I have a significant confession: Gov. Sarah Palin, of Alaska, Republican candidate for vice president of the United States and scourge of the Democratic Party, is not perfect.

She no doubt has made some mistakes over the years. Horrors! How fortunate we have liberals who never ever make mistakes.

Despite the collective wrath of the American Left, the army of Democratic ferrets in Alaska, the collective enmity -- nay, hatred -- of the mainstream media who have from the outset been in the tank for the young Illinois senator, despite the vicious attacks from NOW, whose concern for women's rights apparently exists only if the woman is liberal, all they've been able to dredge up is that the governor's 17-year-old daughter made a mistake.

Oh yes, the governor has accepted money from Washington for a questionable bridge before she realized it was a bad idea. How fortunate America is that Democratic candidates never ever change their minds about anything.

Gov. Palin is also accused of firing a commissioner because he would not fire a state trooper with questionable work ethics. To the bottom-feeding media, it is not important that the discharged commissioner served at the pleasure of the governor, had worked behind her back to replace budget items she had previously removed, and was insubordinate.

Also generally unreported is the fact that the trooper had tasered his 10-year-old stepson and had been suspended for drinking alcohol on duty, and that the transferred commissioner has admitted publicly that the governor never asked him to fire the trooper. He resigned, was not discharged.

And horror of horrors, Gov. Palin is a Christian who believes in God, has never had an abortion, is a devoted mother of five, and scares the pants off the Democrats. The Rasmussen Poll reports that over half of Americans believe that the media ganged up on the governor and are trying to destroy her. The Left fears Palin and what she represents.

When Sen. Barack Obama began his lipstick-on-a-pig story, he may not have been referring to Sarah Palin, but his fawning audience made the connection and thought he was doing just that and erupted in uproarious laughter before he could speak the punch line.

In any event, it was a poor choice of words for the silver-tongued orator who required a teleprompter to speak "spontaneously" at a rodeo. This man of the people demonstrated again his concern for American workers by dining with Barbra Streisand and her Hollywood liberals at a $30,000-a-plate dinner.

Palin took on the Republican Party and defeated an incumbent governor -- without throwing her opponents off the ballot on technicalities, as did Sen. Obama. So now, the question is whether a woman who ran a small business and reduced spending while taxing oil companies is qualified to sit a heartbeat away from the President.

So let's see, those who support for president a man with 143 days' experience as a senator are questioning whether a woman with four years' experience as a City Council member, two years as mayor and two years as governor, a member of the Alaskan Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, is qualified to be vice president?

Incidentally, who takes care of the Obama children while Michelle and Barack are out campaigning? Speaking of change, is the long-serving Delaware senator an example of change? His major effort seems to be in removing his foot from his mouth. Incidentally, on earnings of $2.5 million, Biden generously donated about $3,600 to charity. What a guy.

Concerning the economic situation, I am anxiously waiting for the mainstream media, including our own Pilot, to report on Sen. John McCain's effort to pass the Reform Bill in 2005. The senator warned about the problems with both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as did President Bush. The reform legislation was blocked by Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd and Democratic Congressman Barney Frank, respective chairs of congressional finance committees.

Dodd is the recipient of the greatest contributions from both companies. Obama, with only three years of service, was second-highest recipient of Fannie and Freddie generosity. Jim Johnson, former Clinton official and former high official in these organizations, walked away with $90 million.

Another Clinton official, Franklin Raines, also a high official in Fannie and Freddie, walked away with tens of millions. Both are now advisers to Obama.

Palin did not ban any library books, was an inspired choice, and is qualified to serve as vice president.

Dr. Schoen, a former college professor, dean and president, may be reached at sherylpoole@comcast.net.