Was Palin Really Vetted ?

Each day, more revelations come out about McCain's vice-presidential choice. In fact, there are now so many that many people are beginning to doubt whether McCain vetted Palin at all. And I'm not referring to her daughter. Here are a few of the revelations:

* Palin has now hired an attorney to represent her regarding the charges that she fired the Commissioner of Public Safety because he refused her order to fire her brother-in-law after a messy family divorce. The attorney can now bill the state for up to $95,000.

* While claiming to be a reformer, she finagled $27 million in earmarks for her tiny Alaskan town of 19,000 people.

* She has received at least $4500 in the same illegal scheme from VECO and Bill Allen that has Alaska Senator Ted Stevens in trouble.

* Palin opposed putting animals on the endangered list (including the beluga whale and the polar bear) because they inhabit land rich in oil and gas. Her husband just happens to work for an oil company.

* Her husband registered twice as a member of the Alaska Independence Party and she attended at least one of the party's conventions. The party has advocated that Alaska secede from the U.S.

* Palin has acknowledged smoking marijuana.

* Upon becoming mayor of Wasilla, she fired some city officials because they had supported her opponent.

Who knows what revelation will appear next? Was she even vetted? Probably not. Her neighbors were not questioned. The fired Commissioner of Public Safety was not spoken to. The FBI now admits they were not asked to investigate her past (or present). Even the former Republican Speaker of the House does not believe she was properly vetted. She (Gail Phillips) says, "We're not a very big state. People I talk to would've heard something."

After making this off-the-wall pick, McCain's judgement must be questioned.