I'm so excited about McCain's pick for VP! Now I have a ticket I can vote for. Palin is young, an agent for REAL change, and I think the media is going to love her. She's a working mom from the middle class in a western state who understands what it's like for families. Her "lack of experience" adds to the McCain ticket a fresh perspective and compliments his background perfectly. Woo-hoo!!!!

Sent by Teresa Spiess | 12:43 PM ET | 08-29-2008

I think Sarah Palin's nomination is such an empty effort to attract women to the Republican ticket - bless their hearts! THIS is the woman the Republicans are willing to put in the White House? You have got to be kidding me.

Sent by Lisa | 1:02 PM ET | 08-29-2008

Thank you John Mccain, you just handed the presidency to Obama. People obviously don't want a woman, especially one with no experience, in the White House or Hilary with her abundance of experience would be on the ticket instead of Obama. What were you thinking?

Sent by Lois Shirk | 1:28 PM ET | 08-29-2008

Like most Americans, I'd never heard of Palin until her selection by Mr. McCain. I find it ironic that he would choose someone so obviously untested, given his criticism of Obama's experience. McCain's choice seems somewhat shallow. Yes she's a woman, reportedly very charismatic, and by all accounts a bit of a maverick herself. But by no stretch can she be considered experienced enough to step in as President, if need be. I don't believe she adds depth to the Republican ticket, other than her Right to Life and pro-gun credentials, which appeal to conservatives. To me it feels like a disingenuous choice; if McCain were truly interested in strong female political leadership, why on earth choose such a novice? Why not select a truly experienced Republican woman? Could it be McCain considers his VP a figurehead only, or that he is not comfortable with an authentic female leader? For me, his selection does the opposite of what it intends, and actually reinforces my perception of McCain as being too old and out of touch to lead this country.

Sent by Laurie Strasser | 2:36 PM ET | 08-29-2008

Lois,

McCain has been set up to lose from the beginning. Just look at the pulse of the media. obama's presidency has been inevitable. He has been chosen, groomed, and marketed for this.

Which makes him incredibly dangerous. His supporters form a cult of personality.

Keep your eyes open for the next 8 years, expect more of your rights to be stripped under obama, and for the media to discuss what's happening less. Expect the "economy" to improve, and gas prices to drop. Know that it is all going according to plan, and that plan is not necessarily in the best interests of the proletariat.

Wake up.

Sent by Jody Sol | 2:42 PM ET | 08-29-2008

I am shocked by the number of people who are criticizing Palin for not "staying home with her children". A large number of mothers balance work and parenting and relate to the challenges and rewards of doing both. Also I don't think that the goal is to appeal to Clinton voters. Palin is a strong woman in her own right with a very different set of values and beliefs than Clinton. I think she will appeal to many women who identify with her and have strong family values.

Sent by Jem | 3:14 PM ET | 08-29-2008

The Republican V.P. nomination has more
experience than the Democratic presidency nominee.

Sent by Bill | 5:43 PM ET | 08-29-2008

palin said that she stood up against the big oil companies and john mccain stood for the oil companies....i can't understand how this is going to be a good pair.

Sent by tin | 6:09 PM ET | 08-29-2008

On GMA today, a Palin supporter said, "She kills her food and eats it". That says it all. And as my 85 y.o. mother says, "Only in America".

Sent by Lynn Barbaree | 11:39 AM ET | 08-30-2008

Hello. I am the woman voter that McCain hopes to win over in this election. And I would like to weigh in on his choice for Vice President.

When I listen to Sarah Palin, I like what I hear -- at first. A woman in mid-life with a high, young voice that belies her years, a woman who describes herself as a person compelled to fight against the good old boy network, corruption, and business as usual -- all while carrying a baby. She is just like me, right?

That's what John McCain wants me to believe. Not only does he want me to believe that -- he wants me to vote on it. Upon further reflection, I am not so easily swayed. I was raised beyond women's lib, beyond the civil rights movement -- I reap the rewards of their labor and am blessed to be of a generation moved less by a person's color or gender than what is at their core.

What I believe is that John McCain's choice for VP is a calculated political move that assumes women like me will make our decision in this election based on sameness -- based on the idea that we see ourselves reflected in Sarah Palin and vote for her based on that image. Frankly, I am a little insulted.

Sarah Palin might buck the system with her "hockey mom" image, but she does not represent real, substantial change that I believe our nation needs. After only two years as governor, I am even willing to accept her relative inexperience. But anyone who panders to oil companies and supports short-sighted solutions, such as off-shore drilling to resolve our nation's energy crisis, as Sarah Palin has, is not bucking the system. Anyone who compromises our children's future by fighting meaningful regulation of greenhouse gas pollution, as Sarah Palin has, is not bucking the system. Based on her record on energy policy alone, I doubt Sarah Palin could possibly stand against powerful corporate interests.

I am insulted by McCain's choice because it assumes that I, as a middle-aged, middle-income mother to two children, am moved less by a person's core and more by a person's image. That I subscribe to a campaign that is not about the direction of my country's future but a popularity contest. McCain chose Sarah Palin based on her appearance to win the election, to round out his own image -- not because Sarah Palin is the best choice he could have made to command the office of Vice President. For that, McCain had many other very fine, strong candidates with a breath of experience to choose from. But let's face it, none of them reflect the image of voters like me -- those female voters he hopes to sway in his favor.

While Sarah Palin looks and sounds like me, that is not enough to win my vote. And the fact that McCain selected her for short-sighted political gain and not long-term leadership makes me question his motivation and the strength of his convictions.

Sent by Lydia Breunig | 2:54 PM ET | 08-31-2008