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I say give the woman a chance
Published Monday, September 22, 2008
Whether Sarah Palin is ready for the vice presidency and to be positioned “within a heart-beat of the presidency” just is not the first thought that came to my mind when I heard the announcement. I didn’t try to recognize why John McCain had selected her as his running-mate or wonder how she might fit into his ticket. My imagination didn’t go immediately to how Hillary and Michelle would react to being upstaged by a lesser woman. The profundity of my political analysis went no deeper than asking aloud, is that spelled with P or F?
Whether McCain’s selection of Palin is a wise decision of political strategy cannot be known for some while, but the smartness of it as campaign tactics was quickly demonstrated.
It is working? I still don’t know if Sarah Palin would be a good vice president, but she certainly is a hum-dinger of a campaigner. After all, American politics doesn’t seem ever to have been as much about fitness for office as is has been about winning an election.
I heard the announcement on NPR as I drove into Oklahoma City. I began to put things together when I recalled something about the Alaska governor being challenged for firing the state police head. This was about it.
As I continued to listen, I heard a little about her experience as a small-town council member, mayor of the town, state official and finally governor. The emphasis was upon how insignificant all this is and how unsuited she must be for the office.
As soon as I reached my destination, I fired-up my laptop and Googled her. I read many sites and began to be impressed with quality of performance more than quantity of resume. An 80 approval rating of a governor, for instance, is not to be dismissed lightly.
At times it seemed everyone, not just NPR and Democrats, was determined to find, or imagine if necessary, every reason the governor should not have been selected. Of course, all this has less to do with electing her vice president than it does with electing McCain to be president. She seemed to be the weak spot on the edge of the McCain target, even if a long way from the bull's eye.
My thought then turned to consideration of those factors that might suggest why she might be capable. Perhaps it was much my empathy for the underdog, but I wanted to call out: Let’s give the woman a chance. Let’s hear from her and get to know her before we make a final decision.
Early, I wondered if McCain had shrewdly chosen a woman to capture the large number of women who had been prepared to vote Democrat in hopes of Hillary Clinton becoming the first woman president. Perhaps their frustrations were exacerbated when Barack Obama chose not to name her as running-mate. I dismissed this thought upon recognizing the women most active and vocal for Hillary-as-the-first-woman-president would never vote for any Republican even if a woman for the same reasons they promoted Hillary.
Then we began to hear from other women, those less feminist and doctrinaire, but equally resentful of the back seats in political buses. They spoke out in words and emotion that display they think Sarah Palin to be more of a woman in their concept of womanhood than Hillary Clinton. Hillary was once First Lady, but Sarah is a hockey mom. Hillary went to Yale Law, but Sarah to a state college. Hillary wears blue stockings, while Sarah wears a blue shirt.
The fact of the matter is that John McCain has tapped into a very long standing, firmly established and highly valued American dream: Anyone can grow up to be president.
It stirs the imagination and excites the spirits that a rather ordinary and clearly believable mom could stand up in a town meeting to protest corruption and then go on to get elected to local office and tackle the corruption and keep on going to the state house and, finally, the White House. The professional politicians, they think, can endorse whom they will, but we the people will vote for a person just like us. This might be an unrealistic fantasy and invalid analysis, but this seems to be how many voters feel.
If the majority of November voters perceive Sarah Palin as an ordinary David going up against a political Goliath, she just might become vice president. If so, you know who she will bring with her to the White House.
Comments
Posted by Cawren (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
SARAH PALIN PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
I am terrified at the prospect of this less than open, inexperienced, undereducated woman might be representing the United States.
Inexperienced?
For a short time she was a sports reporter
4 years on a small town (Smaller than Steamboat) city council
6 years as the mayor of a small town (Smaller than Steamboat) with less than 7,000 people
20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people.
On the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Palins lack of curiosity about the world and international affairs.
Ms. Palin first applied for a passport last year.
Undereducated?
After changing colleges 5 times she did graduate with a Journalism degree
Less than truthful? "Thanks but no thanks"
Regarding the bridge to nowhere. In 2006, Palin ran for governor on a "build-the-bridge" in her platform. She urged quick work on Alaska's infrastructure projects "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." (Ted Stevens) After the bridge received sharp criticism from John McCain and other congressional members she backed down.
Sarah Palin's transportation department has JUST completed a $25 million gravel road leading to the site of a (The Bridge To Nowhere) bridge that Palin, now boasts that she stopped, so as to save taxpayers money. The road was built with federal tax dollars. A ROAD TO NOWHERE
Troopergate. A Democratic Witch Hunt?
The council, which approved the troopergate inquiry, is made up of eight Republicans and four Democrats. The inquiry was initiated, (Before her nomination)and continues, only because Alaska Republicans many of whom have worked with and supported Palin in the past agree with Alaskan Democrats that the question of whether Palin abused her authority must be addressed.
Book Banning Question
In Oct 1996 Palin inquired as to whether Emmons (Wasilla town Libarian) would object to library censorship. Emmons resisted. Palin then raised the possibility that people may circle the library in protest, to which Emmons replied that the American Civil Liberties Union would get involved. Palin backed down. Palin fired Emmons on 1/ 30/1997. The next day she withdrew the firing after an expression of public support for Emmons
Quite frankly the thought of Ms. Palin sitting across the table from the likes of a Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chills me to the bone. She is NOT qualified to be Vice President let alone President.
I do not want "JUST ANYONE" To Be President!
Posted by orgaspam (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said cawren,
Palin is extremely good at representing self, however if you double check her claims they don't always add up and many times they can be falsified. Her interview with Charlie Gibson was an absolute joke, as well it was her only unscripted public appearance in which she answered direct questions without consulting her team of advisers. The amount of arrogance she displayed, coming from somebody who is in way over her head scares me. Of the responses she gave she mentioned "hell bent" several times in attempts to drum up some fear. For a person not to know exactly what the Bush doctrine is excusable, but for someone vying to take office without being aware of what the current MO is scares the.... out of me. I'm interested to see what her interview with Couric looks like later this week.
also to add-on to Cawren's post
the stupid 'maverick' commercial claiming that Palin is against earmarks is a total joke.
As a mayor she sought 6.6 million for that village of a town she ran.
Posted by Grad60 (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wasn't sure for some time, but am now thoroughly convinced; Mr Alcorn, you have completely Lost Your Mind!!
Posted by zuki (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
From Alaska....I hope the McCain campaign will eventually let the press ask Palin what she stands for because the citizens of the US have a right to know.
Right now, Palin is being investigated in Alaska for abuse of power. Her husband, Todd, was issued a legislative subpoena and was supposed to give a statement in court Friday but he was a no show. This was a bi-partisan investigation, and Palin agreed (before the VP candidate) to "cooperate fully" with the investigation. The state attorney general (a Palin appointee) advised the other people who received legislative subpoenas not to appear in court. (Is that legal?) Beyond abuse of power, there are questions about illegal access to personnel files, and pressuring the Workman's comp contractor to deny benefits to trooper Wooten. (Palin's ex brother in law.) I guess the Palin's are above the law even before getting elected.
When Palin was Mayor of Wasilla she was charging rape victims $300-$1000 for a rape investigation kit (only place in AK that was doing that). Palin believes victims of rape or incest should be denied the right to have an abortion if the crime ends in a pregnancy. Palin doesn't "believe" in global warming and has the state of Alaska sueing the Federal Government over the "threatened species" listing of the polar bear. She advocates the barbaric practice of aerial wolf hunting (shooting wolves from airplanes) as a means of wildlife management, despite the fact that Alaskans have voted against the practice more than once. Her idea of an energy policy is "Drill, Baby, Drill". Her self proclaimed foreign policy experience is "I can see Russia from Alaska", and that she is commander of the Alaska National Guard. Palin has never commanded the AK National Guard to do anything.
Since elected governor, Palin has decreased funding for Denali Kid Care - An insurance program for kids. Recently, Palin came out in favor of Ballot Measure 4, which could destroy the most valuable fishing grounds in Alaska. As most Alaskans know, Palin was promoting the Bridge to Nowhere, and was only against it after the earmark was dropped nationally. She looks straight at the camera and repeatedly lies about that issue, along with the earmark issue. Under Palin's Governorship Alaska has received more earmark money per capita than any other state.
Men and women are being KILLED in the WARS in Afghanistan and Iraq and this is the best McCain can do? They deserve better, and so does the American people. Once the McCain campaign lets her talk to the press, US citizens will see how vacuous she is, and will turn away from her. See the blog "Mudflats" for more information. There was a Women Reject Palin rally in Alaska a few weeks ago - the largest political rally in Alaska's history.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, well, well. INTERESTING that so many "concerned" citizens find so many reasons to be "terrified" of Sarah Palin and seem to have NO WORRIES about a man running for the PRESIDENCY who has LESS experience than Sarah Palin.
Oh, Barak Obama has a degree from Ivy League colleges, and if that impresses you, go ahead and be impressed. One of the "most intelligent" presidents we've had, Clinton, a Rhodes Scholar, couldn't figure out that if he screwed around with an intern in the Oval Office it was going to make the 5 o'clock news. So much for high IQ's. I have no idea what Sarah's IQ is, but I'll bet it's pretty darn high. Do not sell her short, she is a VERY smart woman who has already proven that she can get the goods on a corrupt politician and expose him without even breaking a sweat. JUST WHAT WE NEED IN WASHINGTON! Personally, I think it's a huge PLUS that she does not have a law degree!
Secondly... Troopergate is EXACTLY that. Pointing out how many Democrats and how many Repbulicans are on the Witch hunt committee means nothing. Remember that the Governor she unseated, the corrupt Energy Commissioners she exposed and the Senator she exposed were all Republicans. Instead of perpetuating internet lies why not look up the TRUTH about Trooper Gate? It's fairly simple.
Read here: from the Alaska Daily News:
http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430...
"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. "
A complete time line is here: http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/08/29/p...
Most of the complaints by Palin occurred prior to her being elected Governor. ANY citizen would lodge complaints if their family was being terrorized by this obvious bully with a badge.
In any SANE World, Palin would be completely within her rights as a Governor to question the employment of someone so unfit for duty. This guy NEEDS to have his badge and gun taken away before he hurts someone. There is a LONG list of charges against him... child abuse, violations of DPS rules, drinking in his squad car while on duty, killing wildlife without a permit, killing protected wild life... the list goes on and on. Just WHAT do you you think the citizens of Alaska would say if this guy killed or severely injured an innocent citizen? The state is at great risk with this guy employed as a trooper.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 22, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
More on Palin: The library issue was also a non-issue. If you are SO concerned about FREEDOM's, then where is your outrage that Barack Obama had an ABC producer, working on a legitimate story about Lobbyists and PAC contributors for Charlie Gibson ARRESTED in Denver?? Obama has been very outspoken about lobbyists and obviously he had something to hide. Like the fact that he is getting PLENTY of PAC money. I didn't hear anything about the RNC arresting reporters or producers! Obama also has 300-400 internet workers who are plugging in key words and ranking only stories that are favorable to Obama and burying stories that actually tell the truth.
You worry that Palin was protecting the citizens of Alaska from a bad trooper and yet you aren't at all concerned that a man who is being sentenced to prison for fraud was one of Obama's biggest supporters both for his run for the Illinois Senate and the U S Senate. Where's the outrage that Obama kicked back $14 million to slum lord Tony Rezko? Where's the outrage that Rezko was involved with the Obama's purchase of their house?
Where's the outrage that Obama launched his political career in the living room of his business partner and former terrorist, William Ayers? Where's the outrage that Obama as a teen in Hawaii sought the counsel of communist Frank Marshal Davis, and then the advice of Saul Alinsky in Chicago.. "RULES FOR RADICALS"?
Where's the outrage that as a community AGITATOR (NOT Activist), Obama agitated people who had lost their jobs in steel miles. He did not bring in any new industry, any new jobs, he just encouraged the discontent. Obama FAILED as an activist and only succeeded as an agitator.
Where's the outrage that Obama voted against a bill that would provide medical care for infants born alive after botched abortions? Or the outrage that he sat in a church for 20 years and listened to a man he calls a "father figure" and a "favorite uncle" disparage this country? Call it the U S of KKK?
Where is the outrage that Michelle Obama's salary was doubled after her husband obtained $1M for the hospital she worked at? Where is the outrage about what Michelle's job entails... figuring out ways to send poor black people who have no insurance to other health care facilities so HER hospital doesn't have to do charitable work that would "get in the way of other life saving work". Hmm.
Where is the outrage that Obama talks about GLOBAL POVERTY and wants to increase YOUR taxes to send to third world countries, yet he sends his own family in Africa NOTHING?
DO AS I SAY... NOT AS I DO??? Good Motto for Obama!
At least be honest about your criticism of Sarah Palin. She's not a liberal. End of story.
Posted by diddlyscrumps (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Looks like Mallory just endorsed Obama.
Posted by ds55 (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Today Sarah is visiting the United Nations and will not allow the media to ask questions or hold an interview. Media photos were allowed for 29 seconds. This kind of secrecy is going to sink the Palin/McCain ship. Along with the ethics investigation, the witch hunter Muthee who prayed Sarah into the Governor's office, and Todd's membership in the Alaskan Independence Party that wants Alaska to separate from the USA. We don't need this silliness in the White House.
Posted by diddlyscrumps (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
John McCain is older than the state Sarah Palin governs.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 23, 2008 at 11:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SO... ds55... ARE YOU INSINUATING that OBAMA WOULD have allowed the media to ask questions or hold an interview? I understand he would have allowed cameras. I think the only thing he does without cameras is use the "facilites", but everything else pretty much has to be a "promo spot" or he's not doing it.
SPEAKING OF INTERVIEWS... are you aware that HANNITY adn COLMES has offered Obama $10,000 to be sent to his brother who lives in poverty in Africa if he'll do an interview? The show has offered to send his brother $1,000 if he'll contact them. He won't. He is SUCH a CHICKEN S*** , and SO AFRAID of the questions they might ask that he won't go within MILES of that show. Hillary did a Fox news interview in September and they were very respectful of her.
Obama just is terrified of any reporter or interviewer that might ask him some REAL questions; something beyond the usual "And when you first met Michelle, did you know right away that she was "the one". Yuck! Gibson soft balled Obama questions like THAT and he asked Palin really tough questions. I have no problem with tough questions, I think they should be asked of EVERY candidate. Not just Republicans.
FINALLY today, the Wall Street Journal published an OPINION that addresses Obama's relationship with William Ayers and the radicalism they tried to force on Chicago schools! HOPEFULLY this will get people LOOKING at Obama's REAL connection to Ayers!
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTV...
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know that opinion columns are full of 100% true facts. Just like how Fox News is fair and balanced!
Posted by minnesotaguyincalinow (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
1) Humans haven't contributed to climate change.
2) Alaska should secede from the Union.
3) Hypocrit. (typical Republican, what's in it for me attitude, ie, cuts special education funding by 62% but when she becomes a parent of a special needs child, "I'll be a friend to those with special needs".
4) Can see Georgia from her house, so that makes her an expert, well I can see Mexico from mine, so I should be an expert on Mexico, yea right.
5) Had never left North America until last year.
I won't bore you with more.
WAKE UP AMERICA...this woman (or if he was a man) IS NOT READY TO BE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ANYTHING.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Special education and people with special needs often have their programs and funding cut by republicans. I know Pawlenty has cut things so tight that there are people in dire need of service out on the streets.
Also glad a person who is not an elected official gets to handle this $700 billion dollar bail out. We all know how the people Bush appointed did. The CEOs of these companies who are crooks anyways should not be able to make a dime off of this, but they will. They will make millions.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok... Leftys2221.... I agree with you on the fact that the CEO's of these companies have run them into the ground and that they have had fat parachutes for too long. I couldn't agree more that these people need to be held accountable.
So, since you are blaming Republicans and Bush... answer these questions please: 1) Why did Democrats veto a bill John McCain presented to Congress in early 2005, when he WARNED what would happen if the "Enron accounting" tactics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continued without regulation?
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/record.x...
(2) Why is Franklin Raines, former CEO of Fannie and Feddie, who made over $90 MILLION dollars in 6years, ADVISING the Obama campaign on Mortgage Lending and Housing? What about Jimmy Johnson?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
'Raines settled charges brought by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight by agreeing this spring to pay $2 million and forfeiting $22.7 million in stock and other benefits. And though none of it will come out of his pocket -- the payment was covered by insurance ".
***************************************************************************
Anyone who just blames Bush or just blames Republicans is ignorant of the facts. If the Senate Banking Commission, who is responsible for the oversight of Fannie/Freddy, were doing their jobs instead of taking PAC money from Raines, we would not be in this position. And Chris Dodd (Dem from CT) was heading the Senate Banking Committee and # 1 in payoffs from Raines. Senator Obama was #2.
At least admit facts when they are just plain that. Facts.
For those who INSIST on typing rumors, how about not wasting the time of others. Why not LOOK things up yourself instead of being so incompetent as to not provide LINKS for your statements?? Thank you!
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@minnesotaguyincalinow
I've seen your posts before and especially the one on immigration, have had a very difficult time believing you.
If I may take issue with a couple of your "points".. first, it's pretty insipid to just retype false information that came from rumor mills weeks ago. If you aren't current on information, PLEASE stop boring people and look things up. It isn't that difficult. After you look things up, please provide a link to your facts. I will read them. Others, I'm not always sure about. I know Leftys2221 doesn't, but he's on your side so he'll believe whatever you right anyway.
**************************************************
Here are the FACTS to your RUMORS.
1) Climate change: Palin created a climate change sub-cabinet in Alaska in 2007 to counter the effects of climate change in their state. http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/
2 +3) Alaska should seceed from the union; Palin cut special education funding . Both are absolute unfounded lies. Check factcheck.org: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/...
It's pretty bad when even the Annenberg Foundation can't find truth in the rumors.
4) Can see Russia from her house. That would be Tina Fey. I can see how you got them confused. They do look a lot alike, but Tina Fey is on SNL. Palin's exact quote to the L A Times was
"They're our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska -- from an island in Alaska," she said."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/...
5) Palin's travels: Limited perhaps, but so was Obama until very recently (2005, after being elected to U S Senate, otherwise, no previous travel). Palin has been to Iraq, Kuait, Ireland and Germany. It isn't required that Governors travel outside the U S, and it also isn't required that they meet heads of state.
At least Sarah Palin knows there are 50 states in the U S and doesn't operate under Obama's misconception of 57 states.
Please. Again. If you are going to take the time to spout your opinions, then back them up with FACTS that YOU took the time to check out and provide the link so WE can see if you know what you're talking about. Otherwise "I think" will suffice and we'll all know you really don't. (think).
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can I just say my opinion?
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 24, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@leftys2221
OPINIONS are OPINIONS... yes. But if you would have read the Wall Street article you would have seen that Stanley Kurtz has been working on the paper trail connecting the dots on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.
That is not an opinion. It's a FACT. The Annenbery Challenge was a FACT. Obama Chaired the Challenge, set up by William Ayers. Again, FACTS. NOT opinions. Despite Obama's attempt to block Kurtz's access to public information, Kurtz was eventually successful and was able to access the documents and information.
It would be nice if you would at least open your mind to the truth instead of just swallowing Obama's garbage hook line and sinker. The rest of us are depending on people to vote with their heads. There are millions of Hillary Democrats who will never, ever vote for Obama.
Are McCain and Palin perfect? No. No one is. I wouldn't vote for them either IF I HAD A CHOICE. I don't. Obama is NOT a choice. He's a disaster who stole the Democratic nomination. Anyone want to guess why he wouldn't have an OPEN ROLL CALL like the Republicans did?? Like the Democrats have always done in the past??
Posted by lockedandloaded (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 3:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have you ever noticed, Mallory, that when you state facts these communist's such as lefty and diddly, and now the new lier's never seem to be able to or they are not mentally capable of communicating on an intellectual level. I believe that I have said this before, they are or seem to be very angry little people. Minnesota girl in cali is really some kind of fool, however, it's women like her who are the true preacher's of hypocrisy. Zuki, where have you been for the last few weeks? Read the National Review, Wall Street Journal, The Nation, or Rolling Stone. Listen to Talk Radio. Mark Levine, Glen Beck, Lars Larsen, Bill Wattenberg, Michael Savage, Rusty Humphries, Lou Dobbs, and the list goes on and on. I don't believe that any of you will read or bother to check you facts. You will continue to lie and continue to deceive. The worst part of it all is that you believe your very own deception and lies. I often wonder why anyone would listen to the mainstream media. The very same media that along with the democratic party and the barney franks and nancy pelosi's , and harry pied, who spread these pathetic lies.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Locked, I like how people who disagree with you are "fools" and "communists" or "liers" (liars). (I thought the cold war was over?) I am sorry that I do not need to resort to name calling and for the record, I had a nice discussion with Mallory throughout the course of last week. Mallory, I would like a post from you on McCain and Palin and all of their corupt friends so that I have information on both sides. One more thing to Locked, you name all of these people who share your opinion as the people I should listen to. How is not any less narrow minded?
Posted by minnesotaguyincalinow (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....
* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers: a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track: you're a maverick.
* Graduate from Harvard Law School and you are unstable.
* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating: you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public
Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl (sportscaster), 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with fewer than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
OK, much clearer now.
Posted by diddlyscrumps (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey lockedandloaded. How's it going? As far as I know, I haven't "lied" about anything. I know I've given my opinion on quite a few things though, just like everyone else. And I know that some people seem to get aggrivated with me if I don't reply to them within two hours...but, believe it or not, I'm not here looking to fight with people. If I read an article, or a comment, and I feel passionately about it, I'm going to say what's on my mind about it, and that's about it. The COMMENTS I leave are simply my COMMENTS on the issue at hand. That's all. Disagree if you want, agree if you want. It's all peachy to me. When people disagree with me, I take it for what it's worth, if I feel like replying, I will. Like right now. More often than not, my reasons for not replying are because I've been away from the computer for a period of time. Nothing more than that...not a lack of mental capacity, just a lack of time. Thanks for caring though, I really do appreciate it.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
minnesotaguyincalinow: I see that since I countered your falacious and absurd comments and backed my comments up with facts and links to those sites, you quickly skipped to more inane comments that I never alueded to at all. Your above post is full of left wing demagoguery but I'll be happy to clarify where you are misled.
1) I never commented in anyway on Barack's upbringing in Hawaii except to say that it isn't exactly typical for American children of any race, particularily black children and therefore I believe it does impinge on his ability to comprehend what blacks in the contiguous 48 grew up experiencing. He isn't exotic but he is different, priviliged as opposed to someone who comes from a more average background.
2) I have never made fun of the name BARACK, nor have I seen anyone in the press make fun of it. BARACK has a HUGE problem if anyone uses his MIDDLE name, but I would guess that's a personal thing. I don't think his name makes him a Muslim or a radical. In fact, I don't think the fact that he is or isn't a Muslim has a thing to do with his qualifications. RADICAL is a different issue. IF you read "Dreams of my Father", if you ever have listened to Obama talk about his childhood, he IDOLIZED his absentee father. So much so that he EMULATED his father... who was a socialist and a marxist. His mother, STANLEY ANN DUNHAM, SHE was the radical. When he was a teen ager, PER HIS BOOK, he sought Frank Marshall Davis, a COMMUNIST who lived in Hawaii as a mentor. When Obama moved to Chicago, he continued to seek out radicals and follow their teachings; i.e. Saul Alinsky, William Ayers, etc.
DO NOT try to make it sound like it's about his freaking NAME! Since you have a problem with Sarah's kids names, I guess you have a problem with Malia (Hawaiian) and Sasha (Russian) as well. Or how about all of the black children who's names end in "eesha".. Tanesha, Bonniesha, Manesha, etc. etc. etc. My son's name is Chance. What's your point? What's your problem?
3) Never said Obama was unstable because he graduated from Harvard, or Colombia. Never insinuated any thing that even resembles that. May have said that again, reflects his silver spoon (as did his private education in Hawaii), and that not many "average" Americans can identify with that. Far more can identify with Sarah Palin trying school in Hawaii for a semester and not being able to afford it... Trying a small college in Idaho... still having financial problems ... Winning Miss Alaska and SCHOLARSHIP so she could go to the U of Idaho. She did try a couple of semesters in Alaska and that was, I believe, during the time that she was trying out for the pageants and she probably couldn't keep commuting back and forth and wanted to continue in her studies. I think the correct number of schools she attended is 4. Nevertheless, it had far more to do with her financial status than any academic problems, which is what I believe you are INSINUATING.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CONTINUED:
4) Obama was a BRILLIANT community organizer? Well, here's the TRUTH. Barack Obama was a community AGITATOR who never accomplished ANYTHING except making people MORE unhappy with their status.
http://www.pickensdemocrats.org/info/The...
"Kruglik remembers this episode as an example of why, in ten years of training organizers, Obama was the best student he ever had. He was a natural, the undisputed master of agitation, who could engage a room full of recruiting targets in a rapid-fire Socratic dialogue, nudging them to admit that they were not living up to their own standards. As with the panhandler, he could be aggressive and confrontational. With probing, sometimes personal questions, he would pinpoint the source of pain in their lives, tearing down their egos just enough before dangling a carrot of hope that they could make things better."
here is another article from the Canada Free Press quoting Saul Alinsky's son about the DNC.
......http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/4784
Obama used agitation to try and force change in Chicago. He decided he needed more power to accomplish change and that's why he decided to go to Harvard. He left Chicago after almost 3 years as a community agitator with few accomplishments. The steel mill had closed, Obama brought no new jobs in. The asbestos in low cost housing remained.
After Obama returned to Chicago and was elected to the Illinois Senate, his committment to the people in South Chicago was long forgotten. Obama, who had worked as a lawyer and a legislator to improve living conditions for the poor, took campaign donations from Tony Rezko even as Rezko’s low-income housing empire was collapsing, leaving many African-American families in buildings riddled with problems — including squalid living conditions, vacant apartments, lack of heat, squatters and drug dealers. More, Obama funnelled taxpayer money to slum lord Tony Rezko, who was one of Obama's biggest benefactors.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/35382...
So much for "brilliant".
Obama was elected to the Senate 4 years ago. He spent 143 days in the Senate before running for President. That's less than 5 months. He's also the most liberal member of congress; even MORE liberal than Senate Majority leader, Harry Reid. In other words, Obama has NEVER tried to reach out or be bi-partisan.
I
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 11:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
continued:
5) Obama is a Christian. His church didn't seem to preach much about God and Christian values. It preached hatred against America and white Americans.
6) McCain, in several TV interviews has taken all of the blame for his divorce from Carol. You insinuate something very shallow and callous, but closer to the truth is the fact that 5 years of torture in the Hanoi Hilton left McCain with a lot of physical and EMOTIONAL scars. He came home to a wife with the same.. physical and emotional scars and he has acknowledged that he wasn't able to cope. I dare you to check the statistics for POW's who remained married to the spouse who waited for them. So, is McCain human? Yep. I would think that anyone who lived through Viet Nam would be able to identify with the difficulty of re-establishing a relationship after 5 years, and particularily when torture was involved.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...
7) Again, LOOK UP YOUR FACTS. Palin did not advocate abstinance only. LOOK at how the question was asked. EXPLICIT SEX EDUCATION PROGRAMS and DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACEPTIVES In SCHOOLS was the issue. I don't know any GOOD parents who wouldn't be in favor of Palin's answer. She doesn't say sex education won't be supported... she specifieds EXPLICIT. Like as in PORN.
Here is the actual questionairre Palin answered when running for Governor.
http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/
"3. Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
SP: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
continued:
5) Obama is a Christian. His church didn't seem to preach much about God and Christian values. It preached hatred against America and white Americans.
6) McCain, in several TV interviews has taken all of the blame for his divorce from Carol. You insinuate something very shallow and callous, but closer to the truth is the fact that 5 years of torture in the Hanoi Hilton left McCain with a lot of physical and EMOTIONAL scars. He came home to a wife with the same.. physical and emotional scars and he has acknowledged that he wasn't able to cope. I dare you to check the statistics for POW's who remained married to the spouse who waited for them. So, is McCain human? Yep. I would think that anyone who lived through Viet Nam would be able to identify with the difficulty of re-establishing a relationship after 5 years, and particularily when torture was involved.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...
7) Again, LOOK UP YOUR FACTS. Palin did not advocate abstinance only. LOOK at how the question was asked. EXPLICIT SEX EDUCATION PROGRAMS and DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACEPTIVES In SCHOOLS was the issue. I don't know any GOOD parents who wouldn't be in favor of Palin's answer. She doesn't say sex education won't be supported... she specifieds EXPLICIT. Like as in PORN.
Here is the actual questionairre Palin answered when running for Governor.
http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/
"3. Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?
SP: Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."
8) You have Michelle's career ALL wrong. She works at the University hospital and after her husband, as Senator, obtained $1M in funding for her hospital, her salary trippled. She has publically stated that she has NEVER BEEN PROUD OF HER COUNTRY until her husband was running for the Presidency, and her JOB at the University is to make sure that indigents, mostly poor blacks, are sent elsewhere when they seek treatment at the hospital she works for, then there is a bit of hipocracy going down. All hospitals must do a certain amount of charitable work, Michelle just ensures that hers does less. Contrast that to Cindy McCain who has spent the last 20 years not just donating money, but her time and her efforts to help people World Wide, from Russia to the orphanages of Mother Therese in Bangladesh.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 11:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Since only 29% of Americans don't have college degrees, I'd say Scott Palin fits right in. Again, I corrected your error last night but obviously you do not read facts. Please try. Please try to understand that there is a difference between your convoluted interpretation of OLD rumors and the TRUTH.
I doubt if you were educated in Austin. The education system here is superior to most of Minnesota and I have a difficult time believing that anyone educated in Austin would be incapable of "getting" it. You just keep posting what amounts to idle gossip. Can you RESPOND logically to any of the posts? Instead of just insipid remarks and slander?
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 25, 2008 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
apologize for double posts: Internet is having problem, so it was unintentional.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mallory, do you mean to say that only 29% have a college degree? 71% having one seems high. Just wondering, that is an interesting fact either way.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I found this an interesting point on Obama rasing "everyone's" taxes as our conservative friends always say. Once again they say that it is rasing everyone's taxes because they are the ones who make $250,000.00 and over a couple and over $200,000.00 for a single individual. I think the real reason is because they dont want a person making $30,000 to get a foot hold and be able to improve their life.
http://biz.yahoo.com/wallstreet/080924/s... "How Your Taxes Will Fare Under McCain , Obama."
"Sen. Obama has proposed lower taxes for most taxpayers, but higher taxes for those with the highest incomes. Staffers say his plan wouldn't raise taxes -- including income, capital-gains, dividend and payroll taxes -- on couples with adjusted gross income of less than $250,000 a year or individuals making under $200,000. Sen. Obama has called for raising the top ordinary income-tax rate, now 35%, to 39.6%. He also has proposed raising the current 33% rate to 36%. But he would leave the other income-tax rates unchanged.
Sen. Obama wants to raise the top long-term capital-gains rate on stocks, bonds and other securities (as well as the rate on qualified dividends), now 15%, to 20% for households with income of more than $250,000 or individuals over $200,000. He hasn't said what he would do about the top capital-gains rate, now 28%, on sales of art and collectibles.
He also favors higher Social Security taxes on high-income workers, but not for many years -- and he hasn't disclosed details. He also has called for expanded targeted tax breaks for many groups, including retirees, according to the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution.
The senator says his plan will cut taxes for 95% of workers and their families. That includes new and expanded breaks for many workers, retirees, homeowners, savers and students. On his Web site, he says his plan represents a "net tax cut" since the relief for middle-class families exceeds the revenue raised by his tax increases for upper-income taxpayers."
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The way I see it is that American right now is you have people who make $10 and people who make $2. It costs $3 to live. The people who make $10 say that the people who make $2 just need to work harded and stop being lazy and using welfare while they also cut the jobs of these people to try to get closer to making $11.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The electiontaxes.com site says. In another example, a single taxpayer making $50,000 and using the standard deduction would pay $6,867 under McCain and $6,325 under Obama, compared with $6,827 under current law.
I thought he was going to raise everyone's taxes?
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 4:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In this bail out thing, would it be feasible and maybe work at all to divide up this $700 trillion and give it to individuals over 18. That way people can pay off their houses, pay off credit cards and student loans and go to college if they want. I mean why give it to the companies that ran themselves into the ground.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If everyone paid off their houses and debt wouldnt that stop the problem?
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lefty's 2221: Thanks for correcting me. I did mean to say that only 29% of Americans have college degrees.
I cut and pasted a few times trying to make things fit in the post and made the error.
Thanks.
Posted by Mallory (anonymous) on September 26, 2008 at 9:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Leftys 2221: I hate the bail out thing. I hope that McCain is successful in getting some rewrites: I know Harry Reid is furious with him but remember, Harry Reid is the idiot who thinks that TAXES in AMERICA ARE VOLUNTARY.
We do need some protections and this needs to be with more of the "bail out" money coming from the corporate banks. Money needs to be assigned to individual property and loans so that as the market adjusts and those properties are sold, the money is paid back. It should not come out of the taxpayers pockets. I hate the idea of socialization of our banking system and I also don't like the idea of having foreign entities controlling our banking, so I'm not in favor of foreign bail outs either.
Obama is presenting himself well in the debate, but I'm disappointed that McCain is giving him a pass on too many issues. I realize you can take your 2 minutes to argue or you can make a point, but you can't do both.
Posted by leftys2221 (anonymous) on September 27, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just an FYI, the post I made about the bailout was just a question. I think if that 700 billion was passed out to the tax payers and then used to pay off those debits they have (houses ect...) it would do it better then this way. Just a thought.
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