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Sarah Palin- links, from the beginning
various links
| 08-30-08
| The Heavy Equipment Guy
Posted on 08/30/2008 8:58:21 AM PDT by backhoe
Here is where it all began:
Governor Palin was my choice all along...
By Michelle Malkin • August 29, 2008 11:03 AM
Scroll down for updates…vid of the announcement at HA…
The announcement from Dayton will start any minute. There’s a new rock star in town. Conservatives are full of Hope that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will bring much-needed Change to McCain Republicanism.
Catch the fever.
I’m starting a new thread and kicking off discussion with this YouTube ad from Palin supporters.
Yes, I’m impressed. Very impressed.
Flashback: You go, girl: Alaska GOP Gov. will sue Bush administration over polar bear listing
***
The official statement from McCain:
U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.
Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.
Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us – Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.
In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the “bridge to nowhere” that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.
As the head of Alaska’s National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.
Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.
***
The ACU raves:
CONSERVATIVES HAIL MCCAIN VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK
(Minneapolis, MN) - David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, has issued the following statement on Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain’s pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
“The selection of Governor Palin is great news for conservatives, for the party and for the country. Her dedication to principle, her courage both before and after her election as Governor of Alaska and her personal qualities make her a perfect choice for Vice President. I predict any conservatives who have been lukewarm thus far in their support of the McCain candidacy will work their hearts out between now and November for the McCain - Palin ticket.”
***
Jennifer Rubin at PJM:
…Palin will argue that in fact Obama has no more experience than she does, and that Palin has the advantage of sharing McCain’s views (and thus being right) on the surge, Russian ambitions, and meetings with state terror sponsors. The VP debate against Biden may be dicey, but the McCain camp knows full well that a vice-presidential debate isn’t going to make or break their candidate. In short, McCain is hoping that Palin is good enough on this score for a number two pick against a Democratic ticket headed by a man with virtually the same meager national security credentials.
As to the second, Palin has much to offer McCain. On a non-political level few can doubt her Q-factor. (She will be the first former beauty queen to run on a national ticket.) The daughter of a teacher and mother of five, she has an ebullient personality and an excellent TV presence. The Right will be entranced : a pro-life hunter with a passion for domestic energy development? And in the battle for “change” she has the record of reform and the identity of a complete Washington outsider. Finally, as a lifelong NRA member, an outdoorswoman, and a western governor she may provide extra help in mountain and western states such as Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico which are certain to be in play.
On the policy front, Palin can make the case that the Democratic program of higher taxes, more spending, and a government takeover of health care is a proven loser. She will argue that she can bring practical experience from as far outside the Beltway as one can get. And, of course, the presence of a woman on the ticket creates instantaneous excitement and puts into play Clinton voters looking for a new champion.
The pick also tells us something about McCain: he thinks he can win. He was not willing to rock the boat with his conservative base. He can use Palin on offense to make a run at women voters and on defense to blunt the populist attacks from the Democrats. And it shows he understands the need to generate enthusiasm and “newness” in his own campaign.
Ed Morrissey: Change conservatives can believe in!
LifeNews has an excellent overview of Palin’s staunch, pro-life activism.
James Pethokoukis sends the 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sarah Palin:
. Sarah Louise Palin (nee Heath) was born Feb., 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Her family moved to Alaska when Sarah was an infant. Her father, Chuck, is a retired schoolteacher.
2. She attended Wasilla High School where she played point guard on the state champion basketball team. Her nickname was “Sarah Barracuda.”
3. Palin graduated in 1987 from the University of Idaho with a degree in journalism. She worked briefly as a sports reporter in Anchorage.
4. She refers to her husband, Todd, as the “First Dude.” He’s worked as a commercial fisherman and as a production operator on the North Slope for BP. He enjoys snowmobiling and has won the Tesoro Iron Dog, billed as the world’s longest snowmobile race, four times.
5. Palin and her husband have five children, Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and Trig. Trig, born in 2008, has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Her son Track joined the army in 2007.
6. Her favorite meal is moose stew.
7. She comes from a family of outdoor enthusiasts. Her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, enjoy hunting and fishing, and have both completed marathons.
8. Palin was named Miss Wasilla in 1984 and was a runner-up for Miss Alaska. In 1996 she was elected mayor of Wasilla.
9. She’s a lifetime NRA member and enjoys hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling.
10. Elected in 2006, she’s Alaska’s first female governor and the youngest governor elected in the state.
***
12:22pm Eastern. McCain: It is with great pride and gratitude that I tell you that I have the right partner for those who value their responsibilities over their privileges, someone who has fought corruption, stopped government from wasting taxpayers’ money…someone with executive experience, who has shown great tenacity and skill in tackling tough problems, especially our dependence on foreign oil, someone with strong principles, a fighting spirit, and deep compassion, someone who grew up in a decent, hard-working middle-class family…
Good stuff: “She knows when to stand up and doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down…She’s exactly who I need, she’s exactly who this country needs…”
Really good.
The next vice president of the United States, Gov. Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska.
Huge roar of applause. Huge.
Obama-Biden has to be in full snit-fit mode.
And Hillary must be experiencing a schadenfreude-licious moment right now.
It’s McCain’s birthday and the Palins’ 20th anniversary today.
12:44pm Eastern. Palin gives props to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. “The women of America aren’t finished yet…We can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all!”
Palin coopts the Hope and Change mantra. Sweet.
Audience coopts “Yes, we can!” Sweet.
God bless America!
For real.
Palin bio - not just another pretty face
http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net
Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 10:25:47 AM by Brookhaven
Sarah Heath Palin (born February 11, 1964) is the current Governor of Alaska, and a member of the Republican Party. She is the youngest and first female governor of Alaska. Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders,[1] she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election. On August 29, the Associated Press reported that "speculation [has] moved to [Palin as a] darkhorse" pick for the vice president running mate slot by presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.[2] The CNBC news service is now reporting that Palin will in fact be the GOP vice-presidential nominee.[3]
She is reported to be a possible choice for the Republican Party's nomination as Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election. Formal announcement of the presumptive nominee will be made in Dayton, Ohio on August 29, 2008, by Presidential candidate John McCain. Palin was born as Sarah Louise Heath in Sandpoint, Idaho, the daughter of Charles and Sally (Sheeran) Heath.[4] Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant.[5] Charles Heath was a popular science teacher and coached track.[5] The Heaths were avid outdoors enthusiasts; Sarah and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school, and the family would regularly run 5k and 10k races.[5]
Palin was the point guard and captain for the Wasilla High School Warriors, in Wasilla, Alaska, when they won the Alaska small-school basketball championship in 1982; she earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play.[5] She played the championship game despite a stress fracture in her ankle, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds.[5] Palin, who was also the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes, would lead the team in prayer before games.[5]
In 1984, Palin was second-place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, winning a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[5] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.
Details of Palin's personal life have contributed to her political image. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.[6][7] Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana when it was legal in Alaska, but says that she did not like it.[8]
Palin holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho where she also minored in politics. She briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd, her high school sweetheart.[5] One summer when she was working on Todd's fishing boat, the boat collided with a tender while she was holding onto the railing; Palin broke several fingers.[5] Outside the fishing season, Todd works for BP at an oil field on the North Slope[9] and is a champion snowmobiler, winning the 2000-mile "Iron Dog" race four times.[5] The two eloped shortly after Palin graduated college; when they learned they needed witnesses for the civil ceremony, they recruited two residents from the old-age home down the street.[5] Todd is a Native Yup'ik Eskimo.[5] The Palin family lives in Wasilla, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Anchorage.[10]
On September 11, 2007, the Palins' son Track joined the Army. Eighteen years old at the time, he is the eldest of Palin's five children.[10] Track now serves in an infantry brigade and will be deployed to Iraq in September. She also has three daughters: Bristol, 17, Willow, 13, and Piper, 7.[11] On April 18, 2008, Palin gave birth to her second son, Trig Paxson Van Palin, who has Down syndrome.[12] She returned to the office three days after giving birth.[13] Palin refused to let the results of prenatal genetic testing change her decision to have the baby. "I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection," Palin said. "Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?"[13]
Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[5] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[5] Palin kept her campaign promises, reducing her own salary, as well as reducing property taxes 60%.[5] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[5][14] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[11]
In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a four-way race. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[5]
Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission[15], where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[5] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[16] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[5]
In 2006, Palin, running on a clean-government campaign, executed an upset victory over then-Gov. Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary.[5] Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles.[5] Palin said in 2006 that education, public safety, and transportation would be three cornerstones of her administration.[8]
When elected, Palin became the first woman to be Alaska's governor, and the youngest governor in Alaskan history at 42 years old upon taking office. Palin was also the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood. She was also the first Alaskan governor not to be inaugurated in Juneau, instead choosing to hold her inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks. She took office on December 4, 2006.
Highlights of Governor Palin's tenure include a successful push for an ethics bill, and also shelving pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. Palin successfully killed the Bridge to Nowhere project that had become a nationwide symbol of wasteful earmark spending.[13][17] "Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on 'federal dollars,' as the state does today."[6]
She has challenged the state's Republican leaders, helping to launch a campaign by Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell to unseat U.S. Congressman Don Young[18] and publicly challenging Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings.[13] Palin supports holding occasional legislative sessions outside the state capital, and municipal revenue sharing to help local governments.[citation needed]
Palin's tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies, while still promoting resource development.[6][13] Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors, to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska. [19]
Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded an appointment by Murkowski of his former chief of staff Jim Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, one of thirty-five appointments made by Murkowski in the last hour of his administration that she reversed. [20][21] Clark later pled guilty to conspiring with a defunct oil-field-services company to channel money into Frank Murkowski's re-election campaign. [22]
In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) as the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.[23] Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels, voted against the measure,[24] and in June Palin signed it into law.[25][26] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, Transcanada, was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant.[27][28]
In response to high oil and gas prices, and in response to the resulting state government budget surplus, Palin proposed giving Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards. She also proposed providing grants to electrical utilities so that they would reduce customers' rates.[29] She subsequently dropped the debit card proposal, and in its place she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly and eliminate the gas tax.[30][31]
SOCIAL ISSUES Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life.[8] She opposes same-sex marriage(we will have to work on this one, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.[8] While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law. [32]
She supported a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[33] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[34]
Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska's attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.[35]
THEY'RE SAYING THAT MCCAIN HAS PICKED SARAH PALIN. The Insta-Wife is ecstatic, which may bode well for that demographic. I'd like it if she had more executive experience, but to be fair, she's got more than anyone else on either ticket. Is she too liberal on gay rights? Not for me, but maybe for some people.
UPDATE: Sissy Willis has more, including video of an interview of Palin by Larry Kudlow.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Judging from SayUncle, Palin will play well among the crucial bitter gun-clinger demographic. [They prefer to be called 'blasty-Americans' now -- ed. Oh, good grief.]
Plus, the WaPo's Ben Pershing on Sarah Palin's Porkbusting.
The pick is getting good marks from Geraldine Ferraro.
And, Palin as the anti-Ted Stevens."In an election where the Republican’s biggest liability isn’t Iraq but Ted Stevens and the Alaskan Bridge To Nowhere, McCain took his maverick mantle by the reins and just signed up the Anti Stevens to help him root out the corruption endemic in DC."
This rather churlish response from the Obama campaign won't help them -- dissing small towns doesn't fit well after Biden's "nobody is better than anybody" talk. [LATER: McCain response: "I'd think the Obama people would have learned by now not to belittle the experience of women."]
By contrast, I just saw Palin praise Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as pathbreakers. And that "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" line was delightfully sly.
MORE: Reader Kyle Griffin emails: "Did the Obama campaign just accuse the Republican campaign of having a VP with insufficient experience? Was that really smart? Will we see an ad about that tomorrow from the McCain youTube team?" Yeah, it did seem like an unforced error.
An "I told you so" from Katie Granju. [LATER: Granju emails: "I'm telling you. She's got the goods. Of course, I disagree with her on, well, mostly everything, but she's super impressive." Yeah, I'd never seen her speak before, and I was wrong to discount her, though I thought she'd said she didn't want the job.]
More on Geraldine Ferraro on Palin.
Roger Simon: Obama the stodgy, McCain the Maverick.
Sarah Palin and Experience
From the Comments:
Brilliant choice. It will be hard to criticize her on experience as she probably does more before breakfast than Obama does all day.
American Thinker:
That's an easy one to dismiss. Sarah Palin has had more executive experience, meaning experience in running either a business or a government, than either Barack Obama or his running mate, Joe Biden. She has more executive experience than even her running mate, John McCain. Governor Palin served as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from 1999 to 2002. She was elected as President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. She was elected as Governor of Alaska in 2006. And she has quite a few concrete achievements, considering the amount of time she's been in office.
Double Think:
The McCain campaign is hoping and praying that someone will say that Palin is unready for the job. “Please,” John McCain is praying right now AS I TYPE, “Let a Democrat say that an executive with 2 years of experience and no foreign policy expertise isn’t ready for the presidency. Oh pretty please. Because you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to take that soundbite, put it in an ad, slap Obama’s mug up there, and run it over and over and over again.”
Posted by Cjunk at
3:02 PM |
Comments (9)
The sniping and carping from the Jackal Pack Press begins:
Here’s what Palin said about the arrangements she has ALREADY made for Baby Trigg as Governor of Alaska...
Anchorage Daily News
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/382560.html
“The governor said she won’t take a maternity leave but will bring Trig with her to work. Her spokesperson later clarified, at Palin’s request, that the governor will take time off for medical appointments, physical therapy and whatever Trig needs.”
Sarah’s bringing a Baby to the White House!
"The last two callers to Michael Medved show, both claiming to be lifelong Republicans, were “appalled” that McCain would pick a mother with a disabled baby. They said she should be home caring for her child and not running for VP. Clearly the seminar callers have received their marching orders and the Dems are well along on one of the most despicable attacks on a candidate in history."
Palin pick already yielding rhetorical dividends?
See, this is why journos in the bag for Obama should await the royal talking points before opening their dullard yaps. CNN’s John Roberts: Palin Too Young and Inexperienced:
During the 9 a.m. EDT hour of “CNN Newsroom,” “American Morning” co-anchor John Roberts gave an analysis of Governor Sarah Palin during discussion of Senator John McCain’s vice presidential choice. Roberts focused on Palin’s lack of experience, saying that a prerequisite for the vice presidency should be the ability to step right into the office, especially because of McCain’s age. Roberts stated [...] “she’s the youngest governor ever in Alaska’s history, and she’s the first woman. She’s only been in office for a couple of years now, which really raises the experience issue here.”
Leave aside for the moment the dissonance of pretending to worry about Palin’s “inexperience” should she be forced (by the death of a fossilized McCain) into the Presidency when you haven’t offered the same argument for a man with even less executive experience getting the job outright; that probably has to do with her being “the first woman” governor or something equally patriarchal.
But in making this argument — that a 72-year old candidate is almost certain to kick while in office — what you have further done is begun alienating aging boomers who will soon be McCain’s age, questioning their worth and viability, throwing into doubt their general competence.
– Which means Roberts has managed to 1) highlight the inexperience of the Dem candidate for president by going after the inexperience of the Republican candidate for vice president; 2) has managed to make an implied argument that the inexperience of a woman is somehow more dangerous than the inexperience of a man, or a man of (half) color; and 3) has managed to make an ageist argument that could, at some level, get aging Dem Boomers to believe that their party thinks of them as prop voters, necessary for victory, but after that, to be set afloat on an ice chunk and allowed to drift off serenely into the great political beyond.
Add to that the calculus that many Hillary supporters will be thinking, “that should have been Hillary!” and what we have here is a perfect storm of identity politics for the Dems to try to steer their shiny yacht through safely.
Of course, the wildcard here is that female Democrats who detest Obama’s shiny empty banality will be forced to bite the bullet for him just to prevent the GOP from getting elected the first female VP. But I’m not sure that’s enough to counteract moderates who may now swing heavily in favor of McCain.
At any rate, the lines of attack should prove instructive — and, for the Dem’s sake, let’s hope they’re a bit better thought out than those offered by CNN’s John Roberts. Who really should wait for the next “Obama Action Alert” before he decides to speak again publicly.
For the narrative consistency and all.
O!
****
update: Wait, why can’t women have both a career and children? What, you want to see them barefoot and in the kitchen?
YES WE CAN!
****
update 2: David Harsanyi calls Palin “the libertarian vp candidate.” Which might could just temper McCain’s progressivism — even if she has to bat her pretty li’l eyes to get his macho in check…
The Bright Side
Paul and I have already voiced our concerns about John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for Vice-President. Now it's time to look at the upside. In fact, there is a lot to like about Palin. To begin with, her nomination provoked a typically mean-spirited reaction from the Obama campaign:
Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Of course, "zero foreign policy experience" describes Obama, too, unless giving ill-informed campaign speeches constitutes "experience." So maybe, in the end, Palin will highlight Obama's lack of qualifications rather than undermining McCain's critique of them. Maybe.
Then, too, Palin's selection was probably the only one that could drive Obama's speech last night off the front pages. Just in time, perhaps, as the Obama bounce is now up to 8 points if you believe Gallup. (That tends to support the conclusion that Obama is an effective demagogue.)
Palin could help McCain with several demographics, like the pageant community. Here she is as Miss Wasilla 1984:
News reports indicate that the crowd in Dayton, Ohio responded enthusiastically to references to Palin as an athlete. She was the point guard on a state champion basketball team:
I think McCain has pretty much got the hunter/fisherman demographic sewn up, but Palin will certainly be a plus there, too:
She is a big supporter of the troops, and her oldest son is headed for Iraq:
I like this one; Palin is the one with the gun. Unlike Michael Dukakis, she actually knows how to fire it:
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I think voters will like the whole Palin family. Her husband Todd is a commercial fisherman and also works in oil production on the North Slope. I think this photo is of Sarah working on the family's fishing boat; I'm told that as Governor, she still does that on weekends:
Todd Palin is a union member and a world-class snowmobile racer; here they are at a race:
A lot of voters are going to find this image appealing. I certainly do. In general, Palin's strengths seem to reinforce McCain's, but she could help a bit with blue-collar voters.
Substantively, Palin is a legitimate reformer. She killed the "bridge to nowhere," which is probably the only pork project most voters have heard of. She is a solid conservative and, perhaps best of all, she is an expert on energy and a staunch advocate of drilling. A large majority of Alaskans want develop ANWR; one hopes that Palin can change McCain's mind on that part of the energy issue.
I, for one, am very tired of hearing Democrats say that we can't drill ourselves out of our energy shortage. We could, actually, but since when is that the standard? Wharton Econometrics Forecasting Associates estimates that developing ANWR petroleum alone could create 736,000 American jobs... Permalink
Defending Against the First Attacks on Sarah Palin ( -more-
Madam Vice President
Palin? Perfect
http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/
BILL STUNTZ on Palin, Obama, and the experience issue. "Perhaps the jobs she has held are too small to count in a national presidential campaign. But that isn't obvious, not yet anyway. What matters more, to me and I bet to more than a few others, is what she's done in those jobs. The fact that her approval rating among Alaskans is in Mark Warner territory suggests that she might be the kind of governor Warner was in Virginia. If so, that should count for a lot--even if she hasn't had much time in office. Because time-serving won't count for much in the offices these four candidates are seeking."
Plus, fellow lawprof Ann Bartow on sexism: "The Supposedly Liberal Doods threw the most disgusting sexism at Hillary Clinton and her supporters during the Democratic primary. Then Obama picks Joe 'no friend of women' Biden as his running mate, rather than choosing somebody who would help build party unity. Now the Supposedly Liberal Doods are back in gear, throwing disgusting sexism at Palin. Why does it have to be like this? Hey Supposedly Liberal Doods, if you want Obama elected, stop burning bridges with women voters and start building some." Good advice. But is Biden really "no friend of women?"
More on experience, from Ross Douthat ("Yes, Joe Biden has more experience than Sarah Palin. But there's a not-implausible case to be made that Sarah Palin has more experience than ... Barack Obama!"), Jonathan Adler ("Sure, Sarah Palin was a 'hockey mom' before her entry into politics, but Barack Obama has never held a single full-time job for more than three years.") and Tyler Cowen ("Around the blogosphere you will see many left-wing writers criticizing Palin for lack of experience. Maybe this criticism is correct, but these commentators are falling into The Trap.")
But from Ramesh Ponnuru, cold water. Eric Scheie, meanwhile, comments: "I wonder whether a media analysis would reveal whether 'inexperienced' Republicans draw more media criticism than 'inexperienced' Democrats." Yes, as noted at TalkLeft, the Tim Kaine double-standard appears. Though that's more a case, perhaps, of a gender double-standard.
UPDATE: Via Ann Bartow, this post on the Palin pick: "It will complete the alienation of the rest of the Hillary supporters from the Obama camp. How? That’s easy — the Obamabots will do it themselves. Go read the Washington Post blog or anywhere online where the Palin pick is being discussed, and you’ll see the trademark Obama misogyny already out in full force. She’s been on the ticket for two seconds and already the Obamabots are saying she 'looks like a porn star,' they’re making rude remarks about her childbearing, they’re ridiculing her intelligence."
Yeah, Obama's supporters are his biggest weak point. Including the ones in the media.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Ann Althouse and Rachel Sklar on the Palin pick.
YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Swimsuit competition? Yeah, that's a killer issue. "The Obamabots really aren't going to try to reverse that reputation for misogyny any time soon."
Right after watching the CGI re-enactment of Richard Candelaria’s 1945 dogfight in a P-51 Mustang with 2 ME-262s and 15 ME-109s, I read Roger Simon’s observation that McCain was apparently demonstrating a willingness to take more political risks, by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate, than the One. “John McCain has once again shown he is willing to, in fact eager to, move in a positive and (relatively) unexpected direction. He is his own man. Obama - the agent of change - picked the most conventional of the conventional.” I think that’s only half true: McCain will take risks, but only after figuring the odds. Those who watch the video will notice that Richard Candelaria took two huge risks in his epic dogfight, once against the ME-262 and another against an ME-109 flown by a better pilot than he was. They were calculated risks; but once taken were pursued without hesitation or reservation.
The parallels between any pilot and McCain are going to be obvious. He has the ability to wait patiently until his opponent commits himself to a move then ruthlessly strikes to exploit it. He gives nothing away to clue his opponent on which way he is going to turn. Then suddenly he snaps the stick. A collection of links by Glenn Reynolds reveals a sudden appreciation by McCain’s opponents of his unpredictability. Some are hesitating to criticize Palin’s relative youth and inexperience, lest they fall into the Trap. What trap? A classic AP head says it all: Analysis: Palin’s age, inexperience rival Obama’s.
But the other piece of combat experience McCain endured, separate from his pilot training, one which every jailbird will appreciate, was his experience as a POW. Resistance in prison is one of the hardest forms of combat there is. As a prisoner you are always in the slower plane; the guard is always, by definition in the ME-262. A prisoner has only two friends: his mind and his nerve. McCain survived years of this and some of the skills he learned may have been on display just now. A number of political commentators thought John McCain would be easy meat for BHO. Maybe. Maybe not. Candelaria got the ME-262.
(more…)
Read 
| (37) Comments "McCain suddenly persuades the dispirited and the cynical that he has something good to say and do. I’m in. Sarah Palin is an inspired pick, both because of what it says about McCain’s gutsiness and his strategic willingness to take the angle shot, but also because of what it says about the Republican next gen. She’s got game, and Johnny Mac is willing to let her use her game. Notice how different that is, where Obama Know-nothing is looking to Joe Do-Nothing (for 30 years) as his “successor.” The dynamics of this race just reversed, big time."
FWIW: VoteMatchQuiz, Palin is a Moderate Populist Conservative.
Sarah Palin [VP] Speech Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpPpfYOe92c
Sarah Palin [VP] Speech Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt_4zW_HF0A
Wipes out the image of McCain as the crotchety elder and brings back that of the fly-boy and gambler, which is much more appealing, and the genuine person.
As commander of the National Guard of Alaska, Palin must be well aware of the Russian incursions into our airspace, a story largely unnoticed in the MSM. And the threat is real and growing.
You are right; it is a story the MSM is not paying attention to. Canada is quite upset and angry over this too.
Additionally, Norway and Sweden are also seeing Russians invading their airspace.
I couldn't find the article buttressing your assertion; but I know it's here at FR.
Britain intercepts Russian Bombers Every Week, April 5, 2008
Russian Bear bombers fly along Alaskan, Canadian coastline, September 30, 2007
Read the above carefully.
If you really think Happy Dancing Bunny Talk is going to help, vote for the New, Improved Black Jesus...
Otherwise, vote for the adults.
Not to mention this:
Keep in mind-the Russians put a LOT of their money and technology into their military—while we tend to spend it for health care for illegals, gay pride parades, “Global warming” studies, etc
Over in the Frumistan province of the NR caliphate, our pal David is not happy about the Palin pick. I am - for several reasons.
First, Governor Palin is not merely, as Jay describes her, "all-American", but hyper-American. What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew? As an immigrant, I'm not saying I came to the United States purely to meet chicks like that, but it was certainly high on my list of priorities. And for the gun-totin' Miss Wasilla then to go on to become Governor while having five kids makes it an even more uniquely American story. Next to her resume, a guy who's done nothing but serve in the phony-baloney job of "community organizer" and write multiple autobiographies looks like just another creepily self-absorbed lifelong member of the full-time political class that infests every advanced democracy...
And... for a bit of reading fun... here are the reactions of HillaryDieHards to the Palin pick:
They're Chatting up a Storm in Hillaryland [Jonah Goldberg]
Here.
08/29 02:20 PM
Any inkling of objective journalism has completely disappeared. CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and the major networks are openly and actively campaigning for Obama bin Biden. There isn’t even a pretense of objectivity anymore
It’s been over 12 hours now since Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, has been named as GOP choice of Veep. Already, a desperate Obama camp of supporters are in search of talking points… other than the obviously poor choice of “inexperience”… or a scandal to take back what they perceive as the DNC ticket superiority.
Knowing the Palin-Monegan-Wooten investigation of abuse of power was their prime target, I’ve been spending time this AM researching the chain of events in hopes of beating the media to the political and biased distortions creating a new, and false “truth. I took into consideration that journalists… and ardent supporters like Markg8 on Curt’s thread… will be quick to post what they believe is damning evidence without reading more material on the issue.
So on that note, settle back and catch up with the reality of rural country politics. I’d like to share with you what appears to be the crux of the story, using both pro and con Palin bloggers and news media.
A timeline of events in the so-called “scandal”
4-11-05: Investigation of Mike Wooten by AST (Alaskan State Troopers) over two year allegation of misconduct involving family members commences.
5-1-05: Domestic complaint incident involving Mike and Molly Wooten, Sarah and Todd Palin. Transcript of Sarah Palin with troopers. Also, Trooper notes on the same interview.
SUMMARY: Molly calls Sarah (not yet Governor) in fear from husband. They leave an open phone line where both Sarah and Molly’s son hear Wooten threaten Molly and Sarah’s father (he’ll “eat an f*#king bullet). Palin doesn’t call police because she doesn’t want to hurt Wooten’s trooper career, nor make the situation worse…. Providing it didn’t get physical. Other incidents with Wooten noted.
8-18-05 Re’interview of both Sarah and Todd Palin. Trooper notes on Sarah interview. And Trooper notes on interview with Todd Palin, plus with bartender of Mug Shot Saloon.
SUMMARY: Sarah confirms an email on Aug 10th, 2005 to Col Julia Grimes, Director of AST (Alaska State Troopers) complaining of Wooten’s negative representation of the department. Wooten’s abuse of his authority and position in various instances. His racist attitudes towards native Alaskans (Todd Palin is a native Alaskan…), abuse of state resources (free gas/credit), illegal hunting activities, and Sarah’s daughter (Bristol) being a witness to Wooten’s tasering of his 11 year old stepson (verified)
SUMMARY: Todd also confirms Wooten’s disparaging remarks about Alaskan natives, his consistent abuse of authority and position, plus his hunting violations. Bartender confirms Wooten involving himself in bar fight, misusing his position as a trooper. Also bartender confirms Wooten with “girlfriend” at the bar, who was later arrested for DUI.
This is no means a complete picture of all that happened… but enough to give you a picture of an “out of control” trooper. ~~~
NOTE: Palin was not Governor of the State at this time… and this transpired BEFORE her primary campaign against GOP competitor, Andrew Halcro. Coincidently, the same man leading the pack screaming “scandal” over the “firing of Monegan”.
The investigations against Wooten started more than a year before she was elected governor, and about two months before launching her campaign”. ~~~
11-2005: Palin elected Governor of Alaska
3-1-06: Col. Julia Grimes findings on Wooten investigation results in suspension…. for only *five* days.
What we can derive from the timeline is that the investigations and complaints against Wooten as a State Trooper (not to mention with problems exhibiting a derelict father who tasers his step son, and is a physically and verbally abusive, unfaithful husband per the transcripts and testimony) had started prior to Palin’s term as Governor.
We can also determine that this is a man who most certainly does not need to be a trooper, armed with a badge and gun. And, if not in rural Alaska, Wooten is a law official who would have been run out of most departments as a seriously troubled man with violent tendencies.
Per Col. Julia Grimes in the Fairbanks Newsminer on July 28, 2008… and showing how long this “scandal” has dragged out…
The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable, and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession,” Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006, letter suspending Wooten for 10 days. After the union protested it, the suspension was reduced to five days.
She warned that if he messed up again, he’d be fired.
There is much more in the story at this site--
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/08/29/palins-troopergate-beating-msm-distortions-to-the-truth/
and are lots of links to source documents that make it worth reading it at the original site. This is an excellent well sourced piece to debunk MSM reporting.
1. Steps on the story of Obama's speech (and convention), and possibly the bounce coming from them, and wipes them off the news cycle. The Sunday news shows will be all-Palin, all of the time.
2. Sends Republicans into their convention on a huge head of steam.
3. Wipes out the image of McCain as the crotchety elder and brings back that of the fly-boy and gambler, which is much more appealing, and the genuine person.
4. Revs up the base AND excites independents, which no one else in the party, or perhaps in the world, could have accomplished.
5. Puts youth, change, and history on both of the tickets.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
This usually pro-Obama lady really calls out her own.
(excerpt)
"She's also a governor of Alaska (my home state), the first woman in that office and the youngest elected in state history. She has an 80-plus percent approval rating. She has turned the state upside down with her reformist zeal and has made enemies of the Republican establishment. And she can talk energy policy, one of the biggest issues facing this country. Is she a gamble? Definitely. But so is Barack Obama, who has himself dismissed experience as a prerequisite for leadership, despite his spot atop the Democratic ticket. At this point, Palin is so unknown, there's no way to make a clear judgment about her. But listening to Obama supporters take to the airwaves to shriek with indignation about her lack of experience is just a little too rich. Where were they when Obama, two years into the Senate, announced his candidacy for president?"
read entire article at:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08302008/news/columnists/a_brilliant_trap_makes_dems_the_male_cha_126765.htm?page=1
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I like our moose-burger eating, gun-toting, business leading woman, mother of 5, Governor of Alaska (while pregnant) VP. The Barracuda and the Maverick will take on the Messiah and the Mouth - and win.
TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: 2008veep; davidharsanyi; palin; sarahpalin
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
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To: backhoe
To: backhoe
>> I appreciate your stopping by here- thanks!
No, thank YOU for putting forth the effort to gather the material.
It’s ironic: the only thing that I and many other conservatives fear about the Palin pick is that the TRUTH about her will be lost in the disingenuous drive-by media tarring that she is already starting to get.
On the other hand, the biggest fear on the part of O-Boy supporters is that THE TRUTH ABOUT O-BOY WILL BECOME KNOWN.
That would be funny if it weren’t so dangerous.
Thanks again for doing the hard work of exposing the TRUTH.
42
posted on
08/30/2008 10:01:34 AM PDT
by
Nervous Tick
(I've left Cynical City... bound for Jaded.)
To: Nervous Tick
If I wasn’t already married to a great lady, I’d be in love with Palin.
:)
43
posted on
08/30/2008 10:19:43 AM PDT
by
SideoutFred
(Save us from the Looney Left)
To: backhoe
To: stefanbatory
Thanks- this:
a slight addition I need to make to all your links...this thread was up before the one at the top of your list...it’s how I heard and was able to spread the good word to friends even before work...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2070367/posts
is welcome.
45
posted on
08/30/2008 11:07:39 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: traumer
great photo — it’s sure a lot better than if we had to keep seeing the photo of Rudy in drag.......!!
46
posted on
08/30/2008 11:37:00 AM PDT
by
Enchante
(Typical Democrats..... all they have to sell is a bridge...... one that isnÂ’'t even standing!!)
To: Lady GOP; All
This morning while looking up info in Alaskan sites on Governor Palin’s background I found myself on a thread of the very liberal “Alaska Daily News” (McClatchy paper), from the very day (April 21?) that the public learned that the baby had Down’s Syndrome. It was the vilest thread I have have ever seen, and considering some of the garbage over at DU and Kos that’s saying something! All the libs were saying the baby should have been aborted, several announced they had just donated to Planned Parenthood and posted links to PP, etc. Unreal. Not only were they enthusiastically proclaiming that this baby should have been murdered, on the very day that the Palins announced their new bundle of joy, but they were attacking anyone who dared to praise the Palins. Then of course there were the obligatory “how dare they have 5 children” and “the earth is dying” crap. I won’t post the link, they place is too vile even for “op-research”..... sick, sick hateful leftists.
47
posted on
08/30/2008 11:44:51 AM PDT
by
Enchante
(Typical Democrats..... all they have to sell is a bridge...... one that isnÂ’'t even standing!!)
To: All
-Hillary Clinton- archives, comments, and opposition research --The above thread was started ( in 2003!) to catalog opposition research on The Lady McBeth of Little Rock, and when the New, Improved Black Jesus became the Media Hive's Shiny New Toy, morphed over in to covering him as her star faded. Until, or unless, something new on them breaks, I am suspending updates, and concentrating on the positive-- our best and brightest new star...
New links:
This is the most refreshing thing in politics since Reagan spoke the truth about the soviets.
OODA = Observe, Orient, Decide and Act"How does one interfere with an opponent's OODA cycle? One of John Boyd's primary insights in fighter combat was that it is vital to change speed and direction faster than the opponent. This is not necessarily a function of the plane's ability to maneuver, rather the pilot must think and act faster than the opponent can think and act. Getting "inside" the cycle — short-circuiting the opponent's thinking processes - produces opportunities for the opponent to react inappropriately."
It looks like it is already working, doesn't it?
48
posted on
08/30/2008 12:02:39 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: backhoe
SARAH
PALIN & TALL
IN THE SADDLE
To: Charles Henrickson
Palin is the perfect woman. Or as close to perfect as God could create. Thank you God, you are indeed all powerful and all knowing. And, probably, a man.
To: Charles Henrickson
Tall in the saddle, indeed— thanks for the picture!
51
posted on
08/30/2008 12:28:57 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: Enchante
This morning while looking up info in Alaskan sites on Governor Palin’s background I found myself on a thread of the very liberal “Alaska Daily News” (McClatchy paper), from the very day (April 21?) that the public learned that the baby had Down’s Syndrome. It was the vilest thread I have have ever seen, and considering some of the garbage over at DU and Kos that’s saying something! All the libs were saying the baby should have been aborted, several announced they had just donated to Planned Parenthood and posted links to PP, etc. Unreal. Not only were they enthusiastically proclaiming that this baby should have been murdered, on the very day that the Palins announced their new bundle of joy, but they were attacking anyone who dared to praise the Palins. Then of course there were the obligatory “how dare they have 5 children” and “the earth is dying” crap. I won’t post the link, they place is too vile even for “op-research”..... sick, sick hateful leftists.The ever Tolerant & Inclusive Left are unpleasant to read, aren't they?
This morning, wife Miss Emily reminded me that when her Mother was carrying her, she was told she had a Down's baby...
Now it turns out, "they" were wrong- she's quite brilliant and talented- but even if it had proved true, all human beings, including the handicapped, have a certain inherent worth.
Thankfully, the family doctor didn't even mention abortion, just gave her Mom the raw information, to deal with as she saw fit.
52
posted on
08/30/2008 12:43:26 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: All
Let the barracuda hunt, that’s what I say...they don't understand who they're dealing with. This is a tough woman who took out an incumbent in the primary and a former governor in the general election. She's as politically savy as anyone you can name and she'll destroy whoever gets in her way.
53
posted on
08/30/2008 1:36:50 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: tioga
Wonder how hard it would be to tan, and stuff, one of them PETA critters?
54
posted on
08/30/2008 3:33:31 PM PDT
by
Issaquahking
(McCain/Palin rule - libs drool. All over but the crying now!)
To: All
According to John Fund on Gigot’s Fox program - Palin fired the Governor’s chef because “her children could fix their own breakfast and sandwiches” .....and she also sold the Governor’s jet on EBay...
The throw rug on her couch is the skin of a grizzly bear shot by her father, a retired teacher turned "nuisance-control specialist" (varmint hunter for hire) whose pickup truck bears the sticker VEGETARIAN—OLD INDIAN WORD FOR "BAD HUNTER."
|
|
Sarah Palin
|
Barack Obama
|
| Office being sought |
Vice President |
President of the United States and Leader of the Free World |
| Full name |
Sarah Louise Heath Palin |
Barack Hussein Obama II |
| Nickname |
Sarah Barracuda |
Barry Obama; "The One" |
| Public opinion |
Smoking hot in a "naughty librarian" sort of way |
May be The Messiah |
| Age |
44 |
48 |
| Children |
5: two sons, three daughters |
2: two daughters |
| Religion/Church attendance |
Evangelical Christian; attends Juneau Christian Center when in Juneau and grew up attending Wasilla Assembly of God |
Attended Trinity United Church of Christ for 20 years, a "black liberation theology" church formerly led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright and governed according to the Black Value System |
| Current Job |
Governor of Alaska |
Junior Senator from Illinois |
| Previous Public Jobs |
Mayor of Wasilla, AK (1996-2002); President of Alaska Conference of Mayors; City Council member (1992-1996) |
State Senator (1997-2004); Community Organizer |
| Executive Experience |
Governor for 2 years; Mayor for 10 years |
None |
| Foreign Relations experience |
Governor of state that borders two foreign countries (Canada and Russia) |
Chaired Senate subcommittee on Europe but never called it into session; once gave a speech to 200,000 screaming Germans |
| Military Affairs experience |
Commander in Chief of Alaska National Guard; Son is enlisted Infantryman in U.S. Army |
None |
| Private Sector Experience |
Sports reporter; Salmon fisherman |
Associate at civil rights law firm |
| Speaking ability |
Beautifully executed initial stump speech in Dayton, OH hockey arena without a teleprompter |
An enter...wait--did you say without a teleprompter?? |
| Spouse's name |
Todd Mitchell Palin |
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama |
| Spouse's occupation |
Salmon fisherman; Former North Slope production supervisor for BP Oil |
Vice President for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals; former Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago; former Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies; former Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago; former associate at Sidley Austin law firm |
| Reaction to spouse's political success |
Quit 17-year BP oil job when BP became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with wife's administration |
Promoted and given 160% pay raise by UofC hospitals within months of husband's election to U.S. Senate; Employer received $1,000,000.00 federal earmark, requested by husband, after her promotion |
| Coolest thing about Spouse |
Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmobile race champion (longest snowmobile race in the world); In 2008, while defending his championship, was injured when he was thrown 70 feet from his machine. He was sent to the hospital but still finished in fourth place |
Sister of Oregon State University head basketball coach Craig Robinson |
| Most Courageous Moment in Public Service |
Resigned in protest from position of Ethics Commissioner of Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders, including the former state Attorney General and the State GOP Chairman (who was also an Oil & Gas Commissioner), who was doing work for the party on public time and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. |
Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators in Hyde Park in 2002 |
| In Current Office Because... |
Upset sitting Governor in GOP primary due to public support for her efforts to clean up corrupt government establishment |
Republican opponent, who was leading in the polls, was forced to leave race after unsealing of divorce records exposed a sex scandal |
| Theme: |
Change and Clean Government |
Hope and Change; "Bringing Change from Outside Washington" |
| What they've done to live that theme: |
Replaced entire Board of Agriculture and Conservation because of conflict of interest; Resigned from position of Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose corruption among members of own party |
Selected 36-year incumbent Senator as running mate |
| Family Affairs |
May have removed State Public Safety Commissioner as part of effort to protect sister in messy divorce and child custody battle |
Often says, "I am my brother's keeper"; Brother lives in a hut in Nairobi on $12 per year |
| Union affiliation |
Union member, married to Union member |
Endorsed by a union |
| Iraq and Troop Support |
Formerly (pre-surge) critical of apparent lack of long-term strategy for Iraq; Visited wounded U.S. soldiers in Germany; visited AK National Guard soldiers deployed to Kuwait; Son deploying to Iraq on 9/11/08 as Army infantryman |
Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators; almost visited wounded troops in Germany, but decided to go shopping in Berlin instead |
| Bipartisan/"maverick" credentials |
Married to a non-Republican; Exposed corruption within own party; Campaigned for Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell against corrupt GOP congressman Don Young; Called out Sen Ted Stevens (R-AK) to "come clean" about financial dealings that are under fed investigation |
Talks about bipartisanship |
| Legislative Record |
Passed a landmark ethics reform bill; Used veto to cut budgetary spending; Prevented "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars. |
Voted "present" over 100 times as IL state senator |
| How they dealt with corrupt individuals in home city/state |
Exposed legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders; Campaigned against corrupt GOP Representative; Ran against and defeated corrupt incumbent governor in GOP primary |
Launched political career in home of unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayers (and still refers to him as a part of "mainstream Democratic Chicago"; Purchased home with help of convicted felon Tony Rezko |
| Guns |
Lifetime member of NRA and avid hunter; video can be found on YouTube of Palin firing an M4 at a military firing range |
Worked to pass legislation in Illinois that would prevent all law-abiding citizens from owning firearms |
| Earmarks |
Opposed "Bridge to Nowhere" project; Said Alaska should avoid relying on federal money for projects; Campaigned against porker Don Young (R-AK) in 2008 primary |
Secured federal earmarks for wife's employer and for campaign bundlers |
| Abortion |
Pro life; gave birth to 5th child knowing that he would have Down's syndrome |
Pro-choice; only IL state sen. to speak against the Born Alive Infant's Protection Act, which required medical care to be given to live infants who survived abortions |
| Energy |
Believes energy independence is a matter of national security; For drilling in ANWR, which is in her state |
Says Americans should "get tune-ups" and "check tire pressure"; Says "we can't expect the world to be okay with" our use of heating and air conditioning |
| Environment |
Chair of Alaska Conservation Commission (2003-4); Announced plans to create sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in AK |
Talks about the environment a lot |
| Athletic prowess |
Runs marathons |
Has reporters tailing him to the gym |
* *
True Grit, I hope, part 2
Just for fun, I asked David Lunde of Lundesigns if he would photoshop an image to go with my conception of John McCain as Rooster Cogburn to Sarah Palin's Mattie Ross. He has kindly responded with the image below.
Posted by Scott at 1:28 PM |
Permalink |
Governor Palin speaks and jabs
Maria Bartiromo interviewed Sarah Palin on CNBC last week before her selection was announced. The nearly twelve-minute interview is to be aired today. The interview focuses on energy exploration in Alaska and shows Governor Palin getting in a jab or two against Obama and Biden. It's an impressive performance on an issue with respect to which Governor Palin has something important to offer Senator McCain.
Via NRO's Planet Gore.
Posted by Scott at 1:57 PM |
Permalink
The New Democratic Meme
"It's also a slap in the face of Democratic women voters. They don't get Hillary but they get Sarah as the first potential woman President? In fact, I can just hear Biden saying, "Sarah Palin, you are NO Hillary Clinton!"
...
"She's an extremist and an enemy to the cause that has been fought on her behalf.... Someone should stand up and say: 'I know Senator Clinton. Senator Clinton is a friend of mine. And Sarah Palin is no Hillary Rodham Clinton.'"
See a pattern here? Personally, I'd love to see Biden say that too. It would be the end of B. Hussien Obama's run for the Whitehouse.
The Dems cannot help but be nasty on this choice of VP. They were absolutely sucker-punched by a 72 year old who they've been describing as "on death's door". That's gotta hurt....
In the long run, the average voter, particularly the average female voter, will be so turned off by the Democrats nastiness towards Palin that, as I've said before, John McCain will be the next POTUS.
UPDATE; Cafferty must have received the "She's No Hillary Clinton" memo from the Dem war room. Funny, how he didn't receive one single email in support of the Palin nomination.
Posted by The Greek at 10:38 AM | Comments (89)
They sound like the Nazis.
From the people who can't say a single bad word about Islam they are FREAKING out that Sarah Palin is Assemblies of God!
Go on over to the Daily Kooks, you'll need a de-licing afterward. You're warned.
Same bad poor taste comments at Democratic Underground. America hasn't a clue as to what that party is about, I tell ya.
And of course the comments about her CHOICE to have her sweet baby boy couldn't be lower:
#151 She should have aborted the tissue and moved forward with her life... Stupid is as stupid does.(hat tip Cathy)
STACLU has this: The moonbats at Daily Kos are going bezerko with conspiracy theories on Sarah Palin.
They are now accusing her, with absolutely no proof, of faking her pregnancy with the Down Syndrome baby, to cover up a pregnancy of her daughter. Their evidence is that her daughter was out of school sick a while back. Pure idiotic moonbattery...
In case you thought the moral depravity of the left was only part of the DNA of the radical fringe, check this out from RedState: (hat tip Jeremayakovka)
On a plane from Denver to Charlotte following the Democrats' convention, I found myself seated behind former National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Don Fowler and Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina. Their conversation was interesting to say the least.
For example, they made fun of Sarah Palin for several minutes, Fowler calling her "Dan Quayle" on steroids and Spratt creatively describing her as "just terrible." They both agreed that, "Other than the simple fact that she's a female," she has nothing to offer.
Watch how the former National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Don Fowler is laughing about a hurricane hitting ..........
So you see, it's funny. That New Orleans will get a hurricane. That's funny because it is due to hit when President Bush is scheduled to speak. Isn't that cool? Fowler isn't the only one who thinks so, just ask Michael Moore.
We all know Democrats used and use Katrina as a political football as callously as possible. Here's a candid moment showing some can hardly wait for another one.
All Class.
55
posted on
08/30/2008 3:35:02 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: Issaquahking
LOL....there’s a thought!
56
posted on
08/30/2008 3:49:57 PM PDT
by
tioga
(Vote the mavericks, McCain/Palin in 2008!)
To: backhoe
Sheesh backhoe, looks like you have been busy. I am a fast reader but...whoa ;^)
To: Dust in the Wind
Sheesh backhoe, looks like you have been busy. I am a fast reader but...whoa ;^)"I have not yet begun to link!"
Seriously, I'll keep updating this until there is nothing more to tell.
Any candidate who can inspire my apolitical and formerly Democrat wife to say "I'm going to vote for her!" is worth following to Hell and back.
58
posted on
08/30/2008 4:10:31 PM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old keyboard cowboy, ridin' the Trakball in to the Sunset...)
To: backhoe
"I have not yet begun to link!" LOL
..." who can inspire"...
I know what you mean, I was standing in a western Kansas hayfield this morning listening to an ex-Texan (maybe, not sure its possible) whom is a Mormon wax farmer-poetic about this ticket. My hope is we will not be deceived...
To: All
Found this over at Dirty Harry’s Place.
If you like, you can also listen to a 1/2-hour interview podcasted 
by IBD, and it’s interesting and heartening. She’s very well spoken.
UPDATE: And reading this piece, I find that I am more and more pleased that she is not another Ivy League lawyer who planned and plotted a political career, but rather a concerned and active, intelligent woman who simply followed her own interests and concerns, and walked through the doors and opportunities as they were placed before her. That’s refreshing - it is also so very “can-do American.”
We forget, sometimes, that Harry Truman was just a haberdasher, and not an elitist, too. (end update)
I saw some negative comments from people, today, suggesting - on the basis of what, besides simple mean-spiritedness, I cannot tell - that Sarah Palin is “Dan Quayle with a vagina.” That sentiment seems to have started here.
I found her pretty impressive in that clip. Smart, articulate, forthright and authentic.
Bookworm has McCain’s response to the Obama camp’s initial, and rather ungenerous response to his veep pick. I had always thought that a gracious acknowledgment was simply the way it was done.
Anyway, it seems like they’re wasting no time taking Palin out of context. That’s how it goes, I guess. Unsurprisingly, they’re also saying really gross things about little Trig, and about her children. Classy, classy bunch.
You read the crap they’re coming up with and you realize, they’re terrified.
But you know, in the past few weeks we’ve seen several right-wing blogs defend the Obama team against excessive nonsense (the birth certificate carrying-on, for example) - I do hope we’ll manage to see one or two blogs from the other side actually give Palin a hearing - in context - before jumping aboard.
ALLAH POSTS three interviews with Sarah Palin.
For the antidote of that "hopiness & changiness" malady, click the picture:
BRUCE REED says Democrats shouldn't be too quick to trash Sarah Palin, and that's good advice. And as for comparisons to Quayle, could somebody remind me again how many terms Lloyd Bentsen served as Vice President?
POLITICO: Five questions for Sarah Palin. I notice that several of them have already been answered by bloggers.
Here's an answer to the travel question: "But if it turns out she has rarely traveled abroad — or has never been to any foreign country other than Canada — this will be seized upon instantly." No worries.
Here's an answer to the finances question. From first thing this morning.
And here's something on evolution.
Bloggers: Doing the MSM's work ahead of time.
JERRY POURNELLE ON SARAH PALIN:
Were matters left to her, she would leave a great number of issues to the states -- as would I. I'd rather see her President than McCain, but we live with the choices we have.
Mr. Heinlein once speculated that we ought to reserve high political office for women with children because they tend to see things a bit more realistically. While I didn't necessarily agree with him, I never won the argument with him. On the other hand, Robert used to take positions for the sheer fun of it. (Actually I think he'd have preferred that anyone elected be a woman with children who could solve quadratic equations in her head, but he never went quite that far in public statements. Ginny never had children, but she could certainly do the math....)
We do live in interesting times.
Indeed.
Overheard In An Iowa Cornfield
Friday morning as I was browsing the booths at the dog show;
"Did you hear what McCain did?"
Meanwhile, down at the Hillary Clinton Forum...
The choice of Sarah Palin (whose name is well known to anyone who surfs the American political rightosphere) and a new American Championship title for my 10 month puppy, Minuteman Dead Cat Bounce - it's been a good weekend so far!
More - The Obama campaign is caught launching a Palin smear site.
An Alaskan Democrat - My plea is "Don't underestimate her."
(h/t Larry T.)
Just in - ZOGBY:
McCain/Palin 47%
Obama/Biden 45%...
Posted by Kate at
10:03 PM |
Comments (17) "It's my prediction that as America gets to know Sarah Palin, we will see an absolute wave of the female vote come over to the McCain/Palin ticket. I think the key is going to be women voting independent and the blue dog women voters. If McCain/Palin can get an extra 10% of that vote that is now leaning to Obama, it could be lights out for The Great Deceiver."
Governor Palin speaks and jabs
Maria Bartiromo interviewed Sarah Palin on CNBC last week before her selection was announced. The nearly twelve-minute interview is to be aired today. The interview focuses on energy exploration in Alaska and shows Governor Palin getting in a jab or two against Obama and Biden. It's an impressive performance on an issue with respect to which Governor Palin has something important to offer Senator McCain.
Via NRO's Planet Gore.
To comment on this post, go here.
Posted by Scott at 1:57 PM |
Permalink
THE STEYN .. The hostess with the moosest: “Over in the Frumistan province of the NR caliphate, our pal David is not happy about the Palin pick. I am - for several reasons.” Shaidle weighs in …Rachel Lucas writes:
I can’t help myself. I don’t even have time today to jack with the internet but it is beyond my control; I’m simply delirious about Palin and all the very bad things she’s going to do for the Obama campaign, and just HOLY SHIT.
“What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew? As an immigrant, I’m not saying I came to the United States purely to meet chicks like that, but it was certainly high on my list of priorities.”
~ Mark Steyn ~
The GOP Plan to turn the convention into a telethon/public service event is brilliant and I whole-heartedly support it. I hope it’s exactly what they do. Of course it will be spun as “cynical opportunism and desperation” by the press and the Dems. But that should never stop you from doing the right thing.
And really, it doesn’t matter…no matter what happens, everything is Bush’s fault, or McCain’s fault, or, - “tee-hee God’s apparently loving the Dems so much he will destroy lives and homes for them” - so we may as well just carry on and carry forth. It’s a great idea.
But here’s to praying that somehow - by some miracle - Gustav does not cost too many lives.
It’s too long to post here but one to hang on to in the hard drive, a side-by-side comparison of what Obama’s actually done, vs what Palin has done. Pretty interesting. Do read and hang on to.
Another for the hard drive: Flopping Aces has the “Troopergate” facts and timelines. It’s only interesting if you’re into soap operas, and I’m not, but what is noteworthy here is that the authorities have said they didn’t even bother issuing subpoenas, because the Palin’s were so forthcoming. Tells me a) nothing to hide, here and - more importantly - b) Palin is smart enough to know that nothing strengthens a scandal like a real or perceived cover-up. That’s something a lot more “experienced” pols never learn.
Crittenden has more.
I too loved the shoes. They look comfy, too.
More on Obama and abortion
Palin visiting some troops here
For all you emailers yelling at me that Palin “is a moron creationist” - no, she’s not.
And to you really troubled folks writing your long sad fantasy about Palin’s having actually having faked her pregnancy to cover for her daughter. Grow up. Just grow up. And if you need help, get it.
A royalty is not exactly a tax; this sounds more like the gov has the land and lets the corporation drill and extract in exchange for a cut.
Looking at the Mayo Clinic website, I see that medical authorities believe that Downs Syndrome can’t be prevented.
Dimmunists are scared s**tless -- They are desperate
Gonzo’s response to Colmes [unless it’s antoher Gonzo] —
Of course, Alan, had she went to a medical provider who crushed the baby’s head with forceps and vacuumed out the fragments and remaining tissue, she’d be a progressive exercising her reproductive choice, right?
And if during such procedure, the fetus were to emerge live born, Barak Obama would support the right of the physicians to let it die on the table.
But you want to talk about her prenatal care in conformance with the advice of her personal physician.
Just stunning, Alan. Stay classy.
Who does this person resemble most?
Weasel
Snake
Amoeba
or
Space Alien
And why does "choosing wisely" matter? Read this:
She sounds like a female version of Teddy Roosevelt.
No wonder McCain picked her.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
She really knows her sports. Whoa, I am developing a crush on a vice presidential candidate.
Fowler Fouls: Hurricane is God's Favor to Democrats [Dems caught cheering for Gustav]
On a plane from Denver to Charlotte following the Democrats' convention, I found myself seated behind former National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Don Fowler and Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina. Their conversation was interesting to say the least.
For example, they made fun of Sarah Palin for several minutes, Fowler calling her "Dan Quayle" on steroids and Spratt creatively describing her as "just terrible." They both agreed that, "Other than the simple fact that she's a female," she has nothing to offer.
Then there was this gem of a moment from Fowler:
VIDEO
So you see, it's funny. That New Orleans will get a hurricane
GUSTAV WINDS HAVE HIT 150 MPH, and it has made landfall in Cuba. Brendan Loy has the scoop. Looks like the Cayman Islands -- hit this morning when Gustav was barely over hurricane strength -- dodged a bullet. Cuba isn't so lucky; let's hope others in the path have better luck.
Meanwhile, news on preparations in New Orleans, and video, at the Times-Picayune site.
UPDATE: Actually, Little Cayman was hit harder than initial reports suggested, and -- to a lesser degree -- so was Cayman Brac. British warships are arriving to provide relief.
NAGIN ORDERS MANDATORY EVACUATION: Brendan Loy has more.
UPDATE: Gustav on Twitter. Chuck Simmins notes: "The folks at Twitter are doing a great job following Gustav. Red Cross and Home Depot are using Twitter for providing info."
BRENDAN LOY: "One thing McCain may want to consider is that Gustav, though it’s getting all the attention right now, isn’t the only tropical threat out there. The one on the right is Tropical Storm Hanna, which could be menacing Florida by the end of the week. At present, it is not officially forecasted to become a hurricane, but that could change; some of the models think it could be a Category 2 or 3 hurricane in three days' time! If that happens, a couple days’ delay in the convention could potentially create a new conflict, this time involving the convention coinciding with a landfalling hurricane in the key electoral swing state of Florida."
Some Democrats think it's the hand of God. Of course, by saying that on video they muddy the question of who it's taking out . . . . Especially as this is the main headline on Drudge right now.
PHOTO: Why you should do your disaster preparedness in advance.
60
posted on
08/31/2008 4:10:04 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Vote Palin- for Change...)
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