News-Record.com

Jo, your first point is exactly correct. I relayed this story previously, but I'll tell it again. When McCain's minions were flooding the airwaves touting the appeal of Sarah Palin, and suggesting that she would attract disenfranchised Hillary supporters, a good friend's elderly mother asked him: "Do Republicans think women are interchangeable?" Apparently the gender was a high priority, but I've heard from several women who were insulted by the presumption of her appeal, solely based on gender.

My more liberal female relatives will like Sarah despite her pro-life views--after all, they still like me:). They will appreciate a tough woman who is still a woman, because they are tough women who've dealt with wayward children, financial hardship, and war--while raising their children.

"If McCain wins and then dies, do we really want Palin running the country, dealing with Iran and making decisions that will affect our future for decades?"

Definitely. In fact, this ticket would be more attractive if it were Palin/ McCain.

A typical Jo Boykin rant.

Newsflash, Jo. The republican party was fractured in disunity between the neocons and conservatives until Mrs. Palin came into the picture. There was no way myself or many of my friends were going to vote McCain unless he picked a right wing conservative as his running mate.

Besides, yellow dog democrats will never vote republican anyway and appealing to those voters wasn't a consideration. What matters is people who like change from the status quo and find it appealing to havie someone who isn't an insider, is a woman, and is a reformer is on the ticket.

The fact that the opposition is howling with disapproval is a sign that McCain made the right choice.

So far I like what I'm hearing from the campaign. McCain has 60 + - days left to convince a majority of voters that he and Palin are the right ones for the job. We'll see.

From a Boston.com story about Hillary Clinton's run for president:

"On the campaign trail, Clinton often earns her biggest applause when she talks about how excited she would be to be the first woman president. Women who come out to see her cite her gender as a major source of their enthusiasm. In fact, women make up 65 percent of voters who attend Clinton's rallies, Penn writes. And they are a majority of her smaller donors.

Even some of Clinton's advisers were not expecting her gender to inspire such reactions.

"The intensity of it has surprised a lot of people," Penn said. "We are talking about electing someone from the group that is the majority of voters. That's more powerful than people realize."

Yeah, women aren't going to vote just based on gender, huh? It seems that was Hillary Clinton's biggest asset as a candidate, and she played on it at every turn.

I voted for Hilary because I thought she was the most qualified, not because she was a woman. I will vote for Obama because I think he is the most qualified. I have heard MANY Hilary supporters state what has been said in that they are insulted that McCain/Rove think women are that stupid.

Carol, you're missing the point. McCain is not conservative enough to win with anyone but a fire breathing right winger on his ticket. The hardcore right wing portion of his base would not vote for him if he had Rommney, Guiliani, Graham or Lieberman on as his VP.

The two choices he had to appease the right wing were, IMO, were Bobby Jindel and Sarah Palin.

Between those two choices, Palin has more experience as an administrator and a more rambunctious reputation as a reformer.

Had McCain picked anyone but those two, he'd have been better to not even have bothered campaigning.

I'll say it again, 1 out of three people are not going to vote for McCain under any circumstances. The 1/3 who are mouthing off about "not being that stupid" seem to give themselves more importance than the McCain campaign does.

Again, the fact that people are howling over this shows it was the right decision.

Is Sarah really the BEST female in the Republican party? While I have no suggestions for anyone better, there must have been someone. And you are correct, I and many others are anti McCain and any running mate, just as many are anti Obama. Politics for sure. I base most of my opinions on the war in Iraq. ANYONE who supports it is not someone I want for President

Carol,

You are going to vote for someone (Obama) who you've already stated you didnt think was the BEST Dem for POTUS. Why are you giving Rs are hard time about VP?

Mick, do you think McCain and Palin are the best Reps available? We vote for who we are given.

As to giving the Reps a hard time, I think they have done a pitiful job during their reign. I ask you to share me with me why I should respect any Rep who is running for office after the last 7 years.

"is Sarah really the BEST female in the Republican party?"

Don't confuse republican with conservative. She is the BEST ~conservative~ female in the party. All the other are just cino party hacks toting the bureaucratic line, ie, Liddy Dole.