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September 3, 2008 5:56 PM

Katie Couric's Notebook: Palin's Big Night

Posted by Katie Couric
This will be the biggest night of Sarah Palin's political life. The woman few Americans outside Alaska had heard of a week ago, will have an audience as big as her home state tonight. She's been governor less than two years, and voters want to know a lot more about her.
Katie Couric's Notebook: Palin's Big Night
John McCain says he picked Palin to help him fight the same old Washington politics, and she does help solidify his image as a maverick. Palin appeals to conservatives who see McCain as too liberal. She may even bring in some Clinton supporters, although Palin and Clinton differ on everything from abortion and gay marriage to gun control and Arctic drilling.

Tonight's speech is critical because first impressions are so important. But it will be totally scripted; her audience here in the convention hall – very friendly. It may not be until she hits the campaign trail and does endless rounds of media interviews that we really get to know Sarah Palin.
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Katie Couric's Notebook

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Add a Comment See all 34 Comments
by sandersh2-2009 September 5, 2008 10:56 PM EDT
What does McCain mean by: In my adminstration we are going to make sure "bad" teachers find a new line of work? What industry has 100% "good" people? I am a teacher in NM and I was so disheartened by his comments about public education. He lost my vote.
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by tgandfriends September 5, 2008 3:53 PM EDT
Roe+Phish=Palin
Lets stay focused people!
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by kight67i September 5, 2008 10:36 AM EDT
TOJMJKJP
REMEMBER IT IS YOUR LIBERAL PRESS AND OBAMA BACKERS FORCING HER PREGNANCY AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE SPOTLIGHT. WITHOUT THE ATTACKS ON SARAH, THIS WOULD NOT BE A NATIONAL ISSUE. ALSO YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY NEVER FOLLOWED HOCKEY, THESE GUYS ARE THE TOUGHEST, IT IS A VERY ROUGH SPORT, SO IF YOU ARE A HOCKEY MOM, AND YOUR CHILD IS PLAYING, YOU CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE TO TOUGHEN -UP YOURSELF. AGAIN, DEMS JUST TRYING TO BE SEXIST, WOULD YOU SAY THE SAME IF A MAN HAD SAID THAT?
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by tangobeta September 5, 2008 2:11 AM EDT
I started this campaign season sick of Republicans and especially McCain but the vitriolic and mean spirited personal attacks from the OBAMA campaign and their toadies in the American Press Establishment

have convinced me to hold my nose and vote for a decent chap in McCain with whom I often disagree rather than see OBAMA and the people in his campaign/american press succeed with this despicable and short

sighted series of personal attacks. Thanks OBAMA and American Press Core you have convinced me to vote against both of you.
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by jsfitzgerrel September 4, 2008 8:29 PM EDT
I am from Alaska. There is not a meaner boys club Sarah will have to fight through. Energy and grit is what she will need the most of. She has tons !!!
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by jmjkjp September 4, 2008 8:00 PM EDT
Katie, As the mother of teenagers, I am very concerned about the glamourization of teenage pregnancy that is a byproduct of Sarah Palin''s VP nomination. To request privacy for her pregnant teenage daughter and her daughter''s boyfriend is one thing. But then to place the photogenic young couple front and center at photo ops such as when Senator McCain arrived at the airport yesterday and then especially during Gov. Palin''s speech to the convention last night just seems to call attention to the pregnancy. Teenagers viewing these images could reasonably conclude that there seem to be no major consequences to becoming pregnant and, in fact, a measure of fame and glamour seems to have been bestowed on the couple. This is a curious message since in reality, early pregnancy often carries harsh and long term consequences for the teens and society.
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by jmjkjp September 4, 2008 7:22 PM EDT
Is that "hockey mom" image really a good thing? As mayor, Sarah Palin built an expansive (and expensive) hockey facility for her town. But did she do anything to improve the schools? Shouldn''t we want her to be a "science and math mom"? Pushing education will take our country a whole further in the future than hockey ever will. And regarding that pit bull - hockey mom analogy. While the joke was amusing, aren''t pit bulls considered dangerous, aggressive, erratic animals that can attack without provocation? Not an image that connotes the cool headed reason we should expect in our leaders.

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by rogert431 September 4, 2008 6:20 PM EDT
Katie: Many people are commenting that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be VP and has no experience in foreign policy having only been elected as a mayor and a govenor. While these may be valid criticims, why are there less comments from you and other members of the main stream media about a possible President with little foreign policy experience? Sarah Palin''s elected experience and foreign policy experience would, on the surface, seem to be similar to that of Rondald Regan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush who had only been govenors.
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by dekoposh September 4, 2008 6:03 PM EDT
Here is some comments from our teen point of view. We hope everyone in the country can see through this. Palin had a very well written speech and she delivered it well. That being said, her speech was full up under the belt hits, jabs, and lies. Just because you speak well, become involved in the PTA, become a Mayor for only 9000, now a Governer (that is being investigated) does not make you experienced to be the Vice President of the United States. Come on guys! We can do better than this! She seems like a lovely person and has a beautiful family, but that is it! We are all about inspiring V.I.T.s to go out and there and make changes today so we have a better tomorrow by volunteering, and being involved in your communtiy. She made it very clear that volunteering in not important. What were her writers thinking? That all for now!

deko and posh
dekoposh, Inc.
deko and posh blog
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by mkilgore3 September 4, 2008 3:39 PM EDT
Let''s get real. Why can''t the American people and our lovely media see people for who they really are? There is not a family in this time and age that doesn''t have some type of problem, whether it be unplanned pregnancies, drug abuse, domestic abuse and on and on. I commend Sarah Palin for having her family in front of the American people. As she said last night, they are a typical family. No one is questioning Obama''s family, talk about dysfunctional. He himself made the comment that he had only spent 2 weeks with his real father. No wonder he wants to put this to rest. I''m sure there are more skeletons in his closet he doesn''t want exposed. Give Sarah a chance--this country is in sad shape when all that people want to do is dig up dirt that won''t amount to a hill of beans. There are more important issues to be concerned about and who can get the job accomplished. By the way, I would like to know if the democratic party is slipping money under the table to these "media" people. They seem to be having a love feast with the Democrats. I guess everyone has forgotten what Bill Clinton did in the oval office and John Edwards with his latest escapade. Talk about throwing stones. The media doesn''t always know what''s coming and that''s what is bothering most of them. As soon as they hear something they are ready to twist it and make someone look bad.
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by mama68-2009 September 4, 2008 2:30 PM EDT
McCain could not be more insulting to women.

Her speech was nothing short of catty name-calling--is this his opinion of what women want to hear? I care about issues, not her husband''s snow machine races.

Palin has broken no glass ceilings. She''s simply bypassed it via a private elevator reserved for pageant winners.
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by orangetrouse September 4, 2008 1:55 PM EDT
I am troubled by Palin as a choice for VP. She is clearly underqualified for the position.She is subjecting her daughter to scrutiny most mothers I know would not do and as for a journalism major in college I would hope that she would understand how journalism and the media works when you run for PUBLIC office. With that said, I would never vote for a woman that would jeperdize the peace of mind of her family for political gain. Her speech last night was pathetic and showed me that she lacked intelligence and self accomplishment. All she was capable of doing is saying catty comments about her opponent to detract from her own lack of credability.

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by bellaanna-2009 September 4, 2008 1:26 PM EDT
I think McCain picked Sarah Palin because he saw what a difference she has made in Alaska, they love her because she came in and made change...the kind that you can see..well, let people try to trash her...she is a real person...like most of the American people that she will serve... ask the state of Alaska....
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by smtd4 September 4, 2008 1:23 PM EDT
Katie, My question to the news media is why are your questions about Sarah Palin sounding like they are from the 1970''s? Have we women not earned the right to be whatever we choose? Is that not what women have been fighting for? Even Senator Biden this morning said that your coverage of Sarah Palen was "sexist". It''s sad when the opposition has to stand up and say that families of candidates should be off-limits.
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by bellaanna-2009 September 4, 2008 1:17 PM EDT
Palin is great, for the people..if your own people love you, you must be great...I love her, she is for the people...
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by hogfan949701 September 4, 2008 12:38 PM EDT
I had a few postings on CBS'' other blogs after the terrible actions and coverage CBS and Katie Couric "provided" on the RNC on Tuesday night. Katie since has seemed to have toned it down a bit last night and somewhat swayed away from her personal liberal agenda, hateful lambasting of every single Republican person that she interviewed that evening. I watched the coverage last night on CBS to see if it could match or top the ridiculousness of the former night, and I didn''t, luckily hear too much from ''Cutie'' Couric. What I did hear was our future Vice President take it to the liberal media and the Democrats. After listening to Sarah Palin and what she has accomplished and what she stands for, I could see Governor Palin become our first woman President (sorry Hillary :)) in 8 years when John McCain it termed out. Her speaking was incredible, but the main thing is, it wasn''t just a speech, it''s what she believes and what she wants to do to help America. After her speech, I have just one question for "Cutie": Do you like apples Katie...? Well how''d you like them apples?!!
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by scoutfirenze September 4, 2008 11:40 AM EDT
Dearest kight67i

Please don''t try to convince me that McCain chose her because she was right for the job. Please. He chose her to try to win. No blinders on here buddy. Take a step back and try not to be so innocent. Ciao
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by kight67i September 4, 2008 11:31 AM EDT
TO scoutfirenze
maybe it IS to hard to swallow that gender bias is rampant in the democratic party, HILLARY WAS YOUR MOST EXPERIENCED CANDIDATE.
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by scoutfirenze September 4, 2008 11:27 AM EDT
to kight67i
Pathetic! McCain only came up with Palin as a Political move to throw us women a bone. He never even thought of her until a week ago. For me the bone smells fake and untrustworthy. I wouldn''t eat it if I were starving to death.
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by kight67i September 4, 2008 11:10 AM EDT
So, the obvious question since Sarah was announced is where are the Clintons. Not a peep, she must be seething, and she should. the liberal press, and the democrats, turned their backs on her. They tried to discredit her also, because of her gender, because of her mind, and because her opponent Obama is absolutely lacking in resume. She knew it first and they shunned her. Let''s really put it out there, OBAMA WAS AFRAID OF WHAT BILL WOULD DO SO CLOSE TO THE POWER, He is not strong enough to fight that fight. The democratic party (males) who speak of the future with a forked tongue,are truly the good old boys. It takes a truly strong male to stand by a woman,( McCain and Mr.Palin)one who is not afraid of what she brings to the table. The democratic women knew it also, they must feel like they are trying win the right to vote again!!!!!
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