OK, I hear Huffington, and I totally agree......Palin's personal life should not be the focus...

No matter how tempting.

I really, really want to win this election, and we can only do that if its about the issues.

OK?

Don't let the trolls drag you down into the gutter.

I'm going to assume this is about her daughter, because I'm not watching TV right this second, but

While I in no way should we attack the daugher for her decision, we SHOULD attack Palin's failed values, and how her teaching of abstinence-only fails, as well do her cuts on funds for teenage pregnancy.

I think that it's wrong to attack people for what they are, but if you can connect that to failed practices, it's fair game.

But it's too dicey to get into her personal life in order to prove how a position of abstinence-only fails.

but spending 2 weeks talking about these minor issues is what the GOP expects

She's right, Palin's personal life is a big distraction, and you're right in saying it's a temptation. There's plenty about her that is of more substance to attack.

Plus, voters won't get to find out about where she stands on the issues, if all that is heard is distractions about her personal life.

her teenage daughter and young child - not legitimate issues for Democrats to raise because if they do, they lose... Her point, was for us to stay on policy issues (not abstinence only issues as that cuts to close), but National issues that affect everyone, her views on creationism in schools - all fair game

...corruptions, flip-flopping, secretive behavior and the fact that she's never told the public anything used to paint her as Cheney.

So Mccain=Bush and Palin=Cheney.

That will be tough, but over a month or so it could be done. I think you have to wait for her approval rating to go down and for a good number of indies to decide they don't like her.

she mentioned the scandals too.

that are true.

Our site and her site are two different things.

Late breaking news is DU's safe guard
GDP.... is a war.

the press would have something else to report about her. McCain's campaign must be managed by complete fools. They have no one to blame but themselves for all this bad press. They didn't vet (sp?) her, they won't let her do interviews. This is a self-inflicted wound.

and talking hardcore BS I can already see that they will once again try to fall back on the fear game.





US Vice-President Dick Cheney has condemned what he described as Russia's "illegitimate" attempt to change Georgia's borders.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7597336.stm

When was the last time a standing VP did not speak or show up at either
a Democratic or Republican convention?


They will throw the whole kitchen at us, even if its another war.

Men are not suppose to be able to do that according to some.

on and I am paying attention to both. And I am not a man, if that's what you meant.

with the issues, BUT I see no reason some surrogates can't slither in the mud a bit! We all know that if one of Joe's kids got a girl pregnant and wasn't married to her, THAT would be the top headline and talking point for MONTHS! If either Barack or Joe were under investigation, we'd hear about NOTHING ELSE! If Joe had a link to Abramoff LIKE SARAH DOES it would be nonstop in the Pub ads!

You may disagree with us going in the gutter, but damn it, I'm sick and tired of the Pubs getting away with anything & everything. I want to kick 'em and kick 'em hard and there's no better time than NOW!

Besides, I HOPE we Dems can do several things at one time! Smack them ALL!

that was the intent when McCain picked her.

bring up her book banning, her anti-abortion (including rape and incest) stand, her creationism and the many other things on her list and ignore the gossip stuff. arianna is quite astute - so was most of the panel tonight on King.

if the National Enquirer busts out with something on her affair, well, that's a different story and huge bad news for the McAnus campaign but talking about her pregnant daughter, etc., just goes no where we should want to go. Smack her with the real stuff that matters.

Our country, thanks to years of educational cuts and neglect by conservatives, is full of low information voters who would just love to see them convert formal political discussion into a fight-to-the-death gladiator battle.

Obama doesn't need to sink to that level. But someone does, or they will. If they want to use gutter tactics to win, then it shouldn't be off the table for us either. As Barack himself has said, you don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

Issues are terribly, terribly important, and obviously we need to highlight them.

However, there is a HUGE segment of the population that does not base their decisions on logic, but on symbols. Read anything by Lakoff to get an idea what I'm talking about.

This is why certain demographics will time and time again vote against their own interests -- they are not voting based on issues or logic, but based on symbology: something just feels right to them about they way the vote, or something is "wrong" with the other guy....

Clearly Barack needs to focus on the issues... BUT there is nothing wrong with others focusing on the symbolic ways in which the Republicans are wrong for America. I think there needs to be two fronts on the attack this GE, and the netroots is a great way to attack the symbology of the Republicans.

Basically, what I'm saying is that regardless how disasterous McCain/Palin's policies are, there is a large segment of the electorate that will vote for them simply because they like them, or because they like their story. They don't even HEAR the issues, no matter how many times we talk about them!

The more that we tear down Palin's personal story, the more fertile ground we can create for the Democrats. We need to focus on BOTH the issues and the narrative. Pointing out the huge character flaws in Palin is necessary in order for many people to understand that the Republicans do not represent them and never have.

Right now too many people are impressed with the "pit bull with lipstick..." and they aren't hearing about what a hypocrite Palin is.

That's were we can come in.... :)

When Edwards was being attacked, his supporters and some others defended him ficiously. Only after it was proven did they stop. Now if you attack palin the RW will defend their darling and perhaps even if it is proven they may continue to do so. I don't want to give them a reason to bond with her. Give them space and see if the truth can be found out. Hopefully it can by and we can then attack with the facts and a reason. Rumors just don't do it for me.

I'm not sure what the best strategy is, since I believe that the Republicans only understand attacks -- I'm not sure a soft approach even registers with many of them. I really don't know...

And it may well be why Obama and Biden seem to be treading gently. It's strategery--refusing to play the Republicans' game.

without mercy. Another hypocrite for jesus.

But I think we should continue to battle Palin on the issues. America needs to know how extremist she is.

If Palin falls, the entire McCain campaign falls apart like a house of cards. Without Palin, the convention would have had no energy whatsoever. McCain's speech would have gone over like a eulogy for the Republican Party. If you take out Palin and force her to drop out or if you diminish her appeal significantly, then they have nothing left.

I think this year is a special circumstance. The reason the Republicans are supporting McCain is because he is a means for them to eventually get Palin in four years (or earlier, depending on McCain's health issues). They are really electing Palin, not McCain, who will never serve a second term. If Palin is fully exposed, fewer members of the base will come out. And this is a year like 2004, where the Republican candidate (in that case Bush) does not have wide appeal with independents but can really bring out the nutcase base. Rove's strategy is to excite more of the base than ever before, because they have an ultra right wing candidate as never before.

No Sarah-only attacks .

Her husband ran for California gov as a puke. Don't be a nitwit.

WTF was THAT all about?

from under DU's feet.

When one posts a Goodbye Cruel World post, one has the obligation to, you know, actually LEAVE.

I feel cheated.