Ben-Peter: good to see that you've answered Ruby's quest.... oh, wait. You haven't.

From that last post, I can only conclude that you're only taking the piss.

Silly arguments Antonious.

Using your argument what's the outcome if the VP candidate in the Republican Party, a senior Democrat and longterm US senator, calls into doubt Obama's readiness for the Presidency?

And considering Obama's history of political donations from suspect financial instutions and his employment of senior Fannie Mae operatives, in his campaign ...

Obama has been a two term Senator: 8 Years
Palin has been a Mayor and Govenor and her accountable public service: 12 years ...

well you work it out.

You just don't get it do you?

The US election excludes or marginalises all you lefties. It's not a contest of idealogies nor rich vs poor nor advantaged vs disadvantaged.

It is a contest between two right wing groups. The rich Northern elites vs the rich Southern elites.

Neither give a large rat's bottom for the religious right or the left wing loonies or their other respective hangers on.

They are all only in it for control of the US economy, the real economy, the industrial military complex, and the benefits they can shower on their respective rich, well connected mates.

Given your views, if Obama was running in Australia and since he's so far right wing, you'd have to have vote John Howard and liberal.

Philip Tang
Three months before she was thrust into the national political spotlight, Gov. Sarah Palin was asked to address the graduating class of commission students at Wasilla Assembly of God.
Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.
"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God," "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

"Sarah Palin is a great leader. ... Just look at her resume." (Ben-Peter on Sunday.)

Um, yes I am looking at her resume. Mayor of a town of less than 10,000 people (a 2007 estimate puts the Wasilla population at 9,780). This means that Wasilla is smaller than the following Australian 'mega-centres' - Burnie, Broken Hill, Gladstone, Horsham, Mount Gambier, Mount Isa, Parkes, Taree, Ulverstone and Wangaratta. And I could go on. And for less than two years she has been governor of the state with the fourth smallest population in the USA. That puts its ranking as 47th out of 50 states. Its estimated resident population of 683,478 in 2007 means that there are fewer people in Alaska than in either the South Island of New Zealand, or South Dakota. And Alaska has fewer people than the Illinois district that Barack Obama represented as a state senator for eight years.

How exactly does this level of "leadership" qualify her for being just a heartbeat away from the most powerful elected office on the planet?

Savage Pencil,

How does Obamas experience as a "community organiser" for a half dozen people and a dog on Chicagos south side; or as editor of a studentlaw journal make him eligible for the Presidency?

keith
It seemed that for you there are only two colors , the white for you and the black for all the others. But in real life there are billions of colors, except from the 100% black or white.
There are huge differences between democrats and republicans or between democrats and democrats or between republicans and republicans.
You try to avoid the details and put everything into the same basket.
For example from the last December 665.000 labors lost their job, last year labors pay increase was 2% lower from the annual inflation.
The average annual income per persons increased 2.78%.during Democrats and 1.64% during Republicans (from 1954-2007) and the 20% of poorer Americans improved their income 2.64% with the democrats and only 0.43% with republicans.
For the poor people, for the opened mind people, for the human rights and democracy, for peace, for international understanding and cooperation, Democrats are much better from Republicans.

Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide