YOUR COMMENTS

So we want equality for women and yet Biden is going to have too take it "easy" on her? Yep, that makes so much sense. Lets take it easy on someone who could end up being our President. You have GOT to be kidding me.
- Roger Dinslan, Atlanta, Georgia

As an Obama supporter I must say I am happy with this pick. I though Romney would of been better but this trumps and "inexperience" nonsense that Mccain has for Obama. 3 more months, I am so excited!
- Steven Byrd, Roswell NM

A former high school basketball star and beauty queen! Wow! At least the Un ion Leader tempers that praise with a realistic assessment: Palin has limited experience in elected office...How do all of you folks know she is a great pick when NO ONE has ever heard of her. Can we do 24 hours of research before deciding if she is capable of taking on the most complex, demanding job on the planet? Putin v. Palin? Frankly, I'm scared to death at the thought of this person being a heartbeat away...
- Ann DeGenova, Manchester

Sarah Palin is a tough, intelligent and genuine woman who has breathed life into a campaign that hasn't really had a lot of excitement behind it (and despite this, McCain's managed to be EVEN in the polls, BEFORE picking her!)

Some are saying Sarah doesn't have foreign policy experience. Neither does Barack, nor did Bill Clinton, nor did Ronald Reagan, nor did Bush 42, nor did Carter. She DOES have a son going to Iraq and she HAS been to Iraq numerous times (unlike Obama.) She’s also smart enough to know that we need to get off our foreign oil dependence.

She's also not the Presidential candidate - McCain is, and if Obama can be expected "grow" into the top job between now and Jan 20, Sarah can grow into it over the next four years with John McCain's guidance.

I think the GOP has found our Maggie Thatcher.
- Stephen Abbott, Manchester

While I was quite surprised by McCain's choice, I am very pleased with it. At the time of his pick, I was undecided. McCain has my vote.
- Carrie Mandeville, Manchester

Way to go John. Shot yourself in the foot again. Guess you really don't want to win after all.
- William Douglas, Tuftonboro

The Union Leader has been vindicated. When they endorsed McCain I could not believe it but with his first major decision since becoming the presumptive nominee he has shown judgment I never would have expected.
- Jeffrey Creem, Nashua, NH

Why does the firing of the Assistant US Attorneys continue to bring such condemnation?
Every incoming president has done so, most often, and sometimes only, "just because" they're not members of his party.
One fact is always overlooked: they all serve at the pleasure of the President, and the President, whoever it is, needs no reason to replace them. No matter who wins the November election, the same thing will happen.
- Guy Plante, Manchester

Um Lori, just because she believes in God and calls him our "creator" doesn't make her a creationist. It just makes her a Christian and if you have a problem with THAT then, you have a problem with the vast majority Americans. Why is it that someone can't talk about God without being labeled as an extremist?
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, Nh

AHAHAHHAHA! This is great! I'm re-energized for McCain-Palin!! The nay-saying lib-Dems have been trumped!
- Ed Holdgate, Sandown, NH

Are you serious? Is that Obama criticizing Palin's experience? This must be a joke right? She has experience as a mayor and governor. What does Obama have? "Community Leader" and one time senator who has been absent for most votes? Yea, like I said, I'm pretty sure compared to Obama, she has a lifetime of experience!
- Tom Moore, Salem, NH

John Lynch may have twice the experience of Sarah Palin but he doesn't have a fraction of her accomplishments...
- Rep. D.J. Bettencourt, Salem

Is she really a creationist? Un-be-lievable!

Persons who are so poorly informed about the world that they think it was created 5,000 years ago via a great flood are not qualified to teach children in elementary school, never mind be President of all the various people with various beliefs in this country. If we find out this woman is also an ardent Zionist via fringe interpretation of the Bible's book of Revelations we will know why she was chosen - the Israel Lobby.
- Lorie Adams, manchester

AWESOME! Absolutely AWESOME! I've never been so excited about a presidential ticket!!
- Trish Campbell, Manchester

She honestly couldn't sound like a more genuinely ethical and smart woman. I'm not voting for McCain/Palin because she is a woman, but because of their combined experience and right kind of change that America needs. These two will win NH in 2008 and the White House.
- Barbara Manning, Nashua, NH

As a woman, I am so proud to see Palin as McCain's VP. She reminds me of every woman I know if she happened to be involved in politics. John McCain has my vote.
- Shannon Lee, New Hampshire

McCain hit a home run with this one. She is an amazing candidate for VP. I love how all of the liberal media is trying to call her "inexperienced." The funny thing is that she is 10 times more experienced than the Democrats presidential candidate, Obama.

Great Job McCain. She is perfect!
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, NH

What a great choice. Obamarama would have nothing to do with a woman but Mccain is wiser.
Obamarama had to pick a seasoned statesman because Obama is a big nothing, a really empty suit. But, McCain and Palin support life, not the murder of of the innocent.
God bless the conservatives of this country; they are our moral guide to good living.
- mary wilhelm, manch, nh

Sarah Palin, when elected, fired her cook, drove herself, and put the state jet on eBay. She shoots, is a lifetime NRA member, is an independent woman with six kids and owns her own floatplane she flies. She has also cut corruption from both parties, relentlessly.

She went to visit Iraq, and picked up a carbine she knew how to use, firing at a range alongside our troops!

How much more "empowered" can you get? Why do liberals get so angry about that?
- Michael Aten, Derry

Awful.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson has three terms in the senate and would have been perfect.

I'm not going to vote for any ticket that tries to trick me with such a nonsense choice. Frank Giunta got almost as many votes than this lady.

I like McCain but this confuses and disappoints me. She is not up to being president and McCain is just too old to take this chance.
- Henry Reed, Epping

John McCain picked a solid pro-life conservative as his running mate in Sarah Palin. Unlike Joe Biden who has Washington written all over him she is no
Washinton big wig and would add youth and attrack the Hillary supporters being a feminist. The evangelicals will be out for this ticket on Nov 4th.
- Mike Hassett, Chelmsford Mass

Sarah Palin, nominee for vice-president, has more experience than the Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama. Further, her experience is nearly all in an executive capacity, undoubtedly more applicable to the vice-presidency, whereas Obama's experience is all legislative. Where Obama cannot point to a single real accomplishment in his brief stint as a Senator, Palin has already developed a reputation as an aggressive reformer. She's cut taxes, cancelled boondoggle capital projects, pushed to drill for oil in her state, and worked tirelessly to rid Alaska of corrupt politicians.

A brilliant choice by John McCain. I look forward to holding his sign on election day, and for casting my vote for the McCain/Palin ticket.
- Keith Murphy, Manchester

Team McCain just beat Obama's Campaign at their own game. Again.
- Nicky Saints, Milford

Seriously? Another sign McCain is suffering from dementia in his old age or has the onset of Alzhiemers...the only thing he has in common with the Gipper.

This woman is unethical, already under investigation, and what type of a mother/wife leaves her newborn baby with Downs syndrome to go back to work after 3 days. This is a lifestyle altering development for any family that would require the basic amount of maternity leave at the very least. This woman has no experience other than making sure all the roads get plowed during a long winter.
Her state has half the population of NH!!! At least Obama was in his statehouse for 8 years and has several years in the US Senate with committee experience to back it up.

Maybe McCain should have picked Rachel Ray if he wanted a good "housewife" for VP. This is insulting to all women and not even a close substitute for Hillary Clinton.
- Jim Dubois, Henniker, NH

On a historical day that the GOP picks a woman for vice-president, the dems come out with the only way they know how to make an argument; by thrashing McCain's pick as inexperienced. What a joke. Obama experienced? Biden the next president if something should happen to Obama? Bidens personal attacks during Supreme Court Justice, John Roberts nomination, tells me everything I need to know about Biden. McCain showed his class by congratulating Obama on his historical win, in a nationally televised commercial and now the dems go on an instant attack by calling Sarah Palin "Dan Quale in pants suit" (Peter Sullivan-I am sure your wife and mom must be real happy with that classless statement on this blog) The attacks show that the dems are very nervous about this terrific pick. I prefered Romney, but after watching the Governor's speach and learning more about the tough woman from Alaska, I am elated. Absolutley elated with her! McCain showed his leadership, decision, and strategy making skills in one fell swoop. And for all of you nasty dems predicting McCain won't last four years, it only shows what a bunch of nasty minded people you are. If the Koreans couldn't kill him, nothing will. What a low ball bunch of nasty people you dems can be. Once again the republican party shows the depth of its talent and its ability to rise to the occasion: all to the chagrin of the pompous liberals who just don't get it.
- joekelly, manchester

I can't imagine how much Billary is seething right now. Just think if this woman gets into the white house before Billary?? WOW - I can't contain myself.
- Steve Walsh, Hooksett

I am amazed at Liberals who are arguing that the VP choices experience with McCain is more important because he is old and could "check out" as one put it. Do any of you realize that the Republicans are putting inexperience second, so McCain has to be elected, and then he has to die in order for an inexperience Republican to be President. The Liberals have put inexperience first, all Obama has to do is win in November and then the Dems have put inexperience in office.

Liberals are really tripping over their tongues to get the inexperience out there in the end they will look like their normal dumb selves
- Rick Tremblay, Manchester

Would you folks have been excited if Obama named John Lynch? He has twice the experience as Palin.
- steve boyington, chester

>> "Sen. Obama chose a seasoned statesman, a man respected by both Democrats and Republicans, someone who has earned the respect of leaders across the world."

No he didn't -- he chose Joe Biden.
- Rick Mitchell, Portsmouth

When the Dems come after Palin for inexperience in foreign affairs, the reply will be obvious --the GOP vice-presidential nominee is as experienced as the Democratic presidential nominee but also has executive decision-making that Obama lacks.

Palin's tough stance on reform of long corrupt practices is going to give her a very clear advantage over practiced cronyists Obama and Biden.

And she knows the crucial energy issue very, very well, as well as a variety of land-use and property rights issues dear to many in the crucial mountain west.

McCain has turned the race on its head, and if Palin proves to be as able a campaigner as her fans say, GOP and American politics will have been changed in a way that fundamentally celebrates opportunity and talent. What a contrast to Obama's rhetoric
- Elaine & Tom Dunham, Bow, NH

I am a McCain supporter...since 2000. I think Obama was arrogant and foolish to not pick such a strong candidate as Clinton for a running mate. Talk about dissing half your party, Wow! That speaks volumes and it says something about Obama's "cult of personality-ego trip" that so many are riding.
But I also think Biden was not a horrible choice.

From what I read it appears that McCain's choice is a great pick. Young, intelligent, hunts & fishes, believes in responsible AND ethical energy policies, her christian values are not riddled with hatred, they aren't distasteful nor are they suspect, and she is well liked within her state. Win or lose, good for you John McCain.
- Joe Norton, Henniker

Brian from Exeter, liberals learned our hatred from 8 years of listening to you neo cons bash Clinton. At least we didn't try to impeach Bush, how could we....all he did was lie about "bad intellgience" that got American into a war with a country that was never a threat to us...the real villan was Clinton and that blue dress wan't it.
- Jim Smith, Merrimack NH

Last night Obama suggested that McCain just doesn't get it (imagine that!) Just so I understand, Republicans expect Hillary PUMAs or whatever they're called to vote for him solely based on the gender of his running mate, despite the fact that she is;
- Anti choice
- Anti gay marriage
- Pro drilling
- Pro death penalty
- Creationist
- former Beauty Queen
He'd have done better by pumping some hormones into Joe Lieberman. If this is an attempt to sway former Hillary supporters methinks McCain has sold them way short...
- John Cloyd, Newfields

An awesome choice! Obama snubs Hillary, who got 18 million votes, for old Washington-insider gasbag Joe Biden. Liberman, Pawlenty, or Romney would have been more of the same-old, same-old. With this pick, McCain has shored up the conservative base, energized the ticket with youth, and knocked the wind out of the Dems after their big Convention closing night. Excellent job!
- John Pryor, Milford, CT

Bob Ahern,

You don't like Bush, we get it. Liberals are like a broken record. When asked to discuss politics, there response ALWAYS resorts back their hatred of Bush. No matter what the topic of discussion, you can rest assured a liberal will blame Bush.

The RNC is most likely having trouble drawing a large crowd because all the conservatives will be busy working!

Brian
- Brian, Exeter

This week, Barack Obama and John McCain each made the first critical executive decision of their administration with their choice of a vice president.

Sen. Obama chose a seasoned statesman, a man respected by both Democrats and Republicans, someone who has earned the respect of leaders across the world.

John McCain picked Dan Quayle in a pantsuit.

It's clear which candidate is serious about governing this country effectively.
- Peter Sullivan, Manchester

Here's the ticket, folks. Pretty interesting choice, dictated (I believe) by the divide-and-conquer Rovean strategy of getting the disaffected Hillary voters onboard the McCain bandwagon. Though it will make it tougher for Biden-the-attack-dog to come down hard on her (poor little lady - remember Hillary's complaint ~ misogyny), and harder for the Dems in general to criticize her "no experience" credentials, the alleged "no experience" parallels won't hold. VP-readiness is more critical to Repubs than Dems, since McCain is OLD. He could check out in the very near future, and Sarah (who?) would thereby become the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet. Then again, she is a hockey mom.....Maybe that's enuf to scare the puck out of terrorists, China, Russia, et al.
- Paul Dullea, Nashua, NH

No matter the experience in foreign affairs (or in any other area) or lack thereof of the candidates for office of president and vice president, isn't that why they have all those advisors and experts at their disposal?
I don't believe that's a valid reason to vote for or against anyone, Republican or Democrat. I'm sure that Obama and McCain will both rely on the advice of members of their Cabinet.
And that opinion doesn't make me an advocate or a foe of either ticket.
- Guy Plante, Manchester

I’m really sorry that Palin was selected. This is obviously a ‘safe’ pick for McCain who has no cajones when it comes to dealing with the Evangelical segment of the Republican Party. Mitt Romney scared the heck out of the Democrats. They didn’t want him to be the Republican candidate for President. While Obama had choreography, special effects, speechwriters, and trainers to make him look Presidential, Mitt was Presidential, a true leader. That is why Democrats switched sides in the New Hampshire Primary and voted for McCain. It is the only explanation that I can think of why the polls were way off predicting victory for Obama and a close vote between Romney and McCain. They didn’t want “The One” having to go against the better person.

It took all the Republican Candidates to take down Mitt during the primary season. McCain didn’t do it by himself, he had help from Guiliani, Huckabee, Thompson, and Paul. That’s how strong a candidate Romney is. Still, Mitt took the high road and campaigned heavily for McCain. Unfortunately loyalty to McCain doesn’t matter much. Look what happened to his first wife. She waited for over five years waiting by the phone for word of her POW husband. Then she was discarded like yesterdays trash when she herself became disabled in a car crash.

I am so ashamed that my Party supports and condones the Religious Bigotry practiced by the Evangelicals. So what if Mitt is a Mormon. Did his religion matter that much?? Enough to blackmail the party to not select the best person to keep the White House in Republican hands?
It’s just like pulling David Ortiz from the batters box to put in Jacoby Ellsbury to bat in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded, two outs, and the Sox are down 3 runs.

I have decided that I cannot be part of a party that supports religious bigotry. I will vote for Obama this fall and will campaign for him.
- Gene Bois, Hooksett

I had my fingers crossed that Mitt Romney would be the guy...but this is a very good choice indeed.
- Bill Howard, Exeter

Bryan: She is a woman, nonetheless. Clinton must be fuming.
- Carol Hines, Hampton, NH

Well, all of you conservatives think picking an unknown inexperienced "Hockey Mom" is great and the old man, McCain can do no wrong. And for those of you that think using the "Hockey Mom" is a slander, it's the press that put it out first as a label, not the readers of the UL.

Obama drew a crowd of 80,000 at the DNC and it's been said that McCain is having trouble drawing 10,000 for the RNC. November is right around the corner and the upcoming Presidential and Vice Presidential debates will give us a good look at these candidates. I think that holding the VP debates should be in a "Hockey Rink".

It was also quite amazing to see someone quote that statement "national security credibility, governing next to Russia" gives her some kind of an edge. As well, maybe she was picked because she can fire people for little or no reason such as the current administration's firing of all those Assistant US Attorney’s. Jeese, she fired the Public safety Commissioner because he wouldn’t fire her former brother in law. That speaks of her character, and not well.

In any event whomever gets the job could not possibly do any worse than the current inept and incompetent President. Maybe they will even have some public speaking attributes as well as be able to NOT look incredibly stupid when told by an aid during a classroom visit that the US was under attack and sit there for several minutes not knowing what on earth to do.
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- Bob Ahern, Derry

Amy,

From the above article: "A self-styled hockey mom." That wasn't an invented insult, that's how she describes herself.

This was a smart decision, picking a young, fresh-faced VP to balance out McCain's ancientness. Just as it was smart for Obama to select an older, experienced running mate. They are both trying to strengthen their supposed weaknesses. I don't see how you can criticize one candidate's VP choice while applauding the other's without looking like a giant hypocrite. But, rest assured, both sides will look like hypocrites by the end.
- Dan Brent, Manchester

How is calling someone a Hockey Mom rude? I think calling someone an "empty suit" rude! Or calling Joe Biden "an old white man". THAT'S RUDE!

You're planning on voting for John McCain because he chose a woman (yay!") as his VP, and I'm a chauvinist?
- Jeff Comeau, Manchester

Mark:

It will be very easy for the Obama Bin Biden team to criticize Gov. Palin, as she is a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN and thus not a "real" woman in the eyes of the Left.
- Bryan Levesque, Weare, NH

Wow, Jeff Comeau, you're a chauvinist.

Hockey mom? Wow, that's rude. Just because she's not an old white man? A guy like Obama who has mostly voted "present" during his term and hasn't done anything like lead a state has more experience?

Just, wow. I hope you're not married, calling women names like that.
- Amy Senet, Manchester

I'm happy about this decision. Well, okay, I'm elated.
- Jessica Moore, Glendale AZ

So John McCain chose a first-term governor to be almost literally a heartbeat away from the Presidency. For all you folks who say Barack Obama isn't ready to lead, how can you say this Hockey mom is?

This was an obvisous ploy by the McCain camp to attract Hillary voters, but it's not the gender, it's not the race, it's not the person you vote for. It is the ideals they represent and Barack Obama's ideals are closer to Hillary's than any Republican candidate.
- Jeff Comeau, Manchester NH

Let Obama and his minions say she is not qualified, with no experience. She has run a state and Obama has run nothing ( but he has run very hard for office).

It will be very hard for Biden to come on strong with a woman as his opponent. Remember what happened to Lazio with Hillary Clinton.


She ran a business successfully; she has run a state successfully; she can play up the energy issue and become the czar.

She even has a kind of national security credibility, governing next to Russia.


It looks as though John McCain is going to capitalize on Obama’s colossal mistake of picking Joe Biden over Hillary for his V. P. slot; by picking Sarah Palin the Governor of Alaska.


Speaking as a Conservative who would have favored Mitt Romney for the V.P. slot, I think this is a brilliant game changing (for the better) pick.

God Bless America!
- Mark Harris, Epping, NH

Palin would be a phenomenal pick. The Obama camp can't question her experience with any validity, as it would only highlight Obama's own lack of experience. At least Palin's experience is at the executive level. And voters are far more used to seeing less experience at the bottom of the ticket than at the top, as with Obama/Biden. She's a reformer who, like McCain, has gone after Republicans when required. She's bright, intense and independent, with a compelling family story. She'll appeal to working mothers, whom polls show are heavily undecided. This would be a great move by McCain.
- Rick Mitchell, Portsmouth

EXCELLENT! Where the "empty suit" Obama picked an old white man for his running mate (some change!), McCain is choosing a WOMAN (yay!) who is quite capable.

About time!
- Amy Senet, Manchester