Tonight, the last debate

Cranky said:

Fat/chubby/thick ankles.

Click to expand...

Specifically, I think it's when there is no distinction between the calf and the ankle.

Calf + ankle = cankles

Har de har har. Isn't that just SO VERY FUNNY?

maestrowork said:

Saritam8 just posted some pictures near State College, PA, and Palin's kids were with her during on the campaign trail (they were also on stage at the VP debate). Some even asked: Why aren't the children in school right now?

Click to expand...

Thanks. I have no issues at all with her family being with her on the trail. She is running for the VP slot, after all. Anyone of us would bring our family with. Having your kids with, and going to pick pumpkins is hardly using them as props. Unless the new standard is that you are to leave your family behind and rejoin them once it is over, and if so, that is a silly standard.

As far as schooling, we have no idea if they are being schooled now or not. Child actors don't step inside a traditional school for months at a time, and they are being schooled by tutors.

Coming onto stages after debates isn't new, candidates have been doing that for as long as I can recall watching debates. The candidates always bring some, or all, of their family on stage after the event.

Christine N. said:

Oh, they're always around if you look closely. I think Saritam8's post, where they Palins stopped for punking pickin', the whole clan was in tow. I assume they have tutors on the campaign trail. Except for Bristol, who's dropped out of school. I don't know how important education is to the Palins - only because I've never heard her speak about it.

...

Click to expand...

Having your family always around isn't even close to using them as political props. They stopped for pumpkins, and since her family was there, that is now somehow bad? I honestly don't understand this.

If I ran for Pres or VP, I'd have my family with me all the time as well. The chance to travel and see so much of the US would be an awesome experience for my children. My wife and my kids are the most important people to me, and having them with me wouldn't even get a second thought. They would end up in photos then, because they are with me. If that means that folks who disagree with my views now think poorly of me, that says a whole lot more about them than me.

I don't know if they're being used as props. I just answered your question -- that they're still with her on the campaign trail, and also appeared on stage with her.

In comparison, Obama's two daughters are not with him. They're in school back in Chicago.

No judgment here.

But Warren, if that doesn't matter anyway, why did you even ask:

At how many events have the kids actually been on stage? To me I only know of one, and that was at the convention. I honestly don't follow it that closely, so my number probably doesn't count.

Click to expand...

maestrowork said:

...

But Warren, if that doesn't matter anyway, why did you even ask:

Click to expand...

I don't think it matters at all. I asked because it seemed like there was a lot of judgement in the thread towards Gov. Palin on this, and it doesn't make sense to me. Of all the real problems and issues we face, this seems pointless. So, I shall now drop it and move on.

So, let me get this straight. Someone accused Palin of leaving her children to be raised by somebody else. Obviously this is not true --- they are with her. Someone else accused her of using them as props (there's a no win situation). Which is also rather stretching it, since bringing them on stage for VP nomination and VP dbate hardly qualifie, not to mention the pumpkin stop. And people say there is no irrational hatred of Palin.

I was only mentioning the pumpkin stop because someone wondered if they were with her on the road or at home in school. They weren't visible in the photos, but they were present, which means they are campaigning and not in school. I assume they have some sort of tutor. At least I hope so.

That's all, at least on my end. No hate, just answering.

However, that said, Palin's kids are on the road, Obama's kids are in school. So here we are with the quandry - DO you keep your kids with you while you pursue your career, or let them live normal lives while you're a thousand miles away? Tough choices to make.

It comes down to values as far as your children are concerned. I don't think it's an indication of whether one is a better parent or not.

Personally, I don't see any issues at all. I don't doubt that Palin or Obama or Biden or McCain is a good parent. There's just no evidence to say otherwise, despite whether you disagree with them or not.

If I were Palin, I would have let them stay in school in Alaska and gone home enough to see them when I could. I know of people who were on the job thousands of miles away and only saw their families once every few weeks. They've decided it's better for the kids to stay put, in their familiar environments. But that's just them and me. I'm sure she has perfectly good reasons to bring her children along with the campaign.

Christine N. said:

I was only mentioning the pumpkin stop because someone wondered if they were with her on the road or at home in school. They weren't visible in the photos, but they were present, which means they are campaigning and not in school. I assume they have some sort of tutor. At least I hope so.

That's all, at least on my end. No hate, just answering.

However, that said, Palin's kids are on the road, Obama's kids are in school. So here we are with the quandry - DO you keep your kids with you while you pursue your career, or let them live normal lives while you're a thousand miles away? Tough choices to make.

Click to expand...

The Obamas have a rule that Michelle always flies home each night to be with the girls, no matter where she's been that day.

And their maternal grandmother watches them after school.

I personally think it's wise to keep the kids out of the race. They are innocent parties and do not need to hear anyone booing their mom/dad anyway.

Takvah said:

Sarah Palin is every bit as qualified to be president as say, Barack Obama... and much more qualified than his boss, Michelle Obama.

Click to expand...

Just a quick point....

Presidential qualifications are admittedly non-exsistent, to wit 43 men in 220 years have held the office with maybe four actually posessing bonifed credentials, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Adams jr.

BUT.... There is another measure a man or womans ability to occupy the office and it combines two undeniable traits, Intelligence and life experiance.

Hillary Clinton Lived in the White house and governed as a senator, not to mention being a litigater in her own right. McCain without question has the experiance to not be OVERWHELMED by the office. Obama has organized the most stunningly efficient presidential Campaign, posssibly in the history of this nation, an amazing achiement, by historical standards. Add his education, and his work as State senator and U.S senator and the consensus would put him at least in the bottom tier of candidates who have had less experiance and ran for the office, JFK comes to mind minus all the money and infuence from Joseph.

Sarah Palin does not meet even the most modest qualifications to become leader of the free world. Her taunted executive experiance is less than 2 years in a state with 670,000 people scattered over millions of acres of in many cases uninhabital land. Her claim to fame is taking credit for getting people who manage to live there 3000 dollars each in tax money from Oil companies that make billions pumping the States natural resources, which truth be told, the citizens have been getting checks for years.

Zero foreign experiance... Demonstrated ignorance of current political events... Poorly read... Poorly versed. Not allowed to hold a press conference. Not allowed to speak off script. And from what the bi-part commission wrote about her last week, at very best ethically challenged when trying to achieve her objectives.

Historically, she would not rate on the level of any of the 43 Presidents that have assumed the office and would probably be far, far down the list of those that have tried but failed.

She has no qualifications to be President.

Having made that point, I find it improbable that she would succeed if called upon to actually become President in the event of McCains early demise, but she isn't dumb and it is possible for someone to assume a role of responsibility and do a good job..

But let's not confuse that,,, with actually being qualified for the position...