This is the most common closing question in a job interview. We have all had it. We all know what we should say, and what we shouldn't.

So...Imagine you are an employer, and you ask Obama: "Why should I hire you?'

And he answers with a controlled, critically considered reply. He knows he has to close the deal, and outline how his qualifications and his understanding of the job requirements are a match for our needs. He does this carefully and enthusiastically to show his confidence, and sell us on why he is the one we are looking for.

Again...Imagine you are an employer...And you ask McCain the same question: "Why should I hire you?"

I have once mentioned and quoted the feedback of one of my former classmates who lives in Alaska, and his thoughts on Sarah Palin.  Well this email if from one of his friends, who is a school Principal and has experience working with and advising Governors and others in Alaska.  This is the email he sent to those who were asking him about Sarah Palin.  

It's enlightening for sure.  

Please enjoy and share!

Hi Friends,

My brother sent this note regarding his impressions about  Sarah Palin
(McCain's baffling VP choice).  I thought it was interesting  coming from
his inside-Alaska perspective, and worth passing along.  For  those who
don't know my brother,  he is a principal of a school up in  Alaska,
where he and his wife also teach.  THey've been Alaskan transplants  for
about 10 years.

Alice

From: Peter     Date: August 29,  2008 11:58:15 PM PDT
To:

Good evening, lots of friends and relatives  have been asking me (as an
Alaskan) what I think of Sarah Palin, our  Governor, and new choice for
McCain as a VP candidate.

Here it  goes:

This pick floored me.  Sarah Palin is a nice person.  I've met her,  I've
even talked to her for a few minutes at a principal's conference  a
couple of years ago.  She has lots going for her superficially.    She
speaks from the heart, like a spitfire mother; she can even be sort  of
funny sometimes.  She is quite beautiful;  athletic, and has  that
radiant glow of someone who actually spends time doing things  outside.
Unlike many politicians, she has lived a 'real life' and done  things
that few living and working in DC could ever do....like dipnettin'  fish,
shootin' stuff and eating it out on the tundra, and havin' 5  kids.

Personally, I'd never vote for her. She has an extremely simple  view of
the world.  I don't even think she has ever been abroad.  As  governor
she has repeatedly shown us that she is unable to grasp the demands  of
leadership.  She is very prone to cronyism of the worst kind.   Every
cabinet level political appointment she has made she has  over-ridden
suggestions of our state advisory boards, and instead promoted  those who
had granted her direct political favors.  Not that other  politicians
don't do this, they do, but most of them are able to balance  their
appointments to ensure that at least a few people with real skill  and
experience are running big state agencies.

She also has been  unable to pay attention to her Alaskan constituency.
Personally, I've written  several of our previous gov's and been asked to
comment publicly on education  policy.  All the previous gov's have
always acknowledged that contribution,  criticism or comment; sometimes
by direct reply, or at least by that of a  staff member.  Palin's office
has been a zone of silence.  Not I, nor one  person I know commenting has
ever gotten any sort of reply.   Her claim of  running an open or
transparent government is totally false; the public simply  has no role
in her administration.

Her previous claim to fame was  being mayor of Wasilla, a growing town
about 40 minutes from Anchorage of  about 15,000 people.  Wasilla is a
hellhole, even by Alaskan standards, where  there are plenty of hellhole
towns and villages. Wasilla is an ugly place  that shows a complete
absence of planning, design, or sense of public  vision.  Gov't agencies
and services are completely overrun in this town;  things are so bad that
they can't even track their population or build  schools in the right
place, because most parts of the town don't require  building permits, so
the only clue about where people are settling are  utility receipts.
Imagine trying to be an emergency responder in this kind of  place:
Houses don't just catch on fire in Wasilla, they burn to the  ground,
because by the time the fire department has figured out which road  to
take (no signs) or whose house it is (no directory), the place is  done
for.  Palin was mayor this town for at least 2 terms
before being  elected gov. a year and a half ago.

Her moral sense is simplistic and not  inclusive.  She is the sort of
person who is used to using their 'faith' to  divide and isolate minority
groups of human beings instead of uniting them.   To her credit as Gov.
she has kept out of this arena pretty well, but when in  comfortable
company (i.e the Matanuska Valley Republican Women's Club), she  lets her
moral cat out of the bag.

I will do what I can to ensure her  defeat and that of her running mate
as well.  :)  Please share this  information with those who can use it
well.

Cheers, Pete

I woke up to the headline "Palin wow's GOP!"

I have to wonder if they saw they same speech I did?  Yes, she was snarky, snide, and juvenile as she read her prepared speech off the teleprompter, but "wow?"  I wasn't feeling that, and it didn't appear to me that the participants were unanimously feeling it either.

What I saw was that crazed PTA mom that every one wishes would stop coming to the meetings because she is always mad about something she knows little about.

I am sick to death of the forwarded ignorance of so many Americans!

       "I am sorry but after hearing they want to sing the National Anthem in Spanish - enough is enough. No where did they sing it in Italian, Japanese, Polish, Irish (Celtic), German, Portuguese, Greek, French, or any other language because of immigration. It was written by Francis Scott Key and should be sung word for word the way it was written. The news broadcasts even gave the translation -- not even close. Sorry if this offends anyone but this is MY COUNTRY -

       IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY SPEAK UP ---- please pass this along~

   I am not against immigration -- just come through like everyone else. Get a sponsor; have a place to lay your head; have a job; pay your taxes, live by the rules AND LEARN THE LANGUAGE as all other immigrants have in the past -- and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

       PART OF THE PROBLEM
        Think about this: If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone-----YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM !!!!

       Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that came to live in America because it is the Country of Choice??????

       Think about it!

       IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS, MUST ADAPT.

       It is Time for America to Speak up If you agree -- pass

       this along; if you don't agree -- delete it."

Inter-party debates aside, it is time that the Democratic party rise to the expectations of the voters.  This is my letter to the DNC Rules Committee urging them to seat the delegates in Michigan & Florida.  This is not about candidates, but about how much we as Americans value our right to vote.

"Dear Sir or Madame:

I am writing today as a concerned citizen that wishes to see the higher moral ground of the Democrats preserved in light of the mistakes in Michigan & Florida.  I know this issue is complicated, and that the stakes are high for the two candidates seeking the party nomination, but this question of votes is much more fundamental to who we are as Americans, and it demands your careful and thorough consideration.

In the United States of America, when votes are cast by citizens, they are then counted and acted upon accordingly.  Our Democracy has always stood by this basic and righteous approach to government.  Well, until the failed votes of Florida in 2000.  That travesty of Democracy lead to the election of George W Bush.  The GOP is a willing advocate for disenfranchisement of voters.  The play book the GOP uses to win elections is vastly different from that of the Democratic party.  We stand by our voters, listen more keenly to their opinions, and count their votes!  As surely as Al Gore fought to have votes counted in 2000, we should now respect every vote cast in this primary race.  If we are truly the party of change, and believe ourselves deserving of winning in November, then we must stand by the voters who cast ballots in good faith and out of respect for their civic duty.  Inasmuch as the GOP stands for the calculated disenfranchisement of voters, the Democratic Party must lead to the future as the party that hears every voice, and counts every vote!

Sure, Hillary was expected to win big in West Virginia.

Sure, those of us who support her, and those that don't knew she would have a good day yesterday in West Virginia.

Sure, the polls had indicated that winning West Virginia was squarely in Hillary's column.

BUT...

Did anyone expect Hillary would win each and every country in the state of West Virginia?

This is not simply a win, this is a message sending win!

Yes Hillary won West Virginia by 41% over Obama, and yes that is an incredible margin, but more important is the message it sends. And bare with me, the message might be convoluted, and can surely be interpreted a thousand different ways...But...

How can anyone deny that Hillary is more electable in November when she wins, and tightens so many of these late races in the primary season? How can anyone deny that Hillary has broad based support when she is able to pull out Indiana, narrow North Carolina, and blow West Virginia clean off the electoral map? How can anyone deny the appeal and the power of this candidate when she, a woman, wins every county in a state primary? Rural voters, those often thought of as "red" voters are voting for Hillary Clinton, and there is no way this doesn't speak to her electability over John McSame.

I am done with the delegate count stuff.

Neither Hillary nor Barack will likely gain enough votes to win the nomination outright. We know this ad nauseum by now. So stop talking about it.

This will be a contested Democratic Convention, as it should be!

And on Tuesday the rules of the game will be changed by the will of the voters! The direction of the nomination will be changed on Tuesday. The tone of the Convention will shift on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the game will change!

Hillary is earning every penny!

Last night she took on Bill O'Reilly, and left the den of the enemy looking more Presidential than ever!  If FOX News can't break her down and make her look the fool, then what is everyone waiting for?!  This is the woman that we need to effect change in America.

Hope is not enough.

Hillary is the total package!  She has the plans, knows the details, and can articulate them to anyone in a manner that is convincing and compelling.

So don't just hope for change, Invest in it...So you can VOTE for change in Novemeber!

Hillary for President 2008!

Bonus:  The Hillary Clinton Campaign has extended the "double" match on donations past midnight!

Come on gang, did deep and give by clicking here.

We have the momentum to turn the tide into a wave!