This pick of a woman who has no credentials to be VP goes right to McCain's quick and reckless judgement. (Dementia?) One meeting the day before naming her and now a troup of lawyers dispatched to "vet" her—unbelievable. What kind of people will be in charge of our government if (God forbid) McWar is elected.

It's a credit to then Mayor Palin to attend a meeting of the Alaska Independent Party, to learn what the group is all about, especially that it may be influence by the Russian if not a front for a Russian desire to get back alaska.

Let just imagine Obama's participation on a AIP reunion, God Macliar, Mcnojudment will have posters in all corners of the United States with Joe saying Obama is not a true American.

My prediction: Palin's going to withdraw, and McCain will be 'forced' to pick Ridge as VP. If that ever happens, I'll vote for McCain, otherwise this independent will have to settle with Obama.

What next? Oh I know…..how about speaking in front of her church and claiming "Iraq is a task from God"….and telling the people to pray for a pipeline! This video needs to be shown on the news outlets now!Unbelievable. Huffingtonpost has it.

She also lacks education.

It's all over the place — can't blame Obama camp for starting this one. Even the people of the AIP state that she and her husband were BOTH members of this separatist party.

That she was a member of this party and attended their convention is not the big issue here …. we are America, it is fine for people to gather in whatever party they want no matter how insane their policies are.
The issue is that she was / is a member of a party that puts Alaska above Country, and she's been selected to be the VP of the United States!!!

Unbelievable incompetence on the part of the GOP and McCain!

I have been supporting Obama for 20 months, and am not too upset with Sarah Palin as VP. I mean as a potential President, she beats the hell out of what we have now!

Arguments?

Obama/Biden '08

CINC of the alaskan national guard? wow. that's some heavy-duty military might. how is she commanding them? are they busy repelling coordinated polar bear attacks? are they contemplating an invasion of the Yukon?

This afternoon, the director of Division of Elections in Alaska, Gail Fenumiai, told TPMmuckraker that Todd Palin registered in October 1995 to the Alaska Independence Party, a radical group that advocates for Alaskan secession from the United States.

Besides a short period of a few months in 2000 when he changed his registration to undeclared, Todd Palin remained a registered member of AIP until July 2002 when he registered again as an undeclared voter.

Anyone else think the Palin family is a trainwreck?

Hey I am just happy McCain didn't say she was not a member of this political party because at the time ,she was a prisoner of war in a Hanoi prison camp with me LOL.

Personally, I think it would be a fabulous idea if every state seceded, leaving the idiot politicians in Washington nothing to screw up other than the last remnant of the United States: the District of Columbia.

Government is comprised chiefly of arrogant, megalomaniacal, idiots, of whom we would all be better off wthout.

I didnt believe it at first….THEN I SAW VIDEO OF IT…SHE REALLY IS A MEMBER….wow……

It's a fake! Poor John

Sure, Palin is a nice lady with an interesting past, but to suggest that her 16 months experience as the head of Alaska's National Guard is somehow adequate Commander in Chief of the armed services of the most powerful nation in history is an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

Why is it that everything wrong with the RNC is now the DNC's fault? I do not get this? I did not see the revise when Obama was having problems.

I am an independent with an open mind but I said when they first made this announcment (Palin as McCain's VP) it didn't make sense. I tried to ignore the strong posibility this choice was gender driven and now I learn that McCain and his advisors had chosen Liberman up until Sunday only to make this switch at the last minute. It really is making it hard for me to give any credibility to John McCain and the Republican party . And as a strong, independent, professional woman it saddens me to see so many intelligent women over the past few days spin Palin meger government experience into that which makes her the best possible running mate for McCain. Finally, why can't she be "attacked" on the issues - (what is this not crossing the line business) especially since she is so willing to hold herself up as an alternative for Senator Clinton. She needs to earn our respect on the issues as Hillary Clinton attempted to do - Rather than standing on Clinton's shoulders Palin needs to stand on her record - all of it.

Can't wait for the Biden/Palin debates.

According to the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll Obama has hit 50% for the first time, with McLame coming in at 42%. So much for the Palin bounce.

paulie_nj:

I hate to break it to you, but all this information has been dug up by people like ME. I found a lot of this information just doing basic search engine searches. Don't blame Obama or his campaign because McCain did not properly vet this lady. Why do you think the dispatched "12 communications" people to Alaska yesterday? Take a hard look at your candidate.

This lady is under TWO misconduct investigations, one they are not even talking about but I found the information on it. She used her position to get a friend a job a the Fairbanks, AK DOT.

Yup, we are going to shake things up because this pick is such a JOKE.

I'm posting on this liberal blog just to let you all EgoBama idiots know that we conversatives have embraced Sarah Palin and she will be the next VP of the United States. You can take that to the bank.

The Democrats are so afraid that McCain and Gov.Palin are going to make it to the Whitehouse, that they have decided to use those old Chicago style politics, and make up lies about the new kid on the block.This is the CHANGE Obama brings to the Democratic party–DIRTY DEALS DONE DIRT CHEAP.Obama has so much baggage he has to have Biden carry it for him.

All you people who are criticizing McCain/Palin are extremely bias. Open your ears and eyes and look other places and examine the issues. Then make a clear, logical conclusion without bias. You will see that Palin is just as good a pick for VP then any other candidate.

Thousands if not tens of thousands of girls get pregnant in this country every year with no comments from the press now here is a 17 year old who makes the head lines just because her mother has been selected for the GOP VP candidate. Go figure the press would make a big deal out of it. Let me tell you, from the people I've talked to about this today NO ONE cares she is pregnant, it's her life and SHE isn't the VP candidate her mother is.
If there is a story here it's about the thousands of girls who get pregnant every year not just one!

I find it very amusing that no one can get 'traction' of any serious note against future VP, Sarah Palin. That fact that she is a normal mom with normal problems at home and deals with normal issues makes her, well, 'abnormal' to Democrats.

Hey, with more executive/CEO experince than Obama, she's as good a choice as just about anyone. Go McCain!

The absolute truth of the matter for just about everyone is that niether party has really given us candidates to get extremely excitied about.

Why aren't we voting for a Powell/Ridge ticket….or Powell/Lieberman?

So the daughter is under 18, and the boyfriend over 18….Hmmmm. I wonder in how many states would the future son in law of Ms. Palin be eligible for the sex offenders registry?

I gave more then three interviews for my "non-executive" IT job. Sen. McCain only met and talked to Gov. Palin once before picking her as his running mate. I am not questioning Gov. Palin's credentials or the issues coming up now in the media. I am concerned about the manner in which Sen. McCain his first presidential office related decision. Is this how he is going to make this country's decision? Reminds me of 2003 i.e. Lack of intelligence/information followed by a never ending war which still continues. Obama camp has been saying that McCain will be a third bush term. I always took that as a political slogan nothing more then that. But the way Sen. McCain has made his VP decision i.e. on lack of information do give resemblence of Bush term.

Will the media ever get back to talking about the issues and problems the USA faces? Bad economy, housing crisis, energy, etc.
I don't like Palin either, but enough about her already!

It was not the Obama Campaign that spread this rumor. My god, I found it while researching her on sites in Alaska. And that was Friday morning. There are multiple things I found on her while researching that do concern me as well. Everyone quit blaming the other party. Do your own research. Seems like everyone is now up in Alaska vetting this lady. Anchorage Alaska Newspaper had 400+ pages of agency/governmental documents posted on their newspaper site Friday. These documents were released for public viewing by police union. Red alarms do exist!! Questions of past/present stances/affiliations will have to be answered by her. As a female, registered Republican, white college educated medical professional I was excited at first. My excitement has now turned to alarm.

The video address of the AIP convention is easy to find.

Why isn't CNN linking it up?

Talk about un-patriotic. Wow.

McCain adviser Carly Fiorina stated that Barack and Joe are making sexist attacks.

Wow, I just don't see or hear it. Barack & Joe have done no such thing. I know that the American people will see through this. It's not our fault that 90% of Americans had no clue of who Sarah Palin was; not even my Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas.

YES, poor choice and nothing McCain, Rove, Laura or the GOP will change anyones mind. THIS IS A CHANGE ELECTION and yes Palin might be a great speaker, so too is Hillary and Hillary is a much experience candidate for President than trying to force disgrace in the Oval office.

O'BIDEN 08

Palin is a supporter and member of the AIP who feels Alaskans should be able to vote to secede from the United States? Didn't they fight a war 150 yrs ago over such thinking? This is who McCain picked to be VP of the United States????? This is not only idiotic, its frightening!

spin it up!

Let just have a dictatorship. At least we would know where America stands.

The same Hillary Clinton bashers are now bashing Palin. I read once where Obama has never run a fair campaign in his life, that he spreads gossip, innuendo, and lies and it appears that is correct.

I don't know about anyone else but I refuse to read any blog written in straight caps, are overly long, or need to insert LOL repeatedly. What ever happened to the English Language?

Attacking Obama's campaign is a sign of desperation! You cannot deny what Gov. Palin did in the past with that paper you published. All the previous activities were documented and factual. These information were released by folks from Alaska to the internet audience because they refuse to accept the double standards! So McCain and Co you are better served by owning your mistakes and strategic blunder and not blame Obama's organization! Adults take responsibility for their actions! Oh I forgot that fine people like Bush and McCain never accept responsibility for their actions, for example Iraq! Keep on digging yourself into the hole until it is too late and difficult to get out like in Iraq! "If you break it you must fix it" Poor Judgement is Poor Judgement!

So every mistake they make will be an Obama fault, wow, the GOP got caught and maybe they should read Alaska news papers and commentators to get the truth. The GOP is running a 1960 campaign from top to bottom. Palin was chosen to create a "WHITE" White House Appearance, however for 232 years that is what the nation have had a "White White House" and they are running scared, it will not work. Americans are "AWAKENED" General Eisenhower's family is voting for and have endrose OBAMA so too have the Nixons and the Fords, make anyone wonder who will really vote McCain on election day behind those curtains. I can tell you one thing been a military person, the military is for OBAMA from the bottom up!

McCain had better cut his losses by cutting Sarah loose. The snippets of undiscovered vettable issues are growing and an avalanche may be forthcoming.
Seriously, if this is the way McCain is going to run the country (by gut feeling and without thorough diligence), then GW is lucky — the dis-honor for worst president is likely to go to McCain.

Ms. Palin would be better for Secretary of the Inferior … I mean Interior.

Now we learn that Sarah is a Johnnie-Come-Lately Republican? Isn't that convenient?

McCain, you've shown the same type of incompetence that George ….. "Brownie … you're doing a heck of a job" … Bush showed during Katrina.

As each new revelation of her current family life and past activities alleged or factual come out, it brings into question Mr. McCain's lack of leadership in not only properly vetting out a running mate for the second highest office in our country or that he has surrounded himself with inept staffers who were just trigger happy to turn the newscycle their way!

It's interesting that Palin is is a champion of ethics and fighting corruption. Isn't Alaska a Republican led State and the corruption she's fighting is Republican? It's about time! but that doesn't mean she's qualified to be Vice President. Let her continue to clean up the State and maybe Alaskans will get smart and vote Democratic.

McCain camps response is something like asking someone's phone number and he gives you his address.
It's just not the right answer. She is a member no doubt about that.

If the Repubs have any sense left, they should have Palin get out of the race and put someone else with some sense.

It is no mystery that many people in Alaska have wanted to be apart from the US, I still remember Palin saying at her VP intro speech how much being the VP of the US will help Alaska! You bet it will.

Dillia:

When Mr. Palin was arrested for DUI, he was not her husband. That charge was in 1984 at the age of 20. (how many 20 year old college kids do you know that drink and drive, dem or rep?) He didn't marry Sarah until 1988. So much for that charge against her. She is getting the people of Alaska $1200.00 for standing with them AGAINST the Big Oil Companies. That says a lot.

When she was mayor, she lowered the salary. She has battled her own party many times over the years.

As far as her daughter is concerned, do you have any friends or family whose children, whether it be boy or girl, have gotten pregnant or gotten a girl pregnant? I do, Obama does (his mom). So judge lest ye be judged!

“This would seem to be the only decent thing to do, given her responsibilities as Mayor of Wasilla,” said spokesman Tucker Bounds.

So she DID attend the convention!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if the American Nazi Party convention showed up in Wasilla she would have considered attending THAT a civic duty, too?

The party of Lincoln nominates a secessionist. Sarah Palin: the gift that keeps on giving…

I agree, McCain probably wishes now he knew how to use the internet-thingy so he could google Sarah Palin.

Come clean, McCain! Admit that she wasn't properly vetted. OR just admit that she was properly vetted and that you made a poor judgment. Stuck inbetween a rock and a hard place?

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!
At least Obama wants to be a citizen! Sarah Palin didn't even want to be a U.S. citizen anymore! Sarah Palin is so "unAmerican".

I will predict that Sarah Palin is going to withdraw from the McCain ticket……..I maybe crazy……but not usually wrong.

baggage, baggage, baggage. tick tock, the clock is running out, not even the mighty karl marx, i mean rove can save this one.

The Democrats are doing everything they can to take the steam away from the McCain camp. Rumors gallore and it's just rediculous. I think they [Obama camp] were caught completely off guard by the Palin pick and they are doing everything they can to try and shake things up.

"8 is enough" Obama/Biden '08

John McCain, more of the same.

"We don't care about their qualifications or scandals or problems so long as they toe the party line!"

I think Sarah will make a GREAT Vice-President and eventually will become our President! She is exactly what America desperately needs. The simple fact that the liberals are all over her tells me that they are really feeling threatened! And I love it!!
She is smart, experienced ( far more than Obama could even dream about ) and she has the drive to succeed.
Yes, she definately has my vote!!

See what you got into McCain dirty politics tricks,,,,,,,,,,McCain the same old Bush….I wondering what Karl Rove got to see say about this..I wondering if Bush going to rescue McCain. Palin is bad news to American

Obama/Biden 08

Poor Biden. He is the only one no one can whine about attacking. McCain is a POW, Palin is a woman, Obama is bi-racial.

But in all seriousness, if Obama has to put up with comments about his looks, so does Palin. It would be sexist to suggest otherwise. And McCain and Biden have to put up with questions about his age being a factor in his judgement, and so do Obama and Palin.

MR MCcain politics is like a car lol. D is to move forward and R will put u in reverse. We have been in reverse for 8 years now is the time to put this car in D. we need some forward movement.
D=dems 08

Lynette Clark, the chairman of the AIP, tells ABC News that Palin and her husband Todd were members in 1994.

McCain's team is issuing denials without even having done the research.

Why is this not on the front page of the Political Page on CNN. I have been noticing some very slanted journalism by CNN lately. Was their some Corporate Merger/Buy-out of CNN the public is not yet aware of??????

THE RUMOR FROM OBAMA CAMP ABOUT ALASKA SECEDING FROM THE UNION IS ABOUT AS LIKELY TO HAPPEN AS ANOTHER AMERICAN CIVIL WAR .. TALK ABOUT STUPIDITY . THIS IS A LOT LOWER . THIS CAME FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Every Democrat should be overjoyed about McCain's choice of VEEP. She's like the proverbial side of a barn, and McCain's given the Dems a canon. You can't help but hit the target. What a flub on the part of the GOP. They might as well have ushered Obama to the White House on their shoulders.

The party has witness after witness who says Sarah and Todd Palin were both members who attended their convention. She even sent a video to their convention making nice as of this year. McCain/Palin = Alaska First

Only decent thing to do?

Excuse Me?!?

Only an indecent mayor would have not gone to the AIP convention? No, only a mayor who didn't support them would have not gone.

McCain, here's a hint. You just announced her as your running mate and your defending her? Don't you think you should have found out something besides the fact that she believes that she knows what is best for ALL women as far as reproduction and that she has two X chromosomes?

If the McCainiacs hurry they can dredge up another VP candidate before the convention ends.

Family of 5 Kids…Husband…18-20 hour work days…pregnant teen…handicapped new baby. Where does the Presidential Campaign fit in?

McCain must be on crack.

Another McSame lie! Palin did belong to the Alaskan Independent Party! What hypocrisy on the part of McSame and the conservative right wing of the GOP!

Sarah Palin strikes me as being a proud Alaskan and a proud parent but I don't get the same sense that she is a proud American.

So if the Republic of Texas or other secessionist group is rallying in your town, you as mayor are obligated to speak to them?

I do not see a seal on the document. Is it official? or is it printed on a dot-matrix printer?

This all sounds very similar to the type of things that occured during the Ryan vs Obama race a few years back. Mysterious allegations are popping up, but of course Obama didnt do it back then or now. Same dirty politics is not change.

Member of the AIP, abuse of power investigation, pregnant teen daughter, husband with a DUI, contradicting positions on reform topics, raised money for the corrupt AK senator…THIS is the judgement of McCain? THIS is his first big decision? THIS IS A FAILURE of leadership.

Yawn, Palin still more qualified than Obama. What are you Dems missing?

I am an independent with an open mind but I said when they first made this announcment (Palin as McCain's VP) it didn't make sense. I tried to ignore the strong posibility this choice was gender driven and now I learn that McCain and his advisors had chosen Liberman up until Sunday only to make this switch at the last minute. It really is making it hard for me to give any credibility to John McCain and the Republican party . And as a strong, independent, professional woman it saddens me to see so many intelligent women over the past few days spin Palin meger government experience into that which makes her the best possible running mate for McCain. Finally, why can't she be "attacked" on the issues - (what is this not crossing the line business) especially since she is so willing to hold herself up as an alternative for Senator Clinton. She needs to earn our respect on the issues as Hillary Clinton attempted to do - Rather than standing on Clinton's shoulders Palin needs to stand on her record - all of it.

Senator, McCain,

Are we being treated to a preview of the kind of decision-making process you would use as president when you are appointing your Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, two — and possibly THREE — Supreme Court justices?

Thank you, Senator, for putting us at ease when we are tempted to question your judgement.

More importatnly, thank you for the warning.

Obama/Biden '08

So she was a member of AIP. God she's everything that they said about Obama and more you gotta love it.

Sarah Palin strikes me as being a proud Alaskan and parent but I don't get the same sense that she is a proud American.

McCain???? What were you think? DUMP, Palin and pick who your heart told you to pick. If you still want a women, pick Meg, Carli or Kay. The GOP party will survive. Sorry, to see you going down with your pick, but you have lost my vote. Now, you are saying that it's the Obama camp that is sturing up things. The selection of Palin was out of the blue and I too Googled her name to see that I could find.

DUMP her NOW and save your PRESIDENTIAL HOPES.

Be carefull hurricane Sarah is coming…The mother off all scandals(ooops) …storms…category 5

I honestly cant believe this. Its very sad that conservatives will stand by this choice of McCain so proudly- whatever it takes to win - right?

Obama was put thru hell about his pasture, his religion, everything was questioned. So why are conservatives getting touchy over the fact that this out of the blue choice of McCains is being questioned as well?

This situation is begging for it– and before she becomes VP americans better get real.

This is just another point, ina very very long string of points, that prove 1 thing….

John McCain does not have the Judgement to lead this nation!

Me thinks Mr. McCain has stepped in it.
Why would he choose Palin, a virtually unknown governor who isn't clear on many issues when there are so many qaulified seasoned republican women to choose from.
I'm a dem and I find it insulting.

So, wait… McCain is releasing her 1982 voter registration as proof that she wasn't an AIP member in the 1990's?

Does McCain need a calendar?

Too bad they have the CHAIRMAN of the AIP on Video bragging about her being a long time member. MAN I love the Internet.

They can deny all they want.

There is an obvious mistake in the McCain response. The AIP convention in Wasilla was in 1994. She was a city council person at the time and not elected mayor till 1996.

She is so unqualified to hold an elective national office.

Independant Voter:

Did you hear Senator Obama when he said that his mother had him when he was 18 years old? She was a white single mom raising a mixed race baby. I'm sure that was quite a hardship and that was why Obama came out very strongly against attacking the Palin family. This can happen in any household no matter what political party one belongs to.

John Edwards is alleged to have gotten some girl (who is unmarried) pregnant and was paying her for her silence. Don't here much critism about that behavior.

Since your independent, I guess you must be stuck voting for Ralph Nader or Bob Barr since you find McCain didn't vet Palin correctly and by your standard Obama can't be POTUS since he was raised by a teenage single mom.

…many people who have been lifelong republicans are voting/organizing for obama…an outdated registration card (over 10 years outdated at the time in question) proves nothing…especially when the AIP itself has confirmed that during the mid 1990's sarah palin was an active member…how stupid does the GOP think we are

The President of AIP says she was a member and I believe him. It's funny to see how the McCain camp will be on the defense for weeks. They are spending so much time defending Sarah that they can't defend their political issues.

I love how the media ATTACKS Palin for her experience, yet Obama has NO experience of any kind.

The media ATTACKS Palin's husband for a DUI 24 yrs ago, yet Obama is an ADMITTED COCAINE USER.

The media ATTACKS Palin's daughter of 17 for having a baby out of wedlock - yet that is the Story of Obama's life!!!

How 'bout scrutinzing Biden and his drinking problem!!!

As usual the media is SEXIST and attacks the WOMAN.

McCain's warmongering + Palin's religious fanaticism = HOLY WAR!

Poor McCain! He is such a desperate individual! He would do anything to pacify voters and get himself into office. I was not impressed with Sarah Palin's demeanor. She is too loud and bossy!!! Instead of galloping around for her own political purposes, she should pay more attention to her children. She is too narcissistic! Of course, I would never want either of those two in the oval office!!!!!!!!!!!

I have come to a conclusion: John McCain is senile. And to think I was considering crossing party lines for this idiot !!! His recent actions in appointing this un-deserving and un-qualified (and former mayor of Mayberry RFD and Hillary-wannabe) is just plain shocking. The thought of her becoming Commander-In-Chief if McCain's cancer returns in the next 4 years (and you know it WILL) sends chills up my spine. I have now decided to support Obama.

I would not believe anything coming from the McCain camp. They are all about a cover up now. The truth can't be erased but keep trying to spin it. Only your people believe it. Has anyone heard any Republican say she was the best choice or she was McCain choice. Republicans have no choice. hahahahahahahaha.

Palin is ready to be president — of her local school board.

VP pick LACKS judgement… Yes if you mean OBAMA picking Biden when he could have had the DREAM TEAM.

Let's say you are McCain… your opposition is 2 other senators, big Yawn. In the past 50 years most presidents have been governors (Reagan,Clinton, Bush, Carter)… you find a state governor that:
1) excites your base — which views you at times as off the reservation.
2) topic of the decade is Energy — and her state provides 20% of it.
3) the fact that she is a woman may appeal to alot of undedcided women and PUMAs in the same way that 95% of blacks will vote for Obama, just because he is black.
4) she has a reputation as a "maverick" — she reminds you of You.
5) her state budget is $11B always in surplus and employs thousands of state workers — compare to OBAMA and BIDEN who have never run anything public or private no even a lemonade stand.
6) her approval rating in her home state is 90%!
7) she is Commander in Chief of her national guard same as Clinto or Carter when they were governors… a duty Obama and biden have never had.
and to be blunt — she is attractive, the base loves her and will rally to her side anytime her family is unfailry attacked.

Think PALIN wasn't well vetted? — think again.

What is her educational background? Will we see her financial statement , tax returns. She has more experience then Barack where how what is her background. Help where did this lady come from. Soccor Mom - which of her children play soccor. I feel like Mccain flushed this country down the drain.

Who is McCain and what does he stand for? I don't understand how someone who is running on the experience theme could have made such a bad decision. I just don't get this. I think was just a bad choice for him. And regardless of what these Republicans are saying on television you know they are cursing him for this. This was just bad McCain.

I think there is something VERY wrong with this whole picture. The office of the presidency, is supposed to be an example, of the very best that the United States has to offer…Unfortunately, the office of the presidency is being diminished. Yes, it matters, that Palin's daughter, is pregnant, if she can't run her own household, NO she can't help run the country. Her husband has a criminal record. She is under investigation for using her position of power to try to terminate the sister's ex-husband. She is wayyyyyyyy in Alaska, with no experience. McSame is stupid, for thinking that women can't see through this. And Palin is no Hillary Clinton. She has earned more respect than this governor, picked off the bottom of a shoe, from somewhere, in the middle of all the ice……This was a VERY stupid choice. He should've chose Romney….McSame's intelligence level is not too high and he is way off about everything, he has more WAR experience, but even the Iraqi's agreed to Barack's timetable. The only way that McSame could win, is if there was a situation that developed. Yeah, that situation in Georgia, which Putin himself came out and said, this was being done for our politics, who would it benefit? McSame…7 houses??Not sure?? just doesn't seem like McSame even knows about the common people..Not in tune with gas prices or economy…..NO THANKS!!!! All he knows about is starting another WAR. If we go to WAR with everyone and keep making enemies, who will stand with us? Iraq was a fake war, that Bush used to line the pockets, of his cronies…..McSame is an adulterer, his wife's sister is voting for Barack. he used to be known for partying. He was never too bright…McSame is more of the same…It's time for McSame to check into the retirement home he was referring to, a few years back………

Talk about the wrong person for the job. Did they do any investigating about Palin prior to McCain choosing her?

McCain will look back the day he chose this day and remember thats the day she lost the elections.Period! Quote me after Nov 5th.

Dont blame the Obama campaign for information that is readily available on the internet. That rumor has been on the web all weekend and the fact that he has no proof that it came from the Obama campaign is ridiculous. Maybe it's one of those 527 groups McCain said he couldnt 'monitor'….ROFL

I guess the Obama camp is responsible for Palins daughter getting pregnant and Palin's husband having a DUI years ago also. People grow up. John McCain should have vetted this woman before he picked after two meeting with her just to pander to Hillary supporters. Palin doesn't even have the same values as Hillary!

Hmmm….if regarding the convention she attended as mayor had been a National Abortion Meeting or The State Movement to ban Automatic guns….do you think she would have attended? Nope.

Anyone else notice that whatever goes wrong in the McCain camp, Senator Obama is accused of it by the McCain camp? When oh when will John McCain and his ruthless campaign cronies take any responsiblity for the mess they themselves have created?

The first thing that comes to McCain,s mind is what comes out ,He put,s no thought into what he is saying.He uses no judgement in every thing he say,s.This is very troubling ,the same as it is very troubling the way he picked Sara Palin,and is devastating to think of her beeing a vp,just a heart beat away from our lives in her hands. America we CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN .

Running the U.S. is not a sitcom or some Hollywood movie. It is a full-time job that requires judgment, intelligence and experience.

McCain/Palin is short on all three.

::::::::::::::::::::::INDEPENDENT VOTING OBAMA::::::::::::::::::::::

And tell me how McCain and his cronies are going to battle the truth(s) that are surfacing about their "esteemed" VP pick?

Bernie Moore-Knowles
Papa'aloa, Hawai'i

I have been watching CNN & is confused when anyone questions Palin experience that it is sexists. As a women, the tack that the republican party is taking anytime someone has a question about her experience is because she is a women is an insult to all women.

McCain's campaign is in full crisis mode, trying to blame every new revelation on "the Obama camp." Please!

Palin is the Imelda Marcos of the Republican Party . . . there are so many shoes still to drop!!!! I am certain Dick Cheney is glad to give up the title.

You Obamaites are taking the bait. Every time you talk about Sara Palin's experience, you shine the light on Obama's greatest vulnerability. The big difference between Palin and Obama, is that he is at the top of the ticket!

Didn't ABC break this story? Why is the McCain campaign accusing the Obama campaign of spreading this?

Obama really is McCain's boogey man.

You can be a conservative and be separatist just as you can be a liberal and a federalist. The GOP argument does not stand up one bit, but then again, isn't it always been the case for the past 8 years?

FACT: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group.

Forget her maverick streak, she only opposed the “bridge to nowhere” when it was politically convenient for her.

The problem is not earmarks per se, but the fact that McCain says he is against them and Palin herself has claimed to be against them.

Just as it's not necessarily a problem Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant but that Palin is completely opposed to sex education and promotes abstinence. If it didn't work in her own family, why does she think it would work as a national agenda?

Keep it coming CNN this woman is a joke the only reason Mccain picked her is to get Hillary women supporters, but Judgement again.

Sarah SPOKE at the AIP convention, LAST YEAR! Why are they blaming the Obama campaign?
Americans voted for Bush twice, so they figure everyone is that stupid again! Oh no, not this time, McSame is the SAME AS BUSH!
Never again!
Sarah Palin wants to take our tax dollars, but wants Alaska to separate from the U.S.
She left Wasilla $20 million in debt. They started zero in debt.
Abuse of power, Ha, in Alaska, she is notorious for it. You have to take an oath of layalty to Sarah or you can't work for her!
McCain, this is your worst and most reckless crap shoot yet! In trying to get the HRC vote, you have cut off your nose to spite your face. The problem is, HRC is:
Equal pay for equal work
Pro choice
Pro family planning
Sex education in schools
Sarah is against all of this. McCain, you are a 72 year old melanoma
survivor, you've had it twice, melanoma usually kills the first time.
WOULD ANY OF YOU VOTE FOR PALIN FOR PRESIDENT IN NOVEMBER? YOU VERY WELL MAY BE DOING JUST THAT!

By the way, we are NOT women haters, we are MCCAIN HATERS.

Get it right. The guy "just doesn't get it."

And he could care less about us folk down here in the trenches.

See its OK for the Dem to slash and slander a Rep but not vice versa.
When you actually have to engage your brain, does that make any sense. Ok for one and not the other. People, people, stop with all the family bashing and stay on tract. State your values on running the country, your plans and visions to protect and serve the American Citizen. Leave the crap at home.

If the Democrates don't win this year,they wouldn't for the next 2 decades.

wow - how did McCain get it so wrong? Before any of this came out, picking her was a gamble. Now, it appears to be political suicide. a pregnant, unmarried 17 year old daughter, a scandle over the firing of a city official linked to her ex- brother in law over child custody rights, a member of the AIP who advocated the seperation of Alaska from the Union??? What else is in this womans closet? All this from just 1 week. What will happen when she has to face the press and instead of being asked about what she'd do as VP - remember she didn't know what that job was a month ago - she'll have to field questions on her family and behaviour as mayor and gov' ????

The Obama campaign better pick this up and bounce it all over the press and show how great McCains judgement really is! so much for picking up those Hillary supporters with a woman on the ticket.

Judgement, really to lead what a joke for Mcinsane. He can't run a campaign how in h*** can he lead the country. Can you say v-e-t-t-i-n-g, I think not.

I watched Sarah Palin's interview with Maria Bartiromo two days ago on CNN. She claimed that the oil & gas resources in Alaska belonged to Alaska's people only. She clearly put Alaska state first, country second. Then, I heard about Palin and the AIP. Now suddenly it all made sense…..her push for more and more drilling. With income with oil, it can be a tiny wealthy NATION! She dissed Joe Biden for vetoing the pipeline bill 30 years ago. Won't we be much better off today if we started to develope alternative energy 30 years ago?

_____________Self 1st______________

Palin should excuse herself from the ticket.

but then again, she wants to be the 1st female VP, regardless of the cost.

Guys,
I am watching this from Canada,I must say this is Hypocracy of the highest order.
I feel so ashamed for the Repulican for painting this pregnancy story as they are right now.
Some of these analysts comes on CNN and say this issue is a test of Sarah Palins strenght but I disagree this is a witness to her wickness.
I need them to apoligise for causing us this grief,thanks.

What issues with the Governor? She's accused of dismissing someone over her sister and ex-brother-in-law's marriage problems. Remember this is America… Governor Palin is innocent until the Dems can prove her guilt which they're not going to be able. Unless the Governor's family had a chastity belt on young Bristol, there isn't much a mom and dad can do if a child gets the same feeling that a moose gets in mating season. She's gone. Not Governpr Palin's fault. Lastly, this AIP thing is really meant to keep the Republicans off balance to steer the American public away from getting to know the real Sarah Palin; a reformer, crime stopping, cut out the pork barrel spending, outdoors woman who the blue collar folks would fall in love with. Nice try Dems and liberal media, but it ain't gonna happen.

CNN, this story is incomplete, there is a video of Palin supporting AIP, look it up, sometimes CNN does good reporting, sometimes they fail.

That document does NOT show what the Republicans claim. It merely shows that she's CURRENTLY a registered Republican and that she registered to vote in Alaska in 1982. It DOES NOT indicate ANYTHING about what party she belonged to in the early or mid 1990s.

Maybe she want to become President of Independant Alaska.

Way to go McCain !!

OH PLEASE!!!

The McCain Camp has to stop blaming Obama for their POOR judgement. Do your homework before you let anyone as the VP> HEllO!!

PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, finds Barack Obama leading the race for president with his highest share of support to date. Fully half of national registered voters now favor Obama for president, while 42% back John McCain.

So sad that someone so low can sink lower.

Yeah blame Obama's camp as if the media couldn't find this out on their own…don't whine? If the tables were turned, the Republicans will be all over it…the media has a right to dig up what they want…this is what happens when you don't fully vet your VP choice, John?

Look in the mirror and at your staff if you want to blame someone…..LOL

Sounds like the media is vetting Sarah Palin. It's only going to get worse.

Both the audacity of Mrs. Palin and the the stupidity of John Mc Cain and his GOP handlers is remarkable.

What fun it was to watch Campbell Brown feed Tucker Bounds his lunch and dinner yesterday. The Mc Cain handlers must have smoke coming out of their ears when off camera. Their candidate, Mr. Mc Cain and GOP handlers such as Charlie Black have their conservative mouthpieces backed into a corner and it shows. Palin will be lucky if she makes it through the week in Saint Paul, never mind Election Day in November.

Mrs. Palin is giving hockey Mom's everywhere a bad name.

Just pathetic.

McCain had Palin forced on him by the head of RNC. He wanted leibermann and the party bosses would have none of it. So… as I understand it, he met with her once and said OK. Man, what has happened to that party?

obama's supporter scare of mccain pick for vp,all this will roll over and the the women votes will come in,because women knows what it's feels like to go through these problems

Obama allowed silly ego and manipulations of Nancy Pelosi, Kerry, Kennedy, Daschle, and Oprah–to cost Democrats what could have been an easy win. Clinton was simply the ideal choice.

Does the McSame camp think that Americans are that stupid? It was the AP that first reported this story, not the Obama camp. On top of that, Palin herself has been silent on this matter. That seems very suspicious. If someone was you accuse you of belonging to a party that challenges Alaska's statehood and wants independence from the United States, the first thing you would do is to publicly dispel this charge, not hide from the media. And the fact that they have released her republican voter registration does not mean anything. This is what I hate about the right-wing hypocrisy. They made a big fuss about Obama not wearing a flag pin and labeled him unpatriotic and now that you find out that their VP nominee was a member of the AIP, they try to spin this around and blame the other side.

More of the Same from John McCain.

How absurd to try to blame Obama for everything. I saw the news on a variety of blogs and never anything that implied it was from the Obama campaign.

It would be far more Rovian for McCain to generate rumors himself just in order to blame Obama.

For years I have watched John McCain and saw him as a Republican that I really respected.

As an independent, I watched how Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama handled themselves over the course of their campaigning — both as candidates, and as men. I listened to the complicated background of Sen. McCain's first marriage, and concluded that it was a private matter. But, over time some troubling signs began to develop.

I saw that despite the fact that he has a wonderful, smart adopted daughter (Bridget) she NEVER appears in the McCain family photos used in this campaign…including a recent People Magazine photo with the Palin's. I also saw that none of his older kids have publicly lent their presence to his campaign. But it is his choice of Sarah Palin that secured my vote for Sen. Obama. I am mortified at the lack of decorum displayed by the Palin family, and the seeming lack of judgment exhibited by Sen. McCain.

As a Christian, it is difficult for me to reconcile the glaring hypocrisy of a "family values" platform (with an UNMARRIED, teenage, pregnant daughter of a potential VP in Palin; and the McCains themselves who married soon after HIS divorcing his first wife and who seem to have a somewhat distant relationship with their children). So, both the McCain's and Palin's actions display very UN-Christian values. ALL politics aside — I REALLY cannot see HOW the establishment can defend their actions. This is true especially since their collective actions slap in the face of EVERYTHING the Republican party and the Christian church "says" it supposedly stands for. I am just saddened by the whole affair.

Sincerely, A FORMERLY undecided voter

Of course it is Obama's fault! People that know Palin are jumping at the chance to spill the dirt on her, but it is always Obama's fault. You Republicans floor me. Always ready to blame anyone but yourselves for all your misgiviings.

Why would she re-register as republican in 97. Oh yeah because it was in 97 she ran for mayor. I have a hunch this doesnt show party withdraws.

Good judgement McCain. Good-goo-gooo-Good judgement. Ready to be president.

This country is in huge danger if McCain & Palin are voted in. If McCain made a huge mistake by asking Palin to be his running mate, what kind of outrages decisions would he make as president. This party is puttin our country in danger.

A vote for Obama/Biden

Goodness gracious, a drunken husband too? A fired ex-brother in law, a pregnant teenage daughter, criminal inquiries, bridges to nowhere, and oppostion to womens choice? And this is the "reform" McCain is touting? This Palin is something else. She has enough baggage to fill a Luis Vuitton collection.

Obama/Biden 08

The McCain campaign can whine all it wants; however, the truth is they messed up. Bad vetting, a selection process rushed at the end by the candidate, and poor announcement planning cased this distraction.

the reality is that mccain should have picked someone who had been in the national spotlight at least a couple of years. obama has been scrutinized and vetted in the main stream media (and even more agressively by clinton) for 18 months now. biden for even longer. mccain should have known better than to put someone out there without them being publicly vetted. this is bad judgement defined. and now he is adamantly sticking to his guns in the same way george bush defended miers, gonzales, etc. so he is proving to be just as incapable of seeing how he might have made a mistake and trying to rectify it.

It just keeps stacking up and Obama is not to blame for Paleny's problems. If only McBush could turn back the clock…..where's Lieberman?!

Nice going McCain. This woman wants to separate Alaska from the United States. Looks like your judgement in picking Pallin was a great choice. The AIP does claim that Pallin is a member. The choice is clear, vote for Obama/Biden in '08.

With no other information I could read this article and then read the comments left behind and conclude that this was brought to you by your Communist News Network. Are we seriously going to argue affiliations? Actually in the political ring Barack won't have the gall to bring up the AIP because he knows he doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to suspicious political/personal affiliations. When s*&^ comes to s*&^ go to the official AIP website and read it over anyways. This is not some radical organization this article leads us to believe, it's actually a god-fearing group of people who believe that when it comes to government less is more. They believe in the rights of the people and personal property. And would any koolaid drinker who truly supports Obama come hell or highwater please explain to me why on earth you want so much big government? What will be so great about universal health care? Higher and higher taxes to business owners. Wealth distribution. You want the government controlling more than it already is?

I thought family was off limits. Maybe we should look into Obama's. I bet his mother was a piece of work. Why don't he help his brother with a $ or Two. He was on food stamps yet went to private schools?

I want a job on a GOP vice-presidential vetting team!

I heard today on NPR that most of the vetting of Palin was done by way of a Google search.

Geesh! I could do that from my laptop at home while waiting for a cake to bake or the spin-cycle on the washer to finish!

The AIP wasn't a legal party until 1986 before ten there members would register republican because it was closest to their beliefs(more power for the states). The AIP has constantly come out and said she was a member and she has NEVER denounced it until now. This smells so much like Alberto Gonzalez its not funny. Oh, she also left Wasila in a 20,000,000 dollar debt, and was almost recalled as mayor for firing two people because they didn't support her campaign.

i'm sure she is a wonderful lady. just not vp material.

September 2nd, 2008 2:30 pm ET
"I admire the way the Obama campaign stepped up to the plate and urged its supporters not to scrutinize Palin's family."

Seriously you actually buy that? C'mon this is not Disneyland. Behind closed doors he is going after her family the way he went after Hillary's. He plays hardball and it is time we all took off the blinders.

Politics as usual.

This is not good news for McCain!

AIP was extremely sympathetic to Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City BOMBER. What else do we not know about Palin???

You Cannot Attack Mcain because he is a POW
You Cannot Attack Palin because she is a WOMEN
WOW

I GET IT NOW….. REPUBLICANS TALKING POINTS…. ANY NEGATIVE RUMORS OR FACTS (I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR PEOPLE TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH), THEN BLAME OBAMA/BIDEN CAMPAIGN.
WHAT DO THEY THINK ALL AMERICANS ARE STUPID?!?! THIS IS NUTS!!!!!!!!!!

As a Mayor and a Governor it was her duty to be aware of the happenings of this meeting. This is grasping as straws by my Democratic campaign. I have decided to vote Repulican for the first time in my life. I was dismayed by the Sexism displayed with Clinton and now Palin, I know Clinton inside feels her pain.

Democrat for McCain/Palin ticket 08

No matter how the Republicans try to keep spinning all the negative information coming out on Palin, she is a terrible choice for VP, and needs to be dumped from the ticket. She is a dishonest, corrupt, and rabid anti-womens rights advocate. She is a very dangerous choice for all Americans. She should go fix her own house before trying to get into the White House!

She was a terrible pick and this is the tip of the iceberg.

what a dysfuntional bunch …… and a heart beat from the presidency? OH PLEEEEZE ….. YIKES
very very scary

Ryan you forget that Senator McCain doesn't know how to use a computer.

I am not by nature a conspiracy theorist - in fact, I can't think of any that I've read on line that I've bought into, but over the last weekend, I have been following some Alaskan Blogs - with links to various information - Photos, Speeches, My Space Accounts and the like. I am finding that shortly after these links go up, the data disappears from the web - or gets altered in some way. Someone is working overtime to clean-up what's out there and if I wasn't watching it with my own eyes, I be writing this idea off as someone's fantasy. Go to some of these blogs and in the comments, try the links - very few are still functioning - although some people were smart enough to save the info before it was wiped out. Someone wants to control the spin - and they want it Bad!

Obama, Obama, Obama. That's all they can say. The woman is a fraud plain and simple. Anyone who would support and promote coverage over their 17 year old being pregnant is just ignorant. She is telling teenage girls it's okay to get knocked up. Your parents will be behind you all the way. This is not the case for many girls out there. Some of which come from broken homes or many whose parents would be outraged if this happened. Great role model Sarah…

McCain is a very POOR choice for president. He would take us to war just as fast as he chose his VP. He is very unstable and holds grudges (which are strange for a man). He doesn't have the judgment or good sense to lead anything or anybody.

It is shocking to me that the liberals have been the masogonists this election. What happened to tolerance and equality? Equal pay but not fit for office? Attacking the 17 year old daugher of the vice presidential candidate? I guess it is just anything to win with the Obama/Biden camp. The sooner they win the sooner that can start their new war in Afghanistan and increase taxes.

bill m, that statistic is fake. Matter of fact Alaska opperated under budget for the first time in 20 years during her administration. She is known as a fiscal conservative.

It is amazing that so many people are mentioning Palin's potential controversies, yet how are they worse than some of Clinton's scandals and who was it that financed BO's house?

Regarding her daughter's pregnancy, get real!

What's really scray about this election is the intelligence level, as well as the factual knowledge of our public servents, that the people that will be voting possesses.

Can't say that I blame her. While we're at it, why don't we give Texas back to Mexico? Look what that state has given us — 8 years of George Bush!

Even though I have always voted for Democratic candidates, I have now "seceded" from the Democratic Party. If I could only get them to stop sending me fund raising mail! It will be a cold day in hell when they get any more of my money or my vote! Democrats have become the party of hateful, mean-spirited fanatics.

Obama supporters are not women haters. We love women. We just thought Obama was the better candidate. Hillary is a great American and has done so much for this entire country especially working on behalf of women and children. What has this woman done for the "entire country"? Nada.

Why didn't we have the option to secede from the Union when Bush was "selected" in 2000? Let DC be it's own country, the rest of us would be the United States of America.

The Republicans know it, Democrats know it, we all know it — the Palin pick has turned out to be a disaster for McCain! Who knows what other skeletons are in that hypocrite's closet?

Just when it was getting close, McCain gave Obama a gigantic gift. So much for his "instincts."

Elect Obama and restore the Constitution!

If there is all this evidence outhere in Alaska about Palin which has always been a republican state I don't see what the issue is. She is unqualified and she has not been vetted yet. The only issue off the table is her daughter. Everything else is a known fact, the speech to the AIP, anti-women policies, allegations of using her office to fire her brother in-law, supporting the bridge to knowhere, earmarks for her town while mayor. Obama did not make this stuff up it was already there and McCain used is so-called good judgment to pick her. Obama blew the doors off that speech and disarmed McSame and therefor you end up