Did anyone else see the button on someone in the crowd that said Sarah Palin: Hottest VP.

Bit condescending, eh?

what's with the children raising children image with her youngest daughter tending the baby? Do they think if they have a grade-schooler holding a baby it will make teen motherhood seem like a snap?

Perhaps it's presumptuous...but it seems accurate to me. I didn't mean to fall in love...but I did.

It makes me sick that all the Republicans (and some Democrats) are saying that we shouldn't bring her children into the debate... that we can't criticize her daughter's pregnancy. And then she goes and totally uses her special-needs child as a political tool. What a hypocrite.

yeah, you can save a lot of money when you do things like cut support for single mothers...

It's funny that both Palin and Giuliani will insult and dismiss and laugh at the concept of community organizing, and then the Republicans turn around and call Obama the elitist.

teen mothers, that is:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/02/palin_slashed_funding_to_help.html

Wow, first thing I notice is how bitter the GOP seems to be. I mean, Obama went after McCain, but I feel it wasn't nearly as snarky or snide or as bush league (anyone know where that term comes from, btw? is it a vagina reference???) as the GOP speakers are. The Dems had such a positive message, this is a very stark contrast. Not that I should be surprised...

And I've also noticed that the crowd's cheering seems a just a bit forced--not very spontaneous. Like when Guliani or Pailin pauses, they kind of look at each other like, "am I supposed to cheer now?" before screaming "drill, baby, drill" or a good ole fashioned "U.S.A." chant.

Regarding Pailin, I'm not impressed. Granted, I don't like her politics, so I don't want to be impressed, but I don't think she's a strong speaker.

And also, I find her voice annoying. I know, I know, a bunch of asshat commentators said that about Hillary too. But it's not because I'm hearing "take out the garbage." Maybe it's my Boston eardrums encountering her strong pronunciation of Rs, but she sounds like the school secretary in Ferris Bueller.

She's a very good speaker. But if she reaches a higher place in government than Hillary, I'll fall into a deep depression. No one could have pushed me farther and more swiftly toward Obama than this woman, even though I know that wasn't the plan.

As an aside, I always think Cindy McCain looks freakish, and tonight is no exception.

damn my spelling is bad

sorry about that, past my bedtime

So right after Palin discussed how she as a woman was opening doors that in the past had been closed to women she compared herself to a dog. She said that the only difference between hockey moms and pitbulls are that the moms wear lipstick.

Palin is the perfect candidate because she looks nice and is a young woman who could possibly represent a younger generation of women. But what she really represents are women hating policies.

Y'know, if Palin has to drop out of the race because of any scandal or anything in her personal life, I have a pet goldfish that could totally fill in for her.

The buttons people were wearing declaring Palin the "hottest VP" are really disgusting.

But I can't believe how nasty some of her comments are, such as saying that terrorists are running wild and all Obama is concerned with is reading them their rights. THAT'S WHAT AMERICA IS BUILT ON!

And I want to vomit every time she calls McCain a "maverick."

Overall, not a very good speech.

95 million tax dollars spent on defense of her "troopergate", yeah, she knows how to not spend taxes hurr hurr

I am an undecided voter but hearing Palin speak this evening, I will vote for Obama. I had to turn off the TV, it was so insulting to woman. This is not the party I want to run the country.

All Palin's speech is doing is getting me MOTIVATED. I stopped by my local Democratic headquarters after work today to sign up for volunteering. I almost cried when I went in, seeing the quiet determination of an exceptionally diverse group of people cheerfully working together - women, men, all different ages, colors and creeds. It's what the U.S. is all about. I'm going to phone bank tomorrow night, and then after that it's voter registration around town, at the county fair, and at my local college campuses. You don't have to have $$ to donate - even an hour or two makes a big difference.

Friends, let's get to work!

A few points:

-I am particularly grossed out by her scoffing at Obama's concern that alleged terrorists are read their rights. She is mocking one of the most important aspects of our legal system; that anyone arrested MUST be promptly made aware of their rights, charged and given due process. She thinks it's laughable. That is terrifying. The crowd seemed to agree, which is also scary. Kind of makes me think about all the illegal arrests of journalists and protesters that are going on right outside of the convention.

-does anyone else feel that she is only addressing the richest people in the country? talk about elitist.

-she is grossly misrepresenting the Dem's stances. she said they weren't interested in pursuing ending the dependence on foreign oil.

-the crowd participation stuff is often orchestrated by the party, and some of it is pretty weird. "drill baby drill" chants and "hottest VP" buttons are pretty off-putting.

I've never watched something so depressing in my life.

I know this is going to sound cliche. So just go ahead and kill me. But if you muted Obamas speech and just scanned the crowds...just looking at peoples faces, I felt moved and happy and like people believed in something that was good for EVERYONE. I saw whites and Blacks and Asians and Mexicans and gay couples and straight couples and interracial couples and afros and short crops and just so damn much.

When I looked in the crowd of the RNC I just saw...happy contented faces as well...and I was looking at people that believed in something as well...but beneficial to THEM. Does that make any sense. Republican values stifle and silence so many people in America. It just felt so dry and lathargic. And then she said something about challenging the norms and making the country better than its found...whhhaaatt? You want to dig a grave for equality and call it American Values!

And I hate that she was just so...let me make sure I stress I am a woman. And I found it very condescending for Guillani (always spell that mans name wrong) to say..."No one would say that about a man" when he addressed people saying she cant do v.p and have a sick child. And oh didnt she use his ass for political reasons.

And I am sorry...when all your party does is stress moral highness and "american values" I am going to need you to adhere to them and when you dont and theres flaws in your American Value teaching system...my ass is going to be right there to tell you.

I just looked into that crowd AND THIS MAY SOUND SO WRONG...but all I saw was a bunch of people that thought gays were going to hell and shouldnt have the right to marry and enjoy benefits of marriage, and that woman should stay in the home or work but not be paid the same...and people that want to take the right of freedom of religion away and just dip the constitution in holy oil and seal it...and people that think racism dont exist and...just so many things..I saw that shit in MANY of those peoples eyes. I saw women that just wanted to vote for Palin because she has a vagina and has a son that plays hockey. I mean. What about me! What about my woman self? My woman gay self? Where is my place in your party. God. I mean. I just feel so much.

A few points:

-I am particularly grossed out by her scoffing at Obama's concern that alleged terrorists are read their rights. She is mocking one of the most important aspects of our legal system; that anyone arrested MUST be promptly made aware of their rights, charged and given due process. She thinks it's laughable. That is terrifying. The crowd seemed to agree, which is also scary. Kind of makes me think about all the illegal arrests of journalists and protesters that are going on right outside of the convention.

-does anyone else feel that she is only addressing the richest people in the country? talk about elitist.

-she is grossly misrepresenting the Dem's stances. she said they weren't interested in pursuing ending the dependence on foreign oil.

-the crowd participation stuff is often orchestrated by the party, and some of it is pretty weird. "drill baby drill" chants and "hottest VP" buttons are pretty off-putting.

wickedwench, bush league comes from a term for lower level baseball teams in the minor league, called "bush leagues" which is why a terrible play in baseball is called "bush league". It's not a misogynist term, no worries.

Ladybug, I could not agree with you more. I was a staunch Hillary supporter who was debating not voting out of principle (I live in NY and we're about as likely to go Red in November as Mass). After 3 hours of seeing the kind of hypocritical, ignorant, opportunistic and downright scary America we would have to look forward to should McCain and his trophy VP win, the Republicans have shown me that every vote counts, and they all must count toward Obama. Also, I think that any Hillary supporter who would actually vote for McCain should be ashamed of themselves. If they had any respect for Hillary and what she stood for outside of the fact that he had two X chromosomes, the idea of voting for Palin would make them sick.

I'm rather underwhelmed by Palin. As much as I'd love to see a woman in the White House, I want it to be the right woman. I don't feel she is even close. Obama/Biden '08.

a.) Is she from MN with that accent or...? I am lost.

b.) How comforting that, should she be elected into office, the only thing that differentiates her from a dog is makeup. (Let's see how many offensive gender binaries we can draw out of that one.)

c.) The baby-passing was priceless, Jessica. I especially enjoyed Cindy McCain with the baby. Also, why did her husband give the baby to the next oldest child when she was talking about him? Was it because he KNEW he was going to be on camera? Still lost.

d.) HOW MANY WHITE PEOPLE WERE IN THAT AUDIENCE?! It was a surplus of White people if I ever saw it.

e.) I am scared. She scares me. The RNC scares me. McCain scares me. BUUUUT, I am exponentially motivated to help put Obama/Biden in the White House.

She compared women to Pit Bulls. Just with Lipstick. How insulting was that?

She compared women to Pit Bulls. Just with Lipstick. How insulting was that? Might has well just called us "Bitches". She is there as a distractor, Her mission is to cause divisiveness amoung women, and distract us from looking at the issues and lack of substance.

She compared women to Pit Bulls. Just with Lipstick. How insulting was that? Might has well just called us "Bitches". She is there as a distracter, Her mission is to cause divisiveness among women, and distract us from looking at the issues and lack of substance.

Is it just me, or did she shy away from most issues that are important to women?

I certainly admire the fierceness she showed, but we all know too well that she wouldn't use that to fight for women's rights, and in fact, could use that counter it. While I can respect her strength (while totally disagreeing with her politics), she doesn't represent my values, and neither does McCain. I'm voting Obama because he is the only change I can believe in.

I thought she was a good speaker. If she stays in the race I will defend her against any sexist remarks. That said, I can not and will not vote for Mccain under any circumstances. I am a former Hillary supporter and am following Hillary's lead in supporting Obama.

I taped it. But I don't know if it will be any easier to swallow later. Thanks to all of you for preparing me.

I am glad that she talked a little about John McCain's military service, since that topic has been really underplayed at the convention so far. And I wish people would talk more about that whole "maverick" thing too, I'd like to know more about that.

Romney's speech made me ill, Huckabee's made me roll my eyes, Giuliani's was infuriating, and Palin was downright offensive.

After the integrity Obama has shown when asked about Palin, she comes out personally attacking him, mocking his public service, and downright lying about his record. What a bitter, mean-spirited, deceitful, corrupt woman. I was shaking throughout her speech.
And what makes it worse is the fact that she's being used as a Trojan Horse. Christian Taliban policies and dirty politics wrapped in a pretty package.
Of course the Republicans will use sexism as a hammer with which to beat everyone who challenges her stances or record of service. The same people who laughed at Hillary nutcrackers, who made fun of her pantsuits and criticized her mothering abilities, will insist that they are the true feminists because they support Sarah Palin - a woman with a white supremacist, patriarchal agenda. My head is spinning and to be honest I'm pretty scared.

Did anyone catch her Daughter (middle one) rolling her eyes when Rudy was saying that her being VP wouldn't take time away from family. The body language of the family, gave her away. Notice the absence of her mother in law also. I can't wait tell the debates. Biden is more of a feminist than she could ever hope to be. Her whoring out of her children is the direct opposite of the "family values" she so adamantly defends.. and how the heck did the baby sleep through all that noise?

I am shocked by most of the comments on this thread. Perhaps I myself am already biased the other way, but it is surprising to me how differently a person can be perceived depending on whether or not somebody agrees with her from the outset.

I found Sarah Palin to be well-spoken and humble and was impressed by how so much of what she spoke about revealed a true sympathy with and commitment to working class people. She constantly deflected attention away from herself; most of the speech was about her family, about citizens, or about John McCain. Barely any of it was about her.

Instead of having connections with Washington insiders or corporations, Palin focused on her husband, a blue-collar worker, her sister, a small business owner, and the average American small-town citizen. As somebody who was done a lot of community service work in impoverished American small-towns (including West VA, which she explicitly mentioned in terms of increasing jobs), I was impressed by her focus. I simply do not see how anyone could read her respect for the working class as "only addressing the richest people in the country."

Furthermore, I was actually surprised by how NOT nasty her comments about Obama were. Compared to most politicians, she was downright kindhearted in speaking about him! I'm not sure you all heard the same speech I did...

Finally, I don't think she is using her children as a political ploy. If I were running for office, I would be thrilled to have my family in the audience to support me. I also would want to make sure I got to spend as much time as possible in the presence of my small children, even if it meant letting them stay up a little late and go to speeches. I think it is sick how so many feminists pretend to support strong women, but then turn around and support them only when they make a certain choice about their career and family (ie don't have many children and wait till they grow up to start your career in earnest). I thought feminism was about choice and freedom, but apparently that only applies to one kind of woman.

I missed Palin's speech tonight, but I noticed the baby passing during her introduction speech last week...specifically that the one person who never touched the child was the FATHER. All I could thing was...clearly this is orchestrated. We clearly don't want to portray Mr. Palin as completely emmasculated (his wife is already running for one of the highest offices in the nation), so let's make it clear that he's not like a wimpy guy that like takes care of his babies or anything....that's a woman's job.

Her husband held the baby for about half of this speech and has agreed to stay home from work if she wins.

Ditto on the staged baby-passing routine. I spent half my time wondering who would hold him next...

And I'm still awaiting the impending shotgun wedding. God-forbid a baby is born to an unwed teenage mother of the Republican VP candidate!

Well she can read a speech well off of a teleprompter but that is no indicator about how she will do in live debate. I sincerely hope that Biden hands her woman hating ass walking papers. I love the way that she announced the cuts that she made without mentioning that she cut services to women. Of course she supports young pregnant teens that are named Bristol or happen to be fruit of her womb.
It was a snarky speech filled with lies. I find it interesting that the Republicans are screaming about sexism aimed at Palin while their supporters are wearing buttons labeled the sexist VP. SO it is only sexism when the democrats or liberals do it right? Oh how I love the party of womens liberation if only all political parties could be as supportive of women as the republican party.

@wickedwench - OMG, I was thinking the exact same thing about her voice when I heard her the other day. "Oh, Ed! You sounded just like Dirty Harry!"

I see, so when Republicans "use women suffering under the Taliban as an excuse" that is wrong, but sitting back and doing nothing about the plight of those women is somehow acceptable?

theogirl,

It isn't about what is or is not between her legs, it is what is between her ears, Just because