News-Record.com

Personally, I've decided that I like Sarah Palin because, at the very least, she's honest about the fact that she's going to dodge questions.

"And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear"

But wait,

"If you donate $150 or more now, we will send you a biography of Governor Palin titled SARAH: HOW A HOCKEY MOM TURNED ALASKA’S POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT UPSIDE DOWN as a token of our appreciation for your support."

--From the National Republican Congressional Committee

I'm sure it's an unbiased look at Palin that will make up for all her lack of press time. I mean, how long has she been at this? Five weeks? This book will cover it, and for a low, low price of 150 bucks, it's yours! That's what I call transparency.

"If McCain is elected, she will be a heartbeat away from running this country,..."

The current leftist mantra.

And yet Obama has still successfully dodged specifics of his fiscal doctrine, except to pull out of Iraq.

Knowing when a fetus becomes a human being is "above his pay grade, yet he claims to be a Christian- if he were not using Christianity as a shield, he would know that that determination has already been made. Yet he continues to fool everyone but Evangelicals who see through this CINO.

He has said he will defend the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, while stating that (parenthetically) "If I have the votes in congress, I will take your guns away.

Arguably, money spent from here til the election is gilding the lilly- Kathy, I'm sure, without even knowing you, that if Palin were on all channels 24/7 and answered all your questions, that you would still vote for 'CHANGE".

I have been a Libertarian, forced to change my designation to Independent. I listened early on to both Obama and McCain, before Biden and Palin were selected, and there is no doubt that Obama's words sent a chill down every freedom loving American's spine (unlike Chris Matthew's vaguely sexual response). He is indeed going to change things, and I suspect Jefferson, Franklin, Washington et.al. will be watching to see our response.

P.S. If McCain/Palin aren't elected, it will be because of leftist misogyny. Democrat men and women both fear a strong woman who doesn't toe the line.

Pray for all of our leaders, regardless of their beliefs. God will make His Will manifest.

WJ, how do you think Obama will "take your guns away"...do you think he will have the power to send a gun squad to your house. The gun issue is one I really don't understand. Gun control and "taking your guns away" are not even close to the same thing. Do Americans really need automatic weapons? Should they be available to anyone without any research of background?

I do fear Palin, but not for the reasons stated. Would you like her if she were a Democratic nominee? Other than her stand on abortion, with what do you agree?

I totally agree with your last paragraph.

"and I don’t want someone leading this country who is afraid to answer questions from the press." It's not that Palin is afraid to answer questions from the press, she doesn't know the answers. I think that her typical response is "I will get back to ya." But, we are led by Republicans to believe that this amount of knowledge is acceptable for a 44 yr. old who is slated to be the vice president. Only in America!

I am still baffled at the seemingly intelligent (W.J. Ellis) people, who cannot open their eyes to reality.

Any politician who refuses to answer questions from a free press, is suspect. This seems to be the problem with the GOP. Bush/Rove criteria demands that we shift our measurement to "personalities" or "likeability" rather than substance. It is a dangerous time when a candidate from a major party refuses to answer questions because they might not look good.
Of course, which party has used the United States Constitution as toilet paper? The Republican Party.
Lincoln is spinning in his grave.

Some may like it but I almost gagged last night when she went into her folksy winking act. Overall I thought that she did OK but the post debate commentary was amazing. They went on & on about Palin & hardly mentioned Biden except to say "Oh yeah & Biden won". This is some weird stuff.

They both did well, but I agree, the "gee golly, here have a cookie" routine Palin slipped into, complete with the breathy voice, sucked the gravitas right out of the woman.

Palin spoke in complete sentences and, outside of conjuring a Civil War general as our current leader in Afghanistan, held her own in a difficult situation. Difficult, because even a great debater would have a hard time defending what's happened under her party's executive leadership over the past 8 years and difficult because of the pressure of the moment: pressure she, herself, ratcheted up with her vaccuous interviews over the preceding few weeks.

Palin did not disappoint the base. But is there enough base left to pull McCain's campaign out of the fire?

Biden stumbled more than a few times; he got angry; he got willful; he glared. His strong points were a resonating knowledge of issues and what the players in Congress and the world have done to address those issues. Some might say that intimate knowledge of government is also a detriment, defining him as a dreaded 'Washington Insider', but, he too, showed his Joe Six-Pack credentials and was sufficiently banal not to give the Republicans any points.

Edge: Biden. I give him the edge because, on balance, he spoke more of specifics and less of generalities. It's easy to say, 'We need to keep America safe, lower taxes and offer affordable healthcare", but until you detail how you're going to do that, so what?

More than Palin, Biden answered the actual questions asked of him and, except for the ridiculously bright smile, didn't pull out any endearment props, contrary to the cutesy aw-shucks routine of the ex-Mayor of Wasilla.

I thought Palin did quite well. Actually, I think her performance was the best by a Republican President or Vice-President in some time.

I do think Biden won. I think he was very effective in going after McCain and I think Palin could have done a lot more of going after Obama or at least defending McCain's record a little better. The guy does have some good history and rather than just repeating "maverick" 10 times, actually explain WHY he was a maverick. Give specific examples where he parted from Bush.

All in all a good debate.

I watched the Couric interview. She didn't perform great but I thought the little snippets of her obvious gaffs were misrepresentative of her performance as a whole.

I guess the big question in my mind is how would Obama handle those level of questions. I haven't seen him take on those tough, detailed questions with continuous follow-up questions.

I think he'd fair about the same but we'll never see it. Fact is, Palin is wise to stay away from the press. We've seen from several organizations that they aren't going to even try to treat the candidates fairly.

Earnestine

"I think he'd fair about the same but we'll never see it. Fact is, Palin is wise to stay away from the press. We've seen from several organizations that they aren't going to even try to treat the candidates fairly."

Sometimes life's not fair & we need to see how these folks hold up under pressure. What kind of exposure do you think these guys owe us. Campaign commercials only??

They need to be seen in situations where they're not under control.

BTW Obama's been in lot's of unfriendly territory including papa bear O'reilly's spin zone.

Where they're not IN control, meant.

"WJ, how do you think Obama will "take your guns away"..."

Carol, even as a concealed carry permit holder and avid shooter I can't speak for WJ, but Obama and our own Slaan can address your "how" question:

"I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry."
http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/barack_obama_gun_control.htm

(seeing as how I already legally have a firearm on my person anytime I leave my home, that is a definite taking away if his stance blossoms)

And as Slaan so appropriately said:

"The only reason I am going to vote for him currently is that he will make much better Supreme Court Justice picks than McSame."
http://blog.news-record.com/opinion/letters/archives/2008/08/a_few_concerns_about_obama_pre.shtml

As the Executive, Obama can't make laws and might be unable to directly legislate my rights away, but his past votes evidence his position, and with a shared majority Congressional position (who do make the laws) and his ability to appoint Supreme Court Justices with similar views shows a clear "how". It's likely the "how" wouldn't be fully realized during his term, but it would be a sapling to grow and bloom.

"Do Americans really need automatic weapons?"

Law-abiding Americans haven't had free access to automatic weapons since the National Firearms Act of 1934.
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/nfa.htm

Automatic weapons are highly, highly restricted, with even their licensing procedures being extremely difficult, extremely expensive, and inherently discouraged. Not to mention the license grants the BATF the right to enter your house at any time to see your records and check on those automatic weapons and their storage. And they do, and quite reliably. And let's remember the pre/post 1986 registration of automatic weapons (Hughes Amendment- only our government can own post-'86, licensed civilians pre-'86). And we should note having to inform the BATF every time the automatic weapon is transported, be it to a private shooting range six miles north of here or to your vacation home another state (considered an export). And, if I remember correctly, how the registered owner must be present for another person to even *handle* the weapon, loaded or not.

It's a non-issue. You're being manipulated for some purpose if you've been convinced otherwise. The law is linked above.

As is a link to Obama's positions.

WJ, I just got a card from the NRA which states:

Obama's Tax Increase = 500%
Box of Rifle Ammmo = $500.00
New Hunting Rifle = $5,000.00

Well, that does it for me...I have to vote for McCain now.

And there are many, many, many who receive this card who will take it as gospel...After all it came from the NRA.

Again Carol, don't forget to mention Obama's pre-Presidential-campaign stance when he made a public and verified statement supporting a 500% tax on undetermined firearms and ammo. Or isn't that important?

I addressed your other identical post on it here:
http://blog.news-record.com/opinion/letters/archives/2008/10/hottempered_mccain_shouldnt_be.shtml#comments

See 7:06pm

Do you think he could, IF he wanted to, get such a tax passed? When Bush, with a Republican controlled Congress, tried to get the idiotic amendment to ban gay marriages passed it was killed easily.

Remember campaign talk is just that, on both sides.

Think about...this mailing was just a scare tactic and many fall for it without question to its reality...