The shameless pandering for Hillary's supporters is pretty insulting, IMHO. - Eric P

As if "pandering" and "ploy" are the exclusive domain of the GOP...politics, by definition, is all about pandering and ploys...especially when it's time to elect a President... - Live4Emma (L4S)

I agree Soccer . . . both sides are employing any and all tactics to gain supporters. I just felt like speaking out about this particular one. - Lindsey is Fierce!

Well, I didn't think HRC supporters would actually refuse to vote for Obama, even though McCain as none of their interests in mind, so there is no telling what ploy will work for their votes. - Rahsheen ™, Coach of FF

Why must we assume that choosing Palin is a ploy or tactic to gain Hillary supporters or women voters. That seems more sexist than the idea that she might be the right person for the job. - Keith - @tsudo

@tsudohnimh The Republicans' timing to be progressive seems a little more than coincidental. I don't have a lot of faith in anyone's ability to have a unique or genuine strategy, either democrat or republican. - Lindsey is Fierce!

I agree that genuineness is not a trait I associate with Politicians but I do think Conservatives have long been more progressive on Race and Sex. Clarence Thomas, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell. Even on the political spectrum I have opposed affirmative action initiatives because I feel they tell people you aren't good enough to do it on your own. I think Dems have long focused on race/sex too long. I just want the best of best. - Keith - @tsudo

Some people would find fault with McCain's choice of VP no matter what. Black, young, woman, etc. someone would always say it was pandering to some group. I guess the only choice that McCain could have made that someone would not say he was pandering would be an old, white male. - Michael Tefft

Good point Michael - Lindsey is Fierce!

"latest Republican ploy" kinda says it all. If I were a woman, I think I would only be able to manage a shake of my head and weary sigh at this point. - Michael W. May

I wish more people could see through the veil of the political machine and stop the BLIND allegiance to either party...while we need to have the opposing parties for balance in our system of Government, never forget that at their core, they both are slimy power machines driven by the all mighty $$$....For every Ted Stevens, there's a Donald Riegle. For every John Edwards, there's a Eliot Spitzer. And so on and so on... - Live4Emma (L4S)

I totally agree with Tefft & May. - Keith - @tsudo

It does also need noted that though this is not the first major party female VP candidate, it will be the first /Republican/. Think on how far that is coming. - Michael W. May

@tsudo Your last point was also good . . . i just missed it. @Soccer I would say it looks like I have a blind allegiance to democrats . . . but really their beliefs just align with mine. - Lindsey is Fierce!

I am glad you feel qualified to speak for what women would do Michael. At least there is a woman on the ticket. Democrats rejected a woman as a candidate and refused to choose one for VP. I guess they were afraid that they might be accused of 'pandering' to HRC supporters. - Michael Tefft

heh, I was waiting for that. I can empathize. My life and upbringing make that possible more than most men. So while I do not feel qualified to speak on their behalf, I can quite easily share my thoughts on the matter. - Michael W. May

I still don't whole-heartedly agree that Dems rejected a woman candidate. There was a lot more at play there that we didn't get to hear about. She had a lot of support. - Lindsey is Fierce!

Either way it goes, this is going to be a historic election. - Alex Scoble

So when Obama picked Biden was he pandering to old, white males? BTW, Biden is only 6 years younger than McCain. Where are all the too old jokes? And I agree with AlexScoble that this is going to be a historic election. - Michael Tefft

its really a "damned if you do..." situation - he picks a white male its "heh, figures the GOP would pick someone from the boys' club, panderers" he picks a woman its "heh, picking a woman?! panderers" I can understand the distrust but its not like he selected a random woman - she's a popular governor who won by upsetting the establishment in a state that personifies the word, understands energy issues but has ruffled alot of feathers by taking them on - she has a lot to offer - Marco(aureliusmaximus)

She is a creationist. - Kamilah Gill

Kamilah: good point, that alone was enough to send me running away. - Sally Church

@Marco true, but what does she offer on abortion? Another staunchly pro-life opinion. Not really the most popular position to have if you're looking for women's votes. - Aaron Krug

@Marco Not to mention Creationist views, and lets not forget her husband works for BP. Can you say 'lobbyist influenced'? Sorry, that's just too much for me to go for. - Aaron Krug

I guess they're hoping some HRC supporters will only vote on gender. I simply don't want Palin *that* close to the Presidency. She's *way* too inexperienced (mayor of a 6,000 pop town just 2 years ago), cozy with big oil and has abused her power. There were other VP picks that I might have disagreed with in principle, but wouldn't have been *scared* of being President. - AJ Kohn

I like how everything the Republicans do is called a "ploy" - Craig Eddy

I've written as much elsewhere, but this entire line of "outraged / insulted" reasoning is misguided. Sarah's pick isn't meant to try to win liberal-leaning female votes. If McCain wanted those, he'd have picked a pro-choice executive with private-sector credentials (he had two at his disposal here - Meg and Carly). This selection was made to shore up the conservative base, which it will... - Forrest Cox

AJ, Way too inexperienced? Sounds like criticism I have heard of Obama. As for Aaron, lobbyist influenced? like Joe Biden isn't? - Michael Tefft

@AJ - so on the basis of political experience, am I right to understand that you'd rather elect a person who's had a very quiet stint in the state legislature and a virtual no-show term in the national senate over a former mayor and current governor with a history of wrecking political establishments? You're walking right into the experience trap Republicans are hoping for - there are ways to attack Palin, but experience is a mistake. - Forrest Cox

Of course, had HRC been the nominee, none of this would have been an issue... - Forrest Cox

Concur, Forrest, we Republicans are a sneaky bunch. ;-) - Michael Tefft

@aaron i'm not sure her husband's role with BP ='s lobbyist influence anymore than if he was instead a supervisor at a GM manufacturing plant - that plus she has done anything but ingratiate herself to the oil interests that are ubiquitous in AK - Marco(aureliusmaximus)

Palin has been endorsed by Fishing and Forestry Associations in Alaska. Hardly in BP's pocket. - Michael Tefft

In her first year as governor of Alaska, Palin raised taxes on the oil industry, pushed through ethics legislation amid a burgeoning corruption investigation of Alaska lawmakers, bucked her party’s old guard and ordered her administration to seek fewer congressional earmarks after Alaska’s “bridge to nowhere” became a national symbol of pork-barrel spending. Her popularity soared above 80 percent when she enacted an ethics bill and shelved pork-barrel projects by fellow Republicans. - Michael Tefft

For the record, it is national politics, /everything/ is a ploy - Michael W. May from twhirl

@Michael touche, you've got me on the Biden thing. @Marco I would be saying the same thing if he was a field manager for GM, I don't think either position is free of conflicts of interest. She isn't big oil's fav pick, but she isn't exactly their worst pick either. I'm not saying she hasn't done good things for AK but our views are too far apart on too many things for me to even consider supporting that ticket. Then again, its not like I was in their camp to begin with, so its not like they lost anything. - Aaron Krug

@krug I think the phrase "fortune favors the bold" applies here - this could turn out to be a very, very poor choice BUT if it doesn't... - Marco(aureliusmaximus)

@Forrest: Yes because City Council/Mayor/Governor in Alaska does not match State Legislator/Senator from Illinois. Nor does it match Biden's record. She's the least experienced on either ticket by a wide margin. Think of it this way, should Obama and McCain both get hit by a bus ... Biden v. Palin, who do you want in the driver's seat and who do you think wins? - AJ Kohn

@Michael: Ethics. Pressure an official to fire a trooper who's in a custody battle with her sister. Fire that official when he doesn't fire the trooper. Give $10K to the replacement after he resigns because of sexual harassment issues. Oh, but the first official got nothing. No, I'm not sure ethics is a real winning theme for Palin. Stick to pro-life anti-gay and she'll help secure the conservative base. - AJ Kohn

But Wait! There's More: http://www.dailykos.com/story... - bill giltner

Wasn't going to comment on this but since when does being president of the PTA, excellent point guard, and thinking that the VP job isn't productive qualities for someone a step away from the presidency - jamar78