More Palin background

Posted: Friday, August 29, 2008 12:59 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski, Courtney Kube
Gov. Sarah Palin's son, Track, enlisted in the Army on Sept. 11, 2007, and is now stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Private First Class Track Palin is an infantry soldier, assigned to the 1-1 Bravo Company, 52nd Infantry Regiment. (We are checking whether PFC Palin's company is deploying to Iraq later this fall with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division out of Fort Wainwright.)

Joe Biden’s son, Beau, is also scheduled to be heading to Iraq before the end of the year.

NBC’s Carol Eggers adds that the LA Times points out: “When prenatal genetic testing of their fifth child showed he had Down syndrome last spring, the couple went ahead with the birth in May and now talk of him as the joy of their life. … One of ...... their other four children entered the Army and deploys to Iraq next month."

EMAIL THIS

Comments

"With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years, he's been able but undistinguished. I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America. And again, with all due respect to Richmond, Virginia, it's smaller than Chula Vista, California; Aurora, Colorado; Mesa or Gilbert, Arizona; north Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada. It's not a big town."
–Karl Rove, August 10, "Face the Nation"

Tim Kaine's service as governor: three years
Sarah Palin's service as governor: twenty months

Population, Richmond, VA: 200,123
Population, Wasilla, AK: 9,780

I just can't wait to see this in an ad. It says even Karl Rove wouldn't pick her using his criteria

Evelyn (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:06 PM)

He picked a Trophy running mate to match his Trophy wife. You could see the distain on Kay Bailey Hutchinson's face when asked her opinion. I'm sure she just loved being the senior woman in congress with lots of experience and she just got passed up for the good looking younger woman. I'm sure that will go over well with the die hard Hillary women.

BL, Cincinnati OH (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:06 PM)

OK, this proves McCain is indeed a "Manchurian Candidate"; bent upon the destruction of the Republican Party from within!

Perhaps this is payback for the treatment he recieved in 2000!

GA GUY (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:07 PM)

Ok - are you Media guys going to do the work for John McCain?

He choose her let him explain her biography, experience and ability.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:08 PM)

Who names their child Track? Sounds like one of those crazy celebrity baby names to me!

Dee Peoria IL (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:10 PM)

Attention, women. Did you notice in Palin's comments today that she spent considerable time talking about her sons, but only mentioned her 3 daughters by their first names and didn't discuss them at all?

MartiM, Plano, TX (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:11 PM)

Lots of topics and no comments

confused (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:11 PM)

Did McCain ever blow away O'bamboozle on the VP picks. O'bamboozle is looking more and more like the old wornout failures of the old democrats. He had a whole hour last night to say what he will do and how he will do it, and all he can say is the same old democratic BS to jizz up the obamatrons. I think Palin will bring in a lot more votes than old Joe.

Larry J Clearwater Fl (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:12 PM)

Gee, Palin is an unknown. We do not know much about her, how she thinks, what her speciifc plans and proposals are, how she would handle the economy and foreign affairs, etc. etc. SOUND FAMILIAR. Yet we are supposed to get to know her in 2 1/2 months?

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:12 PM)

She has a degree in Journalism, Miss Alaska, Miss Congeniality, she eloped with an oil man, she was a sports reporter and she eats moose. McCain is 72 yrs old. Not who I want in #2. I am a registered repub. voting Dem.

KC-Colorado (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:14 PM)

John McCain just made a gutsy and smart move with his pick for vice president; not gutsy because it was a woman but rather gutsy because it was an unknown and smart because it was a woman. He has been trying to cultivate those Clinton supporters not yet reconciled with Obama and he intends for this move to help him there and with women in general. He has been getting static from his extremely conservative base and Gov Sarah Palin, being a strong conservative advocate, could appease them. Once again the Republicans have made a very aggressive move to manipulate voters’ opinions based on emotions, while keeping their positions on the issues out of scrutiny. If the voters are once again, like in 2000 and 2004, swayed based on appeals to their emotions, prejudices and biases or by any single issue and neglect putting full consideration and weight on all of the issues, we could end up with four more years of nothing but more of the same. When you look around at the economy, the deficit, the jobs, the cost of medical, the War in Iraq, the needs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the progressive decline experienced in all of these things and everything else and the embarrassing and costly gross dishonesty of our government, I don’t know how the issues can be ignored, yet it has happened before. After Obama’s great speech last night and the impressive Democratic convention, the Democrats and Obama, with regard to all of the issues and their plans and positions, are well known. We also know McCain and the Republican’s plans as we can look at the last eight years and at everything McCain says, which strongly commits to just more of the same. Imagine more of the same. This country really just can’t take more of the same and voting for John McCain-Sarah Palin, for whatever reason, just guarantees more of the same!

REG in AZ (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:14 PM)

Where exactly was McCain staring while Palin was speaking? PLEASE tell me there was a baseball game playing on the podium and his eye-line was misleading.

Lee, Lubbock, TX (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:14 PM)

The McCain campaign and the rest of the Republican Party has been bashing on Obama for his youth and inexperience, and their VP pick has EVEN YOUNGER and has EVEN LESS EXPERIENCE than Obama. She also has ZERO foreign policy experience, a quality John McCain always boasted a Vice President should have.

Considering John McCain's age, it's scary to think this choice (Palin) is possibly a heartbeat away from being President.

I agree with McCain choosing a woman, and why, but he chose the WRONG woman. Kay Bailey Hutchinson or another choice would have been better, overall.

CW, Everett, WA (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:16 PM)

Who would you rather have advinsing the President,
Joe Biden or Sarah Palin ?

Who is more qualified to lead our nation Joe Biden or Sarah Palin ?

If the surge fails and we have civil war in Iraq, who do you want advising the PResident,
Joe Biden or Sarah Palin ?

Who made a better choice for Vice PResident,
Barack Obama or John McCain ?

Who is better qualified to lead our country.
Barack Obama or John McCain ?

Who WON'T throw temper tantrums with foreign leaders,
Barack Obama or John McCain ??

You made a BAD CHOICE, John !
But, so did the Republican voters

Obama /Biden '08
Real Change, Real Judgement, Real Wisdom

Msierra, SF (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:17 PM)

yep, and now she's ready to abandon this new born child to hit the campaign trail.

Kate, Atlanta (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:17 PM)

PLAIN IS 44 YEARS OLD. HAS 5 CHILDREN & WE SAW LITTLE KIDS WITH HER

NOW YOU ARE TELLING US ALL HER CHILDREN ARE GROWN/

STARTED PRETTY YOUNG UH?

LOVE THE FACT THAT PLAIN AND HER GOT TO "CHOOSE" NO ONE MADE THE DECISION FOR HER

YET SHE WANT TO SILENCE THE VOICES OF OTHER WOMEN BECAUSE SHE'S PRO-CHOICE, THUS TAKING AWAY WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE

MCCAIN JUST DOESN'T GET IT. MCCAIN THOUGHT CHOOSING A PRO-LIFE, ANTI-GAY CANDIDATE WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES

YOU KNOW CAN'T BUY GAS, LOSS OF OUR HOMES, LOSS OF JOBS, PENSIONS,

SEN. MCCAIN JUST DOENS'T GET IT.

JANICE, MO (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:17 PM)

your immediate slamming of mccains VP pick has reinforced my opinion that the MSNBC network is biased. I was keeping an open mind but your obvious bias has made me take a second look at gov palin.

Robin Tinney (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:17 PM)

thought McCain said Obama will do anything for election.

I see McCain would do anything for election his campain said thats why they took women.

Also she is 44 and no experience.

i thought Obama had no experience.

They think Hillary supporter DUM.

If he died because his age.She will run america 44 women

Mike,CT (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:19 PM)

McCAIN'S VP PICK ONE MELANOMA AWAY FROM BE THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD:

McCain just gave up the "not enough experience" argument with his choice of VP. One term Governor of Alaska (least populated state???) at age 44, just to have a woman running mate. The fact that McCain has battled what is often terminal cancer and is the oldest person to run for the office of President makes the significance of his new running mate all the more important. She has a tiny fraction of Obama's political experience and is THE HEIR APPARENT to McCain's presidency should he become incapacitated or die.

So Mr. McCain if you believe that experience is the number 1 virtue in running for our highest office, why oh why did you pick someone with virtually no experience as your VP running mate. AMAZING!!!

PS. If McCain thinks that the women of this country are so shallow to turn from Hillary supporters to McCain supporters because he brought a woman to his ticket he is horribly and, now, irreconcilably mistaken. And the fact that she is an ardent Pro-Life candidate will mean even less chance of picking up Hillary supporters...BAD CALL SENATOR, VERY BAD CALL !!!

David Burta (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:19 PM)

i was really on the fence in this race, but after hearing obams's speech and seeing mccain "carelessly throw away" his vp choice i think i know who i must vote for. how much experience does palin have? so if mccain does not make it through his presidency, then america has to live with this poor choice? the dems don't even have to put up ads against her. all they have to say is "she is not hillary!". she is not even in hillary's league!! this is definitly an INSULT to hillary supporters!!!!the republicans think that they can just put any woman up for vp that's a woman?! WOW what a poor choice. i guess i will have to face facts Obama 08...

independent (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:19 PM)

I am not an expert on 'body language', but watching John's face during her speach, it seemed that he was thinking--"Oh no, what have I done".

Virginia Dechant, Marion, Ia. (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:19 PM)

If you're a woman and you vote for McCain/Palin in November, I hope you're prepared to make exactly the same reproductive choices that Sarah Palin has.

rmh (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:20 PM)

David Burta (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:20 PM)

WOMEN BEING PRO-LIFE AND AGAINST GAYS IS MORE IMPORTANT TO SEN. MCCAIN THAN

AMERICANS, ORDINARY AMERICANS LOOSING JOBS, HOMES, RETIREMENT, HIGH GAS GROCERIES

YOU KNOW THOSE KITCHEN TABLES ISSUES THAT KEEP YOU AND THE HUBBY AWAKE AT NIGHT

ONCE AGAIN MCCAIN HAS SHOWN THAT HE'S TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH

NOT TO MENTION BRINGING AN INEXPERIENCED WOMAN INTO THE #2 POSITION IN OUR COUNTRY WHO IS CLUELESS

RUSSIA WOULD LOVE THIS!

NEDRA, OH (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:21 PM)

MSNBC TV IS SO LEFT IT IS RIDICULOUS! You are all not reporters who are supposed to report the news, you should be disgusted in your station. You are the only station reporting negatively on John McCains choice for Vice Presindency.

Chris, Centennial, CO (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:21 PM)

Sarah Palin ?????

Can you say: UNQUALIFIED' ??

Sure you can.... UNQUALIFIED !

Can you say LIGHT WEIGHT ?

Sure you can, LIGHT WEIGHT !

Can you say: 'POLITICAL STUNT' ?

Sure you can: POLITICAL STUNT ?
(And bad joke)

John McCain, demonstrating superficiality and incompetence

MSierra, SF (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:21 PM)

This woman is NOT ready to be president. There is no way your average American will take the chance that this totally unacceptable candidate could become our president in the dangerous world we live in. She is completely unprepared to be president. This was the dumbest choice McCain could have made.

By the way Chuck Todd you are a republican hack.

Ellen--Idaho (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:22 PM)

REPUBLICANS THERE YOU GO AGAIN

MAKE SURE YOU PICK THE CANDIDATE THAT'S AGAINST ABORTION, WHO'S PRO-LIFE AND REMOVE WOMEN'S CHOICCES

MAKE SURE THE PERSON IS AGAINST THE GAY COMMUNITY

MAKE SURE THOSE EVANGELICALS ARE YOUR #1 CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW THOSE FOLK WHO SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIANS BUT ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT POLITICS AND POWER THAN DOING GOD'S WILL

WE GET IT, BUT YOU DON'T

NOT TO MENTION A SLAP IN THE FACE TO ALL WOMEN, THINKING THAT YOU COULD JUST A PICK A "WOMAN" AND WOMEN WOULD FALL IN LINE.

WRONG AGAIN. HILLARY CAME WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS AS DOES SEN. OBAMA

SARAH YOUR GREAT EVANGELICAL HOPE DOES NOT

BUYER BEWARE

LINDA, MI (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:24 PM)

Was it me, or did McCain continuously check out Gov. Palin's rear end during her speech?

Chiburbs (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:24 PM)

Just read this ...and lets talk about VP Pick ...
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12969.html

LP (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:25 PM)

Is Sarah Palin college educated? What college? What kind of academic record of achievement does she have? We know she was a beauty contestant! But how can this woman compare herself to Hillary Clinton and keep a straight face?

Linda, Atlanta, GA (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:25 PM)

Just heard her acceptance speech. She sounded like a squeaky teenager. Chalk on a blackboard.
Yeah, soccer mom for VP.Not!
She is an anti-choice baby machine as well and a gun nut. Wait till John loses his temper with her.
She will be on te first dog sled back to Alaska.

Hardy har (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:26 PM)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

Matt, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:27 PM)

How can these soldiers be sent into combat during the campaign...won't they have secret service protection?

Dottie Averbach, Charlotte NC (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:27 PM)

I do indeed hope that Palin will be treated like a politcal figure and not let off easy because of her "down syndrom" child. But I am sure the McCain campaign will play that card over and over and over again just like the POW card.

I can just see it now. Biden wipes the floor with her in a debate, McCain yells discrimination because she is a woman and how dare they treat her like that. Sound familiar.

A vote for Palin is a vote AGAINST Clinton

Brian, Naples, FL (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:27 PM)

Do I have this right...McCain's VP choice has a three month old infant? Oh boy. We'll never hear the end of the Depends/diaper jokes.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:29 PM)

First and foremost: how does a woman with no experience in foreign policy can seriously be taken as the VP?!!! US has a loan to China (did you hear this?!), has to deal with real, serious issues has Russia, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan....this is not playing politics at home!! Republicans have this country with a huge debt, destroyed US image overseas, have the military at the bottom.....is McCain really serious about his VP choice?! Are we playing the doll's politics?

nocas, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:29 PM)

Motherhood being one of the most sacred professions a woman can have, I'm sure it was a difficult decision for her to put her political ambitions before the needs of her younger children and her newborn with special needs.

Who's your Nanny? (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:30 PM)

Will someone please stick a sock in andrea mitchells mouth...she is jsut gushing, dare I say she is giddy over mccains pick...we knew she didn't like the black guy but this is ridiculous

Ralph Malph (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:30 PM)

This is all great and wonderful, but do you want this person running ouor country. How would the world react to her? I'm doumbfounded!

M/G (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:31 PM)

McCain has never respected women rights. This should be an embarrassment to any female that can't see this as a political poly.

B#*^&H sit back and do as I say and be a good little V.P. . Your office is two doors down. I'll call you when I need you.

I'm John McCain and I approve this comment.

Tex Mex (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:31 PM)

I just had a kid two weeks ago. I sure wouldn't take another full-time job no matter how important it was until my baby was no longer so dependant on me. It seems a bit selfish to be both a governor of a state (certanly a full-time job) and a candidate for the second highest office in the land (another full-time job) when your five month old depends so much on you (parenting is at least a full-time job). McCain runs with the slogan that he puts country first, but it appears Sarah Palin is putting country first and her family second.

Andy, Austin, TX (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:31 PM)

Sarah Palin? she has no experience doing anything...what a joke

She was a mayor of a one horse town and had been guv of a one horse state...I wouldn't trust her with my rubbers

Rick, NC (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:32 PM)

So, that quailifies her for the job huh? I always knew that someone had blessed her son so much that no one can stop him into the white house. Obama is blessed, his mom did a good job. I will also be blessing my kids. How else can you imagine everything going in his favor? Maccain just conceeded the election to him - am jealous.

Nsikan, MD (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:32 PM)

One more for the background ...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/211310.php

Well FOX News....Keith Get this!!!...oh boy ...8pm will be there ....
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/211284.php

LP (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:32 PM)

Certainly their right to choose, but pretty irresponsible for a 43-year-old woman to get pregnant in the first place. Risk of Down's syndrome after 35 increases significantly - 43 is poor judgement.

ujw, ny (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:33 PM)

Hot Babes McCain...... Cindy, Britney, Paris , Sarah.... WOW...

T (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:33 PM)

So where are all the comments from the McCain supporters and fake Hillary Democrats about this. I've gone through these pages and I just see "no comments yet". I guess this isn't quite the choice you were all hoping for, someone with less experience (2 yrs as Governor of Alaska) and is more of a "clebrity" (appearance in Vogue) than Obama.

Obama/Biden '08

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:33 PM)

Having a handicapped child does not qualify a person for the presidency. She did make the right decision, but so do many other women/families.

Let's not forget the deceased child of Senator Biden. How sad to have lost a sweet, sweet innocent life when they are so precious to hold.

Obama / Biden (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:33 PM)

It's obvious what "Tailhook" Johnny wanted for his birthday - a lap dance.

Instead of following Bin Laden to the Gates of Hell it looks like "Tailhook" Johnny is going to let his new Annie Oakley go get her gun and go varmint hunting in his stead.

"Who the Heck Is?" Palin is no Hillary Clinton and never will be. Considering her 5 kids it's no secret where "Anti-Choice" Palin's experience lies.

Man I can't wait for the Daily Show and Colbert Report to air tonight. Just when I thought the Golden Age of Liberal Comedy couldn't get any funnier thanks to the clowns in the Oval Office now what a wonderful gift they've been handed today by the witless ancient skirt chaser.

Go Obama/Biden 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Friday, August 29, 2008 1:34 PM)

Next >>

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1305153