Pajamas Media

122 Comments

1. Misunderestimatin’ Palin | Think Forward:

[...] time to do what this writer is suggesting is in the VP debate. Keep the powder dry until then. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: [...]

Sep 24, 2008 - 2:20 am 2. James:

I agree but remember she is surrounded by a pack of jackals that will leap upon her and attempt to tear her apart at the first hint of any mistake.

On the other hand she didn’t do too bad in this arena as PJM has reported:

While the legacy media continue call Sarah Palin a dumb rube from Alaska Palin pulled off what may be a masterful political stroke in the very heart of the media’s empire, New York City.

There was a rally to protest Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s appearance at the UN. Both Hillary and Palin, the “ignorant lady from the sticks of Alaska” as some characterize her, were originally scheduled to appear. Hillary declined to appear with Palin. Then the Obama campaign vigorously pulled strings to make sure Palin didn’t appear threatening the tax exempt status of the organizers and refusing to let Biden appear to balance the appearance of Palin.

So now the worldwide Jewish community is embroiled in a hot controversy about just who is defending Israel and the Jewish people from the Second Shoah.

I think when the dust settles, and there is going to be a lot of dust, Palin may be regarded as one of those defenders.

http://www.nysun.com/opinion/governor-palins-promise/86327/

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017347998&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/palin-snub-rocks-jewish-community-and-the-presidential-race/

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1023408.html

Haaretz doesn’t get it quite right, Palin’s appearance was killed by intense pressure from the Obama campaign.

http://wcbstv.com/local/clinton.palin.event.2.821565.html

http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2008/09/21/open-letter-to-my-fellow-jews-the-democratic-party-is-not-your-religion-or-anybodys/

http://wcbstv.com/campaign08/united.nations.general.2.823131.html

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017359617&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Some amateur.

Sep 24, 2008 - 3:37 am 3. Bumr50:

Did it occur to you that perhaps she is holding back intentionally? It’s still very early, especially given the attention span of Americans lately.

Sep 24, 2008 - 3:53 am 4. SAF:

Perhaps she can do better but I am impressed at her calm in the face of the most vicious attacks on a major candidate in my memory. I think the left must be rattled by the fact that such a savage onslaught has yet to rattle her.

She also has Bill Clinton campaigning for her. Of course he is really working for Hillary in 2012 and the only way she gets to make that run is if Obama looses.

Sure going to be an interesting Nov 5th.

Sep 24, 2008 - 3:57 am 5. Ed Wallis:

Mr. Shelton, I appreciate your article, in that you offer at least one constructive suggestion as to how Palin could improve. Sure, I agree that having a 2-sentence prepared response on 100 issues would be helpful to any candidate, but I don’t consider it as “fatal” to her (and subsequently to McCain) as you seem to make it out. She is NOT providing the MASS ERRORS and MASS EMBARASSMENTS which both Biden (FDR & TV in 1929!, Coal) AND Zerobama do…and THAT may well be “enough” for this 2008 campaign.

*** McCAIN / PALIN ‘08!! ***

Sep 24, 2008 - 4:16 am 6. David Thomson:

Mike Shelton conveniently ignores MSM bias. Dan Quayle was simply a victim of left-wing slander. He made a single spelling mistake and the media crucified him. Barack Obama does this far more often—and nobody gives a damn! Have we already, for instance, forgotten his “57 states” blunder? Please note that Shelton is a former PBS producer/director. This publicly owned TV network is for all practical purposes a partner of the Democratic Party.

Sep 24, 2008 - 4:18 am 7. Ed Wallis:

“Please note that Shelton is a former PBS producer/director. This publicly owned TV network is for all practical purposes a partner of the Democratic Party.”

Thanks for the info, David T; that explains ALOT.

Sep 24, 2008 - 4:40 am 8. Rotwang:

I have a hard time believing that Palin is as dimwitted and artificial as she appears to be. So far, her selection by McCain has seemed like some sort of Borat-style stunt to see how gullible American voters are, and package the whole scam as a comedy film for Christmas release.

The longer the campaign keeps her “substance” under wraps, unfortunately, the more it appears that there’s nothing but wrapping.

Sep 24, 2008 - 5:08 am 9. tom:

evindently ABC felt she was competent enough to edit down her interview with Charles Gibson, cutting out comments she made on Russia to make it appear she was a simpleton war monger

http://marklevinshow.com/gibson-interview/

Sep 24, 2008 - 5:36 am 10. Cowcup:

She’s still a question. But, c’mon guys. let’s look at her past. She definitely can fight. Otherwise she would be crushed already. It’s a bet to say she would become the next such and such great names. That being said, she’s definitely a safe bet. What made her reaching to the current position would probably carries her along a little further. How far, though, is a question. My bet is 6-4, she will be a strong player in 2012. No matter what happens in this November.

Sep 24, 2008 - 5:54 am 11. WR Jonas:

Liberals are political infiltrators in camo who love to sneak into your camp and shoot the place up. This guy is talking about Palins problems but never mentions his partys difficulty in hiding Joe Biden. Since when has PBS ever hired anyone who is not a liberal Democrat?

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:01 am 12. ozziepat:

Palin is the Governor of Alaska. She hasn’t been campaigning for two years with coaching and practicing sound bites (Obama) or a national pol for decades (Biden and McCain). And, she has to face an antagonistic press – something Dems don’t have to worry about. In addition, her role is not to formulate policy and positions but to support McCain in his.

She’s only been in this race for a few weeks, and she’s in a situation not unlike having to cram for finals when a short time ago she didn’t even know she would be taking the courses. Give her a break, and keep in mind that she’s already been “vetted” far beyond Obama by the MSM. The media isn’t interested in “learning” about her. What they really want is anything they can use to create anti-McCain-Palin/pro-Obama propaganda for the gullible herd.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:01 am 13. SAF:

Rotwang:

Nothing dimwitted about her. You just want to vote for Obama and I say go for it. Its Ok if you disagree with her.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:11 am 14. Ed Wallis:

Zerobama has his own theme song (”Yes We Can” by Will.I.Am), “Seal” (see: vero patheticus), O-Force One plane seat, salute (the big “O” over your head) and now a coin already announcing him as “president” (sic).

BUT WAIT! There’s more: we’ve got VIDEO of “clinging to guns and religion” and AUDIO about his “typical white person” relative.

And it should be PALIN who “needs to do more with what she’s got”?!!?

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:15 am 15. Larry J:

She could also point out the typical Democrat double standard. I don’t remember anyone making a big deal about Governor Jimmy Carter’s lack of foreign policy experience. Nor was much mention made about Governor Bill Clinton’s foreign policy experience. Both of them were going for the presidency, too, not just the vice presidency.

The double standard is pretty straight-forward. Anything that benefits the Democrats is good but if the exact same thing benefits a Republican, it’s bad. Another example is military experience. When Clinton was running in 1992, we were told how military experience wasn’t necessary to be president. When Gore and Kerry were running against Bush, we were told that their Vietnam experience was vital. Now, we’re told once again that it isn’t necessary. It seems rather childish to me.

There’s also the MSM’s hostility to Palin that makes media bias more blatant than I can ever remember. It isn’t hard to imagine how they would’ve reacted had Palin said even a couple of the stupid things Biden is saying. He gets a pass, she’d the trashed. Palin isn’t part of the Ivy League/East Coast/Beltway crowd, so she must be an idiot and she must be destroyed. The little lady just doesn’t know her place.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:39 am 16. Locomotive Breath:

Larry-

I had the same thought about the last two Dem Presidents. Gibson asked Palin if she’d ever met with any foreign heads of state. So I wonder, does anyone have any data on Jimmy or Billy meeting with foreign heads of state prior to their election as President? I’ll bet the answer is none.

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:00 am 17. Self-hating boomer:

I’m with Bumr. Trust the Schmidt. When this is all done, the Schmidt is going to make the Rove look like an amateur. The Schmidt knows what he’s doing, and Sarah Palin will come out at the right time in the right venues.

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:05 am 18. mike shelton:

Dan Quayle was not a victim of MSM bias. He was a victim of his own inadequacies Anyone publicly saying becoming Vice President of the United States was “good for his resume” was none too bright. Mr. Bush could have chosen so much better in 1988.

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:13 am 19. SAF:

Larry J:

Great points. Although it isn’t childishness but bias to get the dems elected that drive the MSM.

We could be on the verge of having a media created candidate, Obama, who while smart and articulate does not have the credentials to be president become president.

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:45 am 20. John McLachlan:

It is absurd to suggest that Gov. Sarah Palin could be as qualified to lead America as Sen. Barak Obama. How many autobiographies has she written?

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:58 am 21. Therese:

It obvious that the Democrats are now pursuing a strategy of trying to:
1. Get Sarah Palin into the ravenous media’s hands so that they can take something, anything, to make her look bad.
2. Call her names for not talking to the ravenous media hounds in order to accomplish #1.

The only people crying for her to talk to the media is the media itself (which is a puppet of the Democratic party.) She is out on the campaign trail talking directly to voters. She’ll be debating Joe Biden soon. She’s doing fine.

They (media, Obama, liberals, internet trolls, etc..) are upset because they want to get their hands on her to try to ruin her. They tried tearing her apart on their own and it backfired on them big time. Now they’re trying to get her in a situation so that they can try to use her to tear herself apart. It ain’t going to happen!!!!!!!!!!

She’s the real thing folks and this scares the heck out of the left.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:08 am 22. Robert Hurley:

I guess you have not checked the latest polls that show that her negatives outweigh her positives. And even her handlers have so little confidence in her that they won’t let the press near her. It speaks volumes

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:08 am 23. Andrew Jackson:

Calhoun was the first Vice-President to resign.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:09 am 24. Dave II:

“If she doesn’t pack some substance based on experience she must surely have, she’ll fade out like a shooting star.”

Oh, come on…I’m still waiting for OBAMBI to “pack some substance” and I don’t see him fading (fast enough!).

Sarah will be just fine…especially after she drinks Biden’s milkshake at the debates!

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:20 am 25. LisaP:

Oh, Mr. Shelton, you’ve been exposed as a loony lefty. Go away now, little fella. As for Sarah Palin, I don’t believe she needs your “advice”. She’ll slay Joe-boy Biden on October 2. I’m sure you’ll be watching, in pre-spin mode.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:22 am 26. tomw:

CNN’s Campbell Brown called out the McCain camp:
“Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment,” said Brown. “This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heart beat away form the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters… Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one.”

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:27 am 27. Jvarden:

Rotwang:

Appears dimwitted? Hardly. She’s smart like a fox. Just the opposite of Nobama.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:30 am 28. Gavin:

The focus of all voters should be at the top of the ticket. So forget questioning Palin.

All she’ll have to say is what she’s been told to say for the past three weeks.

Question McCain about choosing someone who has zero experience beyond her own borders when the country is ensconced in two world wars.

Question McCain about why he chose someone who ran her small town from surplus to $69-million deficit in just a few short years.

Question McCain on how he can still claim himself a reformer and against pork barrelling when he chose someone who, remarkably, hired a Washington lobbyist for a town with a population of just over 5000 people.

Let’s face it folks. The questions that need to be asked aren’t from the governor from Alaska.

The need to be asked from the senior senator from Arizona.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:40 am 29. Sarah:

I’D LIKE TO TAKE A POLL!
Who on this message board puts much stock in “the latest polls” or any polls for that matter?
You go ahead and keeping holding tight to that poll “Robert Hurley” at least you’ll have something to show for all your liberal hot air when McCain gets elected.

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:43 am 30. Sarah:

Dear “tomw”
Every military strategist knows that you don’t pull out your biggest gun until absolutely necessary otherwise it would ruin the element of suprise! Stop hiding behind Campbell Brown’s words ok? You wouldn’t be passing her “No Bias, No Bull” test right now that’s for sure!
You Democrats are welcome to keep pandering to the media like you always have, we’ll stick with talking to actual people on the campaign trail!

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:50 am 31. CALIndie:

Robert Hurley – “I guess you have not checked the latest polls that show that her negatives outweigh her positives.”

What negatives? You mean the fabrications the MSM has been heaping on her for the past month. Fabrication #1 Troopergate? Fabrication #2 Down Syndrome Babygate? Fabrication #3 Bridge to Nowheregate? Fabrication #4 White Trashgate? Fabrication #5 Husband’s Friend Affairgate? Fabrication #6 Beauty Queengate? Fabrication #7 Bikini Assault Rifle Photogate? Fabrication #8 Bush Doctrinegate? Fabrication #9 Defend NATO Warmongergate? Fabrication #10 No Substancegate (AKA: Won’t Do a Press Conference with MSM Jackalsgate)? Should I keep going?

You and the MSM make me want to PUKE! Liars, cheats and cons all of you. Headline reads: Anonymous source reveals; Robert Hurley is sexual deviant, don’t let him around your children! It doesn’t have to be true Mr. Hurley, it just has to go to print in millions of rag newspapers around the country and get broadcast to another 90-100 million Americans via TV, radio and 24 hour cable news. Good luck with your problem, I hope you get help.

This entire election is an insult to the intelligence and decency of hardworking Americans. If you buy the lies of the MSM maybe you aren’t one of us.

P.S. You’re dropping like a rock in the polls!

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:52 am 32. jane:

I can understand the campaign’s unwillingness to unleash the hounds of Hell – otherwise known as the media – in Palin.

The whole hissy fit over not being allowed to have print reporters present during her “meet & greet ” with foreign dignitaries was just that they were denied an opportunity to trip her up in public. How dare the capmaign not cooperate with setting her up to fail in front of those people she might meet again as VP?

I wish the campaign would just accept that her “foreign policy” experience is currently lacking and stress her positive attributes. When did a VP become the sole American foreign policy point man? The media seems happy to ignore that Obama – who is running on the top of the Dem ticket- has very think credentials in that field.

IMO the campaign should start putting her out in venues that haven’t been at the front of the rabid dog pack. But I would neny NBC.MSNBC NYT and groups like them access forever.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:04 am 33. CALIndie:

Gavin – 24 hour cable news outlet reports: Anonymous sources reveal; Gavin allegedly pilfered millions of dollars from senior citizens in his hometown and blew the money on gambling and prostitutes in Las Vegas! Hundreds more senior citizens fear for their financial lives because of Gavin!

Gavin, get help man! Your friends need to really question their ability to see the truth when it is so plainly on display in the MSM.

P.S. Your poll numbers are dropping like a rock!

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:06 am 34. jane:

tomw – just saw your comment about Campbell Brown – Personally I’d let Palin meet with Campbell Brown only if I could be assured that Palin would take a big club and give that hypocritical whiney witch a smack to her simpering face.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:09 am 35. tomw:

CALindie:
Sneaky sneaky. I like now you bury the legitimate concerns in there with the garbage, which I’ll agree that most of what you list is. However,

#1 Troopergate? She is under investigation, and her husband is currently ignoring a subpoena to testify. Whether or not she did anything wrong isn’t the question, she IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

#3 Bridge to nowhere? I’m sure many of you are sick of me on this topic, but she stated in her RNC speech “I told congress ‘thanks but no thanks’” – But didn’t bother mentioning that they still accepted the earmarked funds.

#8 Bush doctrine. We all saw it, she was stumped.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:11 am 36. geokstr:

Robert Hurley:

“I guess you have not checked the latest polls that show that her negatives outweigh her positives. And even her handlers have so little confidence in her that they won’t let the press near her. It speaks volumes”

Of course she has negatives. You’ve had all your “useful idiots” in the media slamming her with all the juicy rumors and false smears the armies of democratic lawyers you airdropped into Wasilla to sniff her gargage cans could come up with. All the while they have been covering up the sleazy, hard left background of your homeboy. Under those circumstances, I venture to say even YOU might have high negatives.

You jump onto every thread on this site remotely negative about the Big O or positive about Palin/McCain with the same lame easily refuted propaganda you get from the Daily Kos.

It’s amazing that you are allowed to freely post this left-wing dishonest drivel on every conservative, moderate and independent web site in the interverse. But when I try to post mildly critical comments on HuffPo they get deleted almost as fast as I can hit “Enter”.

Just goes to confirm your side’s commitment to the diversity of ideas, right?

By the way, how much does Soros pay you for all this propaganda work? And is Pajamas your only assigned website to astroturf?

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:14 am 37. tomw:

Sarah: Really, Palin is now the republicans biggest gun? HAHAHAHAHA.

We’re just over a month away from the election and she’s given only 2 interviews to date. I agree that it is a strategic move by McCain’s camp, but not because she’s the biggest gun, but because she’s their biggest weakness.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:26 am 38. Believer:

I think this author has been exposed for what/who he is.

Let’s address his proposal: “Sarah Palin Needs to Do More with What She’s Got.”

That brings to mind our charitable, “I am my brother’s keeper” candidate. He’s got some $4 million in the bank and turns his back on his half-brother in Kenya living in a hut on a few dollars a month. He also turned his back on the school in Kenya – that named it after him – when he promised to help them out. Both brother and school are waiting to hear from Barry.

A Christian organization has taken up where Barry has failed and now D’nish D’Souza is taking contributions for his brother.

I think it’s fair to say, Barry “needs to do more with what he’s got.”

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:34 am 39. Believer:

I think we need only compare Palin’s handling of Ahmadinejad’s UN visit with Barry’s, and it’s easy to know whose instincts and judgment are better.

One is led by an awareness of right vs. wrong, and a willingness to work for others. The other is led by an inability to recognize evil and a need to promote self.

It’s character, folks, just give the man who possesses it the facts, and he’ll do the right thing every time.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:44 am 40. Dave II:

“The focus of all voters should be at the top of the ticket.”

Yes! Let’s focus here…

WHY was Obama’s PRIVATE meetings with European leaders seen as “burnishing his foreign policy image” but Palin’s private meetings with foreign leaders seen as “hiding”???

WHY is Obama’s DIRECT payoff as the #2 RECIPIENT in the Senate of money coming from FannieMae and FreddieMac seen as “unnewsworthy” while an INDIRECT, 2nd party, employer/employee relationship of McCain’s CAMPAIGN MANAGER Rick Davis with his employer (not even McCain!) make the frontpage?

WHY is it some of the TOP BUNDLERS for contibutions to Obama’s campaign are Wall Street brokerage executives, TWO of whom are managing directors at Lehman Brothers and the other the former Head Of Mortgage Capital for bankrupt Lehman Brothers?

WHY was Obama strangely mum and decidedly uncommittal in the first days after the “bailout” was announced…like he just didn’t know which way the political winds were blowing and he had to “make sure”, then ended up with many of the SAME points McCain had ALREADY articulated???

WHY is it Obama repeatedly brings up the nonsensical and vaguely laughable phrase “failed philosophy of the Bush administration” for our economic problems when it is the DEMOCRATS (specifically Senators Dodd, Frank, and Schumer) who BLOCKED any reform of Fannie and Freddie in the past, when McCain and even Bush were asking and pushing for reform???

WHY is Obama still given a “pass” on his past dubious relationships with convicted felon Rezko, unrepentant terrorist Ayers, and his 20-YEAR friendship with his racist pastor/mentor Wright…but Palin’s past associations are micro-investigated to death, even down to a GUEST SPEAKER that spoke ONCE at her church???

WHY is Obama still UNABLE to close the gap with former Hillary supporters who polls show are UNCHANGED since JUNE in their percentage of them who will NOT be voting for the selected one???

So many questions…so little time!

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:05 am 41. CALIndie:

tomw – OK, let’s say they are legitimate concerns. Who do you think is more biased in their reporting, me or the MSM?

Do you actually think the MSM is going to report acurately on these “legitimate concerns.”

#1 Troopergate – Will the MSM report that the trooper in question still has his job after criminal child abuse on a minor and making terrorist threats against a citizen he took an oath to protect and defend? Will the MSM report that Palin didn’t fire her insubordinate “safety” director, she reassigned him to a different position and he resigned of his own free will? Will the MSM report that the same insubordinate director was a political appointee who was not elected to office and works at the discretion of the Governor. Will the MSM point out that Governor Palin was fully within her rights to demote this person with or without cause?

#3 Bridge to Nowhere – Have you heard anyone in the MSM quote the entirety of Governor Palin’s comments on the Bridge to Nowhere? Let me help you here. Governor Palin was not against the small Alaskan community having a bridge. She was against American tax payers having to pay for it. Governor Palin clearly stated, “… if we wanted the bridge we would build it ourselves.” So where is the scandal? She supported the community getting their bridge (and still does, if they want it paid for out of the STATE surplus budget) and she cut millions in wasteful federal earmarks coming into Alaska. Governor Palin also accepted 54 federal earmarks that she felt would return some of Alaskan taxpayer money back to their state for necessary and not wasteful projects. What’s wrong with fiscal responsiblity? Oh nothing, unless the MSM is spinning it to serve the Obama campaign.

#8 The Bush Doctrine – Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Charles Krauthammer coined the term “The Bush Doctrine” and he said that the gaffe was clearly Charlie Gibson’s and not Sarah Palin’s since the Bush Doctrine encompasses multiple doctrinal ideas and concepts. Charles Krauthammer says that the only thing Sarah Palin should have done was ask Gibson for clarification on that ambiguous (read: baited) question. Do you think the MSM is going to report this fact?

Remember tomw, it doesn’t have to be true for the MSM to report it it just has to help the Obama campaign. I can’t wait for the avalanche of REAL TRUTH about Obama’s shading, slippery, anti-American dealings to finally come to the forefront in October. As Gomer Pyle so enthusiastically declared… Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:13 am 42. JMS2008:

Why is everyone on the left so surprised that Palin’s been selective in her exposure to the media? Even without her volunteering to speak to the press, she and her family have been ripped apart from head to toe. The MSM has made issue of Todd Palin’s DUI arrest 22 years ago, but no one seems to care about Obama’s admitted cocaine use as well as his abuse of other drugs. I don’t get it.

I’m hoping that Palin has been laying low in order to come out and crush Biden at the debate. Expectations aren’t high, and since the entire nation (and beyond) will be watching her, she has the chance to show what she’s made of without convenient left-wing editing and spin by the MSM.

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:19 am 43. proud elitist:

good values, jane — “…Palin would take a big club and give that hypocritical whiney witch a smack to her simpering face…” real good christian values.

Either Palin hasn’t or she doesn’t. If she can’t answer a “mean reporter’s question” she has no business being in the White House.

jane, should Palin open a can of whoop-*ss on Jeffrey Goldberg, too, for saying this:

If Sarah Palin becomes vice president, she will presumably have meetings with people who are scarier than Michael Cooper, the Times reporter who seems to have the misfortune of covering her today. I know Michael Cooper; he’s a good reporter, but not very mean at all. So why would the McCain campaign want to keep him — and other print reporters — from watching Sarah Palin shake hands with Hamid Karzai, who is also, by the way, a very nice person? What will happen, God forbid, if Sarah Palin is forced into a position where she will have to meet someone who is not so nice? Such as, say, the prime minister of Spain?

Or Ta-Nehisi Coates’ statement:

I’m going to go out on a limb here and do something I try really hard to never do, make a prediction. Sarah Palin is the nail in the McCain campaign’s coffin. No Vice-Presidential nominee–not Vice-President–can be this much drama. Constantly defending old girl’s record, having to expend resources to shut down investigations in Alaska, and having to actively shield her from reporters has to exact a price. At the very least it knocks Joe Biden’s gaffes right off the radar.

We talked some a few weeks back about the problems of running a media-centered strategy. I believed then, and believe now, that McCain’s “win the news-cycle” strategy is playing with fire in a house of straw. I know there is a school of thought that prizes “drama,” “heat,” and “sizzle” as assets for organizations trying to compete. Those people should be fired and banished to soup kitchens. Invariably they work in media (”journalists.” clucking heads, PR people etc.) and thus their ideology is self-serving. Palinpalooza is case in point. For weeks we heard this ridiculous line of argument that Palin brought the same “excitement” and “energy” to the table as Obama, thus equalizing the race. That is exactly the sort of fatal underestimation that is going to get John McCain murked in November.

Obama isn’t Obama because he is more “exciting” or had me more “heat” or “energy.” He’s Obama because his handlers had a deft understanding of caucus rules, because they understood the promise of the Dean/Trippi internet strategy, because they understood the ground game. Fuck all the rhetorical flourishes, all the talk of “exotic” lineage, all Ivy League pedigree, all the hoary meditation on the impact of a black president. It’s all bullshit. If Obama doesn’t hang eleven straight on Team Clinton in February then we’d all be talking about the dream of Susan B. Anthony. If Hillary Clinton’s people understood the rules the way Obama’s people did, then McCain would be running ads attacking The Restoration.

The point is that Palin brings “excitement” and “energy” but nothing else. It’s all hot-sauce but no catfish. And now the jig is up. I’ve been pretty harsh in my criticism of the press. But some of these cats are, in the words of Bunk, good police. And even those who aren’t, at least, like to look like it. McCain is basically backing these dudes into the corner and daring them to do their job. Bad idea, kid. Very. Bad. Idea.

Or take out “Sharpy News” a website totally devoted to Palin:

OK, I’ve been blogging a lot about Sarah Palin the past two days and, with readers’ indulgence, would like to pull the lens back a bit and offer a broader analytical conclusion: The so-called liberal media (SCLM) is responsible for John McCain’s blundered move in choosing Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

Allow me to work through the logic of this:

The SCLM (but, in fact, quite conservative media) was determined to make far more of the “disunity” theme in Denver last week. Stories about PUMAs and other disgruntled Democrats and Obama-Clinton rifts, plus the replaying of quotes from the likes of James Carville and Paul Begala, made for a great narrative that was promptly run through the copier at 187 percent and broadcast as fact.

John McCain, who enjoys sticking the knife in the front, peered deeply into his television screen last week and, after absorbing all these overblown reports of the purported Democratic Party disunity, saw what he thought was a chance to fatally stab that neophyte Barack Obama for his supposedly horrible, unforgivable slights against Hillary Clinton.

Ever the opportunist — this is a man, mind you, who dumped his first wife for the second, richer one with the key hookups he’d need for a political future, and who later turned the greatest blemish of that career (Keating 5 scandal) into some polished-up badge of reformist honor — McCain thought to himself, “I will surprise everyone, prove I’m a real maverick, and steal all those female voters the media says are up for grabs by, aha, by picking a female running mate. I don’t need to really check her out — my instincts tell me she’s good, and if I know one thing it’s that my instincts are always right.”

Put it all together and what do you get? Ladies and gentlemen, the Republican nominee for vice president of the United States, Gov. Sarah Palin!

What irony, indeed: Burned by the very conservative media he was relying on to help him win this thing.

Maybe, it just says a lot about John McCain’s own judgement. In the words of George Will:

It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience. Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?

—–

Maybe neither John nor Sarah “have it”…

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:34 am 44. Sarah:

Oh “tomw,” I really almost feel sorry for you! Are all the Democrats in the US watching a different election than the rest of us? Do you all honestly not realize that Sarah Palin is not running for POTUS? Barak Obama needs more justification for his ability to be president than Sarah Palin will EVER need to be VP and you know it as well as I do. We know you guys are really hurting right now, what with the bumbling mess that you have as a VP candidate and the way B.O. can’t keep getting away with the b.s. that he’s been spewing on a regular basis for the past two years.
As much as enjoy verbally sparring with you I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you that someone has switched out all your real ammunition for “parade rounds” – we all know the cards your party is holding so it would be much less embarrassing for you if you just retired to the MSNBC message boards, I’m sure they’ll give you a heros welcome and I’ve heard that they hand out medals to the people that can verbally vomit up their rhetoric on demand!

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:38 am 45. Robert Hurley:

This from a liberal blog – But think, what if McCain had picked Mitt Romney as his veep choice, like so many of us were fervently hoping?

Sure, the rollout wouldn’t have give McCain a fraction of the attention and excitement that Palin generated. The GOP ticket’s (now evaporated) post-convention bump would’ve been smaller, and maybe Romney would’ve been less effective at revving up the fundy base.

But right now? Romney would be kicking ass. The media would treat him with deference as an economic expert, and let’s be honest, he does looks straight out of central casting for the role of “serious businessman who we should defer to on the economy”. McCain wouldn’t have to hide him. Romney could make the media rounds, being taken seriously no matter what GOP gibberish he spouted. Rather than flail and cower, a McCain/Romney ticket would look sure-footed and confident, projecting gravitas in a time of uncertainty.

What’s more, McCain would no longer look like a political opportunist in his VP choice. He’d be lauded for being such a “maverick”, picking his greatest primary rival. The GOP and its apologists could say, with a straight face, that McCain put “country first”, and actually get away with it since it’s obvious McCain personally loathes Romney.

Good thing Mittens was snubbed. Watching Palin hide from the media as McCain’s numbers are battered by this crisis, it’s good for us that McCain put politics first before country.

Permalink :: Discuss (298 comments

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:45 am 46. Robert Hurley:

This just in from the Wall Street Journal:

WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Doubt Palin’s Qualifications to Be President
Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.

The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows nearly half of voters harbor doubts that Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is qualified to be president.

Asked, “Do you feel that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president if the need arises, or is she not qualified to be president?” 49% of all respondents said the Alaska governor is not qualified while 40% said she is.

If elected, John McCain, at 72 years old, will be the oldest president ever sworn in to a first-term. Questions about McCain’s age have persisted in the campaign, and the Arizona senator himself has said that voters need to have confidence that his running mate will be ready for the Oval Office.

Voters have significantly more confidence in Democratic vice presidential hopeful Joe Biden’s ability to serve as commander-in-chief if need be. Almost two-thirds of respondents, 64%, said Biden, Barack Obama’s running mate, is qualified; just 21% said he is not. Biden has the most confidence among voters 65 years and older, with nearly three-quarters, 74%, of seniors saying Biden is qualified to be president. Only 37% of seniors said the same about Palin.

Biden also has more confidence among Democratic voters specifically; 81% said the Delaware senator is ready while just 7% said he is not qualified. Among Republican voters, Palin has higher marks, with 75% saying she is qualified, although 15% said that she is not.

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:50 am 47. jerry:

I posted this challenge on another thread with no responses. I offer the talking point spouting Obama supporters another chance to respond. Lets see if they continue to avoid the issues.
I am going give a short list of Palin’s accomplishments. I offer you an opportunity to list Obama’s. If you don’t answer that means you admit that he has none. If you attack Palin’s accomplishments then you admit Obama has none. Once we get the list then we can each have a simple rebuttal. Think you can handle it?
Palin has been the mayor. Maybe it’s a small town but she was still responsible for public safety, roads, schools, sanitation and whatever else is required to run a community. She is a State Governor who has taken on the corrupt Ted Stevens Republican machine and its Democratic equivalent. She has successfully negotiated with the oil companies to increase Alaska’s share of the take and negotiated a deal to build a joint Canadian-US gas pipeline that essential if we were to move in the direction of T Boon Picken’s energy plan.
Over to you Obamaites…

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:51 am 48. jane:

proud elitist – did I miss some determination that I am a Christian? If you had those Christian values you seem to think I should have, you would agree that the media has been like a bunch of vultures trying to strip roadkill of the last shred of meat.

As for whether Michael Cooper is a good reporter or not – who cares? Exactly what purpose would any print reporter serve by being present at a “meet & greet?” Would he have had some eureka moment watching Palin shake hands and exchange pleasantries?

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:57 am 49. CALIndie:

Sarah – On tomw, very funny, very accurate. The sad part of this whole shell game perpetrated by the MSM, to advance the Obama campaign, is that 43-45% of Americans buy their lies, distortions and “parade rounds” fired over their heads to scare them into socialism.

This election wouldn’t even be close if the MSM, Democrat political hacks and useful idiots like tomw, rotwang etc. were forced to stand next to a bullshite meter when they speak.

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:59 am 50. Sarah:

LET’S TAKE ANOTHER POLL! (Since our freind Robert Hurley is so fond of them)
Who on this message board reads The Wall Street Journal and believes anything it says? Their credibility rating is right up there with The National Enquirer! The only difference is the National Enquirer happens to get something right once every 20 years or so – like the John Edwards affair! Oh, I forgot, Democrats don’t like it when you mention that…sorry!

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:03 am 51. Robert Hurley:

Sarah:

It must be tough when even the right wing pundits and publications disagree with you. That is when you get irrational

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:11 am 52. jerry:

Robert:

How about you. Want to take a shot at my challenge. Let’s get off this negative electioneering and talk positive about our preferred cnadidates.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:26 am 53. CALIndie:

Jerry – Here’s your answer. Obama is an accomplished celebrity/impersonator. He is an actor. A celebrity impersonator by very definition is faking… acting their way to success.

His celebrity isn’t quite as shiny as it once was but that is not what matters. Even Pee Wee Herman (porno gratification trouble), Alec Baldwin (daughter is a little pig trouble), Mel Gibson (jews are the problem with the world trouble)have maintained their celebrity. It is no different for Barack Obama (Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, Father Pfleger, Michelle is finally proud etc. trouble). Celebrity rules 43-45% of America not governmental accomplishment

Actors, who are faking people into believing they are something they are not, are deified much like Obama, the messiah, has been deified. So to ask “blind faith believers” in the Democrat party to list Obama’s accomplishments is an exercise in futility.

For a celebrity/impersonator writing 3 books about your career (albeit fake), reading a script well, looking good in wardrobe, being photogenic and flashing a million dollar smile are the only accomplishments they hold in high regard.

For an actor, fooling people into believing they are something they are not is the ultimate goal of their craft. The better liar they are the more celebrity they gain. Some even get a little gold statue for being the most convincing liars compared to other “accomplished” liars. Like Obama, this is their accomplishment… lying.

Running a city? Running a state? That has nothing to do with celebrity or acting unless you’re the Governator.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:36 am 54. solomonpal:

@ CALIndie:

Good rant. I hear ya. It’s all I can do to remain civil.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:46 am 55. Sarah:

You’ve got me pegged Robert! Gun totin’, religion clingin’, irrationalist! OMG, Voters doubt Sarah Palin’s qualifications to be President!!!!!! I think somebody forgot to tell the Wall Street Journal that Sarah Palin isn’t running for president….I’ll be a little more convinced when they take another poll concerning Obama’s qualifications, but we all know that’s not going to happen! Your evidence is as tired as your arguments, go try and convince some people that are a little more gullible because nobody here wants to buy the bridge you have for sale in San Francisco!

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:47 am 56. Sandy Salt:

Why would Gov. Palin subject herself to the MSM? The only reason that she will even bother to talk to them is closer to election day when the simple minded need to get a refresher before heading off to the election booth.

Those of us that have spent anytime on this election know the Obama is running for President with less accomplishment than Gov. Palin, so any press coverage of her is just a lot of worthless noise. For the undecided out there there is little hope of swaying them at this point and why bother until it really matters a few days before the election.

I have no hope that this election will actually go to McCain because to be honest most of the public is unimformed and tired of the way things are and blame the party of the sitting President right or wrong. We will most likely have Obama as President for the worst four years in American history ranking right up there with 1977-1981. The worst part of it will be the nuclear detonation in Tel Aviv because Obama will allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. If you don’t think this is likely then wake up and listen to the wacko in charge of Iran.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:55 am 57. jerry:

Cal:

thanks for your response. I was hoping for someone who supports Obama to defend their candidate. My guess is that your respoonse is the only one I will get.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:55 am 58. Jake in Pittsburgh:

For someone who is so inconsequential and such a lightweight, the libs waste an awful lot of energy, time, and words on her.

Here’s what you need to know about Sarah Palin’s accomplishments:
overnight, she and she alone turned the race around;
her speech at the RNC will come to be viewed as a seismic event in American political history;
when McCain wins, she will be seen as transformative and instrumental in his victory;
admiration and respect for her will soar as America watches her serve as an effective and engaged VP;
she will be the first woman President when she wins in 2012.

I apologize…I got it wrong at the beginning.

I realize now why the left spends so much energy, time and words on Sarah Palin: they see her for what she truly is– profoundly consequential and a heavyweight that threatens them in ways almost no one else can.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:55 am 59. Robert Hurley:

Jerry:

I would be waisting my words with you since you have already made up your mind. I just enjoy torturing you with some facts that are hard to deny

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:00 pm 60. Bernie:

Sarah Palin does not have to show that she is a foreign policy wizard. The President conducts foreign policy. She obviously supports him. Sarah Palin does indeed have a role to play though it’s not portraying herself as a financial wizard or foreign policy expert. There is no profit in that if you listened to the latest bloviations of Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft on TV. At the Republican convention she breathed some life into a soporific Republican campaign when she introduced her children to the convention. At the moment she introduced her Down’s Syndrome child the convention went wild. They recognized that she had asserted the fact that the Christian conscience will not be displaced from the public square, the political arena or its place in history. The Republicans at that convention understood perfectly what she meant: The Multicultural conscience will not drive the Christian conscience out of history. There were 38 million viewers of that convention. Her injection of spiritual substance into the McCain campaign brought them to life.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:04 pm 61. jerry:

Robert:

Your non-answer speaks for itself. You are admitting that Obama has no accomplishments of merit because you would be glad to tell us what they are as you attempt to “torture” us with Daily Kos/Huffington Post facts. I think we can all acknowledge that the other member of the ticket is a gaffe-machine, blowhard and a loser. So I think we have established that Palin is more accomplished then Obama and that even you are a better choice for for VP.

Like all so-called Progressives you have an adolescent personality who can only project his own prejudices and hatreds upon others regardless of your calendar age.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:12 pm 62. Robert Hurley:

Jerry:

I think we might need to put you on a suicide watch if Obama wins. You seem to be a bit desperate today

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:17 pm 63. track:

It is a good thing Sarah or Todd have never been affiliated with any subversive groups that want to do us harm and show disrepect to our flag. She seems to be a straight forward christian and not one of those pink-o new, speak in tongue types we hear about in the MSM. She is one who takes care of her friends by making sure they have good jobs and security. I have no doubt she’ll treat us in the lower 48 with respect and deference.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:18 pm 64. Anonymous:

Barack Obama has never changed anything but Mayor Daley’s soiled shorts and never run anything but his mouth.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:21 pm 65. Chicago Deep Dish:

Barack Obama has never run anything but his mouth and never changed anything but Mayor Daley’s soiled shorts.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:23 pm 66. Mike:

All you need to know about Sarah Palin is that the McCain campaign wouldn’t let her talk to the press for two weeks after announcing her selection and has limited their access since. Obviously they don’t think she’s ready, either.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:26 pm 67. CALIndie:

jerry – John McCain just cut the legs out from under Barack Obama on the economy… he suspended his campaign and canceled Friday’s debate to go back to Washington to fix the financial crisis and he asked Obama to join him!

The Obama Hollywood production is scrambling to answer McCains plan to get busy on this crisis and put politics aside. The Obama campaign’s first response was to say, we called him before he called us! Typical!

This is more proof that being a political “actor” portraying a world leader is not the same as actually being a political leader. This is John McCain at his best. He is calling for Presient Bush to bring leadership from both parties together immediately to bring consensus and resolution for the American people.

This is the same type of skill and experience that a small town mayor and state governor must exhibit on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see how Obama “acts” his way out of these real world problems. We can certainly expect a lofty speech with soaring rhetoric and seasoned with plenty of blame for the Republicans. John McCain is going to eat his lunch by calling for real bi-partisan solutions and not just clever words and more acting.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:35 pm 68. jerry:

Robert:

You need to go back to the training camp. Your suicide watch comment is straight out of the student revolutionary playbook. I don’t think you realize how stupid you sound. Nobody outside of the Daily Kos or the Democratic Underground will respond favorably to your childishness.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:37 pm 69. Mark:

You make some good points however I think that its going to take even a quick study, which she appears to be,at least a few weeks to learn the protocols of the campaign and she will get no free pass on any verbal gaffes from the media like Obama and Biden do. Can you just imagine the baying if Sarah Palin thought that there was commercial Television in 1929 and that FDR was the President? She is articulate and focused and I think that she will dispel much of what you are raising during the October 2, debate

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:48 pm 70. jerry:

Cal:

I just posted on Hot Air that I think MSM will portray this as McCain ducking a debate he was bound to lose. This a test of the electorate. Real Leadership or President Bartlett. They will go with Bartlett.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:50 pm 71. Sandy Salt:

CAL,
Saw that one too. Obama is such a joke and this is very likely the next POTUS. I wish the public would open their eyes to the sham that the Democrats are putting up to be President. They can whine about Palin all they want, but the fact remains they don’t have a guy that has what it takes to be President at the top of their ticket. Palin as I remember is running for VP the most useless position in Washington, except as a leftist whipping post.

Sep 24, 2008 - 12:57 pm 72. Sue Lee:

Sarah WOW she Rocks! We are going to Vote for Her. God Bless Sarah!

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:09 pm 73. Sue Lee:

I see wy Bill Clinton thinks Sarah Palin is the ONE!

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:11 pm 74. CALIndie:

jerry – This economic crisis is bad, very bad. John McCain knows this. Confidence in our markets and the availabilty of credit is the lynch pin that holds our economy together. John McCain knows this. All indications point to the fact that this crisis can not be delayed and can not be caught up in partisan politics. We are on the verge of economic disaster.

This is not just another “crisis” fabricated for political gain by Democrats or Republicans. This is the real deal. This is a 9/11 type crisis on Wall Street! The only solution is real leadership. Go get’em John!

Democrats and the MSM will try to paint John McCain as part of the problem. John McCain will go around the MSM and talk straight to the American people. Americans want this fixed and they are hungry for bold, no B.S., bi-partisan work to get done on Capitol Hill… for once!

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:13 pm 75. Row:

I think Gov. Sarah Palin is more then ready, she can take cair for Alaska and have more then 80% thet is for her. I’ll stand up for Gov. Sarah Palin all the way.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:20 pm 76. tomw:

Obama press release:
“At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal. At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.”

It was a smart and calculated move by McCain, and the right thing to do. I’m glad both side of this want to work together to work this out. While some may criticize McCain for ditching the debate, I think he’ll benifit from this move. It was very presidential.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:21 pm 77. Sandy Salt:

Bill just wants to get her alone and show her his cigar.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:24 pm 78. proud elitist:

jane – I never said you were Christian, I said those were your values. You advocated a physical assault by Palin on to another person. I presume those are your values.

wow, Jake. With such a large resume for Palin, I guess I can say that Obama’s campaign up-ended the Clinton campaign machine.

Um, he didn’t support the Iraq war.

He has not voted pro-deregulation as his opponent, McCain, has done.

In IL:

–getting the state’s notorious death penalty laws changed, including a requirement that in most cases police interrogations involving capital crimes must be recorded.

–passed State Gift Ban Act

–expanded health insurance

–passed Ethics Legislation

In US Senate:

–passed Ethics Legislation

–worked with Tom Coburn (R-OK), Obama won enactment of a law creating a single, searchable database of all federal contracts, grants and loans

There are additional bills he sponsored/co-sponsored but did not pass as laws – R’s in charge of congress – such as introducing legislation in 2005 to require federal preparations for an avian flu pandemic, but it didn’t advance.

—–

George Will seems to believe that the tempermant Obama as a president is much better than McCain’s tempermant as a President.

Celebrity? Really? Unlike McCain’s appearances on “24″, “WWF”, “SNL”, or in “The Wedding Crashers” or having a make-up artist from “American Idol”…

And I’m pretty sure that the years 2000-2008 will pretty much own “THE WORST ADMINISTRATION” category.

I’ll tell you why the left spends time on Palin – it works and her negatives are now much higher than her positives.

Regarding the debates (per Salon.com):

“the debate is on” and the Democratic nominee “intends to debate.”

And Fox News interviewed Gloria Kellum, the vice chancellor for university relations at the University of Mississippi, which is hosting Friday’s debate. Kellum told the network’s Shepard Smith, “The Commission on Presidential Debates is moving forward, and so they’re saying to the candidates, ‘This was our agreement, this is what we’re gonna do.’” The CPD is in charge of arranging the debates.>/i>

How cute! The most absent Senator of 2007 votes, JohnnyMac, actually wants to vote on something?! Shut up! Seriously?!
I mean, he only missed like 230 out of 286 votes…

—–

And finally, words of wisdom from Laura Bush on Palin:

CNN: Do you think she has the foreign policy experience that everyone’s criticizing her about?

BUSH: Well, obviously — Of course she doesn’t have that. That’s not been her role. But I think she’s a very quick study, and fortunately, John McCain does have that experience.

—-

Good luck with your candidate, peeps! You’re gonna need it.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:35 pm 79. WR Jonas:

Cal …. You win. Hurley, shut up or concede. You are WAISTING our time.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:38 pm 80. Robert Hurley:

Jerry – Have you checked all the polls lately? Usually when someone gets desperate, he or she resorts to name calling.

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:42 pm 81. Sarah Palin Needs to Do More with What She’s Got:

[...] Full story on Pajama’s Media [...]

Sep 24, 2008 - 2:15 pm 82. Chris:

If the MSM attempts to embarrass and discredit Sarah Palin weren’t so insidious, we could be gleeful over their sputtering, self-important indignance and frustration over their lack of access.
Read with interest this post by “Self-hating boomer”:
<>

I’ve been hoping that’s the case. Maybe they’re setting a nice trap for the MSM. Would love to see the jackals embarrassed and discredited for their arrogance, elitism and self-importance (not to mention the lies). And they think we need them to “find out who ‘this woman’ [Gov. of Alaska w/ 80% approval rating] is” on our behalf. Hah!!
Anyone who can still recognize honesty, integrity, character and “a servant’s heart” (love it!) INSTANTLY knew who and what Sarah Palin is. And we thank God for her. Is this country still worthy of someone like her? I hope so. The jealous, frustrated, vicious DemFems, deviants, and other miserable miscreants aren’t worthy of her offer of national service, that’s for sure.

Sep 24, 2008 - 2:43 pm 83. jerryofva:

Tom:

I know team Obama claims he passed ethics legislation but we all know it passed by unanimous consent with many sponsors but I will give him some credit

I would like to see your documentation on the Obama’s role in the actions you cite in the Illinois State Senate from the Chicago Tribune or Sun Times. He was backbencher who did little on his own except in the earmark world.

At least you tried.

As far not supporting finacial deregulation like Senator McCain, he was not in the US Senate in 1999. The repeal of Glass-Steagle was a bipartisan effort supported by Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and signed by President Clinton. The repeal of Glass-Steagle has nothing to do with the current crisis. Glass-Steagle was a depression era law that seperated investment from commercial banking. Banks are still highly regulated through the Federal Reserve, Comptroller of the Currency and the FDIC.

The root of the problem is the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act and the expansion of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to support subprime mortgage lending to borrowers who weren’t credit worthy under normal banking rules. As we all know, because it is on the Public record that Obama was on the GSE payroll and it is undisputed that the head of his VP search committee, Jim Johnson, was a corrupt offical of a GSE.
We also know, because it is on the Public record that the Bush Adminstration warned about the GSEs as early as 2003 and John McCain was out in front of the legislative effort to reign them in. Of course the Democrats blocked efforts at reform.

Robert: You have moved on to the next level in your training congratulations.

Sep 24, 2008 - 2:46 pm 84. Dave ll:

For those of you who missed seeing this, here is the speech Palin was GOING to give before she was DISINVITED by the liberal leaning Jewish group in New York.

It is a GREAT SPEECH, mentioning the plight of women in Iraq (is that “crickets” coming from N.O.W.???) and I can see why libs are worried about her. The MORE she gives speeches…the MORE people like here! (Gee…you’d think the libs would be GLAD she has not been that available to the media! Right?) Here it is:

I am honored to be with you and with leaders from across this great country — leaders from different faiths and political parties united in a single voice of outrage.

Tomorrow, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will come to New York — to the heart of what he calls the Great Satan — and speak freely in this, a country whose demise he has called for.

Ahmadinejad may choose his words carefully, but underneath all of the rhetoric is an agenda that threatens all who seek a safer and freer world. We gather here today to highlight the Iranian dictator’s intentions and to call for action to thwart him.

He must be stopped.

The world must awake to the threat this man poses to all of us. Ahmadinejad denies that the Holocaust ever took place. He dreams of being an agent in a “Final Solution” — the elimination of the Jewish people. He has called Israel a “stinking corpse” that is “on its way to annihilation.” Such talk cannot be dismissed as the ravings of a madman — not when Iran just this summer tested long-range Shahab-3 missiles capable of striking Tel Aviv, not when the Iranian nuclear program is nearing completion, and not when Iran sponsors terrorists that threaten and kill innocent people around the world.

The Iranian government wants nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran is running at least 3,800 centrifuges and that its uranium enrichment capacity is rapidly improving. According to news reports, U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Iranians may have enough nuclear material to produce a bomb within a year.

The world has condemned these activities. The United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend its illegal nuclear enrichment activities. It has levied three rounds of sanctions. How has Ahmadinejad responded? With the declaration that the “Iranian nation would not retreat one iota” from its nuclear program.

So, what should we do about this growing threat? First, we must succeed in Iraq. If we fail there, it will jeopardize the democracy the Iraqis have worked so hard to build, and empower the extremists in neighboring Iran. Iran has armed and trained terrorists who have killed our soldiers in Iraq, and it is Iran that would benefit from an American defeat in Iraq.

If we retreat without leaving a stable Iraq, Iran’s nuclear ambitions will be bolstered. If Iran acquires nuclear weapons — they could share them tomorrow with the terrorists they finance, arm, and train today. Iranian nuclear weapons would set off a dangerous regional nuclear arms race that would make all of us less safe.

But Iran is not only a regional threat; it threatens the entire world. It is the no. 1 state sponsor of terrorism. It sponsors the world’s most vicious terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah. Together, Iran and its terrorists are responsible for the deaths of Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s, in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, and in Iraq today. They have murdered Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians, and other Muslims who have resisted Iran’s desire to dominate the region. They have persecuted countless people simply because they are Jewish.

Iran is responsible for attacks not only on Israelis, but on Jews living as far away as Argentina. Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial are part of Iran’s official ideology and murder is part of its official policy. Not even Iranian citizens are safe from their government’s threat to those who want to live, work, and worship in peace. Politically-motivated abductions, torture, death by stoning, flogging, and amputations are just some of its state-sanctioned punishments.

It is said that the measure of a country is the treatment of its most vulnerable citizens. By that standard, the Iranian government is both oppressive and barbaric. Under Ahmadinejad’s rule, Iranian women are some of the most vulnerable citizens.

If an Iranian woman shows too much hair in public, she risks being beaten or killed.

If she walks down a public street in clothing that violates the state dress code, she could be arrested.

But in the face of this harsh regime, the Iranian women have shown courage. Despite threats to their lives and their families, Iranian women have sought better treatment through the “One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws.” The authorities have reacted with predictable barbarism. Last year, women’s rights activist Delaram Ali was sentenced to 20 lashes and 10 months in prison for committing the crime of “propaganda against the system.” After international protests, the judiciary reduced her sentence to “only” 10 lashes and 36 months in prison and then temporarily suspended her sentence. She still faces the threat of imprisonment.

Earlier this year, Senator Clinton said that “Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is in the forefront of that” effort. Senator Clinton argued that part of our response must include stronger sanctions, including the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. John McCain and I could not agree more.

Senator Clinton understands the nature of this threat and what we must do to confront it. This is an issue that should unite all Americans. Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Period. And in a single voice, we must be loud enough for the whole world to hear: Stop Iran!

Only by working together, across national, religious, and political differences, can we alter this regime’s dangerous behavior. Iran has many vulnerabilities, including a regime weakened by sanctions and a population eager to embrace opportunities with the West. We must increase economic pressure to change Iran’s behavior.

Tomorrow, Ahmadinejad will come to New York. On our soil, he will exercise the right of freedom of speech — a right he denies his own people. He will share his hateful agenda with the world. Our task is to focus the world on what can be done to stop him.

We must rally the world to press for truly tough sanctions at the U.N. or with our allies if Iran’s allies continue to block action in the U.N. We must start with restrictions on Iran’s refined petroleum imports.

We must reduce our dependency on foreign oil to weaken Iran’s economic influence.

We must target the regime’s assets abroad; bank accounts, investments, and trading partners.

President Ahmadinejad should be held accountable for inciting genocide, a crime under international law.

We must sanction Iran’s Central Bank and the Revolutionary Guard Corps — which no one should doubt is a terrorist organization.

Together, we can stop Iran’s nuclear program.

Senator McCain has made a solemn commitment that I strongly endorse: Never again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to Israel’s enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us. It is John McCain’s promise and it is my promise.

Thank you.

Sep 24, 2008 - 2:48 pm 85. Bob Thompson:

Jerry, you did a good job on Robert Hurley. Of course, you knew that nobody ever provides a list of Obama’s accomplishments because the attempt itself would be an embarrassment.

Sep 24, 2008 - 4:32 pm 86. proud elitist:

jerryinva — do your own research if you want to read about what Obama has done in IL and the US Senate.

I swear, you people are, like, morally opposed to looking stuff up…

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:03 pm 87. James Williams:

It’s hard to see how she could put her foot in her mouth any worse than Joe Biden has been doing the last few weeks.

Of course, Joe’s gaffes, like citing President Roosevelt calming Americans by going on TV following the 1929 stock market crash, don’t get and will never get nearly the media coverage compared to Palin’s rightfully questioning what Charles Gibson meant by the Bush doctrine.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:17 pm 88. CALIndie:

#1 – I hope John McCain stays on Capitol Hill to lead our country out of this economic disaster.

#2 – I hope Barack Obama continues to “phone home” to see what he can do during the crisis.

#3 – I hope Sarah Palin takes John McCain’s place in the debate on Friday and sweeps the floor with Obambi!

P.S. John McCain remembers why he was elected, to serve “we the people” of this country. Barack Obama thinks he was elected to campaign to for President of the United States.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:41 pm 89. Anonymous:

accomplishments? she lies well about the Bridge -

she artfully fires employees after making up a story about no permission to travel to DC when her chief of staff gave WRITTEN permission
(no not on clay tablets for you cavemen types)

she is able to a ask how to ban books, getting her point across without acutally demanding a gay book be taken down.

she is able ot say teach Creationism without
ridicule –

but becoming GOV when incumbent and others are corrupt? anyone clean could have done that
(except most Alsksan GOP were not clean)

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:53 pm 90. nlcatter:

accomplishments are nill

we found out about her lying
she could not hide she fired librarian
we found out about her using office for personal gain
we found out she is a MORONIC creationist

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:54 pm 91. CALIndie:

#1 – I hope that John McCain stays on Capitol Hill and fulfills his elected responsibility until the economy is stabilized with a bi-partisan consensus to invest in America… as tough as it will be!

#2 – I hope Barack Obama continues to “phone home” while this financial crisis unfolds and his multi-tasking provides him with multiple photo ops to advance his only executive experience of running a campaign.

#3 – I hope Sarah Palin stands in for John McCain at the Friday debate on foreign policy and sweeps the floor with the junior senator.

#4 – I hope that Congressional hearings will be implemented by the new majority, conservative house and senate to investigate the criminal dealings of the Democrat leadership leading up to this crisis.

Sep 24, 2008 - 6:59 pm 92. Dan freeman:

Sarah Palin is a vapid, overly ambitious politician who should really scare hell out of America.
She has foreign policy experience because she can see Russia from Alaska!?!?!?
Are you kidding us? unbelievable.
It is so easy to repeat her “accomplishments”- all of which have been debunked as lies by ALL credible media.
Rush Limbaugh is about as credible as Goebbels.
(ask Sarah Palin who Goebbels was and I bet you that she doesnt know)
but -she can shoot a wolf- from a helicopter
As a matter of fact, lets see her point out where Afganistan is on the map.
Just because most Americans dont know where it is doesnt mean THAT OUR VICE PRESIDENT SHOULDNT EITHER!! my god!!!!
When you go to a doctor you want the best, when you get a plumber you want the best- but highest political office in the land- you want someone that you can have a beer. John McCain has really handed it to us this time- thanks mr patriot…..
God- if youre out there- save America and the world from Sarah Palin

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:17 pm 93. CALIndie:

nlcatter – What lying? Prove it!
She can fire any librarian she wishes, that is the law.
How did she gain from office, specifically, tell us, oh wise one.
Why do you think they call it “intelligent design?”

On the other hand, why don’t you just smoke some more marihuchi. Why do you think they call it DOPE?

Sep 24, 2008 - 7:23 pm 94. Bronco Fan:

Go ahead and keep on smearing Gov. Palin. In the end she will be the V.P. She’s got the same amount of foreign policy experience that Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton did when they ran for office. The book banning has been debunked. “Trooper gate” has been shown to be a farce. What lie? Where’s the proof?

Sarah is a breath of fresh air. McCain made a brilliant selection. Obama’s camp can’t handle her.

If you think Sarah would scare the h*** out of Americans, what about Biden??? It’s your patriotic duty to pay more taxes? You’ve got to be kidding me? If anyone scares me it’s Joe “sick your foot in your mouth” Biden.

The leader who leads our great country must have sound judgment. So far from what I can see Sen. Obama lacks sound judgment. He’d have an unconditional meeting with a terrorist from Iran ( that insignificant little county). Give me a break.

Look at who he chooses to associate with:
2 wigged out “preachers”, a national terrorist, advisers to his campaign that have ties to the failed Freddie and Fanny, Oh ya and what’s his name…Tony Rezko a convicted criminal. And he wants to lead my country?

I appreciate that McCain has stuck to his principles of country first. I hope Obama’s choice to go on with the debate back fires on him.

McCain / Pailen all the way!

Bronco Fan

Sep 24, 2008 - 8:45 pm 95. Rockyspoon:

“we found out she is a MORONIC creationist”

So… are you saying you crawled out from under a rock? For if you aren’t the product of a God, then you are the product of a virus, or a bacteria, or a lightning bolt that happened to hit the right mix of primordal carbon soup.

You have two choices: Admit God had a hand in your creation, or you’re nothing but a grown up bug.

The two choices are diametrically opposed.

As for me, I can affirm I’m not a bug.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:06 pm 96. Jim Baker:

I vote for ProudElitist for best Obama Blogger on this thread. She has demonstrated a total grasp of the Obama campaign literature. She unabashedly looks up her evidence.
ProudElitist, Obama will reward you with hope for your future! I am now convinced that Obama’s change will be the change I can believe in! not

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:07 pm 97. Rockyspoon:

Dan freeman says:

“It is so easy to repeat her “accomplishments”- all of which have been debunked as lies by ALL credible media.”

Only if your only source of news is the Daily Kos.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:10 pm 98. TheShadow:

CALIndie, you keep harping about Obama being “just an actor” and crying how this makes him unqualified to be POTUS. Perhaps you’ve forgotten the ORIGINAL actor and one of the very worst holders of the office, your own senile moronic hero Ronnie Reagan….If Obama isnt qualified because hes an “actor” then you’d need to admit what most of us already know. Reagan was ajokeand an embaressment…

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:33 pm 99. solomonpal:

Dan
God- if youre out there- save America and the world from Sarah Palin

Gezze Dan…got your knickers in a twist? What are you so hysterical about? She’s governor of my state and we don’t view her that way here. Fact is she probably has more brains in the tip of her finger than you you demonstrate in your post. She shoots wolves from helicopters? Where do you get that from? Pop a couple ludes and go back to bed. Gawd you people.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:36 pm 100. frieda:

When asked about foreign policy question why can’t he say that she has as much as Bill Clinton before he became a president and probably more than Obama who is running for president. Or she can quote Al Gore
s speech at the convention regarding LIncoln’s experience before becoming the greatest president!

She also can say, I don’t have to have 300 foreign policy advisors to see how the world works and who are our enemies.

Sep 24, 2008 - 9:41 pm 101. tomw:

CALIndie: Why do you think they call it “intelligent design?”

Because “god made the universe” is too obviously a conflict of church and state. So by calling it “intelegent design” they think they can trick those of us opposed to it. Not buying it.

Sep 24, 2008 - 10:27 pm 102. Woods:

I tell you what scares me to death is having Obama as President. who owns him and what price did he pay in Chicago to be rushed into politics. You don’t move up that quickly in that crooked system without paying back big debts. I’m a Democrat and have been one my entire life. This is the first year I will be voting Republican. This decision is killing me because I would love to have our first AA President. I’m the mother of 3 sons, and would love for them to see a Black man in the highest office in the land. I’m forced to put country before the pride of my race.

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:03 pm 103. DWHarper:

Are you people kidding me? She is a joke, no education, no experience. Her being literally a heartbeat from the presidency is the scariest thought and most americans know this, good luck with that

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:48 pm 104. zeppenwolf:

> Dick Cheney wields power no other vice president has ever dreamed of.

Wow, COOL!!!

But… what exactly are you talking about?

Sep 24, 2008 - 11:51 pm 105. Jeff:

We all need to really look at this election objectively. Since the completion of the vetting process of both VP candidates, Biden has gone on to accommodate roughly about 84 interviews with the press while Palin has done less than 4 interviews with the press. That is a MAJOR unbalance in the two comparisons and it truly shows McCain’s apprehensiveness about her ability to speak on her own accord, without his physical presence. What does this portray, first and foremost? It portrays that this Presidential ticket does not have the full and utmost confidence in his VP ticket to fend for herself and answer any questions that the American public needs to know. It truly shows that his vetting process was not done in a wise manner but more so in a political manner. Here is a woman that exudes family values; taking care of 5 kids while being the Governor of Alaska, maintaining a healthy marriage, having decent morals and values, and is completely a Washington outsider. This is a classic profile of a candidate that has never been tainted, in the eyes of the American public that has lost faith in the judicial system. This pick was merely done to appeal to the American families with values and tradition but what else could be said about this VP ticket? Does it show the American public anything about her ability to make all the necessary decisions in regards to foreign affairs, national defense, economic legislation, and the overall ability to govern the most powerful country in the world?

We must keep in mind that McCain IS in fact 72 years old and if elected, he WILL be the oldest President to ever be elected. The last oldest elected President was Ronald Reagan at 69 years old, when he was elected in 1980, but he was in fairly good health. McCain, on the other hand, will be 3 years Reagan’s senior, if elected. He also does have a history of skin cancers which are not completely cured, among other ailments that he suffered during his years as a POW in Vietnam. Can we, as the American public, be completely confident that if anything happens to McCain while in office, that Palin will in fact be fully ready to tackle anything and everything that this country will have to face? America MUST search deep down and answer this question, honestly.

Sep 25, 2008 - 1:22 am 106. Larry J:

Whenever I hear the MSM and liberals (but I repeat myself) complaining that Palin doesn’t do enough interviews, I get a mental flashback to a scene in the movie “Airplane.” In the scene, a woman starts to get hysterical and someone shakes her, then someone else slaps her, followed by a whole line of people escalating from boxing gloves to chains and even a gun.

The MSM see themselves as the line of people waiting to beat up on Palin. Each one wants to show their chops by hitting harder than the last. And they complain that Palin doesn’t want to play along with their silly little game. Palin isn’t hysterical and – contrary to the lies – she isn’t stupid, either.

Sep 25, 2008 - 6:48 am 107. Jim Baker:

Another hit by the Obama troll, Jeff. Jeff, you are the man! I find your drivel on almost every thread. Obama should make YOU the keeper of the newly revised Presidential Seal!

Sep 25, 2008 - 8:58 am 108. MR:

As a former Alaskan who has already voted for Palin twice and will do so again in November, I think the McCain handlers are smart to keep her largely wrapped and hidden. She is not a deep thinker nor is she well read. Luckily, neither are most people in the news media. In order to lead, a strong backbone is often more valuable than a strong mind. Alaskan politicians are as dumb or perhaps dumber than most and when Palin washed out as a sportscaster, she recognized that politics is the easiest way to become “somebody” with few qualifications or a modest education. She is much smarter politically than people give her credit. As a women with little political value in the good old boy network of Alaskan politics, she charmed her way to political endorsements from some of the people she would later turn against. This is the only thing I find troubling about Palin. I’m friends with several of her staff members back in Alaska and Palin uses the unspoken threat of sometimes random firings as a way to control people. A couple of staffers have told me that she is very thin-skinned, perhaps her single biggest liability as a politician. Having said all this, I still respect her strong backbone and allegiance to conservative values.

Sep 25, 2008 - 10:01 am 109. Mike Shuster:

I just watched the Couric interview, and I gotta say… wow. Worse than I would have imagined by far.

Sep 25, 2008 - 12:24 pm 110. proud elitist:

Kick*ss! I’d love to be honored as a best Obama blogger!

I would love and I mean love for Palin to show me more of what she’s got. Especially if it looks like either the Katie Couric interview or her usual deference to McCain when asked questions on the stump.

Check out this excerpt! Genius included!

COURIC: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land– boundary that we have with– Canada. It– it’s funny that a comment like that was– kind of made to– cari– I don’t know, you know? Reporters–

COURIC: Mock?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our– our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They’re in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia–

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We– we do– it’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is– from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to– to our state.

Please, please, please god, bring me a pony, a plastic rocket…oh, and more Palin interviews!!!

Hey, has she gotten back to Katie yet regarding McCain regulation platform?

And since one cannot dare quote a “Liberal MSM” or “in the tank for Obama” article here, how about a snippet from the good ol’ National Journal?

For Palin At U.N., The Image Of Access Networks’ Objection To Choreographed Meetings Puts Campaign’s Press Reticence Back In The News
by Matthew Berger

…Palin’s routine has been carefully choreographed since she first came onto the national scene, and the running assumption has been that it’s based on fear of what the press might ask her. She has not held a press conference and has conducted only two sit-down interviews. Her staff seemed startled when a television producer asked her about the economic situation last week while she was drinking coffee at a Cleveland deli, and a trip to an ice cream shop on Friday in Orlando was done without alerting the media.

—–

Or even from Glenn Greenwald who had this to say today at Salon.com http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

Three weeks ago — before Sarah Palin’s interview with Charlie Gibson was announced — I mocked the idea that the McCain campaign was afraid to have Palin face our mighty press corps, and I defended Palin as follows:

When they decide in a couple of weeks that Palin is ready to do so, she’ll go and sit down with Brit Hume or Larry King or Charlie Gibson or some other pleasant, accommodating person who plays a journalist on TV and have a nice, amiable, entertaining chat about topics that are easily anticipated. . . . .

Sarah Palin isn’t Dan Quayle. She is extremely smart — much smarter than the average media star who will eventually be interviewing her — and she is very politically skilled as well. She didn’t go from obscure small-town city council member to Governor to Vice Presidential nominee by accident. She’ll be more than adequately prepared for the shallow, 30-second, rote exchanges that pass for political interviews in our Serious mainstream discourse. Anyone expecting her to fall on her face or be exposed as some drooling simpleton is going to be extremely disappointed. That might (or might not) happen with real questioning, but she’s not going to face that.

I was so wrong about that — the parts about Palin, that is, not the press (though, in fairness, Gibson was far more adversarial than I expected and Katie Couric was even better)…

…But Sarah Palin’s performance in the tiny vignettes of unscripted dialogue in which we’ve been allowed to see her has been nothing short of frightening — really, as I said, pity-inducing. And I say that as someone who has thought from the start that the criticisms of her abilities — as opposed to her ideology — were much too extreme. One of two things is absolutely clear at this point: she is either (a) completely ignorant about the most basic political issues — a vacant, ill-informed, incurious know-nothing, or (b) aggressively concealing her actual beliefs about these matters because she’s petrified of deviating from the simple-minded campaign talking points she’s been fed and/or because her actual beliefs are so politically unpalatable, even when taking into account the right-wing extremism that is permitted, even rewarded, in our mainstream. I’m not really sure which is worse, but it doesn’t really matter, because with 40 days left before the election, both options are heinous…

—–

I will note that Greenwald also makes remarks in this article that are not complimentary to Obama, either.

Sep 25, 2008 - 12:31 pm 111. I Love Los Angeles:

Sarah Palin first and foremost needs to focus on the job she has already been elected to before she starts to explore the realm of being the vice-presidential candidate. In order to show that she is qualified to lead this country, she has to make sure that she does not forget that her job is to lead the people of Alaska. Her fellow Alaskans have been wondering who is really leading them during these times.

A report from the Associated Press stated, “Even Palin’s lieutenant governor, Sean Parnell, said keeping in touch has been difficult. Until she was hacked, we were communicating just about daily. Now I’m talking with her chief of staff,” Parnell said. “I saw her in person when she came home about a week ago, but I haven’t spoken to her since.” “[..]Such actions, not unusual when a governor runs for national office, have prompted questions in close-knit Alaska about whether Palin has abdicated too much of her role. The Anchorage Daily News asked in an editorial, “Is it too much to ask that Alaska’s governor speak for herself, directly to Alaskans, about her actions as Alaska’s governor?”

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/25/mccain-camp-becomes-alaskas-mouthpiece/

If she is to be the next vice-presidential candidate, she will need to learn how to be more of a multi-tasker. It takes a lot to be the second-in-command in this country.

Sep 25, 2008 - 12:42 pm 112. solomonpal:

@ MR:

I am an Alaskan and you are a phony troll. You don’t have a clue what you are talking about and a bald faced liar to boot. Take your BS spin elsewhere. Now I don’t mind an opposite viewpoint but I’m gonna call a KOS kid every time.

“Alaskan politicians are as dumb or perhaps dumber than most” What’s that? As in dumber than California politics? Hey Kossling…We have a budget surplus and everyone in AK just got a 3200$ dividend back from the state. Don’t give me your disinformation.AK has the best participatory democracy in state government of all! The Obamabots are out in force.

Sep 25, 2008 - 1:15 pm 113. Larry J:

Sarah Palin first and foremost needs to focus on the job she has already been elected to before she starts to explore the realm of being the vice-presidential candidate. In order to show that she is qualified to lead this country, she has to make sure that she does not forget that her job is to lead the people of Alaska. Her fellow Alaskans have been wondering who is really leading them during these times.

Of course, I bet you have no problem with Obama. I’ll change the words you wrote and see if you agree.

Barak Obama first and foremost needs to focus on the job he has already been elected to before he starts to explore the realm of being the presidential candidate. In order to show that he is qualified to lead this country, he has to make sure that he does not forget that his job is to represent the people of Illinois in the Senate. His fellow Illininois citizens have been wondering who is really representing them during these times.

Sarah Palin is #2 on the Republican ticket and you say she’s unqualified. Obama is #1 on his ticket, has less experience than Palin, but that’s fine? Sorry, but that sounds like a double standard to me. Obama was elected to the Senate just a few years ago and has spent the last 18 months or so campaigning for the presidency. In that time, how many days did he actually show up and doing the job he was elected to do?

Sep 25, 2008 - 1:18 pm 114. proud elitist:

Well, Larry J, McCain has been campaigning less time than Obama and managed to miss more votes in the 110th Congress – missed 412 votes (64.1%); McCain cast 231.

Obama, is up there, with missing 295 votes (45.9%) and casting 348 votes.

In between them, Tim Johnson from SD who suffered a brain hemorrhage on Dec. 13, 2006, and spent several months recovering. Despite that, he case 332 vots and missed 311 votes (48.4%).

So, LarryJ, if OBAMA needs to “do the job he has already been elected to do” then what about JohnnyPOWMac?

Sep 25, 2008 - 1:28 pm 115. Krusty:

What a complete idiot. I know you’ll be tempted to compare her to some other Dem. Save it. She’s dumb…really really dumb and she could be President of the greatest country in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npUMUASwaec&eurl=http://thinkprogress.org/

Sep 25, 2008 - 1:43 pm 116. nlcatter:

Verdict is in, she is not competent!

Im moving on to John Ducking Mccain

Sep 25, 2008 - 10:56 pm 117. kabud:

Do you people UNDESRTAND what Sarah said here:

>national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is– from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to– to our state.
——-

ICBM trajectories are RIGHT THERE

ANY early warning facilities we got MUST be right there – baseed in ALASKA

Ands some of them are of a kind Governor CAN NOT EVEN MENTION THEY EXIST

———-

I pity you fat shopping mall regime intellectually deficient crowd of misfits

Sep 26, 2008 - 1:26 pm 118. kabud:

Charlie Gibson Interviews Sarah Palin (September 11, 2008)THE BOLDED  PARTS WERE deleted OUT OF THE INTERVIEWfirst,-DELETED PARTS:PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries. GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations. PALIN: Right. GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments. PALIN: Right, right. GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?—————————- these last couple of weeks … it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.—I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia. And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.—GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia? PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along. ——We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also. We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.—–But NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I think that we need to — especially with new leadership coming in on January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure that we strengthen our allies, our ties with each one of those NATO members. We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today. GIBSON: And you think it would be worth it to the United States, Georgia is worth it to the United States to go to war if Russia were to invade. PALIN: What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against. We have got to be cognizant of what the consequences are if a larger power is able to take over smaller democratic countries. And we have got to be vigilant. We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia. The support that we can show is economic sanctions perhaps against Russia, if this is what it leads to. It doesn’t have to lead to war and it doesn’t have to lead, as I said, to a Cold War, but economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, again, counting on our allies to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia and Putin and some of his desire to control and to control much more than smaller democratic countries.——John McCain said the only thing worse than a war with Iran would be a nuclear Iran. John Abizaid said we may have to live with a nuclear Iran. Who’s right? PALIN: No, no. I agree with John McCain that nuclear weapons in the hands of those who would seek to destroy our allies, in this case, we’re talking about Israel, we’re talking about Ahmadinejad’s comment about Israel being the “stinking corpse, should be wiped off the face of the earth,” that’s atrocious. That’s unacceptable. GIBSON: So what do you do about a nuclear Iran?———we have got to count on our allies to help us, diplomatic pressure. GIBSON: But, Governor, we’ve threatened greater sanctions against Iran for a long time. It hasn’t done any good. It hasn’t stemmed their nuclear program. PALIN: We need to pursue those and we need to implement those. We cannot back off. We cannot just concede that, oh, gee, maybe they’re going to have nuclear weapons, what can we do about it. No way, not Americans. We do not have to stand for that.————-PALIN: I agree that a president’s job, when they swear in their oath to uphold our Constitution, their top priority is to defend the United States of America. I know that John McCain will do that and I, as his vice president, families we are blessed with that vote of the American people and are elected to serve and are sworn in on January 20, that will be our top priority is to defend the American people. GIBSON: Do we have a right to anticipatory self-defense? Do we have a right to make a preemptive strike again another country if we feel that country might strike us? PALIN: I agree that a president’s job, when they swear in their oath to uphold our Constitution, their top priority is to defend the United States of America. I know that John McCain will do that and I, as his vice president, families we are blessed with that vote of the American people and are elected to serve and are sworn in on January 20, that will be our top priority is to defend the American people. GIBSON: Do we have a right to anticipatory self-defense? Do we have a right to make a preemptive strike again another country if we feel that country might strike us? PALIN: ..In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.PALIN: You know, I don’t know if that was my exact quote. GIBSON: Exact wordsPALIN: And I do believe, though, that this war against extreme Islamic terrorists is the right thing. It’s an unfortunate thing, because war is hell and I hate war, and, Charlie.. Charlie, those are freedoms that too many of us just take for granted. I hate war and I want to see war ended. We end war when we see victory, and we do see victory in sight in Iraq. GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln’s words,

Sep 26, 2008 - 2:30 pm 119. Charisse:

FOLKS, ANY BODY WITH A LICK OF SENSE IN THEIR HEAD WOULD BE SURE TO DISPLAY IT. SARA AND MCCAIN ARE NOT HIDING ANYTHING, NOTHING TO HIDE. I’M SURE SHE CAN BE A QUICK STUDY, THEY BETTER GET GOING ON HER STUDY LESSONS. I REALLY DOUBT MCCAIN WILL GET ELECTED, BUT IF THE REPUBLICANS HIJACK THE ELECTION LIKE THEY DID IN THE LAST 2 ELECTIONS, I DON’T THINK WE WILL SEE MUCH OF HER. MCCAIN WILL BE TAPPING TURN-COAT JOE LIEBERMAN. OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sep 27, 2008 - 11:08 am 120. kabud:

>Charisse:

you should have seen New York City under mayor Dinkins

you gonna see it nationwide))

Sep 27, 2008 - 12:50 pm 121. Ed Wallis:

“Charisse”, Reading your post a little differently than “kabud”, please tell us all here

WHY YOU PREFER CANDIDATES LIKE ZEROBAMA WITH MUCHMUCHVERYVERYMUCH TO HIDE?!

WANT TO SPREAD THE SPIRIT OF THE “CHICAGO MACHINE CORRUPTION” NATIONWIDE?

Thank YOU for being SO OPEN about YOUR “preferences”….

*** McCAIN / PALIN ‘08 !!! ***

Sep 28, 2008 - 12:59 am 122. Joecr:

I just wish they would let Sarah be Sarah. If they try to make her into someone else, even John McCain, it will take the spirit out of her, and she will lose the sincerity that is so important to the campaign. Let her alone and listen; there will be time to settle minor differences later.

Sep 28, 2008 - 10:46 am

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