Sarah Palin makes a fundraising pitch

John McCain's surprise selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate sparked exultation among socially conservative Republicans -- many of whom, prior to the pick, had a "hold-your-nose" attitude as they contemplated voting for him.

With greater enthusiasm comes more cash; indeed, a McCain campaign aide said the campaign raked in $7 million in the immediate aftermath of the announcement of Palin's elevation to the GOP ticket. And today brings this direct fundraising appeal from Palin.

Interestingly, the pitch doesn't mention "family values" or her commitment to the causes near and dear to social conservatives -- probably because there's no need for her to do so.

Instead, it includes a stress on one of the main points McCain made as he introduced the largely unknown Palin to the rest of the nation Friday: her credentials as a Washington outsider.

Here's part of the e-mail sent out under Palin's name:

Some of life's greatest opportunities come unexpectedly, and this is certainly the case for me. I never set out to run for office. But life has taken me on a course that first led to the Alaska Governor's office and now the country's first female Republican vice presidential candidate.

I want you to know that John McCain and I will challenge the status quo in Washington. We're ready to address our nation's great challenges - from reducing our dependence on foreign oil to cutting wasteful spending and creating good jobs for Americans. I look forward to working with him to achieve every goal he has set out during this campaign to improve the lives of all Americans.

As the mother of a son serving in the U.S. Army and the commander of Alaska's National Guard, there is no doubt in my mind that John McCain is prepared to serve as our next Commander in Chief.

Barack Obama's campaign also was hard at it on the online fundraising front, sending an e-mail to supporters keyed to Sunday's end of the monthly reporting period. With that deadline looming, the donation request says "we have an opportunity to show that a campaign funded by ordinary people can go toe-to-toe with the Washington lobbyists and special interests lined up behind John McCain and the Republican Party."

Those who pony up $15 or more receive a "first edition" Obama/Joe Biden car magnet (who thinks up this stuff?).

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[john]

Many pro gov. sarah blogs are popping on the net which means sign of excitment that we did not have with Biden..here is for one, called "we love sarah barracuda"

http://governorpalin.blogspot.com/

[gorefan]

It is interesting that social conservatives are hailing Gov. Palin who choose to continue with her pregnancy even after finding out the child had down syndrome. It must have been a very difficult choice to make. But Gov. Palin would deny other women in similar circumstances the right to have a choice.

[scootmandubious]

Until he made his VP choice, I was concerned that John McCain might be able to beat Barack Obama for the presidency.

Now? No way it can happen. And if it does, it sends a scary message about America.

My only question, will Govermor Palin be campaigning in a swimsuit and sash? Or will it be the evening gown and tiara?

I really hope this year's vice-presidential debate features a talent competition. It would be tres cool to see some good baton-twirling.

Best comment I have seen on the pick came from the person who posted that "McCain just got the Eskimo vote!"

[Saxxon Domela]

McCain Alzheimer's Disease

Just to put all of our minds at ease, John McCain needs to pass a test showing he does not have Alzheimer's disease. This is no different than a pilot taking a flight physical, but in this case the stakes are extremely high. Please Senator McCain, put the rumors to rest by taking this test and having the results published.

[joel]

watch out cindy sarahs going after your man now that you broke your wrist your beauty just doesn't appeal to playboy john any more. Carol knows what goes in behind those closed door meetings.

[John Peabody]

I've never contributed to a presidential campaign in my 69 years on this year but today I made my second contribution to John McCain and Sarah Palin. She is an outstanding candidate for VP and I salute John McCain for his decision. She's a quick learner and he's an excellent foreign policy expect who can teach her quickly. Obama who is running for president will have to learn from his VP nominee...what a switch.

I urge anyone living in the Gulf Coast area to either vote Republican or not to vote at all for the president and vice president as Michael Moore, an strong Democrat and anti Republican nut, said today that "there is a God" because the Republican Convention might have to be postponed because of the hurricane. He is delighted that thousands upon thousands of Americans will lose everything they own, and some their lives, because a hurricane will postpone a convention? He's definitely a sicko. If it takes that for him to believe in God, he is to be pitted.

[acarponzo]

The marketing guys at Team Obama must be trying to get the word out through ebay. Fiirst edition car magnets? This is getting ridiculous. But then, it isn't 3 am yet. I guess if you are one of the lucky ones to get the magnet, you sell it on ebay for 15 and charge 15 for shipping and handling. May be we could retire the national debt this way!

http://www.bop-o-rama.com

Obama 1,009,919 McCain 407,657

[Back From Iraq]

I've never seen so much enthusiasm about a campaign as I'm witnessing for McCain-Palin. In my area of the South Carolina coast and the many military bases that account for so many voters, cars and SUVs that once sported Obama '08 or Hillary '08 stickers are now stickerless. At least one is sporting a new McCain sticker. I stopped by the local Republican headquarters to see if there were any McCain-Palin yard signs and stickers but they're not in yet. Just down and across the street, the staff at the Democratic headquarters was politely giving directions to the GOP office for people who couldn’t find it; I applaud them for their professionalism; they certainly showed more class than their candidate and his national campaign managers who have thoroughly gutted their own campaign.

When this campaign is over, a President John McCain and a professional cabinet, perhaps a bipartisan cabinet, will end the dangerous polarity that has been taking place in this country for the past fifteen or so years and address the need for more than a stock generated hollow economy that showed signs of collapse as early as the late 90’s, keeping international terror organizations in check until they can be permanently defeated, gaining greater energy independence and stopping this maddening transfer of wealth to the oil producers, and preserving the Constitutional rights that so many of us fought for.

--McCain-Palin ’08--

[Craig P]

Obama decries change, change and more change, welcome Joe Biden 32 years in Congress and a dear friend of Lawyers who keep corporate bankruptcies bottled up in Delaware. Say it isn't so, Joe. Bil Clinton was a Governor from a small state just like Sara and look at his success.

[erik]

You guys are so unfair... First off she makes a mean rice krispe treat.. and when I say mean I'm saying "Look out Putin". Two she knows how to fish people... yeah FISH.. Take that you elitist, oh education is so important democrats. Three and most importantly she has a vagina.

Now I know common sense will tell you more than half of the worlds population consists of this select trait but do these vagina's say I have the most oil in the US.. Very few vagina's can say this.. Even less wont talk back because they have just been nominated for the Vice Presidency of the United States 2 years from being major of a town in the middle of nowhere Alaska.

[not neoconned this time]

Back from Iraq: you're making that up. Knock it off, please. Quit taking plays from the Republican book of deviousness and just tell the damned truth. This bullpucky about stickers coming off is undignified, and most people with brains know better.

Admit it, you like McCain, you're a "loyal Republican" no matter what the policies that come out of their greedy, backward thinking minds. You think we ought to stay in Iraq for another half century and tax cuts need to go to milliionaires because they aren't doing quite well enough (shooting yourself in the foot once again, as you guys so enjoy doing). You want a woman in office (likely to be PRESIDENT) who believes the earth was created 6000 years ago, all at once, and she can't even protect Alaska's signature critter, the polar bear, because her oil buddies would find it more difficult to drill drill drill--as the planet warms and 30 million coastal-dwelling humans become desperate climate refugees, throwing the world economy into complete chaos. Oh, yeah, forgot, Palin doesn't believe in global warming, or at least that it has anything to do with humans burning of fossil fuels for the past 150 years. Convenient, if you're an oil shill.

If McCain is elected, Palin WILL be our president. She's dealt with the snowmobile parking problem in Wasilla, and she's cut lots of slack for her oil buddies up there, and she wants to drill the refuge, and she loves her guns. She knows nothing about foreign policy, but she's probably "a quick learner."

McCain is quite likely senile, And you guys are insane.

[johnthebaptist]

More of the same. The only reasons why McSame is using Palin is to pander to the conservative republican base who are repugnant in voting for McSame, who doesn't share the same values as them Palin does., and to try and get Clinton's female support to support him. But this is double edged, because Palin's beliefs running 180 degrees from Clinton. It won't work for those women who value their right to choose and value Roe V. Wade.

VOTE YOUR POCKETBOOK.

[Jacob]

If we have to ship snow and moose to the White House lawn to keep this woman happy,do it! Go Saracudda!!

[theantibush]

McCain is playing ‘me too!’ politics. Hey, we got a female to your black! And Im sure this female represents the best possible republican leadership for the country. But of course she does not. Leadership is not what orthodox democracy is all about. Its about the most incompetent, most uninformed vote counting the same as that of the genius. Its about the tail wagging the dog, and about using the constitution to enslave a population at the same time making the masses feel empowered. Its about the tyranny of the sub-prime majority, and the resulting sub-prime leadership spread across all elected positions like a cancer. The political system and consequent leadership is illegitimate, outdated, and in need of serious reform.

[molon labe]

So scootmandubious drags out the primitive sexism.

Sorry to disappoint you, but this VP debate will feature a pompous windbag versus a woman who already has shaken up entrenched politicians, corruption and complacency.

As for cute competitions, while I agree Gov. Palin looks better than Sen. Biden, she's more likely to challenge him to a shooting match. Which he would lose.

[phillyboy]

With this VP pick McCain certainly gave us all an opportunity to evaluate his judgement. Let's see, he puts someone a "heart beat away" from the presidency after meeting with her twice over the course of six months. Then during his introduction he tells us"when you get to know her like I do..." It's a "Hail Mary" pass if there ever was one. What if they win and McCain should die suddenly. President Sarah Palin will lead our nation. This is how McCain puts his country first?

[jt]

Sarah Palin was chosen because she's a twofer. She's a rising conservative star and dramatically energizes the Republican base. She siphons off some percent of the Hillary vote, as a *free bonus* for McCain, who already has 20-25% of Hillary's voters.

She's definitely got this Hillary supporters vote.

[phillyboy]

Obama's judgement vs. McCain's: Obama, a young relatively inexperienced yet inspiring leader with visions of a changed America puts a man with wisdom and vast foreign policy experience behind him for advice and council. McCain, a 73 year old man who has had cancer four times calls on a person who is has zero experience in national or foreign affairs to be his number two for purely political reasons. While McCain takes the issue of experience off the table he answers the judgement question once and for all.

[Austine Allen]

Governor Palin is the anti-Hillary. She is the true feminist, successful on her own, not dependent on her husband for her career. She participates in many typically male activities and is highly athletic, yet doesn't give up an ounce of femininity. She has broken the barriers of the old boys' club without turning witchy. Neither pregnancy nor the birth of a child with a severe disability has hindered her professional success. Wow! Wow! Thank you, Governor Palin, for not buying the lie that abortion is the moral equivalent of childbirth. God bless you, your family and especially baby Trig.

[Donna H.]

Very curious behavior by McCain while he listened to his newly announced candidate giver her first speech. Whenever he wasn't applauding, he was tugging at or massaging his fingers, or holding his arms bent and fists clenched at is side, like he was waiting to punch someone. See: http://tinyurl.com/5azsv2.

Looks like even he seemed uneasy about his choice.

[VoteMcCain/Palin]

I don't think Sarah Palin made a "choice", or had a difficult decision to make. It was a given that she had the baby considering her value system. BTW, where was Joe's other son at the convention? Just asking...

[Austine Allen]

Governor Palin is the anti-Hillary. She is the true feminist, successful on her own, not dependent on her husband for her career. She participates in many typically male activities and is highly athletic, yet doesn't give up an ounce of femininity. She has broken the barriers of the old boys' club without turning witchy. Neither pregnancy nor the birth of a child with a severe disability has hindered her professional success. Wow! Wow! Thank you, Governor Palin, for not buying the lie that abortion is the moral equivalent of childbirth. God bless you, your family and especially baby Trig. The governor understands that the constitution guarantees us the right to life, and that the defenseless unborn child in the womb must be protected from those who consider it an inconvenience or for any other reason undeserving of that right. I can see why it galls 'pro-choice' advocates to observe a woman in high office who has seen beyond the deception that underlies abortion. Perhaps Sarah Palin's example will inspire some of these advocates to open their hearts wide enough to ascribe equal value to all human life.

[DrBanks]

Palin:
1. Five more years experience in elected office than Obama.
2. a real reformer at all four levels of her government service, city council, mayor, state oil/gas commission, governor. Took on oil companies, her own party and stopped the "bridge to nowhere" supported by congress - including democrats.
3. Executive experience in 2 of her elected offices.
4. Comander of the Alaska National Guard, which sends troops (including her son) to Afgan. and Iraq for our sucessful missions there. Visited wounded troops in both Iraq and Germany but did not attend giant free-beer rock concerts in Germany and ignore the soldiers.
5. A former private sector family business owner. Has not lived off the government or government.sponsored "foundations" all her life.
6. Clearly not a party apologist.
7. Gives regular tax cuts to citizens of the largest state in the union (with a population similar to Deleware's).
8. "Walks the walk" with regard to her religious principles, as evidenced by her decision to bring a child to life, not allow him to be the victim of partial-birth abortion, which Obama supports but Hillary Clinton does not.
9. Is not a lawyer.
10. Only one of the 4 leading ticket members (McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden) who is NOT a multimillionaire!

Obama/Biden:
1. less than 145 days experience in the Senate but even fewer days due to his leading record of absences.
2. No executive level experience from either.
3. Never vote against their party at any level. Always tow the party line - vote the they are told to vote.
4.Biden clearly more experienced than Obama in foreign affairs, although less so than John McCain. But after 2 brain aneurysm operations can Biden be considered a "safety" net for the totally inexperienced Obama?
5. Can Obama's "community agitator" years working with Rev. Wright, terrorist Ayers, Holocaust denier Farahkan be equated to Palin's 5 more years of actual elected office?
6. Obama and Biden are both millionaires due to government connections. Obama made more than 4.5 million last year alone.George Soros has bought millions of dollars worth of Obams "autobiography" - written in his late 40s!
7. Has proposed nearly 3 trillion $ worth of new spending on programs which do not work. Claims the money will come from "taxing the rich" who already pay 95% of taxes. Obviously this is just an empty promise. He must heavily tax the middle class to give money to his political interests, primarily lawyers.
8. Obama's religious background and beliefs are dubious, to say the least. One thing is clear, though, on his journey from Muslim Madrass through 20 years of Marxist Wright ravings, today he knows the Messiah - he sees Him in the mirror every day- a classic case of Messianic Complex!
9. Both Biden and Obama are lawyers.
10. Both Biden and Obama want to raise taxes EVEN on payroll taxes. The entire middle class will have less money in their pockets as they wait on long lines for government cheese/healthcare.

Have not contributed to a presidential candidate in 20 years. This year, for my family, I must!

[Charlie]

Only weak-minded women would dare vote for Palin. Nevermind she never really accomplished anything, except running in beauty pageants in Alaska. C'mon, she just eye candy for the GOP. Who's going to fall for that?

[earl trowbridge]

The vice-presidency is not an internship. We need a VP who is ready on day one. Can John McCain honestly say that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president? And what does this choice say about his judgement?

[kushka53]

With all due respect, I don’t want a soccer mom, er, make that a hockey mom that looks like Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey, as the Vice President! She’s more qualified for the town council. It’s embarrassing for the nation.
And of note is McCain’s interest in beauty queens. Both Palin and his wife were one. Totally non-threatening types, unlike other very qualified professional Republican women whom McCain avoided, uh ignored. This goes to his real nature.
Just because Palin is physically a woman does not make her sympathetic to women's causes; indeed, she seems to be poison to them.
If this nation ignores the brilliance of the Obama-Biden ticket this time around then I fear our best days will be behind us...

[kushka53]

With all due respect, I don’t want a soccer mom, er, make that a hockey mom that looks like Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey, as the Vice President! She’s more qualified for the town council. It’s embarrassing for the nation.
And of note is McCain’s interest in beauty queens. Both Palin and his wife were one. Totally non-threatening types, unlike other very qualified professional Republican women whom McCain avoided, uh ignored. This goes to his real nature.
Just because Palin is physically a woman does not make her sympathetic to women's causes; indeed, she seems to be poison to them.
If this nation ignores the brilliance of the Obama-Biden ticket this time around then I fear our best days will be behind us...

[pacificGatePost]

SARAH PALIN IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER STATE GOVERNOR.

She shook up Alaska to its political and financial core.

McCain has made a bold and telling move selecting someone with Chief Executive experience – the only one to have any - of the four running for the White House.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/08/mccains-renewal-sarah-palin.html

Her EXPERIENCE, as short as it is, speaks volumes for her character. … Something many in Congress would do well to emulate.

[David Blackburn]

I don't know. McCain might have made a good choice to get elected. Look at all the idiots that voted for our current president - twice!

[markiniowa]

The argument Palin doesn't have the experience to be VP but Obama has the experience to be Pres just doesn't sound right to me either. But then again, I am one of those primitive people that actually thinks killing an innocent human being is a bad thing.

The sad part is: you would think by now, living in 2008, sacrificing a child to an idol would not be thought of as a progressive act. Instead of worshipping an idol of some abstract god, that idol has become ourselves. Our worship of ourselves and the desire not to be inconvenienced by another life has led to judging that the convenience of one life is more important than the right to life of another. Nice progression, before long ,we will begin engaging in sexual behavior with like genders.

This idea of progression is nothing new; mankind has been on this destructive cyclic pattern for thousands of years, we just never seem to learn.

[Chuck]

You're right, the vice presidency is not an internship and neither is the Presidency and Barack is not ready for commander in chief, McCain is..

[Anti-community organizers]

You Obamanations are funny. A governor of a state is not qualified to be president, but a community organizer is?

A successful mayor of a small town (who isn't 'bitter' and doesn't 'cling') is not qualified, but an undistinguised senator, who likes to vote 'present', is?

You Obamanations are quite funny indeed.

[Brody]

All of the Republicans who support Palin are hypocrites. If she were a Democratic candidate the Republican party would be playing the Foreign Policy card and crying that the choice proved that the Democratic party was soft on terrorism.

The argument that Palin has more experience than Obama is a sham. He is better educated, was a state representative for 8 years and has been a Senator longer than Palin has been Governor. Obama's grass roots work in Chicago was tougher than Palin's job as mayor. As for executive experience, he has been managing a presidential campaign that has been able to out raise, out think and out plan every other campaign including McCain's.

But what is truly outrageous is that the Republican Party claims to stand for doing what is best for the American People and the Nation as a whole. The overtly political motives behind the Palin pick exposes the Grand Old Party as puting party, and partisan politics first and the country last.

[edabel]

Obama, made a major political mistake on not getting Hillary and bringing the whole party together, period!

McCain helped his campaign by picking another maverick and female who can stand up to anyone. Palin has as much experience as Obama on top of his ticket. Palin is a new inspiring pick the republicans need. She has 80 percent approval in Alaska and is the most popular Governor in America. She taxed oil companies and gave it all back to Alaska's taxpayers at $1,200 each.

Obama is a smart inspiring speaker, but Palin's actions speak louder than political words. She has fought corruption in both parties in Alaska. When she speaks she says it like it is, unlike polished career politicians. Some people can talk the talk, but Palin can walk the walk. Anyone with doubts about Palin should watch her interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC.

People are talking negatively about Palin without knowing all the facts about what she has achieved, including the media because they are in love with Obama. The media is saying McCain picked Palin because of Hillary not being picked and I love Hillary, but Sarah is the real deal for republicans and she gives them a new face that they need to reform their party. The Republican Party has always been for the rich and special interests, Sarah represents “we the people” and is against government waste and the good old boy network, this is just what republicans need to fix their image and direction.

Now the race is exciting and change is coming to both parties! History will be made period with either Obama or McCain!

[DW]

Obama's "inexperience"

--Harvard Law School Graduate
--taught Constitutional Law
--skipped Wall Street big $s to help organize out-of-work Illinois residents
--Edited Harvard Law Review
--served on numerous public-service boards
--7 years as an Illinois state representative
--3 yrs as US Senator
--negotiated comprehensive nuclear nonproliferation treaty
--involved in dozens of other legislative efforts in the Senate
--probably involved in numerous other public-service efforts he hasn't bragged about, because that's the kind of public servant he is and has proven himself to be, like it or not

Give me a break. Insist you don't like him, or you won't vote for a black man, or you're a knee-jerk Repub who'd vote for ANY Republican, no matter how many wars they instigate and no matter how many billions they give away to the already-rich. But don't try to sell this totally fraudulent take on Obama's experience. It's simply a lie.

[Thomas Jonas]

We're really excited about Gov. Palin as VP. She balances the ticket and is an asset. My aunt used to live in Alaska and is quite familiar of her achievements. Upon hearing the news of Sen. McCain's pick of having Palin as VP, she is making a $50,000 donation to the ticket which she wasn't planning on doing. My Sunday school teenage class of 150 young adults today were excited about learning of Palin to the campaign and are all planning on sending the campaign a $15 donation each.

Gov. Palin will most likely change the dynamics of the campaign.

[DrBanks]

Response to DW:
Harvard Law School Graduate (how elitist! Only leftist east coast schools count)
--taught Constitutional Law (very briefly and as an ADJUNCT, not a hired Prof.)
--skipped Wall Street big $s to help organize out-of-work Illinois residents (made connections with the leftist communities to ensure big bucks from George Soros & Co. Made 4.6 Million $ last year alone from books sales mostly to Soros sponsors. Palin is NOT a millionaire)
--Edited Harvard Law Review (again totally elitist and left-wing)
--served on numerous public-service boards (but is not proud of the appointed boards which included terrorist William Ayers)
--7 years as an Illinois state representative (selected and supported by the Chicago political machine – NEVER voted against the machine’s interest, even when voting “present” rather than taking a position he might have to explain later.)
--3 yrs as US Senator (worst attendance record in the history of the Senate. Could have been there a mere 143 days but even that was too much for the messiah)
--negotiated comprehensive nuclear nonproliferation treaty (What nonsense! No he did not.Gore also invented the Internet)
--involved in dozens of other legislative efforts in the Senate (always voted the party line. Never crossed the aisle)
--probably involved in numerous other public-service efforts he hasn't bragged about, because that's the kind of public servant he is and has proven himself to be, like it or not ( We are learning of many things Obama was involved in thanks to FOIA petitions. 20 years in the “G-damn America” church of his “spiritual mentor”. He could send a $ or two to his half brother, starving in Africa)

Additionally, after much subterfuge in the writings of the "Senator from MNBA", turns out Biden had same number of deferments as Cheney during Vietnam. With his two aneurysm operations is Biden a secure "saftey" for Obama's total lack of military and foreign policy experience? Will "The One" have to rely on his buddies Wright, Ayers and Farakhan for foreign policy advice?

[Democrats 08]

It's not that this is about Sarah Palin's pregnant, unmarried, teenage daughter, it is about the fact that Sarah Palin is a hypocrite preaching abstinence and like so many phony Republicans like her, morality. They look down on the rest of us like they are better than everyone and above us. Sarah Palin has been a Governor of a state in the middle of nowhere, literally, for 2 short years, She has already proven she is a serious hypocrite that believes global warming is a farce, while she votes against bills aimed at protecting the polar bear now in danger of extinction. Polar bears starving to death to Palin is a good thing so she has more wolves and baby seals to shoot and kill from her airplane. This woman would be one heartbeat away from the Presidency, with zero experience in foreign affairs, terrorism and Iraq, zero experience on the economy, zero experience for literally every last issue America is faced with in these impossible times Bush has created for us all. The Republicans made this mess we are in and this is who they offer up as a solution? absolutely pitiful, NEXT. Obama / Biden all the way!