Sorry you got fired from two gigs as a speechwriter. I'd probably vote the other way too if that happened to me.

But then again I wouldn't write some kind of phony sob-story article and try to use Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin to rationalize it.

It makes me sad to see you abandon a party as you have. I believe you can use the excuse that the party left you but perhaps we should look at the last eight years. The Democratic party in America just can't seem to get it right. And we are now at a crisis that needs to be solved, it will not be solved by the right or the left but by someone who is intellegent and surrounds themselves with the same. Despite what you feel about being abandoned i hope that the current Republican party is not the direction you run. Regardless of your affection for Sara Palin as she does her best in this election the pointing out of her wardrobe expenditure should not be construed as sexist, as your friend John Edwards learned during Haircutgate. It was pointing out hypocracy, as is Joe the Plumber's theoretical tax issues. I have a lot of problems with the democratic party as well as the republican party, and as much as i dislike the social views of the republican platform i have to respect their ability to get to the finish line by any means necessary.
The fact is that talking points work, this country is not controlled by the left thirty percent or the right thirty percent but by the center thirty, and as has been shown by the previous two elections, being right doesn't work as well as being on message. What you are attacking is the mechanism that has been adopted by your former party in order to regain control of a situation that is nearly beyond control.And unlike water boarding, i the Democrats must learn to play the game or they will just get stomped on election after election.
I would love to see you find your party, Democrat or Republican or Other and work with them, to create their agenda instead of just moving away from them when someone creates it for you. If you are as much of a romantic as you come across, then you should believe that the party is it's members, and only the members can change the party.

As far as removing your affiliation i say good job, i don't believe that should even be on the ballot, but remember on election day when you vote for the Mascot of America that there is 8 years of damage to clean up, and supreme court justices to appoint and when it comes to moving our country forward maybe people who call McCaine old are just saying it because Passed ones prime, or over the hill are too mean of words to use on a war hero.

John McCaine is a good man, he would have been a better choice in 2000, but not now, now we must look forward not only at what would be good for america, but good for our children, and good for the world and vote for Barack Obama.

Something tells me -- no, a LOT of things tell me -- that we are not getting the complete story behind Button's departure.

This story and the arguments she gives are very suspicious.
There's probably more to it.
Can she explain how McCain has advanced the interests of women and minorities?
When I have problems home I try to fix them. I do not move next door where everything is perfect...

The dogs are about to be unleashed on this message board. Make no mistake about it.

Much to do about nothing. Jobs come and go, especially on the free lance scene. Obviously, the writer is not very principled if she's voting for McCain on the basis of the arguments above.

Wow- No wonder the candidates dropped you. This piece is poorly written and poorly organized.

The only candidate for the working class is Obama. Give me a break! McCain is the biggest liar I know. He will sell his soul for a vote!

Sounds like you are now quoting Republican "hooker lines" so it seems a little hypocritical to denounce some and start yelling the opposite. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and to change his/her mind, but it just sounds like you are exchanging one groups talking points for another. I do not see much substance in your arguments.

I am so with you on this. The misogynist and class undertones from the Democrats have been calculated, devious and conniving. And disgusting. I've never voted for a Republican candidate for President, but I will this year.

This user is no longer registered.

1. "The economy is in the tank for many complicated reasons, especially because people don't have enough money. So let them keep it." First off, the economy is in the tank because house prices were allowed to balloon in proportion to income and regulators allowed financial institutions of all stripes (not just Fannie and Freddie) to extend credit to people who shouldn't have gotten it. So the first part of that sentence is wrong. Then you imply that Obama's taxes take money away from people who don't have it. But the tax hike is on people earning over $250,000, and it's only increasing the top marginal rate. As a person who belongs to this income group, I can tell you: We'll make it. If you want to spur consumption, you need to redistribute wealth, and wealth redistribution has been the premise of the progressive income tax which has been essentially unchallenged by Republican and Democratic politicians for ages.
2. You seem to be disturbed by superficial criticisms of candidates in general and of female candidates in particular, and that's a premise for voting Republican? Even as you admit that Democratic women face the same hurdles as Palin? Even as it's clear that the superficiality of the campaign has been pushed by TV journalists more than the Obama campaign itself? So now Roe v. Wade is irrelevant as an issue, because MSNBC makes as much out of Palin's expensive wardrobe as FOX made out of Edwards's expensive hair cut.
Your reasons for voting Republican are too lame to be believable. You must have some other axe to grind. Republican economics are regressive, reckless, and unsustainable; the social policies pander to people who place opposition to Roe v. Wade over the need for universal health care, amelioration of poverty, equalization of educational opportunities, sustainable environmental policies, and on and on. A great party. Enjoy your new home. As the old saying goes, when you switch, you'll be increasing the intelligence of both parties.

"The dogs are about to be unleashed on this message board. Make no mistake about it."

Hahaha. That's true. My first comment seems to have been moderated out, so everyone just imagine how nasty it was!

americans. ugh. i couldn't really get through the entire article - so i'm sure there'll be heat from that (as fellow commenters attack). and my point might be a little off mark...

in any case...

i think it's safe to say that any white american who doesn't vote for Obama - who might not have this "experience" that in fact no former president has ever had except those elected twice, but who has run his campaign as successfully as Bill and Warren and Larry & Sergey have run companies (how's that for "experience"?) - is RACIST. and i don't mean "racist" the way the word gets thrown around these days; i mean it the way it's supposed to be meant.

It's hard to believe that a seasoned speechwriter has suddenly realized that campaign politics fall short of an idealistic utopia.

The arguments seem weak - admiring McCain for "leading" on the surge after years of bumbling through an unjust war, for example.

As for bringing down two women, I don't see how this campaign has been particularly unfair or demeaning to its opponents. Campaign politics are always a slugfest, man or woman. You may be upset at the result, but that doesn't warrant crying foul.

So what's the real motivation here? Rejection? Feminist rage over Hillary losing out? It's hard to tell from this meandering rant.

So your prescription for a two-pack-a-day lung cancer patient would be to up the ante to three packs a day? Please come back with a mea culpa if McCain wins and runs the debt to 15 trillion dollars, as economists say his policies will. Do you know how much a dollar will be worth once it loses favored currency with the rest of the world? How do you propose to fund our daily needs if no one wants to buy our junk debt? Who will you complain to when gas is ten dollars a gallon because no one wants to sell it to us for dollars?

Obama's plan isn't perfect, but neither is he promising to mortgage the future of the dollar and the continued stability of this great nation to the benefit of fiscal elites who have it in their power to give themselves lavish salaries and astronomically exorbitant "bonuses". 39 billion dollars in bonus money in one year for the top five investment firms? a 1.5 billion dollar salary (5 million per day) for one hedge fund manager? And giving these folks more money will boost the economy how? They will run out to Wal-Mart and buy that toaster they've been looking at?

For unlicensed plumbing or muddled thinking, I've got you and Joe. When it come to complex financial affairs, give me Warren Buffett.

Wendy, is it politics or personal? Your complaints about Dems could be said about the other side but on a larger scale. I feel your pain.....your article seems to say that your work is under-appreciated. Unfortunately this seems to be the case with all of us 'middle-aged' women. How do we support groups that don't whole-heartedly support us? It's tough but we find a way to do what's best for the country.

Somebody call the Waaaahhmbulance.

So, if I get this right, because you care so deeply about poverty, you want to vote for McCain. Because you care so deeply about issues that directly impact a woman i.e. choice, equal pay you want to vote for McCain. Because you care about working people and the middle class you want to vote for McCain.

What are you smoking and where can I get some ?

Bring on your dogs Tenn Dem. You can sniff one another's Aholes and then go chase a squirrel.

I am an independent and usually vote Democratic. I just can't this time. The manufactured product that Obama is - carefully prepped not to vote on anything controversial in Congress, who sat in a racist church for over 10 years but didn't know his minister/buddy was a loonie.... I want a president with some integrity and some balls. And if anybody thinks 150,000 is a lot of money for clothing for a family of 5 who is usually in jeans and t shirts to be presented to public scrutiny....You're out of touch. Clothing isn't free, and I have no problem with presenting Palin and her family in a good light and nice threads. Obama promising to cut taxes while providing increased social services to the general public doesn't add up. You can't have guns and butter, and we still owe China for the guns. Again, I want a president who can add, as much as I don't want more taxes to pay: I am a citizen of a nation who owes a shitload of money. Bush did it to us, no doubt, but we are holding the bag and we need to worry about that before we go on a spree giving away money we don't even have for social programs. I will never be comfortable with a commander in chief who never served in the military. I think it's a lot less likely for a war veteran to throw a war ESPeCIALLY without a declaration from Congress. That needs to be changed so it CAN'T happen again, Johnson did it too and these wars are scarily similar in a lot of ways!

So sad . . . Ms. Button has lost her home with the Democratic party. But here's my question, Ms. Button--does it really make sense, if the country is in a decline as you say and as we all know, to continue on with the Republicans? I agree that the Dems should be much more progressive than we are--that's why I voted for Nader in 2004! But really--Sarah Palin has your respect? Why? John McCain is getting your vote? Unbelieveable. What past elections have shown to progressives is that there IS a difference between parties--not as much as progressives would like, but there is a difference. Going over to the side of the rich and the white and the super wealthy will solve nothing. So sad.

As a woman independent voter, this woman makes no sense to me at all. This Palin sympathy is laughable. Palin is tough as nails especially when she is passing judgment on people that she's never met AND is also very to quick, with her mouth to divide the country anti American Slurs at every turn she gets. According to my score board. She's playing with big boys now. So she needs to put on her big girl panties and deal with it. Women (including myself) go thru this everyday in the workforce. CRY ME A RIVER and come off it already. This is not a seat for the PTA ladies & gentlemen, its for VP slot for the United States. You need tough skin....plain and simple. Give me a break already. Show me what kind of woman you really are by overcoming it with grace & determination. I don't want to her your WHINING. If you cant take the heat...GO back to the Kitchen !!!! - Signed a WOMAN who is fed up with this nonsense and never ending excuses.

OMG! A passionate yet reasoned argument! Yes, the dogs will have a day in the field, but it's the rare piece of advocacy like this one that gives one any hope for the democracy. Who can't admit that the political conversation that forms this campaign--on both sides--has been intellectually dishonest and cynical in its essence? Or that the media has been, for the most part, the sewer through which this refuse flows unfiltered? Bravo, Wendy. Bravo.

Yes, it would be nice if everyone could play nicely. Can we move on to reality now?

In the face of a McCain campaign that pounces on every word and attacks from every angle, Sen. Obama should provide more fodder?

This sounds hopelessly naive coming from a speechwriter. Your feelings of betrayal as a woman may be real, but your solution is to vote REPUBLICAN?!?!?! YIKES!

Again, keen to read another point of view, but again, disappointed. Sorry, but I can easily see why this particular speechwriter has a hard time getting and keeping jobs.