Senator John McCain Election Night Speech (Full Video)

Senator John McCain concedes the 2008 Presidential Race

Young Voters Could Be the Deciding Factor in Florida--By: By TIM PADGETT / MIAMI

Throughout its rocky rise to becoming the nation's most crucial swing state, Florida has had one electoral constant: the battle for its prized 27 votes has centered on its politically motivated retirees and condo commandos. In fact, if there is any key state where Barack Obama's focus on the youth vote wouldn't seem to be much of an asset, it's Florida, where discussions of Social Security and Medicare have traditionally trumped all other issues. But the once easily pigeonholed demographics in the Sunshine State are changing, and many pundits say the 30-and-under crowd could turn out to be the decisive factor in this year's closely contested race.

That's about the last thing the McCain campaign needs to hear right now. Florida, run by a Republican Governor and legislature, was supposed to be the Arizona senator's to lose. But while polls through September showed him and Obama in a dead heat, Obama seems to be pulling away as the nation's economic crisis worsens. Four polls released last week show Obama not only leading - one, by Quinnipiac University, has him up by as much as eight points - but breaking the 50% barrier for the first time.

But are young people really a factor in that surge? There is no denying that the state is getting younger as a whole. In the 1990s, population growth for Floridians aged 19 and under finally surpassed that of Floridians 65 and older - and Floridians born in 1990 came of voting age this year. A recent Miami Herald poll has Obama well ahead of McCain among voters aged 18 to 34, 52% to 42%. "I'm betting young voters will make a big difference this time," says University of Florida political scientist Richard Scher. "The campaign in Florida is playing out as much on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter as it is on television."

The surge in voter registration in Florida also suggests younger people are becoming more politically involved. Through August, Florida had 10.6 million registered voters. That includes almost 450,000 who were added to the state's rolls this year - and among those, 252,000 registered as Democrats, while fewer than 100,000 are Republicans. No age breakdown is available, but election experts agree a majority of those new voters are under age 30. Zach Moller, a senior economics major and president of the University of Florida Democrats, says 2,500 UF students registered on campus on the first day of classes last month; that number has doubled since then and he expects it to have doubled again by the state's Oct. 6 deadline. The story is the same on other Florida campuses like the University of Central Florida, Florida State University and the University of Miami.

One reason for this heightened interest is the prevalence of issues that really engage younger voters, not just the Iraq War but eco-debates like whether or not to permit oil-drilling off Florida's coast. Bryan Griffin, 20, a junior classics/political science major and head of UF's Republicans, suggests young Floridians have begun to shift their focus from the beach to the ballot box. "There's a lessening of political apathy,"he says. "Florida kids have a lot of [recreational]distractions, but we're waking up now to the realization that we can make a difference in this state."

The deepening financial mess is another wake-up call, says Scher. It has rained down home foreclosures and other calamities on Florida, slapping the slack-jawed face of a youth cohort that until now had never experienced a downturn. During the extended Florida boom of the past two decades, says Scher, "young people here grew up thinking this state was always flush, always on the upswing. Now there's a sense that something is burning here." Moller says he's seeing more Florida college seniors moving toward the Democrats as a result. "I feel like my dad did when he graduated in 1976," during another period of economic malaise, he says. "We feel fairly sure we won't be able to get a job out of college."

Either way, Justin York, 20, a junior pre-law student and president of the College Republicans at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, says both parties need to acknowledge that it's not just the elderly migrating to Florida anymore. "More and more you see people opting to go to college in Florida, or they move here right after graduating from college in a state like Pennsylvania," says York. "Whichever party wins them now will win this state in the future."

(View a gallery of campaign gaffes here.)

(See TIME's pictures of the week here.)

Student GOP leaders like York say Obama has also been helped by the fact that he's vastly outspending McCain at their schools - part of the Obama campaign's vow to shell out a whopping $39 million in Florida this fall. "We too are saturating Facebook,"says York, whose group has reached out to younger voters with slogans like "Vote for the Hero and the Hottie," referring to McCain and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. "But the Republican Party needs to get more serious and creative about this group."

The Obama campaign, by contrast, has been tapping the power of the Internet since it began almost two years ago. Last month, when it wanted to alert backers at the University of Florida that Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker would be speaking on Obama's behalf on the sprawling Gainesville campus, it went to cyberspace instead of the quad. "The campaign texted us,"boasts Moller. "They also use Facebook a lot. They make the extra effort to connect with younger voters."

The question is whether this group - which always talks an idealistic game but tends to sleep in on election day - has gotten more serious about actually turning out to vote. More than 150,000 voters under age 30 voted in Florida's Democratic primary this year, despite the fact that Obama didn't even campaign there because the national party had ruled the election wouldn't count. (That was due to Florida changing its primary date in violation of both GOP and Democratic Party rules). Almost 135,000 in that age group voted in the state's Republican primary. Those figures still accounted for less than 10% of all Florida primary voters, but they represented a 14% turnout for that bloc, up from a measly 4% in 2000.

Scher also notes that in a state where almost a fifth of the total electorate are independents, many of Florida's young voters have no party affiliation. That, he argues, makes them an even more important swing constituency. "Our generation doesn't like labels,"says Moller. "But I do think we're going to turn Florida from an independent state that votes Republican to one that votes Democrat."

That's hardly certain yet, especially since younger voters will still have to prove they can keep up with their elders, who are famous for turnout rates as high as 80% in Florida. They will also have to show that they can affect the vote of Florida blocs like African-Americans and Latinos.

Florida's 1.3 million registered black voters, so many of whom felt disenfranchised in the 2000 Florida recount debacle, were uninspired by Democratic candidate John Kerry in 2004 and are a question mark in 2008. As a result, "to a large degree we're counting on young African-Americans," who connect with Obama more readily than their parents or grandparents do, "to bring the black vote up to where we need it in Florida," says an Obama campaign official. Obama faces a tougher time with Latinos, who according to a recent poll favor McCain in Florida by 51% to 41%. Again, Obama is counting on younger Latinos like Esteban Morera, 18, a Miamian and UCF freshman, to keep him competitive in that community. Morera says he was undecided until McCain selected Palin last month. "It helped confirm for me that I really like Obama's ideas on solving Iraq better,"says Morera.

Young Florida Republicans like Griffin are just as convinced that "being young, you know you don't have the experience to run the country, that someone like John McCain does and someone like Barack Obama doesn't." Either way, given how controversially razor-thin Florida electoral victories tend to be these days, the fresh-faced could tip the balance in November - if not with their own ballots, then by convincing their elders which way to vote. One of the most popular videos on YouTube in recent weeks features comedian Sarah Silverman imploring young Jews to "get your fat asses on a plane to Florida" and lobby their grandparents there to vote Obama because "no one is more influential over them" than their grandkids - part of an organized grassroots initiative known as The Great Schlep. But airfares being what they are today, the Obama campaign might advise them to just drop them a text message.

(View a gallery of campaign gaffes here.)

(See TIME's pictures of the week here.)

View this article on Obama Tries to Make Up With Florida
Will Dean Cost the Dems Florida?
Ah, to Be Young and in Iowa
Indiana, in Play, Keeps Obama Guessing
Dems' Endgame: Florida, Michigan

McCain's Bailout by Akindele Akinyemi

Well, the end has officially arrived. Senator John McCain has given up Michigan. With that in mind he has officially lost the election overall. I am so sickened to death that a Black man, who does not share my Christian values, will run the last Superpower on Earth beginning in January 2009.

I am declaring defeat. Yes, I am throwing in the towel. It's a damn shame it had to come to this. Four years of Sen. Barack Obama is going to be hell on wheels because he is not trying to reach out to conservatives but Log Cabin Republicans and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I would not be surprised to see the Michigan House Democrats actually gain 15 house seats in November. Wow, that makes the job a lot harder for educational options proponents, for family advocates who want to support traditional values and most of all religious freedom will be chopped in half or eliminated.

Why would John McCain pull out of Michigan? Yes, he was down by 10% in Michigan and felt that it was more of a strategic move. To tell you the truth, it was dumb as hell point blank.

Did McCain forget that he supported a full GOP ticket in Michigan? What will happen to those GOP House seats, Congressional seats, County Commission seats, etc.? Many voters in Michigan vote straight ticket and without an active McCain presence many conservative voters may sit at home.

What happened? The Maverick just got pimped slapped by Chicago's South Side Hustler.

Sen. Obama has just clinched Michigan when McCain left. If McCain would have taken his campaign right into the ghettos of Detroit he would have probably made a dent. At the bare least he would have made some headway to show urban people that Republicans do care.

What about the people in Detroit who are STILL undecided and wanted to hear McCain up and personal? How come his advisers always wanted him to avoid Detroit to speak to the, in the words of Gov. Sarah Palin, the Joe Six Pack, the unwed mothers in the community or father who was just laid off from work?

And to further show disunity, Gov. Palin said in a Fox News interview that she would like to continue to campaign in Michigan. Palin WANTS to campaign and McCain DOES NOT want to campaign in Michigan. What in the hell is going on here? This is a point of confusion with both candidates. John Stryker does not even have to spend money on this election because we have imploded. The GOP is screwed up and need fresh new leadership starting at the local and county levels. Michael Steele should be running the National GOP. Instead of running Black Republicans for Congressional seats across America we need these same people to run for district, county and state GOP seats across America. We have to encourage Black Republicans to run for local seats FIRST before national seats.

Republicans complain about how the Democratic Party has taken advantage of Black people. Yes, we all know that the Democratic Party takes advantage of Black people. So what is the Republican Party doing different to bring Blacks into the party? Not a damn thing. Proof? Where is McCain's urban policy agenda?

Obama HAS a urban policy agenda. Regardless of how I personally feel about the agenda at least he has a sales pitch. McCain only sales pitch was at the NAACP when he told Black people in the crowd to embrace educational options. Outside of that where is the urban policy for Team McCain? Where is the urban policy for the GOP? These are questions that must be followed up with an answer.

Both State and National GOP must begin to reinvent themselves in a way that will help bring Blacks to the party. Many White people who I speak to in the GOP often tell me that Black Americans must take the party back and move it forward. Blacks should just TAKE the party away from this old, stale version of leadership. It's time out for BS and we need to take control of our destiny. There is no reason why any GOP official should allow a national candidate to just pull out of a battleground state. This is a breach of contract (in so many ways).

The GOP must stop making excuses on coming into the inner cities and sell their message of hope and opportunity. We are afraid of emotional liberals in Detroit. I walked around in the Labor Day parade on September 1, 2008 in Detroit with my "I am a Black Republican" t-shirt on in front of union leaders, hostility, Obama supporters, and anti-Republicans. I was confronted, damn near ambushed, and I cannot count how many full blown arguments I encountered in Downtown Detroit. We debated the issues from why I was not supporting Obama, to infanticide, to abortion rights and same sex marriages. We discussed taxes and urban policies. When it was over people took heed to the message I was speaking of in terms of my positions.

My point was I was not afraid to walk the fire alone. Most of my GOP colleagues preach Jesus Christ but I wonder how many are actually walking with Christ when it comes down to work and educating those who are blind?

McCain told Essence.com that he was interested in talking to African Americans about the McCain plan. After pulling out of Michigan I doubt that he will still have that talk. The GOP this year can hang it up.

But just because I am throwing in the towel does not mean I will vote for Obama. I am still voting for McCain/Palin. We will be back in 2010.

Other websites to check out with Akindele:
http://www.michiganminorityreport.com/
http://www.indianaminorityreport.com/
http://www.whoisakindele.info/
http://www.onenetwork.bravehost.com/
http://www.brotherakindele.com/
http://www.blackconservative.net/
http://www.onechoicepac.com/
www.myspace.com/akindele
www.blackplanet.com/akindele
www.nationalcenter.org/bios/P21Speakers_Akinyemi.html

"Anger Gives Me Focus..Makes Me Stronger..Keeps Me Sharp"

477

Go to http://JohnMcCainRecord.com to get the full story. Music produced by David Frankel

McCain gives up on Michigan in a major retreat--By: LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers

Republican presidential candidate John McCain conceded battleground Michigan to the Democrats on Thursday, GOP officials said, a major retreat as he struggles to regain his footing in a campaign increasingly dominated by economic issues.

These officials said McCain was pulling staff and advertising out of the economically distressed Midwestern state. He also canceled a visit slated for next week. Michigan, with 17 electoral votes, voted for Democrat John Kerry in 2004, but Republicans had poured money into an effort to try to place it in their column this year.

The decision marked the first time either McCain or his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, has tacitly conceded a traditional battleground state in a race for the White House with little more than a month remaining.

In a campaign now unfolding across more than a dozen states, the decision allows McCain's resources to be sent to Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and other more competitive states. But it also means Obama can shift money to other states like Virginia, Colorado and North Carolina where he is trying to eat into traditional Republican territory.

By pulling out of vote-rich Michigan, McCain conceded a large part of the electoral map in the heart of the industrial Midwest.

The move underscored McCain's troubles on the economy, which he has acknowledged is not his strongest subject. It also underscored his struggle to beat an opponent who has the money to compete in many states President Bush won four years ago. Polls show Obama has pulled ahead or tied McCain in many of those states.

Obama rejected public financing so he can spend as much as he can raise; McCain's direct spending is limited to $84 million in taxpayer money. But McCain is getting help from the Republican National Committee, which has plenty to spend to supplement McCain's campaign. The Democratic National Committee has not been as big a help for Obama, but his massive fundraising makes him rely less on the party.

As Nov. 4 approaches, both sides are adjusting their strategies daily to find the best state-by-state path to the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

Along with giving up Michigan, a McCain aide said the campaign is opening a front in Maine, which Kerry won four years ago and which offers four electoral votes allocated between the statewide winner and the winner in its two congressional districts. The Arizona senator's campaign checked advertising rates in media markets there this week.

Obama already has abandoned efforts in Alaska, Georgia and North Dakota, but the Democrat has succeeded in making traditional Republican strongholds Indiana, North Carolina and Virginia competitive. Both sides are battling it out in those states, where public polls show Obama ahead or tied.

The two campaigns are squaring off with increasing intensity in Colorado, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, which Bush won in 2004, and Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, which went to Kerry.

Obama also is making a limited effort in the traditional GOP bastion of Montana and McCain is going after Democratic-tilting Minnesota.

McCain had identified Michigan early on as a potential target, particularly in light of Obama's troubles with white working class voters in other Rust Belt primaries although he skipped Michigan because of a Democratic Party fight over its primary date and didn't set up a campaign organization there during the primary.

But Michigan posed other difficulties for McCain. It has a Democratic governor and the nation's highest annual average unemployment rate since 2006. McCain's 90 percent support in the Senate for the unpopular President Bush, a theme hammered by Obama, proved too much for the GOP nominee to overcome.

GOP strategists said those troubles became more acute for McCain in Michigan after the Wall Street collapse, and both public and private polls showed him sliding. On Wednesday night, the campaign decided that the $1 million a week it was spending in Michigan wasn't worth it with polls showing Obama approaching a double-digit lead, according to Republican insiders, who requested anonymity to avoid annoying the McCain campaign.

Word of McCain's pull out came as the vice presidential candidates, Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden, prepared for an evening debate in St. Louis and just before Obama took the stage for a rally at Michigan State University, his third event in the state in five days.

If the Illinois senator knew about McCain's plans, Obama didn't mention it and continued to criticize his rival's economic policies. "My opponents' philosophy isn't just wrongheaded, it reveals out how out of touch he really is," Obama told more than 15,000 gathered on a chilly fall afternoon.

McCain's decision didn't go over well with at least some Michigan Republicans.
"John McCain is our candidate," said Mike Bishop, the top-ranking Republican in the state Legislature. "We want him in Michigan. We want him to hear our issues."
___
Associated Press Writers Nedra Pickler in East Lansing, Mich., David Eggert in Lansing, Mich., and Jim Kuhnhenn in St. Louis contributed to this story.

McCain Statement

Republican Presidential nominee John McCain suspended his campaign in order to go back to Washington, D.C. and deal with the economic crisis and rally conservative Republican support on Capitol Hill to vote in favor of the Economic Rescue Plan Package that President Bush has proposed. McCain said he had to put politics to the side and do his job as a United States Senator because time is of the essence. Therefore here’s McCain’s statement in full.

Much hinges on Sarah Palin's RNC speech Wednesday

When Sarah Palin takes the stage Wednesday night, Republicans want voters to see a steely God-and-family conservative with heart, a lifetime NRA member ready to take aim at Washington -- a sort of Annie Oakley of the tundra.

Democrats hope voters see something entirely different -- a rookie candidate out of her depth, whose relatively thin resume is filled with contradictions and whose vetting raises questions about John McCain's judgment.

The battle between the two parties to define Palin -- as a successful pick or a stumble, as a worthy No. 2 to John McCain or a Dan Quayle-like liability -- kicks into gear Wednesday night at the Republican convention here. The one person missing from the debate for four days -- Palin herself --will make her case in prime time.

McCain's campaign refused to say Tuesday whether Palin would explicitly bring up the biggest story of the week here -- her pregnant teenage daughter, Bristol Palin -- or only make an oblique reference to it in her remarks.

"I think it's a unique opportunity that's a chance for her to get out and tell her story and let people see beyond the media froth that's existed for the past 48 hours," McCain adviser Rick Davis said.

Palin's job Wednesday night is twofold. First, she must demonstrate she has the political heft to be sitting down the hall from a 72-year-old President McCain, without overreaching.

The McCain campaign's claims that she has command experience because she runs the Alaska National Guard might sound like a stretch to some voters.

But the other part of her job tonight is to come across as the everywoman, the hockey mom who could make history -- and that's one area where speaking of her daughter's pregnancy might help some viewers see her as someone like them, even if they disagree with her anti-abortion views, experts said.

"These imperfections of her family are the same kind of thing that makes her relatable to people that have had similar things in their lives," such as her husband's two-decade-old drunken-driving charge, said Dianne Bystrom of Iowa State University. "People are looking for someone they can relate to."

Delegates here have stood staunchly behind Palin. But some liberal bloggers have posed the question of whether Palin should be running for vice president when she's got a 4-month-old baby with Down syndrome and a pregnant daughter at home -- causing conservatives to say that's a sexist question, one that Barack Obama would never be asked even though he has two daughters.

Some Democrats say the party shouldn't turn its fire on Palin at all -- except to use her selection to raise questions about McCain's vetting process, which even Republicans fret was badly managed.

"We know he had the wrong call on Iraq. Now we have this big decision, his first real presidential-level decision, and he's made a pick that by any objective standards has generated a bunch of questions. So what does this say about what kind of president he's going to be?" Democratic strategist Chris Lehane said.

Democrats also have begun trying to puncture Palin's image as a reform-minded governor. She opposed the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska -- but only after first supporting it. She also sought $200 million in congressional earmarks for Alaska -- McCain refuses to take any.

"The challenge is that she's has got to hit the toughest track in the world running and she can't stumble. And we'll see if she can do that. If she can do that, then I think she's probably a tremendous asset," said Tony Blankley, a one-time top aide to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. "If she doesn't make a bad stumble, then she's probably home and dry."

References:

After revelations, McCain gives assurances on Palin vetting http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/palin.vetting/?iref=mpstoryview

Palin Slashed Funding for Teen Moms http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/02/palin_slashed_funding_to_help.html?hpid=artslot

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION: Can Sarah Palin balance being a mom and candidate? http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/alaska_gov_sarah_palins_select.html

Palin's teenage daughter pregnant http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/americas/2008/vote_usa_2008/7592636.stm

Palin hubbub shows bloggers' influence on race http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN0243503220080902

Can Palin handle role as VP candidate and mother of five?

Many women are delighted that Sarah Palin is John McCain's running mate. But a number of mothers around the country are torn over whether a mother of five children -- including a 4-month-old boy with Down's syndrome -- has the time to take on the rigorous schedule of campaigning while juggling her family duties.

The New York Times had an interesting story on that this morning.Tell us (we'd especially like to hear from mothers). Do you think Palin is taking on too much with her family duties and running for VP? Or is it irrelevant and sexist line of thinking, something that wouldn't be asked of a male candidate?

When Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was introduced as a vice-presidential pick, she was presented as a magnet for female voters, the epitome of everymom appeal.

But since then, as mothers across the country supervise the season’s final water fights and pack book bags, some have voiced the kind of doubts that few male pundits have dared raise on television. With five children, including an infant with Down syndrome and, as the country learned Monday, a pregnant 17-year-old, Ms. Palin has set off a fierce argument among women about whether there are enough hours in the day for her to take on the vice presidency, and whether she is right to try.

It’s the Mommy Wars: Special Campaign Edition. But this time the battle lines are drawn inside out, with social conservatives, usually staunch advocates for stay-at-home motherhood, mostly defending her, while some others, including plenty of working mothers, worry that she is taking on too much.

“How is this really going to work?” said Karen Shopoff Rooff, an independent voter, personal trainer and mother of two in Austin, Tex. “I don’t care whether she’s the mother or the father; it’s a lot to handle,” she said, adding that Ms. Palin’s lack of national experience would only make her road more difficult.

“When I first heard about Palin, I was impressed,” said Pamela Moore, a mother of two from Birmingham, Ala. But upon reading that Ms. Palin’s special-needs child was three days old when she went back to work, Ms. Moore began questioning the governor’s judgment. Partly as a result, she plans to vote for Senator Barack Obama.

But Lori Viars, a mother of two and evangelical Christian from Lebanon, Ohio, cheered the candidacy as well as the decision of both Palin women to keep their babies. “The whole family is pro-life, and they put that into practice even when it’s not easy,” Ms. Viars said.

Ms. Palin was selected by Senator John McCain in part to draw female voters, as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Representative Geraldine A. Ferraro did before her. But Mrs. Clinton and Ms. Ferraro ran for president and vice president when their children were grown, meaning they were survivors of — not combatants in — the bitter debates over whether and how to combine work with motherhood.

Mrs. Clinton’s recent candidacy was a moment of reckoning for women of her generation, who treated her run as a mirror in which to examine their own lives. With Ms. Palin’s entry into the field, a younger generation of women have picked up that mirror, using her candidacy to address the question of just how demanding a job a mother with such intense family obligations should tackle.

Within minutes of Friday’s announcement that Ms. Palin was joining the Republican ticket, women across the country started flooding blogs devoted to motherhood issues. Administrators of one Web site, D.C. Urban Moms, said they had received hundreds of postings, more than on any other political issue this year. All throughout the holiday weekend, at scrapbooking sessions, on hikes and at barbecues, women talked over the candidacy and the issues it raised.

In interviews, many women, citing their own difficulties with less demanding jobs, said it would be impossible for Ms. Palin to succeed both at motherhood and in the nation’s second-highest elected position at once.

“You can juggle a BlackBerry and a breast pump in a lot of jobs, but not in the vice presidency,” said Christina Henry de Tessan, a mother of two in Portland, Ore., who supports Mr. Obama.
Her thoughts were echoed by some Republicans, including Anne Faircloth, daughter of former Senator Lauch Faircloth of North Carolina. Being a governor is one thing, Ms. Faircloth said, and Ms. Palin’s husband, Todd, seems like a supportive spouse. “But running for the second-highest office in the land is a very different kettle of fish,” she said.

Many women expressed incredulity — some of it polite, some angry — that Ms. Palin would pursue the vice presidency given her younger son’s age and condition. Infants with Down syndrome often need special care in the first years of life: extra tests, physical therapy, even surgery.

Sarah Robertson, a mother of four from Kennebunk, Me., who was one of the few evangelical Christians interviewed to criticize Ms. Palin, said: “A mother of a 4-month-old infant with Down syndrome taking up full-time campaigning? Not my value set.”

One detail of Ms. Palin’s biography jumped out to many mothers, becoming a subject of instant fixation. “She went back to work as governor of Alaska three days after giving birth,” a poster named cafemama marveled on another blog, urbanmamas.com.

And upon hearing Monday that Ms. Palin had known of the pregnancy of her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, before accepting the vice-presidential slot, some wondered why she had not bypassed the offer in order to spare her daughter the scrutiny.

Many of the worriers talked about the effect of Ms. Palin’s candidacy not only on her children and the country but also on their own careers. Since she is relatively inexperienced, they feared campaign stumbles that could hold consequences for other working mothers.

“There’s nervousness among working moms of both parties that how she does in this race will reflect on the overall ability of working moms,” said Cindi Leive, the editor of Glamour magazine and a mother of two, who said she was trading phone calls with friends on the topic.

Ms. Leive cited the cautionary tale of Jane Swift, a Republican who gave birth to twin girls in 2001 while acting governor of Massachusetts and then, her popularity ratings low in part because of her prior use of aides as baby sitters, dropped out of the 2002 primary race for election in her own right. Later she attributed her struggles to the difficulties of balancing work and family.

“I know now that it was virtually impossible for me to take advice and make decisions when I was responding emotionally as a mother, not thinking rationally as a public official,” she wrote in an essay in Boston magazine.

Ms. Palin’s defenders included mothers of all ideological shapes and sizes, from McCain voters to Obama voters, from mothers excited to see someone like them in the race to those who questioned whether a male candidate would be subject to similar scrutiny. But she received particular praise from religious conservatives, who voiced near-uniform confidence that her large and growing brood would enhance, not detract from, her performance as vice president.

“It changes your life and gives you a different perspective on the world,” said Phyllis Schlafly, the conservative organizer who helped defeat the equal rights amendment nearly three decades ago.

“People who don’t have children or who have only one or two are kind of overwhelmed at the notion of five children,” Ms. Schlafly continued, mentioning that she had raised six children and run for Congress as well. “I think a hard-working, well-organized C.E.O. type can handle it very well.”

For decades the anti-abortion movement has brought together a broad alliance of conservatives concerned about both the moral value of a fetus and traditional gender roles. Ms. Palin rejects both abortion and stay-at-home motherhood, and most conservatives have praised her choices. The news that she would be a grandmother only enhanced their enthusiasm, with many describing themselves as thrilled to see so prominent a display of pro-life commitment.

At a reception for educators at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Sandra Ross, a special-needs high school teacher from Orlando, Fla, said, “She’s going to be a good role model for the country.” Of Bristol’s pregnancy, Ms. Ross added, “Everybody makes mistakes.”

In all of Washington, there is perhaps one person whose life most resembles the one that Ms. Palin is pursuing: Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican of Washington and mother of an infant son with Down syndrome. Ms. Rodgers cheered Ms. Palin’s entry into the race, saying it would draw attention to the policy needs of children and families.

But Ms. Rodgers acknowledges that on some days, like the one when she had to run to the Capitol for a vote without taking a shower first, she wonders if she is doing the right thing. She feels then like many working mothers: caught between her job and “wanting to be the best mom and best wife you can possibly be.”

“You’re torn,” she said, sounding perfectly matter-of-fact.

David D. Kirkpatrick and Christina Capecchi contributed reporting from St. Paul.

References:
John Didn't Get What He Wanted http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/02/politics/animal/main4406723.shtml

RNC coverage: Take two for Republicans after strange first day http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/republican_race/2008/09/02/2008-09-02_rnc_coverage_take_two_for_republicans_af.html

With Palin revelations, McCain's gamble is clearer http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palinassess2-2008sep02,0,1915740.story

John McCain, the forgotten candidate http://voices.kansascity.com/node/1970

John McCain Blasted Sarah Palin over the Bridge to Nowhere http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=8991

Will Bristol Palin's Teen Pregnancy Impact McCain-Palin Ticket? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,415002,00.html

Diddy Weighs in on Sarah Palin; Meghan McCain on Bristol http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/diddy-weighs-in.html

In today's pages: Sarah Palin, abortion and the White House In today's pages: Sarah Palin, abortion and the White House

Hurricane Sarah http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-lyon/hurricane-sarah_b_123209.html

McCain: Palin's Vetting Was "Completely Thorough" http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/02/mccain-palin-s-vetting-was-completely-thorough.aspx

Palin daughter's pregnancy stirs strong emotions from iReporters http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/palin.daughter.irpt/

McCain says Palin thoroughly checked http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jrhFOsVwX9jtDyUhy3zKCBVms8tgD92UM03O2

Palin's daughter, 17, is pregnant http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/02/palins_daughter_17_is_pregnant/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed5

Meghan McCain's Defense of Bristol Palin http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/meghan-mccains.html

BREAKING NEWS: Gustav might crash GOP Convention!

CNN's Rick Sanchez talks with Ed Henry about the possible impact of Gustav on the Republican National Convention.

My verdict: We can't deny that Hurricane Gustav will cause a considerable amount of damage..but I just hope that the people of New Orleans are treated well and are given what is necessary after the Hurricane. As for the Convention, if it has to wait..then so be it.

Obama ad: Despite Palin, McCain isn't change agent

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama begins airing an ad Saturday that responds to rival John McCain's selection of a running mate, carefully avoiding any direct criticism of Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor whom McCain chose for the GOP ticket.

Obama's campaign promptly created the spot in advance of next week's Republican National Convention. The ad, called "No Change," sought to sustain the theme that Obama and Democrats worked to cultivate at their own convention this week — that McCain represents a continuation of the policies of an unpopular President Bush.

"Well, he's made his choice," the ad states. "But, for the rest of us there's still no change. McCain doesn't get it, calling this broken economy 'strong.' Wants to keep spending ten-billion-a-month in Iraq. And votes with George Bush 90 percent of the time."

The ad continues: "So, while this may be his running mate..." as an image of McCain and Palin appears on the screen. The image then shifts to a shot of McCain with Bush. "America knows this is John McCain's agenda. And we can't afford four more years of the same."

The ad illustrates the Obama camp's careful reaction to Palin's addition to the Republican ticket — a groundbreaking move that reintroduced gender into the presidential race just as the Democrats worked to resolve a rift between the Obama camp and supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden, both called Palin to congratulate her on Friday. They also issued a joint statement that said her selection was "yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics." They called her "an admirable person and (she) will add a compelling new voice to this campaign."

Earlier, however, Obama spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement calling Palin an abortion-rights opponent and "the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience."
Obama, asked later about the message disparity, said: "I think, you know, campaigns start getting these hair triggers. And the statement that Joe and I put out reflects our sentiments."
As for the content of the ad, the reference to McCain "calling this broken economy strong" oversimplifies what McCain has said. In a recent radio interview, McCain said the "the fundamentals of our economy are strong." But he went on to say: "We've got terribly big challenges now, whether it be housing or employment. ... It's very, very tough times. It's very tough. But we're still the most innovative, the most productive, the greatest exporter, the greatest importer."

The Obama spot comes as the McCain campaign ramps up its own advertising.

McCain and the Republican National Committee planned to begin airing a new ad that depicts Obama as nothing more than an accomplished speaker, complete with scenes of his speech last month before a huge outdoor crowd in Berlin. The ad will run in his 11 key battleground states, but he also is adding Minnesota, at least during the Republican National Convention, which opens here Monday.

MUST WATCH: McCain's Huge VP mistake?

CNN's Jack Cafferty asks: Does McCain undercut his own message by picking Palin as his running mate? Just to let you know, Jack received 6,000 emails in an hour from Republicans furious about the pick. This could mean something..The verdict of some: Jack might absolutely be right. To think this woman, Governor of the small State of Alaska, will become Vice President of possibly the most powerful nation in the world is disturbing..(let alone President).

Phil Gramm steps down after 'whiners' comment

Phil Gramm has finally stepped down from the McCain campaign over his "Whiners" comments. Gramm said that the Democratic Party and others want to distract from the campaign by not talking about the issues that plague America but by talking about Gramm's comments. Gramm went on to say that him stepping down should allow for people to focus on McCain's economic plan and he hopes that the Democratic Party stop distracting away from the real issues that are truly the cause of the economy.

After a week of speculation in regards to Gramm's 'Whiner' comments, it is clear that his stepping down would come soon. However Obama explained to the media that the issue of Gramm stepping down is not the problem but it is whether McCain will continue to use Gramm's economic plan that will continue to harm many Americans because it is more of the same from the current administration. Gramm stepping down shows no signs of hurting the McCain campaign because throughout this week, McCain has continued to talk about his economic plan and his goal to change America's economy. For starters, McCain has blamed the spending in Washington for part of the problem because there is no fiscal responsibility taking place in Washington and that is something McCain will work to resolve while also working to get rid of programs that are failing or at least cutback on the funding of those programs whether than to continue to fund them.

It really came as a shock that Gramm stepped down because while this has become the Presidential campaigns of who's staying and who's going, it is clear that Gramm looked like he was going to stay since no immediate reaction or sign was delivered that Gramm was going to step down. For now, the talk of Gramm's 'whiners' comments should cease to exist but that is literally up to the media more so than the Presidential candidates.

References:

Gramm Leaves McCain Campaign Over 'Whiners' Comments http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/18/gramm-leaves-mccain-campaign-over-whiners-comments/

Gramm Steps Down From McCain Camp http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/gramm-steps-down-from-mccain-camp/

McCain Co-Chairman, Under Fire, Steps Aside http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/us/politics/19mccain.html?hp

McCain's run for presidential candidacy in trouble, experts say

Of all the insults that get hurled at a U.S. presidential candidate during the course of a long campaign season, few sting worse than attacks motivated more by pity than anger.

Just ask John McCain.

When the Republican senator from Arizona this week accused GOP rival Mitt Romney of flip-flopping on the abortion issue, the former Massachusetts governor brushed McCain off like an elephant swatting its tail at a nettlesome mosquito.

"The McCain campaign's motives are obviously born of desperation," Romney's press secretary said in a statement. "Their actions are both sad and unfortunate."

That any leading Republican candidate would blithely dismiss McCain seemed improbable just five months ago. But hardly a soul in the party batted an eye this time because Romney's remarks rang so true.

After waiting eight years for a second chance at the Republican presidential nomination, McCain and his famed Straight Talk Express - the moniker given his campaign bus - have officially hit the ditch.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll this week showed McCain, the presumptive Republican front-runner as recently as January, languishing with just 14 per cent support, 15 points behind the front-runner, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. According to the nationwide poll, Romney had pulled even with McCain, despite lacking McCain's name recognition.

Worse yet for the 70-year-old senator, he trails Republican actor and lawyer Fred Thompson, a candidate who has still not formally entered the Republican field.

"McCain is sinking," says Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

The apparent collapse of McCain's campaign has stunned longtime Republican fundraisers and activists, who only last year scrambled to donate money and sign on as political advisers......