one of these things is not like the others

I have to admit this whole Sarah Palin thing has me bewildered. When McCain introduced her, you would naturally expect that he would list out her accomplishments and experiences which would show the nation why he selected her to be his VP candidate.

So I just don't know what to think that the list of her most shining accomplishments, those details of her life and experience which the presidential candidate (and his advisors) chose to highlight, include her high school basketball record and her time as a member of the PTA.

I mean, this is the BIG TIME. This is the time to really showcase her talents, her abilities, and what she brings to make her a good candidate for VP or, if needed, President of the United States.

I am not saying that her time as mayor of Wasilla and as governor of Alaska are not important. But her resume is so short that her official, national introduction includes her high school sports record. That has to be a first for any presidential or vice presidential candidate.

That brevity of experience is what I keep coming back to. Yes, I am very impressed by what she has accomplished in Alaska. Really, I am. I think I would like her if I met her - she has a fabulous no-nonsense approach to most things, she is willing to clean up messes regardless of who made the mess, she is gutsy and strong.

I wish more politicians were like her.

But she is shining in the minor league, and I really, really don't think she is ready to play in the big league yet.

That's my political reaction to her.

Now, my personal, mom-to-mom reaction to her ... I have difficulty wondering, frankly, why anyone would want to be president - what a job - but I am especially struggling with why anyone would choose to put herself out there with a tiny baby at home (the special needs are secondary, although I have some friends who have a 2 1/2 year old baby with Down Syndrome and they keep an incredibly detailed blog about how difficult their lives are and they didn't have other children, plus her husband is home full-time, plus she had a very long maternity leave ...), and now with a teenager who is unmarried and pregnant, plus a son in the military, not to mention two other daughters who must feel a bit left out in the mix of what is happening in everyone else's lives ... Well, I just don't think that I, personally, would feel that *now* is the best time for me to take on campaigning for VP.

So this whole thing has left me a bit bewildered. But I do believe it is all making the average person in America stand up and pay attention, and I do believe we will have record-breaking voter turnout this year. So that's something.