May I suggest that you and Rachel reexamine how you qualify someone for the President/VP. Why would anyone blindly qualify someone suitable for Vice President just because they are a mother or come out of the PTA? That is just as irrational as qualifying Obama because he is black. This comes from the same blue collar mentality of those who qualified George Bush for President because he looks like the kind of guy you could have a beer with.

Since it seems that Republicans are going to make this another election about true character, maybe because they have nothing really different to run on other than the same mantra we have been listening to for the past 8 years, let's take what true character we have seen from Palin thus far.

What we have seen is one speech at a convention, that was written by a man, who by the way, is a Bush speech writer. And in this speech she showed her profound true character by spending that vast majority of time taking shots at Obama. In the end, it was divisive politics as usual, designed for nothing more than to do McCain's dirty work, by attacking the left and firing up the right. Nothing inspiring beyond her personal life. No vision of how she wants to reach all Americans. But if she had the kind of character, that rises above party politics and if she had true vision to lead, she would not have been so disingenuous and petty.

You are an idiot....Yes Palin gave a great speech...wow because I tuned in to watch it because I had no clue who she was! Family first.. I think she needs to learn that her family at this time needs a Mom who has time for them..5month old newborn baby, she will be a grand parent in 4 months...Moms can do it all sometimes,but sometimes the best job in the world is raising children who believe Mom is President and has time to be with them in their world...you only get to govern and rule your children until they trun 18...Palin has plenty of time in the future to wear lipstick and bite anyone she wants. Hats off to McCain and his speech writers...they just left him out. Good luck to her Saturday when she debates Biden a good family man.

Girls! Please! It's politics! Palin instead of Hilary! Don't be so caught up in the hype. VOTE FOR REAL CHANGE! America is losing it, and people are only voting party affiliation.
AMERICA! Change is here! Don't vote because of color! Vote because of issues. Palin is a plant! What honest conversation would you behaving if one of Obama's daughters were pregnant? Please! Don't continue to be so hypocritical America..All you could talk about was Obama's experience. Now they bring in a "who is she" white woman, and you're sucked in. How hypocritical. Oh well America. Hypocritical is your middle name. Not too long ago, you tried to kill off a whole race because of their color. You really need a change.

What is the difference between Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton? Obama wants to be president to further his career, says Sarah Palin and Sarah Palin is using her children to further her career? Her speech sounded like a rap song, with alot of "Metaphors" and catchy "Phrases", then again we have to give credit to the ghost writers.

I coulndt agree with you more Rachel. Finally it can be seen that us women can do both. We can be a PTA mom and go to washington. We can raise babies and help run a country. It shows as a women we can be anything we want to be. I have two small daughtes and I hope one day they can look back and Thanks Palin for opening the doors up for them to be both a mom and an important role in the USA.

For people who oppose abortion it is not about choice. It is about taking a human life. We are all for a woman's right to make choices in her life, but we draw the line at murder. Most of us that oppose abortion do so becasue it is taking a life/murder. I don't see why those who don't see it that way, don't understand that we can't say it is just a woman's choice to choose murder.

And that is why Palin is opposed to abortion even in cases of rape and incest. Yes, it is absolutely HORRIBLE to have to carry a baby to term under those circumstances, but we see MURDER as worse.

Now, if you don't believe in life at conception, you can frame the debate in terms of choice. If you do believe it is life at conception, how it the heck could you offer choice? I don't expect everyone to agree with the concept of life at conception, but I DO wish people would be genuine in their criticism.

For me, I oppose abortion even in cases of rape and incest.

What I wish this conversation was about is adoption. I wish Palin's daughter was offering her baby for adoption so it would bring that discussion to the forefront instead of the abortion debate.

I believe in choice. I believe if you conceive life (under any circumstances) then you have the CHOICE to keep it or the CHOICE to offer the baby for adoption. That is the choice that doesn't end a life in the process. It does call for great sacrafice for the mother. I realize that, but if we value life than I think we can make that sacrafice.

By the way, those that want to overturn Roe v Wade want to turn the decision over to the states. This isn't an election based on abortion. Even if McCain is elected, and gets conservatives on the bench, we are a long way from outlawing abortion. People need to take ALL the issues into consideration. Then vote on the issues in their totality!

I agree with Karen, except her comments about adoption.

I've adopted two beautiful girls, and I believe adoption is a blessing all around. However, from the child's perspective, if his mother is able and willing to care for and love him, I believe that is the best solution. I feel a 17-year-old in this country is generally able to care for a child, assuming the mother has no severe mental issues. So if Bristol decided to raise the child rather than relinquish him/her for adoption, I feel that choice is a very positive one for the child and for the mother.

If you want to look for support on the adoption issue, you need look no further than John and Cindy McCain. They adopted their youngest daughter. In addition, John adopted several children from Cindy's first marriage. Both are strong supporters of adoption and John has authored adoption reform legislation. I assume Ms. Palin supports adoption as well, although it hasn't been part of her life story.

I thought Sarah Palin did a bang up job on her speech. I like her as a women and feel she did us proud except for not recognizing the demands her family has of her right now. There are only so many hours in a day. I do feel that her family really needs a lot from her right now. I would have thought she was even bigger by saying no but back get back to me in the future when my children are older and I have more time. Right now my family needs. An infant with special needs, a 17 year old daughter neeeding her help post delivery from here on out for a while.How will this new family to be made with teen parents finanacially get by or further their education? I feel every mother needs to know when to say when. There are tradeoffs in every family situation. Career advancement is not always in the best interest of the family. There are other qualified people both men and women who can do the job as VP that don't have the demands her family has right now. I feel it was a political move for MCCain but her family will lose the attention they deserve if the Republicans win. I am for her...to go home right now and take care of things for a while. The government can wait a while.

I don't like pit bulls, even with lipstick. I think Sarah Palin, while whe may be a successful Governor, is overbearing and too agressive for my tastes. Besides, her speech was written for her by a Republican speech writer. While her family is off limits as far as I am concerned, I don't think she has the right to tell other women what they can or cannot do with their bodies. She spent the greatest part of her speech using the same basing tactics that the Republicans have used througout this campaign. I did not hear one word from her about any of the issures I am concerned with. None of the Republicans addressed those issues. The Republicans have put this country in the toilet, McCain & Palin continue to support Bushes policies and if people are not intelligent enought to realize that Palin was put on the ticket because she is all they have, God help us in November. I will NOT VOTE for another eight years of the same bsl. I hope the rest of the country has had enough too.

Tracey,

You sound like a nice person, but completely confused. Try to read some of the history books. It wasn't long ago that we, black American, finally received the right to vote. Everyone wants to forget the race issue, however, white men have been running this country since time began, just because they are white. Palin doesn't make me proud. She READ a speech written for her. She has a pregnant teenager at home she needs to look after. Tell me for real Tracey; if one of Obama's daughters were old enough to be pregnant, how would it go over with white America? Please America! Give the man Obama a chance..and Yes! I will say it! He happens to be brillant and black!

What a snotty slap, Rachel. Hillary prefers pant suits because they're comfortable and more flattering to her. They certainly don't make women--and I include myself here--androgenous. Back when I was as young and slender as Palin, I preferred skirts--but to suggest Palin is more of a woman because she wears a skirt is just plain dumb.

If a woman is experienced, I don't can if she wears a skirt or a pant suit or jeans--but I prefer real experience and the PTA just isn't enough to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Special needs or not... a baby is a baby and all the babies I know can sleep through vacuum cleaners, screaming toddlers and even screaming crowds.
As for her daughter, that's really none of our business, but... whether your stay at home and control your kids or never see them. The choices they make are going to be made and ultimately only they can be held accountable. I had a very involved mother growing up and I still made the choice to have sex young. My best friend had a control freak for a mother, he made the same choice. Neither of us got our girlfriends pregnant, but the fact remains... if a kid is going to have sex a kid is going to have sex.
Oh and she has more exectutive experience than Obama, which is directly irrelevant anyways. By being in the number two spot she has the ability to learn from McCain. Where as Obama would be in the number one spot and will have to make the tough choices without experience.

Oh and McCain is a tough old bird, I'm sure he'll live his four years.

It's interesting that no one tells the male politicians that they need to be home with the children. By being in politics she is making a difference for the future of her children and mine - I salute her for it.

I agree with Michelle. I for one don't really like Sarah Palin and fear that she might become our president.

Derek, how in the WORLD can you be sure McCain is going to live four more years. Perhaps you can give me some tips on the stock market.