Gov. Palin’s nomination clearly alters the landscape for Alaskans as we survey this race for the presidency — but it does not overwhelm all other judgment. The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

Via Anchorage Daily News

The endorsement, on the NBC public affairs program “Meet the Press,” was a major blow to Senator John McCain, who has been a good friend of Mr. Powell for decades. Mr. Powell, a Republican, has advised Mr. McCain in the past on foreign policy.

Mr. Powell told reporters after the taping of “Meet the Press” that he had been disturbed in recent weeks by the negative tone of Mr. McCain’s campaign, particularly its focus on Mr. Obama’s passing relationship with William Ayers, a 1960s radical and founder of the Weather Underground. The McCain campaign has sought to promote the idea that Mr. Obama is “palling around with terrorists,” in the words of Mr. McCain’s running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, because of Mr. Obama’s weak links to Mr. Ayers.

“I thought that was over the top,” Mr. Powell told reporters. “It was beyond just good political fighting back and forth.”

Mr. Powell did offer Mr. McCain a small dose of solace by calling him a different kind of Republican, although one who would support the party’s standard positions.

“As gifted as he is, he is essentially going to execute the Republican agenda, the orthodoxy of the Republican agenda, with a new face and a maverick approach to it, and he’d be quite good at it,” Mr. Powell said. “But I think we need a generational change.”

In offering his endorsement, Mr. Powell becomes the highest profile Republican to add his support to the Democratic ticket.

Economic meltdown: Obama blames GOP, McCain blames greed

- McCain’s 7 top campaign advisers are Washington lobbyists.

- McCain voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time.

- Palin was for the ‘bridge to nowhere, before she was against it.

Politico’s Ben Smith asked Koch what prompted the Obama endorsement: “The designation of Palin to be vice president. She’s scary…Any time someone goes to the library and says, ‘I want to ban books,’ and the librarian says ‘no,’ and she threatens to fire them — that’s scary.”

***ED KOCH’S STATEMENT***

I have concluded that the country is safer in the hands of Barack Obama, leader of the Democratic Party and protector of the philosophy of that party. Protecting and defending the U.S. means more than defending us from foreign attacks. It includes defending the public with respect to their civil rights, civil liberties and other needs, e.g., national health insurance, the right of abortion, the continuation of Social Security, gay rights, other rights of privacy, fair progressive taxation and a host of other needs and rights.

If the vice president were ever called on to lead the country, there is no question in my mind that the experience and demonstrated judgment of Joe Biden is superior to that of Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a plucky, exciting candidate, but when her record is examined, she fails miserably with respect to her views on the domestic issues that are so important to the people of the U.S., and to me. Frankly, it would scare me if she were to succeed John McCain in the presidency.

***

Give now.

Worth noting is that she was the mayor of a town with 9,000 people, which is a smaller population than if you were to draw a two block radius from my house. And he’s tapped her to be the vice president of the United States of America? A 72 year-old heartbeat away from being the most powerful leader of the free world? Astonishing that McCain made the decision to choose someone not with experience to lead the United States, but someone with incredibly socially conservative values in a move meant to pacify the extreme right.

Immediately following the decision, one of Oregon’s Christian terrorist organizations came out applauding his choice which only goes to further show my point above.

While yes, Sarah Palin may energize an evangelical base, she has no experience to be the vice president. She may be able to lead a population of 9,000 – or maybe even 683,478 in Alaska, but there is a massive difference in the needs our country that we must satisfy when we’re in the middle of a war that is out of control, huge economic crisis and the loss of respect from the rest of the world.

We are the United States of America and this is no time to choose a leader to simply placate the extreme right on social issues.

All in all I am glad that McCain has picked Palin. After what may have been the most successful convention in modern history, the Democratic Party is ready to rock and roll with the leadership of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.