What Is Our Best Reaction To Palin?

[adamuu]

I tried to pull together much about what we've been able to discover about her so far. What is the best reaction for us to take?

1
Ignore Her. She is a Non-Issue unless we want her to be. Do nothing. Let women make up their own minds about her!

2
Creationist:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/29/111428/917/148/578527 Remember, Kansas School Board is a subject of ridicule now ( Google FSM )

3
Focus On Newborn Baby:
Who will take care of this baby during the campaign and during her term? The first 3 years of life are absolutely critical for a child to feel safe and cared for. How can she possibly do both jobs? Oh I know, because she has no idea what a VP does every day! http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7818
"Palin's three month old baby with Down's Syndrome is dragged through crowds of thousands...." http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3878426

4
Focus on Ethics Investigation:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3460150
Chief Fired by Palin Speaks Out http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3880848&mesg_id=3880848

5
Call BS on Executive Experience:
Can we really do this, after defending Obama from attacks on his foreign policy Experience?
This post shows the "City" where she was "Mayor" http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/
She will be a 76-year-old heartbeat away from presidency should McCain last that long. She admits not knowing what McCain's policy on Iraq even is!
Remember, McCain said there was some kind of Threshold Test. Does she pass, or is McCain a big hypocrite? (see Wexler comment today http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6816697)

6
Focus on ANWR, NRA, wildlife:
Someone recently posted a pictures inside her office. Her office features animal trophies. I'm sorry, I cannot find the link.
Palin backs oil drilling in wildlife refuge (many links)
She tried to take polar bears off the endangered species list.

7
Focus on Alaska being a Socialist State:
Every citizen of Alaska gets about 1000 per year just for existing (and being willing to sell the state's natural resources on the open market) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund

8
Focus on the Hail-Mary aspect and poor judgment by McCain:
Trophy VP? Desperate move? Palin was purely a political choice.
Skinner: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6808360&mesg_id=6808360
Also, "Rove picked Palin weeks ago" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6822425


9
Focus on Anti-Choice:
Palin opposes women's rights over their own bodies even in case of rape and/or incest
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/123140/560/1006/578702

10
Other:
Please explain

Please discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. Post if I've forgotten any, or if any new ones come to light.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. Uncontrollable laughter.

[lligrd]

4. I'll Go With That One! nt

[terrya]

2. I'd like to say ridicule, but that's not a viable option.

The late night comics are going to have a field day with her.

But unfortunately this is more serious than some flippant attitude.

[liberalmuse]

3. Focus on McCain and forget about her.

He's the one with the poor judgment. They should leave Palin alone, but hit McCain regarding his poor VP decision. I want to see them kick McCain in the nuts over this.

[JVS]

5. Point and mock.

[dubeskin]

6. Honestly, I think a lot of those should occur

She should not be ignored. Like any political campaign, you need to face it and attack. But I think focusing on her short-comings in experience, her investigation, the baby, and anti-choice.

[MidwestMan]

7. Well for someone who brings about putting country first, he put his interests first.

I think it's great she was mayor of a town with 9,000 people!

But for all the attacks on Obama being inexperienced, seems like a silly pick to me.

Panicking because of the PUMA's?!? He had their votes anyway.

Hillary supporters are mostly in the Obama-Biden column.

McCain wasted his VP pick on the girl who looks like a school secretary.

[Jacobin]

8. I just heard her speak on PBS

McCain turned 72 today and is cancer survivor.

After hearing her speak, while I'm sure she is a lovely person, who shares political views quite different from my own, and while I can handle that, it makes my eyebrows curl to think of her assuming the office of presidency should McCain not fulfill his term.

She is so utterly and completely out of the loop of what is happening in the world, that it is simply frightening to think of her as president.

I'm not taking anything away from your other discussion points. They are all valid. The last thing we need is another evangelical kook in the WH, but we have sort of survived through Bush, sort of intact as a country.

This person is utterly provincial and has no place being second from the presidency. None. Zip. Nada

[yardwork]

She doesn't come across as a lovely person.

How many times did she run her tongue along the inside of her mouth in the clip you saw? I counted four in a three-minute clip I just watched. She looks and sounds crude.

[billyoc]

9. Attack McCain until snot bubbles come out of his nose.

[musicblind]

10. I think the ethics investigation and experience are our gold

I voted for ethics investigation though because I think that is the main one we should go after.

[Meshuga]

11. All of the above except for the first one. n/t

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

12. 9, 4, 2, 6 In that order

[PermanentRevolution]

13. Other (or, actually, #8)

Focus on McCain's questionable judgement in selecting her. Don't make this about "Democrats picking on Sarah Palin."

That's what the GOP wants. It wants to be able to point and say "See? They're the ones who are anti-women!" Don't let them.

Ignore her and go after McCain hard for choosing her. Make it about McCain's decision-making abilities.

EDIT: I guess, reading more closely, that this fits under #8.

[Naturyl]

14. #7 is totally counterproductive.

The Alaska Permanent Fund is one of the best ideas in America - and to give Palin any credit for it would be a mistake.

[adamuu]

16. but would it turn Republicans off to her? n/t

[Naturyl]

25. Maybe, but I'm not willing to throw it under the bus.

Clinton's Welfare DEform worked politically, too. And I still haven't forgiven him for that. Doubt I ever will.

[Bucky]

15. 9 then 8 then 4 then 2. Never never never even think of #3. Attack a mom for having a baby?

It would be political poison. It would have an OIF-level backlash if Democrats start attacking a mom for the way she cares for her baby if it doesn't involve actual neglect. I can't imagine a worse message to send or a tacky way to conduct a campaign that needs to hold onto woman voters and unite the country on the moral high ground.

Hit her on her anti-abortion extremism, then on what a terrible and shallow choice McCain made, then on her ethics problems. That's a strong combination. Then point out her lack of relevant experience. Maybe point out the fiscal problems she left behind when she was mayor.

Never attack motherhood. Never. It's a kamikazi mission in a plane without fuel.

[cliffordu]

17. All of the above.

[tomg]

18. All of them except

the first ( ignore) and the third ( her child - an attack which would be despicable and sexist to both women and men).

[invictus]

19. All of the above. n/t

[Hepburn]

20. The ONLY reasonable reaction to her is...

...:rofl:

[mvd]

21. Take it slow at first

McCain is the desperate one. Eventually, I think the corruption, her conservative record, and lack of experience could be big talking points for us.

[demokatgurrl]

22. Leave her baby and motherhood issues out of it

She's not running for mom-in-chief. Question McCain's judgment- clearly this was a rash, desperate decision to try to counteract the excitement and historical nature of the Obama campaign, and even the Clinton campaign.

[adamuu]

28. Good point. We're not in a place to question her life decisions

or motherhood decisions.
I think it could be a :nuke: radioactive:nuke: issue, if we choose to raise it. And that may be why she was chosen. Or not... it doesn't matter. We don't need to know why she was chosen in order to be able to say it was McCain's bad temperament at work.

Let's focus on McCain's judgment, as you say. For example, point out that he would play politics with such an important decision, etc. Obviously, he puts his campaign ahead of our country.

[renie408]

23. You have to go the 'Bless her/his heart' route.

"John McCain was trying to appeal to women, bless his heart."

"Bless her heart, she was mayor of Wasilla, AK, population 5470."


This tactic may be difficult for men or women outside of the south to pull off.

[FVZA_Colonel]

24. Caution, but determination.

We cannot underestimate her or any other Republican, but I really think we can beat the two of them.

[Froward69]

26. she is MARRIED to big Oil...

I cannot help but to think she is a sacrificial lamb...

[adamuu]

27. Most of you said a combination of 1 and 8. So let's attack McCain only.

Most of you voted for either "Ignore Her. She is a Non-Issue unless we want her to be" or "Focus on the Hail-Mary aspect and poor judgment by McCain".

I have to agree. We don't know much about her, but we do know that she was a purely-politically-motivated choice. What could be the political motivation? Could she be put forth as bait? Whatever it is, don't take the bait. We don't need Palin to look any worse than she already does, in order to question McCain's rash, shoot-from-the-hip temperment!

Obama agrees, one might infer from his first ad after this annoucement. It mentions Palin for only 2 seconds then bites McCain in the neck:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/nochange_ad/
This is the way to do it.

Thank you to all who participated in the poll.

[azmouse]

29. Let's stop posting a million threads about her for a start.

Enough!

[adamuu]

33. sorry about that.

I started this one yesterday. I won't be starting any more about her.

I think the Admins should say something.

[No Elephants]

30. Um, all of the above and then some. Why pick one?

[Uncle Joe]

31. I would have separated NRA from Arctic Wildlife National Refuge. n/t

[hasssan1]

32. Remind every one that She kills animal for FUN,She is ANTI-CHOICE and will over turn Rove vs Wade..

She has No experience to run one the greatest and most powerful country of the world.

She has a Very Poor and Childish judgment and temperament

She is an Unethical public servant

She is clueless about VP job ???

She is extremist when it comes to Education and science.

She thinks that women should live like early 1800s


I am tired now but there are much more negative quality about this lady.



YOU MUST HAVE FECES INSTEAD OF BRAIN TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS THIS YEAR