The Sarah Palin Thread (You can see Russia from this thread)

[Marx]

lazur needs to sit down with my friend Kettle so they can compliment each other's outfits over a few slices of humble pie.

:funny:

[Visionary]

How did FOX turn on McCain?

[Carcharodon]

How did FOX turn on McCain?I'm referring to the videos and interviews posted a couple/few pages back, where FOX is starting to ask tough questions of the McCain campaign. The questions specifically concern the false claims the campaign has been making.

[jaguarr]

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/09/9749_palin_contradict_troopergate_monegan_dismissa l.html


Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies..... :oldrazz:

How very innnnnnnnnnteresting!

jag

[Gilpesh]

lazur needs to sit down with my friend Kettle so they can compliment each other's outfits over a few slices of humble pie.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5740/potkettleuy0.jpg

[danoyse]

Oh, she'll be cleared in the trooper thing, no doubt. And I'll be back here to poke fun at everyone who completely threw themselves against the rock on this one, proclaiming her guilty before anything was even known. I'll be here to rub the salt in, no worries. ;)

No Lazur, you will not be coming in here for the sole purpose of taunting people. If you do, you will not get far.

People are as entitled to their own opinions on this case as you are, even if you disagree with them. Get over it.

[Lightning Strykez!]

I'm telling you guys...she is reminding more and more of Diana from V. Every day a new layer of skin comes off and we get to see the "real" her. :dry:

http://www.stargods.org/V_Diana.jpg

[souvlaki]

The media is finally picking up on the teleprompter lie. Good for them. I'd say it was the most ridiculous and pointless lie this election season, but sadly it's not.

[sinewave]

How do you KNOW it's a lie? How do you know she didn't literally say to someone on the phone about the bridge, "Thanks but no thanks?" You don't.

good lord, man. re-read this and tell me it's not completely ridiculous.

All of the data is pointing that way. All of your hopes and dreams of Sarah Palin crashing and burning are crashing and burning instead. I know it must be terrible, but it'll be okay, promise.

People are reading the emails she sent and they're commenting. Both of these guys (the commissioner AND the trooper) deserved to be fired, and they probably should have been fired a lot sooner, according to what's being revealed about the emails.

Can't wait to see it make the headlines, and then to visit here, the wonderful SHH boards, right after. :)

you realize you're setting yourself up for quite a lot of razzing, if and when this bluster backfires on you, right?

[Lightning Strykez!]

^ He won't be around Sinewave.

[rdh007]

I'm telling you guys...she is reminding more and more of Diana from V. Every day a new layer of skin comes off and we get to see the "real" her. :dry:

http://www.stargods.org/V_Diana.jpg

Now I have to vote for her. Diana was so ummmmmm, influential, to me as a young boy.

[Lightning Strykez!]

Now I have to vote for her. Diana was so ummmmmm, influential, to me as a young boy.

That's sexist!!! :nono:

[Darthphere]

Technically, it could be racist as well.

[Lightning Strykez!]

*gasp*

By jove, it is!!

:nono:

[Marx]

The media is finally picking up on the teleprompter lie. Good for them. I'd say it was the most ridiculous and pointless lie this election season, but sadly it's not.

Teleprompter lie? Am I missing something? :huh:

[Gilpesh]

Teleprompter lie? Am I missing something? :huh:

People saying she did good on her RNC speech wasn't enough... so she added that the teleprompter broke partway through and just 'talked' to the people there.

[Marx]

People saying she did good on her RNC speech wasn't enough... so she added that the teleprompter broke partway through and just 'talked' to the people there.

Oh lord...I hadn't heard that. :whatever:

[Lightning Strykez!]

It's official: Sarah Palin is the gift that just keeps on giving. :lmao:

[bunk]

Yeah, not a real good idea to say the prompter broke when you've got a large group of people able to see it the entire time.

[The Senator]

Yeah, not a real good idea to say the prompter broke when you've got a large group of people able to see it the entire time.

What's hilarious about that is the teleprompter was in clear view during the RNC coverage on CNN. At no point did it appear as if it has stalled at all, and more than enough times, she kept her pace with it.

[gap5ewl]

So apparently, Katie Couric has scored the next major interview with Palin and will be on the campaign trail with her for a few days. And I will laugh my ass off if they attempt to use the sexist defense in this one.

[Marx]

So apparently, Katie Couric has scored the next major interview with Palin and will be on the campaign trail with her for a few days. And I will laugh my ass off if they attempt to use the sexist defense in this one.

I'm expecting it.

[Gilpesh]

Palin Unveils 9/11 Firefighter Cousin, Reformed Lesbian Niece, Naturalized Mexican Half Brother

CARBONDALE, PA—Less than two weeks after introducing to the nation her developmentally disabled newborn and her 19-year-old son preparing for military service in Iraq, Republican vice presidential nominee and conservative Christian woman Sarah Palin delivered a speech Monday flanked by three heretofore-unknown relatives, including a naturalized Mexican half brother, a formerly lesbian niece, and a New York City firefighter cousin who saved several lives during the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. "John McCain and I will take on the Washington establishment and give the government back to the people," said Palin, who several times gave the "thumbs-up" sign to her African-American coal-miner uncle seated in the audience. "We envision a better and brighter future for hardworking, selfless Americans like Ted, Anne, and Guillermo here." Palin has a campaign stop scheduled next week in Texas, where she is expected to introduce her stepsister Linda, a $35 barrel of offshore-drilled crude oil wrapped in an American flag.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/palin_unveils_9_11



Yeah, I know there's a thread for satire. But more people would see it here and it is technically about Palin. :hehe:


The ONION. Just in case... The ONION.

[Lightning Strykez!]

Formerly lesbian neice? This woman's life reads like a mix between Desperate Housewives and Maury Povich. :dry:

[Gilpesh]

Formerly lesbian neice? This woman's life reads like a mix between Desperate Housewives and Maury Povich. :dry:

Shhhhhhhhh, it's the Onion. :whatever:

[kainedamo]

Did Hannity interview Palin yet?

[souvlaki]

Did Hannity interview Palin yet?

Just checked because I was wondering the same thing. Wednesday night, not Tuesday.

[souvlaki]

She is a rock star, a rising star, a reform governor with more experience than Barack Obama ever dreamed of having.

That is a Sean Hannity quote. Yeah, this interview is going to be completely worthless.

[lazur]

You've already acquitted her without any sufficient evidence to do so, which puts you on the same level as the people who have already convicted her while lacking that same sufficient evidence that you mock so zealously. I think I'll wait until all the facts come out, personally, though I tend to think there's at least something behind the accusations.

jag

Wrong, Jag, I have always maintained that she's 'innocent until proven guilty' and that's all I'm saying now. Remember, the burden of proof is on someone else.

[Schlosser85]

And I'll be back here to poke fun at everyone who completely threw themselves against the rock on this one, proclaiming her guilty before anything was even known. I'll be here to rub the salt in, no worries.


I'm glad to see we're all mature individuals here. :whatever:

If she's innocent, why is she refusing to meet with the investigators? And why are her supporters claiming it's a Democratic "McCarthyist" witch hunt when the committee investigating her is made up of only 2 Democrats to 3 Republicans?

And now someone is supposed to actually believe the teleprompter was broken when everyone could see it moving steadily the entire time?

The McCain-Palin campaign's lies get more flat-out ridiculous every day. And the fact that they are pulling ahead of Obama in some key states says quite a bit, in my opinion, and none of it good.

[StrainedEyes]

Exactly. Her refusal to help the investigation is basically an admission of some kind of guilt. If she is completely innocent, she would get the investigation over with and put it behind her instead of trying to stretch it out until after the election.

[lazur]

Exactly. Her refusal to help the investigation is basically an admission of some kind of guilt. If she is completely innocent, she would get the investigation over with and put it behind her instead of trying to stretch it out until after the election.

Nope, I would guess that she's refusing to meet with investigators because there's nothing to this story and she shouldn't have to waste her time on an issue that will go nowhere just to appease a few liberals who have a hard** to bust her for ... something, anything.

Personally, I believe she should meet with the investigators, and then after she's clear of any wrong-doing, sue the crap out of them and anyone else who's responsible.

[danoyse]

I'm glad to see we're all mature individuals here. :whatever:


And I'll just repeat what I warned yesterday: coming into this forum for the sole purpose of taunting other posters will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Thank you.

[Schlosser85]

Nope, I would guess that she's refusing to meet with investigators because there's nothing to this story

Again, if she has nothing to hide, why not cooperate and get it over with in a way that makes her look open and honest? Refusing to cooperate not only drags it out, it makes her look guilty. I'm not saying she is or isn't, I'm talking about perception, to be clear.


and she shouldn't have to waste her time on an issue that will go nowhere just to appease a few liberals have a hard** to bust her for ... something, anything.


The committee investigating her in Alaska is made up of 2 Democrats and 3 Republicans. This is not a liberal witch hunt, it is a bipartisan investigation in which her fellow Republicans actually outnumber the Democrats.

[StrainedEyes]

Exactly. Hiding behind claims that it's the Dems out to get her, make her look not only guilty, but paranoid. The investigation started before she was nominated, it also (as pointed out) consists of more Republicans than Democrats.

She has so much scandal surrounding her, she needs to be open and honest to turn things around. Why isn't she being open and honest with this investigation? Gee, I wonder.

[StrainedEyes]

McCain campaign clamps down on questions in Alaska
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/palin_mccain_operatives

JUNEAU, Alaska - GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is effectively turning over questions about her record as Alaska's governor to John McCain's political campaign, part of an ambitious Republican strategy to limit any embarrassing disclosures and carefully shape her image for voters in the rest of the country.

Republican efforts include dispatching a former top U.S. terrorism prosecutor from New York, Ed O'Callaghan, to assist Palin's personal lawyer working to derail or delay a pending ethics investigation in Alaska. The probe, known as "Troopergate," is examining whether the governor abused her power by trying to remove her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

O'Callaghan is just part of a cadre of high-powered operatives patrolling Alaska as reporters and Democrats scrutinize every detail of Palin's tenure in government, plus her family and friends. One strategy: Carefully coordinate any information that's released. The McCain campaign is demanding that it becomes the de facto source for answers about the operations of Alaska's government during the past 20 months.

Palin's normal press secretary, for example, now turns away inquiries from any reporter who isn't permanently based in Alaska, referring questions to the presidential campaign. Trouble is, some of McCain operatives only recently have arrived in Alaska and struggle to explain Palin's positions on arcane state issues.

When a reporter for The Associated Press asked the state's Department of Health and Social Services about lawsuits involving state health policies, he was directed to call Meg Stapleton, a former spokeswoman for Palin now working for McCain.

"In general the state is sending media inquiries this way because we're just inundated with hundreds and hundreds of phone calls," Stapleton said. "It provides for the most expeditious channel to get stuff out there."

O'Callaghan, who helped prosecute terrorism and national security cases for the Justice Department until a few weeks ago, was sent to Alaska to handle "legal issues that are affecting the political dynamic of the campaign," said Taylor Griffin, a former Treasury Department spokesman in the Bush administration. O'Callaghan is expected to leave after this week.

Translation: O'Callaghan is helping ratchet up the heat on the Troopergate investigation, a probe with which Palin once promised to cooperate. O'Callaghan was the one who threw down the gauntlet during a news conference this week: Palin herself was unlikely to talk to the Alaska Legislature's investigator.

McCain's campaign has sent at least one dozen researchers and lawyers to Alaska to pore over Palin's background, ready to respond to questions about her tenure as governor and mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. Griffin has been leading the team in Alaska, which includes operatives of the Republican National Committee.

Republicans are rebutting what they describe as smears against Palin. Last week, McCain's campaign formed a "truth squad," which includes current and former GOP politicians who agree to speak with reporters. Heading up the effort from Arlington, Va., are Mark Paoletta and O'Callaghan, both Republican lawyers, and Brian Jones, a former communications director for McCain.

Democrats, meanwhile, are relying on Palin's homegrown critics in Alaska. They call themselves "Alaska Mythbusters," a nod to the popular television show. The team is made up mostly of elected officials who have opposed or know Palin and who criticize her work, such as the mayor of tiny Ketchikan, Bob Weinstein. Ketchikan was involved in Alaska's infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," a construction project that Palin initially supported but now says she opposed as an example of wasteful spending.

[lazur]

Again, if she has nothing to hide, why not cooperate and get it over with in a way that makes her look open and honest? Refusing to cooperate not only drags it out, it makes her look guilty. I'm not saying she is or isn't, I'm talking about perception, to be clear.

The committee investigating her in Alaska is made up of 2 Democrats and 3 Republicans. This is not a liberal witch hunt, it is a bipartisan investigation in which her fellow Republicans actually outnumber the Democrats.

It may not be a liberal witch hunt by the investigators, but it is by the media and by the Obama campaign.

[Schlosser85]

It may not be a liberal witch hunt by the investigators, but it is by the media and by the Obama campaign.


Well of course Obama would love for Palin to be found guilty of something, their campaigns are in the middle of a race for the White House, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to the accusations. The investigation started before she was nominated for VP, and is bipartisan. And as I said before, if Palin wants to deflect the accusations, she should cooperate. Refusing to cooperate makes you look guilty.

[StrainedEyes]

It may not be a liberal witch hunt by the investigators, but it is by the media and by the Obama campaign.

Who cares? The media and Obama's campaign have nothing to do with the investigation. They are all just wondering what (if anything) she has to hide.

[jaguarr]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/17/1409371.aspx

Palin: Troopergate not going away
Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 9:19 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Palin

Per NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, at Palin’s joint event tonight with McCain in Michigan, Palin will take her first questions from town hall participants -- the first time she has done this since being selected as McCain’s running mate. As for Palin taking questions from the traveling press corps, well, that still hasn’t happened yet. In fact, the DNC has unveiled a new clock counting the days, hours, and minutes since McCain’s last press conference (34 days) and the time between Palin was picked and her first press conference (18 days and counting).

The Palin-appointed Alaska attorney general said "state employees would refuse to honor subpoenas in the case." "In a letter to state Sen. Hollis French, the Democrat overseeing the investigation, Republican Attorney General Talis Colberg asked that the subpoenas be withdrawn. He also said the employees would refuse to appear unless either the full state Senate or the entire Legislature votes to compel their testimony."

Moreover, some GOP allies of Palin in Alaska are trying to help suspend or shut down the legislative role in the trooper investigation. “Five Republican state lawmakers on Tuesday filed a lawsuit seeking to halt an inquiry into Gov. Sarah Palin’s dismissal of her public safety commissioner, arguing that the Legislature has exceeded its authority by conducting a ‘McCarthyistic investigation.’”

Newsweek's Isikoff, reporting from Alaska, notes how seriously the McCain folks are taking the trooper investigation. "A former top Justice Department prosecutor now working for John McCain's presidential campaign has been helping to direct an aggressive legal strategy aimed at shutting down a pre-election ethics investigation into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. The growing role of Edward O'Callaghan, who until six weeks ago served as co-chief of the terrorism and national security unit of the U.S. attorney's office in New York, illustrates just how seriously the McCain campaign is taking the so-called ‘troopergate’ inquiry into Palin's firing last summer of Walt Monegan, Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner.”

“O'Callaghan emerged publicly for the first time this week when he told reporters at a McCain campaign press conference, in Anchorage, that Palin is ‘unlikely to cooperate’ with an Alaskan legislative inquiry into Monegan's firing because it had been ‘tainted’ by politics. That new stand appeared to directly contradict a previous vow, expressed by her official gubernatorial spokesman on July 28, that Palin ‘will fully cooperate’ with an investigation into the matter."

Back to the facts... "McCain and running mate Sarah Palin, Alaska's governor, say her state's production of one-fifth of the country's domestic energy supply is an important credential to put them in the White House. Their figure is inflated," the AP reports. "The most recent figures show Alaska produced 3.4 percent of the nation's total energy output in 2005. The state's largest contribution to that figure was its oil production, which runs about 14 percent of the U.S. total. Alaska contributes about 2 percent of the nation's natural gas production. It produces negligible amounts of coal and renewable energy, and has no nuclear energy. The only way to get close to the 20 percent figure is to look at Alaska's proven oil reserves, the amount they have determined to be underground and available under current conditions, which amount to 18 percent of the U.S. total."

Page Six: "Hockey mom Sarah Palin not only wore lipstick to the Republican National Convention, the vice-presidential candidate wore a shantung silk Valentino jacket worth $2,500. Insiders tell Page Six Palin has a secretive circle of stylists who dress her for events. For her big speech in St. Paul, where she accepted the GOP's vice-presidential nod, this fashion-conscious team encouraged the Alaska governor to splurge on a $2,500 jacket from Saks Fifth Avenue designed by Valentino Garavani. ... Presidential nominee John McCain's wife, Cindy, recently took some heat after Vanity Fair itemized the cost of her wardrobe during her RNC speech with Laura Bush to a whopping $300,000 worth of designer wear and diamonds."

The presence of O'Callaghan is interesting. You don't bring in a heavy hitter like that guy if you have nothing to hide. Sorry.

jag

[jaguarr]

Wrong, Jag, I have always maintained that she's 'innocent until proven guilty' and that's all I'm saying now. Remember, the burden of proof is on someone else.

http://api.ning.com/files/Xn6RV5Y50pbFK-4nfM7GdDho7NF3Lm7FDmT9YQonKh4_/orly.jpg

There are apparently emails that will vindicate Palin. Emails in which the commissioner was belligerent and defiant. Since the commissioner serves at the Governor's pleasure, but was acting in that way, hmm I'd say the dems don't have a case in this one, wouldn't you?

Which worked out just as I suspected it would.

Next lie, please.


Oh, she'll be cleared in the trooper thing, no doubt. And I'll be back here to poke fun at everyone who completely threw themselves against the rock on this one, proclaiming her guilty before anything was even known. I'll be here to rub the salt in, no worries. ;)

To which I can only say:

If you can't make anything other than blowhard statements, why discuss anything on this board at all? You're the one who isn't being constructive here...

;)

jag

[SuperT]

How are they really getting away with blaming this investigation on the Democrats when there are only four Democrats and then ten Republicans on the board for the investigation anyway?!?!

This woman IS hiding something and I hope it comes out soon. She such a corrupt, power-tripping, and fear mongering Republican robot.

[sinewave]

Palin Unveils 9/11 Firefighter Cousin, Reformed Lesbian Niece, Naturalized Mexican Half Brother



http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/palin_unveils_9_11



Yeah, I know there's a thread for satire. But more people would see it here and it is technically about Palin. :hehe:


The ONION. Just in case... The ONION.

i dug up a picture of her reformed lesbian niece.

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/51540332.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1939847EC77F5F8D1CEBAF1DCED4C7969DE 4E9C89C783688B46

she looks perfectly straight to me! :dry:

[Raiden]

By trying to refuse cooperation for an impartial investigation into Troopergate and denying any questioning from media corp, Palin looks more and more suspicious by the day. Hopefully more truths will come out of this but it seems like McCain is determined to keep her scandals a secret until after the election.

[Mr Sparkle]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

"oh rlmente?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[kainedamo]

Nope, I would guess that she's refusing to meet with investigators because there's nothing to this story and she shouldn't have to waste her time on an issue that will go nowhere just to appease a few liberals who have a hard** to bust her for ... something, anything.

C'mon lazur. The investigators are a mix of democrats and republicans. The investigation began before she was picked for VP. You really think there was a vast conspiracy in place to 'get' Palin before she was even picked for VP??

It's not about "appeasing" anyone either. It's about cooperating with a legal and valid investigation. If you're suspected of murder, you don't refuse to cooperate. Refusing to cooperate with the law in an investigation is itself a crime.

You are defending the undefendable and it takes some mental gymnastics on your part to even think that it is right or logical for Palin to refuse to cooperate with a legal investigation.

[danoyse]

It may not be a liberal witch hunt by the investigators, but it is by the media and by the Obama campaign.

Oh stop. The council is dominated by Republicans. The legislators who filed the lawsuit are all tied to McCain. We have Republicans suing other Republicans right now.

This investigation has been going on since before she was picked as a running mate and even a local news report from Alaska (again, before McCain picked her) showed more than 80% of the people they asked thought she wasn't telling the truth about the situation.

If she's clear, fine. But don't like this lawsuit is any less politically motivated than any 'liberal witch hunt.'

[danoyse]

Op-Ed piece from the Anchorage Daily News--and this is a McCain/Palin supporter, so there goes that 'liberal media' argument:

http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/528420.html

No one is above the truth, even Palin

DAN ***AN
COMMENT

Published: September 16th, 2008 10:52 PM
Last Modified: September 16th, 2008 11:31 PM

You really can't experience the full effect of Monday's news conference featuring Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton unless you hear it for yourself. Stapleton passionately attacked former Commissioner of Public Safety Walt Monegan. Her rhetoric was plain, desperate, and obvious. Her tone, pure shrill.

With intensity, urgency, and alarm in her voice, Stapleton described Monegan's behavior as commissioner as egregious insubordination, full of obstructionist conduct and a brazen refusal to follow instructions.

Did Walt Monegan, former Marine, and lifetime crime fighter deserve this? Of course not.

But history has proven, get in the way of Sarah Barracuda's political ambition, and you won't know what hit you.

If anyone should be on the hot seat, it's not Monegan, but Palin for her inconsistencies.

The governor has given so many different reasons for firing Monegan I've lost count. From the "we need new direction" and "new energy" to "he wasn't hiring enough cops," to "he wasn't doing enough about alcohol in the bush" to "he lobbied for budget increases" to the latest version, which is a doozy; Monegan displayed "egregious rogue behavior."

The governor also originally said that neither she, Todd nor anyone from her administration pressured Monegan regarding Trooper Wooten. Palin then was forced to admit there was serial contact once the Frank Bailey tape surfaced. But she insisted she was just learning of it. But e-mails have surfaced detailing Palin complaining to Monegan about Wooten.

The governor also originally said an investigation was needed and promised to cooperate. Then she instructed her employees not to talk to the investigator and has herself refused to be interviewed.

Palin can't constantly change her story and expect us to believe her each time she does.

Meanwhile, this Palin VP thing has Alaskans all stirred up? Much like Palin divided the Republican party, she has managed to divide the state over her national candidacy.

Clearly most Alaskans choose to ignore the facts of the Troopergate scandal. They want Palin to make it to the national stage.

Republicans scold me all the time, "You don't want Obama to win do you? Stop criticizing Palin!"

My question to my conservative friends is simple. Does the truth still matter?

Truth is at the very heart of the conservative movement. Isn't it true that smaller government, self empowerment, and personal responsibility are worth fighting for? Isn't it true that promoting a culture of life and defending marriage will keep us strong as a nation?

But some Republican leaders are abandoning truth and closing ranks to help Palin cover up her scandal by attacking the investigation.

Representative John Coghill has been especially disappointing on this.

And so has Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. He called the investigation a "complete farce."? Parnell said, "I'm disappointed by the complete hijacking of what should be a fair and objective process,"

Parnell knows eight Republicans along with four Democrats voted to launch this independent investigation.

Contrast Sean "Captain Zero" Parnell with Republican Senator Charlie Huggins. Palin would have gotten away with shutting down the investigation if it were not for Huggins.

His swing vote allowed for subpoenas. Huggins put the quest for truth above his party. He said, "Let's just get the facts on the table, the sooner the better,"

But too many in my party are interested in the facts. They want Palin to win -- at all cost.

I want McCain and Palin to win too. But with Palin's refusal to cooperate with the independent investigator and her transparent delay tactics, Americans deserve to know what Palin is trying to hide before we vote her a heartbeat away from the leader of the free world.

My fellow conservatives, remember how frustrating it was when Bill Clinton committed perjury and liberals looked the other way.

As conservatives, we are no better unless we demand full disclosure from our governor when it comes to Troopergate.

No politician is so popular and charismatic that they should be above accountability and telling the truth. Not even Sarah Palin.

[Raiden]

*** Has the worm turned? After the news of the crisis on Wall Street, McCain’s “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” stumble on Monday, the slip-ups yesterday by McCain’s two biggest economic surrogates (see below for more on that), and four days of sustained TV ad and email blasts by the Obama campaign and the DNC, the political worm seems to have turned a tad since the Palin bounce. Indeed, while we’re not crazy about focusing too much on those daily tracking polls, their needles have moved in Obama’s direction the past couple of days (and we bet that continues today). And guess what -- we’re not talking as much about Palin as we were last week, except for the latest developments in the Troopergate scandal in Alaska. The race has turned back into McCain vs. Obama, and it currently is sitting on turf (the economy) that should favor Democrats. In fact, even the McCain campaign tacitly acknowledges Palin's off the front pages with a new TV ad today that doesn't mention Palin at all -- not even a "McCain-Palin" Administration. It’s simply McCain. By the way, a car-bomb attack today on the US embassy in Yemen (which killed 16 people, including six security forces, six terrorists, and four civilians) reminds us that the focus of the presidential race -- as well as that political worm -- can turn at a moment’s notice.

Interesting.

[Mikelus]

Lazur is just biased, when people want to stop an investigation is because they're afraid of something. Anyway, time will tell.
What is really disturbing is how millions of Americans are willing to vote for a far-right extremist VP. You can bet that if McCain wins, the world is going to get more bitter, most will think (rightly or wrongly) that the US is racist and more dangerous than ever, sad but true.

[jaguarr]

Op-Ed piece from the Anchorage Daily News--and this is a McCain/Palin supporter, so there goes that 'liberal media' argument:

http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/528420.html

That's a good article. It also repeats what I've heard about emails having surface that connect Palin to directly complaining about Wooten to Moneghan. Something stink in Denmark and Palin sure seems to be working overtime to hide it.

jag

[Gilpesh]

I like how Lazur isn't even defending Palin correctly.

If he was such a centrist and an independent mind... he would keep pointing out that Palin did not fire Monaghan at all and he quit of his own accord.

[The Senator]

You all seem to forget, lazur is a "centrist." He isn't biased towards any side whatsoever.

That is, unless that side happens to be Republican. Because while he doesn't believe that the media should be assaulting Palin on the plethora of scandals and unanswered questions from her campaign, he does believe the media should jump to conclusions on Democratic politicians, such as John Edwards. No-- we can't debate the Alaskan Trio (Palin, Ted Stevens, and Don Young) and their news-making scandals, but we can certainly rush to conclusions about John Edwards and whether he had an affair or not.

We can certainly rush to conclusions about Barack Obama believing that the White Man invented AIDS, because he attended a church led by a religious zealot for twenty years. But we cannot question whether Sarah Palin believes Alaska should secede from the Union when she has attended Alaskan Independence Party conventions (The AIP, by the way, believes Alaska should be its own entity) and actively sought their endorsement two years ago. Heck, she's even married to a former member of the party-- but that doesn't mean she believes what the AIP spews. No no no-- but Obama? He subscribes to racist hatespeech.

And let's not forget that no poster can make any conclusions about lazur, either, because we "don't know him." All we know is his online persona :whatever:

Of course, he can rush to conclusions about other posters, even when those posters' online personas refute whatever non-existent point he is trying to make.

I believe social security should be allowed to falter? No-- I believe we need to privatize 50% of social security over the next thirty years.

I don't criticize John Edwards' affair because I'm a liberal, and liberal politicians can do no wrong? HA-- I was one of the first to tear Eliot Spitzer a new ass after he not only cheated on his wife, but broke the law by having his way with prostitutes.

Yeah... the credibility meter has sort of bottomed out on lazur, folks. It's actually a negative credibility rating, right now, so I don't know why some of you even try to take him seriously. Let his "online persona" continue to point out the fact that he operates under circular logic, and that, for a "centrist," he certainly is the biased king of double-standards.

[Darthphere]

You all seem to forget, lazur is a "centrist." He isn't biased towards any side whatsoever.

That is, unless that side happens to be Republican. Because while he doesn't believe that the media should be assaulting Palin on the plethora of scandals and unanswered questions from her campaign, he does believe the media should jump to conclusions on Democratic politicians, such as John Edwards. No-- we can't debate the Alaskan Trio (Palin, Ted Stevens, and Don Young) and their news-making scandals, but we can certainly rush to conclusions about John Edwards and whether he had an affair or not.

We can certainly rush to conclusions about Barack Obama believing that the White Man invented AIDS, because he attended a church led by a religious zealot for twenty years. But we cannot question whether Sarah Palin believes Alaska should secede from the Union when she has attended Alaskan Independence Party conventions (The AIP, by the way, believes Alaska should be its own entity) and actively sought their endorsement two years ago. Heck, she's even married to a former member of the party-- but that doesn't mean she believes what the AIP spews. No no no-- but Obama? He subscribes to racist hatespeech.

And let's not forget that no poster can make any conclusions about lazur, either, because we "don't know him." All we know is his online persona :whatever:

Of course, he can rush to conclusions about other posters, even when those posters' online personas refute whatever non-existent point he is trying to make.

I believe social security should be allowed to falter? No-- I believe we need to privatize 50% of social security over the next thirty years.

I don't criticize John Edwards' affair because I'm a liberal, and liberal politicians can do no wrong? HA-- I was one of the first to tear Eliot Spitzer a new ass after he not only cheated on his wife, but broke the law by having his way with prostitutes.

Yeah... the credibility meter has sort of bottomed out on lazur, folks. It's actually a negative credibility rating, right now, so I don't know why some of you even try to take him seriously. Let his "online persona" continue to point out the fact that he operates under circular logic, and that, for a "centrist," he certainly is the biased king of double-standards.

*slow clap*

[jaguarr]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

"oh rlmente?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Olé! :D

jag

[Marx]

*slow clap*

Why is it that so many people here 'slow clap' to posts and points that deserve standing, cheering, and thunderous applause? That's the question we SHOULD be asking. :oldrazz:

[Lightning Strykez!]

And let's not forget that no poster can make any conclusions about lazur, either, because we "don't know him." All we know is his online persona :whatever:


:lmao:

So true. That was actually the exact same retort I got from him last week when I questioned him on some things .

You all seem to forget, lazur is a "centrist." He isn't biased towards any side whatsoever.

That is, unless that side happens to be Republican. Because while he doesn't believe that the media should be assaulting Palin on the plethora of scandals and unanswered questions from her campaign, he does believe the media should jump to conclusions on Democratic politicians, such as John Edwards. No-- we can't debate the Alaskan Trio (Palin, Ted Stevens, and Don Young) and their news-making scandals, but we can certainly rush to conclusions about John Edwards and whether he had an affair or not.

We can certainly rush to conclusions about Barack Obama believing that the White Man invented AIDS, because he attended a church led by a religious zealot for twenty years. But we cannot question whether Sarah Palin believes Alaska should secede from the Union when she has attended Alaskan Independence Party conventions (The AIP, by the way, believes Alaska should be its own entity) and actively sought their endorsement two years ago. Heck, she's even married to a former member of the party-- but that doesn't mean she believes what the AIP spews. No no no-- but Obama? He subscribes to racist hatespeech.

Of course, he can rush to conclusions about other posters, even when those posters' online personas refute whatever non-existent point he is trying to make.

I believe social security should be allowed to falter? No-- I believe we need to privatize 50% of social security over the next thirty years.

I don't criticize John Edwards' affair because I'm a liberal, and liberal politicians can do no wrong? HA-- I was one of the first to tear Eliot Spitzer a new ass after he not only cheated on his wife, but broke the law by having his way with prostitutes.

Yeah... the credibility meter has sort of bottomed out on lazur, folks. It's actually a negative credibility rating, right now, so I don't know why some of you even try to take him seriously. Let his "online persona" continue to point out the fact that he operates under circular logic, and that, for a "centrist," he certainly is the biased king of double-standards.

Dayuuuummmm!!! Rip to shreds much?

I'm glad you're on our side. :D

[sinewave]

so, is lazur a faux centrist or a closet republican?

[Lightning Strykez!]

so, is lazur a faux centrist or a closet republican?

He's totally out of the closet and sniffing the Bushes.

[sinewave]

He's totally out of the closet and sniffing the Bushes.

clever. :woot:

[Darthphere]

Why is it that so many people here 'slow clap' to posts and points that deserve standing, cheering, and thunderous applause? That's the question we SHOULD be asking. :oldrazz:

The slow clap is the catalyst for all that other stuff.

[Marx]

The slow clap is the catalyst for all that other stuff.

Thanks for clarifying Darth! :cwink:

[gap5ewl]

Did anyone see Stewart last night? I cringed when he showed the clip of her talking about what happened on Wall Street.

[The Senator]

I cringed when he showed the clip of her talking about what happened on Wall Street.

Did she say that she could see Wall Street from her house? :huh:

[Marx]

Did she say that she could see Wall Street from her house? :huh:

:lmao:

[Raiden]

Did she say that she could see Wall Street from her house? :huh:

If she could, then that would qualify her to run any of the Fortune 500 companies. :wow:

[Marx]

If she could, then that would qualify her to run any of the Fortune 500 companies. :wow:

Not according to Republican counterparts like Carly Fiorina. Carly may change her tune though...if it was proven that Palin could see it from her house though.

[jaguarr]

Did anyone see Stewart last night? I cringed when he showed the clip of her talking about what happened on Wall Street.

If she could, then that would qualify her to run any of the Fortune 500 companies. :wow:

Stewart's been having a field day with Palin this week, but who has really shocked me with the sheer comedic brutality towards McCain and Palin has been Colbert. He has hammered the absolute crap out of those two this week. His "The Word" segment this week was brilliant and vicious.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/184928/september-15-2008/the-word---how-dare-you-

jag

[jaguarr]

Not according to Republican counterparts like Carly Fiorina.

Carly almost killed HP and that company lost more than half it's market value under her watch, so she's got no room to talk. :hehe: The rumor is the McCain Campaign is pissed at Fiorina for her comments on that question yesterday as well as for saying it was an outrage that the insurance companies are required to cover Viagra but not birth control (something the McCain Campaign is decidedly against). I suspect we won't hear much out of Carly for awhile. A pity, because she was just starting to say things I liked to hear for a change. :D

jag

[Marx]

Stewart's been having a field day with Palin this week, but who has really shocked me with the sheer comedic brutality towards McCain and Palin has been Colbert. He has hammered the absolute crap out of those two this week. His "The Word" segment this week was brilliant and vicious.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/184928/september-15-2008/the-word---how-dare-you-

jag

Wow...I missed 'The Word.' :wow:

I must say, I loved the 'By the transitive power of bull****' line. :funny:

[lazur]

I just love how you all look at what's going on with such a complete absence of fair-mindedness. The lead investigator is not a Republican. The lead investigator is a Democrat who appears to have an axe to grind. Additionally, the lead investigator (Hollis French) and the guy he hired (Steve Branchflower) are former colleagues. And what's more is that French has been making comments about the investigation pre-judging Palin before the investigation is even complete.

Now we're also finding out that the Obama campaign contacted the PSEA representing Trooper Wooten, the same union that blasted Gov. Palin for firing Monegan.

Why would the Obama campaign start its own digging into this story?

No wonder Palin won't go near this 'investigation.' I wouldn't, either.

http://thenextright.com/matt-moon/troopergate-investigation-tainted-impossible-for-palin-to-get-a-fair-hearing

Troopergate Investigation Tainted, Impossible for Palin to Get a Fair Hearing

by Matt Moon | September 16, 2008 at 4:00 PM

The details of the alleged "Troopergate Scandal" are now well known. While Gov. Sarah Palin says that she fired former Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan, because of insubordination on budget issues as well as other differences on the direction of the public safety agenda in Alaska, many have contended that Palin let Monegan go because he refused to fire a state trooper who happened to be the ex-husband of Palin's sister. (The Anchorage Daily News has set up a timeline of stories related to Troopergate.)

I've been following this story since July. And while I'm not one to judge this investigation, I have a great deal of respect for both Gov. Palin and Walt Monegan, a person who has been in law enforcement for over three decades and is well respected within the public safety community. This investigation needs to happen and the facts need to be brought out to light because serious allegations against Gov. Palin's staff have been made. But Palin's selection as Sen. McCain's VP nominee has accelerated and catalyzed excessive partisanship that has tainted this serious investigation, and has made it impossible for Gov. Palin's administration to get a fair hearing. I decided to do a little investigating of my own.

Democratic State Senate Judiciary Chair, Hollis French, Has Pre-Judged This Investigation and Predicted Its Outcome:

In late July, the Alaska State Legislature's Legislative Council, a group of lawmakers that handles the legislature's business when it is out of session, approved a $100,000 contract to hire an investigator. The Council, chaired by Sen. Kim Elton of Juneau (D), appointed Sen. Hollis French of Anchorage (D), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to oversee the investigation. [SIDENOTE: If you're asking how two Democrats got high-level chairmanships in a Republican controlled State Senate, here's the answer. 6 of the 11 Republicans decided to join with the 9 Democrats to form a bipartisan coalition. There's a GOP President of the Senate, but the majority leader and the chairmen of many committees are Democrats.]

French, long-known to have ambitions for statewide office, has made several statements that have pre-judged the outcome of this investigation. In an ABC news story a couple weeks ago, French said this as-yet-unwritten and uninvestigated report is "likely to be damaging to the Governor's administration" and that Gov. Palin "has a credibility problem." French even had this to say about the investigation's impact on the election:

"French says the McCain campaign failed to contact any of the Senators involved in the investigation during the vetting process of Gov. Palin. 'If they had done their job, they never would have picked her,' said French. 'Now they may have to deal with an October surprise,' he said, referring to the scheduled release Oct. 31 of the committee's final report."

"The report is a preliminary step prior to any effort to impeach the Governor, said French."

October surprise? Impeachment? Really? Now we know that this investigation has turned into a partisan effort to smear Gov. Palin. It's not surprising because Hollis French has publicly supported and endorsed Barack Obama, as has Kim Elton.

The Special Council Hired to Investigate Palin, Steve Branchflower, Has Relationships That Taint the Investigation:

Steve Branchflower was hired as the special council to investigate Sarah Palin on August 1. In an August 2, 2008 Anchorage Daily News article, Legislative Council chairman, Kim Elton, said that Branchflower asked for the job, along with several others, which makes this hiring a little fishy. Branchflower's wife, Linda, worked for Monegan as a detective and publicly praised him as a "respected supervisor because he listens to his employees and isn't afraid to change course if something isn't working out" in a 2001 Anchorage Daily News article. Monegan is an honorable cop, but this relationship makes the Branchflower hiring even fishier.

Furthermore, Branchflower and Hollis French are former colleagues. According to the same August 2, 2008 story:

"French will supervise Branchflower. French, also a former prosecutor and colleague of Branchflower, has told the council that the investigator will go to work gathering evidence and could come back to lawmakers if 'some people just won't talk.' The House and Senate Judiciary Committees could then issues subpoenas to compel testimony."

All of these close relationships are a little too close for comfort. But there's more ... the Obama campaign gets involved ...

The Obama Campaign Contacted the PSEA Union

CNN reported on September 5 on "Election Center" that the Obama campaign contacted the union (PSEA) representing Trooper Wooten, the same union that blasted Gov. Palin for firing Monegan.

DREW GRIFFIN: Campbell, what we're learning is this was a very bitter, ugly family divorce. Blown into a statewide scandal here. And now blowing up in the media feeding frenzy of Presidential politics. Trooper Mike Wooten says he has been offered $30,000 from a tabloid to tell his story. The Obama campaign has contacted his union."

Why did the Obama campaign contact this union? So, not only have French's statements and Branchflower's relationships tainted this investigation. What's clear is that the Obama campaign has inserted more partisan politics into what's supposed to be a nonpartisan investigation.

Today, five lawmakers as well as a group of citizens filed lawsuits to stop the investigation. I wouldn't go that far. I still believe that this is an investigation worth having, because on face, there might have been some improper behavior within the administration that Palin had no knowledge of. But now, the investigation should resume after the election when partisan politics won't become a problem.

[lazur]

Not according to Republican counterparts like Carly Fiorina. Carly may change her tune though...if it was proven that Palin could see it from her house though.

Heh, yeah well Fiorina ALSO said that Obama, Biden and McCain would also not be able to run a large corporation.

I do note, however, that you didn't mention that, so I figured I would to 'balance' it out in a little thing I like to call reality.

[Hobgoblin]

Ok guys, enough with the personal attacks. My threat to delete the thread still stands. That goes for all of you.

[Marx]

Heh, yeah well Fiorina ALSO said that Obama, Biden and McCain would also not be able to run a large corporation.

I do note, however, that you didn't mention that, so I figured I would to 'balance' it out in a little thing I like to call reality.

Spare me you're 'balanced' bull**** Lazur. I didn't mention that Carly Fiorina also said the same about Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and John McCain, not because I wasn't aware of those comments...BUT BECAUSE THIS IS THE SARAH PALIN THREAD.

And in case you haven't noticed, it is possible to debate candidates without throwing the opposition in as the basis of an argument. You should try it sometime. http://www.superherohype.com/forums/images/smilies/icon14.gif

[lazur]

Ok guys, enough with the personal attacks. My threat to delete the thread still stands. That goes for all of you.

Who's attacking?

[lazur]

Spare me you're 'balanced' bull**** Lazur. I didn't mention that Carly Fiorina also said the same about Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and John McCain, not because I wasn't aware of those comments...BUT BECAUSE THIS IS THE SARAH PALIN THREAD.

And in case you haven't noticed, it is possible to debate candidates without throwing the opposition in as the basis of an argument. You should try it sometime. http://www.superherohype.com/forums/images/smilies/icon14.gif

But you effectively CHANGED the context of what she said when you EXCLUDED the other subjects of her point. It's relevant because you're attempting to use what she said AGAINST Palin, when the same thing was said about the other three. Which essentially makes what she said irrelevant, don't you think? So why even mention it?

But you did, and all I did was add context. Apologies if I won't let you slide with slanted material, but I think there's already enough of that type of non-sense to go around.

[sinewave]

I just love how you all look at what's going on with such a complete absence of fair-mindedness. The lead investigator is not a Republican. The lead investigator is a Democrat who appears to have an axe to grind. Additionally, the lead investigator (Hollis French) and the guy he hired (Steve Branchflower) are former colleagues. And what's more is that French has been making comments about the investigation pre-judging Palin before the investigation is even complete.

Now we're also finding out that the Obama campaign contacted the PSEA representing Trooper Wooten, the same union that blasted Gov. Palin for firing Monegan.

Why would the Obama campaign start its own digging into this story?

No wonder Palin won't go near this 'investigation.' I wouldn't, either.

do you have a link to anything that proves the obama campaign has inserted themselves into the middle of this investigation? i can't find anything about it on cnn.com. could this be another lie like when john fund claimed that the dnc sent 30 lawyers to alaska to investigate palin?

[lazur]

do you have a link to anything that proves the obama campaign has inserted themselves into the middle of this investigation? i can't find anything about it on cnn.com. could this be another lie like when john fund claimed that the dnc sent 30 lawyers to alaska to investigate palin?

Possibly a lie, but hey so many lies are being tossed about by both sides right now, I have a hard time telling which campaign is which sometimes.

And I doubt you'd see ANY story on CNN that shines a questionable light on Obama. Fox, maybe, but not CNN.

[sinewave]

Heh, yeah well Fiorina ALSO said that Obama, Biden and McCain would also not be able to run a large corporation.

I do note, however, that you didn't mention that, so I figured I would to 'balance' it out in a little thing I like to call reality.

yeah, hours after her comments about palin. it's called damage control. she knew the messed up and was trying to make up for it, rather clumsily, if you ask me.

[sinewave]

Possibly a lie, but hey so many lies are being tossed about by both sides right now, I have a hard time telling which campaign is which sometimes.

And I doubt you'd see ANY story on CNN that shines a questionable light on Obama. Fox, maybe, but not CNN.

why are you even posting that article, then? :huh:

[jaguarr]

I just love how you all look at what's going on with such a complete absence of fair-mindedness. The lead investigator is not a Republican. The lead investigator is a Democrat who appears to have an axe to grind. Additionally, the lead investigator (Hollis French) and the guy he hired (Steve Branchflower) are former colleagues. And what's more is that French has been making comments about the investigation pre-judging Palin before the investigation is even complete.

Now we're also finding out that the Obama campaign contacted the PSEA representing Trooper Wooten, the same union that blasted Gov. Palin for firing Monegan.

Why would the Obama campaign start its own digging into this story?

No wonder Palin won't go near this 'investigation.' I wouldn't, either.

Thenextright.com? Do you have anything from a reliable news source?

jag

[lazur]

yeah, hours after her comments about palin. it's called damage control. she knew the messed up and was trying to make up for it, rather clumsily, if you ask me.

Not according to:



Fiorina's Non-Gaffe: Could McCain or Palin Do Your Job?
September 17, 2008 12:11 PM ET | Liz Wolgemuth | Permanent Link

Yesterday, Carly Fiorina told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell that Sarah Palin could not run a major corporation, but nor could John McCain or Barack Obama, for that matter. Running a business is different than running a country, Fiorina said.

There's no mention that it was hours after that she mentioned the other three...

[The Senator]

Yeah, but you know what's funny about this?

If Bill Richardson said "Barack Obama doesn't know to run a state," lazur would be in the Obama thread using that line over and over again. And if Richardson later said, "Yeah, but McCain, Palin, and Biden wouldn't know how to run my state," he would continue using that line against Obama regardless of whether Richardson used it against all four candidates.

So there's no real point in arguing this with him :huh:

[The Senator]

Thenextright.com? Do you have anything from a reliable news source?

jag

No, because all other sources come from the "liberal media."

And because FOX News is actually starting to question McCain/ Palin, we can probably place that network in the "liberal" category too.

[lazur]

Thenextright.com? Do you have anything from a reliable news source?

jag

Hmm, since you post mostly op-eds from leftwing websites and/or news agencies in order to slam Palin at every turn, I realized that I can use rightwing websites.

[Marx]

No, because all other sources come from the "liberal media."

And because FOX News is actually starting to question McCain/ Palin, we can probably place that network in the "liberal" category too.

I never thought I'd see the day... :wow:

[Hobgoblin]

Who's attacking?

I just want more talk about Palin, less about other posters. :yay:

[jaguarr]

Hmm, since you post mostly op-eds from leftwing websites and/or news agencies in order to slam Palin at every turn, I realized that I can use rightwing websites.

Yeah, the last "leftwing" website I posted something from that you complained about was from MSNBC.com. A little more mainstream than "thenextright.com". :whatever:

jag

[sinewave]

Not according to:



There's no mention that it was hours after that she mentioned the other three...

i'm trying to find it, but the original post in a cnn.com blog stated that she made the comment about palin at around 2:00 in the afternoon, and then they updated the blog around 5:00 to say the she went to a different press outlet later in the day and made the comments about mccain, biden and obama.

[kainedamo]

Yeah, the last "leftwing" website I posted something from that you complained about was from MSNBC.com. A little more mainstream than "thenextright.com". :whatever:

jag

CNN isn't good enough for lazur either.

[sinewave]

Not according to:



There's no mention that it was hours after that she mentioned the other three...

here we go. i found a reference it being two separate comments at different times in the same day.

"Well, I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation, I don't think Barack Obama could run a major corporation, I don't think Joe Biden could run a major corporation," Fiorina said.

...

Fiorina made similar comments earlier Thursday to a St. Louis, Missouri, radio station. She was asked if she thinks Palin is qualified to run a company like Hewlett-Packard.

what's your spin on this now?

[sinewave]

CNN isn't good enough for lazur either.

yeah, apparently right-wing blogs are mainstream, but msnbc and cnn are "far-left" trash. whodathunkit?

[lazur]

Yeah, the last "leftwing" website I posted something from that you complained about was from MSNBC.com. A little more mainstream than "thenextright.com". :whatever:

jag

You're right, but left and right wing sites *can* still have factual information ... if you can wade through the opinionated non-sense.

I'm sure this will pop up on Fox soon enough, and I'd pit Fox against CNN or MSNBC any day.

[lazur]

here we go. i found a reference it being two separate comments at different times in the same day.



what's your spin on this now?

You're quoting CNN when the first interview in which she said ALL THREE names was on MSNBC, and it wasn't 'hours later.'

[jaguarr]

You're right, but left and right wing sites *can* still have factual information ... if you can wade through the opinionated non-sense.

I'm sure this will pop up on Fox soon enough, and I'd pit Fox against CNN or MSNBC any day.

Haha! Okay, man. :)

jag

[sinewave]

You're quoting CNN when the first interview in which she said ALL THREE names was on MSNBC, and it wasn't 'hours later.'

that's not true at all. she made the initial comment about palin in a radio interview earlier in the day. the article you quoted from the msnbc site was an interview she did with andrea mitchell after the initial radio interview. why are you fighting so hard to disprove this if you are indeed a centrist?

update:

from cnn.com:

Asked by a St. Louis radio station whether she thought Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin could run a company like Hewlett-Packard, Fiorina responded: "No, I don't.

“But that's not what she's running for. Running a corporation is a different set of things."

Asked about that remark on MSNBC, she made the same unprompted assessment of the GOP presidential nominee. "I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation."

[sinewave]

lazur, i find it strange that you'll quote msnbc when you think it justifies your points, but will claim it's too biased when others quote them to dispute your points.

[lazur]

that's not true at all. she made the initial comment about palin in a radio interview earlier in the day. the article you quoted from the msnbc site was an interview she did with andrea mitchell after the initial radio interview. why are you fighting so hard to disprove this if you are indeed a centrist?

update:

from cnn.com:

Point being, whether hours later or not (which is still up for debate), she said the same thing about Obama and the others. So if you're using her 'opinion' to bolster your own opinion that 'Palin sucks,' then you either have to count what she said as irrelevant or you need to apply what she said equally to all three others.

[sinewave]

Point being, whether hours later or not (which is still up for debate), she said the same thing about Obama and the others. So if you're using her 'opinion' to bolster your own opinion that 'Palin sucks,' then you either have to count what she said as irrelevant or you need to apply what she said equally to all three others.

:whatever: didn't we already go over this? the comment about mccain, biden and obama was obviously her attempt at damage control. jeez, for someone who's supposedly so good at sniffing out b.s., you sure seem to be missing the mark here.

[The Senator]

Point being, whether hours later or not (which is still up for debate), she said the same thing about Obama and the others. So if you're using her 'opinion' to bolster your own opinion that 'Palin sucks,' then you either have to count what she said as irrelevant or you need to apply what she said equally to all three others.

So now that I've posted the following phrase:


So, guys, did you hear about how Carly Fiorina said that _______ can't run a company?

In the other three candidate's threads, does this mean we can discuss Carly Fiorina's comment as it pertains to Sarah Palin now? :huh:

[souvlaki]

Point being, whether hours later or not (which is still up for debate), she said the same thing about Obama and the others. So if you're using her 'opinion' to bolster your own opinion that 'Palin sucks,' then you either have to count what she said as irrelevant or you need to apply what she said equally to all three others.

Okay, I know I've said this either in this thread, or another thread but I'm going to assume you either missed it, or simply ignored it. Fiorina is a McCain surrogate. It is her job to say horrible things about Obama and Biden, i.e., not the most objective person in the world when it comes to her opinions on Obama and Biden. When she says stuff like that about the two of them you can more or less chalk it up to her playing along party lines. Are you at all shocked that a McCain surrogate would say something like that about Obama? On the other hand, when she's criticizing someone she's supposed to be supporting I'd say it's safe to say it's a much harsher criticism than if she said the same about Obama or Biden. The logic in pointing out, "Oh, well this McCain surrogate also said something bad about Obama" makes no sense. Of course she said something bad about Obama. That is what she gets paid to do. But she also said the same thing about Palin and McCain, which right there is a red flag.

It's like when Rove said McCain's ads were filled with lies, but tried to cover for himself by saying Obama's were too. Do you really think anyone was shocked to hear Karl Rove say something bad about the Obama campaign? Of course not. But it is a big deal when he says the same about the Republican candidate.

[Marx]

FEMALE DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS SAY NO TO PALIN
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/17/female-democratic-lawmakers-say-no-to-palin/

[Knives]

So apparently her personal e-mail account was hacked:

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/sarah_palins_personal_email_ha.html

[souvlaki]

So apparently her personal e-mail account was hacked:

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/sarah_palins_personal_email_ha.html

So was Obama's:

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/Obama-Deletes-Inbox_redo.jpg





:cwink:

[souvlaki]

Seriously though, that's pretty screwed up.

[souvlaki]

On the other hand, why would a well known governor have such an obvious yahoo account name? Surely government officials get their own private, secure email addresses for just this reason.

[kainedamo]

I don't think they're supposed to use accounts like that for official business at all.


I had a look around and found the hacked emails and pictures. Anonymous have went too far. This is really sick. Firstly, the emails they revealed are of a private nature. Secondly, they hacked these pics that I'm sure the Palins wouldn't want public. I don't really see why Anonymous did it.

[Prison Mike]

So was Obama's:

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/Obama-Deletes-Inbox_redo.jpg





:cwink:

I llike Cheney's email. :hehe:

[souvlaki]

I don't think they're supposed to use accounts like that for official business at all.

Well, it's not even just that. Why would her email address be so obvious in the first place? Even as Governor of Alaska she had enemies, so common sense would dictate if you get yourself a private email you don't use something with your name in it and get it through Yahoo. I'm not at all saying she brought it on herself because this is pretty screwed up, but it's almost as ridiculous as that Onion article that has Obama's email address as "barry.obama1961@gmail.com".

[kainedamo]

I guess they did it just to show they could. I don't see the purpose of getting private pictures of family and taking screenshots of her contact list. Quite frankly this is a horrible thing to do to someone.

[danoyse]

I just want more talk about Palin, less about other posters. :yay:

Exactly. This is not the thread to discuss bias of the media. We have another thread for that if anyone wants to discuss it.

I think we all accept and understand the fact that the media is run by giant corporations and everyone has their own agenda. This is not news.

The best thing for everyone to do is to act like adults, not slam other posters just because they're taking info from whatever source, and discuss the issue at hand.

[souvlaki]

I guess they did it just to show they could. I don't see the purpose of getting private pictures of family and taking screenshots of her contact list. Quite frankly this is a horrible thing to do to someone.

Yeah, exactly. If you are going to do something like that, at least take screenshots of something useful or damaging. If you dont find anything why take them at all, and for that matter post it on the internet? It does you no good. So basically her email just got hacked by the dumbest hackers in the world.

I'm going to laugh so hard if they got her password through the "secret question" option.

[kainedamo]

Palin staff won't testify in trooper probe, AG says

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/17/palin.investigation/index.html

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Aides to Gov. Sarah Palin won't comply with subpoenas issued by state lawmakers investigating the firing of Alaska's former public safety commissioner because Palin "has declined to participate" in the probe, her attorney general says.


Gov. Sarah Palin has refused to cooperate with an inquiry into the firing of her public safety commissioner.

"As state employees, our clients have taken an oath to uphold the Alaska Constitution, and for that reason, they respect the Legislature's desire to carry out an investigation in support of its lawmaking powers," Attorney General Talis Colberg, a Palin appointee, told the investigation's manager in a letter released Wednesday.

"However, our clients are also loyal employees subject to the supervision of the governor."

The chairman of the bipartisan panel that commissioned the probe said Colberg is breaking an agreement his office made a week ago.

"I feel like Charlie Brown after Lucy moved the football," state Sen. Kim Elton, the Democratic chairman of the state Legislative Council, wrote back to Colberg.

Palin once pledged to cooperate with the state Legislature's investigation into the July firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. After his dismissal, Monegan accused Palin of trying to pressure him into firing her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper who had been involved in an acrimonious divorce from the governor's sister.

Palin has denied wrongdoing. Her allies argue the investigation has become a "partisan circus" since she became Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain's running mate, and they argue that any investigation should be handled by the State Personnel Board. Watch how the trooper probe has become political »

"Moreover, two lawsuits have been filed challenging the legitimacy of the investigation," Colberg wrote. "On behalf of our clients, we respectfully ask that you withdraw the subpoenas directed to our clients and thereby relieve them from the circumstance of having to choose where their loyalties lie."

It was unclear whether the letter covered Palin's husband, Todd Palin, who was among those subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. Colberg's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The letter was sent to Sen. Hollis French, the Democratic chairman of the state Senate Judiciary Committee, which approved the subpoenas last week. Palin's allies have blasted French over comments he made to ABC News in early September, warning that the investigation into Monegan's firing could yield an "October surprise" for the GOP ticket in the form of criminal charges.

The campaign began holding daily press conferences this week to blast French, Special Counsel Steve Branchflower and Elton. That bipartisan panel voted unanimously to commission the investigation in July, but the McCain-Palin campaign said it has now been "tainted" by partisan politics.

Five Republican state lawmakers went to court Tuesday in Anchorage to shut down the Legislature's investigation, arguing that its leaders "are unable to hold the balance between vindicating their own political interests and the interests of those who are being investigated."

But Elton, a Democrat, called the lawsuit "a distraction."

"I'm comfortable with the notion that the court will review the substance of the suit and find the council acted properly, and that the decisions made during the course of the investigation so far are appropriate and well within the mandate of the council," Elton said in a written statement. The investigation will continue until otherwise ordered, he added.

Other Palin allies filed a similar suit in Fairbanks the same day.

The judge assigned to hear the Anchorage case, John Suddock, recused himself Wednesday. Suddock heard the divorce case between Palin's sister and the trooper at the center of the allegations, Mike Wooten -- and he warned the governor's family against trying to get her then-brother-in-law fired long before the Monegan controversy erupted, according to court records.

Wooten and Palin's sister, Molly McCann, began divorce proceedings in 2005 after four years of marriage. Palin, then a private citizen, and other members of her family filed several complaints about Wooten with the state police, accusing him of threatening his in-laws and other improper conduct.

Wooten was suspended for five days in March 2006, after state police commanders determined he had used a Taser on his 10-year-old stepson "in a training capacity;" drove his patrol car while drinking beer; and illegally shot a moose using his wife's hunting permit.


Palin initially denied that anyone in her administration or family had pressed for action against Wooten, whom she has branded a "rogue trooper." But in August, two weeks before her nomination as a vice presidential candidate, she acknowledged that members of her staff had contacted Monegan's office nearly two dozen times about the trooper. An aide was suspended after being taped telling a state trooper lieutenant that the Palins were concerned that there had been "absolutely no action for a year on this issue."

Monday, the McCain campaign released documents it said bolster its argument that Monegan was fired over budget disputes and "egregious insubordination." The records include e-mails in which Palin advisers complain Monegan was continuing to seek funds for programs the governor opposed.

Sarah Palin should not be above the law and should cooperate fully.

[Marx]

Palin staff won't testify in trooper probe, AG says

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/17/palin.investigation/index.html



Sarah Palin should not be above the law and should cooperate fully.

Come on, Kaine. Now you know that she would fully cooperate if it wasn't a 'partisan hack job.' :whatever:

[BlackLantern]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/palins_yahoo_account_hacked.html

This might be late, but I thought it was interesting

[Gilpesh]

Yeah, exactly. If you are going to do something like that, at least take screenshots of something useful or damaging. If you dont find anything why take them at all, and for that matter post it on the internet? It does you no good. So basically her email just got hacked by the dumbest hackers in the world.

I'm going to laugh so hard if they got her password through the "secret question" option.

I think there is a site out there that may have gotten their hands on some of the emails and are going over if they are politically relevant.

[BlackLantern]

I'm hoping they find an e-mail referring to her daughter as a "spoiled ****" after finding out she was pregnant...she seems to me the kind of person who would act that way

[kainedamo]

I think there is a site out there that may have gotten their hands on some of the emails and are going over if they are politically relevant.

The ones I've read aren't strictly politically relevant as far as I can see. I would find it hard to believe that they would hack her account, get pics of her family, get her contact list, and not search around for any really juicy controversial emails.

[Gilpesh]

The ones I've read aren't strictly politically relevant as far as I can see. I would find it hard to believe that they would hack her account, get pics of her family, get her contact list, and not search around for any really juicy controversial emails.

Well... not everyone who got access to it are looking for that.

And from what I hear, a lot of people were in her account looking around.

[kainedamo]

This has more info about what was found in her account.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/palins_yahoo_account_hacked.html

[kainedamo]

Well... not everyone who got access to it are looking for that.

And from what I hear, a lot of people were in her account looking around.

That's what I've heard as well.

There is bound to be more out there than what I've already seen. It's possible that people are afraid of jail time and don't want to post things that can be linked back to them.

[SuperT]

The thing is - was this account being used for business purposes? If so, why was she using a personal email account for government purposes instead of using a government issued email account/domain where records of all emails are archived and able to be reached when need be. With a personal one, you can delete whatever you want whenever you want and no one would ever know it even existed.

Things that make you go hmmmmm.....

[Gilpesh]

Super T, I am surprised you haven't heard of the reason why she would do that.


So her and her staff's personal emails can't be used against them.

[kainedamo]

She got a message from someone called 'Kperry' titled 'Fw: veep talking points'.

Who is this K Perry?

[The Senator]

She got a message from someone called 'Kperry' titled 'Fw: veep talking points'.

Who is this K Perry?

Perhaps Sarah Palin kissed a girl (and liked it)! :wow:

[ShadowBoxing]

Hahahahaha :D

[kainedamo]

Super T, I am surprised you haven't heard of the reason why she would do that.


So her and her staff's personal emails can't be used against them.

Ironic.

[ShadowBoxing]

Perhaps Sarah Palin kissed a girl (and liked it)! :wow:
I think I know what girl...

http://punditkitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/political-pictures-hillary-clinton-drunk.jpg

[gap5ewl]

I think I know what girl...

http://punditkitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/political-pictures-hillary-clinton-drunk.jpg

:lmao:

[jaguarr]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/17/palins_yahoo_account_hacked.html

This might be late, but I thought it was interesting

So, I wonder who the lucky soul on the McCain Campaign drew the short straw and has had to spend all afternoon trying to explain to John McCain why you can't just "burn all the emails" to destroy the evidence of them. :hehe:

jag

[SuperT]

Is that seriously the reason that was given about why she was using a Yahoo email account?

If so......WTF?! Are you kidding me?!

[Gilpesh]

Is that seriously the reason that was given about why she was using a Yahoo email account?

If so......WTF?! Are you kidding me?!

I think, you'll have to look through this thread and find the article about how she governed. At one point it said that people were 'encouraged' to use their personal email accounts so that no one could call to have their email accounts brought in as evidence.

[Mr. Wooden Alligator]

So was 4chan behind this email thing? Seems like something they'd do.:o

[UA-Archangel]

So was 4chan behind this email thing? Seems like something they'd do.:o

No, it was likely the work of an internet group called anonymous.

On their website, you sign up with the name anonymous and the password is also anonymous.

It's so that it's nearly impossible to trace you.

[jaguarr]

Oh, look, the lipstick wearing pig is crying foul that the Obama camp pounced on McCain for saying "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" right after the market tanked:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/17/palin-calls-obamas-economy-attacks-unfair/

September 17, 2008
Palin calls Obama's economy attacks 'unfair'
Posted: 07:00 PM ET

From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Gov. Palin discussed the economy Wednesday in her second television interview with a major national media outlet.
Gov. Palin discussed the economy Wednesday in her second television interview with a major national media outlet.

(CNN) — Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin said Wednesday it was unfair of Barack Obama to attack John McCain after the Arizona senator said the fundamentals of the economy remain strong hours after a major investment bank filed for bankruptcy protection.

“Well, it was an unfair attack on the verbiage that Senator McCain chose to use because the fundamentals, as he was having to explain afterwards, he means our workforce, he means the ingenuity of the American people. And of course, that is strong and that is the foundation of our economy," Palin said in an interview with Fox News, her second sit-down with a reporter since being named to the Republican presidential ticket nearly three weeks ago.

“Certainly it is a mess though, the economy is a mess," Palin also said. "And there have been abuses on Wall Street and that adversely effects Main Street."

Less than 12 hours after the announcements banking giant Lehman Brothers went bankrupt and Merrill Lynch was being sold, John McCain told a Florida crowd, "People are frightened by these events — our economy, I think, still, the fundamentals of our economy are strong."

The Obama campaign immediately pounced on the comment. McCain said kater in the day the strength he was referring to was that of the "American worker."


It's only unfair when it happens to your team, right, Sarah? Obama got bashed for the "lipstick on a pig" comment completely out of context. McCain got bashed for saying something truly moronic that illustrates how out of touch he is on the economy. Unfair? Not in the least. Tell John not to say stupid things if you don't want him to get pummeled for them. :funny:

jag

[gap5ewl]

The Palin/Hannity interview was on tonight. I watched the first few minutes of it but had to turn it off. Hannity was basically foaming from the mouth for her. :whatever:

[danoyse]

I hear Katie Couric is getting the next interview.

[Hobgoblin]

The "fundementals" means us? Wow, way to pander. "Ok, the housing market sucks, banks are failing, unemployment is at a 5 year high, but dont worry. You guys are great!"

That doesnt exactly inspire me with confidence.

[Gilpesh]

That doesnt exactly inspire me with confidence.

You know what. Stop belittling McCain's time as a POW... :o:o

[jaguarr]

The "fundementals" means us? Wow, way to pander. "Ok, the housing market sucks, banks are failing, unemployment is at a 5 year high, but dont worry. You guys are great!"

That doesnt exactly inspire me with confidence.

"Demogoblin, the Rothschild's and I talked through it while sipping Cristal and eating Beluga caviar while wearing fur robes somewhere over the Atlantic in our private jet, and we think you're doing a great job. Keep up the hard work." - John McCain



jag

[luke1234]

Did Palin's conference happen tonight? Where people are asking her unscripted questions?

[StrainedEyes]

Hannity is a terrible reporter. When he's talking to someone he obviously disagrees with, he snarls at them and never lets them talk.

[Hobgoblin]

"Demogoblin, the Rothschild's and I talked through it while sipping Cristal and eating Beluga caviar while wearing fur robes somewhere over the Atlantic in our private jet, and we think you're doing a great job. Keep up the hard work." - John McCain



jag

Hey, he told me what I want to hear! He's got my vote! :woot:


:csad:


Who the hell is Rothschild?

[gap5ewl]

Hannity is a terrible reporter. When he's talking to someone he obviously disagrees with, he snarls at them and never lets them talk.

That's because he's a commentator not a reporter. Commentator's aren't the best when it comes to serious interviews like that.

[StrainedEyes]

Haha. Palin's reaction to the SNL skit?

"It was hilarious. I watched it with the volume way down. I didn't really hear what was said, but the visual was spot on."

She also apparently dressed as Tina Fey for halloween once.

[Batgort]

The funny thing is that McCain had to double-talk his way into re-defining fundamentals after his original snafu.

[jaguarr]

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/17/politics/fromtheroad/entry4456592.shtml

September 17, 2008, 8:52 PM
Asked For Policy Specifics, Palin Offers Generalities
Posted by Scott Conroy| Comments23


(CBS)
From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.) Standing beside John McCain at her first town hall meeting since being named to the Republican ticket, Sarah Palin was asked what specific skills she would bring to the White House to “mitigate that concern” of her perceived lack of foreign policy experience.

"Well, I think because I am a Washington outsider that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize and they can kind of beat the candidate here who chose me as his partner to kinda tear down the ticket,” Palin said. But as for foreign policy, you know I think that I am prepared, and I know that on January 20th if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we'll be ready. I'll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness and if you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead. You can ask me. You can play stump the candidate if you want to. But we are ready to serve."

McCain then offered Palin’s experience in negotiating a $40 billion natural gas pipeleine and serving as the commander of Alaska’s National Guard.

“In fact, you may know that on September 11th a large contingent of the Alaska guards deployed to Iraq and her son happened to be one of them,” McCain said. “So I think she understands our national security challenges and we've had many conversations, and I believe I'm convinced she understands the challenges this nation faces from the threat of radical Islamic extremism as she already talked about earlier energy issues and other challenges this nation faced, and I believe she is absolutely totally qualified to address every challenge of this next vice president of the United States, not just our national security needs."

Update: Palin Spokesperson Tracey Schmitt offered the following experiences that Palin would bring to the table on foreign policy:

"As the Governor of one of our largest energy producing states, Governor Sarah Palin is uniquely qualified to speak to one of the most pressing foreign policy issues of our time; achieving independence from foreign oil.

She is Governor of the only state with two international borders – a land border with Canada and a maritime border with Russia.

She has executive experience, has promoted trade of Alaskan products to over 100 foreign destinations and met with dozens of international trade delegations.

Last year she traveled to the Middle East to visit members of the deployed Alaska National Guard troops and she has also visited wounded US troops in Germany."

Earlier at the town hall meeting, a woman rose to speak and said was a Democrat who previously supported Hillary Clinton but now backed the Republican ticket.

“Give us some details and examples of your strategies and plan for economic empowerment for women,” she said.

McCain signaled for Palin to answer the question.

“Well first let me take a shot at that, and I’ll tell ya, I’m a product of Title IX in our schools, where equal education and equal opportunities in sports really helped propel me into the—I guess into the position that I’m in today where,” Palin said.

McCain then interjected, “Could I mention she was a point guard on a state championship basketball team.”

After the crowd’s applause died down, Palin continued: “Sports were very, very important to me growing up, you know just learning about self discipline and healthy competition and about what it takes to win and even how to graciously lose sometimes. But how to win, that’s what it teaches ya. Now, I was a product of Title IX where legislation allowed that equal opportunity. Now if we have to still keep going down that road to create more legislation, to get with it in the 21st century, to make sure that women do have equality especially in the work place, then we’re there because we understand that in this age we have all got to be working together. I respect you so much that you are a Democrat recognizing that John McCain and me as a team of mavericks understand where you’re coming from, and we can work together on these issues. But yup, equality for women, for all, that’s going to be part of the agenda and I thank you for that question.”

McCain then added that equal education for all would be a priority of his administration, including the ability for lower-income female students to attend charter schools and to use school vouchers. He said that he would make an effort to hire women in his administration and to take people to court if they were found to be discriminating.

http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/09/17/mcpalin-town-hall-was-pre-ticketed/

September 17th, 2008 6:43 PM Eastern
McPalin town hall was pre-ticketed
by FOX News Political Team

FNC’S Jake Gibson reports:

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — McCain town hall style meetings are generally open to the public where anyone may wait in line on the day of the event and come in without an advanced invitation.

However, at tonight’s 3,500 person townhall in Grand Rapids, Michigan–the first time Palin is taking questions from the public– only ticketholders are allowed in.

The McCain campaign confirms that tonight’s event was advertised on the McCain/Palin Web site and local newspapers. People had to pick up their tickets at local GOP offices after RSVPing for the event.

The Kent County GOP headquarters gave out about two thousand tickets.

The rest came from GOP offices in Ottowa and Kalamazoo.

UPDATE–McCain campaign officials insist that none of the questions are being pre-screened.

:hehe:

jag

[Marx]

So, I wonder who the lucky soul on the McCain Campaign drew the short straw and has had to spend all afternoon trying to explain to John McCain why you can't just "burn all the emails" to destroy the evidence of them. :hehe:

jag

:funny:

[danoyse]

Is she really using experience as a point guard for her basketball team as a qualification to show economic empowerment for women?

I realize the significance of Title IX, but it's not like she had anything to do with its creation. She just benefitted from it.

[sinewave]

Oh, look, the lipstick wearing pig is crying foul that the Obama camp pounced on McCain for saying "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" right after the market tanked:



It's only unfair when it happens to your team, right, Sarah? Obama got bashed for the "lipstick on a pig" comment completely out of context. McCain got bashed for saying something truly moronic that illustrates how out of touch he is on the economy. Unfair? Not in the least. Tell John not to say stupid things if you don't want him to get pummeled for them. :funny:

jag

waaaahhhhh!!!! they're sooooo unfair!!!!!!

:hehe:

jag

i'm sure god will make sure she's prepared when she's sworn in. duh!

[jaguarr]

Is she really using experience as a point guard for her basketball team as a qualification to show economic empowerment for women?

I realize the significance of Title IX, but it's not like she had anything to do with its creation. She just benefitted from it.

Yes. She really is. She also stayed in a Holiday Inn last night. :dry:

jag

[Marx]

Yes. She really is. She also stayed in a Holiday Inn last night. :dry:

jag

This is really ridiculous. BEYOND ridiculous. http://www.superherohype.com/forums/images/smilies/icon13.gif

[The Senator]

That's it.

I'm putting myself in a coma for the next two months. And possible for the next four to eight years if the McCain-Mooseball ticket wins.

Beyond ridiculous, Marx? This isn't beyond ridiculous. Saying that being able to see Russia from Alaska gives her foreign policy credentials was beyond ridiculous. This is just complete and utter bull ****, to the infinite power.

[sinewave]

does she actually believe dinosaurs were around 4,000-6,000 years ago? do you guys think that will come up in an interview or a debate? if so, what are the chances she tries to dodge the question?

[Marx]

That's it.

I'm putting myself in a coma for the next two months. And possible for the next four to eight years if the McCain-Mooseball ticket wins.

Beyond ridiculous, Marx? This isn't beyond ridiculous. Saying that being able to see Russia from Alaska gives her foreign policy credentials was beyond ridiculous. This is just complete and utter bull ****, to the infinite power.

I was being polite, Jman. :cwink:

[jaguarr]

does she actually believe dinosaurs were around 4,000-6,000 years ago? do you guys think that will come up in an interview or a debate? if so, what are the chances she tries to dodge the question?

If Matt Damon has his way, that will be the first question of the debates.

jag

[Excel]

I just read her personal email got hacked. Seriously, thats low. I cant wait to hear what Obama has to say to whoever did that. Obnoxious.

[sinewave]

If Matt Damon has his way, that will be the first question of the debates.

jag

i think it's a legitimate question. if republicans paint themselves as the party of christian moralists and play up their ties to the religious right, why not bring this up? at the very least it will speak to their level of logic and judgment.

[Lightning Strykez!]

“Well, it was an unfair attack on the verbiage that Senator McCain chose to use because the fundamentals, as he was having to explain afterwards, he means our workforce, he means the ingenuity of the American people. And of course, that is strong and that is the foundation of our economy," Palin said in an interview with Fox News, her second sit-down with a reporter since being named to the Republican presidential ticket nearly three weeks ago.

This heifa...is so dumb. :dry:

[UA-Archangel]

I just read her personal email got hacked. Seriously, thats low. I cant wait to hear what Obama has to say to whoever did that. Obnoxious.

It was somebody affiliated with Anonymous.

[The Senator]

It was somebody affiliated with Anonymous.

That organization disgusts me.

[hitmanyr2k]

Ouch.....

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10435997

September 18, 2008
Sen. Hagel doubts Palin's ready
BY JOSEPH MORTON
COPYRIGHT ©2008 OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska on Wednesday became the nation's most prominent Republican officeholder to publicly question whether Sarah Palin has the experience to serve as president.

"She doesn't have any foreign policy credentials," Hagel said in an interview. "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."

Palin was elected governor of Alaska in 2006 and before that was the mayor of a small town.

Democrats have raised questions about Palin since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice presidential running mate. Most national Republican officeholders have rallied to Palin's candidacy.

Palin has cited the proximity of Alaska to Russia as evidence of her international experience.

Hagel scoffed at that notion.

"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia,'" he said. "That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."

A senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Hagel has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war and had considered making his own run for president. He skipped the Republican National Convention in favor of a trip to Central and South America.

Hagel, who says he has no plans to endorse either presidential candidate, traveled with Democratic nominee Barack Obama to the Middle East in July.

In criticizing Palin, Hagel broke with other Nebraska Republicans, including Gov. David Heineman, who have praised the selection.

Tom Kise, a McCain campaign spokesman, responded to Hagel's comments by questioning Obama's experience.

Kise pointed to statements that Obama's running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, made during the Democrats' primary fight. At that time, Biden was seeking the nomination and questioned whether Obama was prepared to be president.

"It's much more alarming that Barack Obama's own vice presidential nominee doesn't think he has the experience or the judgment for the job," Kise said.

Palin herself has addressed the question of her foreign policy experience in a recent interview with ABC News.

"We've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time," she said. "It is for no more politics as usual, and somebody's big, fat résumé, maybe, that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state."

"I'm ready," Palin said. "I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink."

Hagel offered a couple caveats on his assessment of Palin: Experience is not the only qualification for elected officials — judgment and character are indispensable.

Washington experience isn't the only kind of experience, Hagel said, and he noted that many White House occupants have been governors with no time inside the beltway.

"But I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world," Hagel said. "I think that's just a requirement."

So is Palin qualified to be president?

"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States," Hagel said.

Hagel supported McCain's unsuccessful bid for president in 2000.

Hagel said voters ultimately will decide between McCain and Obama, and he hopes that the debates will refocus both campaigns on the important issues of the day, including the economy, energy policy and international relations.

One recent squabble between the campaigns revolved around whether Obama was being sexist toward Palin when he used a turn of phrase about putting lipstick on a pig.

That kind of back-and-forth is not what the American people want or need, Hagel said.

"It's terrible," he said. "It debases the system."

[The Senator]

The real question is, when will Chuck Hagel endorse Obama? :huh:

[gap5ewl]

The real question is, when will Chuck Hagel endorse Obama? :huh:

I thaught he already did?

[DACrowe]

I watched Hannity's interview with Palin. He threw her softballs-only as I predicted and let her say her rehearsed talking points with no follow-up questions. He also phrased his questions about "Obama's attacks" and "dirty," while praising Palin and slipped in a statement in the form of question with basically "So, Obama wants to raise taxes and that's bad. Why is it so bad?"

Obama did O'Reilly. Let's see her or McCain do Olbermann. Yeah right.

[rdh007]

The real question is, when will Chuck Hagel endorse Obama? :huh:

After Obama promises him the cabinet position he wants? Except for SecDef, because that'll be Powell's after his endorsement.

[kane9321]

Perhaps Sarah Palin kissed a girl (and liked it)! :wow:

aww you beat me to it.."shakes fists"

[jaguarr]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=5830813

Experts Don't Yahoo! Over Palin's E-Mail Practices
Palin's Email Habits Echo Worst Practices of Bush Administration Says Expert
By JUSTIN ROOD

Sept. 18, 2008—

It's not a great idea to run a government using Yahoo! e-mail accounts.

That's the word from experts, anyway, reacting to news that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's Yahoo! e-mail had been hacked earlier this week. McCain's vice-presidential pick apparently used the accounts to communicate with key aides about government business.

The practice is dangerous, said experts, and can run counter to laws ensuring government is open and accountable -- a tough point for Palin, who has made "open government" a catchphrase of her political identity.

By using non-governmental email systems, "Your information is out there available, beyond the official mechanisms there to protect it," said Amit Yoran, the nation's first cybersecurity chief. Yoran is now CEO of Netwitness Corp., a computer security firm for government and private entities.

"When she's communicating about government programs, that information is not being protected with the typical precautions the government has put in place in its own risk management process," said Yoran.

Moreover, a hacked account could be used to falsify communications, noted Yoran  a point proven by one of the hackers, who used Palin's account to send a message to one of her assistants.

Two Yahoo! email accounts belonging to Palin were hacked early Tuesday by a group calling itself 'Anonymous'. Screen shots of her inbox were posted online, as well as a screenshot showing an email of an apparently personal nature from a Palin appointee to the governor.

Palin's use of the private account to discuss public business  a practice reportedly shared by her top aides  also raised concerns from open-government advocates, who fear the practice could impede the spirit of laws designed to preserve government communications and documents.

Recently, Palin's office has fought to withhold some emails from public release, saying they were exempt from disclosure because state law protected certain categories of communication, such as those related to the "deliberative process."

A state spokesman for Palin has defended the practice, saying "I don't hear any public clamor for access to internal communications of the governor's office," and blaming the issue on "some people out there blogging and talking who would like to embarrass the governor."

The McCain-Palin campaign responded to inquiries about Palin's email practice with a written statement. "This is a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy and a violation of law," read the statement, from campaign manager Rick Davis. "The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment."

Lawyer Meredith Fuchs of the Washington, D.C.-based National Security Archive has experience on this issue, having fought with the Bush White House over how it preserved emails, and why it allowed key personnel to use private email accounts controlled by the Republican National Committee. She believes Palin's email habits echo the worst practices of the Bush administration.

Government email systems typically have safeguards to preserve communications specifically for open-records purposes. "I don't know what Yahoo's policy is" on how long it saves emails, particularly after they're deleted by the user, said Fuchs, who doubted they were preserved.

That parallels the problems with White House personnel sending email through the RNC. Many of their emails "just don't exist anymore," said Fuchs. "This is very similar."

Fuchs  and open-government advocates in Alaska  worry that may be part of the governor's intent. "Maybe they did it because they thought the records wouldn't be disclosed," said Fuchs. "That raises issues possible destruction of evidence issues  if they expected litigation."

Ouch.

jag

[Prison Mike]

hacking into email is wrong but she did use a yahoo account. That's really stupid of her and quite frightening if she becomes the VP.

[SuperT]

Great article.

This coupled with the fact that Palin doesn't want to cooperate with Troopergate, and she just keeps looking like she's hiding something very dark. If you're innocent, why rebuke all the investigations? Once you're found innocent everyone else will look like a fool.

Where there's smoke....

[kane9321]

shes hiding something

[jaguarr]

To me it goes beyond whether she's really hiding something or not. She's purposefully using unsecure public email systems to conduct government business on. That's a massive security risk and shows gross negligence, never mind the primary reason someone would do such a thing is to have a path to discuss business in a matter that can't be traced, backed up or subpoenaed (even though it can be hacked in a blink). This is not something someone with good judgment does (let alone someone with good intentions). The thing these people don't take into consideration, though, is that when you send an email you aren't the only one with a copy of it. Whoever you sent it to also will have a copy and if they're using an official government email account then it can just as easily be subpoenaed; if they're using a public email system, it can just as easily be hacked. There is no such thing as secure electronic information unless you are taking extra steps to encrypt communications and use other security measures to protect them. Epic fail, Palin. Epic fail.

jag

[bunk]

From a town hall in Michigan...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Palin, there has been quite a bit of discussion about your perceived lack of foreign policy experience. And I want to give you your chance. If you could please respond to that criticism and give us specific skills that you think you have to bring to the White House to rebut that or mitigate that concern.
PALIN: Well, I think because I’m a Washington outsider that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize and they can kind of try to beat the candidates here, who chose me as his partner, to kind of tear down the ticket. But as for foreign policy, you know, I think that I am prepared and I know that on January 20th, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we’ll be ready. I’ll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness.
And if you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead and you can ask me. You can even play stump the candidate if you want to. But we are ready to serve.

Oh lord... she's gonna have to do better than that.

[jaguarr]

From a town hall in Michigan...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Palin, there has been quite a bit of discussion about your perceived lack of foreign policy experience. And I want to give you your chance. If you could please respond to that criticism and give us specific skills that you think you have to bring to the White House to rebut that or mitigate that concern.
PALIN: Well, I think because I’m a Washington outsider that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize and they can kind of try to beat the candidates here, who chose me as his partner, to kind of tear down the ticket. But as for foreign policy, you know, I think that I am prepared and I know that on January 20th, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we’ll be ready. I’ll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness.
And if you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead and you can ask me. You can even play stump the candidate if you want to. But we are ready to serve.
Oh lord... she's gonna have to do better than that.

So, her answer was basically "I'm not ready, but I will be if I'm elected! I swear!"

:dry:

jag

[StrainedEyes]

She has an awesome knack for pulling an answer far away from the question, and then tacking on a generic statement at the end, and people accept it.

[Schlosser85]

She has an awesome knack for pulling an answer far away from the question, and then tacking on a generic statement at the end, and people accept it.


Q: "Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?"
A: "I'm not one to judge." (I just want gay-related books banned from public libraries)

Q: "Do you believe the war in Iraq is a task from God?"
A: "When my son signed up to serve, I was so proud of him."

Q: "What foreign policy experience do you have?"
A: "You can see Russia from some parts of Alaska."

Q: "What specific skills qualify you for Vice President?"
A: "People try to tear me down because I'm a Washington outsider, but when you elect me, I will be ready, even if I can't explain how!"

Q: "Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?"
A: *lost stare*


Seriously, has she actually answered one single question anyone has ever asked her?

[Raiden]

She has an awesome knack for pulling an answer far away from the question, and then tacking on a generic statement at the end, and people accept it.

Which is why McCain campaign has been trying to control the kind of questions that are thrown in her way.

[jaguarr]

She has an awesome knack for pulling an answer far away from the question, and then tacking on a generic statement at the end, and people accept it.

I don't think people are buying it. More and more people are going "WTF?" when she gives these kinds of answers. She's done it too consistently, now; it's painfully obvious that she has no idea what the hell she's talking about and that she's just B.S.'ing her way through this whole thing. Even Republicans are starting to call her out, like Hagel. Hell, even Fox News has started going "WTF?" with her. I'd say her rise to fame has only just begun, but for all the reasons she had hoped it wouldn't be for.

jag

[Matt]

The funny thing is, its not people calling her out that is hurting her, its not sites like Factcheck.org reviewing what she says that is making people realize she's full of ****. Its Tina Fey and the opening skit of SNL.

[sinewave]

Ouch.....

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10435997

September 18, 2008
Sen. Hagel doubts Palin's ready
BY JOSEPH MORTON
COPYRIGHT ©2008 OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska on Wednesday became the nation's most prominent Republican officeholder to publicly question whether Sarah Palin has the experience to serve as president.

"She doesn't have any foreign policy credentials," Hagel said in an interview. "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."

Palin was elected governor of Alaska in 2006 and before that was the mayor of a small town.

Democrats have raised questions about Palin since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice presidential running mate. Most national Republican officeholders have rallied to Palin's candidacy.

Palin has cited the proximity of Alaska to Russia as evidence of her international experience.

Hagel scoffed at that notion.

"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia,'" he said. "That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."

A senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Hagel has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war and had considered making his own run for president. He skipped the Republican National Convention in favor of a trip to Central and South America.

Hagel, who says he has no plans to endorse either presidential candidate, traveled with Democratic nominee Barack Obama to the Middle East in July.

In criticizing Palin, Hagel broke with other Nebraska Republicans, including Gov. David Heineman, who have praised the selection.

Tom Kise, a McCain campaign spokesman, responded to Hagel's comments by questioning Obama's experience.

Kise pointed to statements that Obama's running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, made during the Democrats' primary fight. At that time, Biden was seeking the nomination and questioned whether Obama was prepared to be president.

"It's much more alarming that Barack Obama's own vice presidential nominee doesn't think he has the experience or the judgment for the job," Kise said.

Palin herself has addressed the question of her foreign policy experience in a recent interview with ABC News.

"We've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time," she said. "It is for no more politics as usual, and somebody's big, fat résumé, maybe, that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state."

"I'm ready," Palin said. "I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink."

Hagel offered a couple caveats on his assessment of Palin: Experience is not the only qualification for elected officials — judgment and character are indispensable.

Washington experience isn't the only kind of experience, Hagel said, and he noted that many White House occupants have been governors with no time inside the beltway.

"But I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world," Hagel said. "I think that's just a requirement."

So is Palin qualified to be president?

"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States," Hagel said.

Hagel supported McCain's unsuccessful bid for president in 2000.

Hagel said voters ultimately will decide between McCain and Obama, and he hopes that the debates will refocus both campaigns on the important issues of the day, including the economy, energy policy and international relations.

One recent squabble between the campaigns revolved around whether Obama was being sexist toward Palin when he used a turn of phrase about putting lipstick on a pig.

That kind of back-and-forth is not what the American people want or need, Hagel said.

"It's terrible," he said. "It debases the system."

i don't agree with him on every issue, but i love that he's got the balls to speak out against the idiocy of his own party.

[SuperT]

This is ridiculous:

WHY would Palin refuse to fund rape kits? Here's your answer.
by hekebolos
Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 02:54:30 PM PDT

If you've been following the story about Sarah Palin's refusal to fund rape kits as mayor of Wasilla, especially given Alaska's status as "rape central USA", you've got to be asking yourself some questions.

For example: why on earth would she do this? What possible set of priorities could someone have to justify this behavior? Surely nobody actually would actively want to pursue a policy that would lead to rapists not getting caught just for that reason alone. There has to be something else behind it.

There is. Mind you, the evidence here is circumstantial, but there's really no other logical alternative, and the conclusion is damning.

Proceed below the fold.

* hekebolos's diary :: ::
*

I suppose that when most of us who are fortunate not to have been the victim of sexual assault hear the word "rape kit", we tend to think of it specifically in terms of forensic analysis and examination--DNA collection, trauma, that whole sort of thing.

But rape kits also contain...emergency contraception.

To quote from an Alaska blogger who has provided a firsthand account of the aftermath of a sexual assault in Wasilla:

I sat with a rape victim during the "harvesting of evidence". Mascara smeared eyes stared blankly out from a cave of shame. "We've got swimmers," announced the forensic tech in the lab next door. My friend didn't look surprised. In her 60's, she was still asked if she felt the need for emergency contraception. Surviving the process would have only been compounded and made worse with an itemized bill; victimized twice courtesy of Sarah Palin and the city of Wasilla.

The rape kits that Sarah Palin had a direct role in forcing women to pay for contained emergency contraception.

Back in 2000, Governor Knowles of Alaska signed a bill that required cities in Alaska to pay for rape kits for victims--primarily owing to outrage over Wasilla's practices. As the article indicates, this bill was opposed by the Police Chief of Wasilla:

Wasilla Police Chief Charlie Fannon does not agree with the new legislation, saying the law will require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams.

"In the past weve charged the cost of exams to the victims insurance company when possible. I just dont want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer," Fannon said.

Now, if you're really a law-and-order conservative and you're willing to spend a couple of million on legal fees to get a sports complex for your town of 9,000, there's no real reason not to have taxpayers foot the bill for the $14,000 maximum annual cost for rape kits, right? Turns out there is. From the same frontiersman article:

The new bill would also make law enforcement agencies that are investigating a sexual assault responsible for the costs of testing victims for sexually transmitted diseases and emergency contraception. (emphasis mine)

But it gets even better. As our own DemocraticLuntz has reported, the McCain campaign's answer to troopergate is that Palin fired Monegan not because of personal reasons relating to state trooper and former Palin brother-in-law Mike Wooten, but because Monegan lobbied Congress for an earmark that Palin didn't request or approve of. And what was that earmark?

The McCain campaign says it can prove Monegan was fired in July because of insubordination on budget issues
...
The "last straw," the campaign said, was a trip Monegan planned to Washington in July to seek federal money for investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases.

In a July 7 e-mail, John Katz, the governor's special counsel, noted two problems with the trip: the governor hadn't agreed the money should be sought, and the request "is out of sequence with our other appropriations requests and could put a strain on the evolving relationship between the Governor and Sen. Stevens."

Now, as you can read in DL's diary linked above, Sarah Palin claimed that she was opposed to forcing rape victims to pay for an evidence-gathering test. DL says that Palin's consistent opposition to getting public funding for rape kits puts the lie to that.

Unfortunately, it doesn't. It's just that Palin's words are very carefully chosen:

Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said in an e-mail that the governor "does not believe, nor has she ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test."

"Gov. Palin's position could not be more clear," she said. "To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice."

Sarah Palin has absolutely no problem with the state paying for evidence gathering. But the problem is that a rape kit is far more than evidence-gathering. A rape kit also tests for STD's and provides emergency contraception at state expense.

The line that Sarah Palin toed was basically this: no way, no how, no public funding at the municipal, state, or federal level for rape kits that contain emergency contraception. But investigation costs, she says? No problem.

And what's so bad about emergency contraception? Well, a lot of radical pro-life groups view emergency contraception as tantamount to abortion on the grounds that it runs the risk of preventing the implantation of a fertilized ovum, which religious nutballs apparently view as the equivalent of murder.

As a matter of fact, the right-wing nutcase online rag WorldNet Daily specifically mentions the "emergency contraception = abortion" line in its article defending Palin about the rape kit controversy. Here's the article byline:

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Palin attacked over rape-kit controversy
Alaska law forces taxpayers to fund 'emergency contraception'

as if to question the validity of the term "contraception" in referring to Plan B.

One of the organizations promoting this view is none other than Feminists for Life, which proudly lists the fact right on its frontpage that one of its members, Sarah Palin, is a Vice-Presidential nominee.

The Feminists for Life organization has long maintained (warning: PDF) that emergency contraception is no better than an abortion.

And, of course, how often have you heard the term "taxpayer-funded abortion" as a right-wing talking point? The fact is, one of the main goals of the right wing fundamentalist has been to oppose any government assistance for any program that might provide funding for abortions. This forms the basis of George Bush's so-called Mexico City Policy--rescinded by Clinton and re-enacted by George Bush--forbidding any taxpayer money going to any program that funds pregancy termination, no matter what adverse consequences may result.

In sum: the only possible reason behind Sarah Palin's consistent refusal to fund rape investigation kits with taxpayer money is that they contain emergency contraception, which her religious fundamentalism views as tantamount to an abortion, and she, like George Bush, is a firm believer in the Mexico City policy.

Is there proof? Not in so many words. But Occam's Razor demands that we look for the simplest possible explanation. And it seems like this is it.

She is f****** ridiculous! No contraception or STD testing for rape victims?!?!? What the hell dude!

[Schlosser85]

Matt, I thought I could expect better of a moderator than to refer to that blatant display of sexism.

[jaguarr]

This is ridiculous:



She is f****** ridiculous! No contraception or STD testing for rape victims?!?!? What the hell dude!

Damn, that was a nice find, T. Gives a pretty good idea of how she would legislate her own morality at the expense of others. Also interesting was the Troopergate linkage; interesting that the rape-kit debacle would have a tie-in to that other controversy.

jag

[sinewave]

This is ridiculous:



She is f****** ridiculous! No contraception or STD testing for rape victims?!?!? What the hell dude!

wow! that's a perfect example of legislating based on religion-based morality. it's sickening.

[Matt]

No STD testing for rape victims isn't religion based or moral based legislation...its just cruel.

[jaguarr]

No STD testing for rape victims isn't religion based or moral based legislation...its just cruel.

When it's denied because rape kits include emergency contraception, which the people holding the purse strings disagree with due to their own religious beliefs, it becomes religion/moral based legislation.

jag

[sinewave]

From a town hall in Michigan...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Palin, there has been quite a bit of discussion about your perceived lack of foreign policy experience. And I want to give you your chance. If you could please respond to that criticism and give us specific skills that you think you have to bring to the White House to rebut that or mitigate that concern.
PALIN: Well, I think because I’m a Washington outsider that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize and they can kind of try to beat the candidates here, who chose me as his partner, to kind of tear down the ticket. But as for foreign policy, you know, I think that I am prepared and I know that on January 20th, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we’ll be ready. I’ll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness.
And if you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead and you can ask me. You can even play stump the candidate if you want to. But we are ready to serve.

Oh lord... she's gonna have to do better than that.

according to foxnews, the townhall meeting was a ticketed event and not open to the general public.

McPalin town hall was pre-ticketed
by FOX News Political Team

FNC’S Jake Gibson reports:

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — McCain town hall style meetings are generally open to the public where anyone may wait in line on the day of the event and come in without an advanced invitation.

However, at tonight’s 3,500 person townhall in Grand Rapids, Michigan–the first time Palin is taking questions from the public– only ticketholders are allowed in.

The McCain campaign confirms that tonight’s event was advertised on the McCain/Palin Web site and local newspapers. People had to pick up their tickets at local GOP offices after RSVPing for the event.

The Kent County GOP headquarters gave out about two thousand tickets.

The rest came from GOP offices in Ottowa and Kalamazoo.

UPDATE–McCain campaign officials insist that none of the questions are being pre-screened.

http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/09/17/mcpalin-town-hall-was-pre-ticketed/

[Raiden]

When it's denied because rape kits include emergency contraception, which the people holding the purse strings disagree with due to their own religious beliefs, it becomes religion/moral based legislation.

jag

This is an idiotic reason to deny victims the rape kit, and I hope Biden will call out Palin's BS during the debate.

[sinewave]

When it's denied because rape kits include emergency contraception, which the people holding the purse strings disagree with due to their own religious beliefs, it becomes religion/moral based legislation.

jag

exactly. i really hope the prosecution can successfully tie this to the troopergate/monegan firing. that will be quite damning, if so. this is getting really juicy.

[jaguarr]

I've been reading more on how Palin's email got "hacked". I wouldn't even call it getting "hacked". Someone went through a semi-anonymous proxy and used the password retrieval system Yahoo offers (which asks questions like "Where did you and your husband first meet" and "What is Wasilla's zip code?"), using the information freely available in the press about Palin, to guess her password (supposedly her password was "popcorn" which is a horribly weak password) and thus access her account. This wasn't the work of bonafide hackers. Bonafide hackers would have accessed all the emails on the AK government servers she's withholding and published those (and don't be surprised if that happens by some hacker who wants to prove a point about what a REAL hack looks like). But when they posted the screenshots, they made the mistake of including the anonymous proxy in their URL bar in the screenshot, which is all the clue anyone wanting to find the offender would need to start tracking them down. Seems the guy that owns the "anonymous" proxy says he would "probably" cooperate with government authorities if they wanted to access his logs to get the real IP of the person who did this. They better hurry, though; most cache's and logs are cleared automatically every seven days.

The Anchorage Daily News calls this using of private emails for government business out as something Palin was being criticized for long before she was selected as McCain's running mate:

http://www.adn.com/politics/story/526281.html

Governor's two e-mail accounts questioned
BLACKBERRY: Is state business on private account really transparent?

By LISA DEMER
ldemer@adn.com

(09/14/08 23:38:46)

Moments after Gov. Sarah Palin's first speech as Republican John McCain's running mate, she sat with her kids backstage, thumbing one of the two BlackBerrys that are always with her. You can see them in photographs from that day on the campaign blog of one of McCain's daughters.

The tech-savvy governor has one of the devices (which allow users to read and send e-mails) for state business, another for personal matters, but those worlds intertwine.

Palin routinely uses a private Yahoo e-mail account to conduct state business. Others in the governor's office sometimes use personal e-mail accounts too.

The practice raises questions about backdoor secrecy in an administration that vowed during the 2006 campaign to be "open and transparent."

Even before the McCain campaign plucked Palin from Alaska, a controversy was brewing over e-mails in the governor's office. Was the administration trying to get around the public records law through broad exemptions or private e-mail accounts?

Activists, still fighting to obtain hundreds of e-mails that were withheld from public records requests earlier this year, say that's what it looks like.

The governor's Yahoo account is "the most nonsensical, inane thing I've ever heard of," said Andree McLeod, who is appealing the administration's decision to withhold e-mails.

"The governor sets the tone and the tone that has been set by this governor is beyond the pale," McLeod said. "Common sense tells you to use an official state e-mail account for official state business."

Palin, busy with the vice presidential campaign, did not respond to requests for comment or answer an e-mail sent to her Yahoo account. The Washington Post included Palin's Yahoo e-mail address in a recent story, so she may not be using that one anymore.

Her staff says the governor is open -- within reason and within the law.

She is allowed to keep e-mails confidential if they fall into certain categories, such as "deliberative process," said her press secretary, Bill McAllister.

And, he said later, she appropriately uses her personal Yahoo account for political activities.

"I don't hear any public clamor for access to internal communications of the governor's office," McAllister said. "I know there are some people out there blogging and talking who would like to embarrass the governor by taking an internal communication and spinning it in some fashion."

Anyway, state lawyers say that the governor's e-mails about public business should be treated like any other public record, even if she's sent them through a private account such as Yahoo.

Some of her aides also routinely use Yahoo, but even messages sent from one private account to another should be public, if they concern public business, said Dave Jones, an assistant attorney general.

"The difficulty is finding out they exist," Jones said.

LOST HISTORY

It's a new twist on an old problem: How to keep an eye on the government. And Palin's expected absences from Alaska for the presidential campaign add urgency to the debate. Is she going to be running the state long-distance on her BlackBerry?

Some experts on open government say officials around the country escape scrutiny by either quickly deleting e-mails or using private accounts, as Palin has done.

"Where you've got a governor apparently using a Yahoo account for state business, that's kind of a complete inversion of what ought to be happening in terms of public records," said Charles Davis, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and a Missouri journalism associate professor.

"E-mail that's public business ought to be done on public accounts that can become public record," he said.

The Bush administration has drawn heat over revelations that more than 80 White House aides, including senior Bush adviser Karl Rove, used private GOP e-mail servers for government business. The controversy surfaced during congressional investigations into White House contacts with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and into the firings of U.S. attorneys.

The Bush administration couldn't provide uncounted numbers of e-mails needed for evidence because they weren't on a government server, according to a 2007 report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

In Texas, Gov. Rick Perry's office routinely deletes all e-mail after seven days, Davis said. After controversy about the practice, aides were told to print out and file business-related e-mails, but open government advocates questioned whether that would always happen, according to the Dallas Morning News.

In Missouri, Gov. Matt Blunt has been embroiled in litigation over access to e-mails in his office.

"Clearly, the worry is we're losing our history bit by bit and piece by piece," he said.

"WHOOPS"

Just how much of the state's business does Palin conduct through her BlackBerrys? Her chief of staff didn't respond to that question. But she often is glued to her devices.

Her Yahoo e-mails got the attention of political activists Zane Henning, a Wasilla resident and North Slope worker, and McLeod, a former legislative staffer and Republican who has run for state House and mayor.

In response to similar but separate public records requests, McLeod and Henning this summer received four banker boxes of e-mail and telephone records for two Palin aides: Frank Bailey and Ivy Frye. Henning was operating on behalf of the Valley group Last Frontier Foundation, which lists property rights and public records as among its core issues on its Web site.

"I think that it's total hypocrisy from what she stood for at the beginning of her campaign," Henning said. "Because she campaigned on open government, and she knew that using a private e-mail account would take it and basically hide stuff that people couldn't see."

As far as McLeod can tell, all but one of the e-mails to the governor used her private e-mail address. The one time an aide e-mailed the governor's state account, he was reminded not to.

"Frank, This is not the Governor's personal e-mail account," an assistant to Palin wrote to Bailey in February.

"Whoops~!" Bailey responded in an e-mail.

The state withheld about 1,100 e-mails, citing exemptions for deliberative process, executive privilege, attorney/client privilege, privacy and personnel. If McLeod's appeal fails, Henning said he's going to take the matter to court.

In one e-mail string among the volumes turned over, Frye wanted to know if she would be audited or "dinged in any way" if her personal and state e-mails all routed to the same device.

"I would gladly buy my own blackberry if it and its contents were truely mine. Any thoughts here?" Frye wrote on March 17 at 10:56 a.m.

Administrators were waiting for guidance on confidentiality issues from the state Department of Law, Kim Garnero, state Division of Finance director, wrote back at 11:06 a.m. But using a personal device made an audit much less likely, she wrote.

Frye later forwarded strings about the personal e-mail issue to Palin and her husband, Todd.

In April, Frye asked the state's information technology office for help in getting her BlackBerry to default to her Yahoo account.

Frye did not respond to requests for comment.

In an interview with the Daily News, Garnero said concerns about an audit were related to IRS tax implications for employees with state cell phones or BlackBerrys that are used at times for personal business.

The state would like employees to buy their own. The state then will pay $75 a month toward a BlackBerry or similar device or $40 toward a cell phone, if needed for the job.

Employees aren't trying to get around public records law but just don't want to carry two cell phones or BlackBerrys, Annette Kreitzer, commissioner of the state Department of Administration, wrote in an e-mail to the Daily News.

"They want to know what the law is, where the boundaries are, so they can use as few communications devices as possible and still be able to do their jobs and communicate with their families when they are going to be late for dinner," Kreitzer wrote.

NO ARCHIVING OF YAHOO?

Last month, the state Attorney General's Office issued a 13-page opinion about how much personal use of state cell phones, laptops and other devices is appropriate. The bottom line: no more than 30 minutes or 5 percent of the monthly allowance should go for personal use, and employees shouldn't use state equipment at all for political purposes.

The opinion, by assistant Attorney General Julia Bockmon, also addressed personal e-mail and cell phone accounts. Personal communications are not public records, but state business records on personal devices are, she wrote. Personal call records and e-mails could be reviewed by a state official or court to locate any that concern public business, she wrote.

No one in the Palin administration could say if the governor is saving her Yahoo e-mails. If she's emptying her e-mail trash, they are zapped from Yahoo's storage system within days or at the longest, months, according to the company.

"If you are asking do we have those e-mails, then the answer is no," said Anand Dubey, director of the state's Enterprise Technology Services. "We don't control Yahoo or Gmail or Hotmail or anything like that."

Dean Dawson, state records manager, is working on an e-mail archive system for state employees, who tend to want to hang onto e-mail forever, he said. E-mail records should be kept as long as paper records of the same type -- for instance, three years for general correspondence, he said. Top executives such as commissioners and the governor often must keep records longer, under state schedules.

So what about archiving Yahoo e-mails that concern public business?

"That's kind of the gray fuzzy area right now," Dawson said. "I think they would be transferring that data to another medium and then retaining it as a public record."

They could download it onto a state computer, for instance.

"Because if that couldn't be done, then they should not be conducting state business on personal devices or even on state portable devices," Dawson said.

McAllister, the governor's press secretary, says not all the governor's e-mails should become public.

"Open and transparent does not mean that you lose all common sense and conduct everything out in the open," he said. "I mean, obviously, you have to have people be able to think out loud, have discussions and debates, you know, and resolve things.

"And I don't think the public expects us to inundate them, flood them, with all kinds of communications that they don't need, when in fact, the final decisions will be public, will be documented, will be substantiated, and they always have been."

They raise a VERY good point about the idea of government transparency and accountability that Palin seems to pledge as a core value for her and the fact that her actions, including her usage of private email accounts for government business, refusing to release requested emails key to the Troopergate investigation and refusing to talk to the investigatory committee regarding the Troopergate scandal, are all in direct conflict with this message she professes to champion.

jag

[Marx]

The funny thing is, its not people calling her out that is hurting her, its not sites like Factcheck.org reviewing what she says that is making people realize she's full of ****. Its Tina Fey and the opening skit of SNL.

Never underestimate the power of SNL...especially in this election cycle.

[Gilpesh]

The funny thing is, its not people calling her out that is hurting her, its not sites like Factcheck.org reviewing what she says that is making people realize she's full of ****. Its Tina Fey and the opening skit of SNL.

Never underestimate the power of SNL...especially in this election cycle.

Definitely. Good thing for everyone that Fey is thinking about doing more... at least I heard that somewhere.

[jaguarr]

Definitely. Good thing for everyone that Fey is thinking about doing more... at least I heard that somewhere.

I have a feeling Fey realllllly doesn't like Palin at all and after seeing how big of a success her portrayal was in attracting attention to how ridiculous Palin really is to people who weren't paying attention before, she's thinking maybe it's worth making time to continue the gag a bit longer.

jag

[rdh007]

Never underestimate the power of SNL...especially in this election cycle.

Ahhhhh yes, when we learned that the media loved Obama and hated Hillary. Like at least 43% of the electorate.

[Marx]

Definitely. Good thing for everyone that Fey is thinking about doing more... at least I heard that somewhere.

I have a feeling Fey realllllly doesn't like Palin at all and after seeing how big of a success her portrayal was in attracting attention to how ridiculous Palin really is to people who weren't paying attention before, she's thinking maybe it's worth making time to continue the gag a bit longer.

jag

I fully expect Tina Fey to revisit her role as Sarah Palin. I would be shocked if she didn't...especially after the huge reception it got.

[Marx]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

[Gilpesh]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

Rats abandoning a sinking ship?

[bunk]

That's incredibly insulting to rats.

[jaguarr]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

It's a trick. :o

Seriously, what the hell is up with Rove, lately? It's like he's purposefully trying to sabotage McCain and Palin. And, you know...knowing that Bush probably still doesn't like McCain, and taking into account that Rove is still Bush's boy, he might just be taking shots at the McCain Campaign because the Bush Camp doesn't like McCain, pure and simple.

jag

[Comicfilmer]

Methinks the honey moon will soon be over. The polls are evening out and Obama is even starting to retake the lead.

[kane9321]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

its a jedi mind trick:boba:

[Marx]

It's a trick. :o

Seriously, what the hell is up with Rove, lately? It's like he's purposefully trying to sabotage McCain and Palin. And, you know...knowing that Bush probably still doesn't like McCain, and taking into account that Rove is still Bush's boy, he might just be taking shots at the McCain Campaign because the Bush Camp doesn't like McCain, pure and simple.

jag

Maybe he is hoping to derail the McCain campaign. A derailment that could lead to another harder right candidate in 2012?

[jaguarr]

I think the honeymoon is already over and has been since the end of last week. Ever since her Gibson interview, Palin's star has been fizzling out. Tina Fey's portrayal of her added to that and now her dunce-caliber performance in John McCain's town-hall yesterday and her softball interview with Hannity where she sounded like a damn robot playing back recorded answers have only hastened it. She may have had a meteoric rise but I think the flames are just about out and she's close to being a giant hunk of rock, hurling back towards Earth at ever-increasing speeds and destined to crash and burn, killing everything around it in the process (like the McCain Campaign).

jag

[sasquatchs]

Sarah Palin's wasteful ways

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/17/palin_mayor/

She poses as a fiscal watchdog, but when Palin was mayor, she grabbed city funds to give her office a pricey "bordello" makeover.

Sept. 17, 2008 | WASILLA, Alaska -- Sarah Palin has been touting herself as fiscal watchdog throughout her political career. But Palin's tenure as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, was characterized by waste, cronyism and incompetence, according to government officials in the Matanuska Valley, where she began her fairy-tale political rise.

"Executive abilities? She doesn't have any," said former Wasilla City Council member Nick Carney, who selected and groomed Palin for her first political race in 1992 and served with her after her election to the City Council.

Four years later, the ambitious Palin won the Wasilla mayor's office -- after scorching the "tax and spend mentality" of her incumbent opponent. But Carney, Palin's estranged former mentor, and others in city hall were astounded when they found out about a lavish expenditure of Palin's own after her 1996 election. According to Carney, the newly elected mayor spent more than $50,000 in city funds to redecorate her office, without the council's authorization.

"I thought it was an outrageous expense, especially for someone who had run as a budget cutter," said Carney. "It was also illegal, because Sarah had not received the council's approval."

According to Carney, Palin's office makeover included flocked, red wallpaper. "It looked like a bordello."

Although Carney says he no longer has documentation of the expenditures, in his recollection Palin paid for the office face-lift with money from a city highway fund that was used to plow snow, grade roads and fill potholes -- essential municipal services, particularly in weather-battered Alaska.

Carney confronted Mayor Palin at a City Council hearing, and was shocked by her response.

"I braced her about it," he said. "I told her it was against the law to make such a large expenditure without the council taking a vote. She said, 'I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'"

"I'll never forget it -- it's one of the few times in my life I've been speechless," Carney added. "It would have been easier for her to finesse it. She had the votes on the council by then, she controlled it. But she just pushed forward. That's Sarah. She just has no respect for rules and regulations."

Carney, who comes from a long-established homesteading family in the area and once ran the city's garbage collection business, has decided to speak out for the first time since Palin's vice-presidential nomination. He is viewed as a longtime Palin gadfly, ever since he sided with her opponent in the 1996 mayor's race. After Palin won, she froze out Carney, refusing to call on him at City Council meetings and deep-sixing his proposals. "That's the way Sarah is," Carney said. "She rewards friends and cuts everyone else off at the knees."

Other local officials -- who lack Carney's acrimonious history with Palin -- share his dim view of her mayoral reign. When Palin ran for mayor, she dismissed concerns about her lack of managerial expertise by saying the job was "not rocket science." But after a tumultuous start, marked by controversial firings and lawsuits against the city, Palin felt compelled to hire a city manager named John Cramer to steady the ship.

"Sarah was unprepared to be mayor -- it was John Cramer who actually ran the city," said Michelle Church, a member of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, who knows Palin socially. "As vice-president she'll certainly have to rely on faceless advisors with no public accountability. Haven't we had enough of that in the past eight years?"

Other officials in the borough government -- the equivalent of county government in other states -- point out that Palin actually had very little executive responsibility, since the borough oversees many of Wasilla's vital functions.

"After all her boasting about her executive experience, what did she do?" asks a longtime borough official, who, like many in local circles, requested anonymity because of Palin's reputation for vengeance. "The borough takes care of most of the planning, the fire, the ambulance, collecting the property taxes. And on top of that she brought in a city manager to actually run the city day to day. So what executive experience did she have as mayor?"

Palin does have two major accomplishments to her name as mayor: the by now highly publicized sports complex on the outskirts of Wasilla, which she pushed through city government, and the less well-known emergency dispatch center, which she also brought to her hometown.

The sports complex, however, is seen by many local officials as a budget-busting white elephant.

"I feel sorry for our current mayor, because of the mess that Sarah left behind," said Anne Kilkenny, a respected government watchdog in Wasilla. "And the sports arena is still a money loser for the city."

"Sarah was very focused on the sports complex," said Wasilla council member Dianne Woodruff, who began serving after Palin's tenure. "But somebody forgot to buy the land before they started building on it. Somebody dropped the ball. It was the fault of the people running the city at the time. As a result, we've spent well over a million dollars more than we should have. And we're still paying for it."

Today, the sports complex sits like a huge airplane hangar outside the Wasilla city limits, in a clearing in the woods. Since Palin's administration decided to build the complex far from Wasilla's population center, kids can't walk there or ride their bicycles. On a recent, drizzly afternoon, the cavernous building sat nearly empty. Inside, two girls glided aimlessly around on the ice rink.

But the quiet arena still held Palin's charged presence. A wall plaque commemorated Mayor Sarah Palin and her City Council for constructing the edifice. And on the walls, big, bold quotations urged young athletes to attempt impossible, Sarah Barracuda-like feats: "'You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.' -- Wayne Gretzky."

Local officials are also highly critical of Palin's decision to build an emergency dispatch center -- even though Wasilla and nearby Palmer already shared the costs of an emergency operation for the Mat-Su Valley. As a result of the duplication, there are now two expensive operations for an area with 85,000 people, while the city of Anchorage, with a population of over 300,000, makes do with one emergency station.

"Don't tell me about earmarks," snorts a borough official. "Because of Palin's ego, she couldn't stand the idea of sharing an emergency dispatch operation with Palmer, which has been Wasilla's town rival ever since her high school basketball days. So she ran to [Senator] Ted Stevens to get an earmark for her own system. Now we have two expensive emergency systems and both are losing money. She's no budget cutter -- give me a break. She's just the opposite."

Nick Carney, who is now retired in Utah, has a lot of time to ponder Sarah Palin's rise these days. When he and his wife picked Palin to run for City Council in 1992, because they felt the council needed an average-mom type like her, Carney had no idea how far their protégé would soar. "It was a very casual process, she wasn't even our first choice. We had known her since she was a girl, she went to school with our daughter. It wasn't that she was the brightest thing on the horizon, a rising star or anything like that."

But, in hindsight, Carney can see the qualities that have rocket-propelled Palin to where she is today.

"'Sarah Barracuda' -- she's proud of that name now, she uses it in her campaigns," said her former mentor. "But she got that name from the way she conducted herself with her own teammates. She was vicious to the other girls, always playing up to the coach and pointing out when the other girls made mistakes. She was the coach's favorite and he gave her more playing time than her skills warranted. My niece was on her team; she was a very good player. I used to sit there in the stands, and I would wonder, Why on earth is Sarah getting so much playing time?"
These articles are so entertaining, but kind of scary

[Comicfilmer]

I think the honeymoon is already over and has been since the end of last week. Ever since her Gibson interview, Palin's star has been fizzling out. Tina Fey's portrayal of her added to that and now her dunce-caliber performance in John McCain's town-hall yesterday and her softball interview with Hannity where she sounded like a damn robot playing back recorded answers have only hastened it. She may have had a meteoric rise but I think the flames are just about out and she's close to being a giant hunk of rock, hurling back towards Earth at ever-increasing speeds and destined to crash and burn, killing everything around it in the process (like the McCain Campaign).

jag

Don't be shy. Tell us how you really feel. :hehe:

[jaguarr]

Red, flocked wallpaper? Seriously?

jag

[Mikelus]

This is an idiotic reason to deny victims the rape kit, and I hope Biden will call out Palin's BS during the debate.

Is a shame so many Americans are so ignorant. I know is just a minority of extremists, but there are millions of them in the US and because of them, McCain picked Palin. They talk so much about "values" but don't have real compassion and lie constantly, they're dishonest and indecent, maybe their "God" will punish them for it. :oldrazz:

[Marx]

PALIN AND MCCAIN SPEECHES INTERRUPTED BY PROTESTERS
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/protesters-interrupt-palin-and-mccain-speeches/

[jaguarr]

PALIN AND MCCAIN SPEECHES INTERRUPTED BY PROTESTERS
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/protesters-interrupt-palin-and-mccain-speeches/


September 18, 2008
Protesters interrupt Palin and McCain speeches (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/protesters-interrupt-palin-and-mccain-speeches/)
Posted: 01:15 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/tag/cnn-political-producer-peter-hamby/)
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/18/art.screen.cnn.jpg John McCain and Sarah Palin were interrupted by protestors Thursday.

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/.element/img/2.0/mosaic/base_skins/baseplate/corner_wire_BL.gif

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (CNN) — Sarah Palin’s introduction of John McCain in Cedar Rapids Thursday was noisily interrupted by a small group of anti-war protesters from the University of Iowa, who sparked a back-and-forth of shouting that drowned out at least four minutes of her remarks.
Palin kept speaking throughout the disruption, but her remarks were nearly unintelligible to much of the audience inside the airplane hangar where the rally was held.
About five minutes into Palin’s speech, four female students from the University of Iowa Feminist Majority and Anti-War Alliance held up a cloth banner, and began a loud anti-war chant in the middle of the crowd. An advance staffer tore the banner form their hands and other members of the audience shouted them down with chants of “USA! USA!” and “SARAH! SARAH!”
It was several minutes before the women were escorted from the venue.
The demonstration should have come as no surprise to McCain-Palin advance staff: a local newspaper, The Gazette, reported earlier that the protesters would be in attendance Thursday.
Another protester disrupted McCain’s speech about half an hour later, sparking an even louder, but shorter, commotion.
Palin stumbled out of the gate on arriving in Cedar Rapids. The Alaska governor told the audience that she was thrilled to be in “Grand Rapids,” the Michigan city where the campaign had just overnighted.

Filed under: John McCain (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/presidential-candidates/john-mccain/) • Sarah Palin (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/sarah-palin/)


So, in other words, the protesters didn't really affect the speech all that much. :funny:


jag

[danoyse]

PALIN AND MCCAIN SPEECHES INTERRUPTED BY PROTESTERS
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/protesters-interrupt-palin-and-mccain-speeches/

Haha:

Palin stumbled out of the gate on arriving in Cedar Rapids. The Alaska governor told the audience that she was thrilled to be in “Grand Rapids,” the Michigan city where the campaign had just overnighted.

I'm sure Obama would have known which of the 57 states he was campaigning in. :oldrazz:

[Marx]

So, in other words, the protesters didn't really affect the speech all that much. :funny:


Haha:

I'm sure Obama would have known which of the 57 states he was campaigning in. :oldrazz:

:hehe:

[danoyse]

So, in other words, the protesters didn't really affect the speech all that much. :funny:


jag

Here's what they missed:

-Thanks but no thanks to the bridge to nowhere.

-I put the plane on ebay.

-Drill baby, drill!

Did you see in the comments section someone mentioned McCain speaking to auto-workers and a group started an "Obama" chant? Whoops.

[SuperT]

Just for everyones information, this is what's in a rape kit, going by what wikipedia says:

A sexual assault evidence collection kit contains commonly available examination tools such as:

- Detailed instructions for the examiner
- Forms for documentation
- Tube for blood sample
- Urine sample container
- Paper bags for clothing collection
- Large sheet of paper for patient to undress over
- Cotton swabs for biological evidence collection
- Sterile water
- Sterile saline
- Glass slides
- Unwaxed dental floss
- Wooden stick for fingernail scrapings
- Envelopes or boxes for individual evidence samples
- Labels

Other items needed for a forensic/medical exam and treatment that may not be included in the rape kit are:

- Woods lamp
- Toluidine blue dye
- Drying rack for wet swabs and/or clothing
- Patient gown, cover sheet, blanket, pillow
- Needles/syringes for blood drawing
- Speculums
- Post-It Notes used to collect trace evidence
- Camera (35 mm, digital, or Polaroid), film, batteries
- Medscope and/or colcoscope
- Microscope
- Surgilube
- Acetic acid diluted spray
- Medications
- Clean clothing and shower/hygiene items for the victim's use after the exam

So it looks like the rape kits were just for forensic purposes, so if she had such a big deal with the contraceptives being in the kits, why didn't she just have them removed and leave that part up to the health department, instead of being an idiot and discontinuing them all together, screwing over rape vicitims??!

Oh and this is pretty interesting too!

Nationally, victims' advocates have for years reported scattered instances of rape victims being required to pay for their forensic tests, says Ilse Knecht of the National Center for Victims of Crime in Washington. Those complaints have subsided somewhat after Congress in 2005 passed a law requiring states to provide rape exams free of charge or reimburse victims for the costs, says Knecht, whose group supported the provision.

"The reason we passed the legislation was that we saw it was prevalent enough to be a pretty considerable problem," Knecht says. "There are no other victims of crime that end up being billed for evidence collection."

The Senate version of the legislation that included the rape-exam provision was sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was one of 58 co-sponsors; Republican presidential nominee John McCain was not.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-10-rape-exams_N.htm

You just can't make this **** up people!!

[sinewave]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

thank you, turd blossom. keep up the good work!

[Marx]

PALIN APPEAL FADING
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/18/palin.appeal/index.html

[sinewave]

Just for everyones information, this is what's in a rape kit, going by what wikipedia stays:



So it looks like the rape kits were just for forensic purposes, so if she had such a big deal with the contraceptives being in the kits, why did she just have them removed and leave that part up to the health department, instead of being and idiot and discontinuing them all together, screwing over rape vicitims??!

Oh and this is pretty interesting too!



You just can't make this **** up people!!

dayum!

[luke1234]

ROVE: PALIN EXCITMENT WILL DIE DOWN (Who is this guy and what did he do with the real Karl Rove?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/rove-palin-excitement-will-die-down/

It was just a matter of time before this happened. Sure it was a good surprise and really hyped of the party but now the true facts are being released and once Biden rips her during the VP debate, she is definitely going to sink down.

[Shifty]

I fully expect Tina Fey to revisit her role as Sarah Palin. I would be shocked if she didn't...especially after the huge reception it got.

She probably won't this week as the Emmys are on Sunday so she's probably in LA. There could be a pre-recorded sketch or they may focus on Obama/McCain this week.
She could make a reference if she does win for Best Actress or her show wins Best Comedy again.

[UA-Archangel]

That organization disgusts me.

Who does? :oldrazz:

[The Senator]

Who does? :oldrazz:

Anonymous.

[Comicfilmer]

Waitaminute...isn't that the same group that goes after the "church" of Scientology?

[The Senator]

Waitaminute...isn't that the same group that goes after the "church" of Scientology?

Yes.

And by "goes after," you mean "dresses up in ridiculous Halloween costumes and arrogantly expects me to give two damns about their 'cause.'"

[jaguarr]

Seriously....red, flocked wallpaper? Really? :huh:

jag

[Darthphere]

Hawt!

[SuperT]

palin's transparency proposal already exists in d.c.
Posted: 02:10 pm et

cedar rapids, iowa (cnn) – sarah palin likes to tell voters around the country about how she “put the government checkbook online” in alaska. On thursday, palin suggested she would take that same proposal to washington.

“we’re going to do a few new things also,” she said at a rally in cedar rapids. “for instance, as alaska’s governor, i put the government’s checkbook online so that people can see where their money’s going. We’ll bring that kind of transparency, that responsibility, and accountability back. We’re going to bring that back to d.c.”

there’s just one problem with proposing to put the federal checkbook online – somebody’s already done it. His name is barack obama.

in 2006 and 2007, obama teamed up with republican sen. Tom coburn to pass the federal funding accountability and transparency act, also known as “google for government.” the act created a free, searchable web site – usaspending.gov — that discloses to the public all federal grants, contracts, loans and insurance payments.


In june of this year, obama and coburn introduced new senate legislation to expand the information available online to include details on earmarks, competitive bidding, criminal activities, audit disputes and other government information.

Palin might also have noted that her running mate, john mccain, was an original co-sponsor of the 2006 transparency bill that became law.

Update: A campaign spokesperson insisted that palin was referring not to that specific proposal, but rather to "that kind of transparency in general."

owned!! So owned!

[jaguarr]

owned!! So owned!

LMAO! And Obama reached across party lines to own Palin pre-emptively before she even knew she was going to be running for VP. That's the kind of foresight he has! LOL! :lmao:

jag

[sinewave]

owned!! So owned!

so much for obama not passing any significant bi-partisan legislation.

i love the little attempt at spin at the end of the article.

[Marx]

owned!! So owned!

Is this true? I wasn't aware of that.

[Marx]

HAGEL: PALIN EXPERIENCE A 'STRETCH'
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/18/hagel-palin-experience-a-%e2%80%98stretch%e2%80%99/

[BlackestNight]

Anonymous.

There pretty much the Mxyzptk of the internet. Now they want to be Batmanish. I think they need to stay out of the national scene and stick to City Council men, Mayors, and (Scientology):whatever:.

[hitmanyr2k]

Is this true? I wasn't aware of that.

http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=LatestNews.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=8dcb8c35-802a-23ad-4d37-9c8ea9c43460

It's a shame you rarely hear Obama talk about this kind of legislation being passed since it highlights his "change" message and working across party lines to get things done.

The McCain campaign needs to coach Palin better than this. There's no excuse for not omitting that part in the script...especially when it brings attention to your opponent's record in a positive light.

[souvlaki]

Oops. just realized someone already posted that article. Nothing to see here.

[Carcharodon]

owned!! So owned!What's with the awful lack of capitalization in that article? It's terrible. WTF? Was it re-typed?

[SuperT]

I have no idea what went wrong with the capitalization. I got it from the CNN Political Ticker, then when I came here and copy & pasted it, all the capital letters went to lowercase. lol

[bunk]

"That's exactly what we're going to do in a Palin/McCain administration..."

Doh!

[Marx]

"That's exactly what we're going to do in a Palin/McCain administration..."

Doh!

Oops! :wow:

[Marx]

'STOP IRAN' GROUP DISINVITES PALIN
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/18/stop-iran-group-disinvites-palin/

[ShadowBoxing]

'STOP IRAN' GROUP DISINVITES PALIN
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/18/stop-iran-group-disinvites-palin/
To Sarah Palin...

Z1xqm7gmBjs

[Gilpesh]

Congrats Sarah Palin!

She's completely shut down the investigation into abuse of power until after the election!

Wooooooo hoooo! Democracy!

[jaguarr]

Congrats Sarah Palin!

She's completely shut down the investigation into abuse of power until after the election!

Wooooooo hoooo! Democracy!

Hmmm...I saw where the McCain Campaign was saying that Todd Palin would ignore his subpoenas to appear and testify in the investigation as would her staff, but I haven't seen anything that says that the investigation has been postponed until after the election. Did the lawsuits filed on her behalf to stop the investigation bear fruit? I'm not finding anything on the major news outlets.

jag

[Excel]

That might be even worse, its like admitting there is something wrong.

[Gilpesh]

I think the bipartisan committee is thinking of putting it off because no one is going to show up even with subpoenas.

Which shows just lovely support for the justice system of this country.

[Marx]

I think the bipartisan committee is thinking of putting it off because no one is going to show up even with subpoenas.

Which shows just lovely support for the justice system of this country.

If they are served with a subpoena and they fail to show up to court, they are in contempt of court and should be put in jail. They are not above the law!

[jaguarr]

I think the bipartisan committee is thinking of putting it off because no one is going to show up even with subpoenas.

Which shows just lovely support for the justice system of this country.

Hmmm....hadn't read that anywhere. At any rate, I'm just waiting for some REAL hackers to get into her government system emails and publish those all over the damn net. Some of the blackhat community is pissed off that the lame-ass accessing of her Yahoo accounts that Anonymous perpetrated is being called actual hacking because it's anything but. I'm hearing rumblings that some of them may hack her for real just to prove a point about what's really harcking(most of these types are anarchists and could care less about politics or partisan sides of the aisle). If that happens, I suspect we'll see all KINDS of interesting info about Palin come out that the press hasn't had access to before. Could get real, real interesting.

jag

[jaguarr]

If they are served with a subpoena and they fail to show up to court, they are in contempt of court and should be put in jail. They are not above the law!

You know, I do agree, Marx. If any one of us ignored a subpoena we'd be in the clink for it. They should be subject to the same laws as the rest of us.

jag

[Gilpesh]

If they are served with a subpoena and they fail to show up to court, they are in contempt of court and should be put in jail. They are not above the law!

You know, I do agree, Marx. If any one of us ignored a subpoena we'd be in the clink for it. They should be subject to the same laws as the rest of us.

jag

You f**kin' sexists.

You two should ashamed of yourselves.









:csad:

[jaguarr]

You f**kin' sexists.

You two should ashamed of yourselves.









:csad:

Sounds like maybe you'd like a subpoena, too! :cmad:

jag

[Excel]

If they are served with a subpoena and they fail to show up to court, they are in contempt of court and should be put in jail. They are not above the law!

Like I said....avoiding it might be a lot worse for the campaign than testifying.

[jaguarr]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803492_pf.html

Palin Attuned More to Public Will, Less to Job's Details

By Amy Goldstein, Kimberly Kindy and Steven Mufson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 19, 2008; A04

It was three days before the legislature was to go home, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was frustrated. The state Senate was thwarting a reduction she wanted in the fee for business licenses. So the governor's aides culled records at the state Department of Commerce for the e-mail addresses of nearly 23,000 Alaskan business owners.

Using the addresses, Palin sent a mass "special message" with her official portrait, the state seal and a backdrop of snow-rimmed mountains. "I urge you to contact your senator TODAY," she wrote, enclosing the phone number of every member of the state Senate.

Lawmakers and other critics were livid. The governor, they complained, had misused state records, violating people's privacy and flouting an ethics rule that forbids Alaska's state employees to use information to which they have access for personal or political benefit. Palin insisted she had done nothing wrong. And the legislature reduced the fee.

The episode in April over the license fee, which went from $100 to $50, illustrates central aspects of Palin's style of governing during her 21 months as Alaska's chief executive. According to lawmakers, senior gubernatorial aides and others who have watched her closely, the woman chosen by Republican Sen. John McCain as his vice presidential running mate has little interest in political give-and-take, or in sustained working relationships with legislators or other important figures around the state. Nor has she proven particularly attentive to the details of public policy. "She's not known for burning the midnight oil on in-depth policy issues," said Larry Persily, a former journalist who was associate director of the governor's Washington office until the spring.

But those who know her say Palin, 44, is uncommonly deft at something else: sensing the mood of her constituents, shaping her public messages and harnessing a remarkable personal popularity to accomplish what she wants. "She has an incredible pulse on the public will," said Bruce Botelho, a Democrat who is mayor of Juneau, the state capital.

"She tends to . . . create a situation where legislators are cornered -- going against her would be political suicide," said John Bitney, who grew up with Palin, was her campaign policy director and became her first legislative liaison.

Her ear for the job insecurities of Alaskans has blended with her pro-business conservatism, making the state's economic development her main priority.

To that end, she has taken on environmental restrictions and members of her own party -- even a co-chairman of her campaign who is a gray eminence of Alaska politics. She has instituted tax breaks that could prove lucrative to small oil and gas exploration firms; sued the Bush administration over listing polar bears as a threatened species because the listing could stop oil drilling; spoken out against a state referendum that could have impeded a giant copper and gold mine proposed near the world's largest salmon run; and sought bids for a geothermal project near a volcano. She favors oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, something McCain has opposed.

Yet Palin has been less ideologically pure than the public image she has cultivated. An avowed fiscal conservative, she has increased state spending by about one-fifth since taking office. An ardent opponent of abortion, she did not fight for measures requiring parental consent and banning the procedure opponents call "partial birth" abortion -- bills the legislature ultimately defeated. A proponent of public safety, she has drawn criticism for devoting too little money to the state police and public safety projects.

Her admirers view her as gutsy and sure-footed; her detractors see her as reckless and insular. She relies heavily on a small coterie of senior advisers, and her husband, Todd, an oilfield worker and commercial fisherman, is present in the statehouse to a degree unusual for a first spouse, sitting in on news conferences, occasional Cabinet meetings and private sessions with lawmakers.

With her independent streak and her method of governing by leveraging her popular appeal, some who know Palin wonder privately how she would adapt as second-in-command in a McCain administration. Others can envision a natural role she might play. "She is going to be the deliverer of the message," said Bitney, who is now chief of staff to the state House speaker, "as opposed to sitting down and hashing out the war strategy for the Mideast."

Reform-Minded Voters

Palin rose to power at a singular moment in the history of a state whose political culture and economy are unlike those anywhere else in the United States. More than four-fifths of Alaska's revenue comes from oil, and the money is so abundant that, instead of taxing its residents, the state mails every man, woman and child a dividend check each year.

But in 2006, the year the Palin ran for governor, Alaskans also regarded oil as a corrupting influence that had gained too much power. The FBI had been investigating a bribery scandal involving oil lobbyists, and Palin's predecessor, Frank H. Murkowski (R), was the least popular governor in the nation, widely regarded as imperious and secretive for buying a state jet for his use and negotiating privately with the three major oil companies on Alaska's North Slope over plans for an enormous natural gas pipeline that had been discussed for years.

As mayor for six years of her small home town, Wasilla, Palin had defined herself as a social conservative. When she challenged Murkowski in the Republican primary for governor, she campaigned as a reformer who would bring transparency back to government.

"She hears the mood of the electorate very, very well," said Stephen Haycox, a historian at the University of Alaska at Anchorage. "She realized this was a grand opportunity because the voters of the state were now ready for someone to give them an alternative to business as usual."

She vowed to stand up to Big Oil, get a better deal for the state and its people from Alaska's energy resources, and improve political ethics -- stances now cited by the McCain campaign as evidence that Palin is an independent-minded advocate of reform. Unmentioned, Alaska political insiders say, is that the year Palin ran for governor, politicians of both parties were portraying themselves as reformers, too.

"It was just this message of change. . . . Every single candidate," recalled Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat elected to the state Senate that year. "So there was going to be change regardless of who was in office, as long as it wasn't Frank Murkowski."

Once in the governor's office, Palin swiftly established that she would be different from her predecessor. Murkowski had fired his natural resource commissioner for speaking out against his pipeline plan as too favorable to Exxon Mobil, BP and Conoco Phillips. "It truly became a huge giveaway," recalled Marty Rutherford, one of six other senior members of the department who resigned in protest. The group was nicknamed the "Magnificent Seven."

Two months after she took office, Palin hired back the commissioner and made Rutherford a key deputy. They brought with them a framework for a pipeline deal they favored: To protect the state's interest, they would specify requirements that any oil company would have to meet if it decided to build the pipeline. Palin took the idea further, Rutherford said, proposing that the state open the project to competitive bids and create financial incentives for gas exploration. She agreed to her staff's suggestion that the state offer a $500 million inducement.

The move to open competition to anyone willing to build the pipeline was popular, Haycox said. "It appeared to put the state in a position of equality with the oil industry. We don't need to go hat in hand, begging," he said. "Nobody in the state has ever said we should just forget about the oil and gas industry. . . . She found a middle ground . . . to say, we do have some leverage."

Still, Palin struck some lawmakers as curiously detached from the process. In early March 2007, she invited the state Senate's leaders to her office for a preview of the pipeline legislation. To the astonishment of the five senators and their aides, she barely said a word for the hour. As staff members explained her signature plan, the governor was preoccupied with her two BlackBerries.

"It was so bizarre. We all talked about it afterwards," said a legislative source, one of three participants in the meeting who recounted the governor's silence. "We all said, 'What was that? Was she even paying attention?' "

Haycox summed up a common criticism of Palin: "She seems as if she is incurious about the mechanism of government."

In the spring of 2007, the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act "was not going well. It was going to be a touchy vote," Bitney recalled. But as it turned out, Palin's timing was extraordinarily lucky. Early that May, days before the session was to end, a state representative and two former legislators were indicted on charges of extortion and bribery in a scandal involving the pipeline plan Murkowski had brokered.

"The legislature couldn't pass her bill fast enough at that point," Bitney said.
Broken Alliances

Some say Palin's focus on a narrow set of goals has excluded other problems facing Alaska, such as health care and the long-term stability of the state budget. "She can only handle a few issues directly," said Lois Epstein, director of the Alaska Transportation Priorities Project, who has attended meetings with Palin. "And she relies on a very small number of trusted advisers for those issues. . . . That means certain issues don't get any attention."

Nor do many legislators -- of either party.

Shortly after Palin took office, state senators were in an eight-hour ethics seminar when the new governor called an 11 a.m. news conference to unveil her ethics bill, borrowing from ideas Democrats had advocated for years, recalled Senate President Lyda Green (R), who represents Palin's home town and quickly became a nemesis. With the senators tied up in their training, the only people who stood with Palin before the cameras were a former Republican U.S. attorney and a former Democratic lawmaker.

The news conference foreshadowed a pattern: Time after time, Palin's pursuit of her goals would trump her allegiances.

Last month, just before a vote on a ballot initiative to strengthen environmental restrictions on the proposed Pebble Mine -- an enormous project critics say would damage salmon-rich Bristol Bay -- she broke with a long tradition in which Alaska governors have not taken public positions on such citizen initiatives and announced that she opposed it. She had not alerted Rick Halford (R), an influential former state Senate president who had helped her get elected and had been an informal adviser -- and who was a leader of the pro-initiative forces. It failed.

Palin has been equally willing to antagonize Democrats who have helped push through her bills. After her first legislative session, she stunned allies by using her line-item veto to make unprecedented cuts in capital budgets for projects in their districts -- $231 million in all -- a particular surprise in a time of large budget surpluses.

"I remember when we were crafting the budget, there were discussions: 'Where is the governor at? What does she want the total size to be?' . . . We could never get a firm answer from her," Wielechowski said. And then, he said, she "whacked . . . without warning, really."

Wielechowski had been one of two Democrats who, incurring the anger of their party caucus, had spoken out forcefully on the Senate floor to support Palin on the pipeline and on an oil tax increase she also pushed through. But the governor cut capital funds for his Anchorage district, he said, by 95 percent. He was startled to discover that, at the same time, she had approved money for a kitchen in a sports complex in Wasilla and for bleachers and stadium lights at high schools just outside her home town.

A typical dispute occurred in January when Palin asked to deliver her State of the State address on the legislative session's opening day at 6 p.m., an hour earlier than the custom, because she had to catch a flight to attend the graduation of her eldest child, Track, from boot camp. When Green, the state Senate president, said the request would conflict with the chamber's schedule, the governor's office threatened that she might deliver her speech only to the House.

In the end, the legislature and the governor agreed on a 4 p.m. start for her 25-minute remarks. Still, Palin called a local radio show to express her displeasure. The host, Bob Lester, sided with her. He twice said that Green, a survivor of breast cancer, was "a cancer" on Alaska's progress, and he called her a *****. On an audiotape of the show, Palin is heard giggling at the expletive.

In response to complaints about her e-mails to business owners, Palin insisted that the Commerce Department records are public. "You just pick up the phone and ask," she told a news conference the day after this year's legislative session ended.

Besides, she said, sidestepping the matter of where the addresses came from, "every other governor has gone out for calls to the public to pay attention to certain bills."

A reporter shot back, "Governor Palin has said time and again she does business differently than Governor Murkowski." The governor left it to her staff to reply.

jag

[jaguarr]

Like I said....avoiding it might be a lot worse for the campaign than testifying.

It will be if the press start playing the "What's she hiding? What's she trying to suppress?" game because of it.

jag