I see that if someone donates $15 or more they will receive a Palin car magnet, and 100’s of other items are also available from her store, including T Shirts, hats and coffee cups.

She also is another politician who talks about equality, and then leaves out 50% of the population in her policies.

All can be read about here. http://www.barackobama.com

Of course a voter in the US need not vote for Palin, McCain, Obama or Bidden and can always vote for someone else, and probably should.

I cannot see the relevance of this article, unless it is intended for US consumption or is directed at the very small number of US citizens in Australia who intend to vote in the November election. I would have thought that following the disastrous attempt by the Guardian newspaper to influence the outcome of the last US election by encouraging its readers to contact registered voters in Ohio, that the outside world would have realised that any effort on their part was likely to be counter-productive. It would seem that my hopes were in vain, and that we will be deluged with pointless propaganda. Oh, well, there is only two months to go before McCain and Palin are elected.

Why, oh why, can't people realise that the world is and always will be divided into nation states, and that in each state people are either citizens or aliens. Aliens have no right to vote, to enter or remain in the country without leave, to own land in many countries, and are also subject to various other disabilities, depending on the country. The marxist dream of one world government will never come to pass unless we find some extra-terrestrials to unite against.

What a spiteful poisonous article, why do we allow such hate pieces from the US to be published here? It's like a compilation of all the really nasty bits and pieces from the worst of the US media. It's difficult to have any respect for the US left when they behave like this.

HRS, I'm not sure what you were expecting to read on Obama's website about Sarah Palin (something complimentry perhaps?), surely you expect there will be a full on personal attack. What's the problem getting something back if you donate? What were you doing in her campaign store, buying stuff, comparing prices? Does Obama not do that? You confuse me, and I'm easily confused you see.

Clearly the left and Obama's followers are extremely rattled by Sarah Palin. I see Governer Palin as a brilliant choice for McCain's running mate, completely outflanked the Democrats.

Roll on McCain/Palin for US government, anything would be better than having the very bitter types from the Democrats in charge of the world.

Im sure everyone already firmly behind BHO will agree with this and applaud the article as written.

Everyone else will see it for the spite filled hate piece it really is.

Incidentally, that Palin enjoys hunting is seen as a positive point for millions of rural American voters, and attacking her for such is merely prompting them to make the effort to turn up and vote. I doubt you will see BHO's own campaign linger long on the point for exactly that reason.

Palin may be a fantastic political choice for the GOP, but there's no doubt that someone so unexperienced, uneducated, and full to the brim with hateful, dangerous beliefs is a terrible choice for America and the world.

rpg
I've had a look through the speeches and policies of Obama, and most of it appears to be empty rehtoric, designed to give people a warm and fuzzy feeling.

But he does have a good store, with "Obama" written on everything.

It is probable that Palin won't be much better.

Bathos,

You are showing your lack of education. It's "inexperienced", not "unexperienced".

I wonder how you guys can suggest with a straight face that Palin is inexperienced. Palin at least has been a Govenor, and she's only running as VP. Obama is a first term senator, where's his experience?

And all the hate seems to be coming from those on the left at the moment. In fact, Obama's closest spiritual adviser preaches "God Damn America". And Obama's disdain for the concerns of ordinary Americans regarding guns and religion is on the record.

Seems to me that she's a sort of circuit breaker only meant to change the the direction of the current debate.

This presents a little more depth to her background, but of course it's always in the eye of the beholder.

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskans-speak-in-a-frightened-whisper-palin-is-%e2%80%9cracist-sexist-vindictive-and-mean%e2%80%9d/#more-954

There’s a difference between being spunky and being snarky, being able to inspire and being able to get a laugh.

I suspect when voters consider a candidate’s abilities, the best substitute for competency won’t be sarcasm - but then again, this is the USA.

HRS - I believe it's a cultural thing that has developed in the US, their museums and any other place-of-interest has a "shop" where you can buy all manner of great stuff to remember your visit, or to let everyone know what you think/thought. So it's no surprise their politicians do the same, just didn't occur to me, but makes total sense.

An issue I worry about particularly in the US and to a slightly lesser extent out here in the boondocks, is that so much effort is put into poisoning our minds this or that way, that when the dust settles it's difficult to accept if our guy/gal didn't win. The vote-for-me, because he/she is "insert hateful comment here", culture seperates and divides people, who after electing representatives have trouble moving on (see the ABC during the last 12 years, and they still can't stop hating Howard/coalition - why do they still get so much airplay (always negative)when they are not even in government?).

Articles like this are extreme in this regard and have no thought to what happens after the election, or maybe I'm naive there. How do the people involved, like Obama and McCain move on, has Hillary moved on after the poison poured on her, Bill hasn't, I get that.

Back to HRS's comments - it would be nice to see someone else you could vote for in the US, but imagine the scorn and derision they would have to go through just to get noticed.

Walter won't 'write about this',or 'mention' that. It's a great pity that he wrote at all.

Sorry, but every time, have had to turn Lady Palin off my screen.

I guess somethin' about her bein' too much like Bush.

But reckon if the Repub's get elected again, Iran will need Putin as a backup.

But if they say the world needs more of the Wild-West two-gun intelligentsia, please God, if you're still there, help us pray for our future.

Really can't help myself, apologies, BB, WA.

No doubt if Palin is elected it will give the peace loving earth worshipers something to protest and be violent about should she visit Australia. You can count on that.

All the petty in temperament and liberal political Lilliputians are up in arms spitting from their bitter tongues all the calumny and hate they have for Palin. But all their poisonous arrows are missing the mark.

A shadow of defeat has been already cast over the face of Barrack Obama. In all his appearances, since the ‘ascension’ of Sarah Palin, in Ohio, in Virginia, his face expresses the ineffable feeling—of a would-be Messiah who would ‘change’ America and transform the hate of the world for America into love—that he carries a crown of thorns on his head and is dragging his cross to Calvary on November 4. And his denigratings sexist comment of “lipstick on the lips of the pig” forebodes that he will become more desperate in his campaign.

http://kotzabasis3.wordpress.com

Can one of you explain, why extreme right wing people are so anti to anything that does not meet their "standards", that will have no affect on your personal lives!

Gosh, I was sooooo inspired when I heard Sarah Palin on 'Counterpoint' (ABC RN) this week - a down-to-earth, sensible person finally at the top of the political slagheap; sent the jet she'd inherited as Governor to ebay, sacked the chef so she could, as a good hockey mom keep cutting the sandwiches for her own with love and moose.
Reminded me of not so long ago when young Adolf was on the hustings, good, basic stuff for good, basic people. Living room, God's with us, work makes us free, strength through joy, now that was the sort of thing we wanted to hear.
We in Australian haven't had such an inspiring figure since that redhead in the Australian flag.
More power to Sarah, I say. Truly, a people gets the government it deserves.
Di Day, Perth

Things in AU are not bad when you favour talking about some other countries political happenings. Verbal diahorea i call it.

Kipp: << Can one of you explain, why extreme right wing people are so anti to anything that does not meet their "standards", that will have no affect on your personal lives! >>

I think Diana just did. And very amusingly too.

On 'Counterpoint' you say? How predictable.

<< We in Australian haven't had such an inspiring figure since that redhead in the Australian flag >>

Absolutely. Pethaps our Pauline could offer her services as an advisor to Ms Palin, should the need arise.

C. J Morgan,
Due to the amount of abuse ladled onto her by aware and loving feminists, Sarah Palin needs no help from anyone.

She has now received more free publicity than Germaine Greer could only dream about, and who has heard of Joe Biden.?

And hasnt Sarah exhibited such magnificent dignity in the face of the nasty and bitchy little boys and girls who continually try to bash her and her family.

More power to her each time you guttersnipes abuse her and her beliefs.

Go girl ... the next US VP and first woman to run for the
US Presidency in 2012.

jason60>"Things in AU are not bad when you favour talking about some other countries political happenings"

I'm sure you're just joking,. but last time i checked it seemed our government and it's citizens are becoming extremely institutionalised, which is terrible as you can see from the increasing government controls and censorship of the Australian population, and burdensome increases of useless government agencies and regulation. Soon you'll see that developing countries have greater freedom and liberty than Australians which is being pulled down to it's knees by power-hungry, corrupt socialists and fascists.

Hey steel
Give an example of greater freedom and liberties. So we can all get educated to your level of ideas.

Keith. No one is being "bashed"--- yet. Though there is still a possibility that Obama may be asassinated.

Meanwhile in the context of USA politics people are just exercising their democratic rights to criticise their politicians.

And the right-wing USA blogosphere (in particular) is full of hate speech, and the associated politics of binary opposition, and thus the potential for bloody scape-goating. If only we can get rid of the pinko-liberals then everything will be hunky-dory.

Meanwhile I came across references to a book titled The Political Brain by George Lakoff. In it Lakoff points out that right-wing USA politics, and "religion", have nothing whatsoever to do with reason or reasoned arguments, or quite often, even concrete evidence or facts. It is all based on appeals to emotion---often very primitive emotion.

Plus such Christians believe that they are not subservient to secular laws, their allegiance is Above All Earthly Powers---which is the title of a book.

If any "earthly" law contradicts the Bible then it is wrong---full stop, no contary arguments allowed.

Seeing the quality of Walter Brasch's journalism you can understand the dire straights of the media.
Rather than having the title of Professor of Journalism perhaps the title of Prof of Spin would be more apt.
To attack the man rather than the policy is becoming all the more prevalent in the media, whether it be climate change or politics.
Rather than reporting the news it has now become how can I sway the reader to my opinion of the news.
Thankfully there is the Internet and the delete button!

"I wonder how you guys [sic] can suggest with a straight face that Palin is inexperienced. Palin at least has been a Govenor [sic], and she's only running as VP. Obama is a first term senator, where's his experience?"

And unlike Palin, Obama was never a regular on Seinfeld as far as I know. At any rate, Palin's experience or lack of it doesn't matter. As Paul L says she is only running as Vice-President. Moreover, what she says now as crowd pleasers will be irrelevant if the Republicans win office. What the bosses of US corporations say and want is what matters regardless of who gets in.

David, Palin has been Governor of Alaska since January last year.

For damning evidence of her disregard for Indigenous rights, go to:

http://au.mg1.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.rand=bat67um2njc78

Are the Republicans going for broke on their old core values or racism, privilege, and male WASP control and giving away all pretence that they will work for the people ?

Joe Lane

CARIBOU BARBIE FOR VISE PREZ-EEDENT

Look, I thought this article (by a man) was typically sexist, then I thought better of it.

As a born again worshipper, I believe that God, Guns and Guts made America what we all love and respect about it today.

And we can be like America if the McCain/Palin ticket leads us to the Promised Land.

I believe (yes Oh Brother/Sister I believe) that Sarah Palin deserves unlimited power based not on merit, but carnival.

Doubtors call her Caribou Barbie. This however severly underestimates a person who can smile for the camera in front of an animal she shot (apparently panting, presumably still warm).

We are not talking about a beer swilling, shotgun misfiring Dead Eye Dick Cheney here. We’re talking about a new improved VP to be, who can shoot accurately and kill a magnificent animal with a 50 cent bullet.

America couldn't do better than make such an example its first female Vice-President...and perhaps President, if we're lucky ;)

She answers the well-known needs of that surprising beast, the American voting public.

She has beauty.

She also has brains.

She is bountiful and pro-life.

She likes to shoot and kill and hence is pro-death.

Pro-life, pro-death - kinda balances out doesn't it?

Most important she is a card carrying Believer in God. But clearly of the Pro-death type? Well maybe of the Smite Thine Russian Enemies and Animals type.

The world was ready to breathe a sigh of relief at the prospect of George W. Bush's warlike exit. But wait, there is the American voter to be reckoned with (the minority that votes that is) and the winner IS Palin.

Not to forget the President to be - an old unpredictable man (third generation US Navy to boot). Both itching to reignite the Cold War for America's God Given Glory.

Watchout Australia. We'll be fighting in our next fox-hole with the US. This time for that beacon of NATO democracy...(let the drums roll).....Georgia.

Maybe with deer rifles.

Pete

For the record, hunting is a healthy and natural activity. Good on her for breaking gender boundaries to do it!

But we really have to look what the nomination of Palin has done to the opposition. It seems to have driven them batshit crazy, they don't care what lies they make up or what behavioural rules they transgress to vilify her.

Like a troop of monkeys screaming and flinging faeces, the fever-swamps of columnists and progressives are trying to drive out the threat to their cozy dominance hierarchy. Its like Pauline Hanson all over again, but this time the target is a threat to 'their' election that was in the bag until a fortnight ago but is now not at all certain.

McCain without saying a word shows that Obama is an empty suit who would be waaay back in the pack if he wasn't a politically correct racial stereotype.

Sshooting animals for fun is healthy and natural? The idea is almost as scary as Palin is Chris. Can you say which part of the article is lies?

The surge in support for Palin has turned out to be as ephemeral as her compassion for animals. Once people realise her qualifications in international diplomacy are based solely on the fact she can see Russia from her front yard they'll think twice about electing her.

A far-right religious conservative in control of the entire US military?

I'm not afraid, really I'm not. I'm sure 'god' will tell her what to do and 'god' is loving and merciful, right?

"I believe that with the nomination of Sarah Palin for the vice presidency, the silliness of our (USA) politics has finally put our nation at risk. The world is growing more complex—and dangerous—with each passing hour, and our position within it growing more precarious. Should she become president, Palin seems capable of enacting policies so detached from the common interests of humanity, and from empirical reality, as to unite the entire world against us. When asked why she is qualified to shoulder more responsibility than any person has held in human history, Palin cites her refusal to hesitate. "You can't blink," she told Gibson repeatedly, as though this were a primordial truth of wise governance. Let us hope that a President Palin would blink, again and again, while more thoughtful people decide the fate of civilization."

From Sam Harris' analysis of the selection of Sarah Palin in Newsweek.

Full text at: http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/page/1

BLINK.

Fractelle,

These attacks on Palin by the left, which get more vicious by the day, seem to be forgetting that John McCain is the bloke who’s running for President. He managed to survive years of torture by the Viet Cong so there’s little chance the rigours of the white house will overcome him.

Harris >> “Should she become president ... unite the entire world against us.”

Where is the evidence for this? This is just plucked out of the thin air, totally unjustifiable. Secondly, its not the Presidents job to make other countries happy, his/her job is to do the right thing, whatever that may be, even if that sets America at odds with other countries. Although what kind of policies Harris is dribbling about I have no idea, since the US has LOTS of allies in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Harris >> “ ... more thoughtful people decide THE FATE OF CIVILIZATION”

This is hysterical ranting. I am not surprised that a leftist idiot might say something like that, but I’m a little surprised NewsWeek would publish it. I thought you were saying that Leftist were cool and collected and weren’t jumping at shadows. No one seems to have told Harris.

Palin has FAR more experience in executive roles than Obama, yet leftist morons continue to suggest Palin is inexperienced. If we accept that as true, that surely means Obama has NO EXPERIENCE at all.

Bennie,

If you eat what you hunt and kill, that makes you less of a hypocrite than those anti-hunting morons who sit in McDonalds eating beef burgers. Fact of life is, humans EAT animals. Someone actually kills that animal that provides people with meat, just in case you missed it.

Its funny that leftist in general are happy for indigenous people to hunt the turtle, goanna and kangaroo, spearing them to death. But it’s not OK for white people to hunt.

Palin’s Husband is part Eskimo though and I’m pretty sure the Eskimos have a long tradition of not hunting animals for fear it might offend PC lefties, right?

Aborigines & Innuit kill for survival.

Is arial shooting of wolves what you had in mind Paul?
The woman's a ghoul.

Paul L

I don't give a rat's arse whether she can shoot caribou or not, I CARE deeply that she simply lacks the intellect necessary for leading the USA, that it could be her finger poised over the Nuke button. She believes in the extreme Christian belief in 'End-Times' and you want her in a position of ultimate power?

And BTW, I have merely posted facts about her - that's not attacking anyone. Are you so myopic about US politics that you are incapable of practicing the slightest analysis of any Republican party members?

Apply some reasoned discernment, look at what this woman is really about. There is abundant information about her, can you not at least take a more objective look than "If she's right-wing, she must be OK".

I suppose you think George W is the font of all knowledge as well.

The following is a link to Jon Stewart's take on Wall Street, Sara Palin and blinking, and, er, 'crab porn.'

Enjoy

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080929/jonpalin_video