"Put Up or Shut Up" Time For Palin

With the primary filing deadlines right around the corner for the 2012 Republican Presidential candidates, the time many have been waiting for has finally arrived:
D-Day for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

So Mrs. Palin...what will it be? In or out? Are you running or not?

If you are, then you must get into the fray now if you have any hope of raising the money or creating the organizational structure necessary to compete effectively with front runners Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.

If not, then have the integrity (a difficult word for you, I know) to definitely declare that you are NOT running. The people who are infatuated with you deserve that courtesy.

The courting and wooing stage of your political dating game is over. Now it is time to make your move...or not. Either take your political romance to the next level, or "dump" the voters you've been flirting with since 2008-for their own good.

We know you love the spotlight, the money, the fame, and the endless interviews, reality shows, and FOX news paychecks, but the time has come to release the people you've been manipulating from their hypnotic trance of blind followership so that they can rally behind a real candidate of substance rather than fluff.

Breaking up is hard to do...but don't worry, I'm sure you have another lucrative TV deal already in the works.

Palin Makes Her Case

As polls prepared for Election Day 2008, Governor Sarah Palin campaigned in Reno, Nevada, another battleground state, telling voters that she can't wait to get to work.

As Finish Line Approaches, Palin Still Provokes Emotion on Both Sides

As this recent roundtable exchange demonstrates, Sarah Palin remains both a positive and negative lightning rod as Election Day 2008 draws ever closer.

Palin Runs Off At The Mouth in Nonsensical Ways

While Joe Biden has committed verbal gaffes throughout his career, he has not irresponsibly advocated divisiveness in this great land, as the Republican Governor of Alaska did recently.

Our Leaders Must Be Informed, and Must Want To Be

All those who aspire to public service have a moral and ethical obligation to stay current on the state of affairs both nationally and internationally. They must exhibit an insatiable curiosity about the world. Only then can they hope to lead this great, diverse nation in challenging times.

Sarah Palin's Recent Comments On Israel Are Cluttered and Wacky

If you can find a sequential response that makes any sense in this portion of Sarah Palin's Katie Couric Interview on CBS about America's ability to disagree with Israel, then you are a better person than I am.

Sarah Palin's Problems Make Her A Risky Choice

Sarah Palin's litany of difficulties make her nomination for Vice-President increasingly hard to believe.

Sarah Palin's Discussions Show Weaknesses and Naivete

The Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, in her interview with Charles Gibson of ABC, demonstrated a terribly naive grasp of national and international affairs.

Palin's Religious Heritage Must Be Examined

While Religious Freedom is a hallmark of this great nation, the fact is that Sarah Palin is an unknown quantity to Americans, plucked from obscurity by Senator John McCain a week ago.
Unlike McCain, Obama, and Biden, Palin did not undergo the intense scrutiny of the presidential primaries.
We are now on a limited campaign calendar, and the American people are entitled to know as much about this newcomer as possible.
Though now a member of a community church since her entry into politics, her prior religious influences are just as relevant for examination as all the yelling and screaming about Obama's former Pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, this past summer and spring.
As much as the Republican Party would like to wrap itself in the flag and the Bible, and attack Obama for his early relgious influences, that double standard will not work. Sarah Palin's beliefs will influence her policy views just like anybody else in public life.
The American people are entitled to know what those beliefs are.

Palin Should Not Be Above Public Scrutiny

Despite the interview that Governor Palin has now agreed to give, the scrutiny of her must continue to be intense, and far more reaching.
She is auditioning for the second most powerful job in the country, and she should not be let off the hook.
The scrutiny of her must be just as intense as that for Obama, McCain, and Biden. No Exceptions.

Let's Begin To Really Examine Palin Land

While I applaud Governor Palin's decision to finally engage in an interview this Thursday and Friday, it is high time that she be subjected to the same level of scrutiny as McCain, Obama, and Biden.
She calls herself a maverick, and touts her Alaska record...well, people should look at all pieces of her background and her record, the same as with the other three candidates.

Bravo Governor Palin

Bravo to the Vice-Presidential nominee of the Republican Party!
Governor Palin has finally consented to an interview over two days with ABC's Charles Gibson!
The interview will take place in Alaska this Thursday and Friday.
Continue to step up to the plate Governor.
The American people deserve that.

Palin Absent

The luster of her newness is now over.
It is time for the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee to take interviews with the press.
Aside from a photo permitted for PEOPLE magazine, Palin has done no interviews.
Governor, if you are afraid of giving interviews to American journalists, I must question how fearless you will be when faced with Vladmir Putin, Hu Jintao, Kim Jong il, and Osama Bin Laden.
You want to be Vice-President, huh?
Vice-Presidents don't exist in a vacuum or in rooms filled only with their supporters.
Talk to reporters and to the world, or you have no right to the mantle of the Vice-Presidency.

Palin vs.Putin? I Don't Think So

On August 12, 2008 in Pennsylvania, John McCain accused Vladimir Putin of wanting to reestablish the old Soviet Empire. While I think he may be right, how does he prepare to face down the rising, reemerging Russian bear?

He picks a little known, zero foreign policy experience Alaska Governor to be one 72 year old heartbeat away from the presidency.

Tell us Senator, how is Governor Palin's ZERO experience better for us than Senator Obama's 4 year Senatorial experience dealing with international issues, and Senator Biden's 35 years.

Shame on you for pandering to women so blatantly.

Historic Veep Choice Could Be Bad For McCain

Though John McCain's selection of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate, a historic first for a Republican, does him some immediate good prior to his convention, the long term ramifications of the choice are frightening.

By selecting her, McCain relinquished his best weapon in the fight against Barack Obama-the argument that Obama does not have sufficient experience to be Commander-in -Chief. So his answer is to pick a Governor of an uncommon state with no experience at all in national issues to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. Experience is now off the table as a club to attack Obama.

Having a virtual unknown on the national stage as his running mate reignites the issue of McCain's age at just the wrong time. A 72 year old man weakened from years in captivity and already a cancer survivor several times over would have been better served by someone truly ready to stand toe-to-toe with the Chinese, the Russians, and Osama Bin Laden in the event of a President McCain's demise. Sarah Palin is not that person.

If this choice was supposed to capture the hearts and minds of Clinton supporters simply because she is a woman, Senator McCain misses the point. Clinton supporters won't flock to Palin because the issue is not that Palin is a woman, it's that she's not THE woman.

Fine governor, fine woman, fine mother, former fisherperson, pro-life Catholic, and spouse of an oil industry worker...but Vice-President of the United States?