I don't understand how this happens. Don't they vet these people? Or do they think that no one will notice?

It's just as bad in this country. Just look at Boris' staff.

Erm, this is the latest...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/02/uselections2008.republicans20085

This is starting to get a bit Thomas Eagleton.

Did anyone see The Daily Show tonight? They had a clip of her from a month ago where she asked what a vice president does every day.

She's a member of a church and a party that have historically opposed sex education in schools. She has a pregnant 17-year-old daughter. Someone ought to put her on a poster.

I think I love her. Her child Piper Indy is named after the family's plane (a Piper Cub) and the familymobile (a polaris Indy) and her Husband has won the Iron Dog four years in a row.

Track is a great name. Trig Paxson Van Palin is borderline genius.

Especially because (I think) the "Van" bit is in order to make the name sound a bit like Van Halen.

To be honest, her politics would make that a terrifying prospect.

I'm hoping that Obama/Biden can now look like the "safe pair of hands" compared to the slight carnage that the Republican's seem to have brought upon themselves.

As with most elections, the winner is usually the candidate who can paint his an opponent as some sort of extremist - think Johnson/Goldwater from one perspective (right wing "nutter" loses) and Nixon/McGovern from the other (left wing "nutter" loses).

Bush and his swift-boat mates even managed to do this with Kerry last time, but I'm hoping that the Democrats have learned their lesson and that in the forthcoming election its the Republicans that implode.

Could you not run RC?

tosscat, you could be my campaign manager.

i haven't voted in 8 years. do you think that would be a problem?

The family-values brigade will hate her because she has a pregnant teenage daughter and because she went back to work 3 days after having her last child. But really, most of these people were never going to vote for a woman, anyway. The moderates won't like that she's staunchly pro-life & pro-gun.

RC, do you ever re-read you stuff? I'm not sure what a "family values brigade is", or if it even exists, but if it did surely the fact that she's keeping the child and getting married to the father is.... a establishment of a family value.

Have no idea why going back to work means in political terms. or if it's even important.

But I've reread your post several times now, and I think you're trying to say she's too bigoted for bigots or the wrong kind of bigot.

The last person Karl Rove chose became president simply down to his orchestration. I think he's building himself an anti-hillary.

Brilliance from the rolling stone, of all places.

"Sarah Palin. You’ve drilled your way into America’s heart.

We in the pundit class thought John McCain had to build a bridge between Wall Street and Main Street. You proved us wrong. He’s got to lay pipe."

"RC, do you ever re-read you stuff? I'm not sure what a "family values brigade is", or if it even exists, but if it did surely the fact that she's keeping the child and getting married to the father is.... a establishment of a family value."

Was I unclear?

The family-values brigade is a large group of god-botherers, who vehemently oppose sex education in schools. They argue that teaching about safe sex encourages teenagers to have it. They believe that schools should only teach abstinence. Countless studies have shown that this policy doesn't work, yet it continues to be implemented in many American schools. Bristol Palin is the poster child for the opposition.

Many of these people believe that a woman's place is in the home. They view successful career women as bad wives and mothers. The McCain campaign is presenting Cindy McCain as the supportive wife who bakes cookies and stands by her man. She's actually the chair of one of the largest beer distributors in the country, but you'll never hear the Republicans talking about that.

A woman who goes back to work 3 days after giving birth is not what they consider a good mother. There's a reason why everyone knows about it. Someone clearly thought it was an issue.

Yes, Pete, I do re-read my posts. I don't remember mentioning bigotry, so I don't know where you got that from. I don't consider people who are pro-life as bigots. Nor are most gun owners. You jumped to all sorts of conclusions there.

And the second next President ! …… probably

All hail RC.

Could someone put Tosscat back on his medication?

Something's gone wrong with your "c". And one of your "e" s.

Various keyboard shortcuts. çé what I mean.

Duncan's comment reminds me of a lovely joke.

'Speech therapist, speech therapist, I can't say my effs, my tees or my aitches.

Well, you can't say fairer than that then!'