In order to understand why Obama didn’t choose Hillary, we’re missing some very important points. 1. Too many voters still dislike her for her courage to speak her mind, from the “I didn’t stay home to bake cookies” in Bill’s first run (which I as a stay at home Mom LOVED), to her all inclusive look at changing health care as First Lady. Then, some “family orientated” folks still think she should have divorced Bill, real “family” minded, and most were women! I say, good for her on all counts. but … 2. With Hillary in the Senate, she can do lots more for our country by pushing those bills women need forward (with a little help from more Democratic legislators). 3. It is also highly likely, that she’ll be nabbed for a cabinet seat that she can sink her teeth into, like Health & Welfare? Whether we like it or not, this is the system we have, each state chooses how their primaries are run. There are states with caucuses that allow anyone of either party to vote for anyone (no declaration of party), Vote at the Polls during the day then vote again in a caucus, eligibility to vote after only a month or two registration (that you can change every other year or so), and a myriad of other means to vote against your enemy party. And some states allow the delegates to split the vote, some have to throw the majority, no matter how few, to one candidate. And I sure hope someone changes the primary days for next time - so we don’t have a gazillion primaries in one day, like we did this year … We hardly saw anyone this year, since we were in that gazillion!

eleanore, Too bad you & the GOP are a few years too late with: “If anybody doesn’t “get it” it’s the Dems not understanding that they are not the only party that can have a “first woman” VP.” - candidate, that is. Way back In 1984 the Dems had Geraldine Farraro - highly qualified, well spoken, and a moderate. But the “Rove-like” GOP of the time smashed her down, as a woman, and because (unlike themselves - hmmm, oh really?) her husband once knew some “unsavory” people.

Kay, are you serious? - “And I have to add Nancy Pelosi who has the lowest approval ratings of anyone, with Congress having worse ratingss than Bush and as Speaker she could not get the Equal Pay act passed with a majority of democrats …” a majority of how many? No where near the 60 % to overturn a veto by GW, and only by one (1) in the Senate. How does that equate to a “majority” should pass any good bill? Think about that, in your indecision & upset. IF you really want REAL changes - let go of having the “first woman” in the White House, and work to get more representatives in the Congress & Senate that share all our views! I am.

Actually, DeB, I would think that the pool is probably quite large, what about Ms Rice? (Opps, she’s not married.) Well, there must be some other women out there, no? And Linda, about “most women are too smart…” - McCain isn’t counting on women’s smarts, but on their indignation about “loosing” Hillary as the first woman President! As DeB’s running conversation with James have been saying, and Obama pointed out last night, it isn’t that McCain doesn’t care, he just doesn’t get it! Now, will someone just explain to me - HOW he thinks this choice is a qualification to be commander in chief over all in this diverse society of ours???

James, you hit the nail on the head. One of the most memorable items of Hillary’s speech was just that, “Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for … ” all those suffering in this economy, the military & their wives, etc., etc., etc. She, and later Obama put the case of this election right where it belongs. it is about race, nor nationality, nor gender, nor religious affiliation, nor sexual orientation, but about every one of us and what we do this November for our children & those all over the world. I was a firm Hillary supporter, not happy at all that she lost, and I liked Biden lots. But like Marlo & other’s here, there is NO WAY - just putting any woman on the ticket would sway me, I’ve moved to Obama! I’m especially not for this woman - SO viscerally connected to the oil industry which runs AK, and gives Alaskans the highest medium income, the lowest tax rate, the cheapest utility bills in the nation. an annual gift-back of $1,000 per person, and the ONLY state in the nation that has a surplus! At least it was when we were there & I believe AK still is … (Oil) money talks again! Sarah may be “middle class” but AK is not. Yet another bad choice you made, John.

Opps clicked too soon. Now his choice is irresponsible - but so much more so, IF - WE vote for that oil ticket!

Well, the pundits are saying that McCain sees … not her inexperience, but that she’s a maverick like “he sees himself” - that is - that HE sees himself, not as he used to be, before he latched on to the GW bandwagon. Sadly for McCain, her only experience is in a very sparsely populated State, that has none of the financial woes of every other state, thanks to ‘nother oil monarchy. (Anyone else get the similarity? Oil = GW/Chaney = McCain/Palin) I believe, my former Alaskans now actually have a surplus - something Sarah didn’t have anything to do with, and one we had only 8 short years ago!

Amen to that! And I wish you much joy with your wife’s inheritance & all your homes (Think you could donate some of them to those who lost theirs, thanks to Wall Street’s & deregulated banker’s greed? ;+}

“a mayor of a town of about 9,000 and a governor for a little of a year of a State with a population the size of San Francisco” Opps, you’re a little bit off on that. Wasilla has a population of a little over 5,000, not 9000. It’s a one horse town, on a tiny lake, north of Anchorage, surrounded by woods and proud that they are MILES from most of “civilization”, like most Alaskans. I know, I’ve been there, when we spent 7 years in AK! These folks are “sourdoughs” living in the “last frontier” - and most up there have a distain for “civilization” - which is WHY they live up there! Kathy LPV

Marjorie, You are SO right in saying: ” What a totally ugly remark to make about another woman.” It’s unfortunate that our politics is run by those who would rather take “personal stabs” at a candidate, than look at the issues they stand for. But we Democrats aren’t the only ones who do that, look at what Carl Rove did to McCain when he ran against GW - as well as Gore & Kerry! But, that aside, that kind of drivel just “sells” better - I would hope THIS TIME - maybe, just maybe, there won’t be the personal attacks, but a real debate & focus on the issues? Can we at least do that here, ladies??? Pllllleassse? Kathy LPV

Of course, McCain cares more about pandering in order to win an election than he does about the welfare of this country. But he’s just following his party’s lead. That’s the way the GOP has operated for years. Though Eisenhower was a fair to good president, at the time no one knew … he had NEVER voted in a single election in his life! When asked Why he took the GOP nomination, he said, “Because the Democrats didn’t ask me!” And, just look at the last 8 years? Betcha Rove will be helping them on this one … they’ll need his tactics. McCain is / a was / a good man once, till the far right took over the party. That’s who he’s catering to, with Sarah as right wing as they come! Kathy LPV

Elizabeth You asked the right question: “Did anyone notice that Sarah Palin’s husband works for an oil company?’ Does anyone realize how embedded in AK politics the oil industry is? As a “former Alaskan” (for 7 years) the oil companies own AK, and get enormous benefits from them. She may have, as some say, “some good qualities” - but not for women, nor regular working folks, nor for citizen’s rights, nor the ecology, nor for the economy ! Kathleen E Lo Pinto Vignolini

Elizabeth You asked the right question: “Did anyone notice that Sarah Palin’s husband works for an oil company?’ Does anyone realize how embedded in AK politics the oil industry is? As a “former Alaskan” (for 7 years) the oil companies own AK, and get enormous benefits from them. She may have, as some say, “some good qualities” - but not for women, nor regular working folks, nor for citizen’s rights, nor the ecology, nor for the economy, ! Kathleen E Lo Pinto Vignolini

Here’s my take on the choice of the Gov. of AK,.Sarah Palin, whose husband is a fisherman - BUT - also works for the AK OIL INDUSTRY!!! We spent 7 years in AK 1975-1981, 3 in the Air Force, the next 4 in the city of Anchorage. We got to know lots of folks in AK, and how they think, esp. about the “rest of America.” AK isn’t like the “lower 48” states or Hawaii - it’s economy is oil driven, the fishing industry is highly regulated ( by previous governors), they have money up the gazoo, so they aren’t feeling the cost crunch like most of us are! And a mayor of Wasilla? It’s a 1 horse town on a lake, north of Anchorage! The only good part of McCain’s selection of the Gov. of AK for Vice Prez that is good - is that she stopped Stephens “bridge to nowhere”. But she will be a big boon to the Oil industry and visa versa. Each Alaskan has gotten $1,000 per individual - per year, since 1981 !!! The oil companies ALSO subsidize Alaskan economy in several other ways - they pay plenty to the State so they can : 1. not only give each Alaskan the annual gift of $1,000 non taxable by the state, only by the Fed, & 2. but with this oil money, the State taxes are a joke, Alaskans probably pay the least state of all the rest of the 50 & have no sales tax, & 3. Alaskans pay a ridiculously lowered utility bills, Heating, Electric & water - are about 1/3 the rest of the nation! That means that the oil companies, pay well over $200,000 to the state to disburse, and are is still making mega-profits - from selling us gas & oil at a over evaluated price, while Alaskans and the oil companies reap the benefits. Have they been passing those costs on to us??? … BUT - we need to have a real vigorous ecology check on how “clean” Prudhoe Bay & the land surrounding the pipeline is. While we were there, the press showed vast areas where oil spills from barrels leached into the ground, and just a few years later the pipeline had a leak and had to be repaired! Also, most Alaskans are proud to consider themselves “the last pioneers” - calling long time Alaskans, “sourdoughs.” Most have an “old cowboy-like” attitude, aka pretty cocky. They love folks like their Senator Stephens who pushed to get his bridge to Juneau, despite the plea to spend that money to fix the bridge destroyed by Katrina. They just voted to send him back to DC, despite his being investigated by the Feds for improper & undeclared money given him by oil & contracting companies ! Many Alaskans hold a distain of the rest of us, referring to us as “the lower 48” and when visiting one of these states, say they’re going “outside”. I worry about any politician coming from AK … they lean their ears toward the powerful - not the lowly citizen * Four times the Alaskan people voted to move the capitol from Juneau - where you need to go by boat or plain which costs lots of money to be able to talk to your representative in person! That’s what the AK politicians think of the “will of the people.” Sarah maybe a different type, but, she’s pro NRA, anti abortion, pro Oil drilling anywhere - like in the National wilderness of Anwar, and God only knows what else. SO, women beware … Don’t vote for the ticket, if you think you’re “voting for a woman”. Look at the issues she presses, and where she’s coming from. I was SO for Hillary and have always liked Biden. Last night Obama showed me - the right stuff, giving clear ideas of how he’d handle the issues facing us today. I’m now joining Hillary to work for Obama.

But think about it Candice, we didn’t do anything after ‘75 either, not the auto companies, the oil companies, nor Government to forestall the present mess we’re in now. I remember those lines, with the odd - even days. We were enlisted Military & it about killed us financially! It’s nice to think we will “learn our lesson” this time, but what makes us think we’ve changed. An old saying fits our human nature here, “Everything changes and Nothing changes.”