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.