Inclusion Can Be Uncomfortable

I'm home nursing a cold and have concluded that daytime television is the chief contributor to both our educational woes and our obesity.

It's inane, and you have to eat to stay awake.

There's been a lot of talk today about Obama's choice of Rev. Rick Warren to do the invocation at the inaugural. Rev. Warren is not my favorite, to put it mildly. He and I disagree on many social issues, and when it comes to abortion and homosexuality, I consider his views downright dangerous because his opinions can be easily skewed to bolster those who would perpetrate hate crimes. While Obama has made it clear that he does not share those views, some on the left have loudly expressed their displeasure with his choice of Warren. And, some on the right are none to happy with Warren for accepting the invitation. I find it interesting that of all of Obama's cabinet picks, including the hawks who populate his national security team, it is this choice that seems to be generating the most heat, from the left. Warren will not be be setting policy in the Obama White House. He will be offering a prayer. Sure, symbolically this is significant, but more significant than the Gates appointment? I don't think so.

Obama has made it clear that he does not agree with Warren on gay rights, abortion, and a host of other issues, but he has also made it abundantly clear that those who disagree with him will have a place in the administration, and, apparently at the inaugural. I think that the inclusion of Warren sends a powerful message that the ideals of the movement that propelled Obama into office are strong enough to stand in the face of disagreement, however vigorous. Next to asking John McCain-or Sarah Palin-to do the invocation, having Warren on the stage at the inception of this administration is as powerful a symbol of coming together as Obama could have provided. It was at the forum at Warren's church that McCain, frankly, cleaned Obama's clock and subsequently took the lead in the polls. It was also in that lion's den that Obama stuck to his guns on gay rights and abortion, despite the displeasure of the crowd, and he proved that a politician an can do that and still win. Handily.

From his choice of Clinton at State to his inclusion of republicans in the cabinet, to this choice to invite Warren's participation at the inaugural, Obama is unafraid and, at his core a brilliant politician. Talk about not blinking. Obama brilliantly neutralizes his political opponents by adding them, in manageable ways, to his team. So, while I sympathize with those who are outraged, I believe that ultimately this kind of political courage will serve Obama well during his presidency.

Besides, it could be worse. It could be James Dobson. And, can you imagine Bush inviting say, Jim Wallis to pray? That's the difference in Bush and Obama.

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Clearing the way for Palin

I mean, seriously, can we at least wait until after the inaugural to start asking folks if they want to run for President next time? How about just waiting until after Christmas? But, no, CNN has the scoop on one big republican who has already taken his hat out of the ring. Oh, God, please help me. There's already a ring.

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The Palin Gamble

If things don't go as Saxby hopes on Tuesday, look for a post game analysis that weighs the impact of Sarah Palin's visit to Georgia. Saxby's counting on Palin to be his "closer," as she swoops in from Alaska on the day before the election to save his struggling campaign, but there's a real risk for Chambliss that Palin will do for him in Georgia exactly what she did for John McCain nationally: further motivate the democratic base in Georgia-specifically democratic women-in a way that even Barack Obama might not have been able to do.

Democratic women are a key voting block that is currently under-represented in early voting. Trust me when I tell you that to a person, the democratic women I know have a viscerally negative reaction to Sarah Palin - and that's before she opens her mouth to criticize Jim Martin, who has a reputation as a reliable advocate for women. It was Georgia women who rallied and pushed Jim to victory in the primary run-off. If you think that Vernon Jones can motivate Georgia women to go vote by slapping Obama's picture on a mailer, wait until you see what Sarah Palin does when she opens her mouth and calls Jim Martin a socialist. There's the real risk for Chambliss that Palin's visit and her rhetoric will send democratic women to the polls-in droves.

Yes, far from a no-brainer, the Palin visit is risky, both for Chambliss and the GOP. First of all, if there's anyone who thinks that Palin's in Georgia to help Saxby, think again. Palin is gracing Georgia for one reason: to help herself by keeping her national name ID alive. This women still thinks she can be president, and if she is viewed as The One who rescued Chambliss, then her claim to control of the national GOP will be strengthened. Now, I admit that as a democrat, I would like nothing better than for the Palin wing of the party to win the struggle for control of that sinking ship, but it may not be a winning strategy for the GOP. But that works for me.

Admittedly, Saxby didn't have a lot of choice. If he had run a halfway decent campaign, he wouldn't be in this runoff at all. He is a weak candidate who entered the race with low name ID statewide despite having served for six years. John McCain was able to get more than 50% of the vote in Georgia, but Saxby Chambliss was not. Both supported the bailout, McCain in dramatic fashion. Both had Georgians on the ballot as third party candidates. Neither is a favorite of the Georgia republican establishment. Yet, John McCain turned in a 52.2% performance, while Saxby Chambliss drew only 49.8% of the vote-and more than 181K votes fewer than the presidential candidate. Those numbers have to give Chambliss' team serious heartburn. By comparison, Obama drew 47% of the vote in Georgia, while Martin garnered 46.8% and about 87K fewer votes than Obama. There was less drop-off in the democrat's race, and his numbers more closely tracked the preformance of the party's presidential candidate.

A reasonable analysis in that the democratic base in Georgia likes Jim Martin more than the republican base likes Saxby Chambliss, and that could spell trouble for the incumbent on Tuesday, especially since a seriously out-spent Jim Martin has managed to keep most polls in the three point range, within the margin of error, with Chambliss below 50%. Add to that Georgia' reputation for not returning incumbents to the senate, and the unpredictable Palin, and the Tums are definitely on the table at Chambliss central.

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Insignificant

Insignificant. That's what Saxby Chambliss's chief strategist, Tom Perdue, had to say about Jim Martin. According to an article published yesterday on Politico, Perdue asserts that Martin, as person and as a candidate, is the most insignificant opponent in all his 30 years in politics. That was after Perdue compared Jim Martin to his dog.

If that won't make you get out an vote, either today or on Tuesday, I don't know what will.

True, Jim Martin didn't think he was a special case deserving deferment from serving his country in Vietnam, like Saxby did. And, true, Jim Martin has never sought to make a name for himself, instead preferring to stand up for the little guy, unlike Saxby who has spent his time using hundreds of thousands of dollars of special interest money to finance luxury golf vacations for himself and his lobbyist friends. Jim Martin's never been a high roller like Saxby, and he never will be. I know him. He just doesn't have it in him. Thank God.

But insignificant? I guess that all depends on what you think is important. Saxby thinks that it's insignificant when families can't afford to take a sick child to the doctor, but Jim Martin doesn't. That's why Martin helped create PeachCare. And, that's why Saxby voted against expanding the program just last year. And, I suspect that the women who was able to find safety after becoming a victim of domestic violence, or the sexually abused child who was able to find help from the kind professionals at a child advocacy center, or the family that is now able to get mental health services for their child all think Jim Martin's leadership on those issues is significant, no matter what Saxby says.

Truth be told, it's not just Jim Martin who Saxby views as little more than a gnat threatening to disrupt his precious golf swing: it's all of us who work for a living, struggle to make ends meet, hope to be able to take our child to the doctor when he or she is sick and occasionally need a little help to make it through. Saxby and his machine think that we're all insignificant. That's why in Saxby's world, banks get bailouts, but hard working American workers? They just get blamed. And workers who dare to blow the whistle-they get grilled by the champion of Big Sugar when they dare to testify before Congress.

We have come to expect the nastiest, most mean-spirited attacks from the Saxby and his operatives, and there is little doubt that with the Palin Paranoia machine headed to Georgia, we're about to hear a whole lot more about who Martin pals around with and how dangerous he is. Never mind that it would be tough for someone so insignificant to be very dangerous. Such non sequiturs have never been a problem for Chambliss, who has made one thing clear: he will do and say anything to win. And if that's what you want, all you have to do not show up to vote. That's what republicans are banking on-that you will stay at home, so stuffed with turkey that you will still not be able to move by Tuesday.

In fact, in the same Politico article, Chambliss supporter and Cobb County Republican Party Chair Scott Johnson was surprisingly candid in his admission that the current weapon of choice for Saxby is, in a word, fear. Johnson said:

“The fact that we’d be giving Democrats a blank check is the biggest motivator for us to get Republicans to the polls,” said Cobb County Republican Party Chairman Scott Johnson. “If we have to motivate with fear, that’s what you have to do to win.”

We appreciate your honesty, Scott.

Now, all ya'll - GET OUT AND VOTE.

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A Suessian Tale

H/T to Tina. This is really worth watching:

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Absolutely NOT Okay

I don't care that it's near Halloween. I don't care that I apparently have no sense of humor. I don't care what the "other side" has done. This is absolutely out of bounds, and EVERYONE, not just Republicans, should be outraged. Mr. Morisette must not be an Obama supporter, because this certainly does not help Obama.

"A Halloween decoration showing a mannequin dressed as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin hanging by a noose from the roof of a Los Angeles house has sparked outrage among Republican supporters. The mannequin, which is dressed in brown wig, glasses and a red business suit, has been reported to police as a hate crime. However, officers said the mannequin could not be considered a hate crime because it was part of a Halloween display. Chad Michael Morisette, who lives in the house,defended the effigy, claiming it was art. Mr Morisette admitted it would be out of bounds at any other time of year. He said: "It should be seen as art, and as within the month of October. It's Halloween, it's time to be scary...."

This election is set upon the tinderbox of race, anger and fear. We should all leave the matches in our pockets.

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Pennsylvania Pundit

I sometimes forget that one of our own Georgia Peaches in Macon really has her roots in Philly. Wendy Sullivan Boston sent me the following email which I think sums up the McCain/Palin chances in Pennsylvania.


Two things I know about Philly: #1 we love our Flyers. #2: we are a superstitious lot (makes sense when you figure we are a bunch of Irish and Italian working class union people).......So what does the Flyers owner (a big repub donor) do? Has Palin the Hockey Mom drop the puck on opening night against the Rangers (apparently to resounding boo's).....and then the Flyers go on to get annihilated. Any Pennsylvanians who were undecided and many who were planning to vote for Palin have now changed their minds, mark my words!!
Wendy Sullivan Boston

Wendy, I hope these prove to be sage words. Just in case, I'm throwing a little salt over my shoulder and making sure I don't break any mirrors, walk under any ladders or let any black cats cross my path!

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They Have Sown the Wind

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Hosea 8:7 (KJV)

A stuffed monkey doll with an Obama sticker on the forehead-CBS News reports that's what one McCain supporter felt at liberty to show off at a rally this morning in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where Sarah Palin was speaking. Initially, other supporters grinned as he showed off the monkey, but when the man realized a video camera was trained on him, he quickly ripped the sticker from the toy and gave the monkey to a random child in the crowd. This offensive display happened the day after John McCain finally either found his soul or checked his polls and began to try to calm the crowds that have become decidedly more like lynch mobs since Sarah Palin began repeatedly accusing Obama of "palling around with terrorists" and pressing the message: "We don't know who Obama really is, but what we do know is that he's not like us." It's easier to hate someone you believe is not like you. It's easier to fear someone you believe is not like you. The belief that the someone or something is not like us, is dangerous, and should be feared facilitates objectification that frees a mob, fueled by anger and fear, to act. This week, all of three messages-(1) he is not like us; (2) he is dangerous, and (3) he should be feared-have been front and center in the messages of Palin, McCain and their surrogates even as the crowds became more and more agitated. Ultimately, John McCain took a microphone from a women who was convinced Obama was "Arab" and was forced to defend his opponent to the very unhappy crowd.

Palin and McCain did not have to create this anger, these misconceptions about Obama. Palin simply planted her Naughty Monkey Double Dare pumps on the fire ant bed that has been growing on the Internet for over a year. And, despite what has happened, and McCain's desire to now reign in the hatred, today, Palin went after Obama on abortion, yet another emotional issue that has a history of inspiring violence. And, she went further than just saying he favored choice (he does), further even than saying he is pro-abortion (he is not). Palin cobbled together words and votes taken out of context and made the case that Barack Obama sees babies as a "punishment" and favors withholding medical care from babies, even special needs babies, born alive. The message? Obama hates babies. And that's not like us.

I do not believe that either John McCain or Sarah Palin want harm to come to Barack Obama. Palin, for her part, is reading what McCain's folks put in front of her. But if he is shocked, either by the reaction of the crowds or the response of civil right heroes like Congressman John Lewis, then it is, again, McCain's judgement that is in question.

There is a profound disconnect between the person I believe John McCain to be-a good and honest man who is a true American hero-and the campaign he fails to control. Every day ads run that advance the theme that Obama is not like us, every day campaign surrogates invoke Obama's middle name as if it is a slur, and every day the talking heads are unleashed to say what the candidate dare not, that dangerous disconnect continues and McCain's own legacy is threatened. This is no doubt a perilous moment in history. We are at war, and just as those buildings collapsed on 9/11, we are watching as our economy struggles to stand. One of these two men will be President in January, and the first task, for whoever is elected, will be to become a President for all of us, especially those who did not vote for them. For either McCain or Obama to spend the next three weeks trying to convince the electorate that the other is dangerous, cannot be trusted and is not like us does not serve that mission or this nation well.

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Thin Ice

Okay, here are a couple of post-debate must-reads and one must see.

1) E.J. Dionne writing for the Washington Post sums it up well in "Hockey Mom on Thin Ice." He says, in part:

Palin has also brought out the very worst in McCain, forcing him to -- and I do not use this word lightly -- lie about her. In an interview broadcast Wednesday, National Public Radio's Steve Inskeep asked McCain if there would be "an occasion where you could imagine turning to Governor Palin for advice in a foreign policy crisis?" McCain replied: "I've turned to her advice many times in the past. I can't imagine turning to Senator Obama or Senator Biden, because they've been wrong." " Many times in the past?" McCain met Palin only twice before he selected her. What McCain said could not be true. And would anyone who listened to her last night really consult Palin on foreign policy?

2) And, Arianna Huffington wrote a good piece about watching the debate with a group of accomplished, though politically diverse women. It is both humorous and on point:

Watching Biden and Palin on the same stage was like watching a tennis champion walk onto Centre Court at Wimbledon only to find himself facing an over-eager amateur from the local high school. Or as Pat Mitchell told me, "Biden was taking part in a vice presidential debate; Palin was taking part in a junior high debate."

3) Finally, this YouTube of Alaskans watching the debate last night at Anchorage's Beartooth Theater is telling. Apparently, not all Alaskans drank Palin-Aide.

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Obama Uses Palin Footage In New Ad

Good ad:

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We Are Ticked Off, Sarah

Unless Tina Fey actually shows up at the debate tonight, don't expect the event to be "Thursday Night Live" as some pundits suggest. Sarah Palin will do just fine tonight. At this point, all she has to do is show up and not cuss, and she'll be crowned the winner. After all, the neo-cons have spent two weeks lowering expectations to the point that most Americans are turning on the evening news just to hear the latest Palin gaff. I mean, seriously, I watched the CBS Evening News last night for the first time in years. If Obama is elected, Katie Couric should get a gift basket from the campaign-at least a tee shirt.

And, they've been working the ref, now suggesting that Gwen Iffil is biased because of a book she has written. Give me a break. Even McCain knows about "a google." Apparently Iffil was fine until McCain began to tank. And tank, he has, with the economy now tied to his ankle like an anchor. I am sitting in the reddest of states, Georgia, where the latest polls have McCain up by single digits. That has to have the McCain team working the Tums dispenser, not because it means that Obama will win Georgia, but because it reflects what is happening nationally. The combination of McCain's own blunders (see "suspending my campaign" and his testy interview with the Des Moines Register), the dire economic situation, the unending war in Iraq and the proclamation by David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, that we urgently need more troops in Afghanistan have now made McCain's judgement the central issue of this election.

No where was that judgement more flawed than in McCain's selection of "Joe Six Pack" Palin for his Vice Presidential nominee, a choice that is increasingly driving even conservatives from his side. Yesterday, Palin who refuses to list what she reads and who stubbornly clings to her claim that she's an expert on foreign policy because of Alaska's geography, said, "It's time that a normal Joe Six-Pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency, and I think that that's kind of taken some people off guard, and they're out of sorts, and they're ticked off about it."

Damn right we're ticked off about it, Sarah. This is not the time to elect an "average" president. I don't know what papers they have been putting in front of you, but, if you've been reading anything other than your briefing book, then you know that we need the brightest and the best at the helm, especially now. Joe Six-Pack needs a voice, a vote and most of all a President who cares about the middle class-not the guy and gal who want to give $174 billion annually in tax breaks to large corporations while the middle class picks up the scraps. If there are any scraps. If there still is a middle class.

It is indeed now the neocons left defending Gov. Palin, individuals who clearly value party and power over the good of the nation and who launch wholesale attacks on those whose ideas are not in line with their own. Calling for a "cease fire in the war of unwelcome ideas" conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, who has been the focus of neocon ire after being openly critical of the Palin choice, said today in the Washington Post:

Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different from one's own, we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks.) I'm sure it is coincidence that, upon the Palin column's publication, a conservative organization canceled a speech I was scheduled to deliver in a few days. If I were as paranoid as the conspiracy theorists are, I might wonder whether I was being punished for speaking incorrectly. Unfortunately, that's the way one begins to think when party loyalty is given a higher value than loyalty to bedrock principles.
Our day of reckoning may indeed be upon us. Between war and economic collapse, we have enormous challenges. It will take the best of everyone to solve them. That process begins minimally with a commitment to engage in civil discourse and a cease-fire in the war against unwelcome ideas.

Parker's right. Party loyalty is not a reason to cast a vote in this election. The time is too short, the stakes are too high. In the end, while tonight may be interesting political theater, it cannot erase the weeks of silence, scripts and vacant responses that have marked Palin's introduction to the American people. There is increasing evidence that John McCain cannot administer an effective campaign, much less a country in crisis. We are ticked off, Sarah, not at you, but at John McCain, who in choosing you demonstrated that "County First" is nothing but an empty slogan.

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Shocking News From the McCain Campaign

The political world was stunned this morning (not) to learn that McCain wants move the Vice Presidential debate to an "unspecified" date.

Perhaps, after the election would work for them.

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The "No Talk Express"

The McCain campaign's continued to fight to keep an unscripted Palin from the press has earned the candidate's bus an apt new name, "The No Talk Express." Today, as the campaign sought to keep press out of her meetings with world leaders, the networks finally had enough and decided they would not run photographs or video of the meetings unless they were allowed an editorial presence in the room. So, the campaign allowed them to view the conversation with Afgan President Karzi for 29 seconds and with Columbian President Uribe for 15-20 seconds.

That'll show 'um. Not.

So, when, exactly, is the MSM going to stand up to these folks?

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Dig Deep!

There are many reasons to support organizations that represent our interests and values. I had an email in my inbox yesterday that provided yet another excellent reason to give to Planned Parenthood to help support the work they do. I have included the email below in case it resonates with you too.

Dear Friends:

We may have thought we wanted a woman on a national political ticket, but the joke has really been on us, hasn't it? Are you as sick in your stomach as I am at the thought of Sarah Palin as Vice President of the United States ?

Since Palin gave her speech accepting the Republican nomination for the Vice Presidency, Barack Obama's campaign has raised over $10 million dollars. Some of you may already be supporting the Obama campaign financially; others of you may still be a little honked off over the primaries. None of you, however, can be happy with Palin's selection, especially on her positions on women's issues. So, if you feel you can't support the Obama campaign financially, may I suggest the following fiendishly brilliant alternative?

Make a donation to Planned Parenthood. In Sarah Palin's name. And here's the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor. Here's the link to the Planned Parenthood website (make sure to click on the link to donate in someone's honor so she gets your card)

You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card. I suggest you use the address for the Alaska Governor's Mansion, which is:

Governor Sarah Palin
716 Calhoun Avenue
Juneau, Alaska 99801

I've made my contribution to honor Governor Palin, how about you?

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Queen Sarah

John McCain won't let Sarah Palin take questions. Not from reporters. Not from voters. And, now, not from the bi-partisan group investigating abuse of power allegations in the "Troopergate" scandal. John McCain trusts Sarah Palin to instantly become the leader of the free world, but he doesn't trust her to take a few questions. This is behavior that would not be tolerated from ANY OTHER CANDIDATE. McCain won't let her take questions from reporters until the media learns to "treat her with deference." He must be confused. She's not running for Queen. It's the voters the media should treat with deference, not you, Sarah, nor you, Barack, or you, John. Why doesn't this strong women, who is being so carefully "handled" just tell the boys to get their paws off?

I'm not clear what the problem is with the voters in her crowds. They are so carefully screened that they are not even allowed to bring in their own handmade signs and instead are provided with faux-homemade signs. That's sort of like a faux-candidate, but we won't go there.

And, the reason for refusing the cooperate with the Alaska investigation. Predictably, it's the fault of the Obama campaign. The investigation has been "hijacked" by Democrats supporting Obama. I'm sure that word choice, four days after 9/11, is entirely accidental.

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"Stop blogging! Stop blogging right now!"

Can you imagine the hell that would rain down if a top aide to Gov. Perdue picked up the phone and called, say, Erick Erickson, and said, "You should be ashamed. Stop blogging. Stop blogging right now!" Yet, that's exactly the call an Alaskan blogger got from an aide to Sarah Palin, and it's far from the scariest thing the New York Times reports in "Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends, Lashed Foes." If you can stand to read one more thing about Palin, believe me, this is that article. (H/T to Jodi)

Whether she was handing out political appointments like candy to high school friends-including the top agriculture spot to a women who actually listed her childhood love of cows as a qualification-or creating a culture of secrecy in the Governor's office, Palin's reign in Alaska looks a whole lot like the Bush White House. If you've like that, you're going to love Palin. Of all the questionable things the Times uncovers, the worst by far is this simple statement at the beginning of the article:

Ms. Palin declined to grant an interview for this article. The McCain-Palin campaign responded to some questions on her behalf and that of her husband, while referring others to the governor’s spokespeople, who did not respond.

It is NOT FINE for John McCain to continue to hide his vice presidential nominee from the American people by picking and choosing just who gets to lift one or two of her many, many veils. McCain is getting a virtually unfathomable pass on his strategy of hiding and scripting Sarah Palin. If any of the other three candidates-Obama, McCain or Biden-were ducking press interviews, they would be absolutely skewered, and rightly so. Why? Because us everyday Americans won't have the chance to sit down and chat with Gov. Palin. We rely on journalists, imperfect though they are, to ask the tough questions of those who would be leaders in this toughest of times. It is both outrageous and inexcusable that John McCain is unwilling to find out-and unwilling for us to know-exactly who this women is once the curtain drops and there is no script. Veils off, Sen. McCain. It's time for Sarah Palin to put on her big girl pants and face the American people.

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Women Wake Up

I have watched with alarm as John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, has roared across the landscape, captivating crowds with her vacuous speeches --excuse me--speech, (she's been making the same one over and over) and witnessed the media's fawning all over her, like a brand new toy. And of course that's what she is. She is the latest hot thing on the airwaves and she'll dominate them for a while--say three weeks? The fact that she is a woman does not mean that she supports women's issues and I do not believe that serious, intelligent, women in this country will identify with her and wish her well in this campaign. Her speech at the Republican convention was nasty, mean-spirited, shallow--delivered in perfect cadence and designed to please her audience. But the larger audience, the millions of Americans who will vote in November, will surely seek answers about her positions on the issues that matter to reasonable people: the economy, the war, health care (or absence of), soaring gas prices, the mortgage crisis, the loss of our stature and credibility throughout the world, our debtor status and pitiful dollar--to name a few. One can only hope that reasonable, thoughtful Americans--men and women--will study the issues, and not be dazzled by a self-described pit bull with lipstick, nor her running mate, John McCain. Remember him? The guy who's supposed to have such good judgment? When they begin talking about the issues that matter and turn their backs on 'swift boat tactics' (do anything to win), perhaps I'll listen to what they have to say. I can't wait.

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But Will She Win the Emmy?

Last night, Sarah Palin, a wet-behind-the-ears Alaska governor, starred in the much anticipated, made for television original, "Anyone Can Be President." Palin reached for her lipstick just in time to play an unlikely vice presidential candidate and was well-prepared to deliver the soliloquy of her life. Her here-to-fore off-limits family, including her husband, two sons, three daughters and one son-in-law-to-be, were paraded across the stage like a supporting cast. (Apparently, it's okay for her to use her family to score political points, but, for us regular folks, they're off-limits.) Even John McCain, who was supposed to have the lead in this production, was relegated to a supporting role. When the lights went out, the critics raved, her ratings soared, and she may well win the Emmy. But one critical question remains unanswered:

Is she well-prepared to lead the nation?

Meeting the minimum qualifications for an office is not the same as being well-prepared to serve. Specifically, is Palin as well-prepared to serve as Joe Biden? Consider these questions:

• Does she have the ability to unify the nation if some awful tragedy befalls us?

• Does she have the gravitas to go head-to-head with Putin (or will she look into his eyes)?

• Does she understand what its like to grow up in an inner-city (because surely as many people have grown up in inner cities as have in small towns)? Has she ever actually been to Scranton?

• Does she understand what it's like to have to leave your family to follow your spouse across the country, a common occurrence in military families?

• Does she understand what its like to be boiling hot with no air-conditioning?

• How many victims, pregnant as a result of rape or incest, did she talk with before deciding that the government should force them to have their rapist's babies?

• Does she understand the pressures a single mother with no family support faces when she tries to balance work and childcare?
  
  Palin has limited experiences...more limited than any major party candidate in recent times. True some of her experience is "executive" but little of it is "broadening." And, that's frightening.

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Let's Listen to Palin

MACON WOMEN WAIT TO HEAR PALIN’S SPEECH

ATLANTA – A group of Macon women will gather together tonight to watch Gov. Sarah Palin address the Republican National Convention. The diverse group will include women who are Hillary Clinton supporters, Republicans and some who have never been involved in the political process before.

“We don’t know anything about Gov. Palin, so we want to hear what she says tonight,” explained Amy Morton, host of the gathering. “If she wants to be a heart-beat away from the presidency, we need to know who she is.”

The women plan to meet tonight at 8 pm at:

The home of Amy Morton
109 Carriage Way
Macon, GA 31210

The media is invited to attend and attendees will be available for comment.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Trell Thomas at 404-759-1635, tthomas@georgiaforchange.com

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It's NOT Demeaning to Women

In his choice for VP, was John McCain first and foremost concerned with whether the person was capable of being President of the United States? Or was he concerned about whether the person could bring him the electoral votes of rural, conservative, female voters in swing states? Just three weeks ago, on Face the Nation, Karl Rove was intensely critical of the possibility that Barack Obama might choose Gov. Tim Kaine for his Vice President. Rove said:

"With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years, he's been able but undistinguished," Rove said. "I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America."Rove continued: "So if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, `You know what? I'm really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States? What I'm concerned about is, can he bring me the electoral votes of the state of Virginia, the 13 electoral votes in Virginia?'"

Somehow, posing this same question about a women is now out of bounds. Watching Larry King Live tonight, it's clear that the Republican talking point-anytime someone questions whether or not McCain's choice for VP is qualified for the position-is to claim that such scrutiny is "demeaning to women." Why? Because Democrats blanch whenever they're accused of being unfair, and quickly retreat from allegations of sexism. In this instance, we certainly owe it to the electorate to get over ourselves.

Questioning a VP's readiness to serve is a core issue and is most certainly appropriate for men and women. Attacking family is out of bounds; questioning preparedness to be President is not only appropriate, it's the responsibility of the electorate. One in three Vice Presidents have actually become President, so the question is surely relevant.

Fighting for the equal treatment of women, working to help qualified women get elected and helping knock down barriers so that women can participate in professions that were once off-limits is important work that is diminished anytime a women gets a pass because of her gender. Whenever that happens, it reinforces the myth that, in politics or in business, the bar for women is lower and makes it more difficult to construct the ladder women need to get elected. The perception that a women has been added to a ticket for any reason other than being eminently qualified reflects negatively on every women who seeks any office.

Failing to fully vet Sarah Palin-now that's demeaning to women.

Choosing a Vice President is the first act of any presidential candidate that has the potential to actually impact the course of democracy in our country. In his choice of a person who has limited experience in government, zero experience in foreign affairs and a basic lack of understanding of what a VP is actually supposed to do, John McCain has behaved in a reckless manner that ought to give every American pause. Unlike Presidential candidates who must survive a grueling primary process and endless vetting by the public and the press, Vice Presidential candidates get little scrutiny. We rely on our Presidential candidates to do the vetting for us when it comes to the VP nominee. It is the first moment when the future of the county is in the hands of the Presidential hopeful. It is the first moment when we are able to see whether the candidate will actually put country before political interest. And it was in this moment that John McCain failed not just his Party, but his country.

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