The American Spectator

Reader Mail

The Leave Baby Alone Coalition

9.3.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 5 of 5)

MY KIND OF CHANGE
Re: Lawrence Henry's The Election So Far:

It is very true that my level of attention to the campaign has waxed and waned throughout the primaries and into the general election. When it started early last year, I mostly ignored it as it was way too early. From late autumn until the announcement of McCain as the nominee I paid pretty close attention, though my enthusiasm was lost after Thompson dropped out. Granted, when I first heard that Huckabee had adopted the Fair Tax into his platform, he sounded like The Guy to me. Then I learned what else he stood for and decided maybe not. And so, like many people, I wasn't exactly enthused about McCain. I was going to be voting for him, as Obama or Clinton were simply unacceptable for my vote despite the historical implications. Don't get me wrong, I like McCain's tax plan, and I think he's a good guy to fight corruption and waist.

The pick of Palin for Veep, however, was nothing short of inspired. For short term electoral success, he couldn't have found a better choice. Smart, attractive, conservative, a great governor and a fighter of corruption. These are all great things. Her resume may be thin, but it's better packed that Obama's and she's the bottom of the ticket, not the top. And for long term party building... well, just think if McCain does pull this off. The Republicans will be able to say that they were the first to have a female Vice President. And if McCain does a good job (which I think he will) and holds to one term (again, I think he will) we might just see Republicans with the first female President. And all without grievance mongering. Ah... now there's Change I can really believe in.

I've said it for more than a year now, the Republican Party needs to start jettisoning dead, corrupted weight. There are too many in Washington and in state capitols around the country who are abusing their honored positions for personal gain. They have become corrupted and if the Congress is unwilling to do anything about it, it's high time the Republican party did. The Republicans could find themselves going a lot further if they learned the real lesson of 2006. The American people, of all strips, will only put up with government increase and corruption for so long.
-- Charles Campbell
Austin, Texas

BANE OF BIDEN
Re: David N. Bass's And Along Came Palin:

David Bass expresses a bit of concern about Sarah Palin in the campaign crucible, as Bass calls it, especially against the blowhard Biden. Let's hope that, in the October debate, Sarah Palin uses 30 seconds to reply to every quarter-hour of Biden bloviation.

Mr. Antle expresses concern about Palin's lack of foreign policy experience. She may not know all of the player's names, but I'll bet she knows who Neil Kinnock is.
-- Dan Martin
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First I read that much is unknown about Sarah Palin, her judgment, background and whether she lives as she talks. That sure sounds like a strong disqualification from holding any kind of office, public or otherwise. But then I read that I should support her anyway, regardless! Give me a break -- these two positions do not go together, especially when the topic of the conversation might be the next but one President. Palin has the thinnest resume possible, she looks and talks like Harriet Miers (commanding the Alaskan National Guard for two years is not experience in managing national security and only a twit would pretend otherwise). Also, aren't conservatives supposed to be the ones who don't think it is a good idea for unmarried 17-year-old schoolgirls to get pregnant? Sure sounds like there is a problem with walking the walk with this one. Palin is on the ticket for five minutes and this pops out the cupboard! This looks not so much as a credibility gap as a warning of impeding disaster. Appointing Palin to the ticket is a classic case of sexism -- a grossly unqualified woman appointed because she is a woman. Conservatives are supposed to oppose that as well.
-- Christopher Holland
Canberra, Australia

DOWN WITH P. JACOBS
Re: P. Jacobs's letter (under "Leg Tingles") in Reader Mail's Palin's New Pals:

I suggest that you spend a couple of hours searching your bookshelves for a copy of the Bible -- Old Testament, then spend a few minutes looking up Proverbs 31.

This whole chapter, devoted to a woman who was a wife, mother, businesswoman and influence on her community, blows your silliness away.
-- Anastasia Mather
Staten Island, New York

Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is unmarried and pregnant. To say this is embarrassing for the family values crowd is probably the understatement of this campaign season. But I must admit to being impressed by the right wing and GOP spinmeisters, both amateur and professional, who are working overtime to explain, justify, rationalize, obfuscate, misdirect and excuse. This could be "compassionate conservatism's" finest hour! But wait. Do I hear a voice in the wilderness crying BS? Indeed, I do. Nobody's pulling the wool over P. Jacob's eyes. No sir. Wade in the murky water of moral relativism with those godless, valueless cultural Marxist instead of hewing to the straight and narrow and Jacob's is going to call you on it. Well done, P. Jacobs.
-- Mike Roush

TONGUE THROUGH CHEEK
Re: Fred Edwards's letter (under "By His Own Words") in Reader Mail's Palin's New Pals:

Tell Fred to run his Clinton tape again -- he missed the most obvious and long held tongue-in-cheek, after his compliment to McCain on his heroism and prison time in Vietnam. Panned the audience and thrust his tongue in cheek as if to say, "Ya'll didn't think I'd have the guts to bring up Vietnam, didja?"
-- Diane Smith

HOW DOES IT FEEL?
Re: Paul Chesser's Goodbye Apathy:

If McCain/Palin are elected, HRC would have to watch another woman be sworn in as VP. That alone might get me to vote for McCain.
-- Bob Teter

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Foreign Policy, Health Care, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Mainstream Media, Business, Islam, Abortion, Books, Law, Supreme Court, Military, Iraq, Conservatism, Alaska