CNN

Was it ever?

Obviously ,Period. I'm just tired, tired and tired of her. I wish Nov. 4 is here and we'll say good bye to her as we send her off to Alaska.

Pullman, Washington State

Now Jack, why would you think that picking such a lovely well informed lady was a mistake....McCain is winning, isn't he....he just said he has the Obama campaign right where they want them...I guess that meant he has given Obama half of Sarah Palin's clothing allowance and sent him off shopping....

From my perspecdtive, it was not a mistake for John McCain to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate. She is such a liability for him that it is helping the candidate I favor, Barak Obama.

I don't think that picking Palin was such a big mistake, but not vetting her properly was. She did energize the base and has represented a certain type of female voter very well. The problem is that to most of us, she is way too far right in her views and we wonder if her problem with abuse of power will be more pronounced with more power. McCain should have taken more time to think these things through before picking her.

I'm an Obama supporter. I couldn't pick a better VP candidate if I'd tried.

Yes, a big mistake.

The Anchorage Daily News, Alaska's largest newspaper, endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Sunday after declaring Gov. Sarah Palin "too risky" to be one step away from the Oval Office.

I don't need to say anything else.

First Presidential decision by McCain, a disaster!

Obama/Biden 2008

I just want to say Thank You to John McCain for picking Palin. I think we know now he secretly loves the democratic party, look what he did for us, just a little more icing on our cake. Thanks JM!!!

Yes, with each passing day it becomes more obvious. For the guy who touts his years of experence and leadership, McCain's campaign looks like a Rookie compared to Obama's.

It was a mistake and anyone saying that it wasnt is just plain spinning and ignoring FACTS!!!!! Its GAME OVER for their little circus and its about time!!!!

He insured my vote for Obama. I voted early so I was "thinking" early. He is my age. He has health problems. He more than anyone needs to have someone ready for the Oval Office. Her interview with K. Couric sealed it for me. Would seem that her office staff in Alaska would have at least three newspapers on her desk each and every morning. She couldn't even recap to Couric the names of three newspapers or magazines. I went Obama.

Jack: If McCain thought being a POW was horrific, his choice of picking Sarah Palin as his running mate can best be described as the McCain campaign's worst nightmare.

Nope, I don't think it was a mistake. Because you see, in doing so, McCain simply handed the election to Barack Obama. It was the smartest thing McCain could have done. He knew he wouldn't win this election – and now he can blame it on Sarah Palin.

If he had chosen Mitt Romney or Tom Ridge or any other candidate with EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE and their OWN wardrobe, he'd be beating the pants off Obama.

Jack, not only was she a mistake, but a disaster. To select this woman after Hillary lost was a slap in the face to working women everywhere. More than any man I know, Palin does not have a women's right platform. By selecting her, McCain, demonstrated his lack of respect for women and a condescenging attitude with regard to the intelligence of American voters.

Go out and read Alaska newspapers. I did. Anchorage, Juneau and Wasilla. I don't think she is as popular there as they are claiming. And what about the handing over on the silver platter that oil pipeline contract to Transcanada?? That whole bidding situation smells funny. Check it out. And it may not get built due to funding. Say large ear mark.

And the first dude sitting in on her cabinet meetings? ccd on all emails? And wanting $15 million for her public records, emails and the such?

And dragging that poor little baby around. She is pitiful. Say bye bye Sarah. We don't need your kind.

Of course she was. Not only is her intelligence in question, but her voice irritates everyone. McCain says he has Obama right where he wants him--in the White House!

No, I think it was a great idea. Choosing someone you only met once before you made your decision, someone you knew nothing about policy wise, someone who was completely clueless about the Constitution and the job duties, let alone the economy, foreign policy, healthcare, etc., and someone who did poorer than your five from the bottom of the class academic performance was a great decision by John McCain.

But of course I think that because I'm an Obama supporter. Palin sealed the deal for Obama and Biden.

Ron
Western Pennsylvania

You Betcha!

Yes. She was a political pick to somehow entice women, who were energized with Hillary Clinton, to vote for McCain. She doesn't appear to be properly vetted. She has a lot of baggage with Troopergate and some other issues in Alaska, including her lack of transparency on e-mail use/public records. Gimmicks work sometimes, but I don't think this one did.
Stacy
Texas

Not a bit... It's the best thing that ever happened to the Obama campaign!

Yes, of course it was. By picking Palin, McCain pulled a political gimmick and acted out of integrity by not putting us...hiscountry first. No spin can spin out of that truth. At that point McCain lost his integrity, his campaign showcased the very worst of who we all can be when we don't act from our best selves... divisive, dishonest, extreme. I believe McCain would be much further ahead if he had put forth what he stood for, what he believed in, how he would help lead us, rather than making it all about Barack Obama. McCain lost his way and will not be remembered well.

Yes it was a mistake. Palin will go down in history as THE worst pick for a running mate ever. It really shows that McSame has the judgement to clean up the mess of his big brother Bush.

He can't even pick a qualified VP candidate...The man is senile

Senator McCain's judgement must certainly be questioned, unless he is planning to start a late night comedy show after the election, with Sarah Palin as the star attraction.

Adam, Toronto

Jack that is like asking is the Pope a Catholic. Of course Palin has to hurt McCain's campaign if only for showing his poor judgement.

When you consider all prominent Republicans who now support Obama and cite Palin as at least one of their reasons for defecting from the party.

Not at all. Not unless you consider being cynical, disingenuous and opportunistic with the American People a mistake. But then, than never happened over the last eight years, did it?

Bolton Landing, NY

No he didnt it just helped obama get closer to win the election palin power lol what a joke andrew mesa az

If you're an Obama supporter, Palin was a perfect pick. If you're one of 24% of this nation who still thinks Bush is doing a great job, Palin was a perfect pick. But ya know Jack, if you're a grass roots McCain supporter, Palin is like the relative who relocates to your town and stays with you while she finds her own place. After two weeks, you can't wait for her to leave!

It was wrong in the sense that if something does happen to McCain where he cannot continue as president (which is not very farfetched considering his age and medical history) she is no way ready to step in. His VP pick showed McCains willingness to go with whatever his party told him to do to try to win the election. If McCain truly meant "Country First" he would not have agreed to take on Palin.

Of Course it was! I cannot wait until November when Palin goes back Alaska and we never hear from her again.

Let's see now: Sarah Palin has been a successful Mayor, Governor w/81% approval (highest in USA history) – incarcerated crooked oil company and political people (in her own party too), taxed the oil companies in addition to what the good ole boy cronies were allowing as they were being fed under the table, sold the jet and saved the Alaskan people $400,000 in one year, discontinued property tax and refunded to Alaskans 1300.00 per year.
LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT, PERHAPS I CAN FIND MY INTELLIGENECE HERE SOMEWHERE.
Joanne Buck
Minnesota

Yeppers. I just hope THOSE 1's LOSE and send her packing back to Alaska – You BETCHA! I've had my fill for a LIFETIME of THAT ONE!

McCain will say, "I am a maverick and Sarah's likewise. Mavericks don't make mistakes but now I do realize I made a fatal mistake: me making this decision independently!"

It would only be a real mistake if McCain gets elected .

No, not if you are for Obama. If you are for McCain, it is a mistake though the Republican right-wing base likes her and her positions. It was because they deny freedom of choice to others that i have left the Republican party.

Palin will be the President in 2012. The cleanest, most honest and reformer (sucessful in jailing crooks, putting Alaska residents first) that has come along since Harry Truman.
Jack Carlson
Seatlle WA

First rule of thumb when shopping around for a VP, the final choice "must do no harm," for the top of the ticket. McCain obviously forgot this rule or he was too busy pandering to Hillary voters. There are multiple reasons why McCain will likely lose this election but without a doubt, choosing Palin has hurt this campaign.

John McCain figured if he put a person with the right body parts on the ticket, he'd attract the 18 million Hillary voters. What an insult to thinking women everywhere! As if we're so shallow we would follow like sheep even if the policies are all wrong. From my perspective as an Obama supporter, I think John McCain picked the perfect running mate.

Yes, I believe that by choosing Sarah Palin for his running mate, John McCain made a huge mistake. His already weak campaign and and even weaker platform certainly could have used someone with more experience and background, that's for sure. Out of all the brilliant people in this country to choose from and John McCain picks Sarah Palin to be his next-in-line?

Rather than questioning Sarah Palin's leadership abilities and experience, it seems more appropriate to question John McCains sanity for choosing her.

The biggest mistake of his entire life because it will cost him
the election. He has let his advisors run his campaign from the
start and when he finally broke free and picked Paliln, it showed
his judgement about everything he has done during his campaign
is extremely poor. He is nothing but an old man looking backward
to when he was an ace fighter pilot and he has nothing left to
give to this country.

Of course Joe! McCain never thought that picking a person that would help him win the White House, would eventually lead to his failure. Palin wants to overshadow McCain until he loses. Then blame his campain for not letting her speak more. McCain should have known to be cautious of people more ambitious than himself. He should have learned something from the Obama pick.

Miami, FL

Hi Jack
of course it was ,McCain showed that all he cares about
is to get elected ,but it backfires
now we all now Pallin is not ready to be VP much less to be
president . Big mistake

Hi Jack,

Yes. Why – well let me count the reasons:

1. If she has 6 years of experience as a working politician then how come she can answer as simple question or two – off script – without disolving to babble-speak? "What do newspapers do you read" is not a gotcha question.

2. While she can read a speech well enough, she can't think on her feet. If she can't go toe to toe with a network news anchor how is she going to go toe to toe with Chavez, Putin and the guy whose name I can't spell? How is she going to go toe to toe with members of Congress?

3. Her response to the report about "Troopergate" shows she's like Cleopatera – the queen of denial. That shows she has a creditability problem.

I could go on and on and on – as I am sure many others can as well.

One more week and counting........

By the way, once the elction is over, what will we all have to talk about?

Judith – NYC

Yes, I believe Sarah Palin was a bad choice. Mainly because it seems that Senator McCain lacked judgement to the point that he had to rely on Rush Limbaugh's suggestion of her rather than a reasoned decision. Rush talked Palin up when Obama and Clinton were still debating each other and the notion was aired that they may run on the Democratic ticket. Secondarily, Palin has shown single-handedly that she is not qualified to be V.P. or become President if something were to happen to John McCain.

Jack,
The day he picked her was the day he lost the election and what could have been a tight race will end up a landslide for Obama.

I really think John McCain and Sarah Palin are both at fault. He didn't vet her and she didn't vet him. I would suggest she go back to Alaska and run for Ted Stevens senate seat...not that she would be elected there either, but, you have to admit that would make it real interesting in Washington with Obama the President.

Is this a rhetorical question?

Palin certainly assited in exciting the base, however, in terms of understanding the issues, she failed. She tries to relate herself to the middle class working women by stating that she undestands them, however, I do not think that was and is effective. For One, she has a very good Health Plan and gets paid over $100K which is far more than the Majority of the working middle class women. She can afford her child the best healthcare and assistance unlike many of the Americans.
Overall, McCain needed to win over the Independents and Gov. Palin did not help with that.
Toronto, Canada

Yes we think it was a bad idea. However, we don't think Sen McCain had any idea that his "straight talk express" would end being derailed or put off on a spur track that way it has. "Country First" seemed to take a back seat once the economic crises came, and Obama was being blamed for everything, and it became a win all cost proposition.

Absolutely!!!

McCain's pick of Palin for VP will go down as the single most important reason for his landslide loss. It was a colassal blunder in judgement for a would-be president, ranks right up there with
preemptive war.

Sarah Palin continues to label certain people and locations as un-patriotic. Yet, she and Senator McCain supports giving huge tax breaks to corporations that move jobs out the country. How is that being a true patriot?

I believe she was. She just doesn't come across as knowing much about anything. If you look into her time ass Mayor, she cut taxes for people that owned airplanes (her father-in-law owned on), and for people that owned shon mobils (which her and her husband owned a snow mobil buisness). She left that city with over $24,000,000.00 long term dept. I don't trust someone that uses her power for her own personal giain.

Absolutely. It revealed what 'first' McCain cares about and it isnt' this country, it is his ambition. Thankfully many Americans can see through her and how shallow McCain really is.
In case you missed it Jack, the Alaska news paper Anchorage Daily News endorsed OBAMA over the weekend! .
To Quote: "Yet despiter her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the govenor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth.
To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deterioating climate crises would stretch the govenor beyond her range."
Too bad McCain didnt' have the 'judgement' to figure it out.

Of course she was the worst pick, dispite all of their spin and yarn, it shows the judgement of McSame. There is an old saying, one
can be thought of as being unintelligent however, when one open ones mouth, it remove all doubts, everytime Caribo Barbie opens her mouth,she removes all doubts. McSame and her are on a sinking ship. God bless America.

"There's –of course –in the great history of America rulings there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are–those issues, again, like Roe v Wade where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know–going through the history of America, there would be others but– " – Palin

You betcha

Yes it was a mistake especially in the long term. It is a classic example of McCain’s bad judgement. He picked someone for purely political reasons and it is painfully obvious that the choice was not well thought out. All flash no substance that benefits the country.
. So much for country first and now he is finding out about her along with the rest of us. She is McCain’s own October surprise.

Probably the most important decision in his career and he blew it big time. I can only imagine who he would have picked for his cabinet – Joe the Plumber for homeland security, Larry the Cable Guy for communications director.

Yes Jack. It was a big blunder on the part of John McCain and his idiotic adviser.

What I don't understand is that many say she is the GOP future candidate. I wouldn't even vote for her as a class president. She is way too wacky for me.

Obama/Biden 08'

Palin is headed for a Roosevelt/Truman type of Presidency in 2012-2020. She's the best person that has come along in a long time.
We complain about her clothes, but ignore Obama removing the flag from his plane for $500,000 and adding in it's place an "Obama Symbol." If America does not wake up soon – they are in for Hoover or Carter years, who knows which; and worse in way I won't explain here.
James Jones
Colorado

PALIN WAS A HIT UNTIL SHE STARDEDSINGING

OMG – Yes. She is way too far to the right, for my taste. I am a registered Republican since 1976. I have been behind Obama since about December 2007. McCain choosing Palin just put the last nail in the coffin, so to say. After that, there was no way I was looking back at all.

In MA. over the weekend, there was just an 8 yr. old boy killed, by accident, while he was shooting an Uzi at a gun show, while he was being supervised. What is an 8 yr old, 20 yr old, 45 yr. old etc. doing with an Uzi? And Mccain/Palin both have stated they will not continue with the assault weapons ban.

There are just so many items that turn me off about her. Fruit flies, that are studied to 'help' special needs kids, Creationism being taught by my tax $$'s in school, starting out the campaign with an ongoing investigation already in progress, touting her bridge to nowhere/thanks but nothanks, questions about who built her home, her want for Roe v. Wade to be reversed, Dinosaurs walking with man 6,000 yrs ago, her backtracking on telling America in March that Hillary's 'WHINING' made all women look bad ( and that in Hillary's position she should expect to be under the microscope ) and then to not stop her own 'WHINING' on everything that goes wrong, thinking that Russia is actually flying planes over US airspace in Alaska ( and she handles it ), being proud as a Mom in this day and age that her daughter and future son-in-law are dropping out of High School to get married, .... And so on, and so on, and so on.

And a ton more reasons.. But I have to get back to work. Apparently something the Palin children don't need to worry about – WHY ARE THEY NOT IN SCHOOL? Looks like all the other children are, if they should be...

Obviously, last week I watch Palin, (I was hoping it was Tina Fey spoofing), say she looked forward to initiating legislation in the Senate. Here, almost 2 months after the convention and no one in the Republican Party informed her of what she would be responsible for, which she should have already known.

I think John McCain had no choice. Time ran out and he had to come up with a name for the VP slot before the republican convention.

After Obama’s acceptance speech, all the good choices for the republican VP position had enough political survival instinct to turn him down.

History has shown that being a loosing Vice Presidential candidate is usually forced permanent retirement from public office.

Palin was a disposable distraction.

We don't have to wait to hear who Senator John McCain is endorsing for the next President of the US is. By choosing Sarah Palin for his running mate, John McCain said without using words said it all is, Barack Obama! Yes, yes, yes, Sarah is a big mistake for the republican ticket. If the idea was to have a woman on the ticket, there are so many female Senators that were qualified for the position. The RNC doesn't look wise at all!

Like nearly everything else McCain has done it was a short term tactical win and a long term strategic loss.

Picking Palin inspired the far-right base and got the campaign a good temporary poll boost. However, this year there aren't enough republicans out there to run a far right campaign. He needed to get the independents and they can't stomach Palin.

As much as it pains me to say it, she was a perfect choice. Politically speaking, what other choice would have kept this thing even close. However, it was definately not country first,

Gimmick pick!! Pure and simple..... As it's only been a few months that I've been a registered Democrat, if she ever appears again as a representative of the GOP, I'll stay a Democrat.

Jack - most definitely yes. On a national level Palin has no leadership capability at all. She has demonstrated an elementary-school level grasp of the issues that most Americans are concerned with: the economy, taxes, health care, foreign policy, et cet. To make matters worse, McCain has exhibited No leadership at all; and his campaign is in a shambles. McCain has campaigned without any definitive strategy or direction; has absolutely no planning or preparation, has allowed internal fighting and power struggles; and is attempting to win votes on the basis of deceit, distortion, and gimmicks. McCain should Have stepped-in long ago and taken charge of his campaign. Instead, McCain and Palin have been controlled by events. Choosing Palin as a running mate has exponentially increased the perception of questionable leadership to the Republican ticket. If McCain and Palin cannot provide leadership and direction to their own campaign, how can they convince the average voter that they can lead this country??

McCain made a huge error in selecting Sarah Palin. She is not presidential quality and people are withholding their vote from McCain because of that reason. Also, McCain gave the first indication of the type of administration he will run by not vetting her more closely: An administration that will make decisions without thorough consideration given to the problem.

Worst. Pick. Ever.

In one fell swoop, McCain not only scotched GOP chances in this election, he also ensured that the Big Tent gets burned to the ground in 2012, when Palin and her army of average Joes run the party off a cliff. The moderates will bolt, the intellectuals won't support her, and her own faction will throw the party into chaos if and when she can't survive the primaries.

The Reagon electoral coalition is about to be shattered, and it has as much to do with Sarah Palin as it does Barack Obama.

McCain picked Palin to get the Clinton voters, but people are smart and I noticed that McCain kept her away from the media because she doesn't really appear to know anything of what is going on in the world except that she can see Russia from her house. God help us all if she wound up in the White House!

best thing McCain did for Obama in this choice I personally loved it more reason not to vote for him

Jack:
Sarah Palin will go down in political history as a worse pick than Dan Quayle. I didn't think that was possible, but like John McCain, I was wrong.

Obama can give you all that smooth talk till he is elected, then it will be different. We don't know bad economy yet, If Obama is elected we'll do good to put groceries on the table.He will take YOUR money, and let you keep 41.7% of each dollar you make. Generous isn't he. MCcain and Palin is for reform, and that,s what we will get. Everyone knows Mccain is not like Bush. Obama has voted with his party, 96% of the time. After 20 months we know no more about Obama then when he started. We know he gave Acorn 800,000 thousand dollars to register voters, and they have found over 200,000 ballots that are fraud, does that sound like a good president, sounds like a crook to me.

I believe the Palin appointment was a gamble, not necessarily a mistake. But it does show poor judgment on McCain's part. He thought appointing a woman would get him the angry Hillary voters.
People who voted for Hillary wouldn't automatically support an Ann Coulter-type simply because their genitals are similar.

McCains poor judgement has done him in. His VP pick is the best thing that could have happened to the Obama campaign.

Who wants the common JOE six-pack or the plumber running this country. I want someone who is educated, calm under pressure and can lead. Palin can go back to Alaska and shoot more moose.

As someone who was born in Manhattan, Sarah Palin's recent comments about "pro-America" Americans are just flat-out insulting. If New York "liberal elites" are un-American because they demand more than lies and insipid rhetoric from their politicians, then I'm not sure I'd like to be classified as pro-American.
New York City and Washington, D.C. were the sites of the terrorist attacks just seven years ago. These so-called "un-American elitists" were the ones who paid with their lives for being citizens of America. They have been roundly condemned by the McCain/Palin campaign. Neither Senator McCain nor Governor Palin has any right to denigrate the citizenship of any American by virtue of where they live.
I cannot imagine how some of the most important and powerful political minds missed the fact that this women is incapable of leading a nation. I'm pleased that the American people have recognized what a disastrous, selfish decision that it was. It truly demonstrates what a cheap sham the slogan of "Country First" is for this campaign.

Jack,

It was a mistake for the following reasons: It was wrong to think that all of Hillary Clinton's supporters would switch to Palin just because she is a woman and it was wrong to think that just because Russia is beside Alaska and the oil pipeline is in Alaska doesn't make you an international or energy expert.

Robert
Forest, VA

It wasn't a mistake to pick her as much as it was a mistake to condemn Obama for not having enough experience then picking someone with so little experience thus emphasizing what has become the hallmark of McCain's campaign - hypocrisy.

It wasn't as bad a mistake as Obama picking big mouth Biden. With Biden you never know what he is going to say, his mouth is like a wild horse, a mustang. Who in the world wants to vote for mustang, and Hussien. I don't want Hussein to spread my money around. They are nothing but whiners, they get one question they don't like they stop all interviews. They don't want Americians to know the real Obama, and the media is helping them. People are not stupid, they know Obama is not the one for the job, the polls doesn't show it, but nov. 4 will show it. Obama ,Pelosi, Reed, a diaster for America.

MCCAIN , PALIN 08

yes have u listened to her she hasn't made one realible statement sinces she's ben named as the republican vp all she did was try to undercut a message of change and now she is even going against her own running mate i cant come up with one good thing she's done except 4 bring the republican party together but if McCain coudn't do that on his own he didn't deserve to be there nominee.

If Obama is a shoe in for the Presidency then why are the Democrats so concerned with what Sarah Palin does?
Could this be an election that is won by the Vice Presidential candidates rather than the Presidential candidates?! Hilary Clinton didn't receive this much attention.

Sarah Palin will be the biggest beneficiary of this election but at the same time will also cost John McCain the Presidency. She simply is not qualified and worst of all, McCain's miscalculation and poor judgement on trying to fill the void created by Hillary Clinton .by picking a woman ,totally backfired. Women are not stupid and actually scrutinize their gender harder than men.

Palin should go on the speaking circuit, write a book, do Hollywood and make a fortune!! President?

I dont think so. The media gave you star power. What would you want to be VP for ?

Not that I would have voted for McCain anyway. BUT, I believe that Palin was a bad pick, because of her views differ from his so much. I also believe that she is doing more to divide this country then any other candidate in recent history.
I think that McCain picked Palin for his VP to try to get the Hilary vote and it backfired. Although, I still would never have voted for him simply because I do not agree with his politics.

Absolutely Jack,
Without a doubt, she has no business being in this position. I could do better in a debate or express foriegn policy issues. Simply, by watching CNN and Jack Cafferty, I am more informed than her. She is an absolute discrace to intellegent Americans looking for solutions to important issues facing America. Instead, we have to listen to Mrs. Hockey Mom, try and muddle her way through a campaign full of lies and insults. A campaign with no substance what so ever!

I am a Republican, however, even I can admit that she was a BIG mistake. If you look beyond her ability to bring huge crowds, she really has no real value in terms of experience, economic knowledge, knowledge of inter-party relations, or even depth of character. McCain chose Palin for this very reason: He needed someone completely different from the typical politician to compete with Obama's immense charismatic appeal. McCain got the different, but not the different he envisioned.

Two words, Jack: You betcha!

In any serious discussion or evaluation, she's obviously completely inept, but if you want to throw blood in the political waters of a desperate, dying campaign, you betcha. (Is it just me, or does anyone else go cross-eyed trying to follow her though a simple sentence?)

YES, Jack, he made a HUGE mistake.

After looking America in the eye and promising to select a running mate who was ready to be President on day one, John McCain instead opted for the quick "pump up the base" selection and basically gave America the one-finger salute.

Something he apparently is quite well-known for doing when he gets angry.

Not for Democrats

Perhaps not for the Country. It was the first evidence of the danger of McCain's "quick decision" philosophy.

Best thing to have ever happened to Obama/Biden and the down ticket Dems. The gift that keeps on giving.

Depends whose side you're on. She is so unknowledgeable, inflamatory, and egotistical, I can't believe this race is as close as it appears.

Jack: Glad you are back.. This I think was one of the biggest mistakes that McCain could have made. Anyone who does'n even
know what the job is, can be a burden. I wonder why no one seems
to care that she didn't quite tell the truth about the bridge to nowhere.
After she lobbied for it, and congress didn't like it, she said thanks but no thanks. Then she took the money and used it for another project.
I guess I'll never understand Washington.

Are you kidding?

McCain picked Palin because Hilary didn't make it onto the democratic ticket. That's the only reason. And as always, McCain a step behind tries to woo the female vote. Any female with half a brain sees through the ploy. Fail.

Its not like her education stacks up against other politicians (wooo BA from U of Idaho), and lets be honest here.... Governor in Alaska? Not even a Senator. Really? She's has more caribou to worry about that people. Its not a great state like she claims, its an iceberg with trees. And being the Mayor of Wasila? Wa-where? All she did there was balance they're $10,000 budget and fire people because they wronged her immediate family.

She needs to go home and work on her hockey mom jokes. Like her jokes, she's played out.

Without a doubt! McCain thought he'd pick up the women voters, and that didn't work. She's only "attractive" to conservatives, and has done nothing to help get more independant/undecided voters. She has her own agenda, it's quite obvious, and hasn't been a team player. She's a joke. Certainly there are better candidates out there, aren't there?

It was a massive mistake picking Palin for VP and not just for the obvious reason that it has ruined McCain's chance of victory.

The biggest problem with Palin is that she has caused massive ruptures within the Republican Party which I think it will take a long time to recover from. Add to this the fact that her pick has turned a lot of independant voters away from the Republican party and, in hindsight, her pick could only be viewed as a disaster.

It was a mistake to pick Palin if he really wanted to win but all it did was show how egotistical he is. Clearly he thinks he knows it all but he doesn't. However, for my part it was not a mistake because it added one more nail to the McCain coffin.

Absolutely a serious error not only of personal judgment but a greater strategic one; Campaigns are won in the center and the edge has no choice to to rally to the candidate; It is increasinly clear the Palin has a criminal orientation to do as she damn well pleases noting librarygate, rape kit gate; trooper gate, clothing gate, transCanada pipeline deal gate (the new one).
McCain, if he cannot see down the road to consequences; he will be the ruination of this great country as he has ruined his campaign. feel sorry for him, yet he trashed himself.
Jon in California

During the campaign, most of the rhetoric, while interesting, is something we cannot judge completely until the candidate is elected. However, there a a few things that are verifiable before the election. One is the tenor of the campaign and the other is the choice of vice president. McCain's campaign is mean-spirited, with a ring of desperation that conceals any worthwhile ideas he might present. However, even more telling was his pick of Palin. It tells me that he thinks we're so stupid that we will believe she is qualified to serve. I knew from the start that I would support Obama-I am grateful that McCain took many of his supporters by the hand and walked them into the Obama camp.
Karen, Troutdale, Oregon

Would shooting yourself in the ear with a bazooka be a mistake?

Absolutely not, Jack. Sarah brought life into the Republican camp, which was witnessed in the attempts by the Democrats to discredit her and her family. She acted well at the Republican Convention and in the Debate with Biden. Quite honestly, I think the mouths of Obama and his running made have been more of a mistake.

Jack,
I was leaning McCain until the convention. Then she began to speak. I could not get to the early voting place fast enough. I have never voetd for a Democratic President but I have already done so. Never have I heard such nastiness and hatred coming out of a campaign as I have the Republicans.

John McCain picking Sarah Palin as vp running mate was like President Bush invading Iraq, not very smart. My cat has more commom sense than Sarah Palin. She knows nothing about the position she running for and her comments about the current foreign and economic policies are just ridiculous. Maybe if she would do her homework and stop spending the party's money for clothes and other items for her benefit, then she would be an asset not a liability.

Gosh golly, you betcha, wink wink!

I continue to be outraged at her being picked VP and very angry at McCain for playing so lightly with our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. Sure, she has executive experience, for 90 days a year for two years. so, 180 days of experience. Blah! McCain knew she was not vetted properly, but she was a "Maverick". He said it Sunday on MTP, "I am a Maverick!" Where I come from, saying someone is a Maverick is not a compliment. I could have accepted McCain , maybe, as President if he had a qualified moderate VP pick. But no. Palin, no way no how.

Of course she was. Had there been any integrity in the selection process, we still would not know her name.

Jack–
I sure think so. She's a talented woman–probably with a political future–but she just isn't ready for prime time presidential politics. She doesn't know the ropes, she doesn't have the knowledge of domestic and international law and situations that she should. Her family is in a state of crisis from her pregnant teenage daughter to the first dude to troopergate. She comes with too much baggage. She has learning to do if she wants to be successful in national politics and international statesmanship. McCain should have realized that she would have to be exceptional to be successful as the first woman vp candidate. I don't think he knew her well enough–after just two meetings, one of them coffee under a tree. He didn't do his job–so she isn't doing hers.

Troy, Ohio

No, Jack, I don't believe it was a mistake. The Republican base was not behind McCain. He desperately needed someone to shore up the base. Sarah Palin did that brililantly. He also needed an historic ticket to compete with Obama's historic ticket. He got that by picking the first female VP running mate on the Republican side. All that said, I'm going to be at the polls when they open on November 4, 2008 and placing my vote for Barack Obama, the next President of the United States.

What's your first clue. It is really shameful how they try to cover up the fact that she is dismal failure.

Yes, thank God, nice woman, but out of her league!!!

Sarah Palin as VP nominee is only a mistake if McCain loses which may be the case, in other words the issue is not Palin but McCain. Mr McCain has been telling everyone he is ready to govern and has foreign policy experience, McCain's Presidential race, tactics indicate otherwise.

Major league mistake. In trying to pander to the disaffected Clintonites and the far right, McCain has polarized his position and dumped the moderates, independents, and many of the fence sitters.

Biggest mistake of all - not honoring his word to run a positive, respectful campaign.

Palin was a huge mistake. Although she appeals to one faction of the Republican party, she just doesn't have enough to swing those oh-so-important middle-of-the-row swing-state voters that McCain needs so desperately. He should have stood up to his own party and run with Tom Ridge or Joe Leiberman. Or, a more capable female running mate – they are lots to choose from, including: Elizabeth Dole, Olympia Snow, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Jodi Rell, Lara Lingle – and those are just the incumbent senators and governors. Thank goodness McCain demonstrated his poor judgement and true spinelessness when it comes to the bidding of his Republican masters in enough time for the voters to make the right choice. Obama Pride!

In the most simple terms, you betcha but I'm glad that he chose her to show what kind of judgement he uses in making decisions like suspending his campaign to go and save the world. I really don't believe he is fundamentally sound like he thinks the economy is. I hope I'm not truly disappointed in the American people on Nov. 4th.

Palin is a bad pick for AMERICA, Jack.

She (and John McCain) have undone 50 ys of movement forward, returning us to the days of McCarthyism and "colored only" mentality.

Pathetic, divisive and backwards. We can only hope that after she loses, we can take a GIANT step forward into a new era of civility, hope and unity.

Let me put it this way. I was never a Hillary supporter, but, after Palin, I now have a great deal of appreciation for Hillary Clinton and Hillary's depth of knowledge in all policy areas and her over all skills.

It was the worst choice ever. What in the world was he thinking? There were so many more qualified women and men in the republican party and he chose this beauty queen ditz. The good news is that he pretty much cinched a win for Obama.

It was the perfect mistake. It's my favorite mistake of 2008l

Not only was it a mistake, it was an insult!
Passignano s/T – Italy

Was she a mistake? Today she was quoting as saying to the Ambassador from Israel, "I look forward to working with your Jewish Department". I mean seriously, "The Jewish Department"?

Did she even graduate high school?

as far as the Democrats are concerned Sarah Palin is the perfect pick for VP. From the excessive use of $150,000 in clothes, to paying $10,000 a week for a Hair Stylist/Make Up person. Abuse of Power as a Governor, questions about the selection of the Construction company who built the Sports Arena, and even questions about how the selection of a company to build a Natural Gas Pipeline. The company had ties to the Palin Administration as Governor.

Jack, I forgot one: As Mayor she decided to build the stadium on anothers land with knowledge of the land problem and cost Wassilia 1.5 million to buy the parcle after litigation; CRIMINAL
Jon in Calif.

McCain's choosing of Governor Palin confirmed what Biden said in the debate. Mccain is no maverick. He picked somebody for political expediency. And of course it was a mistake on both ends. Politically, any right winger would ahve excited "the base." Why he mistakenly picked the terribly inadequete Palin is a mystery. he picks Lieberman or Ridge at least he retains some of the "maverick" credibility he's worked for over 26 years. An even bigger mistake would be our Nation electing McCain/Palin.

It was a doozey of a mistake for McCain and an insult to the rest of us. Surely he didn't think we were too stupid to see his VP pick for what it was. A gimmick.

McCain's pick of Palin just confirms his very poor judgement of things to come ... I can't wait until she goes back to Alaska !

I don't know who he was trying to fool with picking Sarah Palin, now he can't see the flowers for the trees duh!

Yes, it was a big mistake. She has been a drag on the ticket and many voters away from McCain. I didn't vote for John McCain just because Sarah Palin is on the ticket.

Good question, Jack! I have been wondering ever since McCain named her as his running mate that she wasn't picked for her intellect or knowledge of foreign affairs. To me, she was mainly picked for political reasons. McCain had a tough time connecting with evangelicals and the female vote, and so he needed a running mate that could at least accomplish that goal. The problem is that it isn't quite working as planned. After she argued that she has foreign policy experience because she lives in Alaska and saying the VP runs the U.S. Senate, among other things, she is proving to be a major liability.

Chris from NC

Jack,
Saying that John Mccain's pick of Sarah Palin as a VP candidate was a mistake is being to kind and generous. Not only does she not know the job of the Vice President, she has no clue what Mccain's own stance on certain policies. And when "SNL" can make a comedy skit out of this woman's own words without adding anything to them, it's a tell-tale sign that he made one of the most boneheaded mistake in his political life.

I think choosing Palin was the best thing McCain ever did, for Obama that is! That choice showed how irresponsible John McCain's thinking is.

It's not easy to find someone who can say "Joe the Plumber" 300 times a day, mixed with other slogans, and take herself seriously as a candidate for VP. Even Lieberman would have lost his self respect by now...

No, not a mistake at all. He was and is in a no-win position. Palin allowed him to change the conversation to trivial distractions and avoid all the real issues. Yes, she further split an already fractured party, but there was no way to reconcile the divisions anyway. His other choices, Pawlenty, Romney, Ridge, Lieberman, all presented problems and would not have added any energy. Some say Romney would have helped with the economy issue, but its possible that he might be seen as the type of greedy CEO that caused the meltdown. Palin has not worked out, and in fact has dragged the whole tenor of the campaign into ugly rhetoric, but hey, he took a shot.

I don't know which was the bigger mistake– HIS for selecting an unworthy / incapable VP nom, or HERS for accepting it.

yes she was a very good choice she would have been a better choice for the tpo side of the ticket ... we need new people in our government so we can get the possitve change every body wants we do not need some one to change our constiuition for us nor do we need some one to take more of our earnings from us and give them away they have been trying that for fifty years and the line for hand outs just keeps getting longer and longer when dose it stop i am not a bad person but it is time to use tuff love and step over the takers and let the erners move on

perry jones
Council Bluffs Iowa

It was a stroke of comedic genius. The Palin choice provided a layer of breath-taking diminsion to an already intriging presidential race...I look forward to her every word to provide more hysterical laughter and, sadly, tears...Even more stunning is the number of indivduals who feel secure about her as a potential leader of the most powerful military and political complex in the world. Oh, that McCain is so darn much fun! Just a whacky maverick.

I'm voting for Barack, so I think it was a wonderful choice!

I don't believe he needed her to shore up his base. Was this "base" that adores Palin ever going to vote for Obama? Never! But would most of them vote for McCain no matter what to keep Democrats out of the White House – absolutley. Had he chosen a moderate Repbulican instead they may have lost a few far right Republicans that would stay home and not vote at all but they would have had a majority of the base and gained many more Indpendents and moderate Republicans. And we wouldn't be seeing high ranking Republicans jumping ship and endorsing Obama.

It sure was, if we end up with Obama as president because of the filthy smears that the MSM gleefully spread around in reaction to a conservative woman's appoinment to high office. How dare McCain pick a woman and not expect to be attacked by the leftist media? Everyone knows only Democrats are allowed a free pass!

Oh, and I think there might be a glitch in your software. I had to repost this comment, since the original was mysteriously deleted. I'm sure it was not "editing" because everyone knows how unbiased Mr. Cafferty and CNN are when it comes to McCain vs. Obama!

Does a bear live in the woods???

Why hasn't Palin released her medical records. It may seem trivial, but this is fairly standard, isnt it?

Why isn't this a bigger deal with the election next week?

My guess is the spin from her camp would be this is sexist. to ask for the records. But not everything is about sex. Actually, citing sexism for everything is sexist. Its demeaning to all woman that this candidate and campaign uses her gender to deflect valid and important questions.

Plus, it gives the impression that she, and woman is general, need to be coddled and can't handle any tough situations.

Thanks.

You do not pick a woefully inexperienced VP when you are 72 and have a history of cancer. One of those creepy grins while he is extolling her experience says it all.

.

When John McCain picked Sarah Palin, I was happy. I knew at that point, he'd lost his head. I felt sad for him. I knew America wouldn't except her, and I knew he gave the election away.

I do not know what her Journalism curriculum was about, but she does not show herself as a well-educated, substantive leader. McCain faced big odds, no matter whom he chose but she turned out not to be a winner.

Jack, it has been widely reported that Senator McCain has a serious gambling habit, and his choice of Ms. Palin as his running mate is perhaps the most sensational example of his habit.

The most beautiful mistake ever made in politics.

But honestly, I doubt McCain could have won with any other running mate either.
The way the this country is yearning for true change, any republican would have been a longshot.

America can only hope, but not if you're part of the 27% of the country that still approves of the Bush performance. She is "W" with lipstick and heels. She has the same curiosity of world history, civics and science as we've dealt with for the last eight years. My grandma always said "Pretty is, as Pretty does.' I don't think I could handle another sarcastic, sneering and divisive public servant that thinks they know it all. Grandma also taught me if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I should be ashamed, but a person can only take so much.

NO Jack. John McCain did just what Barack Obama wanted him to do and Palin has done her job well for Obama.

This is a truly a Shakespearean tradegy.
Not only was she a mistake, but she dragged down McCain like King Lear. And she actually thinks she will be leader of the republican party in 1012 with the backing of 10% of the far right loonies. Now that's a true joke but it will at least ensure Obama in 2012 !

It was the biggest mistake Grandpa McCain ever made. Sarah Palin picked five of her high school buddies to help her run the state of Alaska. How many of her high school buddies will she pick to help her run this country if she becomes president?

Yes Jack, there is just no other way to put it. This will be the most
dangerous couple since Boris and Natasha of the old Rocky and
Bullwinkle cartoon, Palin being Boris.

It probably was a mistake, but not as big as nominating Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton.

Gov. Palin was not presented to the public properly. The McCain administrators seemed to be afraid of the way she presents herself. "Ya Betcha" and the other words she uses are just her way of speaking. This country is not "our country" and others, its a mixture of people. Maybe its time for the Republican party to be more inclusive.

Jack, are you serious? I think we ALL know that answer. Well, she was a poor choice for McCain's bid for the White House, and a sensational example of how bad his decision making skills are – very helpful for the Obama campaign!
Go Barrack!

You betcha! McCain used Palin to continue portraying himself as a maverick, reformer, whatever. Now Palin is using McCain to further her political career, and there is nothing the Republican party can do to stop her. She's got them "right where she wants them." The scary part is that she really believes she is the frontrunner in the 2012 presidential election. The terrifying part is that there are voters out there who will support her.

Yes, it was a terrible choice on the part of John McCain–shows what catering to the religious right will do and is indicative of his inability to make sound decisions. Instead of a maverick he's a gambler! How can any serious person consider voting for the McCain/Palin ticket in view of McCain's age and health and Palin's total lack of preparation? She obviously doesn't have the intellect for the position. She might do well on the 700 Club or on a right wing talk show.

OBAMA/BIDEN '08

It looks like from all your responses that we all agree that picking Palin was not a mistake for Obama. But for McCain, yes. If he was a true 'maverick' why did he allow the RNC to dictate to him that he couldn't have Lieberman or Ridge or any QUALIFIED woman on his ticket? Instead he thought a woman is a woman is a woman. And they will vote for me with Palin on the ticket and I will appease the conservatives. He is really 'out of touch'.

She most certainly was a mistake for McCain. At this point in the election and Palin in thinking of herself for 2012, what does that say about McCain? He wants to lead our country but he can't even control his running mate.

Hi Jack:

I think Mr. McCain picked her out of desperation. He knew he was going to lose. I think Sarah Palin is most likely a wonderful and caring individual. I doubt she can run th country if she had to. There are other Republican women Mr. McCain had available that wre better prepared for the job. Governor Linda Lingle of Hawaii comes to mind. Mr. McCain ran his own campaign into the ground with his negative attack ads. I think he was hoping to resolve that by infusing Governor Palin into the election. I think he should have selected someone with more experience.

Sincerly,
Ron San Diego

I find it hard to call it a MISTAKE ! I believe , and i think history will record, that this is one of the most selfish, selfserving, blatently dangerous, and foolhardy acts of any candidate that has run for office. This man, who touts his patriotism, says he puts "Country First",and vows to protect America from the "Terrorists", has himself put your great country at risk , by selecting this completely unqualified, and yes dangerous person ! The risk , is from within , we shall name it "PALIN"

It wouldn't have mattered – the media and the Obama supporters would have viciously attacked anyone he chose. I have never seen anything like this, not even Nixon or Spiro Agnew were treated like this!

I think it was one of biggest mistakes McCain made in his election campaign. He tried to appease the religious right in his party that still supports president Bush by picking Palin as his running mate. He tried to pass it off as a bold choice and a maverick choice but it proved out to be a stupid choice. He picked a person that was not qualified to take over as president and it shown through since day one when he made a choice.

Yes, Sarah Palin was a big mistake!

Jack, Palin has turned into Dan Quayle with lipstick and a potatoe.

The fact that McCain picked Caribou Barbie as his running mate made me very happy. McCain assumed that he’d pick up the Hillary vote. He assumed just because Palin is a woman, it would be in the bag. You know what happens when you assume. He didn’t know her, but assumed she was qualified for the job. As an Obama supporter I’m happy McCain picked her. She’s a train wreck.

Hey, Jack, did you catch any of the hate rallies she was holding while you were off recuperating. In answer to your question, you betcha!

Jack, so good to have you back. I believe John McCain has made many mistakes during his campaign, however the Palin pick has been the worst. She does not have the substance or experience to be the Vice President. She speaks in run on sentences and she is the most arrogant political figure I've ever seen. She is now going rogue on McCain's campaign and blaming them for her own lack of experience and gaffe's on the campaign trial. The last thing this country needs is a female George Bush and that's precisely what she is. YES JOHN MCCAIN MADE A HUGE MISTAKE PICKING HER!!

Jack

Not one person has made a convincing argument that Sarah Palin is ready to be President on Day One including John McCain.

Sarah Palin's political career will soon meet the same fate at her bridge to nowhere.

I don't think his VP pick whether it be Palin or someone else would have made a difference. The American people are craving change, something different, and a new direction. They weren't going to get that with McCain at the top of the Republican ticket. Although it looks more and more like Palin was a mistake based on the events of the last month, I think McCain would be in the same position in the polls had his choice been someone else.

Yes Jack. Big Mistake. Four star General Colin Powell explained that to the country as nicely as he could on Meet the Press. Jack, who are we suppose to believe? John McCain or Colin Powell?

Ethel

over the last 8 years Mccain/Palin could "not" shake one Bush. now they want to shake Washington-do they mean the washington apple tree !.

Yes!!I It was a costly mistake.

McCain took a gamble, and it is not going to pay off!!

Either McCain misjudge the mood of ordinary Americans or he is completely out of touch with what goes on in the daily lifes of ordinary Americans.

In picking Palin, he exhibited poor judgment and crass selfishness, he did not take into account his age nor did he consider the American people and the rest of the world.

God bless America.

McCain's pick of Sarah Palin wasn't a mistake........it was deliberate.

His judgment was the mistake.

Bit/Prattville

yes.

Hi Jack, absolutely it was a mistake. He did it only to secure a win, and it's backfiring. Picking a female is good, picking a smart one would have been better.
Sarah's tone is very toxic. She definitely is not a uniter.
Dawn
Toronto, Cda

Hi Jack,

yes it was and still is a mistake for the republicans since many more other women could have been a better choice!

She was probably a bad choice for John McCain, but the perfect choice for the Democratic Party. By being the total dipstick that she is, she has helped Obama tremendously.

Absolutely!
McCain was looking for someone to put some punch into his campaign but unfortunately he chose someone who is not qualified to be Vice President. John is now speaking out of the other side of his mouth and changed his message again. He is attacking the President and the party that embraced him a few weeks ago. It seems John has a bad case of "do anything to win". There is no cure!

Of all the mistakes made by John McCain during his campaign, the selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate is by far the worst. Her disastrous interviews, troopergate problems, and offensive shrill stump speeches have been constant distractions from whatever John McCain's vision for the country might have been. She, my friends, could cost him the election.

Yes Jack, She was a mistake. It was a very Gimicky pick, he tried to pull female Clinton voters and his gambit failed, and although she solidified the Republican Base which was a large Short term boost for McCain.
However she is VERY polarizing, which means she drives off the moderate independant voters. Obama might be the most "Liberal" but as far Left as he is She is twice as far off to the right, which makes that ticket unappealing to moderate voters.

Yes, definitely. I think McCain was being a maverick and did not like the VP picked by the RNC so he chose Palin to spite them. I think after the election he will look back and realize this was one of the worst mistakes he ever made, and it will end his career.

When McCain selected Palin has his running mate he was either off his medication or got them mixed up with Cindy's medication.

In any event the whole world is laughing about his selection and just waiting to hear Sara has foreign experience with Mexico because she has eaten at a Taco Bell.

Jack come on, really? Of course it was a mistake. McCain made a vice presidential pick that solidified the base when he needed one to fight for the moderates. Joe Leiberman or Ed Rendell would have helped McCain. Everyone knew Obama was going to try to "redraw" the map, the only way to combat that is to try to redraw it yourself and there was no way McCain could do that with the Palin pick. It was over the moment he picked her.

I agree with Fredrich, there are no facts only interpretations. As I attempt to overcome inherent bias, I often rethink and overthink which leave me with varied interpretations (remind you of anyone other than yourself). As I believe the decision was made to excite and ignite the conservative republican base and raise some funds – it was a successful choice. Cindy has been a real trooper for her husband, yet her expressions (off camera and behind her husband) often reveal the probable advice and likely outlook she feels. What some may say is squandered millions, was a warm wonderful investment in her heart and husband's dream. Most republicans had written this election off before the manifestation of our financial crisis (and likely the reason (because of what Obama indicated he would try to do) the financial did occur; as much that disappeared early from the market was republican investors who didn't want their excesses taxed.

Yes, Jack she was. I am a registered Independent and John McCain almost had me with the experience argument until he chose her. She is woefully inexperienced and the more I learn how she governed in Alaska the more worried I get. She is divisive and narrow minded and not someone that I would trust anywhere near the White House. Because
of her comments and how Senator McCain chose to run this campaign,
I will have a hard time trusting Republicans for years to come.

There probably could not have been a better pick from an SNL perspective. For comedic value, old John hit a home run. For the good of the country, he clearly struck out swinging.

Jack,
How is it Sarah Palin can choose not to release her medical records? She has chosen to run for a very public office, don't we have a right to this information. If she wants to stay a "Hockey mom in Alaska"-keep your medical records private. But if if she is possibly going to be the Veep, medical reords needs to be made available to the public.; certainly before the election. This should not be an issue this late in the electorial process.

Jack, not only was it a mistake, it's been a disaster for McCain. With Sarah's 'miss teen South Carolina" answers to questions and all the baggage she has, we have learned a great deal about Senator McCains judgement.

No Jack, it was not a mistake to pick Sarah Palin for VP, but then again I am a Democrat. What bothers me though is that it has been made clear she was not John McCains choice, but the choice of his Republican handlers. They gambled that if the Dems didn't pick Clinton, they would pick a woman, any woman, to be their VP choice. So my fear is this, "If John McCain allows these people to make these decisions now, who is really going to be running this country if he were to be elected?"

Jack, . . . Can we be certain that Sarah Palin is not really a secret
Democrat?

Depends: If "energize the base" is the only requisite, Yes. If "country first," No. McCain preached unity at the RNC, then used Palin to drive a wedge between the American people. Elections should be about leadership, not divisive politics.

Golly Gee Hmmmm, I am thinking it was the greatest mistake any democrat could hope for.

The old McCain would have gone with his gut, choosing Lieberman as his running mate or even Romney who would have helped him greatly with his expertise in financial affairs. Fortunately for us Dems he caved in to the ill advice of his advisors gambling on a virtual unknown and now a proven political liability (and a colossal embarrasment to women on both sides!).

The old Rove model of "divide and conquer" is no longer a viable strategy to win the Whitehouse. If McCain would have put "Country First" in making this first critical decision, I believe he would have succeeded or at the very least would have kept some respectability.

One of just a few mistakes that McCain has made. It has jeapordized his creditability in many peoples view; republicans and independents. The republicans and conservatives who are coming out to support Barack Obama are worried about John McCain and if you look at what they're saying they feel that he is not right for the country.

Why hasn't anyone commented on the fact that she spoke at the Alaska Independence Party convention this past Feb.? This is a group that wants Alaska to secede from the US. If that's not anti-American I don't know what is?? It is mind boggling that she brought up Ayers, but she does not have to comment on her involvement with this group, which still exists, the Weathermen don't exist anymore, heck Obama was 8, and I wasn't even born yet... wow.

Apparently her husband was member, and supposedly he's not now, well I would like to know when did he resign his membership with this anti-American group? Especially when she was their keynote speaker this past Feb. What a double standard...that's why I don't watch mainstream news anymore. The bias is astounding.

Mistake it was not. McCain gambled this one. The problem is that when you start talking about the issues, they have nothing to say. On the other hand, by picking Sarah Palin, McCain allowed the media and millions of people in this country to really look at the Republican Party itself. The religious right hijacked the Party years ago and now everybody can see the results and the results are not pretty. This is turning off a lot of independents and moderates.

Apparently the Anchorage Daily News thinks he was wrong. Either that, or they really want her back!

It would not have mattered whom McCain picked as VP,the mainstream media would have ridiculed the pick,especially if it was someone who was either in the House or the Senate.Obama has gotten a free pass from the media, his campaign got away with characterizing Hillary as a whore,Bill as racist,his long association with rev Wright,Jesse Jackson telling Europe that the Zionists will no longer control the world and the list is longer everyday.Obama does not have the wisdom to govern this country,he will be a puppet for the existing lame Democrat controlled congress and will have the same foreign policy results as Carter,If you remember,Carter refused to believe that our 'enemies' were actually enemies,that we could all get along just by flashing a big smile and extending your hand.

Hi Jack:

I think Mr. McCain picked her out of desperation. He knew he was going to lose. I think Sarah Palin is most likely a wonderful and caring individual. I doubt she can run th country if she had to. There are other Republican women Mr. McCain had available that wre better prepared for the job. Governor Linda Lingle of Hawaii comes to mind. Mr. McCain ran his own campaign into the ground with his negative attack ads. I think he was hoping to resolve that by infusing Governor Palin into the election. I think he should have selected someone with more experience.

Sincerly,
Ron San Diego

The real republican mistake was that the GOP let the ol' maverick win the nomination. He's a known gambler and rolled the dice with the lady from Alaska. Somewhere during the Bush administration, John McCain lost his maverick status and his seemingly sensible approach to things. I truly believe it would have been better for him and our country if someone else had been the GOP nominee. Instead, we'll remember the end of this rollercoaster train ride with McCain as an erratic conductor who sold his soul for the chance of presidency and one whose intuition and gut feelings are now completely suspect.

They did not think so at the time but, as always "Hind site is always 20/20"

Absolutelty a big mistake Jack. This was a test for MCcain. This was the first major decision he had to make to prove to the US that his decision making was on target. He blew it. He's now saddled with a rogue VP candidate that does things as Frank Sinatra Sang..Doing it My Way!!!!!!!..If he can't manage his VP pick, how can he manage the affairs of the US.

Bill, Tampa

mc Cain must know by now that he made a mistake by picking Palin. He will put it right this week by sacking her and naming Mitt Romney as his vp.

In the start, it was a good choice. It woke a lot of people up. Apparently she "unified the base", whatever that means. But in the end, I think it was a bad choice.

After the initial excitement, most people have screwed their heads back on and realized that she's a lunatic.

I agree with Kevin from Portland. It's my favourite mistake of 2008!

definite yes! She spews lies and hate about her apponents constantly. and babbles. I have yet to hear her speak as a VP with in depth substantial statements about the country's problems Probably because she really doesnt know anything about any of this country's policies. I can't imagine her representing this country here and abroad. We need someone who can speak intelligently and knowqledgeably, with other ambassadors and leaders Alot of times she compliments Bush. As one journalist said "she is more Bush than Bush"

Palin was a perfect pick – for Obama's campaign

the absolute worst. He has shown that he does not care about the future of his country, only that he cares about himself. She has shown that she does not take the job seriously only that she cares about herself. Surely to apply for a job she should have at least have some idea some idea what that job entails

I am thinking he couldn't find another Republican that wanted to branded a loser along with him. With the reelections up soon who wants to look like he has bad judgement. Most are holding on to their jobs by a thin string. We have noticed the republican nominees here in Oregon never even knew who George W Bush was and have always voted against him and their own party. I am thinking not.

Actually, there are people who think she's great. These are the same people who elected GW twice. Sure is scary! They solidified their base of right wing neoconservatives, but have driven away the moderates who respect intelligence and the constitution. The Grand Old Party isn't so grand anymore. I keep wondering where the "real" John McCain went.

Jack, All too often we complain about political rhetoric being too acrimonious. Could it be that the Palin pick was McCain's effort to "lighten things up" a bit? I sure hope so because it worked!

Of course it was a mistake but it was a decision that McCain made that was extremely political. So much for "Country First." The decision to choose Palin was to go to the extreme right-wing base of the party and boost his image as opposed to choosing a candidate for VP that would help the country out of it's worst crisis in decades. Selfish to the nth degree and it will lose him the election (unless they figure out a way to steal–it's been done before!)

YES...............................

It was a major mistake. Maybe if Palin was not running her campaign like a beauty pagent, she may have more respect from the American people.

Steve,
Laguna Niguel, CA

Let's see. Reagan, Clinton, Bush and Palin. All govenors of a state.
Guess they are all qualified.

It was game over for McCain when he pulled that stunt. While in most elections you vote the top of the ticket, when the choice is a man 70+ years old with a history of cancer, you better believe any intelligent citizen will examine the VP to make sure they can fill the office of the President. What a blunder.

Oh, Jack, why do you ask? After all, she was so qualified after her stint of Mayor of Wasilla. What a joke! There's more people in my immediate neighborhood. How about I become President of my Homeowners Association for a year or two and then I, too, can be qualified to be the VP in 2012?

McCain picked Palin because he thought she would bring in the disgruntled Hillary people, her total ignorance of all things political and economic notwithstanding.

So much for "country first!".

I depends on what the objective behind the pick was. If McCain wanted to soldify the socially conservative base of the party, then she was a good pick. However, if he wanted to win an election, then she was an unmitigated disaster.

I know several lifelong republicans that are voting for Obama because they were dismayed at how blatently unprepared she was and is. Clearly more qualified individuals existed for McCain to choose from. And to think, no one has yet to attack her record or her associations.

I have already voted for Obama and will be happy when January 20, 2009 arrives.

No Jack. Seems to be working just fine for Obama.

Does Sara Palin have any merit at all ??

Jack, I didn't really want to leave a comment. I was having a great time reading everyone else's comments and finally got down to this box with my name on it, so here goes.

She is a MAVERICK, that's why he picked her, and now she is proving it. All of the McCain aides that were assigned to babysit her, have their knickers in a bunch, because she is now wandering off on her own and talking off script. She is a distraction and not an addition.

Not only was this a mistake, but another mistake was to give this man the republican nominee.

Yes, it was a mistake! This was McCain's biggest decision and he blew it. Palin has already been found guilty of abusing her power in Alaska (by mostly republicans, no less) and still under investigation by the personnel panel for the same thing. Have we lowered our standards so much that we'll elect someone even though they have abused their powers in one position? Also, her defination of the duties of the office of the VP, sounds like she plans to continue abusing any power given to her.
McCain showed horrible judgement in picking her but the RNC showed bad judgement is spending $150,000 on clothes for her and $20,000 on her hair and make-up for this month alone. Sorry, it might not seem like a lot , but to Americans losing their jobs, homes, cars, and health insurance its huge. Shows how out of touch they all are. Whatever she says about it, is a lie. She had no problems trying to lie her way out of it in the beginning by saying it wasn't that much money and now she is trying to make people believe that many of the clothes went back and the rest will be auctioned off...yeah right...if you believe that, I've got a bridge to nowhere in Alaska to sell you....

Yes, she was a great choice. She has replaced the dumb blond jokes.

Jack,

Apparently, when John McCain selected Sarah Palin, it was only because of her hard-line conservative ideals that would get the right wing all fired up. No one thought to consider the more, all important qualification: Does she really know anything?

I would be willing to bet that if you gave her a blank map of the United States and asked to name as many states as she could, she wouldn't be able to get much farther than the west coast. Just think what would happen when she got around to the New England area. Oh my gosh! There's a lot of little states in there to remember!

You know it was Jack but when your only getting a few hundred people at your rallies you have to do something out side the box.

I'm betting he's watching you and saying "We should have hired Jack Cafferty. I don't know what his price would have been but it would have been worth it."

She was a bad choice. Palin stole the show. The GOP campaign ceased to be about John McCain and it came to be about Sarah Palin.

Joe in MO

I'm absolutely thrilled with Senator McCains chioce. It speaks volumes about his judgement.

Yes it was a mistake to pick Sarah Palin. However it wouldn't of made any difference who he picked. He's a Republican, and has supported both Bush's over his extended career. He was doomed to lose from the start.

Yes, and he knows it too. After he loses the election, he'll someday comment on how she hindered his campaign more than she helped. He'll never say anything bad about her, but he will, in as subtle way as possible, state that she was a poor choice for VP.

Barb Stevens
Caro, Michigan

Depends on which side of the fence you sit on...as an Obama supporter, it was a fortuitous mistake.

Without a doubt! McCain's first "BIG" decision was (like others we've seen made by him) visceral, miscalculated, self-damaging, and demonstrate lack of wisdom and judgment.

She was a disaster for McCain and a blessing for Obama. After the initial boost she provided the apparent lack of vetting proved to be a stake through McCain's campaign. It showed voters how McCain made decisions and indicated he was not capable of running his campaign, much less a country in as much trouble as this one.

Heck Jack, why don't you ask Tina Fey? For her it was a brilliant move.

Yes i think it was an bad idea by McCain.
He is running an campaign based on experience, but by picking Palin, which has no experience to speak about, he is destroying his own campaign arguments why the American people should pick him.
Also, his age can work against him by choosing Palin, if he was to die/become sick and Palin would have to step in, many voters might be scared of her lack of experience at leading the most powerfull nation in the world.

I'm sure a lot of Republicans are wondering how things would look right now if McCain had chosen a more qualified governor like Romney or Huckabee.

But as an Obama supporter, I can't complain. Palin is the gift that keeps on giving.

You Betcha!!

yes...makes you wonder between that choice and the campaign he has run he is the gift that keeps on giving

You betcha!

Apparently McCain picked her for her plumbing, thinking it would attract women's votes. Women I know can't stand her.

Hey Jack,
Let's try "vetting her appropriately" since he didn't, this was the DISASTER he had coming!!!!

Margie H.
Queen Creek, Az.

Heck no, she is the best thing that has happened to the democrats since sliced bread.

jack, ask tina fay

Yes very much Is what I think !!!!!!

It wasn't only a mistake but all woman should feel like John McCain put us out on the stroll. He used Palin for the "Hillary" votes and that's the only reason he picked her.........why else?

Palin was a huge mistake. She is utterly un-qualified. Watching her for the last two months has been like watching the clip of Miss Teen South Carolina over and over.

Absolutely Jack, if memory serves me correctly Alaska is not one of the "must win" states for McCain.

When watching her speak I get the deja feeling of rewatching "So you want to be a star".

Who cares at this point:? McCain is going to lose the election.

betcha , he had a crush on that moose girl

Not for me, the Sarah Palin pick was a godsend for the Obama-Biden ticket, I know Virginia Republicans, who will now either not vote this November or they're will grit their teeth squint their eyes and put the lever for Obama!

Yes!!!!!

For all the reasons you implied and many more, Gov. Palin has no business being a candidate for VP. Besides the fact that she really has no clue about the job or a handle on the real issues, I read many of the things in the report out of Alaska and am convinced that she abused the power of her office. We don’t need that in a VP. In addition, I am very willing to believe a major newspaper in her state saying that she is not prepared to be the VP.

But I am truly glad that Sen. McCain made the mistake as it provides a better chance for us being able to elect Sen. Obama. I truly believe Sen. Obama could be a great president.

Palin is mediocrity personified – made much more evident by these dire times.

Recently saw the Republican ticket aptly distilled to : McCain /Palin = Incontinence / Incompetence. 'Nuf said.

Sarah Palin is most definitely a mistake! Ridge or Romney (each well respected and with loads of executive experience) would have been a great choice, especially with the current economic woes.

Do you really have to ask, Jack?
At this point, though, I think McCain's biggest mistake was not insisting that Palin go clothes shopping at WalMart. Doesn't he realize they could be "donating" SO much more that way?

If Mcain was the Titanic Sara is his iceberg from Alaska Gary from B.C. Canada

Not when you consider they simply put names in a hat and pulled one out!

Jack, the problem was that Sarah palin found it a mistake to run with john McCain, as he tries to distance himself from unpopular president Bush, sarah is trying to distance herself from UNSTABLE mccain and Bush to plain for her political future.

new york

Jack,

When I heard Sen. McCain's choice of Gov Palin, I paused for a moment and my intial reaction was "he just gave Obama the Presidency of the United States". As a former resident of AZ, I can say with a very high degree of certainty, contrary to his own denial, Sen. McCain has indeed changed. In previous election campaigns in AZ McCain was a focused candidate and well respected by his constituants. Now, I believe McCain has demonstrated his lack of understanding of the issues of America and his choice of a running mate whom doesn't have a high school understanding of civics is proof McCain is out of touch and no longer a force.

Yes, it was a mistake. To me it seems that the McCain campaign wanted to steal the headlines after Obama's convention speech, and in that, they were quite succssful. The motivations were clearly political. As a woman, it the Palin pick was insulting to me on day one, as if I would vote for any woman on any ticket, and ignore the substance and the issues. Not a chance!

I think McCain's hearing is starting to suffer. Shortly before the republican convention I think his advisors were telling him to "pick Ridge, pick Ridge."

Instead, he probably thought they were saying – pick the woman with the "bridge, the bridge."

Oops!

Yes-big mistake.If this woman is the" hope of the Rebublican Party,"it is time for the Colin Powell,Chris Hitchins,Chris Buckley,etc. wing of the GOP to get out and form a new,moderate party pronto.

She is a GREAT pick. I am an Obama supporter and next to stating the economy is sound, picking Palin as a VP Candidate is the best thing he could have done for my ticket.

McCain's got a thing for dingbat beauty queens. He should have picked Miss South Carolina though, at least everyone knew who she was.

It depends on how you look at it Jack. The day McCain picked Sarah I was grinning ear to ear! Game, set, match to Obama! It was deliciously awful watching republicans trying to defend this vp choice. It was obvious even THEY didn't believe the words coming out of their mouths.

Jack,
Of course it was a mistake, but it has given the voter an insight into the liabilities of a McCain presidency. He has a riverboat-gambler mentality, exactly what we don't need at this time. Her selection also highlights McCain's sloppy work ethic that avoided proper vetting of a running mate. In addition, his unwillingness to choose Romney, a no-brainer choice in these financial times, underscores his hold-a-grudge-forever mental make up.

Heck yes! LOL BUT the bigger story is how out of touch McCain was to think that any woman would do so he picked on based on looks so I guess that means he misjudged 2 LARGE groups of voters. Thinking all men think like he does and women would vote with a body part.

A Big One!!

Not if your an Obama/Biden supporter.

The problem is John McCain, not his running mate.

Not if your a DEMOCRAT.

Yes it was a mistake for McCain to pick palin but McCains biggest mistake was this lack of a message. He ran on 2 issues Iraq and well the suge in Iraq. That was not going to cut it this year. Also, I doubt McCain had the courage to pick Romney or Huckabee. He is an old timer who thinks someone younger than he should just listen.

Jack:

If she had been named October 23, 2008 and the Republican National Convention had started October 26, 2008, it would have been a brilliant idea. Otherwise...just plain sucks!!

Huge . . . Thank You John!!

As a Hillary supporter, I was open to John McCain because I saw him as more of an "independant" candidate. His pick of Sarah Palin changed my view of McCain from independant candidate to one of a candidate who is afraid of the right wing of his party. Had McCain picked the best candidate he had to choose from, rather than the candidate who most pandered to the base, he would have burnished his Maverick credentials. Instead, he reenforced the image of John McCain as 4 more years of George Bush with his Palin pick.

Absolutely yes. It is amazing how John McCain, a man with over 20 years of political experience, can run such a train wreck of a campaign. McCain wrapped up the republican nomination for president in March while Obama didn't wrap up the democrat nomiation for president until June. With two fewer months to prepare for the general election, Obama not only chose a better VP but has also run a superior campaign.

Jack – it definitely wasn't a mistake, for it let the American people know loud and clear exactly what kind of presidential judgment and common sense McCain has – especially when it comes to making really important decisions which will affect all of us. Aren't we all lucky to have gotton to know this before we go into the voting booth on November 4th?

No – Then it wouldn't be a land-slide.

Of course he did to put it plainly, He's toast and she's half-baked. Now he’s looking at the Ebay lady for secretary of the treasury? Woo Hoo

Hi from Athens, GA

Yes, I think if McCain had chosen his running mate more wisely the whole election might be proceeding down a different path. I would have supported Obama not matter what, but the campaign might have been more civil and the arguments for choosing either candidate might have been more rational. I mean, God forbid that McCain wins and Ms Sarah ends up as our leader. Can any talk down far enough to reach that lady? I know people say she's smarter than she appears to be but I haven't seen it.

Wanting power is no indication of intelligence but it does indicate a huge ego. I think she's got that.

Not if you are a Democrat!

As a Democrat, I believe Gov. Palin is the perfect pick. John McCain, far from being the "maverick" he claims, sold out to the far right of his party, and it will probably cost him the election, or at least make it a tighter race.

YOU "BETCHA"!!!!! SHE IS A SORRY MISTAKE. SHE SHOULD TAKE HER $150,000.00 WORTH OF CLOTHES, GO HOME, TAKE CARE OF HER BABY, AND BE A GRANDMA!!!!

Seriously......as of this moment I can't even believe she's governor of Alaska......man oh man Jack......was this just one of McCain's jokes?......I hope to God it is a joke!!!!!

I think it was absolutely a mistake. John McCain made a rushed decision, didn't vet her properly, and now she's dragged down the entire campaign. I didn't think McCain was that foolish and transparent, but apparently I was wrong. VOTE OBAMA/BIDEN!

Jack, this one's a no-brainer.Even someone of modest intelligence, could see from either of her 2 or 3 interviews that Sarah Palin, had the intellectual gravitas of the 3 stooges. McCain had lots of intelligent women he could have picked, such as Condelezza Rice. Not only did McCain put the country at risk by picking Palin, but anyone who votes for the Republican ticket is also guilty of putting the country at risk. Where is the Republican motto "Country First???

McCain loves to say he's been "tested" and has "the scars to prove it." He apparently hasn't learned that you can win a battle and still lose the war since that's what's about to happen. He chose her for the sheer shock value of it. He got it and now it's gone, and he's left with the least qualified VP EVER. She makes Quayle's misspelling of "potato" look like small potatoes.

Okay we get the big important scoop on Sarah's RNC provided campaign wardrobe. Now when will you examine to use of the campaign airplane to fly Barack to visit his ailing Grandmothe in Hawaii. It was not a campaign event, so if the plane was used for personal use, who paid for it?.

As a believer in God, and because this Presidential race is suppose to be about government issues not about racism, I would like to speak to the Christians. If you did your homework and viewed the debate, both candidates believe tha same about abortion. The issue about taxes, our economy is based on taxes which drive our city & state government but if theft is not monitored than we are reaping the results as now. God command us to pray for our leaders, after reading Proverbs 6:12 thru 29, I hope we do have a change in Leadership for the White House.

No it wasn't a mistake because it's only going to help Obama win!

Of course it is big mistake although McCain would be too arrogant to accept it. She may have energized the Republican base but it was the independants who were slipping away from them. Republican base would not vote for Obama anyway. But independance will now that they are not happy with Sarah Palin. But I must tell you that she has been a cause for many of us to have a good laugh through comedians like Tina Fay. Other than that, she is no use for America.

Nuwan from Houston, TX

Hi from Athens, GA

Yes, I think if McCain had chosen his running mate more wisely the whole election might be proceeding down a different path. I would have supported Obama no matter what, but the campaign might have been more civil and the arguments for choosing either candidate might have been more rational. I mean, God forbid that McCain wins and Ms Sarah ends up as our leader. Can any talk down far enough to reach that lady? I know people say she's smarter than she appears to be but I haven't seen it.

Wanting power is no indication of intelligence but it does indicate a huge ego. I think she's got that.

No Jack it wasn't. Thats when I got a McCain/Palin bumper sticker and a sign for my front lawn. For all the RIGHT reasons. A one time Conservative Democrat. No experience, NO vote.

Jack...
He couldn't have made a bigger mistake. This choice stands alone above all other issues–to graphically demonstrate just how serious McCain is about really solving anything.

I do think Sarah Palin was a mistake for VP. I shudder to think if she had to 'fill in' as President. I don't see how McCain's judgement is anything but irresponsible; and he says he is for Country Firtst??!!! When I see McCain with Cindy & Sarah, he reminds me of when we see Hugh Hefner on tv. with his 'girls.'

Absolutely, If either Mitt Romney, or Tom Ridge were picked to be McCain's VP, then the race to the White House would be a much tougher road for Obama., However, as a Democrat, I praise his pick for VP because she gives us so much to laugh about while waiting for the defeat of the Republican Party on November 4th.

I don't consider her being a mistake because I want Obama to win! So thank you John McCain for making our lives a little easier.

Mistake? Palin is the sort of Republican VP candidate that Democrats always wanted to run against. And the comedians find her to be the gift that keeps on giving. Unless you are John McCain, the choice couldn't be any better.

My first impression was that she did not possess the gravitas to operate on the world stage. And as they say first impressions are everything.

Jack,

In one word: YES!!!!

Jaye
Hayward, CA

Jack,

Of course it was a mistake! He could have picked just about anyone who would have been a more knowledgeable and qualified candidate.

I think it was typical John McCain. The other two women that he has picked in his life have been beauty queens. As an Obama supporter, I truly support McCain in his choice.

Jack –

It most certainly was and many Republicans agree whether out loud or behind closed doors. Many believe this drastically changed the dynamics of the campaign in favor of Obama. If McCain had chosen Mitt Romney, for example, things would be much different.

This was the first important decision McCain had to make as a Presidential nominee, a true testament to his judgement as a potential presidential pick and he blew it.......badly.

Phyllis from Rhode Island

We have long heard of McCain's sense of humor – maybe this is just a joke.

Jack,
As an Obama supporter I have to ask, "Are you kidding"? She's our best player. Best pick Obama ever had!!

Jack,

No, Sarah Palin was no mistake.

She will be very good to Canada......

I would like to thank Sarah Palin, as Governor of Alaska, for having awarded the $40B natural gas pipeline contract to TransCanada.

Its good that Alaska is outsourcing jobs to Canada.

If McCain does not win, this VP pick will go down in history as the worst pick ever, and will probably be the blame for his losing this election. I would have voted for McCain had he chosen Romney or Lieberman. I am not voting for McCain because of Palin. The woman is a complete joke.

Yes, I hope McCain is ashamed of himself. We need integrity in a President and VP, they show how much they LACK everyday.

Thank you John McCain for picking Sarah Palin, you personally guaranteed that she will be the next big Republican, thus ending any hopes of winning in 2012, the pick eliminated you in 2008. She is already positioning for the future and backing the bus over you in the process. The right wing will latch on to her as they have already, securing for us a Republican candidate that will never have a chance of winning a national election. We are all to smart to let her anywhere near elected national office. The mistakes have been coming at such a fast pace that I can barely keep up. Please try to go quietly with some dignity, it is the right thing to do after a disasterous campaign.

Yes she was, and so was McCain! Surely the American people deserve better. In these times of crisis America needs a steady hand at the helm. Listening to Palin you would think that she is ready to go to war with just about any country. She is a "lightweight" who just could not bluff her way through with lipstick and expensive clothes.

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

In a word... YES! She was a bad choice to begin with and she's gone down hill every since. You would think by now she would know what to say and what not to say, unless she never wanted to be VP and is planning to be the next top choice for the 2012 ticket. Then it all makes sense to me.

Yes it was. Jack, It was the first decision a Presidential Nominee does to show the American people how he or she would govern. The party picked her there is no doubt in my mind. McCain wanted Tom Ridge or Joe Liberman but the party rejected his decision and made him pick Sarah. A 72 year old and an Inexperienced Vice. They say Obama would be tested. What if something happened to McCain, don’t you think she would be tested? She has no foreign policy experience whatsoever. We would be in a world of hurt!

No Jack, not if you're a Democrat. It was a stroke of good luck.

No, not a mistake. It was an act of God.

150K worth of clothes, pretty smile, charming looks are cute...but McWarmonger had a hopeless cause no matter who the VP choice was.
The banking crisis really magnified the mess the Republicans created by always advocating deregulation.

I was in shock when he chose her!! I really believe she hurt his ticket! She may have rallied the Rep. base, but she hasn't rolled over the independents. If we all remember at the beginning of the campaign ads that aired, McCain protrayed Obama as a celebrity NOT FIT TO LEAD!! Now who has a celebrity in their camp!! She is a joke!!

You can see by the expressions on John McCain's face when they appear together that he is increasingly dismayed about his choice of Sarah Palin. He knows, even though he strongly backs his decision, that he made a HUGE mistake. Out of the pool of highly qualified running mates, he chooses her? What was he thinking? Or better yet, what was he thinking with!

Yes of course it was a mistake,
ive said this before and i will say it again. Mr. McCain i hold deep respect for you. what you sacrificed for your country and endured tremendous torture while being a captive for the SAKE of your country. but picking Palin was an obvious give away to your judgment, politricks, and diversions.

people blame the media for putting Palin in a bad spot light but McCain need to be the blame.

this may sound something out of D.L Hughley breaks the news but McCain is the political pimp and Palin is the one who attracts the johns for her pimp but the johns are the voters

Jack, It was a HUGE mistake! She has her own agenda! This is scary! I'll be glad when she goes back to Alaska! She's a legend in her own mind! Of course, this benefits the Obama campaign!

It was a very characteristic one: McCain has been using the same old strategy of using clichees and likable people over substance. While the same startegy got Pres. Bush elected twice, I very much doubt that it will be successful the third time in a row.

No, it was no mistake…if you’re a Democrat!! Seriously though, McCain didn’t have the Base of the Republican party and had no shot of winning without it. He wasn’t going to get it with anyone you mentioned and now Wingnuttia is with him. But the reality is, no matter who McSame picked, he was still going to loose to Obama.

If McCain would have chosen a more respected and qualified V.P. I think he would be a lot farther along in the race. Lets be honest, the man is in his seventies and people are afraid he will not last though his first term… let alone a second. Most people fear Palin becoming President more than John McCain. That fear will most likely drive them to cast a vote for Obama.

McCain has been the culprit killing his own campaign. He’s made one sloppy decision after another… however… Palin may be the biggest mistake of his political career.

-Jaye
Hayward, CA

I think it was a monumental mistake. The base may love her but that alone does not make one ready to be president.

This is one time Democrats and the far right agree on something. I think it was a good decision for McCain to pick her. I am a democrat and she has definitely helped Obama. The far right likes her because their main political goal in to treat liberals with contempt regardless of what it does to the country.

A Blunderous mistake indeed.

It was no mistake that McCain picked Palin. Time revealed this truth to us all, unfortunatly it won't be a mistake if time reveals McCain losing the election and U.S. stuck with Obama and maybe communism.

Depends who you're asking. If you ask the McCain camp, then yes, Palin was a huge mistake. If you ask me, a democrat, then no, Palin was a wonderful pick. She has done as much, or more, than Bush has in helping the democrats win this election. I thank McCain for his impulsive choice and I thank Palin for her ignorance and stupidity.

She was a very nice pick for Obama!!! It made it a lot easy for Obama.

HUGE. I've always thought that a Republican would not be elected this time around no matter what. To me that was the nail in the coffin.
I do wonder though, do you really think that "some of John McCain's advisors are "upset" with Palin going "off script"? This way she can get away with saying what John McCain cannot!

Margaret
Phoenix

Yes it was a mistake. When McCain chose Palin, he lost his experience argument. The American public has also learned much about her scandals in Alaska. Add that with mis-statements, lack of knowledge of policy and lack of knowledge of the Vice President, it seems like McCain chose Palin because he wanted Hillary voters.

No. In the ultimate demonstration that McCain crosses party lines, he selected Gov. Palin so that the Dem could win. Country First!

You betcha!

Huge mistake picking Palin. She energized the base and that's all she did. Now she's going against McCain's stance on some issues. Doesn't sound like a winning combination to me Jack.

You know Jack, people say there are no dumb questions, but you're flirting with crossing the line here. Why? There certainly ARE dumb VP candidates and it is certainly dumb to choose them as your running mate.

Picking Palin was the best thing McCain could do to assure a win for Obama. She is at best a bad joke.

duh!!!!

Her nomination was a BIG mistake: Abuse of power and ethics law violations, pregnant high-school dropout daughter and hooligan boyfriend, questionable per diem charges to her state, questionable child travel charges to her state, inability to name one news periodical she has read, no understanding of the Bush Doctrine, says "Maverick" too much, flirts and winks instead of appearing Presidential. The woman is a loon.

Yes Jack, clearly this was a mistake. What is worse though is that Palin (and Bachman hasn't helped either) has shown the world that women are not ready for high political office; that they speak before thinking and don't take the details of our political world seriously but see it as a fashion show and popularity contest. This is despite the fact that there are plenty of intelligent females who have read the Constitution that would have been fabulous choices for this campaign. McCain dug his own grave, and at this point given the negative path his campaign has taken, I can't say I feel sorry for him at all.

Depends which side you're on, Jack. She was a big mistake for McCain, but what a winner for the Democrats!

I think that Mitt Romney would have hurt McCain in the midwest, though he might have helped in Colorado.

I think that McCain's best pick would have been Mike Huckabee, a genuinely "good guy." He may be as conservative as Palin, but he seems much more friendly.

Mike, Centreville VA

Hi Jack,

Senator McCain and the Republicans were trying to "one up" the Democrats who chose not to select Hillary Clinton. Of all the qualified women Republicans they could have chosen, they picked a real "bomb" and she is about to explode.

No, the Palin pick wasn't a mistake. I haven't had so much waking up to the breaking headlines in a long time. And SNL has revived. And I have never felt more confident that my democratic candidate would actually win. By a landslide!! An excellent pick the way I see it.

Well Jack you have to analyze all the other available choices McCain had for his VP selection. Most of them were pro choice so if any of them were picked he would lose the wacko vote. Even choosing a Mormon would likely had the same result.

If he chose either Gomer Pyle or Ron Paul then they would be against his penchant for world domination and more wars so they wouldn't be a good fit as a running mate.

It kinda looks to me like the only two choices he had left were Sara Palin or Fred Thompson as the only two people who could by contrast make McCain look smart. Ergo the correct choice may have been made.

YOU BETCHA Jack !
The Anchorage Daily News, Alaska's largest newspaper, endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. ... putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time," The Daily News said.

The newspaper said Obama "brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand."
The Daily News said since the economic crisis has emerged, McCain has "stumbled and fumbled badly" in dealing with it.
"Of the two candidates, Sen. Obama better understands the mortgage meltdown's root causes and has the judgment and intelligence to shape a solution, as well as the leadership to rally the country behind it," the paper said. ..."and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation," the paper said.

Barack & Joe ... Lets Go !! VOTE EARLY Avoid the FIX

Sarah Palin has obviously been a major distraction in a campaign that has always lacked focus. The energy that she brought to the campaign was offset by her inadequacies.

thomas
lv

After what the country has been through over the last 8 years, McCain needed someone who could at least give the apprentice of middle ground, not someone as right winged as Bush. McCain could have stood a better chance if he hadn't picked her. Palin brings in a certain number of people, but how many did she drive away? I am all for a woman VP, but one who doesn't put her foot in her mouth every time she opens it as well as one that doesn't entice violence.

Mistake of a lifetime.

Jack

If only it was just a mistake, but history will show missy was the single reason that the Reptilian party was out of power for decades!

And it was "God's will"!

Huge mistake – if he wanted a woman to try and siphon off Hillary voters, he could have gone with veteran Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison or Olympia Snowe. These ladies are independent mavericks in their own right and had one of them been the running-mate I'm sure I'd be biting my nails right now, watching a very tight race. But they are (gasp) pro-choice, and therefore unsuitable to the evangelical base who seem to be the only ones rallying around Gov. Palin – The Palin pick was political pandering, plain and simple, and McCain is reaping the consequences of that pick right now.

Does a Moose "go to the bathroom " in the woods"?....You Betcha!

Jack, it was a mistake for the McCain campaign and would be an even bigger mistake should they win on Tuesday. Colin Powell was right when he said she was just too inexperienced to be a heart beat away from the Presidency. I think even McCain has come to regret his hasty decision, I just pray the nation won't have to.

Well, we already know what you think about her, Jack, and I'm sure that will reflect the comments you'll read on air, but some of us really like Palin. If McCain loses, she'll be better next time around, or maybe go for (and win) Alaska's senate seat.

I'm more worried about the role Oprah Winfrey is going to play should Obama win. YUCK! We men will be in big trouble!

It was a HUGE mistake. She makes Quayle’s misspelling of “potato” look like small potatoes.

The Palin pick illustrates the problem with the republican party today and why it will cease to be a national influence for the next decade.
The republicans have painted themselves into a corner that assumes intelligent people are "elitists" who should be shunned and the world should be run by the Joe the plumber is the reason we are in this mess today.
Al
Fairfield Ct.

NO PALIN WASN'T A MISTAKE- BUT YOUR IGNORING A VIDEO THAT OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE VIEWED TODAY IS JACK!

Jack,

Was electing George W. Bush for a second term a mistake?

Brian
Moscow, Idaho

At least Admiral Stockdale (Ross Perot's running mate) knew that he was in over his head with his opening line of "Who am I? Why am I here?" Govenor Palin has started believing that she is the "new face" of the Republican party. SNL writer must be salivating.

I will tell you why McCain will lose beacause people are smarting then he think they are.

He said country first and he always put his country first but pick Palin for VP.

Think about it, is she more qualified than anyone else he could have pick, No , he could have pick anyone more qualified than her.

It shown america about his judgement and he will do anything to win and put anyone in front of his country even if they are less qualify to run.

Of course it was. Jack, be careful lest you begin to sound like Sarah Palin for asking such an unintelligent question.

it was a mistake for her family. Does her children attend school? Her pregnant daughter and her teen boyfriend do not.

The little girl, Piper carries Louis Vutton bag, but is on the campaign trail along with the special needs baby. How is that properly taking care of your family.

Tom Ridge might have sealed this up for McCain, but he caved in to the base and picked Palin, whom he thought would pick up Clinton supporters. Also, with Palin on the ticket I am terrified of a McCain victory. I could have handled it if Tom Ridge had been VP, but I am scared to death of the prospect of Palin embarrassing us as VP.

If he had picked someone else, and campaigned less hatefully, then I might still respect him, and would have sent him more of my money. John McCain, I want my primary donation back!

Jack, Sarah Palin was the biggest mistake in political history! This shrill-voiced, impulsive and self-serving bimbo is about as qualified to be VP as a middle school cheerleader! The entire world must be laughing at us to have even considered her!

Jack,

I think that the Maverick wanted Lieberman, but the Base said "no." McCain then chose Pailin out of spite and anger to get back at the Base. He is now paying the cost of such a decision.

It was huge blunder. As a moderate, I would be voting for McCain if he had picked Romney as his running mate and continued to act the moderate he has shown he is. He has focused too much on pleasing the far right. Normally running mates don't get very much attention, however given McCain's age it becomes necessary to take a close look at the running mate. Had he picked Romney, I'm not sure he would have won, but it would be much closer than it is.

Yes, McCain should have known more about Pain and her lack of knowledge. Then to Palin should have rejected the invitation for VP. If she is a smart lady, which we have yet to see, she would have became knowledgeable about McCain.

How she made is as governor it take god to tell. She's a power hungry lady, not a diva. The rest of the world knew nothing about her and that should have stayed that way. Palin embrasses all women, she is dumb.

Even as a Democrat, I would say it wasn't a mistake. McCain needed to get the base behind him in order to get a decent voter turnout. Selecting Palin has likely done the trick, but she didn't really appeal to the independents, which he needs in order to win. He was stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place: pick a VP to appeal to the base or pick a VP to appeal to independents. I don't think he had a candidate available that could do both, so he went with Palin and hoped to steal some disgruntled Hillary supporters to make up for lost independents. It hasn't worked, and thank goodness for that.

No, it was done on purpose. This is the kind of reason we need a change, and I am voting for Obama.

It was the biggest political error of his entire life. The selection of Palin meant that I contributed another $200 to Obama.

For a change i agree with you, Romney would have been a better choice.

YES, big, big HUGE mistake. Romney would have given him a shot at winning. He shot himself on the foot.

Not a mistake if you want Obama.

Senator McCain has served our country well.

However, his choice in Sarah Palin will forever be a defining factor for John MeCain and any hope he might have had for the presidency.

Moreno Valley, California

Hi Jack,

Was Palin a mistake? Is water wet?

Nope, not a mistake at all – love that McCain picked Palin to be his running mate.

Signed,
An Obama Supporter : )

She is about as big a mistake as one can make. Looks like McCain had no one to choose from his picks that would cut it with the right and he was stuck with her, no vetting, no common sense.

Dear Jack,
How can anybody take her seriously when she has to ask, “What does the VP do, anyway?” Then she says later when asked by a third grader what the VP does, “The VP is the President of the Senate, and will be able to lead them in making important police decision.” She obviously hasn’t even read the Constitution, which most sixth graders have.

Hi Jack – Take your pick – Romney, Ridge, Krusty the Klown; Each of these would have made a better pick for John McCain, than Sarah Palin, and any of the above would have also insured his reaching the White House in November. Was it a mistake to choose Palin? Surely you can come up with a harder question than this one in the future.

In a word? Yeah.

She'll be fine... once she figures out what her job description is. I'm sure Todd will lend a helping hand as well!!

It was a calculated risk that McCain lost. He wouldnt have been able to win without the support of the base. Semantics maybe but I wouldnt say it was a 'mistake'.

A mistake?

For the Republican Party, yes, but most certainly not for the Democrats. Every time Palin opens her mouth, she only makes Obama look better.

Palin, keep moving your mouth! You're the best thing to happen to the Democratic Party this entire campaign!

Obama '08

It's easy to say, with more negatives than positives associated with Sarah now, that it was a bad move. But was it a mistake? No. It was a gamble that didn't pay off. McCain wanted to pick up Hillary Clinton supporters. He just did it the wrong way. Clinton supporters didn't back her simply because she's a woman, but because she's a strong, intelligent, rational woman. Palin's energy and next-door neighbour appeal weren't enough to get those disenchanted democrats to vote republican.

hi jack
it wasnt just a mistake it truly made Palin the one to be on top of the GOP ticket,and made McCain look small.people should turnout to see the top of the ticket not the VP pick and now she is looking out for herself and not McCain. if he could do it all over again he would have taking someone besides her.
clearwater,fl

She does speak in complete sentences. It is almost painfull to hear her say anything.

Palin does NOT appear Vice Presidential at all.

I discount the whole McCain campaign. He does not have a plan and I hope he losses. He lost me vote when he picked her.

Bad Choice = McCain

You betcha.

The bigger mistake was McCain not seeing what her own political goals were before offering her the position on his ticket..it's obvious that she is working for herself(and Todd) more than for McCain...

You betcha. It's shameful that McCain would put the country at risk to win an election after all his blathering about his honor and judgment.

Well, with all the winkin' and blinkin', I just want to nod! zzzzzzzzzz.

Yes it was! Sarah Palin has become the biggest laughing stock of the planet. She is the most unqualified person to be vice president. She has caused McCain to go down in the polls. It is obvious Obama will win this election and McCain and Palin will be heading back to their home states. Even my dog would have been a better pick than Palin.

Yes – It was the equivalent of marrying someone after the first date. They often look and smell their best at first glance... But you never want to wake up with a hangover decrying, "What have I done?" One meeting, no substantial vetting, just someone with a high approval rating from others. My Momma always taught me to dig deep a lot deeper than that before making big decisions...

No, it was not a mistake...if you support Obama!

Picking her was not a mistake. She is the only one attracting attention for the Republican ticket. Not knowing her and then sequestering her was bad strategy. She's not qualified and a liability to the McCain ticket. However, in the future, for those inclined to embrace a far right ideology, she may be just what the Republicans need. McCain may have ruined her career.

Obama/Biden 08

Jack,
Jesus himself would have been the only selection that would have helped McCain.

Hey Jack,

McCain would have won or not been trailing had he picked Romney. Look at the states were Romney has strong organization from the primaries - Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Nevada, and he finished second in Iowa while McCain was thumped in Iowa. See the trend here? Those are all states that Obama is winning and most of them he's starting to walk away with. Romney had the men and women on the ground there to support a McCain-Romney ticket. Oh ... and he has brains and cheaper clothing.

Darren in Ottawa, Canada

It was a mistake for the Republicans and a blessing for the Democrats.

When Palin runs in 2012 all the Democrats have to do is replay all her mistakes and the video of her saying Obama doesn't have enough experience. It'll bury her campaign before it ever gets off the ground. She'll look like a hypocrit for saying she's qualified.

A mistake for John McCain yes, but not for Sarah Palin. She'll use this to boost her political career. Unless Alaskans wake up and investigate her and all her shenanigans

McCain says he has been "tested" and sure enough, the VP choice was McCain's first test and he made a mistake on this and every other question:

1) VP Choice – Could have chosen Romney, Ridge or Pawlenty
2) Response to a crisis – "Suspended" the campaign; did little else
3) Integrity – The "2000" McCain sold out to lobbyists and Wall Street
4) Campaign – No message, no money, no organization, nothing new
5) Leadership – Copied Obama, H. Clinton, and Romney
6) Fidelity – Self-proclaimed "maverick," cheater; do anything to win
7) Dependability – Promised a civil campaign; did the opposite
Debates – lost 3 out of 3 by double digits
9) Out of touch: Talks "Joe the plumber," but advocates for CEOs
10) More of the same: 90% Bush; johnny-come-lately to "Joe"

McCain missed 10 questions on the exam. ZERO! How anyone can vote for McCain/Palin is beyond me!

Governor Ridge was not one of the most popular the state has ever known.

I am a native of the state, now living in AZ.
My relatives griped the whole time Ridge was governor.

I can't believe he went that route to save his conservative base. I can't believe that she is suppose to be a role model – I've got two daughters and she's the last thing I want (for them) as a role model. I can hardly wait for her to go back to Alaska; and it chills me to think she is suppose to be running in '12.

It would have made a difference with how the campaign was run, but I'm not sure it would have made a difference in the outcome.

Obama – 08

Absolutely Jack, she was and would be a mistake. I thougt for sure McCain was going to pick Romney and with things(the economy) the way they are now I'm pretty sure he wishes he did. But he didn't and by picking an unqualified woman (in my opinion) just to stir things up and show what a "maverick" he is, as well as trying to sway the Hilary voters, he ultimately showed his hand at decision making. Whomever is going to be our next "decider" ought to have better "decider skills" at least better than our sitting "Decider." Keep calling 'em as you see 'em Jack!

As a republican, I am not happy with the VP selection.

Obama for president 2008!

I think he should have chosen Charlie Crist or Mitt Romney. Oh well too late.

Jack

While Palin is very charismatic and has helped McCain's numbers at various times, the pick is a disaster in terms of selecting a potential Presidential replacement. She is uninformed about national politics and is completely over her head. McCain is losing this race, in part, because his pick of Palin shows what kind of bad judgment we can expect from him if he were elected.

Chris
Queens, NY

There would have been pros and cons with every possibility. But some of these would have been better governing choices, bringing relevant and helpful experience to the ticket, versus one that can only be viewed as attempting to rev up the Republican base (although some of us thought it was about Hillary Clinton supporters till we dug a little deeper). Her lack of experience negated the experience argument, which they had been gaining ground on, and called into question McCain's judgment. That would not have been the case with the others you mentioned.

Palin might be thinking of running for President in 2012...
how else can you explain her going off the script in recent campaign events? Even McCain aides are fed up of her!

The Palin pick shows us the true John McCain. The selection was impulsive and not well researched. This pretty well sums up John's McCain's approach to politics and maybe life. Leap first and look for the facts latter. Can you imagine another 4 years run like that.

Was Sarah Palin a mistake? Is that a trick question? Anyone that compares Sarah Palin to a Mitt Romney are just in denial.... much like the McCain Campaign. I'm a voting for Obama and even I would have been intimidated by Romney. By the way, just because your a hockey mom, it doesn't mean you should work for ESPN. It goes the same for ploitics.

I think that Sen. McCain's pick of Sarah Palin shows a great lack of judgement. Also, how can he talk about Sen. Obama's lack of experience and choose someone with even less experience?

From Bridgewater, Ma
Jack I must say that I love this choice because it is such a horrible choice. This selection of Palin must be one of the most unintelligent picks ever for vp. But since I support Obama this pick is just music to my ears.

Sarah Palin has set woman back 100 years. Never have I seen such a horrible choice to represent women in this country.

You betcha, Jack! To consider Sarah Palin a national joke is an understatement. My realization of this came when she likened her
foreign policy experience to her view of Russia from her back porch.....then it went down from there. The Republican ticket is the weakest in decades, and they have no chance of winning this election, Thank goodness!

Jack, without a doubt, if John McCain had chosen someone else with 'real' experience on national issues, you would not be asking a 'what if' segment about Sarah Palin. What Senator McCain picked was a rock star, not a leader. Notice the crowds she draws as oppose to Senator McCain. Her appeal is that of a rock star. The new show to watch.

As is was clearly stated, she is not ready to become President of the United States, which is the job of the Vice President. senator McCain did not think in that regards.

Kindness Regards.

I think history will show that the real mistake was when Republicans picked McCain

Jack,
This seems all to obvious to me.McCain picked Palin to try and win over the women supporters of hillary clinton and to appeal to women in general to support a female in order to change history.Trouble is Palin is no Clinton,and McCain thought that any female would do,not realizing that brains and common sense were important factors to have in the mix

The only major decision a candidate can make prior to the election McCain blew by picking Palin.....

A mistake? No way. That was the very best move he ever made. Otherwise, the old fool might even have won the presidency. Shudder.

sarah Palin a mistake...........................no way. She will be the very reason many vote for John McCain.

I just repeat that others already said. It was a great choice for America!
Thank you senator McCain for you help.

Obama-Biden, 2008 and more.

Without a doubt!

Kent, Ohio

John McCain accomplished exactly what he set out to do: capitalize on the fact that Barack Obama did not pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate and get some major news airtime. Mission accomplished.

Palin claims to be a "Walmart Mom," but she turned out to be a "Gucci Diva." To bad for the McCain Camp! haha

Absolutely it was a mistake. I am one of the Ohio voters who was on the fence – I usually vote conservative, but was impressed by Obama and still am impressed by him. The thing that pushed me over the edge was picturing Palin being sworn in if something happened to McCain. She may be qualified to step in for Rachel Ray, but not for the ruler of the free world.

It totally backfired in McCain's face...his pick of Palin has turned out to be a big joke. She was chosen to "replace" Hillary in the minds of the female voters...wrong!....and she may have "energized" the base...but it's just the republican base and she is not popular with educated voters. She does have 2012 in her sights but i don't believe she's qualified to be mayor of a small town. I'm sure the people of Alaska have had their eyes opened as well.

Mistake. She's ambitious , assertive and has a different agenda than McCain. She represents the Joe 6 Pcks and does not appeal to the Joe Well Offs in the GOP. She's fast talker. She talks even though she doesn't know what she is talking about. Last week's Brian Williams interviews illustrated this where she dominated McCain with her babble.

The maverick showed his poor decision making in choosing Sarah Palin and his poor leadership quality by being unable to keep the rogue diva in line! What a good reflection of the man!

You betcha it was!
I can understand that the Republican Party wanted a woman on the ticket to sway the "Hillary supporters" their way. What I find insulting is that they figured that any woman would do!
McCain deserves to lose the election on the basis of stupidity.

Oh! I have a theory...McCain really hasnt wanted this job, that is why he chose Palin.

An easy way out without looking like he wanted out.

I'm a grandmother of 4 in Atlanta (transplant from Calif) and can only say Palin represents the "dumbing down" of America and seems to be getting a great response from the Republican base–yes, I'd say they are dumb if they think Palin is qualified to be President. She is like the "Chatty Cathy" doll back in the 60's–lots of talk – no substance! What a dumb thing McCain has done–this is not putting "Country First" - duh! I'm voting for OBAMA!!!
Sandra in Atlanta

Hi Jack,

Sarah Palin is just one factor and the looming economic crisis trumps any V-P pick. We'd be complaining about the poor polling numbers and sleazy campaign strategies of the McCain-Lieberman ticket or McCain-Pawlenty or McCain-Ridge ticket just as much.

Even with any other V-P scenarios except perhaps the McCain-Obama ticket, John McCain and the Republicans would be behind in the polls.

Hope you enjoyed the weekend.

picking sarah palin was, from my vantage point, noe a bad choice for john mccain. but then i'm backing obama.

yes palin was a mistake. mccain only picked her because he thought all the hillary clinton suporters would flock his way. big mistake

Sarah Palin's choice as VP was as ill thought-out, as the entire management of the entire McCain Campaign. It was a desperate gesture by a candidate who has hooked his wagon to George Bush's failed policies and now is grasping for anything to recessitate his stalled run for the White House. Palin has proved to only reinforce McCain's "maverick without a clue" personna. The politics of fear and division is not playing well to our citizens who are worried about the war, jobs, healthcare, and a stabliized economy. Obama picked Biden to shore up areas he needed a bolster. McCain now has a VP who's making healines as a diva who doesn't want her new found attention to go down with McCain's sinking ship.

It turns out that choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate is one of the very few truly “straight talk” actions John McCain has made. It gave the nation irrefutable evidence of the kind of knee-jerk, short-sighted decision-making he would show as President. Gratefully, we know that now rather than after it’s too late.

Not that big of a mistake Jack because McCain would still be loosing but at least the other possibilities know what newspaper they read.

I'm glad he chose Palin because she will lose the election for him. She is ignorant and certainly not ready for the big time. I hope she disappears back to Alaska with her "dude". By the way why is nothing ever said about her husband wanting Alaska to secede from the U.S? Do we really need a moron like that anywhere near the White House?

John McCain has shown to systematic approach to this election. Palin's selection was a hastily attempt to capitalize on Obama not picking Hillary Clinton. He appears to be myoptic, he words depend upon gaffs by the Obama/Biden talking points, but no systematic strategy. From this point of view, Palin was a drastic mistake. But, I believe that McCain was the sacrifical selection of the Republicans in a bad election year (he's on his way to retirement anyway!).

As a Democrat, I was not sure that Sen. Obama was the best choice for the office of President. Those doubts disappeared when Senator McCain chose Gov. Palin as his running mate, it said his decision making capabilities are lacking especially since this person is one heartbeat away from the top office.

Was Sarah a bad pick? I wonder if the American people would like Sarah"the Spender" in charge of their purse strings?? Beware!
Sharon-Canada

Jack, the handwriting is on the wall for Sen. Mcain. The largest newspaper in Alaska endorsed Sen. Obama instead of its own governor. They saw it as a mistake – maybe they would have endorsed her if she would have mentioned them – when Katie asked her which newspapers do she reads.

Absolutely, the second I heard of McCains selection of Senator Palin I darn near dropped to my knees joyfully thanking god. The reason is I live in the midwest am white and see regularly the predjuice against black men here. I feared it would be too great a obsticle in this ariea. Palin's nomination proved McCains pick of a intellectually challenged female showed his obvious despiration and lack of judgement.. I smile every time she opens her moose eating pie hole.

Jack:
I’ll bet a dime McCain bangs his head against the wall every night these days asking what he was thinking, as a gambler McCain thought people will come for curiosity sake and go home with some moose oil from Alaska at the price of their vote.

A big mistake for McCain; should have gone with Romney.

To quote Sarah P. from her Charlie Gibson interview:

"I think he's regreting it now!"

John McCain that is!!!!

The Palin pick may be the worse judgement call in American politics since Governor Dukasis decided to drive a tank for a photo opportunity!!

Yes it was a mistake to pick Palin, but McCain did not pick her the RNC did...they are preparing her to run against Hilary Clinton in 2012. I thought everyone figured that our weeks ago!

Did John McCain make a mistake choosing Sarah Palin as his VP running mate? No, UNLESS he wanted to win the election. This woman is just plain UNLIKEABLE to most US voters. It's just THAT simple.

Palin was a mistake depending on how you look at it Jack. If you are for McCain then Palin definitely was a HUGE mistake. On one hand, she may have rallied the base to a certain extent but she’s still not qualified to be president when it comes to truly understanding the issues we face today as a nation and she proves that everytime she gets free rein from her tightly scripted speeches and expresses an original thought. On the other hand, Palin is not a mistake and a gift to the democrats if you are a supporter of Obama.

I support Obama, and have since the very begining.
But I live in a predominately Republican state and I have heard many republicans in my area complain about her from day one. So if his own party supporters are complaining about her then I'd say yeah, she's a bad pick for V.P.
He should have picked Romney. Then even I would have a little respect for him.

Be realistic Jack. Mc Cain never had achoice. Palin always was Rove's pick. When you run out of money, as Mc Bush did last summer and there is no place to turn, you take what you can. Mc Cain did just that. Palin was Rove's way to apeese the right that supplies most of his money as well as Haliburton. Plus a shot across the bow to Hilary folks, which failed.Retired to Texas!!! I think not. More likely retired to the behind the curtain section of the theater where he could better pull Mc Cain strings...But for once it did not work..Thank God!

Yes, a judgement mistake by a boring old man. What else could have taken place other than maybe the RNC? What a terrible mistake if they get to the whie house.

A total mistake for John McCain, I know there had to be other qualifing Republicans he could of picked and I'm a Democrat.

I'm glad McCain picked Palin. It helped MY candidate out.

Nope!
Sheer Genius !!!

Wink-Wink.....

Indianapolis, Indiana

Obviously. Then he conpounded this lack of judgment by dissing Letterman, making a fool of himself running off to Washington and thinking the public too stupid to recognize spin and smear. No wonder the polls show that he has not "earned the confidence and trust of the voters."

Yes! Yes! Yes!, she was a big mistake. If they find her guilty in Alaska it will be good writtens. For Alaska shes okay not for the cuntry.

Did you hear that she sang Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" at a rally in Asheville, NC? That is the first honest thing we've heard from her. Yes, it was a BIG mistake to pick her as VP and he only did it trying to lure Hillary votes. Thinking women are not smart. But wait. Palin proved that for him.

It was only a mistake to pick Sarah Palin, if he did NOT want to win. If he wanted to win, common sense would have told him to pick one of the people he had available to him that would have brought something more to the ticket. I don't believe Palin brought any substance to the ticket.

Yes Jack it was a mistake, not only because she isn't qualified for the office of Vice President but mainly because it reflect upon McCain's poor judgment in selecting her. Who would he select to fill his cabinet? What other poor decisions would he make as President? Scary. Matt. Lady Lake, Florida.

Sarah Palin is a very smart woman. Very capable of the VP position.
Joe Biden is the joke.......I bet Obama is wondering what He was thinking right now!

The choice of Palin was a cheap shot by McCain to try to get Hillary supporters to vote for him. He was using a woman to get women's votes. Once he's voted in office as president, he's still going to run his presidency on his own agenda and Palin will not be able to stand up for what she believes in because he will be her boss..... .. come on America wake up!!!!! This choice was a slap in the face to all women in this country who has been used by men for there own personal gain....... And now...... she is trying to run her own campaign separate from McCain!!!!!!...... Talk about stupidity......Hello!!!!!
To those of you who, like me, supported Hillary and were upset that she did not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a worthy substitute. If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you think the media and the Democratic Party may have done to undermine her campaign, the person to support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin. To those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified McCain is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I guess you have no choice for president. But please try to see how the poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal about McCain's judgment.

ROFLMAO!!!!

Thanks for making me laugh Jack!

A mistake for the Reps, a goldmine for the Dems.

Teresa
Austin
TX

Jack, what's up?., ooo yeah Gov.Palin was the right pick for us demo. because she made Sen. Obama & Sen. Joe look real good*., I still think that there was no right pick for Sen. McCain but Sarah is as bad as you can get*.. see you Jack.

McCain took a big risk, it looked like it was a success in the beginning. But, of late it is back firing ....

However, what I feel is that McCain's choice by the GOP appears to be a bigger mistake.

We would have a real horse race to the end. It could have turned out like 2000, with Obama winning the popular vote and the Supreme Court handing the Presidency to McCain.

Jack, Palin was not a mistake in the beginning. She was brought in to energize the base, to win over conservatives and to swindle Hillary's supporters,,,,,,,,, she was perfect!......the sad part of about it the GOP only looked at those three things..... the didn't check for intellect or skeletons in the closet...if they had they would have seen the train wreck coming.

I hope history proves it to be the biggest mistake John McCain ever made. At a time when he needed a recognizable, proven leader with expertise in the area of economics, who does he pick??? A "hockey mom" with a wink in her eye, a waggle in her tail and spitfire in her tongue. Sarah Palin is not – by a long shot – a candidate any disenchanted Hillary fan would ever support! Nor an independent, nor an undecided. Her fan base is extremely limited and out of touch. What was John McCain thinking???

I believe that deep inside, McCain regrets every second for picking Palin.
I try to picture Palin in office, but i can't see the qualifications necessary for the position within her.
If McCain could go back in time, he would've picked a better running mate in a flash!

I think that picking Sarah Palin for VP candidate was the best thing McCain could have done. As an Obama supporter I couldn't have asked for more in the Republican choice. Whether the subject is newspapers, the economy, or any other topic she has shown time and time again that she needs to focus on driving the kids to hockey practice and stay out of public office.

Yes, Yes, Yes!!! Palin was a mistake for VP pick ?

When John McCain pledged to put country above politics, I believed him. His choice of Palin contradicted that commitment. Her choice as an unqualified candidate made me question McCain's judgment and veracity. It tipped my Republican vote to Obama.
Jim
Arlington, VA

ABSOLUTLY! I think that John McCain made the worst choice not only for the campagn, but for the country! she is not ready to be the right hand man to RUNNING THE COUNTRY! This disition was made for the campagne and now back fired on the McCain ticket. I hope the country dosen't allow this to happen, we are ready for change.

He had to choose someone. He probably knew this was not his to win. So why not go down in flames?

Dear Jack,

The John McCain of today is not the same as the John McCain of 8 years ago. I would have happily voted for John McCain in 2000. He was moderate, he supported women’s rights, and he was an actual maverick. Today’s John McCain is just like G. W. Bush… His selection of Sarah Palin, while appealing to Evangelicals, alienates moderates, independents, and many fiscal conservatives. Right now, people care about job security, retirement, health care, and education! This ticket does not appeal to the masses.

Meggan
Los Angeles

Palin was the best thing that happened to Obama.Let Palin keep making McCain be embarced on Nov 4 Obama will know who to blame.But on a serious note Romney would nave gaven McCain a chance.

A diva? She's a maverick. And mavericks don't follow orders–they do what they want. What did John McCain expect? And that's just one reason it was a bad pick. How about intellect?

Picking Palin, without proper vetting, was bad strategy. In an effort to bring the Religious Right back to the Republican fold as well appeal to voters who favor diversity, the Palin pick helped in these efforts but then alienated everyone else. This includes voters who are undecided, and were less than enthralled by McCain's pick for vice presidential running mate. I know of at least three people who normally vote Independent, Libertarian or Republican but now are voting for Obama because they are terrified Palin might have to succeed McCain. McCain staffers should have read the economy and the electoral map a little more closely and found someone who could appeal to more Independent voters.

it should be about the work a person does and what they have accomplished. not petty issues like wardrobes, not giving interviews to the obama biased media. a whole lot of people are really thinking that obama can actually bring hope, change, turn around on the economy, bringing of new jobs, cutting the unemployment rate. those are the issues that obama has taken advantage of, to get people to go to his side, sickening

Jack,

What on earth was John McCain thinking when he chose Palin? Maybe McCain is continuing the trend of glorifying dumbness. I want someone in the Oval Office with some intelligence. Someone that my country and the world admires.

Promote intelligence for the highest office in the world.

Loyal Viewer

I feel like she was a bad selection for mccain because it seems like they disagree on important points, such as the robocalls and the fact that the mccain campaign pulled out of michigan. Its also a burden on the mccain campaign that it's 8 days left until election and they're talking about her clothes. They're calling sarah palin a diva, there's got to be more important issues to discuss than that, come on!

Jack was it a mstake you ask. I am a life long registered Democrat who consdered voting for McCain until heard that woman speak "What an IDIOT". Its like finger nails on a chalk board mulitiplied by 10. She is about as bright as midnight and as sharp as a bowling ball!! Go President Obama.

Does a moose poop in the woods?

Palin was absolutely a mistake. Not only was it incredibly condescending to assume that women would love her for the simple fact that she has a uterus (ignoring the fact that she's completely incompetent), but her vitriolic speeches, apparent ignorance of important policy issues, and "gee golly gosh" faux-folksiness has completely alienated everyone but the very conservative base. Assuming history doesn't simply forget her, she'll be a wonderful example of how not to behave for the next generation of women leaders.

No, Jack, Ms Palin was not a mistake....

McCain knew she would be perfect to oversee Congress (isn't that the primary responsibility of the VP?)

Jack,

I think that Gov. Palin made a bad choice in accepting the role. Her political career outside of Alaska will be damaged if they lose.

Someone obviously mistook a lap dog for a pit bull. Thank goodness that yippy mutt is going home soon.

Sen Siniel made absolutely the right choice knowing that he is 72 and at his age what do expect from old MCDONALD.

It was a mistake of epic proportions for John McCain, luckily he wont have to live too long with his bad decision as he is already 150 years old. But, who I feel the worst for is Sarah Palin...she's young and just starting her national political career....however, after all this is done, she'll be an American laughing stock for generations to come!

God Bless America...and Joe Six-Pack

No, it's just John McCain acting like John McCain. The guy has a thing for queens, wife no. 1 Carol was "a beauty queen", wife no. 2. Cindy a "rodeo queen, and sexy Sarah was, you got it "Miss Wasilla".
His campaign has been such an insult to the American people. I am so sick and tired of the boos and rahs and the sickening antics of Republicans acting badly. Palin and McCain.....absolutely inane!

Absolutely, but that's what mavericks do. They shoot from the hip without thinking their actions through. They make poor team players, as evident from the other maverick (Palin). And mavericks don't think the rules apply to them. The Laws of Political Gravity are taking hold of the McCain Palin campaign and we're waching it fall apart like a sand castle.

I hope history proves it to be the biggest mistake John McCain ever made. At a time when he needed a recognizable, proven leader with expertise in the area of economics, who does he pick??? A "hockey mom" with a wink in her eye, a waggle in her tail and spitfire in her tongue. Sarah Palin is not – by a long shot – a candidate any disenchanted Hillary fan would ever support! Nor an independent, nor an undecided. Her fan base is extremely limited and out of touch. What was John McCain thinking???
Sharon McLane, Dixon, IL

I think it was the mavericky thing to do. I believe, as a Clinton supporter and an early Obama voter, she was the right choice to drive Clinton supporters to Obama's side. If it was the base he could have chosen Huckabee, if the economy he could have chosen Romney, if for state's votes he could have chosen any of a number of popular governors Crist, Ridge... But for those mothers with special needs children, for those Joe the Plumber wannabes, for the God crowd, for all small businesses who believe they will hit it big and be making $250k but never ever will Palin is RIGHT. For beating himself at the polls Palin is RIGHT. For helping elect Obama president Palin is RIGHT. Plus... she is very entertaining. My vote for Obama tells me Palin was the right choice.

Not a mistake but because it will help take votes away from McCain and that's a good thing.

So glad your back Jack! next time you have unscheduled surgery could you schedule it at a better time? Glad your okay and in full form.
This was beyond a mistake..... what could have he been thinking? I think he only based his decision on her 80% approvale rating. He should have checked that they only polled 26 people for that one and half were her family or those sleeping with her family. Trooper gate...., not knowing Bush Doctrine.....not knowing what pre conditions are..... using tax payers money to fly kids around and put them up in hotels.... husband Todd conducts meetings for her and is never not by her side?...... can almost see Russia from her house, $ 150,000 on her clothing....but worse of all, she will not follow insruction from her boss to stay on topic.... that is scary, why no medical records produced for the youngest of the candidates? Did RNC pay for that eskimo procedure? the tummytuktiuktuk? is cariboo barbie got something fake to hide, she can hide things well....like her intelligence....This is beyong mistake

Yes, Palin was a mistake, but you have to remember McPain did not have a lot of choices acceptable to his fractious support in the "R" party

A great moment for me on television was a few weeks ago when you showed Palin trying to answer Couric's questions. You called it exactly as it was.

How McCain could have chosen someone that ignorant as his running mate is one for the ages.

The Palin pick was interesting. I have to wonder why the News Media has not addressed her support for the Alaska Secessionist party in which her husband is/was an active member?

It is hard to believe "America First" from someone that supported, via husband, Alaska Secession from America.

How does McCain justify "America First" in light of this selection?

Jack,

Palin will never be a Hilary Clinton, Palin has no class what so ever. She is a radical and racist. So what if she is a Hockey Mom? We are Football, Baseball, Track and Field and Soccer Moms. I think this is a well diverse group. Palin is a complete dummy and a disgrace to the party.

I don't know what in the Hell John was thinking, but he is all over the map anyway. He deserve her, two peas in a pot!!!

I think McCain was trying to do what was politically expedient for him at the time. It is just that the landscape has change and he needs to get a grip of times we live in. Sarah Palin is too radical with her ideas they both needs to get a grip. These are serious times and we need serious people to deal with it Jack.

John McCain must have been in a "senior moment" when he came up with Sarah Palin.

governor of a state with 1.1. person per square mile. That sure is great executive experience.

A county commissioner of Cuyahoga county (Cleveland) population 1.6 million would be more qualified.... and probably just as trustworthy

I'm a junior in College, and I bet I could find a sizable chunk of the student population who at least know what the Vice President does.

Sarah Palin is an absolute train wreck. Think about what this Election became after her selection. I'm willing to bet that if McCain had chosen just about anyone else that much, much more attention would be paid to some of the wacky things Joe Biden has said over the last few months.

But no, he chose Palin, and now the GOP is toast.

Jack
Absolutely Sarah Palin was a mistake. Quite frankly, I don't think John McCain picked her himself. If the Republicans thought that they were going to pick up all of those disgruntled Hillary supporters (I was one of them) they were very much mistaken. She stands for everything against women in my view. She was and is an insult to the intelligence of every woman in this country and especially to those who fought for and are still fighting for womens' rights everywhere! Shame on Sarah Palin and shame on John McCain for picking her.

Jack,

I think that Gov. Palin made a bad choice in accepting the role. Her political career outside of Alaska will be damaged if they lose.

Philadelphia, PA

Sarah 'Palin' comparison with Joe Biden in all respect when it comes to qualification for vice presidency. She's likable alright, but that's not enough to carry McCain to victory. Maybe McCain picked her simply because he liked her - nothing more.
J
Houston, TX

If Governor Palin is a bad pick, then Senator Biden is the worst pick not only in recent history but the entire history of presidential elections with his unlimited number of gaffs. Cannot wait for that Obama test Biden promised us when he said Obama would be tested within his first six months of being president...what a great pick you made there, Barack.

Hi Jack,

Clearly this will go down in history as the most costly, misguided, self-interested, RIDICULOUS! "political" decision John "Bomb Bomb Iran" McCain has ever made, and then again....his greatest mistake= Victory for Obama, and victory for the entire world. Thanks wacko McCain, you are an idiot, you will lose, and the world will be better off because of it.

peter, Canada

The Liberal Media would have attacked Romney for being too rich, mormon, and out of touch, even though he was the most qualified, so it really would not have mattered who he picked! I blame you for the next four years.

To be perfectly honest, no matter who John McCain picked for his running mate, the national media would have attacked him or her ferociously. If he picked Mitt Romney, they would have railed him about being one of the "Fat Cat" CEO's, despite him having nothing to do with causing this financial crisis. No matter who he chose as his running mate, the liberal media and the Obama campaign would have called it a mistake, and poor judgement on McCains behalf.

Oh No, Sarah's not following the script. Maybe she's a mavrick. How does it fell John to have the tables turned

Well, Jack a couple comments. Sarah is defintely nice looking and I think behind the gaffes she really is intelligent. Maybe smarter than the McCain camp gave her credit for.

However, she was definitely the wrong choice as was Biden. The difference is that Biden can help Obama because of his knowledge/experience in the Congress. Sarah can't help John.

I don't like either candidate but if I had to look at either VP for the next four years, gee who would I choose...Pretty Palin or Boring Biden. It's Palin by a hair!

Sorry John but Obama is the wiser choice right now.

Simply put, Sarah was the best thing John Mccain could have done for the Democratic party in Colorado. These "real americans" see right thru her.

If it was John McCain's intention to give late night comedy a much needed ratings boost, then no, Sarah Palin was a huge success. But if it was his intention to reflect his "good judgment," choosing Palin was the biggest mistake he could have made. How can anyone take a man seriously who would put our nation in such potential danger by letting such an unknowing, unintelligent, and unequivocal "diva" so close to the presidency?

Jack. Mccain was an Officer in the Military, Would he have chosen her to lead troops into war? I dont think so..So why would he chose her to lead the Country. Senator Mccain forgot the Creed, Honor Duty, Country.

Not for Tina Fey.

Darn Skippy it was!

hey jack,
Sarah palin is joke to the American politics and its McCain's worst decision as politician.jack when people watch Sarah palin now days, its more like an entertainment then watching politician.i dont know what McCain was thinking picking her. its joke joke joke.and if McCain looses this election its because SARAH PALIN'S part.

a.j Adam. Vancouver B.C,Canada

Jack, you just voiced my thoughts to a T !
McCain’s inferior judgment is imminently illustrated by having chosen Governor Palin as his running mate … when he had the pick of a number of other extremely qualified, experienced republicans – like someone with the credentials of Condi Rice … whose participation would likely have projected McCain into the White House in spite of himself !
McCain has obviously totally lost any ability to be able to work co-operatively with, direct or control Governor Palin any more, she now blatantly and obviously running her own agenda to his ticket's detriment ... looking to her own and Todd Palin’s personal and ambitious political futures. Look out America if Ms Palin ever gets into the White House !

Palin was one of many big mistakes that McCain has made in his political career. It is like Leo the lion taking a domestic cat as his mate to rule the jungle. all the other cats will look at leo the lion and ask him if the is real.

It depends on what John McCain wanted to achieve with this selection. If he wanted to energize the Republican base, it was a winner. If he wanted to pick someone to be president if something happened to him, then it was a mistake.

Allen
Mountain Home ID

Dear Jack: I have been one of the hard working rank and file Republicans who spent years working for the party until now. To think that our family's financial contribution to McCain's campaign went to buy $150,000 worth of clothes for the Palin family is the last straw. There are many capable Republican women who honor a women's right to choose and endorse stem cell research. Were is the McCain, I once admired, who bragged about working with both sides of the aisle and now only wants to represent Joe Six pack. How diversive is that message? Oh yes, P.S. Ms. Palin, did you ever think those gorgeous threads you slinking around in were probably all made in China, anyhooooo!

Biiiig mistake; especially now that so many of us are being accused of being 'socialists'...someone needs to explain to Caribou Barbie that social security, metro police and fire are also theoretically 'socialistic'. Hope no one asked if she could spell it.

He HAD to, Jack!

After buying all of those clothes for charity, they found out they weren't Mitt's size, and that he's a "summer," not an "autumn."

It was a bib big mistake. I knew that after the first week of the decision. McCain had it in the bag if he only picked Romney. Romney was the most logical choice. He had almost as much popular votes as McCain. Combine the 2 major popular votes (McCain and Romney) and he had a winner. Politicians are not very logical.
Obama is popular not that he has the experience or he's a great leader, everybody is voting for him because they hate Bush and McCain is stupid. I'm a republican and I'm voting for Ron Paul because I don't like either one of the 2 major candidates, plus my vote isn't going to help anyway. New York state has not the smartest voters, they always vote Democratic because they like high taxes.
Congratulation to Obama supporters, you wonj. .

Jack,

Absolutely! McCain thought he could pick up the Clinton women by picking her, but that was a big mistake. I knew from Day One that she was a "diva" and had her own agenda. She has stated that her goal is to be President some day and this is where she is headed. McCain needs to watch his back, if he wins the White House, as she would roll right over him – look at her husband! she may a lot about Alaska but that is where it ends – if you listen to her statements, vocabulary, it is a joke!

Minneapolis, MN

One word, "Absolutely"!!!!!!

His decision caused him to lose my vote.

Good Judgment” that is what a Commander-in- Chief must have. The fact that John McCain has experience does not mean that he has good judgment. His Pick of Palin was a wrong decision and shows the type of judgment that he has on a presidential level. Palin cannot even name a Supreme Court case. This reflects more on McCain because he is willing to put an incompetent person in charge of our national security.

Terry from Santa Ana, California:

Jack, What if in these final days, John McCain decided to dump Sarah Palin and draft another highly qualified VP pick. Someone like maybe............Elizabeth Hasselbeck?

A mistake for John McCain yes,because she is a new player to a team and wants to be a captain and thats why they are walking backwards.
Francis, brampton-Ontario.

No, it wasn't a mistake .....Mccain needed someone to blame if he lost. And he is going to lose..big time...and it will not be his fault, he's not big enough to shoulder the problem alone.. Rolling Stone magazine had a great article a couple of issues back...worth while. Go to your local library and read it.

A Vietnam vet against McCain..and it's not namm.

After Sarah's acceptance speach she said, "I bet Sen Obama wished he had picked Hillary Clinton, now, I bet John McCain wishes he picked Hilary.
BTW, if they give all those clothes back, what would she wear if she is elected?

No, it wasn't a mistake! The mistake is you the media ...thinking that your opinion is worth anything. As a women I have never seen such a bias and negative attitude towards her from day one. What about Biden what an idiot. When is he going to get his foot out of his mouth. You at CNN have given him a pass, look at what happened this weekend you haven't reported on that, what is he and Obama going to do when they have to answer to dictators or lets see maybe educated people that are questioning their actions like censorship, just wait you could be next that is Jack if you really asked the hard question. I am a moderate and I have to say I think you are starting to look like MSNBC.I am having a difficult time watching CNN.Lou Dodds is the only real true non-bias program to watch currently. I hate to say it but Fox may be my next choice.

I think Sarah Palin is just what the Democrates needed to win!

It could not have have been more obvious that Palin was picked by McCain to galvaize disgruntled female voters. Does anyone honestly believe that she would have been picked if she'd been a man? Dispite the degrading nature of this strategy, the tactic seemed to work at first., but I'm happy to see more people are finally catching on.

What bothers me is that everyone keeps saying “if it wasn’t for the economy melting down she would have been a great choice.” However don’t you want your VP pick to be SOMEWHAT knowledgeable if an emergency happens? So what people are saying is she was a good pick if everything is peachy keen. Well nothing in life is always happy go lucky, so she should have never been picked in the first place.

Jack, I just do not blame good old John Mccain for picking Sarah Palin soon after Barrack Obama did not pick Hillary Clinton on his ticket. If you ever lived with your grand Pa you will know how streight 72 years old brain functions. Mccain simply thought that anything on skirt would win the American female votes, including Hilary /clinton's 18 million supporters. "Streight shot to the white house"

McCain hasn't made his own decisions since the Republican Party agreed to back him in the primaries. The "maverick" of the 2000 election dissappeared when he bent his will to comply with the republicans on party matters for their support. The Republican Party picked Sarah Palin and John McCain allowed the RNC to name their choice for V.P. The American people do not need another republican puppet in the White House.

Sarah Palin is a National disgrace. The Republican Party is so dull every new player to them has the power of redemption–remember Fred Thompson–how he was suppose to do it for them? I predict that Palin, after she looses will hopefully fade away. Louis Zoellar Bickett II, Lexington, KY

yes, they were trying to get Clinton's supporters, but noone is taking the bait. As far as her wardrobe most hockey moms shop at Walmart not Saks and Niemanns, especially when you have 6 kids. Let's talk about character, McCain left his 1st wife after she was disfigured in a trailer home, to marry a billionaire. Palin fired her brother-in-laws boss because she didn't get her way. Is this how they will run the White House if elected? Their temperaments are scary, dontcha think? By golly gee whiz, I would think so.

It was absolutely a mistake–an irresponsible mistake. McCain would rather lose an election than a war? Apparently, he'd rather entrust the #2 position in our nation to a personal who is grossly underprepared. I'm not sure how she emerges as the best pick in anyone's idea of "Country First." He clearly made this pick out of political expediency and not out of sound judgment. Fortunately, it seems to be backfiring.
Ultimately, republican or democrat, it is irresponsible to vote for this ticket during this precarious moment in our country's history.

Jack
Is this a trick question?

He would have had a chance if he did NOT pick her!

god Bless palin and maccain ya dum dum

MaCains chance of winning is "Palein" ....

It would depend on if you think CNN's pick of Jack Cafferty a mistake.

Dennis, from Ohio

Jack,
When he chose her, I thought it was a joke.

Yes, a mistake for McCain, and an early Christmas present for Obama. The lady could not tell an interviewer last week, what is a "pre-condition". And, if she says 'Joe the Plumber" one more time, I'm going to scream. It only illustrates the arrogance of John McCain, to pick someone as "shockingly unprepared" to be VP as Sarah Palin.

I am a strong Obama supporter. When I first saw Palin my thought was, "Uh-oh, we're in trouble now". After I heard her interviewed my thought was, "Uh-oh, THEY'RE in trouble now"! Go O!

Yes. McCain made a huge mistake when he picked the totally unqualified Sarah Palin.
She shamelessly calls Barack a Socialist. What does that make her: She proudly announced that "sharing the wealth" was her motivation when she taxed the Oil Companies and distributed the wealth to Alaskans.
Is anyone surprised that she is now abandoning McCain and becoming totally selfserving?

Yes, thankfully. A better choice might have given him a chance in the election, and if he won, we would continue in the same way that we have for the past 8 years.

By picking Palin, he either exhibited poor judgement, the inability to resist being controlled like Bush or he simply picked her to throw the race. As a former yellow dog democrat, I had considered McCain as a potential choice because the two choice in my party did not appeal to me.

Since McCain claims to reach across the isle and not be influenced by his party (or anyone else), it seems to me that he is guilty of poor judgement at the very least and if not that, she was chosen to throw the race.

The past 2 years have been a complete waste. Forget Term Limits. Lets limit the campaigns to 9 months or less! This has been ridiculus.

Rocky Mount, NC

Come on, Jack. I know you can ask tougher questions than this! Everyone but the most right-wing wackos knows that she has pulled the Republican ticket down since Americans found out what an ignorant, hypocritical, lying, vicious, smug, and self-righteous person she is.

It is hard for me to understand how anyone could vote to put her one heartbeat away from the Presidency.

Jack,Yes it was. But thank God he did. Now we can finally get those swidilling lying con men out of office. Cause she don't have the sense she was born with ,and don't even know it.

How can anyone question the choice Senator McCain made choosing Governor Palin to be his running mate? People can make fun of her all they want but they can't take away her credentials which speak volumes for her. Her experience superceeds that of Senator Obama's. Ignorance would suggest we shouldn't have a black man as preisident, but the same ignorance applies to anyone questioning whether or not McCain made a mistake choosing a very comitent person to be his vice president.

Respectfully,

Kris
Portland, OR

No! It was a mistake for Republicans to choose John McCain as their nominee. Sarah Palin would make a fine Presidential candidate, and I, a life long Republican, would happily vote for her for President. However I will not cast my vote for nominee McCain. The neo-conservative wing of our party are realizing their impending defeat and are setting up Sarah Palin to take the blame for McCain losing the election. They will never admit it was McCain's adherence to the flawed political ideology of neo-conservatism that caused Republicans to lose the election.

My advice to Palin is follow the lead of the rest of us small limited government Republicans and jump ship to the Libertarian party before the neo-cons take you down with the GOP boat they've managed to destroy in just a few short years. Get out now sister, before they trash your political career in order to save their own face.

Hi Jack

John McCain made a very costly mistake picking Sara Palin as his running mate. My guess is, had he picked Governor Ridge or Mitt Romney he may have been in a much better position. Governor Palin is a very devisive candidate who does not care the great divides she is causing in this country. As a minority, I do not like the reports of statements made by people who attend them.

The results of the poll speak for themselves. Palin has and is continuing to damage the McCain campaign. As an independent voter, there is NO way I can vote for the McCain/Palin ticket if I truly care about the well-being of our country!

I love u Jack, but is this even a question?

I still shake my head after every Sarah Palin speech and wonder who actually believes this person even deserves consideration.
When he finally decided to call on Palin, John McCain must have been popping some of George Bush's stupid pills.

Skip Pope

Another thing I resent greatly is that a qualified woman from the available pool of republican women, Kaye Baily Hutchinson, for example, or Olympia Snow, would have been dignified choices that both democrats and republicans could have respected.
Choosing Sarah Palin has put the glass cieling higher for women, even qualified women in presidential politics of the future.

For OBAMA No PALIN WAS THE PERFECT CHOICE.

It was not so much a mistake as it was a risk. McCain needed someone who could energize the party and help him catch up to Obama in fundraising and volunteering. It did precisely this but only worked for a week. Then the economy crashed and people began to question this former mayor from Alaska. All in all though, if McCain had picked someone else his ground game would be even farther behind that of Obama's. Palin may have been a poor choice but it may have been his only shot at the White House.

Palin is the single biggest reason McCain lost my vote, and it's not because she is incompetent and immoral (okay, maybe a little). McCain showed a complete lack of judgment when Palin was picked. She was picked because:
1) He hoped to pick-up the female vote and possibly sway the Clinton base.
2) He decided to pander to the far right.
3) He wanted the sympathy vote for a mom with a Downs Syndrome baby.

IMHO had he picked Romney, we would have a completely different race on our hands right now. He might even have had my vote...

She wasn't a mistake if you want to watch a bunch of (mainly) male television anchors slober every morning over her.....

Had the McCain people picked Kay Bailey Hutchinson.....now THAT would have been a LOT smarter.......but that's what happens when people pick out people because they're 'cute and perky'.....

Huge mistake! This pick was a sad and desperate gamble, and its come back to haunt Mc Caine. Her smarty-pants one-liners have grown old and tired like the headliner at the top of the republican ticket.

i think she is pretty.... louis

Was it a mistake? ... Duh.

I was soo dissapointed by McCain's VP pick Sarah Palin, in fact it's what drove me to switch to Obama, and I've voted republican for the past 20 years. If the president's job is to make difficult decisions, then McCain has proven his judgement to be questionable.

Big Mistake!! This lady is not only a "Diva", but an opportunist that doesn't mind exploiting her on children for the sake of HER agenda.
Sheri
Hot Springs, AR

I was planning to vote for McCain had he chosen Mitt Romney as VP. Now, I am voting for Obama because of his decision to select Sarah Palin as his VP, which is huge mistake for the republicans but not for the democrats. She is obviously not qualified for the job. She does not even know what the VP does.

Terrible mistake. Poor judgement. Like his wife wearing a $300K dress at the convention, like spending $150K on clothes and accessories for the running mate, like having a ralley with Pres. Bush without the press around to capture footage, and like not being able to answer basic questions on your party's intrinsic ideology.

Clearly she is not ready. Had she been a woman from Texas, California, New York, or Florida then she probably would have had more experience dealing with Geopolitical issues. Let's not forget that Alaska is a small state (population wise). To be a woman VP candidate she had to enter the arena strong and solid. She came in winking and sounding unprepared.

I have been amazed that it is ok for some of us to accept the fact that we want her as the VP when she only went through a "crash course." I want an experienced Leader – or at least one that is smart enough to stay on point and deliver a stong educated message. She is a pretender.

I might still be a Republican if he hadn't selected Palin!

Not if you are a Democrat!

Palin was a great pick to reenergize the base and bring in the angry Hillary supporters... until she started speaking.

PALIN SELECTION WAS A MISGUIDED SELECTION BY McCAIN THAT WAS INFLUENCED BY THE NOTION THAT ANY WOMAN WOULD DO.. OUTSIDE OF THE REPUBLICIAN BASE THIS NOTION HAS BEEN PROVEN FALSE....IT TAKES MORE THAN BEING CALLED A HOCKEY MOM.OR SARAH THE BARACUDA!!!! THE NOTION THAT THIS GREAT NATION COULD BE LEAD BY SARAH PALIN IS BEYOND MY ABILTY TO COMPREHEND...I SUSPECT IT WOULD REQUIRE MORE THAN BEING ABLE TO WINK , NOD ONE'S HEAD AND PROCALIM THEY DID NOT LIKE ME BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!

On second thought, Palin makes for great comedic relief in these troubling times. Let's hope she doesn't win, and then thank her for helping us get through all the hard times by giving us something so memorable to laugh at and -

Never mind. Thank Tina Fey.

Yes sarah palin was a mistake, however it was a great one for democrat.

This would be not only the first of the nails that John McCain has hammered into his own coffin. The wasteful money and time on William Ayers, etc. They all show utter lack of judgement. When the nation and the world is under a financial turmoil, Palin went shopping along with McCain. Ultimately Palin bought clothes and McCain a few nails for the coffin.

A mistake? Not for the democrats! Thank you John McCain! Obama '08!

I don't know about you, but next to the election, I'd say the upcoming event that I'm most excited about is the release of Nalin Palin. And I think that it was a mistake for Senator Mccain to put her on the ticket.

"And if he won, he probably wouldn't go to Washington in January thinking he was "in charge of the Senate."

Well, gee, I hope Mitt Romney has read the Constitution, unlike one of the other commenters..

Article I, Section 3: "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided."

If the Vice President chooses – and well might choose if the Senate were of the opposite political party – she could decide to run all Senate sessions and have a significant impact on what gets to the floor to be voted on, etc.

So, as dumb as she is otherwise... at least she -has- read that part of the Constitution.

Jack,

Choosing Sarah Palin was not a mistake. It just proved McCain's years of experience hasn't improved his judgment.

The thing I find saddest is that putting Palin in this position will make it more difficult for women who have a great deal to offer to be taken seriously. If McCain wanted a woman as a running mate, why not consider someone like Maine's Olympia Snowe? She's been extremely well-liked by her constituents in Maine, has been in the senate for 14 years, is known as a centrist with bipartisan credentials, has been in a permanent seat on the Senate Finance Committee since 2001, etc., etc. Wouldn't this have been a true partner who could help McCain win, complementing his weaknesses and providing a solid team? Oh, and she's also on the subcommittee for Health Care, which will be another big issue coming up. What a wasted opportunity...

Jack, I'd like to add to my previous remark, I find it ironic that the chatter in the media (provoked by the McCain campaign) is how Palin is "dragging" down the McCain campaign, while she continues to draw bigger crowds at rallies than does Johnny-Mc. Maybe the mule is dragging down the cart?

Her pick was a serious mistake. She is way out of her league. Alaska's population is approximately 700,000 people. That's the population of an average city in the US. and that doesnt make her qualified to lead a nation of 300,000,000 should Mccain not make it thru 4 years. Also her views are out of sync with most Americans thinking,
It is the only indication we have of Mccains decision making skills ,and this one was a real dumb one !

She's just like me, a one hit wonder or bust. She bangs, she bangs...

A mistake .? Yes, it was a monumental miscalculation by the RNC

When Senator McCain made the comment Senator Obama was more intrested in winning an election than winning a war seams rather rediculous now that he has proven he has more interest in winning an election than in the United States by his choosing Gov. Paiin as his Vice Presidential running mate.

You bet ya!

Hell Yea it was a mistake. This woman is an airhead and she would be one heartbeat away from running what once was and may become again the most powerful nation in the world.

Why did John McCain make this choice. You would have thought McCain could foresee how this would turn out. Did he even vet this woman – I doubt it!

John L
Canada

Its an atrocity that John McCain would pick someone as unqualified as Sara Palin to be one heart beat away from the presidency. Not only does she not have a complete handle on the English language, but she knows nothing about political issues. Its funny that the McCain campain now seems surprised that Palin is deviating from her script and is now doing what 'she wants to do'. The fact that she had the Alaska Commissioner FIRED because he wouldn't terminate a man that 'messed w/ her family'... should've been clue enough to the McCain campaign, that Palin does "only" what she wants to do! Imagine having a president like that? Its scary & dangerous!!!!

Jack I predict there wont be any Sarah Palin, far right radicals voting in 2012.They are all moving to the new country of Alaska.

Ask Lorne Michaels and Tina Fey! What would SNL, and a host of other comics for that matter, have done for material without her nomination? The world of comedy owes the McCain campaign a huge debt of gratitude. I only hope that this is one source that dries up after November 4.

I couldn't be more happier that McCain picked Palin.
He proved his severe lack of judgement and moved the country to the threshold of hope for our country. .

has paula abdul's replacement been named yet?

Jack,

Dead on!!!

I'm a little upset...I just started writing a commentary for my students about this topic, and everything you've said is exactly correct. Now I have to start over.

Seriously, it is a snapshot of the differences between the two campaigns. Today, Barack Obama gave his closing argument, and it is amazing how consistent the message has been. This is how you build a movement.

Senator McCain on the other hand, without a true message or concept of where he wanted to go has jumped from message to message. The Palin appointment was another gimmicky strategy. Their strategy was to get Hillary Clinton supporters. The only way he could have gotten Hilllary's supporters was to nominate Hillary, which was not going to happen.

But then again, if he had done so, she could have taught him what she learned far too late. Find one consistent message and stick to it.

Delano
Detroit, MI

His unvetted selection of Caribu Barbie is just another example of John McCains bigger than life "Arrogant Ignorance"..... This was especially evidnet when he claimed (sorta) that he personnaly did the indepth vetting and background checks - Then tried to cover his tracks with more lies to cover his previous lies about why he picked her - Pretty damn pathetic

I also think that after it became obvious to the most casual observer that Palin had about the same amount of national and international experience as an Alaskan Turnip (maybe less) - John did ask her to step down and she told him to kiss her - well - ah - she told John she wasn't gonna - You Betcha – wink-wink - sneer-sneer - ("Tod, take his name down for later!"), golly darn right – And amen --–

YES unless she Palin had 3 Law degrees, one for herself, one for Todd and the other for McCain. An increased vocabulary beyond Joe and Todd 6 pack, and taking her own prescrition for cleaning out Washington.

Jack,

Your an angry / angry liberal,,, who will you trash after next Tue election ??

We will have all Liberals running the country,,, gee I have a feeling you won't have anything bad to say about Them

Jack, It just goes to show how out of touch McCain is when he felt he needed a right wing conservative "Christian" to insure he would win the election. Americans are sick of the so called "Christians" dividing up our country with their hate filled rhetoric – Palin is still using it, calling those who oppose McCain/Palin anti-American. We need Obama to unite this country not Palin to help divide it more.

It was perfect, McCain really got back at the GOP on this one for dissing him in 2000

Big Mistake!!

Orlando, FL

Damn right it was.

I am a registered Republican and voted for McCain during the 00' Primaries. His pick of Palin will go down as the cause for his HUGE loss.

And Jack, is there anyway you could get someone over there at CNN to talk about what I saw while watching your station today. During Palin's speach a lady yelled out Ni**er in reference to Obama. Palin obviously heard the lady and did nothing, absolutely nothing. If this was not a blatant display of racism in the McCain/Palin campaign I don't know what is.

YES, she was a mistake. I know I am a Democrat ,a Hillary Clinton supporter, and wanted to vote for a woman on either ticket but I will not vote for her on John McCain's ticket. Had he picked a Republican woman with more experience and know how I would have voted for him. I will be voting for Mr. Obama (even though I know my vote will only count in the popular vote ,my state is truly a Red State) I think Mr. Obama will have a very good team of experts helping him with advise on this economy and other experts on anything else that should arise if he becomes President.

With the first real chance at having a women become VP where are all of the women's groups like NOW. Why aren't women running to Palins side,
The reason is that this Lady is to stupid for women to jump on the bandwagon. If America was not so hampered by Race Mc Cain would have been run out of this race Long ago....

hahaha! no wait

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yes...huge mistake...but umm one that I'm glad he made. Thanks McCain for screwing over your own campaign because now it's easier than ever for us to get Barrack Obama into the Whitehouse. This country and this world need change...drastic change. We have been put into a deep dark hole of debt, war, opression, isolation from the international stage, etc by the last 8 years of Bush'esque policy and McCain was there cheering it all on. Let's get real, this woman isn't even qualified to govern Alaska let alone hold such a high position as VP of the United States.

'Hockey mom makes good and becomes president of the United States' might make a great Disney movie but would make for a nightmarish reality.

Our daughter who graduated from college with honors had to leave the country in order to get a job that would allow her to live independently and pay student loans. After the choice of Palin was announced, she called to say she was getting her absentee ballot because John McCain was not just gambling with his political career, he was gambling with the country.

Smart kid, huh?

ABSOLUTELY NOT, Palin represents many thoings that we all should admire. If we allow ourslves to really know her and go beyonfd what media tries to make her seem , all would agree..................that is all I have to say regards this ridiculous question. It shows that CNN is running out of attacks agaisnt Palin by such a quastion.

Poser Palin was the biggest mistake of many that John McPain has made – country first, my a__!!!

Jack –

Palin may have solidified the Republican base for McCain. However, I wouldn't be surprised if she also solidified Democratic voters & significantly more Independent voters squarely behind Obama.

Kay Baily Hutchinson, Olympia Snowe, Elizabeth Dole... There were plenty other qualified VP candidates out there to appeal to the same demographic...

Yes it was a mistake! To think that the voters would be hoodwinked by this VP imposter is ludicrous.

As a Democrat, I'm glad he picked her as a running mate. Now the entire country can see how ill-prepared, unqualified and ill-informed she is. She's a joke! I want someone who's smarter than me & has a better grasp of the world around us in the Oval Office, not someone who claims her foreing policy experience is that she can see Russia from Alaska. If that were the case NY'ers could become Canadian ambassadors! Or even better, we could be the leaders of "fake America".

A gigantic mistake!
Was he letting his"male feelings" do his thinking when he met her and then offered this "ignorant, naive, hot, babe" a job she should have turned down immediately? I think we have the "old casting couch" interview issue here? Vetted? Don't be silly.........................

Sugar daddy is learning late that lady hustlers get whaty they want more than big boy does?

All so funny, except if the dumb right would elect him and then he dies? Oh my God!!!!!!!

Where is my passport honey?

when i was watching the vp debate i jump up and got my wallet and started thowing money at the tv . the last time i got winked at so much i was in a strip club

You Betcha it Was!!! With a blink and a cool six pack, Sarah Palin has basically lost the Republican Presidential Race for John McCain single handedly. To be fair there was already the Bush-McCain connection that was a disaster, but when the economy took a dive, and Sarah let us know that she had more experience than Biden and Obama put together, but she would be there for the American people when she ran the Senate, our hearts began sinking. Heaven help us all if Obama doesn't win the Presidential Election.
sharon

John McCain made a huge miscalculation in assuming that ANY woman could capture the Hillary vote. Sarah Palin stands for nothing that has been Hillary's life's work. Palin may have the right wing base fired up, but this is not a base election. I don't believe the majority of Americans share her ideology and her "hate-speak" has alienated many of those essential moderate swing voters. Most of us are weary of the divisive politics of the past. Just more evidence that John McCain is out of touch – not the man to lead us into the future.

McCain's pick showed just how little he thinks of- and expects from- women. I was bummed that Clinton didn't make it, but expecting me to vote for Palin because she is the same gender just shows poor judgement- and shows how out of touch he really is.

But hey, nowadays she's sure doing a lot for the Obama ticket... I guess you could say she's doing her part for women's rights by making sure that her party loses!

Picking Palin shows who John McCain is. He has offended every women I know with his pick. She is probably a nice women, but should no be running for the first women VP spot. It makes me sick. Yes, it was a mistake!

Yes Jack ..it was a bad decision.....but it was only one of many.... which caused his campaign to crash and burn; and now it is beyond redemption.

Indeed it was a bad choice.

I do not even see it as a calculated risk that failed. There cannot be anything calculated about that choice if you considered the reasons for the choice at any but the most naive levels. But then almost all the arguments of the McCain campaign are based upon superficial dogmatic principles with little regard to the issues, making it impossible for real discussion.

However to address the argument that she would energize the conservative support. True, a large proportion of supporters stubbornly support their candidates, based upon political principles, without any analysis or understanding of the merits of those principles. This is the approach taken by Sarah Palin, where any serious perusal is considered 'intellectual' and 'professorial', as if these are undesirable qualities. Scary, huh?

Why are you democrats so afraid of Sarah Palin that you must relentlessly attack her? She is a true patriot. She tells it like it is, and she is not afraid of taking on either party. Palin is tremendously more qualified to be president than Obama, yet that seems to get down-played on certain news networks. Mr. Cafferty, why don't you just put your Obama button on your shirt. You would have much more respect from viewers. Journalists should not have an agenda sir. You have the privelige of freedom of speech. You seem to think that it is your right to spew your pollution.

Mr. McCain actually thought us women were so shallow that he could pass Sarah Palin off as some Hillary Clinton imposter.
He must really think we are stupid!!!

The choice of Palin has to be the single most stupid mistake of any presidential candidate. She is a complete nightmare that represents everything that is wrong with our country. She is rife with lies and smoke screens. One day, America will learn the truth about Palin and will breathe a collective sigh of relief that she did not make it into the Oval office. At least I HOPE she doesn't make it there.

Was Palin a poor pick? Absolutely not. Palin has more experience and success in her political career than Obama does. The only reason Obama is doing better is because the liberal media is giving his campaign a pass on every legitimate problem with his candidacy.
Palin has done nothing wrong and has been eviscerated from day one because she is a legitimate threat. She is the typical American citizen which poses a threat to liberals. She has been more gracious than she should have been.
What Obama is proposing is straight Marxism – Heaven forbid a news reporter in Florida actually calls the Obama camp on their ideals. Wake up America – redistribution of wealth is around the corner. I'm glad CNN makes over 250K a year so they will witness first hand the "Spread the Wealth Around" policies of Obama. CNN is not equal and balanced like Fox and needs to personally apologize to Sarah Palin for their treatment of her.

I can see defeat from her house.

Y. E. S. if you're a Repbulican. N. O. if you're a Democrat.

Definitely in the top 3 mistakes that he has made. There are others that are rivals, namely the have to make 5 million a year to be rich. Also, never elaborating on any of his "plans" that he loves to tell us about. Maybe actually telling us about plans, instead of just saying you have one, would win voters (not me, I made my decision 8 years ago and it wasn't for the GOP).

Was Palin a bad choice? That is an understatement. I have always been a John McCain supporter, but his choice of Sara Palin was a terrible mistake. The McCain camp repeatedly talk about Palin's executive experience, but she was a mayor of a population of 5,500. Now if that's true, she has as much executive experience as the high school student who became mayor of Wilburton, Oklahoma. She does not have the experience and she does not have the education. Simply stated, she is not qualified!!!

Its very clear. That Palin is the Biggest Mistake....but its okay...I guess. ... make it easy for Obama
We just have to suffer for another week of Palin...then it will be over.

John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin for his running mate is one of the most shortsighted and ill-conceived political decisions in history. He deserves to lose the election based solely upon this stupid choice!

Yes ,of course it was a mistake , but if some miracle should happen and the election is close, the Republicans can always do their usual thing, like disrupting the polls, throwing out ballots,f"ixing" voting machines,and sqeaze in somehow.That's why we need to make sure we all vote.

Jack, It was easily his biggest mistake. This election would probably be much different had he chosen someone else.

Picking Palin as the VP candidate is absolutely the biggest mistake that John McCain made during his run for the White House. Frankly, his decision show his level of arrogance and highlighting a huge inferiority complex.

Romney would have been a brilliant decision considering the beating that McCain's campaign has taken for the looming economic crisis. With this decision, polls would have looked more favorably in Michigan, Colorado, Nevada and other key states. Crist, another excellent choice, would have assured Florida going red on election night. Both Romney and Crist are light years ahead of Palin with experience and leadership qualities.

Picking a weak and less experience VP running mate was John McCain's way of telling America that he is the "Man" or in his words, the "Maverick". McCain's age magnifies the importance of a well experienced VP running mate, making the Palin decision look more foolish. This lack of putting country first will ultimately be his demise, contributing to a big election day loss.

Palin isn't half the corrupt insider hack that Biden is. But the media was all for Biden and completely against Palin, so I guess ol' Plagiarizing Joe's lack of ethics is less important than a $150,000 wardrobe.

John McCain picking Sarah Palin as his VP without properly vetting her shows the poor judgment he makes as a politician.

Has Sarah Palin had a wardrobe malfunction?

Jack,

You only named two other possibilities rather than Palin.

I think there are at least one million better choices.

Absolutely! This huge mistake speaks to the judgement of John McCain. He made a poor last minute decision after meeting her once. Let me say that again: ONCE!! McSame was more desperate to make news and change the media cycle of the DNC than to handle this decision like a responsible adult. Palin does not have the intellectual capacity to hold the highest office in the land. She seems more interested in being famous. Afterall she did hire a PR firm after she became govenor...

Is this a trick question? From a person who tends to lean Republican this is the worst choice I have ever seen. It's funny how we go in cycles with the political process.....first, she stuns the world with her speech at the convention.....then we had questions because of some poor interviews...........now she's being called a "rogue."

From day one I said this was a horrendous pick, and for swing voters like me it prevented me completely from voting for McCain. I think if I hear "energize the base" once more I'm going to puke. Anyone who has ever run for their party has "energized their base." Palin is a hockey mom, and no more qualified than one. I would rather have George Bush as McCain's VP. I don't know if I'll ever be able to comprehend how this selection was made......and Palin in 2012 or 2016?....are u kidding me. If she becomes the next big star of the Republican Part than truly the party is dead.

I'm still stunned she's the governor of a state, all be it Alaska!

McCain's pick of Sarah Palin was a huge mistake. One I'm thanking him for making. As a prior supporter of Hillary, it wasn't until Sarah made her first appearance that I decided to take a good hard look at Obama. I knew of Governor Palin from watching how their state handled aerial gunning of wolves and was excited to see if the new Governor would put a halt to that barbaric practice. She didn't.

Sarah should have politely bowed out instead pushing for a speaking spot during the RNC and offering to campaign for McCain. Setting herself up for a cabinet position or something of that nature. Instead, she made her national debut unprepared, in the middle of a major investigation into her practices as Governor, and ended making a mockery of herself. She should be lucky to not end up like Senator Stevens, knowing full well there are documented discrepancies with how the bidding went for the still unbuilt pipeline, possible use of latching onto funds used to build a new activities center for Wasilla to build her house, Troopergate, to using state dollars to fly her kids around. Shouldn't they be in school?

Ofcourse Palin was a terrible pick. It was nothing but pandering to the female vote! All females should be insulted. Mcains real enemy is his buddy G.W.

It moved this middle of the road Republican into the Obama Camp. It made the question the judgement of John McCain.

If McCain wanted to choose a female running mate- even a die hard liberal like myself could have found few faults w/ Kay Bailey Hutchison. I am sure there are other fine examples of female leaders in the Republican party to choose from- I actually feel sorry for John- he got some bad advice.

No... he needed someone to blame if he lost and a woman on the ticket to get him back in the race he was already loosing. And...As usual, McCain put Palin are right on target with her message of welfare for the rich, new clothes and... all that trickle down economic cow-pie!

no it was a smart one, they dressed her up, try to seduce the men of america, and it was drill baby drill, men of america, vote with your little heads now. and for anyone who tries to cover the sun with one finger regarding her spending spree, like elizabeth from the view, let me tell you something, the average american makes 50, 000 a year
so Mrs. diva, pay the taxes on the clothes!

Not a mistake, but should have been handled differently. First of all, they should have allowed interviews with appropriate venues, then on to Katie Couric, if absolutely necessary. Face it, the liberals hate her, which is why she's gotten such a bad representation from the press.

And one note on her wardrobe expenditures – you have to dress for the position and no one would have cut her any slack if Gov Palin had shown up in Wal-Mart specials! Let's get real here. . .

Jack, if John McSame had not picked Palin, SNL would not have ratings going off the charts! I would be getting more sleep on Saturday nights! She reminds me of some of the characters who try out for 'Do You Think You Can Dance?' when they obviously -– Can't dance!!!!!

With the economy is worse shape than its been since 1929, with the world in need of leadership, with a Republican Presidential candidate with a history of melanoma, with 2 wars going on, YOU BETCHA this was a mistake. God help us if McCain wins, this woman (and her anti government husband) are a threat to the constitution of the United States.

Well I don't know Jack; Palin believes she does Gods Work and that Armegeddon is almost upon us. Putting her that much closer to the ability to launch nukes against people who use big words sure would keep us all on our toes!

I'm losing sleep already.....

I am an independent and would have chosen to vote for McCain should he have selected a more proper VP. In my opinion, the selection of Palin is not only a mistake but also agaist his "Country First" claim.

Does it really matter who he chose? The media outlets favor the Democrats and there would have been targeted criticism regardless. Just another reason you should not watch the news. All of it is biased depending on the outlet.

The selection was dumb as dirt.

Nobody talks about it very much, but Senator McCain has had a bit of a "skirt" problem for a very long time. I imagine he experienced a total meltdown when he met this lady, hence the selection.

Think how many more very well qualified women there are out there that could have helped, much less the well qualified me.

What if Senator McCain wins, don't you think that everytime he goes to a negotiation table the other side is going to load up with good looking women?

The mistake was to go "maverick" by allowing lobbyist to run his election instead of the politcal advisors who have successfully done this for the Bush administration. This has lead to a "new" and unlikable McCain, a McCain who has been handled poorly, erratically and dishonorably. Palin was just another mistake that McCain went along with in his effort to do anything to win. Lobbyists have a reputation for being sneaky, dirty handed and dishonest and now they have left that mark on McCain to end a legacy that went from "hero" to loser to end his career.

Isn't your question of the rhetorical variety?

A mistake for McCain, but not for the country. Actually, he might have done better with Tina Fey instead. Obama will win, and Sarah Palin can go back to running Alaska and hunting moose. At least, she has never been reported to have shot her hunting partners, unlike one VP we know of!

Jack, l dont think it was a mistake, rather l will call it a deeper reflection of the mind of the Republican party. One of the American Presidents and l can't recall which one said few years back ' a nation is only as good as its people. In this case lets turn it around a party is only as good as its selection of her VP candidate. The party misread the mind of America particularly the Bible belt. Palin was their 'ace in the hole', a holier than thou person who is unable to adminster her home. She gave them a transient float until their ballon got punctured. The yesterday men of the party deserved what they got

"Mistake" is a light way to put it.
It was irresponsible to use that decision as a stunt to rekindle energy. His decision to choose her demonstrated poor judgment and damaged his credibility.

Say it ain't so Joe. Has someone finally decided that the unvetted Sarah Palin was the wrong pick by John McCain? If it has taken the McCain campaign this long to figure this out it is understandable why he trails in the polls.

I decided long ago when I first voted at age eighteen that I would never vote for anyone, regardless of race or political affiliation, who is not as informed as I am regarding domestic and foreign affairs. Colin Powell's rationale for why he is voting for Barack Obama should be a litmus test for anyone going to the polls.

Sarah Palin, is not just a joke but an embarrassment to the American presidential race. What does the rest of the world think when she is all one party has to offer?

I would think that the worry among the non-base Republicans is how much damage she has done to the party. I do not mean what she has done to the campaign but the future of the party. I would venture to say that his choice of Palin as his running mate will be detrimental to the party for years to come.

Sarah Palin, Vice President of the United States. Say it can't be Joe.

My last posting didn't make the cut – guess it's because I disagreed with the group think. Well, I do agree that it was a mistake to choose Gov. Palin as a running mate – IF you want another candidate who does Washington-speak and Washington-think well. Of course, if you want a person who is independant of the Washington insider unwritten rules – then I guess he chose the right person – not a "Washington pro" but an America – who loves America – the free, not the America Obama seems to want.

Trying to keep the republican base calm, he created a storm outside of it by choosing Palin. Palin is not very bright, that is why McCain's campaign kept her out of the media as long as the campaign could get away with it.
McCain's behavior in my opinion is not the type of behavior we need in the Oval Office.

The infighting inside the McCain camp as well as the poor judgment shown by his pick of Palin is bound to doom him, just as the poorly run Clinton campaign doomed Hillary. How can you run the country when you cannot even run your own campaign?

The funniest thing I've heard in this hideously ugly campaign is the suggestion that Palin would run for President in 2012.

The McCain campaign will be remembered for two things. First, for launching a barrage of subtle and not-so-subtle racial attacks against Obama ("terrorist," "Muslim," and the constant theme that he somehow is un-American or unpatriotic); and second, for self-destructing through repeated illustrations of its total lack of judgment. Glaring examples include halting his campaign two days before the first debate and of course, picking the biggest laughing stock since Dan Quayle to be his running mate.

Let's get Obama into the White House and put this nightmare behind us. Hopefully Palin will be indicted in the next few years and we can give her a rightful place in the history books as an amusing footnote in circus that was the McCain '08 campaign.

The answer to your question is an unequivocal YES. I like to think of myself as neither Democrat or Republican, but American... meaning I would prefer whoever wins the White House to be the best of the best. And I would have been ok with John McCain in the White House had he picked anyone other than this dingbat. But I guess it's good that he did because his irresponsible thought processing has really come through... would he really feel comfortable with this complete idiot in his shoes if something were to happen to him? You can't tell me he doesn't cringe just a little at such a thought.

Sarah Palin is honestly the only reason you couldn't pay me a million dollars to vote for John McCain this year.

Obviously, she has been nothing but a distraction to the campaign. Maybe that was the idea at one point but if it was it was a bad idea.

Absolutely a mistake. He was gambling that she would pick up stupid Hillary fans, saying "Oh look, a woman!" Well it backfired, because Hillary fans are pretty smart people, and could see that Palin is the Antithesis of Hillary Clinton. When Palin showed up, the PUMAs dissapeared.

Palin damaged the credibility of the Republican ticket, and restored the unity of the Democratic party. Great choice!

Yes it was a HUGE mistake. Take it from this Alaskan, not all in this state believe in the "Cult of Sara" Alaska is about as Red and Idaho, Mickey Mouse can run on the "R" ticket up here and have a good chance of winning. The rest of the country is now (painfully) aware that Ms. Palin is cramming for an exam in a class she didn't register for. She's put Alaska on the map, but for the wrong reasons.