, Palin threatened to fire a librarian if she did not pull certain books off the library shelves. She is not only “pro-life” she is anti-abortion, she is anti-sex education, and anti-spousal benefits for same-sex couples (not to mention anti-gay marriage). There’s no need to comment on or attack Palin’s family and personal life. This is just the beginning of a long list of anti-human rights, anti-animal rights, anti-environment beliefs and offenses by Palin. Forcing Christian Fundamentalist beliefs on a society based on freedom is unrealistic in this day and age. As a woman, I am horrified that there is a possibility Palin might represent this country. She certainly will not be representing me. It doesn’t matter whether you are or she is a Democrat or Republican, what matters is choosing the best candidate for our society and our world. I have voted both Democratic and Republican. Sometimes you have to step outside your party lines and make a decision based on the best for our country as a whole.
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I am an independent and will give Sarah Palin and John Mc Cain serious consideration ,along with their competitors , based upon their views and what they have to say under tough scruitiny and questioning. Those are the circumstances under which a president has to make decisions. I am disheartened to see all the excitement and praise for Sarah Palin without such consideration.For Americans to make up their minds based upon an hour speech for a person who is virtually unknown to them and could very likely become president is really sad. It confirms that we are truly divided and care little about what is best for us all.I know little about Sarah and her views on issues and i suspect that the respondents here do either. Have we become so fickle and unthinking? When we believe whatever words are uttered by a candidate without even a second thought ,independent of which party or candidate, we do grave injustice to our forefathers. They after all, gave us the rights and responsibilites to make informed choices and decisions.
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