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An Alaskan Celebrity
What do we know about Sarah Palin, the presumptive Republican Vice Presidential nominee?
Palin is vehemently anti-abortion (including cases of rape and incest). She thinks the earth is 6000 years old and is all for Intelligent Design education. She doesn’t believe in modern science.
She believes that man-made global warming is a hoax; polar bears are on their own. She believes in wildlife population control, including shooting wolves from the air.
Palin was an ardent supporter of Pat Buchanan in 2000.
She has a degree in Journalism from the University of Idaho, was a member of the Wasilla, AK (population ~9000) City Council before becoming their two-term Mayor. Palin has been the Governor of Alaska (population ~670,000) for just over a year and a half. She was also commissioner of a state oil and gas commission and is a stalwart supporter of drilling in ANWR.
Her only business experience was running a fishing boat with her husband. And she was a television sports reporter. Oh, wait…she was a runner-up for Miss Alaska.
Not too long ago, she said that she didn’t know what the vice president does. (Note to the Obama campaign: Video loop of that statement, please!) And her foreign policy experience consists of her proximity to Russia. （Yes, Fox actually said that!) National Security experience? Non-existent.
Palin has five children, including a near five-month old with Down-Syndrome.
And the oddest part of it all? It’s been reported that McCain has met with Palin, exactly: once before yesterday.
Grand resume for the next Veep, don’t you think? Why do I feel she will be all the Cheney without the dick, Harriet Miers with an updo, and the first trophy Vice President?
Aside from the email problem Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has, ThinkProgress reports that she is already under an ethics investigation for influence peddling in the firing of her ex-brother-in-law (heavy emphasis on the ex part). Talking Points Memo is also on the story, and it appears there is a tape of the pressure her office put on those who be to fire the ex-brother-in-law state trooper. Worse yet, she appointed a man who had a bit of a sexual harassment problem. And then there was the possibly illegal activity by her office to interfere with a clean water bill. It seems she is already on the right track for Republican more-of-the-same, ethically challenged politics. She’s a maverick alright;is there an industry she doesn’t love?
Apparently, she was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it – but she wasn’t against keeping those funds. And Alaska receives more earmarks than any other state.
Arizona, the second fastest growing state in the nation, will receive just $18.70 per capita in federal earmarks this fiscal year. By comparison, Alaska — with roughly a tenth of Arizona’s population — is set to receive $506.34 per capita, the highest in the nation, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group which tracks earmarks.
The state of Alaska receives about three times as much as Arizona receives in actual dollars, $346 million to $119 million.
Steve Benen at Washington Monthly was confounded by her selection as Veep.
Can anyone, anywhere, explain why Sarah Palin would make a good president? Given that McCain is a 72-year-old man with a history of health trouble, isn’t this a rather important question right now?
Damned good question.
Mark Kleiman has several good articles about Palin, go read them (and don’t forget Digby. She has some doozies, too!) But this one, from Kleiman, struck me the most regarding her stances on issues – they are almost non-existent (information below the fold). Be sure to watch the bonus video below the fold, as well.
On the issues:
OnTheIssues.org is a website that catalogues politicians’ issue stances.
Here’s the complete listing for Sarah Palin:
*******
Sarah Palin on Budget & Economy
Aim to reduce general fund spending by $150 million. (Jan 2007)Sarah Palin on Civil Rights
Marriage only be between and man and a woman. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Corporations
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Crime
If legislature passed death penalty law, I would sign it. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Drugs
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Education
Fully fund K-12 and support early funding of education. (Jan 2007)Sarah Palin on Energy & Oil
Stranded Gas Development Act no longer applies. (Nov 2006)
Get ANWR open. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Environment
Provide stability in regulations for developers. (Jan 2007)
Convince the rest of the nation to open ANWR. (Jan 2007)Sarah Palin on Families & Children
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Foreign Policy
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Free Trade
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Government Reform
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Gun Control
Supports Constitutional right to bear arms. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Health Care
Flexibility in government regulations to allow competition. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Homeland Security
Promote from within, in Alaska’s National Guard. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Immigration
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Jobs
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Local Issues
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Principles & Values
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Social Security
Fund the Seniors Longevity Bonus Program. (Nov 2006)Sarah Palin on Tax Reform
Repeal “nuisance taxes” including the tire tax. (Jan 2007)Sarah Palin on Technology
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on War & Peace
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.Sarah Palin on Welfare & Poverty
No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.
John McCain is 72 years old. Should he be elected, he will be the oldest first time president in history, which makes the very real possibility that Ms. Palin could very well become the President of the United States of America. I am glad to see that McCain is taking this whole POTUS thing seriously.
As an added bonus:
Why do I feel that this is some grand joke? Only, the joke is on US.
More on Palin:
From Time.
From Yahoo News.
From HuffPo.
From UsMagazine.
And don’t you know, it’s already here? The VPILTF.
150 Comments
August 30, 2008 at 6:46 am
Explain why Sarah Palin would make a good president?
That is a great question MsJ. What makes McCain think that someone who has only been a governor for such a short time, who knows absolutely nothing about foreign policy should be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Considering his cancer could reoccur ( since he has had it 4 times now) or he could die from natural causes while in office. Scary thought….
Oh silly me, Fox News says that Alaska is right by Russia so she has Foreign Policy Experience. /snark off
Great Post MsJ
August 30, 2008 at 7:21 am
Gov. Palin is emminently qualified to be President: she’s Pro-Life and Anti-Gay.
Any “social conservative” is guaranteed millions and millions of votes, because nothing else matters except those two issues to millions and millions of people.
August 30, 2008 at 7:26 am
OK,
What makes someone think that a 2 year Senator with no foreign policy experience and no executive experience is qualified to be President?
I don’t think the experience card is one that Obama supporters want to play here.
As for McCain’s health issues. His cancer was always skin cancer. What if Biden should have another aneurysm?
Looks like we should take the old-guy-bad-health card out of the deck, as well.
Why is everyone so upset anyway? This is a major accomplishment for women, after all.
August 30, 2008 at 7:29 am
She thinks the earth is 6000 years old ….She doesn’t believe in modern science.
Got a link to this?
August 30, 2008 at 7:42 am
“While running for Governor of Alaska she was asked about the teaching of creationism in public school science classes. Palin answered that she thought it was important to teach both sides of the debate in the schools, although she clarified the next day that she meant that open debate between the two ideas should not be prohibited if it came up in discussion, but that creationism did not need to be part of the curriculum. She also added that she would not appoint State Board of Education members based on their opinions on evolution or creationism.[86] “
August 30, 2008 at 7:42 am
Miss Sarah is under official investigation:
http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/interesting-mccain-chose-palin-when-she-is-under-scrutiny-and-investigation/
AND, a new REVEALING bio of her:
http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-the-former-miss-moose-has-experience-up-the-wasilla/
August 30, 2008 at 7:56 am
Glad to see you’re a big supporter HB. Do you think she’s qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. You’d prefer her as your CIC than Obama or Biden?
August 30, 2008 at 7:56 am
Her bio was scrubbed at Wikipedia before the announcement and since they have locked it so no more can be changed.
August 30, 2008 at 7:59 am
Sara Palin is more qualified than Barack Obama to be president. That’s what you’re saying HB. Obama’s district in Illinois had more voters than the entire state of Alaska. Then again theirs that small issue of being a constitutional scholar and mounting the most organized and successful campaign in the history of the US. Of course that doesn’t take any executive ability as far as you’re concerned.
Besides how can a tall black man compare with a short beauty queen.
August 30, 2008 at 8:03 am
McCain’s skin cancer is malignant melanoma not one of the less deadly cancers. There is no reason to believe that an aneurysm will recur.
Second, if something happens to Obama, Biden would be President. If something happens to Biden a new VP would be picked. If something happens to McCain, Palin would be President. I can’t believe I have to explain this to you.
August 30, 2008 at 8:04 am
Do you think that Sara Palin is the same as Hillary Clinton. Any woman is qualified as far as your concerned or is it that any Republican is qualified in your mind.
August 30, 2008 at 8:05 am
Shayne,
I think she is at least as if not more qualified than Obama. Something that gives her a leg up is that she does have executive experience that Obama lacks.
Biden does bring a lot of experience due to his years in the Senate, but he has health issues, remember?
Now, I think she is more qualified for President than Obama.
When it comes to comparing her and Biden for VP (which is the office they are both running for) it is a split. Biden has foreign policy experience and Palin has executive experience.
Now, keep this in mind: Foreign policy experience should not be an issue anyway. Bill Clinton was just a state governor when he was elected, right?
August 30, 2008 at 8:13 am
George W. Bush had more “executive experience” than Ms. Palin. I suppose you think that brought us to a good place.
Obama has executive experience of running this campaign which includes more volunteers than live in the state of Alaska. Bill Clinton was just a Governor but Obama has no executive experience.
The woman said she had no idea what a VP did on a daily basis but she felt being a Governor of that big bad Alaska was more challenging.
No wonder the rest of the world thinks Americans are a bunch of idiots. Your party must be full of them.
August 30, 2008 at 8:14 am
“Now, I think she is more qualified for President than Obama.” – Hackerbob
You know what HB, I don’t think you’re worth talking to.
August 30, 2008 at 8:15 am
Well, somebody on the news last night said she did have foreign policy experience because Alaska was right next to Russia..
August 30, 2008 at 8:15 am
That was Fox News muse. Apparently HB is a big fan.
August 30, 2008 at 8:17 am
Lets play “Who did What?”… OK?
Who ran the Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigation into pre-Iraq war info that ended up suggesting we give Bush authorization to go to war with Iraq AFTER they read the now infamous National Intellegence Estimate that claimed there were no WMDs in Iraq?
Who kept people like Scott Ritter, the leading expert at the time on the Iraq Weapons Program, from testifying at that “hearing” (only 2 days) because he was going to say he knew first hand that there were no WMDs in Iraq?
Who helped design “The War on Drugs” that has crippled this country with the most incarcerated population of ANY country and massive amounts of people in PRISON for non-violent victimless crimes (that most other countries handle with treatment rather than prison)?
Who is called “Senator Plastic” for his connections with the credit card industry?
Who helped write the visious new Bankruptcy Law that Dodd called “the worse Bill ever”?
Stop being blinded by “Party” people. Palin isn’t a perfect polician, as you are so quick to point out to people when they talk about Obama turning his back on our core values.
But I will tell you this, she isn’t NEARLY as corrupt as Biden is, by far and away.
Joe Biden is the answer to ALL of the above questions. Nit-picking Palin makes you look petty. And completely ignoring the very real issues of Biden makes you look just as partisan as old Hacker Bob over there (no offense HB, just making a point. How are you, by the way?).
And putting some photoshoped Vogue pic of her is just deplorable. her Vogue spread, for those of you who cared to read it, as I did, has pics of her ON HER PLANE (that she flys).
I will tell you, if she was a dem, you people would be wet over her.
August 30, 2008 at 8:20 am
Willy sez:
I will tell you, if she was a dem, you people would be wet over her.
You’re as right about that as you were about Lieberman.
August 30, 2008 at 8:25 am
Shayne,
Who said anything about a black man and a beauty queen? I am comparing a politician to a politician. I care less if Obama is black (unlike you) or if Palin was a beauty queen (unlike you).
Yes, the extent of Obama’s executive experience is running political campaigns. That is all he has done for the past several years.
Obama’s district in Il. has more voters than the entire state of Ak. So? What is the point of that statement?
As for the success of his campaign, that remains to be seen on Nov 4th.
Biden has had 2 aneurysms. That is what is called a reoccurance. And unlike an aneurysm, melanomas are not known to kill instantly.
And I am aware of the order of succession. If something happens to McCain, Palin becomes President. If something happened to McCain and Palin, SOTH becomes President.
And no, Hillary and Palin are not the same. I didn’t agree with Hillary’s politics or her sense of entitlement. But I do agree with a lot of Palin’s positions, so far. It is not an issue of race or gender for me.
August 30, 2008 at 8:30 am
Willy, good to see you.
And I agree with you.
We found the honest one in the crowd.
Shayne,
I think I agreed that she does not have foreign policy experiance.
August 30, 2008 at 8:33 am
Let me tell you something about Lieberman;
a year and a half ago, I wrote he was going to be mcCain’s VP… and that McCain would be the nominee because of American Enterprise Institute’s influence in the republican party.
Up until two weeks ago, when Novak, Rove, and Pearl started coming out publicly demanding that Lieberman NOT be picked, who was the REAL front-runner?
Who was going around with McCain, fixing what he said and telling him what to say? Palin?
Who went just two weeks ago to Georgia as mcCains emmisary? Palin? Mitt?
I was absolutely correct 1 1/2 years ago. And had it not been for the Hillary-story-line, he WOULD have been picked. AEI made these two, and AEI reps pulled Lieberman out.
So, yeah, thanks there Zooey. But I was right about that long ago, and I am absolutely correct about this.
Funny though isn’t it? you don’t argue my points about Biden, you just, like the republican trolls you hate so much, attack me personally about the Lieberman pick. Nice. real nice.
August 30, 2008 at 8:37 am
here, you want the link to the site that admits this belittling photo is “photoshopped”?
http://kodiakkonfidential.blogspot.com/2007/12/sarah-in-vogue.html
You guys are so partisan, you are starting to look like the people that put turbans on Obama’s picture.
You want to argue her background? Great! She is corrupt. You want to smear her with demeaning photoshopped pics? Welcome to Fox News, people.
August 30, 2008 at 8:40 am
and I will tell you something else to. you keep watching… that 4 month old baby? You keep watching.
August 30, 2008 at 8:43 am
Willy,
All the talk has been that Lieberman was going to be the pick and that Palin was a last minute decision. I think you were right all along. If McCain had picked Lieberman, I would definately not vote for McCain. Palin brings a different view. She is a new face, young and energetic. But I will research her more before marking my ballot.
Thanks for the link (and the honesty).
August 30, 2008 at 8:49 am
here is a real pic from the Vogue article.
It doesn’t play into the “trophey VP” smears, so I guess it isn’t popular here.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-HuNuzCHevI/SLh8MQF_TAI/AAAAAAAAAQI/tLrCD-U9I9E/s1600-h/SarahVogue1%5B1%5D.jpg
Don’t get me wrong, HB. it don’t doesn’t matter who you or I vote for. It’s rigged, one way or the other. But Lieberman, according to the Novaks out there, would have been a harder sell in the end. The Hillary situation created a perfect oportunity to steal Obama’s thunder after his speech, and so here we are.
I don’t think she is qualified, frankly. But I don’t think Obama or McCain is either. But, then again, Bush wasn’t either, and look at how that turned out (heehee).
good to ’see” you Bob. been awhile
August 30, 2008 at 8:51 am
hey Bob, I bet you wish you could clear a room like I can, huh? man they hate my guts here. hahaha.
August 30, 2008 at 8:52 am
I think willy is correct that McCain really wanted his bbf to run with him. Two grumpy old men! I guess his team or his backers (or both) finally convinced him that his campaign would go down in flames if he did.
I’m not at all convinced that Palin is a good choice in the long run, although it definitely distracted everyone from the Democratic convention and probably took some of the bump out of Obama’s campaign.
But Palin’s record won’t stand up for long. She was not only the mayor of an itty-bitty town, she apparently left it with a debt to pay off after she moved in the governor’s mansion. (Do they have a governor’s mansion in Alaska?) The primary question, though, is: are the Republicans seriously proposing that Palin is suitable to be the President of the United States?
And, no, HackerBob, she doesn’t have more experience than Obama. Not even more political experience because she was on the city council and was mayor of an itty-bitty town. Before he came to the US Senate, Obama served in the Illinois Senate — not to mention all the other work on his resume. Yours is a silly assertion.
August 30, 2008 at 8:52 am
Makes you proud, huh, willy?
August 30, 2008 at 8:53 am
Willy, I said long ago that I didn’tlike either of the choices. McCain is not my number one choice by far and I am not committed to voting for him. But Obama has too many affiliations for me to be comfortable with as well.
I agree. I do not think either of the Presidential candidates are qualified. I think their running mates are more qualified.
August 30, 2008 at 8:54 am
Obama’s resume does look better as far as experience is concerned. And Biden’s is much much more extensive, though as you can see from what I wrote above, I don’t love all of his experience.
Hi gummy.
August 30, 2008 at 8:55 am
Hello, dead salesman!
August 30, 2008 at 8:55 am
“hey Bob, I bet you wish you could clear a room like I can, huh? man they hate my guts here. hahaha.”
Can I at least have a litte of the credit? After all, I am not worth talking to according to some people here.
August 30, 2008 at 8:56 am
willy thinks Biden’s integrity is worse than McCain’s Keating 5 affiliation. I’d expect that of HB but willy is full of surprises. Of course Biden isn’t running for president and Obama’s medical records are significantly cleaner than McCain’s.
August 30, 2008 at 8:57 am
time for fantasy football draft, gotta go
August 30, 2008 at 8:59 am
Actually Shayne, Willy said that Palin is not as corrupt as Biden.
August 30, 2008 at 8:59 am
“Makes you proud, huh, willy?”
I like this site. People just don’t get that. It’s just when silly demeaning pics and statements are made, I have to call them out for what they are, you know?
besides, she is just the nominee for the VP. Give her some props will ya? Do they really think that if they write one decent thing about this person, that Obama is going to loose? jesus.
I like this site. I am proud of this site. And I am proud that I speak my mind rather than just regurgitating the popular rhetoric of the political moment. Nothing good ever comes of that.
August 30, 2008 at 9:01 am
” After all, I am not worth talking to according to some people here.”
welcome to the club. and I am sorry. i will give credit where credit is due, yes, you can runemoff with the best of us.
August 30, 2008 at 9:01 am
She is getting more than her fair share of props on the MSM. If you don’t have a television maybe that’s why you don’t see it.
August 30, 2008 at 9:02 am
You two really believe you have the ability to run us off this site. Quite the delusions of grandeur.
August 30, 2008 at 9:06 am
Not only that Shayne, we think rather highly of ourselves, too.
August 30, 2008 at 9:07 am
willy, have you considered the possibility that it’s not what you say so much as how you say it that gets under people’s skin?
And perhaps that people are really expressing their own opinions rather than “just regurgitating the popular rhetoric of the political moment”? That their opinions merely line up with what you perceive to be “popular rhetoric”?
August 30, 2008 at 9:07 am
shayne says “willy thinks Biden’s integrity is worse than McCain’s Keating 5 affiliation.”
Hi Shayne. That isn’t what I said. We are talking about VP picks here and if you want to dig around and find Palin’s drawbacks… ok, fair enough.
I just thought I would point out Biden’s in order to show that little crap like this, doesn’t really add up to big hills of beans.
of course, Biden’s ended up helping justify the illegal occupation of Iraq, dead Iragis by the thousands, bankruptcy laws that cripple the poor, and jailed non-violent drug addicts that the Prison Industrial complex makes billions off.
But is he as corrupt as McCain? Are you kidding? You never read my stuff on McCain? come on. You know what I have written about him, here and on my site.
August 30, 2008 at 9:13 am
I have my own thoughts on this.
She’s cute, she’s feisty, and she has all the qualities that satisfy the “Right”.
I think this decision was quickly made after Obama’s speech (or even after Hillary’s speech – which was fantastic as well). They had to do something drastic to steal his thunder after such a momentous speech and moment in time. It had the potential to be the topic of the news cycles for days. It certainly did the trick.
Once they announced she was the VP choice, ALL the news cycles scrambled to report on her and figure out who she was. There was NO more discussion about his speech the night before, and what a historic night Thursday night was.
I liked Obama okay before then, but still had a few doubts on a number of things. I was not infatuated with him, or mesmerized (like so many seem to need to characterize it). But he had me in tears Thursday. Its not him, its about everybody. All of us. He hit that.
Willy, I think you are very cynical. You have your reasons. I’m cynical about a lot of things too. I need to put my support behind the person of the two ONLY real choices left, and I have no more doubts who that person should be.
None of them are perfect. You can’t be in politics or get to that level and be perfect. I just believe now that he will do the things that need to be done in order to fix this country after 8 years of Bush/Cheney.
He won’t fix everything, but he will try and turn some of this around. I believe that. I know that McCain will follow down the path of the policies of Bush/Cheney, the neocons, and that whole “Free Market” thing that Naomi Klein wrote about. I have no doubts there.
I do think I know how things work. I’m not being naive.
August 30, 2008 at 9:13 am
“willy, have you considered the possibility that it’s not what you say so much as how you say it that gets under people’s skin?”
Gummy, why don’t you tell “how” I am supposed to say what I wrote above, giving the information that I gave, in a way that would not offend people here.
August 30, 2008 at 9:17 am
“I like this site. I am proud of this site. And I am proud that I speak my mind rather than just regurgitating the popular rhetoric of the political moment.”
You really don’t see how that last sentence might just piss people off? It’s a tone of voice you employ a lot.
August 30, 2008 at 9:21 am
Willy,
You could drop the “you people,” for starters.
Just a thought.
August 30, 2008 at 9:22 am
You may be right Gummy. But, have you ever considered that when people hear things they don’t want to hear, they impose their own “tone” on what is “said”? (I can go up there now, and copy and paste some of the recent “talking points’ that I am sure are all over democrats.com and Think Progress and huffPo and DailyKos, about Palin.)
August 30, 2008 at 9:24 am
ok Zooey, fair enough. Anything you would like to add about your little “Lieberman” comment?
August 30, 2008 at 9:26 am
willy, and people like you don’t seem to understand that it will either be Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin. If you don’t think there’s a difference then good for you. However, if McCain wins none of the crimes of this last administration have a chance of ever being investigated. None of the. We don’t know if Obama will investigate but we know McCain will not.
August 30, 2008 at 9:26 am
I think her Lieberman comment was perfect.
August 30, 2008 at 9:28 am
Nope, nothing more to add.
Thanks.
August 30, 2008 at 9:28 am
Oh and willy and hackerbob, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.
And your opinions are not more enlightened then any of ours. You act like we don’t do anything more than read one site and that is a liberal one. You couldn’t be more wrong and we constantly discuss what is going too far. Something Fox News doesn’t do.
August 30, 2008 at 9:32 am
Muse;
“cute and fiesty”? She is the Gov. of the state of Alaska. She is college graduate. She flies a sea-plane, lands in the ocean, and on the snow. She blew the whistle on fellow Republican for ethics violations in order to advance her own career. All this, while she raised 5 children. “cute and fiesty”?
I absolutely agree she has been picked in order to counter Obama’s moment in history. I think I even wrote that.
But let’s look at what is happening here.
unfortunately, i think, people feel the need to trash this woman (in some cases with good reason and in some not so good) to preserve the Obam campaign. That is silly. People were not going to vote for Obama and then switched because of Palin. Ain’t happening. Whether she is portayed as a strong woman or not.
So demeaning pics like the one up there really don’t do much, IMO, by the way of helping secure a democrat in the White House.
And even if it did; is it worth it? Was the New Yorker cover worth it?
That’s all I am asking.
August 30, 2008 at 9:36 am
“I know that McCain will follow down the path of the policies of Bush/Cheney, the neocons, and that whole “Free Market” thing that Naomi Klein wrote about. I have no doubts there.”
Seen the Real News Networks latest Naomi Klein interview about how she feels about Barack Obama?
August 30, 2008 at 9:39 am
“Oh and willy and hackerbob, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.”
Nice. I think the last time I heard that was, what, the 5th grade? (that’s what blogs are about; people talking about opinions and sharing facts. So far, I have posted alot of facts that you don’t seem to want to address, so who exactly is just stating ‘opinions” here, Shayne?)
August 30, 2008 at 9:42 am
It is a demeaning picture not only to this woman, but also to the image of women in this country. if you can’t see that just because of partisan affiliations, then there you have it.
but I dare say if anything like this showed up on Fox News with a photoshopped image of Mrs. Obama on it, this site and the people in it would be all over it. And they should be.
August 30, 2008 at 9:44 am
Ohhhhh, I get it now.
Willy & HB express “facts,” and we express “opinions.”
Thanks for clearing that up.
August 30, 2008 at 9:47 am
Shayne brought the “opinion” thing up, obviously, not me.
But if you would like to address any of the points I made above, i would be glad to chat about them. That’s why I mentioned them.
August 30, 2008 at 9:53 am
So you’re worried about an obviously photoshopped picture that you find demeaning, but not the fact that you’ve been throwing around “you people,” “I will tell you, if she was a dem, you people would be wet over her,” “you are starting to look like the people that put turbans on Obama’s picture,” etc.
Insight is good, Willy. Ever thought applying this statement to yourself?
“But, have you ever considered that when people hear things they don’t want to hear, they impose their own “tone” on what is “said”?”
August 30, 2008 at 9:55 am
Z,
OK, I provided information and express my opinion. Show me where I said my opinion was fact.
Seems when people here don’t toe the line, they get attacked (not just me).
And if you are OK with sexist based demonizing of a candidate, then fine.
August 30, 2008 at 9:55 am
yeah, that’s what I thought.
I said it before and I will say it again:
“It is a demeaning picture not only to this woman, but also to the image of women in this country. if you can’t see that just because of partisan affiliations, then there you have it.
but I dare say if anything like this showed up on Fox News with a photoshopped image of Mrs. Obama on it, this site and the people in it would be all over it. And they should be.”
When the republicans do this kind of personal smear campaign it makes me sick. when we do it, it makes me weep. Not only are “our candidates” no different from them…
…but apparently, neither are we.
August 30, 2008 at 9:57 am
““But, have you ever considered that when people hear things they don’t want to hear, they impose their own “tone” on what is “said”?””
so me where I have accused you of having a “tone”.
August 30, 2008 at 10:01 am
i said “you people” once. Once. And I have already granted that I shouldn’t have.
Is that all you got to justify this?
Hacker is right, when someone from the left doesn’t tow the line, that is far more offensive that even the republicans running around.
He is also correct about “sexist based demonizing of a candidate”s (though he is raely right about much else, heehee).
It is wrong when they do it, it is wrong when we do it. That is how I see it.
August 30, 2008 at 10:05 am
Hey guys, is it just the picture holding you here, or do you have anything else to say about all the other stories we have up blasting Palin with facts?
I’d LOVE to stick around and shoot the shit, but I’ve got stuff to do.
August 30, 2008 at 10:10 am
what, Z, that this site was wrong about the whole “wanting creationism thing” taught. Or that you have no way to back up the claim that the world is 6000 years old. Those facts?
Or that she woudl want a trooper fired that had tasered his 11 year old step son. Same guy threatened to kill her father. Those facts?
August 30, 2008 at 10:10 am
yeah, that is what I thought.
No answer to the “tone” question, no answer to the “sexist based demonizing of a candidate” issue. no response to the Naomi Klein interview about Obama’s “free-trade” stance. No answer to Biden’s list of corrupt actions supporting war, imprisonment, and corporate credit card companies.
all you got is a photo-shopped pic demeaning women in general. Congats people. nice work
August 30, 2008 at 10:16 am
willy,
You know how polish jokes were started? Because the Nazis feared the Poles so much they had to find a superficial way to make them look weak and stupid and bolster the troops.
August 30, 2008 at 10:17 am
“blasting Palin”?
really?
you got cartoons, Zooey. Cartoons. One with MLK shaddow hugging Obama.
Do you even know how close Barack is to to the Daley Oligarchy in Chicago? He is very close to Richard M. Daley SON of Richard J. Daley, the man who ordered the beatings in 1968 and before, of Civil rights and Anti War protesters. Some of which were REALLY friends of MLK.
and you have a cartoon of MLK’s shaddow hugging Obama?
These are facts. Not partisan cartoons.
August 30, 2008 at 10:22 am
Yesterday someone here put up an article and in the title they put the phrase “McCain’s Running Maid”. I suggested it was demeaning, and that person made a change in that.
Apparently some here have more real social awareness than others. Apparently some here only really give a shit about one thing. And that is sad.
They are going to be real disappointed if the votes are rigged and he doesn’t win, but honestly, if he does win, they are going to be even more disappointed.
as if FISA, Iran, Troop withdrawal, Clinton’s economic team, his refusal to support impeachment, weren’t enough to give them a heads up.
August 30, 2008 at 10:24 am
see you around Hacker. Gotta go wash the dogs. (yeah I got another one. rescue pup)
August 30, 2008 at 10:24 am
I saw the “running maid” thing, but I couldn’t comment on it. I am glad you did.
August 30, 2008 at 10:24 am
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/a-little-perspective/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-maverick-for-mining-interests/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-supports-teaching-creationism-in-science-class/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/sarah-barracuda/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/alaska-politics-open-and-transparent-government/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/mccains-running-maid-pressured-department-of-public-safety-to-fire-troopercant-remember/
http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/mccain-veepstakes-sarah-palin/
Yeah, all we’ve got are cartoons.
You don’t have to like what we put up here, Willy, but don’t say we’ve got nothing but cartoons.
Later.
August 30, 2008 at 10:25 am
c-ya willy
August 30, 2008 at 10:25 am
take it easy bud. nice to see you again.
August 30, 2008 at 10:28 am
Willy,
You know very well that the “running maid” thing was a mistake in translation. Purely unintentional.
You also know that EV’s first language is not English, but chose to disregard that.
I also noticed that you didn’t bother yourself with an apology for your disgusting attack on her — but merely asked that your comments be removed.
August 30, 2008 at 10:29 am
Got anything to say about the “running maid” now, HB?
August 30, 2008 at 10:30 am
yes, I don’t think it was a translation error as EV hasn’t made a mistake like that before.
And willy’s comments didn’t really seem like a disgusting attack.
August 30, 2008 at 10:31 am
look, the “running maid” thing is still in the original IP address of the article.
congrats, Zooey. Wow, look at all the “blasting” articles just because you want Obama to win…
and now, you can add to that impressive list of ‘blasting”… the sexist photoshopped slur of a Gov., pilot, mother of 5, college graduate, former Mayor, and the 1st woman ever selected to be the Vice Presidential nominee from the Republican party. Who may in fact be the first female Vice President in this countries history.
Proud moment huh?
August 30, 2008 at 10:32 am
I think that tere are some people that can not stand the idea of a conservative woman, much less one running for such a high office.
August 30, 2008 at 10:32 am
Sorry, tere should be there
August 30, 2008 at 10:33 am
You know that, do you, HB?
EV explained what happened, and I have no reason to think she’s a liar. Are you questioning her integrity?
She changed it as soon as she realized her mistake, and was mortified.
August 30, 2008 at 10:34 am
never mind that she was also the first female gov. of Ak.
Really, willy, what has she accomplished?
August 30, 2008 at 10:35 am
“You know very well that the “running maid” thing was a mistake in translation. Purely unintentional.”
wow.
“I also noticed that you didn’t bother yourself with an apology for your disgusting attack on her — but merely asked that your comments be removed.”
I can’t believe you just said that.
You know they weren’t attacks. I asked they be removed so as not to embarass anyone here.
That is unbelievable Zooey. You will say anything just to “win” some point.
you know I was right that; just like you know i am right about this. To attack me like that is…
… I don’t even know what that is. God, that is just…
…damn.
August 30, 2008 at 10:35 am
Willy, I will change the IP thing. I hadn’t realized it wasn’t fixed. Happy?
Otherwise, when Gov Palin accepted the nomination as VP, she put herself out there — fair game. Just like Biden.
Since when are you concerned about calling ANYONE out?
August 30, 2008 at 10:37 am
OK, Willy.
Since they were not attacks, I will re-post them.
August 30, 2008 at 10:37 am
well, if I missed the apology, then I apologize. It appeared that she was called on the carpet for something and had to change it.
Now, is anyone willing to take down the demeaning photoshop job?
Or will you at leat put one up with Obama in a turbin?
August 30, 2008 at 10:39 am
What you just said is beyond the pale Zooey. you know I had nothing against EV when I wrote what i wrote, and HB here was reading the comments as they were happening.
I did what I did then, just because I knew that word demeaned not only palin, but also the site that put it up.
Now you say this? You know that I didn’t do that to hurt EV.
August 30, 2008 at 10:40 am
“Or will you at leat put one up with Obama in a turbin?”
now that is funny.
August 30, 2008 at 10:41 am
will, face it, you had the audicity to disagree
August 30, 2008 at 10:43 am
again, funny. “audacity” i get it.
I’m out. Stop by my site sometime hacker, cus I won’t be back here. That was just too much from ZZ.
August 30, 2008 at 10:43 am
Ah, but you did attack her. Your comments are back on that thread — just for clarification.
The fact is that you KNEW EV’s first language is German, and yet you just launched into her.
There’s a way to question something without trashing them, Willy, but I guess that’s “correcting” you, isn’t it?
I’ll just let your comments speak for themselves.
I really can’t wait until you post something MEANING to hurt them.
August 30, 2008 at 10:43 am
funny hell, I was serious.
Fair is fair, after all.
I’m off. have fun with the pup
August 30, 2008 at 10:45 am
notice she didn’t offer to post up that “apology”.
“Translation” what a joke. She says that, while an even more offensive slur is posted on this thread! That stupid photoshopped picture!
August 30, 2008 at 10:45 am
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out, Willy.
August 30, 2008 at 10:47 am
hey, Z, where is that apology?
August 30, 2008 at 10:47 am
She didn’t owe YOU an apology, Willy.
She apologized to us for her mistake.
BTW, this is not EV’s post.
August 30, 2008 at 10:48 am
“You know that I didn’t do that to hurt EV.”
But that doesn’t change the result Willy. That is the point. She didn’t deserve that.
And the picture stays. You guys need to lighten up (and get a sense of humor). We aren’t a news organization, we post things about the news and politics, with cartoons, and discuss them. Just like you do Willy.
Part of who Sarah Plain has been is a beauty contestant:
“she is a former Miss Alaska contestant, the Miss America Organization touted today.
In 1984, Palin was chosen Miss Wasilla and went on to become the first runner-up in the Miss Alaska Pageant, but she won Miss Congeniality that year. Her family still holds ties to the pageant—her husband, Todd, was a judge in 2008’s Miss Alaska pageant. ”
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/29/palinfrom-beauty-pageant-to-popular-governor/
The picture is satire. Of course it was photoShop’d. This is a blog, not a news organization. Its appropriate. All of what she has done – good or bad – is up to scrutiny now that she has accepted to be the VP running mate nominated. That is the way it works.
She doesn’t represent all women.. This photo wasn’t demeaning to ALL women. That is a serious stretch. If you don’t like the photo, then stop looking at it.
Yes, it’s historical that she is the first woman VP running mate. I think all the controversy is WHY she was picked out of the blue..
Everything else is opinion. We are here to discuss opinions, and that is what we are doing.
August 30, 2008 at 10:49 am
HB, the apology was on a private thread — to us.
I’m sorry if that’s not good enough.
August 30, 2008 at 10:50 am
I wrote what I wrote to get the “sexist slur” off your site, trust me, I won’t do it again.
You know, in case you haven’t figured it out, Progressives and Liberals don’t ALL just “blast” candidates just because of their political affliliations.
just like some Republicans don’t behave like trolls, some liberals and progressive democrats don’t either.
you are either a partisan troll or you are not.
And when you enter that realm, it really doesn’t matter which you are. You are still just a blind zeolot sheep.
EV changed that word because she agreed. You lie through you teeth to justify what ever you want because you don’t.
EV isn’t a troll, you are Zooey.
August 30, 2008 at 10:51 am
ok, so a secret apology. I get it.
August 30, 2008 at 10:53 am
I thought you were getting off this site, Willy?
August 30, 2008 at 10:54 am
And who is doing all the insulting and name calling?
You don’t have a clue how that was resolved, or how you embarrassed EV. You are the one who owes her an apology Willy. And now it seems you owe Zooey one too.
Is it possible for you to have a conversation without it not dissolving into condecension and hurled insults?
August 30, 2008 at 10:57 am
ok, well, I was offended by the characterzation of her being the “running maid”.
Where is my apology?
August 30, 2008 at 10:59 am
How about that video of Naomi Klein’s interview about “free-trade’ Obama? did you find that?
clearly, someone else here DID read those comments as they were happening, and they say they weren’t meant to be offensive to anyone, but merely to get that word off your front page.
That word went too far, as does this pic.
and the first insults were from Zooey suggesting I attacked EV when the only other person here who saw those comments say that didn’t happen.
Now, you pick whatever side you want muse, but you know I am right about that disgusting picture up there.
August 30, 2008 at 11:01 am
HB, it was a play on words that was lost in the translation. That’s already been explained. Sorry if you didn’t understand that part. It was fixed. EV is a wonderful person and would never do anything to offend anyone.
If you find what we do here offensive, then you seriously don’t have to keep reading it.
And Willy, you keep saying you are leaving and never coming back, yet you keep coming back.. You must like us on some level..
August 30, 2008 at 11:02 am
and for those of you who came late to the party; you want to know what really pissed Zooey off?
“Who ran the Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigation into pre-Iraq war info that ended up suggesting we give Bush authorization to go to war with Iraq AFTER they read the now infamous National Intellegence Estimate that claimed there were no WMDs in Iraq?
Who kept people like Scott Ritter, the leading expert at the time on the Iraq Weapons Program, from testifying at that “hearing” (only 2 days) because he was going to say he knew first hand that there were no WMDs in Iraq?
Who helped design “The War on Drugs” that has crippled this country with the most incarcerated population of ANY country and massive amounts of people in PRISON for non-violent victimless crimes (that most other countries handle with treatment rather than prison)?
Who is called “Senator Plastic” for his connections with the credit card industry?
Who helped write the visious new Bankruptcy Law that Dodd called “the worse Bill ever”?
Stop being blinded by “Party” people. Palin isn’t a perfect polician, as you are so quick to point out to people when they talk about Obama turning his back on our core values.
But I will tell you this, she isn’t NEARLY as corrupt as Biden is, by far and away.”
August 30, 2008 at 11:03 am
Again, if you find it disgusting, then quit looking at it. If you don’t want it on your blog, then you are free not to post it there.
August 30, 2008 at 11:03 am
I let the comments speak for themselves, Willy.
If you want to see a video by Naomi Klein, and you’re not finding it here — put it on your own blog.
Now, if you don’t mind, my dad is here and I have better things to do.
August 30, 2008 at 11:03 am
“You must like us on some level..”
I think I wrote somewhere in this thread.
August 30, 2008 at 11:04 am
Oh, now Willy is reading my mind….something only trolls do.
Hurry up getting gone, Willy. How can we miss you if you won’t go?
August 30, 2008 at 11:07 am
Why are you so angry??
If you don’t like Biden OR OBama, then don’t vote for them. I think we’ve made it clear that we all support Obama and now Biden (with all his warts) because a McCain presidency is unacceptable after what this country has been through the last eight years.
No, they are not perfect. Yes, they are the FAR better choice than McCain and what he would bring to this country.
Those are the only two choices. Yes, I know how you feel about the fact that you believe there is no difference. Lots of people feel that way. This is what we have to work with. So, yes we will continue to support them.
August 30, 2008 at 11:11 am
we were not talking about Obama or mcCain, we were talking about Palin and I mentioned the “warts’ on the other VP, which, in my opinion, have been VASTLY more detrimental to this country than getting a cop fired.
i mean, Iraq war, Bankruptcy Law, War On Drugs…
it’s not really close is it?
but in the end, it isn’t about any of that. Just like yesterday it wasn’t about EV. In the end, just like I said, it’s about just how far people are willing to turn their backs on their personal beliefs in order to achieve some percieved gain that really is or isn’t a gain at all. it’s about selling souls for “party”.
August 30, 2008 at 11:12 am
muse,
I am not saying that offense was ment (although it seemed that way at the time), but it was taken. Just as if I were to accidentally offend someone, I would also apologize for it, and not is some secret thread.
It is about honesty. I have been accused for not being honest, and my accusers are now guilty of the same thing.
August 30, 2008 at 11:14 am
willy and I may be lightyears away in our personal opinions, but I can say he is at least not one who follows blindly.
August 30, 2008 at 11:18 am
HB, none of us here are blind. None of us. We don’t “follow blindly”. Because you don’t agree with what we write doesn’t make us “followers following blindly”, and you and willy the only people who are “right”. That is ridiculous.
That offends me. So, can we all call it even with the “I feel I was offended” game and start over?
Again, we remedied the word problem. Its over.
August 30, 2008 at 11:19 am
You two may be enjoying this, but I am not.
My family needs to be fed, so I am off.
August 30, 2008 at 11:19 am
In the end, no-one coming here is going to be convinced to vote for Obama because of you and no-one is going to vote for McKinney because of me.
Hacker comes here to stir things up, and because he likes you guys.
But he doesn’t think he is going to make people here vote for Mccain.
it’s not about the vote, it’s about what we become in the process to that vote that matters.
Mike Tyson, once the baddest man on the planet, bite holyfields ear so that he wouldn’t lose the fight, he would be disqualified instead.
In the end, his actions were far more costly to him because it exposed a side of him that had never been seen before; fear.
Had he just lost, without sacraficing his high ground in the process, he would be a vastly different man now.
It’s not about the win or the loss because they are very similar in their pro-free-trade positions and their war positions, in the end it is now about what we become on the way.
August 30, 2008 at 11:21 am
So demeaning pics like the one up there really don’t do much, IMO, by the way of helping secure a democrat in the White House.
And even if it did; is it worth it? Was the New Yorker cover worth it?
That’s all I am asking.
Willy, I’m new to the sight but had to comment on this particular issue above.
You are comparing apples and oranges, first off. The New Yorker had Obama in a turbin, Michelle with a fro, AK14 & so on, you get the picture. Palin was a beauty queen. There is a huge difference here when it comes to Satire. The New Yorker was insulting IMHO (I do love good satire) because it went too far. The AK14, ammo, & the turbin were way over the top.
On the other hand, this is a direct quote from Palin, she runs 7 to 10 miles aday. She is back up to three miles a day. She is in great shape for her age. Plus, she was a beauty queen this is not a big stretch here, as far as satire goes. How is being portrayed that way (Satire) in any way shape or form demeaning? Don’t you think her looks had something to do with McCain’s decision a little. Look at his wife for example, OMG she is an ex beauty queen also. Surprise surprise.
IMHO, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill as my father use to say.
August 30, 2008 at 11:27 am
‘Männchen’ is the feminine version in German of ‘mate’ from the English. ‘Männchen’ also translates to ‘maid’ or ‘maiden’ in English. In American English, ‘maid’ has digressed to mean what the Brits call a ‘maid servant’.
August 30, 2008 at 11:31 am
that is an argument, rebel, and a sound one.
But, IMO, anyone who rises from such a superficial endevour like beauty contestant to become the first female Govenor of a State (like Hacker Pointed out), and a Mayor, and then the 1st Republican VP candidate, that person should be given the credit for such acomplishments. Especially if she raised 4 kids in the process.
The picture is intended to demean her. To portray her as nothing more than a beauty queen, when she clearly is much more than that.
Now If they found an old pic of her from the beauty contest, fine, no prolem, that is her.
But to photoshop this, for the purpose of making this successfull woman look ridiculous, is petty. And in my opinion, far below the standards that we would want to set, and HAVE set, for “our side”.
i understand your comment, and I can see your point, but I think, had this been someone who you knew and were close too, the insult might seem a little clearer.
August 30, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Willy, Hackerbob,
The fact that I usually do not make too many mistakes, doesn’t mean it can’t happen to me. Nevermind the fact that I get blasted and downvoted for submissions to reddit and fark for poor spelling and punctuation regularly.
Walt’s explanation is correct. The demeaning nature of my error is due to a different meaning of the word “maid” in the US and what I had in mind. It has been changed and it was walt who has reacted immediately and changed it. I am grateful for that.
I find the “Vogue” picture on this thread in no way demeaning and I totally refuse to be muzzled by political correctness gone wild. And I sure hope that goes for my fellow critters as well. This blog has 4′386 posts as of now and some are satire or meant as such and some have snappy headlines. But none, none, are meant to be demeaning by any of our authors. We have a very high standard of respect for any opinion here, but we can expect to be given some leeway to phrase our headlines and focus those on the point we are trying to make.
If you read carefully, you will find that we are meticulously linking to support our findings. We link to the main sources to enable our readers to check out the full story and be able to come to a different conclusion than we do. This is what our comments section is for, imho, to point out different points of view and discuss the issues. I even wish for more dissenting comments, to be able to either confirm or debunk what I have written. If you’re doubting my honesty, that’s entirely up to you. But I wouldn’t read posts of people that I can’t trust, so I expect you to stay away from my posts, due to my doubtful integrity.
Please accept that this is going to be my final statement, I have nothing more to say on the subject.
To everybody else, please accept my apologies for a lengthy comment, which adresses not the topic, but a more personal issue.
August 30, 2008 at 12:26 pm
willy, do you think I’m the only childish one around here.
Let me remind you, you’re not involved with this site any more. You’re not a critter or contributor and are in no position to tell us what to put up or take down.
You don’t like Joe Biden, that’s your privilege. Put up your complaints and people can go to your site to read them. Your comments are here for people to see.
This isn’t a news channel it’s a blog and we don’t have to sell Palin for the right, that’s their job. Take your vote and give it to McKinney, who cares. To tell you the truth for a long time I’ve thought that you were RHF at TP and now I’m guessing I was right.
August 30, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Just a short note, can’t sit very long…Missed all the frey….Since I arrived late let me say I apolagize if I have offended any one in the past…..P. B. & J
August 30, 2008 at 12:48 pm
witch1, you could never offend anyone. Its is just so nice to see you back here. We missed you. Are you doing any better?
August 30, 2008 at 1:01 pm
what is an rhf?
Oh, is he another progressive that disagrees with your Obama or bust campaign?
Could be alot of people.
Could be Shawn penn, or Naomi Klein or Noam Chomsky or Witch1 for that matter.
But no, there are many many of us who don’t think we should sacrafice our liberal values for your pro-free-trade candidate just because McCain is an ass.
I didn’t say you were lying EV. I said you went to far. And apparently someone agreed, because you changed it, didn’t you?
Well, this photoshopped crap also goes too far. That’s not PC. I am by far and away the LEAST PC person here. By far and away. Maybe you think that shirt with Obama pictured as Curious George was just “satire” like the republican trolls claimed? Or maybe you think I was being too PC when I wrote what I wrote about that on my site?
Go back and read the very honest and very open comments I just made about why I think it is important.
if you can’t see what I am talking about, if you can’t see that I mean what I say, then that’s all I can do.
August 30, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I was in Germany for two years and I cringe to think of how many linguistic errors I made while at a Floh Markt where virtually no-one spoke either English or American. They must have been rolling in the aisles as I departed.
A second point, they teach English, not American, in the better German classrooms.
August 30, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Wow, I don’t have the time to slog through all of this food fight, so I will make a couple drive-by comments.
To suggest that Palin is more qualified than Obama is beyond ludicrous. The argument is Palin is more qualified because she’s been a governor. By that standard, she is also more qualified than McCain, Biden, Lieberman, Clinton, Kennedy, and any number of others. Is that really an argument that McCain supporters want to make?
Factually, she has been governor for exactly as long as the Obama campaign has been in operation. I believe running his campaign organization has been a far more complex task than running Alaska, and it has been done with great success.
More importantly, Obama has been vetted through the gauntlet of the voters and the press for 20 consecutive months of the most intense scrutiny in political history. Palin has been vetted not at all (well, one meeting by McCain).
Palin has absolutely zero experience on either the national or international stage. She’s spent her entire thin career in Alaska with the caribou. Zero experience, zero vetting. None.
It is absurd to suggest that Palin is “more qualified”, and this makes a joke of the entire process. This is an unbelievably foolhardy selection because it gives the electorate a thin two months to determine whether or not she is qualified for the most complex job on the planet.
This is not an “America First” selection. It is a “Fetus First” selection. It thrills the social conservative block who care more about imposing their morality on Americans than they care about America itself.
McCain says Obama cares more about winning an election than he does about America. This selection shows McCain for the hypocrite that he is.
August 30, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Glad to see you #1. Hope you start feeling better.
August 30, 2008 at 1:08 pm
willy, if you don’t like the picture, stop looking at it. Because IT is staying.
August 30, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Well said gorn.
August 30, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Yes, gorn, well said.
As for the picture, I think it’s funny, and no worse than what Katherine Harris did every time she was on her boyfriend Sean Hannity’s show.
August 30, 2008 at 1:15 pm
“whether or not she is qualified for the most complex job on the planet.”
wow. I would have guessed neurosurgeon or the guys who made the large hadron collider…
maybe it’s the job that is the easiest to screw up, and that is why Bush was a shoe-in for it.
August 30, 2008 at 1:17 pm
” Katherine Harris did every time she was on her boyfriend Sean Hannity’s show.”
and if that is the standard you wish to set and to emulate, more power to you. Me personally, I expect more than Hannity-limits on my site.
August 30, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Good to see you Witch1. I hope you everything is well and good!!!
August 30, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Most complex political job, willy, ok? Now find something other minor quibble to pontificate on, okay? This is the extent of my interaction with you. Bye.
August 30, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Can I see the picture of Obama as Curious George? I haven’t seen that one yet.
After all, it is only satire.
August 30, 2008 at 1:41 pm
To suggest that Palin is more qualified than Obama is beyond ludicrous. The argument is Palin is more qualified because she’s been a governor. By that standard, she is also more qualified than McCain, Biden, Lieberman, Clinton, Kennedy, and any number of others.
And your point?
August 30, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Well HB, Palin WAS a beauty contestant. I am not aware of Obama every having been a monkey..
August 30, 2008 at 2:14 pm
HB,
There was a sock puppet post on TP. We figured the commentary there was more then enough for the blogosphere. LINK
August 30, 2008 at 2:19 pm
HB, you should read the blog entries linked from the article at the top of this site, from an Alaskan. Well-written, and I think it might give you some perspective on Palin and her so-called “experience.” Even some perspective on the “getting elected Governor” part.
August 30, 2008 at 2:36 pm
“and if that is the standard you wish to set and to emulate, more power to you. Me personally, I expect more than Hannity-limits on my site.”
ONE MORE TIME, this isn’t your site willy. Take it or leave it.
August 30, 2008 at 2:41 pm
from the Sock Puppet Link, thanks Walt
“This is not about freedom of speech, but about ethics. Sheesh!”
August 30, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Hey, I’m not the one who compared this site to Kathrine Harris and Shawn Hannity…
August 30, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Thanks for the link, Walt.
Now, I can see the sock puppet being offensive. I have to agree that is WAY over the line.
If it were a picture that emphasizes Obama’s substantial ears, that would be different. I mean, come on, from the front he looks like a VW with the doors open.
August 30, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Willy,
My problem is that I have perfect recall of recent events. When I was on a three day business trip way back when, I did not take any note taking materials. I wrote a 20 page synopsis of about 15 meetings and included charts. None of those who accompanied me was able to come up with more then four pages and they took notes. One colleague asked if I had video-taped the meetings.
August 30, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Hackerbob sez: “And your point?”
Are you serious, man? Are you trying to make the case that being a governor is the most important qualification for the presidency? Really?
George W Bush was governor of Texas, a state 34 times larger than Alaska. He was governor for six years, more than 3 times longer than Palin. And he’s been just great, hasn’t he?
What was clear about W from the start was that he was clueless about national and international affairs and nothing but an empty suit tool for the evangelical and neocon crowds. Both Al Gore and John Kerry were vastly more qualified in terms of understanding critical issues facing the US and the world.
Now tell me again how Palin is “more qualified” than McCain, Obama, and Biden merely on the basis of the fact that she was mayor for a backwater town of a few thousand people and governor for less than two years for a remote state with less population than Obama’s home district.
I can’t even believe this conversation is happening.
August 30, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Walt;
that could be useful in Vegas. We need to talk road trip.
August 30, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Oh, Wayne, it’s kind of a fun game you’ve started. Over and over, people suggest that the executive experience of a governor trumps the legislative experience of a senator, regardless of where or how long. “Blah blah blah, Biden’s never been a governor . . Obama’s never been a governor . . . ”
Let’s regress:
GWB: was a governor, in a state where the governor is largely a figurehead. As President, regarded as the worst ever.
Bill Clinton: was a governor. Maybe the Republicans liked him more than they let on.
GHWB: Uh, no. Prior to being tapped as VP, he was DCI and an ambassador and a legislator. His “executive” experience as VP was not impressive.
Ronnie Reagan: This is who Republicans are referring to, apparently. They loves their Ronnie and he was, indeed, a two-term governor.
Jimmy Carter: Hey, he was a governor. Of course, the Republicans hate him and tell us he was a bum president.
Gerald Ford: Eh. Best not to go there. But he was a long-term legislator. Not governor.
Richard Nixon: Uh. Nope. Prior to his unimpressive stretch as Eisenhower’s VP he was a senator and later a failed candidate for governor. Still, he was arguably a pretty good president, especially for conservatives. Up until the, er, problems.
LBJ: Nope. He was a senator, though, and a good one.
JFK: Nope. Another senator.
Ike: No, but he was a five-star general and led the invasion of Europe during WWII. That’s pretty good executive training.
Truman: Uh, nope. He was a senator, though.
FDR: I know the conservatives love FDR. Right? He was a governor! For three years!
Herbert Hoover: Nope.
And that’s as far back as I’m going. I’m just not seeing the correlation.
August 30, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Thanks, gummitch, for bringing some sanity to the discussion.
August 30, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Wow! I spend a day on an airplane and look what I come home to.
I purposely posted this picture. Sorry if you don’t like it. Yes, it’s photoshopped, but it’s fluffy, just like her and her qualifications. You honestly think she’s qualified to be vice president of the United States? During wartime? During ANYTIME?
I cannot believe that this conversation is even taking place. I don’t think that this is funny or even something worthy of discussion. This is a fucking joke being played on us. This is McCain being completely unserious about this presidential race. From Brittany and Paris to Moses, it was a joke. From celebrity over and over and over to out and out lying about so many things, I have lost count.
I am not just shaking my head over it, I AM PISSED! This woman is the most unqualified person running for high office in our lifetimes and probably that of our parents and grandparents. If this was McCain’s first test for CIC he failed miserably.
He has shown that he is, in no way, qualified or stable enough to be POTUS. He makes her his VP after meeting her once for 15 flipping minutes? GIVE ME A BREAK!
How about some AK perspective on her:
And Steve Benen adds:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/local-reaction-to-the-palin-bombshell/
and
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_08/014477.php
This entire thread is surreal. I can’t believe that a single person is cheering this selection. You have got to be fucking kidding me!
I am so angry over this it’s not even funny.
Ok, more. What about what the righties are saying?
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_08/014478.php
Spare me any one of you who thinks this woman is even remotely qualified to be mayor of Chicago, NYC, or LA let alone fucking VPOTUS.
Honestly, what planet did I land on here?
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