Based on her public statements, Sarah Palin would flunk any high school U.S. History test, and she'd certainly flunk any high school science class.

Do we really want to put huge amounts of power in the hands of a person so willfully ignorant?

Her "end times" theology makes her downright scary. I don't want anyone who believes that the war in Iraq is "called of God" being a heartbeat away from having a finger on The Button.

This editorial is as silly as it is expected. If Barack Obama showed up to the stump with a pregnant, unwed teenage daughter, the right, D-News included, would eviscerate him. But because Palin is one of you, Gayle Ruzicka's phone tree remains on standby.

To wit, in discussing John Kerry in 2004 with two very religious people who are very close to me, they said they could never vote for a candidate so morally bereft as to have been divorced. They said it with my twice-divorced mother in the room, and we could all see the life go out of her. I've been waiting since then for a candidate like McCain to come along, and so I recently inquired of my loved ones who they'll be voting for this time around. McCain, of course.

Family values aside, I also find this editorial disingenuous for failing to note Palin's myriad demonstrably false assertions. And nary a word about the nastiness of her speech either, which I predict will be remembered as the catalyst for one of the mud-slingingest campaigns in American history.

Intellectual honesty among conservatives in this country has apparently gone the way of the newspaper fact checker.

That was an excellent editorial.

Todd and Sarah Palin are proud of their family, warts and all. Every parent hopes for the best for each child, but realizes that children make choices of their own. Todd and Sarah Palin showed America what it means to support a daughter in a time of crisis. They are doing exactly what most of us hope we would have the courage and wisdom to do - love and support a troubled teenager.

What America thinks of Sarah Palin won't be known until November, but, she is an unexpected breath of fresh air. Her words, her life, her expectations have renewed the Republican Party.

Perhaps the most important point that has been revealed in McCain's invitation to Sarah Palin to join him on the ticket, is the response from Democrats. They have shown what they think of a woman candidate. They have shown what they think of motherhood. They have shown what they think of the handicapped. They have shown what they think of teenage girls.

Hopefully, all of America can start to focus on the issues. The battle over "what" is right instead of "who" is right, should be the focus of the battle.

No, Palin was not a Quayle or an Eagleton. She was a Limbaugh, a Hannity, and an O-Reilly in prom-queen hair. Nothing much from her lips but sarcasm, mockery, hypocrisy and outright lies. If you like Rush, Sean, and BillO, you gotta love Palin! Fortunately, most Americans are tired of this Karl Rove style of politics, and Palin will appeal only to the die-hard, right-wing, nut jobs who never think about their votes anyway and will not even notice that the would-be Republicans are running against the record of the current Republicans.

I didn't realise that Evangelicals could be so seemingly intelligent. She is either the exception or I have some relearning to do.

In spite of all evidence, they insist the world is 12,000 years old and are unable to see anything except through the lense of the Bible.

But hey she seems smart to me and is quite the looker too.

Looks like a last-ditch effort from the neoconservatives to me.
There is something seriously wrong with these far-righters.
Thank God the America I once knew is ready for a civil war with those from the Limbaugh cult.
I'll put my money on the liberals.

I have been registerd as both Democrat and Republican and have no great devotion to the Republican party, however, the hateful nature of Palins critics - as evidenced by many of the comments from "progressive" individuals in the press and particularly on blogs like these - continue to fuel my disapointment in the "tolerant" left, who seem to fail to see how they personify everything they claim to despise. I am far less worried about Rush Limbaugh than I am "anonymous", "geezer" and Maureen Dowd.

We may need to reflect on whether or not we would have asked similar questions about a young male candidate, but that doesn't mean that a candidate's actions with respect to one's family situation don't say something about one's judgment. A large number of very reasonable people who are parents themselves are responding very honestly and with some compassion for the 17 year-old daughter and the 4 month-old Down's Syndrome baby when they wonder why a woman who has put herself forward as nothing more than a "hockey mom" would in any significant way limit her ability to be with two human beings that need her very much right now.

More of the same.

I see that posters continue to put up straw men and misstate the theology of Christians, evangelical or otherwise. I have also seen much misrepresentation of Palin's positions on other social issues. I personally would feel more at home in Palin's local church than Obama's black theology. I am a Hindu/Christian/God Particle/String Theory sort. Oh, and the Sikh's pretty much have it going on, I could easily fit in there. Beliefs are personal.

It's very interesting that the Deseret News doesn't seem to value honesty. Sarah Palin's speech was full of intentional falsehoods intended to rev up the party's base. She claimed she sold her State jet on ebay; funny but not true. She claimed she opposed the bridge to nowhere: not only did she support it while running for governor, she fought and succeeded in having the State of Alaska keep the money. She pretended as if Barak Obama's legislative history, both partisan and bipartisan didn't exist. She talked about being a hockey mom when, in fact, her husband is the hockey mom. I looked in my religious texts and couldn't find the part where it says "Thou shalt not lie" except for political expediency.

I am sorry to report that ever since there was supposed to be WMD's in Iraq and that Iraq spearheaded 9/11 the GOP has been able to lie to their loyal group of chumbs and get away with it.
This Palin lady is no different.

Gotta love the left. Wasn't your last President a very 'gifted' liar? You seemed to embrace that ideology fine back then. Has something changed that I missed?

The jet comment was a joke. No one puts a jet up for sale on ebay - get it?? You can't even pull that off as a government entity. Supported the bridge to nowhere? I keep hearing that, but can't find where it's confirmed. Help me out there.

Bipartisan legislation? He voted with his party 96% of the time! One of the leaders in the Senate in that regard. 4% is considered bipartisan?

Calling it from her perspective does not make her a liar. You are sadly misinformed.

I find it interesting that because of Palin many conservative Republicans have now become fervent feminists. They seem to have no problem at all with a woman leaving her tiny baby for a high-power career.

If attitudes can change this quickly for women just think what might be in store for gays. It truly boggles the mind.

You folks need to figure out what you believe in. Last night McCain gave a speech that was far more in pace with Obama's vision of America than it was with Palin's, and yet I'm sure tomorrow you'll be praising that, too.

Palin's nomination was a blatantly desperate ploy to solidify the right wing that is uncomfortable with McCain's moderate politics. Political scholars will long study this last gasp of air from a dying party.

The conservative Republicans of today are nothing like the conservative Republicans of yesterday.
Today they are nothing more than foul Limbaughites.

You are worried about "the hateful nature of Palins [sic] critics"?!? Did you even listen to the hateful nature of her speech? Are you selective in your concerns about hateful speech? Or are you just deaf to the familiar Republican brand of hate? That kind of hypocrisy is what has characterized the White House for 8 long years.

The message of hate coming from today's conservative Republicans has become so matter of fact, that it is doubtful they even recognize when they are spreading the divisive hatred.

To Anonymous 1:39:
More of the same.

To Anonymous 1:39:
Right on!

Ah the leftist are now calling Palins speech: Hate speech!.
It is heartening to finally hear a person on the right side of the isle defend the right sides positions, and also to expose Obamas weaknesses.
If exposing your oppononents decietful ways is called hate speech, then I'm all for Hate Speech!
I am glad to have a Republican fight back. I have watched the Democrats fight the good fight for years, while the Republicans sit in a corner in silence. this is indeed a good day.

All I heard from Palin was a bunch of non-stop disses on Obama.
Note that the classier Democratic convention did not stoop to that sort of Limbaugh rhetoric.
I've yet to hear what Palin is going to do to turn the failing economy around.

Sarah Palin is the best choice we have had in years. I am so excited for her. She is awesome.

What planet has KM been living on? "The Republicans sit in a corner in silence"? Not since Herbert Hoover! The Republicans really started their new tactics with Reagan, polished and hardened them with George the First, and ran the most negative campaigns in 50 years with George the Second. KM, you gotta start reading something except the Deseret News and start watching something besides Fox News! And lay off the AM radio!

"Republicans sit in a corner in silence"?? Poor KM. He must not own a radio, subscribe to a cable system that includes FOX NEWS or various "Christian" Programming. He must not recall "Willie Horton" or the "Swift Boat Vets". He may never have heard of Karl Rove.

I can't imagine the howl the right would raise if Barack Obama showed up with a 1st term governor of a state with under a million people, whose name was unknown just hours before, and introduced him as a running mate with the unstated assignment of recruiting former Romney or Lieberman supporters for Obama. And then, if this rookie proceeds to deliver a particularly nasty political speech, long on sneering and short on facts (even about himself!), there would be cries to secede from the union emanating from Miami Beach and Houston. Yet here we are, praising a GOP running mate whose "experience" once in office would be as useful to McCain as a dorsal fin would be to a dog. Shame on all of us, but more so on those who rely on this woman to "expose Obama's weaknesses."

Palin gives me hope. I don't intend to vote for her, but she makes me hopeful that even conservative Republicans can change. All it took was a Republican with a baby to turn the whole party into fervent feminists.

Next election I'm hoping for a gay guy.

I've can't remember the last time that I've enjoyed reading these posts as much as I have during the last few days. Talk about a political party running around like the Keystone Cops! The Democrats are desperate. If it weren't so sad, it would be ludicrous.

The Democrats have a platform. Why can't they tell us why we should vote for their people instead of trying to tell why we shouldn't vote for our people?

The more they speak against John McCain and Sarah Palin, the more they convince people to join the Conservative movement.

I just returned from a neighborhood party where there were a good number of Republicans and a good number of Democrats. Since we are neighbors, we can talk openly. And, since we are neighbors we keep things on the light side so that we can stay neighbors. However, one Democrat who has been a good friend for more than twenty-five years was infuriated with his party. He said that when the Democrats have so much to offer, why are they wasting their time attacking Sarah Palin. I agreed.

Those that know anything about selling don't waste time knocking the competition. It only makes people curious.

Mercy -- Are we on the same planet? I watched (and even paid attention to) a speech by vice presidential candidate for the GOP, Sarah Palin, which was, indeed, astonishing.

Obviously bright, perky, appealing and charming, she seemed not only eager, but all too delighted, to lead the charge in group character assassination. The delight and obvious pleasure that this woman seemed to take in delivering mean spirited jibes and insulting one liners were more than a bit unsettling.

She is a busy mother and career woman in a remote state, so she likely is not well versed in the matters of which she spoke. The speech was crafted by professional speech writers and image makers 100% conversant with all of the facts and characteristics which they slandered and deliberately mischaracterized. However, the obvious glee that she took in his debut performance (and what a performance it was) was deep and profound. And all of this from a self-professed servant of the Lord. It is amazing how mean spirited Christians can be.

To fact check google: "attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP Convention.

If this is an example of Christian behavior, I'm grateful I'm an ex-church goer "in recovery."