This was a necessary response to such a silly, emotional piece. Well written, thanks for following up on it, it's pity you had to.

The piece by Hamad should never have been an article anyway, it was a reactive and deliberatively adversarial comment.

I'd like see an original piece by Hamad, it's all too easy to just comment as she has done and as we do here, without having to be original or very creative.

AUSTRALIA NEEDS THIS WOMAN

Well as a believer in God, Guns and Guts making America great I believe that Sarah Palin deserves to be more powerful than any Australian. She is our natural leader.

Doubtors call her Caribou Barbie. This however underrates an educated person who can smile for the camera in front of an animal (still warm) she shot.

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

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

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 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 for that beacon of NATO democracy, Georgia, next.

Maybe with deer rifles.

Pete

Ruby only does silly.

Mr. Right, your interesting comments include
"Watchout Australia we'll be fighting for that beacon of NATO democracy, Georgia, next." If the "Palin/McCain" ticket (not McCain/Palin) should happen to win, that could very well be but one of the horrible results. Australia needs this woman? I and at least 50 % of Americans wish we could hand Sarah Palin over to you.

Correction, my recent post should have been directed to Pete,
posted by plantagenet and not to Mr. Right. My apologies!

I'm sure you all realise that feminism is responsible for this type of situation and 'article'. Australian political discourse is too infected with it at the moment and have successfully infiltrated many NGOs and organisations. The argument goes like this: Everything is sexist unless it's a woman saying/doing it or benefitting. Together with religion, feminism (which can best be described as a religion), is affecting the liberty and freedom of many Australians. men and women alike.

I notice Mr Terpstra still hasn't answered the fundamental question though: what type of change does Sarah Palin represent?

She sounds more and more like George Bush every day http://rossdouthat.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/channeling_dubya.php

<quote>
Somebody who knew President Bush well once remarked to me. "You'll notice he never asks questions."

"Why not?" I said.

"Because he doesn't know what it's okay for him not to know."

**

Again and again through the ABC interview with Sarah Palin, Gibson asked questions to which an evasive answer would have been perfectly appropriate ... But Palin never punted. She tried to bluff her way through, pretending to know what she obviously did not know.

<unquote>

I used to have a fair amount of respect for John McCain, but his pandering to the religious right zealots (as evidenced by his choice of running mate)suggests he is a far weaker candidate than the US and the West can afford.

The McCain-Palin partnership will not make much difference from what Bush has offered, it is more of the same. The fact that the opinion polls immediately swung in favour of McCain after the 2008 National Republican convention shows

(i) White America is not ready for a black President.

(ii) Obama is viewed as someone without relevant experience.

(iii) The average White American male approves of Palin because of
her looks rather than her ability. We now know for sure they are not very rational.

(iv) The war against Islamic extremists is not likely to be won with simpletons at the
helm.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

The US had the best person in Hillary Clinton but they chose showmanship rather than practical brilliance.

On one hand you say America daddles in other countries affairs, then you say the new elects to be, havent had the experience. ya can't have it all ways. Let the xxxx pick their own destiny.

whilst doing a crossword puzzle recently, i came across this:-

PALINdrone word or phrase which reads the same forwards as backwards.

reminds me of the sarah palin interview we're all discussing.

Is that ... like ... rudd and durr!

No, keith. It's not...