Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

jah

2 Top Alaska Newspapers Question Palin's Fitness


Since yesterday's shocking arrival of Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate there has been the usual cable news and print blathering about the pick from those who know little about her. But what about the journalists close to home -- in Alaska -- who know her best and have followed her career for years?

For the past 24 hours, the pages and web sites of the two leading papers up there have raised all sorts of issues surrounding Palin, from her ethics problems to general lack of readiness for this big step up. Right now the top story on the Anchorage Daily News web site looks at new info in what it calls "troopergate" and opens: "Alaska's former commissioner of public safety says Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain's pick to be vice president, personally talked him on two occasions about a state trooper who was locked in a bitter custody battle with the governor's sister.

"In a phone conversation Friday night, Walt Monegan, who was Alaska's top cop until Palin fired him July 11, told the Daily News that the governor also had e-mailed him two or three times about her ex-brother-in-law, Trooper Mike Wooten, though the e-mails didn't mention Wooten by name. Monegan claims his refusal to fire Wooten was a major reason that Palin dismissed him. Wooten had been suspended for five days previously, based largely on complaints that Palin's family had initiated before Palin was governor."

A reporter for the Anchorage daily, Gregg Erickson, even did an online chat with the Washington Post, in which he revealed that Palin's approval rating in the state was not the much-touted 80%, but 65% and sinking -- and that among journalists who followed her it might be in the "[COLOR="red"]teens." [/COLOR]He added: "I have a hard time seeing how her qualifications stack up against the duties and responsibilities of being president.... I expect her to stick with simple truths. When asked about continued American troop presence in Iraq, she said she knows only one thing about that (I paraphrase): no one has attacked the American homeland since George Bush took the war to Iraq."

His paper found a number of leading Republican officeholders in the state who mocked Palin's qualifications. "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Lyda Green, the president of the State Senate, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"

Another top Republican, John Harris, the speaker of the House, when asked about her qualifications for Veep, replied with this: "She's old enough. She's a U.S. citizen."

Dermot Cole, a columnist for the Fairbanks paper, observed that he thinks highly of Palin as a person but "in no way does her year-and-a-half as governor of Alaska qualify her to be vice president or president of the United States.

"One of the strange things Friday was that so many commentators and politicians did not know how to pronounce her name and had no clue about what she has actually done in Alaska....I may be proven wrong, but the decision announced by McCain strikes me as reckless. She is not prepared to be the next president should something happen to McCain."

UPDATE: On Sunday the top story on the Anchorage paper's site carried the headline, "Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere,' doesn't note flip-flop." The Fairbanks paper has an article and a column on the same theme.

From the Saturday editorial in the Daily News-Miner in Fairbanks:

more

carnivore

Palin Was a Director of Embattled Senator Ted "The internet is a series of tubes" Stevens's 527 Group:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/01/palin_was_a_director_of_embatt.html#more

carnivore

CNN actually doing its job for once:

carnivore

Palin belonged to a fringe political group whose raison d'etre was Alaska's secession from the United States! She is literally a traitor to the U.S.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html

http://gopolitico.blogspot.com/2008/09/waitis-it-america-first-or-alaska-first.html

carnivore

Love this.. Pat Buchanan and Joe Scarburough talking about why Palin would not be a good VP candidate just before McCain announced her as his VP candidate:

carnivore

Palin abused her authority by firing an official for refusing to fire a state trooper that divorced Palin's sister.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/09/palin-retains-l.html

boygabriel

Let's discuss what the media/democratic-cynic narratives would be if it was Obama who had a pregnant teenager, not a conservative on the Republican ticket.

- He's a bad parent
- It shows he has poor judgment (of his kid) and poor behavior and is unfit for office
- he can't handle his own kids, how can he handle Russia
- if he raised a kid that irresponsible, what is he going to do as commander in chief?
- liberals are over-sexed and have no family values
- liberals aren't god-fearing

Now let's discuss what the media/democratic-cynic narratives currently are about a Republican with a pregnant teen:

- Is this topic fair game? (actual point discussed on CNN yesterday)
- Is this topic sexist (actual point discussed on CNN yesterday)
- Is this relevant to the race?

And there, friends, is your double standard for our broken media & discourse. No rational person can deny that Obama/Democrats would get far worse treatment.

jaha127

Isn’t it ironic the teenage daughter of a Governor who supports “abstinence-only” education in schools is 5 months pregnant during her senior year of highschool?

Her pregnancy should be an obvious indicator to most Conservative groups that maybe “abstinence-only” education is not the end all answer to teen pregnancy. Let me first of start by saying that I am really happy that Gov Palin’s daughter is surrounded by a really supportive family and that with her family and the father’s help I am sure they will manage being parents. But, what about all the girls out there who don’t have the luxury of family support? Who are out there having unsafe sex because they don’t have access to contraceptives? Or were not educated on the proper use? I am not an advocator of teens having sex… but I am also not ignorant to the fact that they are. We have to teach our children how to protect themselves. Weren’t those HIV/AIDS statistics that came out last month startling enough?

Do you remember when Britney Spears little sister was pregnant? All over the media, Jamie Lynn Spears was painted as a bad influence… and how she was going to corrupt the minds of the youth. Or, when TIME magazine broke the story about the “pregnancy pact” in a small town Massachusetts high school. Is Gov Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy any different? Where is the moral outrage now?

I am also a little shocked on how everyone is saying that the media should stay out of the governor’s family life. My question to Gov Palin is, didn’t you realize from the first day you decided to run for a political office and especially now as McCain’s running mate that every aspect of your family life… whether its your 17 year old’s love life…. to the fact that your husband has been arrested for 2 DWI’s over the last few years will be scrutinized by the public?

Oh and Gov Palin my advice to you… is to start talking to the rest of your daughters about sex. Teach them not only to be abstinent but if they ever do decide to have sex that they have it safely…

But hey that’s just my 2 cents…

jaha127

and wait... all over blogs... they have pictures of her drinking beers etc...
did McCain's Vetting team forget to look on Myspace and Facebook for possible scandals?

jah

Sarah Palin's future son-in-law says
he's an Alaska 'redneck'


Miami Herald
By Luisa Yanez
September 2, 2008

The boyfriend of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter describes himself as a "redneck who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes.''

The description appears in a profanity-laden entry posted by Levi Johnston in his MySpace account. The entry was made private over the weekend, but not before several media outlets published parts of it.

Johnston, 18, is believed to be the father of Palin's 17-year-old daughter Bristol's baby. On Monday, Palin revealed that the unwed Bristol is five months pregnant.

In a statement, Palin and her husband said the young couple will marry soon.

But in Johnston's MySpace entry, the teenager hints that fatherhood was not in his immediate plans.

Johnston says he is ''in a relationship,'' but on the question about how he feels about children he said: "I don't want kids.''

He also says his true love is ice hockey.

Here's part of his entry before it was made private:
'I'm a f--kin' redneck who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes. But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s--t and just f--kin' chillin' I guess. Ya f--k with me I'll kick ass."


Status: "In a relationship.''

Children: "I don't want kids.''

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/51459.html

modsquad

Boygabriel wrote: Let's discuss what the media/democratic-cynic narratives would be if it was Obama who had a pregnant teenager, not a conservative on the Republican ticket.

- He's a bad parent
- It shows he has poor judgment (of his kid) and poor behavior and is unfit for office
- he can't handle his own kids, how can he handle Russia
- if he raised a kid that irresponsible, what is he going to do as commander in chief?
- liberals are over-sexed and have no family values
- liberals aren't god-fearing

I think you presume wrongly (sic)
Didn't Gore's kid get picked up for DWI or pot or something? I don't think there was a big deal made out of that.

jah

modsquad wrote: [quote=Boygabriel]Let's discuss what the media/democratic-cynic narratives would be if it was Obama who had a pregnant teenager, not a conservative on the Republican ticket.

- He's a bad parent
- It shows he has poor judgment (of his kid) and poor behavior and is unfit for office
- he can't handle his own kids, how can he handle Russia
- if he raised a kid that irresponsible, what is he going to do as commander in chief?
- liberals are over-sexed and have no family values
- liberals aren't god-fearing

I think you presume wrongly (sic)
Didn't Gore's kid get picked up for DWI or pot or something? I don't think there was a big deal made out of that.
Last time I checked, Gore is a whiteboy

jah

McCain's VP nom. voicemail to Palin leaked to the press:


http://www.236.com/blog/w/lee_camp/mccains_voice_mail_to_palin_le_8644.php

carnivore

JAH wrote: McCain's VP nom. voicemail to Palin leaked to the press:


http://www.236.com/blog/w/lee_camp/mccains_voice_mail_to_palin_le_8644.php

Clearly fake, but still funny.

eggcream

Subject: The Libertarian Case for Palin

Geez, I hope I don't intrude on JAH's obsession but.....

The Libertarian Case for Palin

The potential political consequences of Sarah Palin have been chewed over from every imaginable angle.

Though there is plenty to ponder, one thing is certain: libertarian-inclined voters should be encouraged. No, I'm not suggesting that your little Molly will be bringing home "The Road to Serfdom" from her (distinctly non-public) elementary school. But in contrast to any national candidate in recent memory, Palin is the one that exudes the economic and cultural sensibilities of a geniune Western-style libertarian.

Now, Palin's lack of experience has been framed as an impenetrable negative. One wire story helpfully noted that Palin had never ever appeared on "Meet the Press." Shocking! But as Barack Obama often notes, it's not about experience, it's about judgment. And Palin's penchant for reform-minded conservatism is certainly at odds with the racket Washington Republicans have offered up the past 8 years.

Palin, for example, vetoed 300 pork projects in Alaska in her first year in office. She made a habit of knocking out big-government Republicans in her brief political career. For this, the 44-year-old mother of five enjoys a sterling approval rating in a state with arguably the nation's most libertarian-minded populace.

When it comes to healthcare, Palin says she wants to "allow free-market competition and reduce onerous government regulation." These days, any mention of the "free market" that's not framed as a crass pejorative is a sign of progress.

Culturally, there is little for the Heartland to dislike. By now, you've probably seen picture or two of Palin sporting a rifle. Apparently, she's left carcasses strewn across the Alaskan wilderness. In some places -- areas where the nation is growing -- owning a gun is not yet a sin. And unlike Obama, Palin seems to believe that the Second Amendment means the exact same thing in rural Alaska as it does in the streets of Chicago.

Yes, Palin is without argument a staunch social conservative. She is fervently opposed to abortion - even in cases of rape and incest, which will raise eyebrows, but is certainly more philosophically consistent than the namby pambyism of your average politician. The choice issue, after all, is complicated, even for many libertarians. And, as I was recently reminded, Ron Paul, the Libertarian champion of the 21st century, also opposes abortion.

Even when advocating for "moral" issues, Palin's approach is a soft sell. Palin does not support gay marriage (neither does Obama, it should be noted). Yet, in 2006, Palin's first veto as Governor was a bill that sought to block state employee benefits and health insurance for same-sex couples.

We cannot bore into Palin's soul to see her true feelings about gay couples, but, at the time, she noted that signing "this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office" because it was unconstitutional. For most libertarians, the thought of politician following any constitution, rather than their own predilections, morality or the "common good," is a nice change of pace.

On the counterproductive War on Drugs, Palin is no warrior. Her Republican opponent in 2006 primary, incumbent Republican governor Frank Murkowski, made recriminalizing the possession of small amounts of pot a priority. Palin, though she does not support legalization, believes enforcement should not be a high priority.

"I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled," Palin once said. This sort of honesty is a welcome change from the standard hand-wringing about marijuana's supposed disastrous consequences.

On education, Palin supports school-choice programs. There have already been smears that she backed "creationist" teaching in "public" schools, when in fact, Palin's comment regarding intelligent design should hold some appeal to libertarians. Even if you find the idea inane, in essence, Palin pushed the idea that parents, rather than the state, should decide what children are learning.

When asked about this commotion, Palin said, "I won't have religion as a litmus test, or anybody's personal opinion on evolution or creationism." If lockstep left-wing union-run school boards in urban districts would follow this sound advice on ideological litmus tests, our educational system would be a lot more productive.

Then there is a question of authenticity. And it matters. Those who will do anything for power, will say anything and support any position that is convenient. From John McCain to Joe Biden to Obama, one gets the sense that political office is their life's work. All of them have made attempts to create the perception that, hey, they're ordinary Americans just like you. Palin won't have to work at genuineness. With Palin, you get the impression she can take politics or leave it. Her life certainly hasn't been saturated with policy, favor trading and back scratching.

Of course, Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags. But, from the little we know about Palin, such a transformation doesn't seem likely. And for libertarians - in the broadest sense of the small "l" word -- she's the best candidate they can expect.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/the_libertarian_case_for_palin.html

eggcream

Palin Is Tough As Nails


“We may be seeing the first woman president. As a Democrat, I am reeling . . . That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician. [Sarah] Palin is as tough as nails… Good Lord, we had barely 12 hours of Democrat optimism… It was a stunningly timed piece of PR by the Republicans.” — Camille Paglia


http://tsfiles.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/camille-paglia-palin-is-as-tough-as-nails/

boygabriel

haha. Palin might get dumped by week's end.

She hates America worse than you thought Michelle Obama did.

carnivore

Boygabriel wrote: haha. Palin might get dumped by week's end.

She hates America worse than you thought Michelle Obama did.

Right? She actually belonged to a group that was trying to secede from U.S.

I don't think anyone who wants to secede from the U.S. should be running it. Surely you agree, eggcream...

boygabriel

Brilliant:

Bill O'Reilly on teen pregnancies
by kos
Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:50:28 PM PDT

He was for blaming the parents before he was against it.

On the pinhead front, 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. The sister of Britney says she is shocked. I bet.

Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her or even over Britney Spears. Look at the way she behaves.

Last night, O'Reilly was beside himself that anyone would publicly discuss Bristol Palin's pregnancy.

Then again, hypocrite extraordinaire O'Reilly never met a glass house he didn't shatter.

boygabriel

Subject: Re: The Libertarian Case for Palin

eggcream wrote: Geez, I hope I don't intrude on JAH's obsession but.....

The Libertarian Case for Palin

The potential political consequences of Sarah Palin have been chewed over from every imaginable angle.

Though there is plenty to ponder, one thing is certain: libertarian-inclined voters should be encouraged. No, I'm not suggesting that your little Molly will be bringing home "The Road to Serfdom" from her (distinctly non-public) elementary school. But in contrast to any national candidate in recent memory, Palin is the one that exudes the economic and cultural sensibilities of a geniune Western-style libertarian...

lolol

Palin's Legacy
by BarbinMD
Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:20:41 PM PDT

When Sarah Palin left office as mayor of the village of Wasilla, she not only left behind the $27 million in federal earmarks that she finagled for her tiny hamlet, she left behind a legacy that would make even Ted Stevens proud. From the 2003 "mission and goals" of the city of Wasilla:

Continue lobbying efforts on Federal and State level to obtain federal and state funding for needed infrastructure projects.

After all, 6,700 people can't have too many ice hockey rinks.

apollonia666

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13084.html

Democrat Tony Knowles, her opponent in the 2006 Alaska gubernatorial race, put together a detailed, 63-page research document — obtained by Politico — cataloging Palin’s strengths and weaknesses.

...

The document, largely a collection of newspaper clippings on local issues with no major revelations about Palin, details her socially conservative views — she opposes abortion even in the case of rape and incest, and supported an amendment to the Alaska Constitution to ban it — and also some of the exceptions to them. At one point, Palin supported mandatory education for teenagers about contraception, something that political insiders in both parties will find ironic in the wake of her 17-year-old daughter Bristol’s pregnancy and upcoming marriage.

More details in the full Politico post linked above, or if you want ALL the dirt you can just read the entire document here:
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_palin.html

carnivore

Palin couldn't even run a carwash! The one she owned was shut down because she failed to follow state regulations.

http://www.theseminal.com/2008/09/02/sarah-palin-the-gift-that-keeps-giving/

carnivore

boygabriel

How come people who were up in arms about Michelle Obama's comments are ignoring Palin's regular engagements with a group who's founder claims the following?

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/aip_founder_professed_hatred_f.php wrote: - Joe Vogler, Founder of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP)[/url]

TPM:

The founder of the Alaska Independence Party -- a group that has been courted over the years by Sarah Palin, and one her husband was a member of for roughly seven years -- once professed his "hatred for the American government" and cursed the American flag as a "damn flag."...

...The McCain campaign has confirmed she visited the group's 2000 convention, and she addressed its convention this year, as an incumbent governor whose oath of office includes upholding the Constitution of the United States.

Being faced with one's own hypocrisy is a tough pill to swallow I'm sure.

carnivore

Boygabriel wrote: How come people who were up in arms about Michelle Obama's comments are ignoring Palin's regular engagements with a group who's founder claims the following?

[quote=http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/aip_founder_professed_hatred_f.php]- Joe Vogler, Founder of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP)[/url]

TPM:

The founder of the Alaska Independence Party -- a group that has been courted over the years by Sarah Palin, and one her husband was a member of for roughly seven years -- once professed his "hatred for the American government" and cursed the American flag as a "damn flag."...

...The McCain campaign has confirmed she visited the group's 2000 convention, and she addressed its convention this year, as an incumbent governor whose oath of office includes upholding the Constitution of the United States.

Being faced with one's own hypocrisy is a tough pill to swallow I'm sure.

She belonged to that group for SEVEN YEARS and only left it in 2002!

boygabriel

I'm beginning to think eggcream's libertarian pro-Palin post is more and more of a joke:

Erza writes:

OINK OINK.

Every year, John McCain's Senate office releases a list of the worst pork projects of the years. Turns out that in recent years, three of those lists have contained requests made by his new running mate.

Posted by Ezra Klein on September 3, 2008 2:53 PM | Permalink

carnivore

The conservative pundits know she was a stupid pick even if they have to pretend to support her when they know they're being recorded.

Listen to Mike Murphy and Peggy Noonan when they don't realize they're miked:

eggcream

Surely you don't believe everything you read? It's another false story in the NYT. Palin was never a member of the AIP party.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=Boygabriel]haha. Palin might get dumped by week's end.

She hates America worse than you thought Michelle Obama did.

Right? She actually belonged to a group that was trying to secede from U.S.

I don't think anyone who wants to secede from the U.S. should be running it. Surely you agree, eggcream...

eggcream

Subject: Re: The Libertarian Case for Palin

Garbage from the DailyKooks has no credibility.....

Boygabriel wrote: [quote=eggcream]Geez, I hope I don't intrude on JAH's obsession but.....

The Libertarian Case for Palin

The potential political consequences of Sarah Palin have been chewed over from every imaginable angle.

Though there is plenty to ponder, one thing is certain: libertarian-inclined voters should be encouraged. No, I'm not suggesting that your little Molly will be bringing home "The Road to Serfdom" from her (distinctly non-public) elementary school. But in contrast to any national candidate in recent memory, Palin is the one that exudes the economic and cultural sensibilities of a geniune Western-style libertarian...

lolol

Palin's Legacy
by BarbinMD
Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:20:41 PM PDT

When Sarah Palin left office as mayor of the village of Wasilla, she not only left behind the $27 million in federal earmarks that she finagled for her tiny hamlet, she left behind a legacy that would make even Ted Stevens proud. From the 2003 "mission and goals" of the city of Wasilla:

Continue lobbying efforts on Federal and State level to obtain federal and state funding for needed infrastructure projects.

After all, 6,700 people can't have too many ice hockey rinks.

carnivore

eggcream wrote: Surely you don't believe everything you read? It's another false story in the NYT. Palin was never a member of the AIP party.

[quote=Carnivore][quote=Boygabriel]haha. Palin might get dumped by week's end.

She hates America worse than you thought Michelle Obama did.

Right? She actually belonged to a group that was trying to secede from U.S.

I don't think anyone who wants to secede from the U.S. should be running it. Surely you agree, eggcream...
Are you fucking kidding me? This is well documented. She was in that group for seven years.

Even Noonan, Repug booster and apologist extraordinaire, knows Palin is a losing pick.