Arianna Huffington: Palin is a distraction. The distraction is good for the Republicans.

[gateley]

We need to keep our focus on the REAL issues.

(She was just a guest on David Bender, subbing for Rachel, on AAR)

[Matariki]

1. Probably a distraction from the war Cheney is starting, at this very moment...

[gateley]

4. Agree. Is ANYBODY paying any attention to this? Time to check foreign news sites. nt

[Cleita]

2. I agree with her. This convention would have been the ultimate

bore fest without the controversy.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Take Palin's extreme positions (anti-choice, creationism, God as warmonger) and hang 'em on McCain

Then McCain either has to repudiate her and the conservatives, or be pigeon-holed as a fundy loon.

[MrModerate]

5. A distraction, yes -- for the media if not for the Obama-Biden team . . .

But these last 3 days were going to be all-'Lican, all-the-time, anyway. The positive is that rational viewers watching Palin (especially after Guiliani's nasty and menacing speech) saw pretty much what dems would want them to see: still unqualified, still smug and self-satisfied, still waspish and cruel, still wingnutty.

And to top it off, McCain's going to speak soon and he won't sound as good as she did!

I don't think Obama-Biden are distracted, and they just backed up a truck at Obama HQ to start unloading ammunition sent directly from the Twin Cities.

This convention is just about as good (by which I mean bad) as we could wish.

[AllieB]

6. The MSM has to create a controversy.

Arianna is right-we need to keep our eyes on the ball.

[Eric J in MN]

7. I disagree. Sarah Palin will be the president in late January...

...if McCain wins in November and he dies by late January.

She's worth talking about.

[gateley]

9. Her point was that we (Obama/Biden) need to be focused on the message

of the economy, the nightmare of the past 8 years, etc., in order to win.

We must not let the Republicans be successful in taking America's eye off of the real issues.

[DCBob]

8. Totally agree. Palin is not the issue. It is McCain and the issues.

While the Repubs are foaming at the mouth over Caribou Barbie, Obama and Biden are making hay on real issues with swing voters.

[Arkansas Granny]

10. She's nothing but window dressing. She's meant to be that shiny object that will attract

everyone's attention and keep the focus away from the real issues.

[YvonneCa]

11. Yes, she is. Palin allows Repubs to change the narrative to...

...their issues. The daughter's pregnancy evokes abstinence ed., abortion, 'conservative family values', etc. That works for THEM...not us.

[KittyWampus]

12. I totally agree. She's a freak show.