ST. PAUL (CNN) - This year's Minnesota State Fair attendees hoping to eat a Snickers on a stick or watch a cow give birth can do both those things and also register to vote.
With some form of the Republican convention as a backdrop, and the presidential election just over 60 days away, the Minnesota State Fair resembled a political rally Saturday with fair-goers sporting "McCain," "Obama," and "NObama" buttons as they perused the fair's myriad of fried offerings. Both state parties hosted booths where voters could pick up literature, chat with campaign representatives or just mingle with like-minded Minnesotans.
A giant poster of now vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin dominated the Minnesota GOP's white clapboard house that sat across from a buzzing crepe stand. "McCain's pick Sarah Palin governor of Alaska" was the hand scrawled caption on a clip board.
"It was a very big surprise," said Georgia from southern Minnesota of McCain's choice for number two. "She does bring the fact she is a woman to the ticket and she's got some experience having been involved as governor of Alaska." Georgia picked McCain at the fair's GOP straw poll last year.
"She's a woman she can learn fast," said Kathy from Bursville in response to critics who say Palin lacks experience. "I thought she could kick it."
Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews for Palin, there still was some lingering disappointment that Tim Pawlenty, this state's governor, wasn't tapped for the Republican ticket.
"I thought it would be him," said Mike Held who has known Pawlenty for 27 years. "But because she's a woman there was instant attention and she took the thunder from Obama ... This is going to seal the deal."
Perhaps the most clever and most popular political item came from the Obama stand. In a nod to all the authentic state fair food that could be found on a stick (Oreos, bacon, meat balls etc), the Obama campaign offered up "Change on a Stick." The item was so popular that the only non-caloric item on a stick at the fair was sold out.
From CNN Politics
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"She can learn fast!" Oh goodie. We can have her wait beside the foot of a 72 year old man whose had bouts with cancer and hope she did her homework.
Please.
I've been registering voters with the Obama volunteers in Dallas, TX since May and my husband is an Iraq vet- I guess that makes me qualified for VP and because I also got good grades in college.
OBAMA/BIDEN-The Strong Ticket for America.
McCain should not think he can pander to all the women voters in this country. Its telling that they booed at the mention of Hillary's name in PA. This vp pick is nothing more than a political move by Carl Rove. McCain wanted someone else as vp.
Well we see already that the good old boys who spewed their filth in the democratic blogs about Hillary Clinton have now turned their crap on Palin.
I can't understand why the hate women so. But I have come to think it is because they are such wimps, they don't have the guts to support a strong woman. After all the men have screwed this country to heck and back for almost 300 years I think it is about time they gave women a chance to straighten it out.
Figures, Obama supporters will spend money on nothing.
Are you kidding me? So called Clinton supporters were talking about Obama with no experience and now they are saying Palin can learn fast because she is a woman.
I would like to thank Mc Cain for picking her. I thought you would pick Lieberman but this is better.
For all the numbskulls out there that will vote based on gender, go for it. We will see who has experience.
Journalism on a stick? This item seems about as scattered as McCain's response to Gustav.
Mccain Just Handed The Election To Obama . . . . On A Stick!
She's a woman, she can learn fast? Are you kidding me? This isn't an on-the-job training session...Thanks McCain, for under-minding our National Security down to NOTHING.....Forign policy=national security--And she has NONE....Sorry folks, were all dead if this idiot is elected....
I just read this on one of the other blogs on the topic of "How McCain chose his VP"…it touched my heart…
…..Obama picks people based on merit… If he wanted the "sure fire win",.. he could've picked Hillary. But he's not looking for who's the most popular… he's looking for who's the best person for the job. Once again… McCain's personal ambitions are shown to be more important than the good of the country….
My prayer is that I hope God is involved in this election so the right person wins!!!
Josh
Only an Obama-bot would waste money on nothing..LMAO
"She's a woman she can learn fast," said Kathy from Bursville in response to critics who say Palin lacks experience. "I thought she could kick it."
At least Obama was vetted by the media, his opponents, and the American people. This woman is too stupid to vote.
That about says it all about Obama - CHANGE ON A STICK!
McCain's pick makes all his whining about Obama's "experience" ring hollow.
She not only has no international experience, she has zero national experience.
She makes Dan Quayle look like LBJ.
In 68,88, and now in 2008, republicians made risky picks for VP. In 68 and 88 the risky pick worked and the won the election, but those years after was filled with scandal, angew had to resign, and Dan Quayle couldn't spell potato. The country suffered both time as the economy went down. So this America dont fall for the gimmick .
Alaskans love Sarah Palin and the lower 48 will as well-
She's the "difference' in the election-
Good grief! He picks her because of gender and a long standing member of the NRA. Did anyone mention that this guy could fall over dead tomorrow and our economy, home security and complete future would rely on a gun toting hockey mom?
I can't believe, personally, that McCain would play such a dangerous political game with the country by selecting a 44-year former beauty pageant contestant with a journalism degree and 13 years of political experience in which 11 of them were as city councilwoman and mayor of a town of 8,000 in Alaska.
The country has some serious problems after eights years of Bush/Cheney and the Congressional Republicans, and McCain's answer to this is to pick Sarah Palin, a woman with who he has only met once before offering here the VP slot.
Simply amazing. Women Republican leaders should feel slighted and belittled because there many more Republican women worthy of being selected VP than Palin.
Family values is what the Republicans stress...so why didn't Governor Palin turn down the invitation to be Vice President to tend to her down syndrome child and the other 4? She should be at home with her kids in Alaska!
Not to worry. God is on her side. She has the strength of her faith to carry her through. So those of us who worry about Iraq, Iran, Pakestan, Russia, Georga, and other hot spots can take comfort. Is that not what Bush told us directly or indirectly? Did he not speak to god? I undestand we will have Dobson as Secretary of State and Robertson appointed V.P. in a Palin administration if something happens to John. Would that not be great? I would not want to be a brother-in-law however as I am sure she will finish what she started. After she can weld much more power as stand in president than she did as govenor. Hey just an idea why don't we just remove McCain and run her as president.
The Republicans can put whatever spin they want to on the Palin pick but most people are smart enough to know that she is a risky choice.
GOD is on her side? Last I checked, God doesn't get to cast his vote in November, and maybe YOU should try to remember that. Christian voters have been screwing up this country for the last 8 years by electing silly politicians based on their faith. This IS NOT the dark ages, so can we PLEASE stop behaving like it is?
Obama/Biden 2008 and 2012 for CHANGE (for the better)
Gov. Sarah Palin firmly put her foot in her mouth during her debut speech. She violated the first premise of operational security for military families. She announced to a world-wide audience her son’s specific unit, his MOS (military occupational specialty) and the specific dates of the unit’s deployment. This just is not done, ever. If I were the commander of that unit I would be screaming to the Pentagon to change the deployment and I would transfer that boy as far away from my unit as I could.
BTW, I am a military father and I did command an Air Force squadron during the Vietnam War.
Sarah Palin does not understand national security and she does not understand the needs of our great military. Sarah Palin is dangerously naive.
So being able to learn fast qualifies her to be our vice president? Come on, she got a BA in journalism. Obama got a law degree at Harvard and was the president of the Harvard Law Review. He can learn pretty fast himself and he's talked with foreign leaders. Come on Palin supporters. You people are in a fantasy world trying to defend somebody who all you know, isn't qualified to lead a country that is in a war when she hasn't been paying attention to the war. "
Palin: I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq." (http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/palin-surge-wha.html)