I've said it before, but ... Sarah Palin has the intellectual depth of a wading pool.
Absolutely frightening.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
"The Letter"
About Sarah Palin: A Letter From Anne Kilkenny
What follows is an open letter written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska named Anne Kilkenny.
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because she is a “babe”.
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months. She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby. She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit. Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans. Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters. She’s smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents. During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city. As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s surplus, borrow for needs.
She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideasor compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated” her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job.
In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit, exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked toglobal warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President. There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she. However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I’ve always operated in the belief that “Bad things happen when good people stay silent”. Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don’t have a job she can bump me out of. I don’t belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can’t recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall–they are swamped. So I can’t verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my “about 5,000″, up to 9,000. The day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.
What follows is an open letter written by a resident of Wasilla, Alaska named Anne Kilkenny.
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because she is a “babe”.
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months. She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby. She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit. Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans. Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters. She’s smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents. During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city. As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s surplus, borrow for needs.
She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideasor compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated” her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job.
In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit, exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked toglobal warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President. There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she. However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I’ve always operated in the belief that “Bad things happen when good people stay silent”. Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don’t have a job she can bump me out of. I don’t belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can’t recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall–they are swamped. So I can’t verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my “about 5,000″, up to 9,000. The day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.
Today's Links (9/30)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
The Fact-Free Debate
http://www.slate.com/id/2201121
Facts do get in the way, don't they? ;-)
For Stocks, Worst Single-Day Drop in Two Decades
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/business/30markets.html
Huh. Well, I suppose it could've been worse. The Stock Exchange could have actually exploded. That would've been worse.
In Bailout Vote, a Leadership Breakdown
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/business/30assess.html
Leadership is supposed to, well, lead. The leadership of both parties pretty much blew it on this one.
Concerns About Palin’s Readiness as a Big Test Nears
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/us/politics/30palin.html
Expectations are so low at this point that if she manages to correctly pronounce Biden's name, a lot of people are going to pronounce her the winner.
McCain vs. Palin
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902661.html
I'd like to see a debate between these two. Would be a lot of fun!
Wasilla, Alaska, gadfly goes viral
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-kilkenny30-2008sep30,0,3853799.story
Like a lot of people, I've read this e-mail. Found it to be pretty evenhanded -- and scary.
Biden's strategy: Go easy on Palin
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14097.html
I agree; the best move here is to give Palin enough rope to hang herself. Biden doesn't have to worry about beating her ... because she's going to beat herself.
The next Palin gaffe
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/The_next_Palin_gaffe.html
This woman's head is nothing but an echo chamber.
Sarah Palin Appears to Scare the GOP
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/mashek/2008/09/30/sarah-palin-appears-to-scare-the-gop.html
Hey, she scares the crap out of a lot of us!
Dead by Election Day
http://www.slate.com/id/2201173
Let's hope that nothing like this happens ... especially if McCain pulls off a miracle and wins. President Palin?! There'll be a run for the Canadian border!
The Fact-Free Debate
http://www.slate.com/id/2201121
Facts do get in the way, don't they? ;-)
For Stocks, Worst Single-Day Drop in Two Decades
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/business/30markets.html
Huh. Well, I suppose it could've been worse. The Stock Exchange could have actually exploded. That would've been worse.
In Bailout Vote, a Leadership Breakdown
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/business/30assess.html
Leadership is supposed to, well, lead. The leadership of both parties pretty much blew it on this one.
Concerns About Palin’s Readiness as a Big Test Nears
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/us/politics/30palin.html
Expectations are so low at this point that if she manages to correctly pronounce Biden's name, a lot of people are going to pronounce her the winner.
McCain vs. Palin
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902661.html
I'd like to see a debate between these two. Would be a lot of fun!
Wasilla, Alaska, gadfly goes viral
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-kilkenny30-2008sep30,0,3853799.story
Like a lot of people, I've read this e-mail. Found it to be pretty evenhanded -- and scary.
Biden's strategy: Go easy on Palin
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14097.html
I agree; the best move here is to give Palin enough rope to hang herself. Biden doesn't have to worry about beating her ... because she's going to beat herself.
The next Palin gaffe
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/The_next_Palin_gaffe.html
This woman's head is nothing but an echo chamber.
Sarah Palin Appears to Scare the GOP
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/mashek/2008/09/30/sarah-palin-appears-to-scare-the-gop.html
Hey, she scares the crap out of a lot of us!
Dead by Election Day
http://www.slate.com/id/2201173
Let's hope that nothing like this happens ... especially if McCain pulls off a miracle and wins. President Palin?! There'll be a run for the Canadian border!
Monday, September 29, 2008
From the category "Two Minds Are Better Than One?"
I'm just going to let this speak for itself ...
Good Lord. These idiots want to run the country?!
Good Lord. These idiots want to run the country?!
Today's Links (9/29)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
On Bailout, Candidates Were Surely Themselves
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/us/politics/29campaign.html
When it comes to $700 billion+, I want my elected officials to be cautious. McCain is far too impulsive.
Paulson will have no peer under bailout deal
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-assess29-2008sep29,0,4350504.story
I really, really, REALLY don't like the sound of this.
After dramatic detour, John McCain's task is to get back on track
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-campaign29-2008sep29,0,3413430.story
McCain's campaign has gone off the rails in the last week ... and Palin ain't providing much help.
Obama increases lead over McCain slightly since debate
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-poll29-2008sep29,0,2706653.story
"Turn out the lights, the party's over ..."
Obama Plays Offense
http://washingtonindependent.com/8842/obama-plays-offense
I like the sound of this. Campaigns run better and far more smoothy when they're not playing defense all the time.
When all truth is relative
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rodriguez29-2008sep29,0,7620708.column
Republicans LOVE to go on the attack, but that's pretty much all they know how to do. Attack, blame ... repeat as needed.
McCain's Lost Chance
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/28/AR2008092802233.html
McCain and his people have run a pretty bad campaign, with plenty of lost chances and mistakes.
Palin Is Ready? Please.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/fareed_zakaria/2008/09/palin_is_ready_please.html
Palin isn't ready to be the manager of a Starbucks.
Democrats on Hill Worried About Biden at Debate
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/democrats-on-hi.html
I'll admit to being a little concerned about this debate. Biden is smarter, more qualified, and far better informed on the issues ... and that may turn out to be the problem. He has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth, and in this debate will also run the risk of coming across as patronizing or sexist.
Palin's Parents Pan Media
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/29/earlyshow/main4484569.shtml
They're her freakin' parents; what else do you expect them to do?! They're going to defend their child.
Morning Buzz: VP debate - cover your eyes
http://obsprimary.blogspot.com/2008/09/morning-buzz-vp-debate-cover-your-eyes.html
Let's get ready to rrrrrummmmmblllllle!
AP Investigation: Palin got zoning aid, gifts
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijvcK8P0ztXwMgir7NnkIy4rcI0AD93FQIA81
Well, we already knew that normal rules and laws don't seem to apply to Sarah Palin. She's a joke.
Palin heads to 'debate camp' in Arizona
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/29/palin-heads-to-%e2%80%98debate-camp%e2%80%99-in-arizona/
Oh boy -- I wonder if she'll win the Most Spirited Camper Award for her cabin!
‘Low expectations’ set for Palin
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14066.html
This is the only chance that Palin has: for expectations to be set even lower than they were for Dubya in 2000. Set them so low that if she manages not to fall off of the stage, she'll be declared the winner ...
Don't Take It for Granite
http://www.slate.com/id/2201157
McCain has had such a presence in NH over the last eight years or so that he's almost a state resident. It's going to be very difficult for Obama to pull off a win in that state, but if the economy keeps tanking, it might get a lot easier.
Lawmakers quickly point fingers after bailout fails
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/29/bailout.fallout/index.html
To be fair, pointing fingers is what politicians do best.
On Bailout, Candidates Were Surely Themselves
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/us/politics/29campaign.html
When it comes to $700 billion+, I want my elected officials to be cautious. McCain is far too impulsive.
Paulson will have no peer under bailout deal
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-assess29-2008sep29,0,4350504.story
I really, really, REALLY don't like the sound of this.
After dramatic detour, John McCain's task is to get back on track
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-campaign29-2008sep29,0,3413430.story
McCain's campaign has gone off the rails in the last week ... and Palin ain't providing much help.
Obama increases lead over McCain slightly since debate
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-poll29-2008sep29,0,2706653.story
"Turn out the lights, the party's over ..."
Obama Plays Offense
http://washingtonindependent.com/8842/obama-plays-offense
I like the sound of this. Campaigns run better and far more smoothy when they're not playing defense all the time.
When all truth is relative
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rodriguez29-2008sep29,0,7620708.column
Republicans LOVE to go on the attack, but that's pretty much all they know how to do. Attack, blame ... repeat as needed.
McCain's Lost Chance
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/28/AR2008092802233.html
McCain and his people have run a pretty bad campaign, with plenty of lost chances and mistakes.
Palin Is Ready? Please.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/fareed_zakaria/2008/09/palin_is_ready_please.html
Palin isn't ready to be the manager of a Starbucks.
Democrats on Hill Worried About Biden at Debate
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/democrats-on-hi.html
I'll admit to being a little concerned about this debate. Biden is smarter, more qualified, and far better informed on the issues ... and that may turn out to be the problem. He has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth, and in this debate will also run the risk of coming across as patronizing or sexist.
Palin's Parents Pan Media
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/29/earlyshow/main4484569.shtml
They're her freakin' parents; what else do you expect them to do?! They're going to defend their child.
Morning Buzz: VP debate - cover your eyes
http://obsprimary.blogspot.com/2008/09/morning-buzz-vp-debate-cover-your-eyes.html
Let's get ready to rrrrrummmmmblllllle!
AP Investigation: Palin got zoning aid, gifts
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijvcK8P0ztXwMgir7NnkIy4rcI0AD93FQIA81
Well, we already knew that normal rules and laws don't seem to apply to Sarah Palin. She's a joke.
Palin heads to 'debate camp' in Arizona
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/29/palin-heads-to-%e2%80%98debate-camp%e2%80%99-in-arizona/
Oh boy -- I wonder if she'll win the Most Spirited Camper Award for her cabin!
‘Low expectations’ set for Palin
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14066.html
This is the only chance that Palin has: for expectations to be set even lower than they were for Dubya in 2000. Set them so low that if she manages not to fall off of the stage, she'll be declared the winner ...
Don't Take It for Granite
http://www.slate.com/id/2201157
McCain has had such a presence in NH over the last eight years or so that he's almost a state resident. It's going to be very difficult for Obama to pull off a win in that state, but if the economy keeps tanking, it might get a lot easier.
Lawmakers quickly point fingers after bailout fails
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/29/bailout.fallout/index.html
To be fair, pointing fingers is what politicians do best.
Be careful what you wish for ...
The great Mark Twain said, "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." This should also be written somewhere on the first page of the McCain/Palin playbook for this campaign ... but it clearly is not.
Many commentators and reporters have criticized the Republican campaign for keeping Sarah Palin on an extremely short leash. She was, until recently, uttering no public remarks except for her standard stump speech (lifted almost entirely from her GOP convention speech), and she was criticized greatly for that.
Now it appears that we should have appreciated what we had when we had it, because the more she talks, the worse it gets. Her interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson was pretty bad, but her interview with Katie Couric of CBS was an unmitigated disaster. At this point, even the sound of her voice is becoming like nails on a chalkboard.
With every word out of her mouth, Sarah Palin demonstrates her lack of fitness for the vice presidency.
Many commentators and reporters have criticized the Republican campaign for keeping Sarah Palin on an extremely short leash. She was, until recently, uttering no public remarks except for her standard stump speech (lifted almost entirely from her GOP convention speech), and she was criticized greatly for that.
Now it appears that we should have appreciated what we had when we had it, because the more she talks, the worse it gets. Her interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson was pretty bad, but her interview with Katie Couric of CBS was an unmitigated disaster. At this point, even the sound of her voice is becoming like nails on a chalkboard.
With every word out of her mouth, Sarah Palin demonstrates her lack of fitness for the vice presidency.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Today's Links (9/28)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
For McCain and Team, a Host of Ties to Gambling
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28gambling-web.html
I bet these aren't the only secrets McCain wishes would go away ...
The Next Day, a New Debate on Who Won
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28react.html
Why is there any debate over who won?! McCain stunk.
Palin treads carefully between fundamentalist beliefs and public policy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palinreligion28-2008sep28,0,1440865.story?track=ntothtml
Palin is a nutcase. An absolute lunatic.
Palin's Stand on Mining Initiative Leaves Many Feeling Burned
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092702834.html
Exactly how many laws has Palin broken as governor of Alaska?!
Obama strikes back at McCain
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/09/27/article/obama_strikes_back_at_mccain
The good news for Obama is that there is a lot about McCain to attack.
For McCain and Team, a Host of Ties to Gambling
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28gambling-web.html
I bet these aren't the only secrets McCain wishes would go away ...
The Next Day, a New Debate on Who Won
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28react.html
Why is there any debate over who won?! McCain stunk.
Palin treads carefully between fundamentalist beliefs and public policy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palinreligion28-2008sep28,0,1440865.story?track=ntothtml
Palin is a nutcase. An absolute lunatic.
Palin's Stand on Mining Initiative Leaves Many Feeling Burned
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092702834.html
Exactly how many laws has Palin broken as governor of Alaska?!
Obama strikes back at McCain
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/09/27/article/obama_strikes_back_at_mccain
The good news for Obama is that there is a lot about McCain to attack.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Today's Links & Post-Debate Coverage (9/27)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
The First Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat1.html
It was close, yes ... but the burden of winning was on McCain, and he failed.
McCain's High Horse Meets Obama's High-Mindedness
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700037.html
I think that pretty much covers it. :-)
2 quick polls give Obama edge in debate
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Presidential_Elections/Presidential_Debate_Polls.html
Of course, the Faux News viewer poll said something a lot different ... but by any rational measure, McCain failed to do what he needed to do.
Rating The Debate: Did Either Win?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/earlyshow/main4482393.shtml
McCain needed to wipe the floor with Obama ... and he didn't. Not even close.
Who won the debate?
http://obsprimary.blogspot.com/2008/09/who-won-debate.html
McCain just didn't look comfortable ... and his attitude towards Obama stunk.
No Way to Begin a Debate
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/09/26/no-way-to-begin-a-debate.aspx
McCain and his campaign are a MESS.
CBS Poll: Obama Boosted Most By Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/opinion/polls/main4482119.shtml
I think that a lot of voters heard last night that McCain is out of touch with reality on a great many issues.
Presidential debate: The claims vs. the facts
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/09/26/presidential_debate_facts.html
It's inevitable that candidates will make erroneous statements in a debate setting, but McCain is far more prone to it than most. He often tries to rewrite history.
Reality Check On The Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/26/eveningnews/realitycheck/main4481610.shtml
McCain is just making stuff up now ...
Obama Continues Debate in North Carolina
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/obama-continues.html
Police in Greensboro estimate that over 20,000 people showed up for today's event.
Obama addresses crowd
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/09/27/article/long_line_forms_to_see_obama_biden
And a good time was had by all -- except maybe for the couple of people who fainted. They probably didn't have too good of a time. :-)
Palin Gets the Full Philly Treatment: "Hey Hockey Mom -- Keep the Puck out of PA"
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/palin-gets-the.html
Nobody has yet claimed that the McCain/Palin "brain trust" is running a smart campaign, and this is one of the reasons why ...
Conservative Columnist: Palin Must Go
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/main4482748.shtml
Another bad sign for a GOP campaign that is beginning to circle the drain.
Sarah Palin's Media Training
http://www.slate.com/id/2200937
Palin simply lacks the experience in dealing with the media that we're used to seeing in candidates for national office ... and the probably also lacks the natural ability.
The Sexy Puritan
http://www.slate.com/id/2200814
How does a woman handle being a member of a fundamentalist religion that doesn't view women as equal?
Are Voters Worse Off After the Bush Presidency? Two Economic Studies Say Yes
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/25/are-voters-worse-off-after-the-bush-presidency-two-economic-studies-say-yes.html
From the category "DUH." Republicans can't manage an economy.
Book Review: "The Final Days"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/books/review/Abramson-t.html
History will show the Bush presidency to be a failed one. It was misguided from the very beginning and never really achieved anything.
The First Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat1.html
It was close, yes ... but the burden of winning was on McCain, and he failed.
McCain's High Horse Meets Obama's High-Mindedness
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700037.html
I think that pretty much covers it. :-)
2 quick polls give Obama edge in debate
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Presidential_Elections/Presidential_Debate_Polls.html
Of course, the Faux News viewer poll said something a lot different ... but by any rational measure, McCain failed to do what he needed to do.
Rating The Debate: Did Either Win?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/earlyshow/main4482393.shtml
McCain needed to wipe the floor with Obama ... and he didn't. Not even close.
Who won the debate?
http://obsprimary.blogspot.com/2008/09/who-won-debate.html
McCain just didn't look comfortable ... and his attitude towards Obama stunk.
No Way to Begin a Debate
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/09/26/no-way-to-begin-a-debate.aspx
McCain and his campaign are a MESS.
CBS Poll: Obama Boosted Most By Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/opinion/polls/main4482119.shtml
I think that a lot of voters heard last night that McCain is out of touch with reality on a great many issues.
Presidential debate: The claims vs. the facts
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/09/26/presidential_debate_facts.html
It's inevitable that candidates will make erroneous statements in a debate setting, but McCain is far more prone to it than most. He often tries to rewrite history.
Reality Check On The Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/26/eveningnews/realitycheck/main4481610.shtml
McCain is just making stuff up now ...
Obama Continues Debate in North Carolina
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/obama-continues.html
Police in Greensboro estimate that over 20,000 people showed up for today's event.
Obama addresses crowd
http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/09/27/article/long_line_forms_to_see_obama_biden
And a good time was had by all -- except maybe for the couple of people who fainted. They probably didn't have too good of a time. :-)
Palin Gets the Full Philly Treatment: "Hey Hockey Mom -- Keep the Puck out of PA"
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/palin-gets-the.html
Nobody has yet claimed that the McCain/Palin "brain trust" is running a smart campaign, and this is one of the reasons why ...
Conservative Columnist: Palin Must Go
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/main4482748.shtml
Another bad sign for a GOP campaign that is beginning to circle the drain.
Sarah Palin's Media Training
http://www.slate.com/id/2200937
Palin simply lacks the experience in dealing with the media that we're used to seeing in candidates for national office ... and the probably also lacks the natural ability.
The Sexy Puritan
http://www.slate.com/id/2200814
How does a woman handle being a member of a fundamentalist religion that doesn't view women as equal?
Are Voters Worse Off After the Bush Presidency? Two Economic Studies Say Yes
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/25/are-voters-worse-off-after-the-bush-presidency-two-economic-studies-say-yes.html
From the category "DUH." Republicans can't manage an economy.
Book Review: "The Final Days"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/books/review/Abramson-t.html
History will show the Bush presidency to be a failed one. It was misguided from the very beginning and never really achieved anything.
McPAIN
What in the hell was wrong with John McCain in tonight's debate?
Did the pressure get to him? Behind in the polls, he had to win decisively tonight and put Obama on the ropes, but he didn't. Sure, 80%+ of respondents in a Faux News poll said that McCain "won," but what do you expect those sycophants to think? At best, McCain pulled off a tie -- and when you're behind, you have to do better than a that.
From his horrible choice of neckwear to the constipated look on his face, McCain came off horribly. There was the frozen smile that you just knew had behind it the thought, "I would stab you in the throat if I could."
Then there was the condescension ... and the thing that bothered me the most: he absolutely refused to look Barack Obama in the eye or even really acknowledge that he was even in the room. WHY? What brought on that contempt and lack of civility? Didn't Barack Obama win the nomination of his party, too?!
Didn't Obama deserve better -- and don't we?
Did the pressure get to him? Behind in the polls, he had to win decisively tonight and put Obama on the ropes, but he didn't. Sure, 80%+ of respondents in a Faux News poll said that McCain "won," but what do you expect those sycophants to think? At best, McCain pulled off a tie -- and when you're behind, you have to do better than a that.
From his horrible choice of neckwear to the constipated look on his face, McCain came off horribly. There was the frozen smile that you just knew had behind it the thought, "I would stab you in the throat if I could."
Then there was the condescension ... and the thing that bothered me the most: he absolutely refused to look Barack Obama in the eye or even really acknowledge that he was even in the room. WHY? What brought on that contempt and lack of civility? Didn't Barack Obama win the nomination of his party, too?!
Didn't Obama deserve better -- and don't we?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Website fun
If you type in http://www.sarahpalinsucks/ ... well, it used to lead you directly to the McCain website. Recently, however, the McCain folks must have decided that came to close to admitting the truth, so that link is now dead.
However, http://www.palinsucks.com/ is a legit (although not particularly well-done) Palin-bashing site. :-)
Today's Links (9/26)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
Letterman keeps up McCain tirade
http://us.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/26/letterman.mccain.rant.ap/index.html
I'd be ticked off, too. And since Letterman has been known to enjoy a good running bit, he might keep this up for a few more days. :-)
Three myths about those town-hall meetings Obama refused to do
http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/09/three-myths-abo.html
McCain never really wanted to have those stupid meetings. It was just another instance of him creating an issue or controversy where none really existed. He was just trying to throw Obama off of his game, and it's really pathetic that he's still at it.
Commentary: McCain has his priorities straight
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/navarrette.obama.mccain/index.html
My commentary? This writer is engaging in a misleading and oversimplified analysis -- and is, in fact, a doofus.
Palin Explains Alaska-Russia Foreign Policy Remark
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/25/palin-ak-rus-remark/
Her explanation (boiled down to its essence): she's got the intellectual depth of a wading pool, so we should just overlook it.
Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html
The truth? Palin was not a particularly good mayor and has not been all that successful as a governor, either. And those are the best things that can be said about her tenures. She's surely not qualified to be on a national ticket.
Palin talks to Couric -- and if she's lucky, few are listening
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-onthemedia26-2008sep26,0,5556952.story?track=ntothtml
Good grief ... what else is left to say about this candidate?! She's completely nuts and shouldn't be in charge of a PTA organization, let alone a state with the population of Charlotte, NC.
McCain resurrects an old stunt
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-welch26-2008sep26,0,5641824.story?track=ntothtml
All McCain has left are "old stunts." This election is effectively over, and he knows it.
Drama King to the Rescue
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503603.html
McCain is good at making things all about him. He talks about "country first," but that's a load of garbage.
What Bush Left Out
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/25/BL2008092501776.html
What does Dubya usually leave out? Coherent thoughts ... and occasionally, uh, verbs.
Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503988.html
"Alex, I'll take 'HYPOCRISY' for $500 ..."
Biden 'to be replaced by Hillary' on Obama ticket
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/biden-to-be-replaced-by-hillary-on-obama-ticket-13985924.html
I seriously doubt there is any truth to this rumor. If anybody ought to be replaced, it's the whole GOP ticket.
Letterman keeps up McCain tirade
http://us.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/26/letterman.mccain.rant.ap/index.html
I'd be ticked off, too. And since Letterman has been known to enjoy a good running bit, he might keep this up for a few more days. :-)
Three myths about those town-hall meetings Obama refused to do
http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/09/three-myths-abo.html
McCain never really wanted to have those stupid meetings. It was just another instance of him creating an issue or controversy where none really existed. He was just trying to throw Obama off of his game, and it's really pathetic that he's still at it.
Commentary: McCain has his priorities straight
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/navarrette.obama.mccain/index.html
My commentary? This writer is engaging in a misleading and oversimplified analysis -- and is, in fact, a doofus.
Palin Explains Alaska-Russia Foreign Policy Remark
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/25/palin-ak-rus-remark/
Her explanation (boiled down to its essence): she's got the intellectual depth of a wading pool, so we should just overlook it.
Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html
The truth? Palin was not a particularly good mayor and has not been all that successful as a governor, either. And those are the best things that can be said about her tenures. She's surely not qualified to be on a national ticket.
Palin talks to Couric -- and if she's lucky, few are listening
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-onthemedia26-2008sep26,0,5556952.story?track=ntothtml
Good grief ... what else is left to say about this candidate?! She's completely nuts and shouldn't be in charge of a PTA organization, let alone a state with the population of Charlotte, NC.
McCain resurrects an old stunt
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-welch26-2008sep26,0,5641824.story?track=ntothtml
All McCain has left are "old stunts." This election is effectively over, and he knows it.
Drama King to the Rescue
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503603.html
McCain is good at making things all about him. He talks about "country first," but that's a load of garbage.
What Bush Left Out
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/25/BL2008092501776.html
What does Dubya usually leave out? Coherent thoughts ... and occasionally, uh, verbs.
Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503988.html
"Alex, I'll take 'HYPOCRISY' for $500 ..."
Biden 'to be replaced by Hillary' on Obama ticket
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/biden-to-be-replaced-by-hillary-on-obama-ticket-13985924.html
I seriously doubt there is any truth to this rumor. If anybody ought to be replaced, it's the whole GOP ticket.
The McCain rollercoaster
Although a deal on the government bailout of financial institutions is not close -- and is in fact nowhere near close --John McCain will be participating in tonight's presidential debate at Ole Miss. This after he said the other day that he was suspending his campaign to help solve the crisis.
Huh?
What's going on with this guy? Do we really want or need a president who is all over the place emotionally and intellectually? First, there was no crisis ("the fundamentals of our economy are strong") ... then the sky is falling.
He bailed on David Letterman to "rush" back to Washington, as if he alone could steer this economic ship through the narrow straits of disaster and despair ... then took about 22 hours to get there, after first giving an interview to Katie Couric and then spending the night in New York. When he finally got to Washington, he barely said anything in the meetings and provided no real leadership at all. For that he needed to suspend his campaign?
McCain is an egomaniac and a grandstanding lunatic.
Huh?
What's going on with this guy? Do we really want or need a president who is all over the place emotionally and intellectually? First, there was no crisis ("the fundamentals of our economy are strong") ... then the sky is falling.
He bailed on David Letterman to "rush" back to Washington, as if he alone could steer this economic ship through the narrow straits of disaster and despair ... then took about 22 hours to get there, after first giving an interview to Katie Couric and then spending the night in New York. When he finally got to Washington, he barely said anything in the meetings and provided no real leadership at all. For that he needed to suspend his campaign?
McCain is an egomaniac and a grandstanding lunatic.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Today's Links (9/25)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
The Colorado Purple
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200602
I'll go as far as to say that Colorado is in play ... but that's about as far as I'll go. My instincts tell me that McCain will put that one out, but they also tell me that Obama doesn't need Colorado to win.
McCain Suspends Campaign, Shocks Republicans
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/24/mccain-suspends-campaign-shocks-republicans.html?s_cid=et-0924
I don't know why people keep expecting McCain to make sense. In his public career, he has often done exactly the opposite ... and usually seems to take great joy in confusing and/or surprising people.
First Debate Up in Air as McCain Steps Off the Trail
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25campaign.html
If McCain can't multitask now, what makes him think he'll be able to do if elected?
McCain's Suspended Campaign: A Stunt or Statesmanship?
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/09/25/mccains-suspended-campaign-a-stunt-or-statesmanship.html?s_cid=et-0924
It. Is. A. Stunt. Clearly.
Stunt Man
http://www.slate.com/id/2200867
McCain is a desperate man -- and has been for at least a couple of months now. His selection of Palin was one sign of desperation and this suspending-my-campaign garbage is another ...
Absence of Leadership
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu1.html
Dumba** Dubya The Smirking Chimp couldn't lead horses from one side of a corral to the other. He's a clueless dolt.
Clear and Present Danger
http://www.slate.com/id/2200895
DDTSC has done the country a favor in a way by staying out of the public eye for the most part. His pathetic lack of leadership and absence of brainpower is embarrassing.
McCain's image as reformer takes a hit
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-davis25-2008sep25,0,7690843.story?track=ntothtml
McCain abandoned his reformer status at least six months ago. You may officially consider his soul sold.
Keating 5 ring a bell?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-brooks25-2008sep25,0,5467109.column?track=ntothtml
It's about damn time somebody started bringing this up again. The phrase "influence peddling" comes to mind ...
Palin Pushes McCain as Market Reformer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403664.html
Too bad she had such a hard time thinking of any examples. Of course, McCain himself would be hard-pressed to come up with anything.
McCain's Ploy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403918.html
McCain's economic plans would be disastrous for the country and for all but the richest Americans, and voters are increasingly realizing that fact.
Benefits for Same-Sex Partners Focus of Senate Hearing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403598.html
I've said it many times in many places to many people: it doesn't matter who you love; it only matters that you're lucky enough to find love. I'm sick and damn tired of fundamentalist homophobic whackjobs trying to deny rights to a significant portion of our population.
The Colorado Purple
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200602
I'll go as far as to say that Colorado is in play ... but that's about as far as I'll go. My instincts tell me that McCain will put that one out, but they also tell me that Obama doesn't need Colorado to win.
McCain Suspends Campaign, Shocks Republicans
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/24/mccain-suspends-campaign-shocks-republicans.html?s_cid=et-0924
I don't know why people keep expecting McCain to make sense. In his public career, he has often done exactly the opposite ... and usually seems to take great joy in confusing and/or surprising people.
First Debate Up in Air as McCain Steps Off the Trail
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25campaign.html
If McCain can't multitask now, what makes him think he'll be able to do if elected?
McCain's Suspended Campaign: A Stunt or Statesmanship?
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/09/25/mccains-suspended-campaign-a-stunt-or-statesmanship.html?s_cid=et-0924
It. Is. A. Stunt. Clearly.
Stunt Man
http://www.slate.com/id/2200867
McCain is a desperate man -- and has been for at least a couple of months now. His selection of Palin was one sign of desperation and this suspending-my-campaign garbage is another ...
Absence of Leadership
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu1.html
Dumba** Dubya The Smirking Chimp couldn't lead horses from one side of a corral to the other. He's a clueless dolt.
Clear and Present Danger
http://www.slate.com/id/2200895
DDTSC has done the country a favor in a way by staying out of the public eye for the most part. His pathetic lack of leadership and absence of brainpower is embarrassing.
McCain's image as reformer takes a hit
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-davis25-2008sep25,0,7690843.story?track=ntothtml
McCain abandoned his reformer status at least six months ago. You may officially consider his soul sold.
Keating 5 ring a bell?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-brooks25-2008sep25,0,5467109.column?track=ntothtml
It's about damn time somebody started bringing this up again. The phrase "influence peddling" comes to mind ...
Palin Pushes McCain as Market Reformer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403664.html
Too bad she had such a hard time thinking of any examples. Of course, McCain himself would be hard-pressed to come up with anything.
McCain's Ploy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403918.html
McCain's economic plans would be disastrous for the country and for all but the richest Americans, and voters are increasingly realizing that fact.
Benefits for Same-Sex Partners Focus of Senate Hearing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403598.html
I've said it many times in many places to many people: it doesn't matter who you love; it only matters that you're lucky enough to find love. I'm sick and damn tired of fundamentalist homophobic whackjobs trying to deny rights to a significant portion of our population.
Classless moves
Yesterday, John McCain decided to "suspend" his campaign, return to Washington, and request that tomorrow's presidential debate be postponed. While at first glance perhaps appearing noble, these were, in fact, rather classless moves on his part and nothing but cheap political stunts. Hell, McCain isn't even on any of the congressional committees charged with regulating and investigating the finance industry.
McCain's decisions could also have been attempts to create an issue where none exists. Not sure about that? Okay, just give me a minute.
Having made those decisions, McCain's campaign can now publicly ask of Obama, "Why haven't you done the same? Are America's economic problems not important to you?" They can attempt to make Obama look bad while buying themselves additional time to prep McCain for the inevitable buttwhipping he is destined to receive at the debate. It's the only win they could possibly get this week, so they went for it. I used to think John McCain was better than that ... but over the last few months, he has changed. He has sold his soul in an effort to win this election and will now do anything to win.
And now he's also ticked off David Letterman by bailing on his show to appear with Katie Couric. :-) Just take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maM30MTiSWk
Bad move, John.
McCain's decisions could also have been attempts to create an issue where none exists. Not sure about that? Okay, just give me a minute.
Having made those decisions, McCain's campaign can now publicly ask of Obama, "Why haven't you done the same? Are America's economic problems not important to you?" They can attempt to make Obama look bad while buying themselves additional time to prep McCain for the inevitable buttwhipping he is destined to receive at the debate. It's the only win they could possibly get this week, so they went for it. I used to think John McCain was better than that ... but over the last few months, he has changed. He has sold his soul in an effort to win this election and will now do anything to win.
And now he's also ticked off David Letterman by bailing on his show to appear with Katie Couric. :-) Just take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maM30MTiSWk
Bad move, John.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
"Comparisons of Political Candidates"
[This is an e-mail going around right now; I got it from my sister.]
Subject: Comparisons of Political Candidates
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
Subject: Comparisons of Political Candidates
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
Spears vs. Palin
Lynne Spears makes several good points in today's New York Daily News -- http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/09/24/2008-09-24_lynne_spears_jamie_lynn_crucified_for_te.html ...
In my first post on this blog, I briefly wrote of Bristol Palin's pregnancy, saying that it is "a fact for which a Democrat would be castigated by the Religious Right but which, in this case, has brought comments like those of Focus On The Family founder James Dobson, who said, 'She and her family are human.'”
I still believe that to be the case. Can you freakin' imagine what James Dobson would have to say if this were Barack Obama's daughter? Bill O'Reilly of Faux News went apes**t crazy on the Spears pregnancy, blaming her parents for not "controlling" their daughter ... but did no such thing when the Palin pregnancy was revealed. Why? In what way were the circumstances different -- other than one of them has a mother running for vice president on the Republican ticket?
Abortion rights opponents, many of whom are the same folks opposing sex education, are now holding up Bristol Palin as a shining example of a teenager making what they call the right choice. How conveniently they forget the fact that her first choice -- having sex -- is one that they normally would not defend (and would, in fact, attack).
Finally, let's talk about Sarah Palin's relationship with her family. What kind of mother thrusts herself and her family into the national spotlight with something like a teenage pregnancy going on? How fair is that to her daughter and future grandchild? How selfish of her.
In my first post on this blog, I briefly wrote of Bristol Palin's pregnancy, saying that it is "a fact for which a Democrat would be castigated by the Religious Right but which, in this case, has brought comments like those of Focus On The Family founder James Dobson, who said, 'She and her family are human.'”
I still believe that to be the case. Can you freakin' imagine what James Dobson would have to say if this were Barack Obama's daughter? Bill O'Reilly of Faux News went apes**t crazy on the Spears pregnancy, blaming her parents for not "controlling" their daughter ... but did no such thing when the Palin pregnancy was revealed. Why? In what way were the circumstances different -- other than one of them has a mother running for vice president on the Republican ticket?
Abortion rights opponents, many of whom are the same folks opposing sex education, are now holding up Bristol Palin as a shining example of a teenager making what they call the right choice. How conveniently they forget the fact that her first choice -- having sex -- is one that they normally would not defend (and would, in fact, attack).
Finally, let's talk about Sarah Palin's relationship with her family. What kind of mother thrusts herself and her family into the national spotlight with something like a teenage pregnancy going on? How fair is that to her daughter and future grandchild? How selfish of her.
Today's Links (9/24)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
SARAH PALIN LOVER REVEALED!
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/national_enquirer_world_exclusive_sarah_palins_secret_lover_revealed/celebrity/65481
Considering the source, this is probably garbage ... but they did get the John Edwards thing right, didn't they?
Is Obama Another Dukakis?
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200587
Why is Christopher Hitchens such an arrogant (and yet amazingly ignorant) ass?
Obama and McCain Stand Firm on Bailout
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24campaign.html
I'm glad they agree on this issue. I've come to accept that a bailout of some kind is inevitable ... but there has to be more oversight than that currently proposed by the White House ... and the text of the bill probably needs to be more than two freakin' pages.
'Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency' by Barton Gellman'
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-rutten24-2008sep24,0,4584267.story?track=ntothtml
I have mixed feelings about reading this book. I'm interested enough, sure -- but I also don't want to be so freaked out that I can't sleep for a week! Cheney is truly a frightening figure in American political history, and I would prefer not to see him in my nightmares ...
Palin's Big Oil infatuation
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kennedy24-2008sep24,0,1238333.story?track=ntothtml
RFKJr is on the right track with this one. Do we really need another four (or, God forbid, eight) years of the oil industry running the White House? Didn't think so.
Economic Fears Give Obama Clear Lead Over McCain in Poll
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667.html
The truth is that Republicans simply don't manage an economy as well as Democrats do ... and this particular Republican candidate has already admitted that economics ain't exactly his strong suit. Just in case we doubted him, he proves it on the campaign trail every single stinkin' day.
Palin Sits Down With 2 Foreign Leaders
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303152.html
Well, now anybody who has shaken hands with Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher has as much foreign policy "experience" as Sarah Palin. And it was really nice of the campaign to let the media in for a whole 29 seconds.
Fat Cats First
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/23/BL2008092301299.html
Does anybody think that a Palin/McCain administration would be different? Trickle-down economic policies do not work, but that doesn't stop Republicans from continually promoting them. What does that say about them? Well, for starters, it says that they don't care about you and me.
Dreams From the Nominees
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302590.html
It's true that adding a trillion bucks to the debt will have to somewhat temper the plans of both Obama and McCain. We didn't get into this mess overnight, and we won't get out of it in a short time, either ...
McCain Bites the Press
http://www.slate.com/id/2200715
Why are Republicans such paranoid and bitter people? Okay, I know that's too broad of a generalization, but it sure seems to apply to most of the GOPers that have reached national prominence in the last 40 years ...
Abortion, Catholic Sex Scandals, the Bishop of Scranton, and Joe Biden's Communion
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/mashek/2008/09/23/abortion-catholic-sex-scandals-the-bishop-of-scranton-and-joe-bidens-communion.html?s_cid=et-0924
I'm sorry, but the Catholic Church leadership is simply out of touch, both with reality and their membership.
Sarah Palin's International Debut: All Friends, No Media
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2008/9/23/sarah-palins-international-debut-all-friends-no-media.html
Even the McCain campaign doesn't seem to believe that she's qualified ...
Red, Blue, Green: Cities That Vote Democratic Are Greener Than Republican Cities
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/fresh-greens/2008/9/23/red-blue-green-cities-that-vote-democratic-are-greener-than-republican-cities.html
I'm not sure which is less surprising, this or Clay Aiken admitting that he's gay.
Nader: Open the Debates for Third Party Candidates Like Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney and Me
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/09/22/nader-open-the-debates-for-third-party-candidates-like-bob-barr-cynthia-mckinney-and-me.html?s_cid=et-0924
Nader is a quack ... and if it hadn't been for his Quixotic 2000 campaign, we would've been spared the last eight years of Cheney/Bush.
SARAH PALIN LOVER REVEALED!
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/national_enquirer_world_exclusive_sarah_palins_secret_lover_revealed/celebrity/65481
Considering the source, this is probably garbage ... but they did get the John Edwards thing right, didn't they?
Is Obama Another Dukakis?
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200587
Why is Christopher Hitchens such an arrogant (and yet amazingly ignorant) ass?
Obama and McCain Stand Firm on Bailout
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24campaign.html
I'm glad they agree on this issue. I've come to accept that a bailout of some kind is inevitable ... but there has to be more oversight than that currently proposed by the White House ... and the text of the bill probably needs to be more than two freakin' pages.
'Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency' by Barton Gellman'
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-rutten24-2008sep24,0,4584267.story?track=ntothtml
I have mixed feelings about reading this book. I'm interested enough, sure -- but I also don't want to be so freaked out that I can't sleep for a week! Cheney is truly a frightening figure in American political history, and I would prefer not to see him in my nightmares ...
Palin's Big Oil infatuation
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kennedy24-2008sep24,0,1238333.story?track=ntothtml
RFKJr is on the right track with this one. Do we really need another four (or, God forbid, eight) years of the oil industry running the White House? Didn't think so.
Economic Fears Give Obama Clear Lead Over McCain in Poll
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667.html
The truth is that Republicans simply don't manage an economy as well as Democrats do ... and this particular Republican candidate has already admitted that economics ain't exactly his strong suit. Just in case we doubted him, he proves it on the campaign trail every single stinkin' day.
Palin Sits Down With 2 Foreign Leaders
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303152.html
Well, now anybody who has shaken hands with Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher has as much foreign policy "experience" as Sarah Palin. And it was really nice of the campaign to let the media in for a whole 29 seconds.
Fat Cats First
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/23/BL2008092301299.html
Does anybody think that a Palin/McCain administration would be different? Trickle-down economic policies do not work, but that doesn't stop Republicans from continually promoting them. What does that say about them? Well, for starters, it says that they don't care about you and me.
Dreams From the Nominees
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302590.html
It's true that adding a trillion bucks to the debt will have to somewhat temper the plans of both Obama and McCain. We didn't get into this mess overnight, and we won't get out of it in a short time, either ...
McCain Bites the Press
http://www.slate.com/id/2200715
Why are Republicans such paranoid and bitter people? Okay, I know that's too broad of a generalization, but it sure seems to apply to most of the GOPers that have reached national prominence in the last 40 years ...
Abortion, Catholic Sex Scandals, the Bishop of Scranton, and Joe Biden's Communion
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/mashek/2008/09/23/abortion-catholic-sex-scandals-the-bishop-of-scranton-and-joe-bidens-communion.html?s_cid=et-0924
I'm sorry, but the Catholic Church leadership is simply out of touch, both with reality and their membership.
Sarah Palin's International Debut: All Friends, No Media
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2008/9/23/sarah-palins-international-debut-all-friends-no-media.html
Even the McCain campaign doesn't seem to believe that she's qualified ...
Red, Blue, Green: Cities That Vote Democratic Are Greener Than Republican Cities
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/fresh-greens/2008/9/23/red-blue-green-cities-that-vote-democratic-are-greener-than-republican-cities.html
I'm not sure which is less surprising, this or Clay Aiken admitting that he's gay.
Nader: Open the Debates for Third Party Candidates Like Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney and Me
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/09/22/nader-open-the-debates-for-third-party-candidates-like-bob-barr-cynthia-mckinney-and-me.html?s_cid=et-0924
Nader is a quack ... and if it hadn't been for his Quixotic 2000 campaign, we would've been spared the last eight years of Cheney/Bush.
Palin’s Pipeline Doesn't Exist Yet -- And It May Never Be Built
When Sarah Palin takes the microphone at her campaign stops, she seeks to bolster her executive credentials by telling how she had engineered the deal that jump-started a long-delayed gas pipeline project. Covering a distance of more than 1,700 miles, it would deliver natural gas from Alaska to the lower 48 states and be the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North America.
There is no arguing the fact that she proved effective in attracting developers to a project that has eluded Alaska governors since the Jimmy Carter administration, but those who have examined the pipeline project have found that Palin has overstated both the progress that has been made and the certainty of success.
At this point, the pipeline exists only on paper, with the first section yet to be laid. The truth of the matter is that, although it is the centerpiece of Palin’s brief record as governor, the pipeline might never be built, and it is possible (admittedly under a worst-case scenario) that Alaska could lose as much as $500 million it committed to defray regulatory and other costs.
So here's a suggestion for Gov. Palin: be honest and up-front with your audiences. Don't knock it until you've given it a chance.
There is no arguing the fact that she proved effective in attracting developers to a project that has eluded Alaska governors since the Jimmy Carter administration, but those who have examined the pipeline project have found that Palin has overstated both the progress that has been made and the certainty of success.
At this point, the pipeline exists only on paper, with the first section yet to be laid. The truth of the matter is that, although it is the centerpiece of Palin’s brief record as governor, the pipeline might never be built, and it is possible (admittedly under a worst-case scenario) that Alaska could lose as much as $500 million it committed to defray regulatory and other costs.
So here's a suggestion for Gov. Palin: be honest and up-front with your audiences. Don't knock it until you've given it a chance.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Today's Links (9/23)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
Obama's Message Deficit
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200481
Barack needs an economic slogan? Hmmmm ... okay, how about "McCain doesn't know jack about the stinkin' economy?"
Republicans Are From Mars, Democrats Are From Venus
http://www.slate.com/id/2200606
I always knew there was something fundamentally odd about conservative nutbars ...
Obama Carries Uneven Record as Debater to First Contest With McCain
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/politics/23obama.html
Agreed. He has to be careful to offer specifics yet not appear too "lawyerly" or that he's talking down to people. And if he can get McCain to blow his stack, that will be a bonus. :-)
Sarah Palin's U.N. meetings begin with media flap
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-palin24-2008sep24,0,294342.story
Good grief. Can't this campaign do anything right when it comes to Palin and the media?! It's getting very comical -- and sad.
McCain Loses His Head
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html
If you are a Republican and get attacked by George Will -- even just a little -- that ain't exactly what you would call a positive sign.
Palin, McCain Disagree on Causes of Global Warming
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202894.html
Sarah Palin has the intellectual depth of a wading pool and is alarmingly ignorant about a great many issues, global warming among them.
Falwell's 'Champions for Christ' Debate Coach Schools McCain
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/09/falwells_champions_for_christ.html
What in the hell?! I'm not even sure what to say about this one.
Sarah Palin Sparks Revival of the Culture War
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/23/sarah-palin-sparks-revival-of-the-culture-war.html?s_cid=et-0923
Yep, that's what we need -- to continue this divisive crap. It amazes me that there are people in this country who think that abortion and homosexuality are two of the most important issues facing us.
McCain drifts away from a legacy of deregulation
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/23/mccain.bailout/index.html
Does McCain even know what he believes anymore?! He's saying anything and everything in his continued quest to tell the most lies in a presidential campaign.
Obama's Message Deficit
http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=2200481
Barack needs an economic slogan? Hmmmm ... okay, how about "McCain doesn't know jack about the stinkin' economy?"
Republicans Are From Mars, Democrats Are From Venus
http://www.slate.com/id/2200606
I always knew there was something fundamentally odd about conservative nutbars ...
Obama Carries Uneven Record as Debater to First Contest With McCain
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/politics/23obama.html
Agreed. He has to be careful to offer specifics yet not appear too "lawyerly" or that he's talking down to people. And if he can get McCain to blow his stack, that will be a bonus. :-)
Sarah Palin's U.N. meetings begin with media flap
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-palin24-2008sep24,0,294342.story
Good grief. Can't this campaign do anything right when it comes to Palin and the media?! It's getting very comical -- and sad.
McCain Loses His Head
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html
If you are a Republican and get attacked by George Will -- even just a little -- that ain't exactly what you would call a positive sign.
Palin, McCain Disagree on Causes of Global Warming
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202894.html
Sarah Palin has the intellectual depth of a wading pool and is alarmingly ignorant about a great many issues, global warming among them.
Falwell's 'Champions for Christ' Debate Coach Schools McCain
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/09/falwells_champions_for_christ.html
What in the hell?! I'm not even sure what to say about this one.
Sarah Palin Sparks Revival of the Culture War
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/09/23/sarah-palin-sparks-revival-of-the-culture-war.html?s_cid=et-0923
Yep, that's what we need -- to continue this divisive crap. It amazes me that there are people in this country who think that abortion and homosexuality are two of the most important issues facing us.
McCain drifts away from a legacy of deregulation
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/23/mccain.bailout/index.html
Does McCain even know what he believes anymore?! He's saying anything and everything in his continued quest to tell the most lies in a presidential campaign.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Today's Links (9/22)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
John McCain and the Lying Game
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842030,00.html
Q: How do you know when McCain is lying?
A: You don't have to know -- because he always is.
The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on McCain
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1842156,00.html
If elected, McCain's first move would be to have our troops cross the border and invade Australia.
For Obama, Race Remains Elephant in the Room
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1841109,00.html
I understand that Barack doesn't wish to appear as "the angry black man," but I don't think there's too much of a risk of that. He manages to put his passion out front without making it appear like anger ... although I'm sure he's as angry as the rest of us are about the direction in which this country is headed. The sad thing to me that we have to talk about his race at all.
Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22observer.html
On this date in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863. So many years later, the important thing should not be Obama's race, but rather his vision for this country -- a vision that John McCain lacks.
Palin's policies in Alaska weighted toward development
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palinenviro22-2008sep22,0,7742661.story?track=ntothtml
Palin is like 95% of Republicans -- she doesn't give a flyin' rat's behind about the environment.
The Bush Doctrine?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kenney22-2008sep22,0,4816338.story?track=ntothtml
This is a little funny, but it's even more sad. Palin makes Dan Quayle look like a Rhodes Scholar.
'First Dude' Todd Palin Illustrates Alaska's Blend of Private and Public
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102546.html
Republicans went nuts when Hillary Clinton was involved in her husband's administrations in Little Rock and Washington. Why aren't they screaming now?
Steering the McCain Campaign, a Lot of Old Bush Hands
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101608.html
Ummmmmm ... haven't Bush and his people gotten us into this mess?! Why in the hell would we want to go down this road again?! And this is even more proof that McCain has sold his stinkin' soul in an attempt to win this race.
John McCain and the Lying Game
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842030,00.html
Q: How do you know when McCain is lying?
A: You don't have to know -- because he always is.
The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on McCain
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1842156,00.html
If elected, McCain's first move would be to have our troops cross the border and invade Australia.
For Obama, Race Remains Elephant in the Room
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1841109,00.html
I understand that Barack doesn't wish to appear as "the angry black man," but I don't think there's too much of a risk of that. He manages to put his passion out front without making it appear like anger ... although I'm sure he's as angry as the rest of us are about the direction in which this country is headed. The sad thing to me that we have to talk about his race at all.
Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22observer.html
On this date in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863. So many years later, the important thing should not be Obama's race, but rather his vision for this country -- a vision that John McCain lacks.
Palin's policies in Alaska weighted toward development
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palinenviro22-2008sep22,0,7742661.story?track=ntothtml
Palin is like 95% of Republicans -- she doesn't give a flyin' rat's behind about the environment.
The Bush Doctrine?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kenney22-2008sep22,0,4816338.story?track=ntothtml
This is a little funny, but it's even more sad. Palin makes Dan Quayle look like a Rhodes Scholar.
'First Dude' Todd Palin Illustrates Alaska's Blend of Private and Public
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102546.html
Republicans went nuts when Hillary Clinton was involved in her husband's administrations in Little Rock and Washington. Why aren't they screaming now?
Steering the McCain Campaign, a Lot of Old Bush Hands
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101608.html
Ummmmmm ... haven't Bush and his people gotten us into this mess?! Why in the hell would we want to go down this road again?! And this is even more proof that McCain has sold his stinkin' soul in an attempt to win this race.
Overhauling health care: Two divergent visions
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26761504/
Health care should be a right of all Americans, not a privilage. Duh.
John McCain Goes Through the Looking Glass, Becomes an Economic Populist
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2008/9/19/john-mccain-goes-through-the-looking-glass-becomes-an-economic-populist.html
McCain isn't an "economic" anything -- except a flip-flopper.
Palin's town charged women for rape exams http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/21/palin.rape.exams/index.html
I know that other places still follow this practice, but that doesn't make it right. It is absolutely cruel to make a victim pay for rape exams and there is no excuse for it.
More Republican lunacy
As Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin campaign around the country, they and their supporters have sounded the call of revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the establishment -- even though their party heads the establishment.
Republicans sound pretty ridiculous talking about change and reform when they are in control of the White House and the Supreme Court -- and were in control of Congress for roughly seven of the last eight years. They've apparently decided upon the novel approach of running against themselves! And they're doing it with a McCain/Palin campaign staff chock full of former Bush staffers, proving yet again that McCain has sold his soul in an effort to win this race. The John McCain of 2000 would never have gone this route.
Do they really expect Americans to fall for this?
Republicans sound pretty ridiculous talking about change and reform when they are in control of the White House and the Supreme Court -- and were in control of Congress for roughly seven of the last eight years. They've apparently decided upon the novel approach of running against themselves! And they're doing it with a McCain/Palin campaign staff chock full of former Bush staffers, proving yet again that McCain has sold his soul in an effort to win this race. The John McCain of 2000 would never have gone this route.
Do they really expect Americans to fall for this?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Today's Links (9/21)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
Pact on Debates Will Let McCain and Obama Spar
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21debate.html
Bring it on! The more people hear from McCain, the less they like him and his flip-flopping, hypocritical policies.
The Candidates and the Court
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html
This is one of the reasons this election is so crucial. We absolutely cannot allow more judges on the Supreme Court like Thomas, Scalia and Alito.
Alaskans angered that Palin is off-limits
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,3843576.story?track=ntothtml
The McCain folks are doing everything they can to keep Palin under wraps because they know that she can't stand up to intense questioning. Neither her or her record can, actually.
McCain Health-Care Article Fuels New Clash Over Economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001746.html
Say it with me, folks: "McCain. Doesn't. Understand. The. Economy."
Hiding in Plain Sight
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001763.html
Why is Palin hiding? Because the GOP and McCain campaign know that she has to hide.
Report: McCain Has 13 Cars, Obama 1
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/report-mccain-h.html
Well, with all of those houses, he's bound to have a lot of vehicles to go with them. :-)
Pact on Debates Will Let McCain and Obama Spar
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21debate.html
Bring it on! The more people hear from McCain, the less they like him and his flip-flopping, hypocritical policies.
The Candidates and the Court
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html
This is one of the reasons this election is so crucial. We absolutely cannot allow more judges on the Supreme Court like Thomas, Scalia and Alito.
Alaskans angered that Palin is off-limits
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,3843576.story?track=ntothtml
The McCain folks are doing everything they can to keep Palin under wraps because they know that she can't stand up to intense questioning. Neither her or her record can, actually.
McCain Health-Care Article Fuels New Clash Over Economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001746.html
Say it with me, folks: "McCain. Doesn't. Understand. The. Economy."
Hiding in Plain Sight
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001763.html
Why is Palin hiding? Because the GOP and McCain campaign know that she has to hide.
Report: McCain Has 13 Cars, Obama 1
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/report-mccain-h.html
Well, with all of those houses, he's bound to have a lot of vehicles to go with them. :-)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
McCain Flip-Flopping
In May, John McCain said, "It would only postpone or temorarily relieve our dependence on fossil fuels."
In August, McCain said, "We have to drill here, and we have to drill now, and we have to drill immediately."
Which is it, Senator? This wouldn't be another instance of you changing your public position on an issue to attract votes, would it? Trying to get votes from ignorant people who believe that drilling will do any good?
In August, McCain said, "We have to drill here, and we have to drill now, and we have to drill immediately."
Which is it, Senator? This wouldn't be another instance of you changing your public position on an issue to attract votes, would it? Trying to get votes from ignorant people who believe that drilling will do any good?
Today's Links (9/20)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
Cheney must keep records, judge orders
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/20/cheney.lawsuit.ap/index.html
Right -- like Tricky Dick Cheney is going to let a little thing like a court order get in the way of his plans. The man is truly evil.
The Old Neighborhood
http://www.slate.com/id/2200404
The words of an Alaskan on the subjects of his home state and Sarah "Lying Her Butt Off" Palin ...
McCain’s Camp Tests Fund-Raising Limits
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20donate.html
I'm still not sure why McCain felt the need to accept federal money for this election. He's raised a fair bit of cash, and the RNC is stinkin' loaded.
Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps On Punching
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html
Keep throwing bombs, Joe. Even if people aren't paying a lot of attention now, they soon will be. More and more light is shining on the McCain/Palin trainwreck.
The Political Legacy of Baaad Boy Atwater
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/opinion/20sat3.html
Lee Atwater was a true political scumbag. All you need to know about him is that he was (and probably still is) one of Karl Rove's idols.
McCain and Obama different on style as well as substance
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-assess20-2008sep20,0,5272591.story?track=ntothtml
I don't want a president who is quick to the trigger and doesn't think things through, and that's exactly the sort of person John McCain is ...
Todd and Sarah Palin unchallenged in Fox interviews
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-onthemedia20-2008sep20,0,1925719.story
Well, no s*** ... did anybody actually think that Faux News would do anything else?!
Candidates clash over the economy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-campaign20-2008sep20,0,4443954.story?track=ntothtml
Why is anybody listening to anything that McCain says about the economy?! He's clearly clueless about it.
Bush's Shifting Ideology
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903997.html
The second terms of presidents are always different from the first ... but one thing that is consistent is that Bush is still an idiot. Definitely still "Dumba** Dubya the Smirking Chimp!"
Biden, in Ohio, Sees Hurdles Ahead
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903589.html
There is still a lot of work to do ... but McCain is in trouble.
On Economy, Obama Offers Ideas, McCain Blames Rival
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903823.html
Cheney must keep records, judge orders
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/20/cheney.lawsuit.ap/index.html
Right -- like Tricky Dick Cheney is going to let a little thing like a court order get in the way of his plans. The man is truly evil.
The Old Neighborhood
http://www.slate.com/id/2200404
The words of an Alaskan on the subjects of his home state and Sarah "Lying Her Butt Off" Palin ...
McCain’s Camp Tests Fund-Raising Limits
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20donate.html
I'm still not sure why McCain felt the need to accept federal money for this election. He's raised a fair bit of cash, and the RNC is stinkin' loaded.
Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps On Punching
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20biden.html
Keep throwing bombs, Joe. Even if people aren't paying a lot of attention now, they soon will be. More and more light is shining on the McCain/Palin trainwreck.
The Political Legacy of Baaad Boy Atwater
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/opinion/20sat3.html
Lee Atwater was a true political scumbag. All you need to know about him is that he was (and probably still is) one of Karl Rove's idols.
McCain and Obama different on style as well as substance
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-assess20-2008sep20,0,5272591.story?track=ntothtml
I don't want a president who is quick to the trigger and doesn't think things through, and that's exactly the sort of person John McCain is ...
Todd and Sarah Palin unchallenged in Fox interviews
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-onthemedia20-2008sep20,0,1925719.story
Well, no s*** ... did anybody actually think that Faux News would do anything else?!
Candidates clash over the economy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-campaign20-2008sep20,0,4443954.story?track=ntothtml
Why is anybody listening to anything that McCain says about the economy?! He's clearly clueless about it.
Bush's Shifting Ideology
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903997.html
The second terms of presidents are always different from the first ... but one thing that is consistent is that Bush is still an idiot. Definitely still "Dumba** Dubya the Smirking Chimp!"
Biden, in Ohio, Sees Hurdles Ahead
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903589.html
There is still a lot of work to do ... but McCain is in trouble.
On Economy, Obama Offers Ideas, McCain Blames Rival
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903823.html
Is this a surprise to anybody?! Republicans are skilled at identifying problems (or what they think are problems) and telling you who is to blame ... but when it comes to solutions, they tend to come up empty.
'Road to Nowhere' opens in Alaska http://us.cnn.com/2008/US/09/20/road.to.nowhere.ap/index.html
$25 million for a road that serves no purpose?! And Palin has the guts to say that she's against earmarks and pork?!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Today's Links (9/19)
[Italicized comments are my own and not from the referenced article.]
Sarah Palin said yes, thanks, to a road to nowhere in Alaska
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-bridge19-2008sep19,0,1092069.story?track=ntothtml
I'm pretty much sick and tired of Palin. Hearing her talk is turning into fingernails on a chalkboard to my ears ... and when she continues to lie about, well, pretty much everything, that just makes it worse.
Flunking Economics
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803052.html
Since he finished something like fifth from the bottom at the Naval Academy, McCain should be used to flunking things ...
Bush's Vapid Reassurances
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/18/BL2008091801645.html
I hope that White House speechwriters aren't getting paid by the word, because yesterday's comments were so brief as to be almost unnoticeable. And they sure as heck didn't make anybody feel any better ...
As Michigan Goes . . .
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803046.html
I wouldn't go so far as to say that Michigan is a dealbreaker ... but it's darn close. It, along with Pennsylvania and Ohio, are going to go a long way towards deciding whether this country gets a fresh start or a third term of Bush 43.
The Jokester: James Carville Hits McCain for His Age, Selection of Palin
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2008/9/18/the-jokester-james-carville-hits-mccain-for-his-age-selection-of-palin.html
Sure, Carville is often full of hot air -- but even more often, he's got a lot of wisdom. Then there are the times when he's wise and funny. :-)
Who's Whining Now? Gramm Slammed By Economists
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5835269&page=1
Gramm is nothing but a has-been old doofus. He fit in PERFECTLY with the McCain campaign ...
Where Are Sarah Palin's Tax Returns?
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5839282&page=1
Good question.
Advisers give clue to candidates on economy
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-18-econteams_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
One key difference between the two candidates is that Obama doesn't need as much advice as McCain does. :-) However, when he seeks it out, at least his team has a freakin' clue and has experience at managing an economy.
Obama: 'Help Main Street' as well as Wall Street
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/19/campaign.wrap/index.html
Quick question for American voters: which presidential candidate sounds like they understand the economy?
Sarah Palin said yes, thanks, to a road to nowhere in Alaska
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-bridge19-2008sep19,0,1092069.story?track=ntothtml
I'm pretty much sick and tired of Palin. Hearing her talk is turning into fingernails on a chalkboard to my ears ... and when she continues to lie about, well, pretty much everything, that just makes it worse.
Flunking Economics
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803052.html
Since he finished something like fifth from the bottom at the Naval Academy, McCain should be used to flunking things ...
Bush's Vapid Reassurances
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2008/09/18/BL2008091801645.html
I hope that White House speechwriters aren't getting paid by the word, because yesterday's comments were so brief as to be almost unnoticeable. And they sure as heck didn't make anybody feel any better ...
As Michigan Goes . . .
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803046.html
I wouldn't go so far as to say that Michigan is a dealbreaker ... but it's darn close. It, along with Pennsylvania and Ohio, are going to go a long way towards deciding whether this country gets a fresh start or a third term of Bush 43.
The Jokester: James Carville Hits McCain for His Age, Selection of Palin
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2008/9/18/the-jokester-james-carville-hits-mccain-for-his-age-selection-of-palin.html
Sure, Carville is often full of hot air -- but even more often, he's got a lot of wisdom. Then there are the times when he's wise and funny. :-)
Who's Whining Now? Gramm Slammed By Economists
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5835269&page=1
Gramm is nothing but a has-been old doofus. He fit in PERFECTLY with the McCain campaign ...
Where Are Sarah Palin's Tax Returns?
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5839282&page=1
Good question.
Advisers give clue to candidates on economy
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-18-econteams_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
One key difference between the two candidates is that Obama doesn't need as much advice as McCain does. :-) However, when he seeks it out, at least his team has a freakin' clue and has experience at managing an economy.
Obama: 'Help Main Street' as well as Wall Street
http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/19/campaign.wrap/index.html
Quick question for American voters: which presidential candidate sounds like they understand the economy?
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