August 31, 2008
"Troopergate" requires a "disambiguation" page in Wikipedia.
Isn't it strange that the scandal being pushed against Sarah Palin has the same moniker as a scandal that dogged Bill Clinton and another one that ruined Eliot Spitzer?
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110 comments:
Langaugegate.
This -gate ending for real or imagined scandals is long past being trite.
It won't for long. This "scandal" will die a natural death when people become familiar with the details. Yes, the scandal has gained airplay - but only because of a vacuum in the news and the desperation of the MSM to find something to keel-haul Palin with (if they can't poison their readers' perceptions of her from the get-go, the MSM knows full well that this will be a game-changer, and they're not willing to let that happen).
Nevertheless, there's just no there there. Although that isn't always fatal to a scandal's chances of traction, it will be in this case, in accordance with Simon's Law of Scandals: "the ability of political partisans to weaponize a given story depends far less on the actual facts of the story than it does on the extent to which the story can be made to resonate with the existing preconceptions of the electorate."
How does one mark the death of all pretense of "cruel neutrality"? With mooseburger, perhaps?
You would NEVER worry about the need for "disambiguation" for the massive misinformation that has been spread about Obama.
I'm glad you've found your candidate, Althouse. And I await your explanation why Miss Wasilla has the qualifications to lead the country, if needed, in the face of real international threats.
But those things don't matetr any more now that you've found someone who is girly and has a husband who looks like a porn star.
Fred Mack, having a bad couple of days? You really seem put out. You're letting your black heart show.
Simon said: the ability of political partisans to weaponize a given story depends far less on the actual facts of the story than it does on the extent to which the story can be made to resonate with the existing preconceptions of the electorate.
They also know that resonance only happens at the individual level, but it's the ensemble that counts for measure.
"the ability of political partisans to weaponize a given story depends far less on the actual facts of the story than it does on the extent to which the story can be made to resonate with the existing preconceptions of the electorate."
Bring'm on.
Let's have somebody spin the teasering of a minor.
Just let me know when so I can setup my tivo.
May all of our scandals involve a politician trying to get rid of abusive cops.
Eh. Fred, I'm just enjoying the immense fun of all these interesting characters. Palin is the newest one, and quite a character....
... here's where I expect Simon to lecture us on "Late Night Confessions in the Hart & Wechsler Hotel"...
... so naturally I'm talking a lot about her. Doesn't mean I'm voting for her.
I have taken a vow of cruel neutrality, and it's actually easy for me not to decide who to vote for. I like all 4 characters well enough, and I also enjoy tweaking them and fully intend to have my fun.
Fred said: and has a husband who looks like a porn star.
That's news to me. Please elaborate.
Today, by the count of CBS News, 70 people have died after being TASERed, including 10 in August alone.
http://tinyurl.com/y9hdc4
"Fred Mack" is just another of AJD's screen names, Ann. Don't bother responding.
But I can't resist:
"And I await your explanation why Miss Wasilla has the qualifications to lead the country, if needed, in the face of real international threats."
And I await your explanation why Mr. Community Activist has the qualifications to lead the country, if needed, in the face of real international threats.
Haha, you lose.
Tasering is not even counting bicycle injuries. The most dangerous childhood toy.
You have to subtract out dying while being tasered riding a bicycle, so you don't count it twice.
Ann, I wouldn't presume... :)
Troopergate needs a disambiguation page because there are three of them.
Wikipedia eventually had to get rid of the entry for “Personal Vendettagate.”
The disambiguation pages went on for miles.
Fred Mack's got a needless edge to him in this thread -- but he's also got a point.
Ann identifies "Troopergate" as "the scandal being pushed against Sarah Palin." Not "involving" or "allegedly implicating" or "concerning" or "swirling around."
That language choice tells you all you need to know about the cruelty of the neutrality here.
"you've found someone who is girly and has a husband who looks like a porn star."
A "girly"? Why do leftists think that they can get away with sexist language like that? You don't get a pass because you're a "bigot for the left".
But I do agree that Todd Palin is daddy bear porn star material. Hot.
Miss Wasilla
Yet again! This beauty queen only nonsense is everywhere! What is wrong with you people?
As for this particular Troopergate, it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. I don't think there's much hope of it turning people against Palin though. The tasing and the drinking on the job make the trooper such an unsympathetic character that I think most people will like the idea of someone trying to cut through the bureaucracy to have him fired. Whether that's actually ethical or not will likely be lost in the rest of the story.
You have to subtract out dying while being tasered riding a bicycle, so you don't count it twice.
Oh, that's brilliant, did you come up with that all by yourself? or did you use a ghost rider?
Re H&W Hotel, I should add that I really do love that piece, and I'm not sure that's something to be ashamed of. :)
Eric, do you really think that the choice of language is inaccurate? There's nothing to the "scandal." As with several other equally-dishonest memes - that she doens't know what the veep does, for example - the only reason it's being brought up is because it's a way to help Obama. It isn't picking sides, abandoning neutrality, to recognize bullshit as bullshit.
Eric, I think "being pushed against" is fair language here. The scandal involving her and the investigation of it happened/started before her selection as VP candidate. The -gate factor is the political avantage Democrats hope to gain by continually pressing the issue.
Fred, I hope thinking up "Miss Wasilla" didn't tax you too badly.
What's astonishing to me is that the partisans in favor of the Republican ticket will just baldly assert that with regard to this scandal "there's just no there there," and that it "will die a natural death when people become familiar with the details."
The facts, not the "spin," described in the story Ann linked to tell a very different story. The central facts of this scandal are not really in dispute. The partisans who are so intent upon getting the Republican ticket elected reveal a lot about themselves in their reaction to this story. First and foremost, they reveal that to them, an executive's abuse of power in trying to tip the scales of justice in a child custody dispute in favor of the executive's own family member is no big deal. Well, this despiser of Democrats thinks it is a big deal.
I've been away for a few days. Has Trooper York weighed in on Troopergate yet, or is he laying low until it blows over?
Simon, I'm looking at you. I've always recognized that you're an extremely smart guy, but your comments on this post also reveals you as a true partisan hack.
I wonder if Palin kicked off her Governers' campaign at the home of an unrepentant terrorist who managed to stay out of prison on a technicality.
Telling choice of words, Ann. Supposedly if the scandal wasn't "being pushed" it wouldn't exist?
Fact: Sarah Palin used the power of the Governor's office to try and get her estranged brother-in-law fired.
Fact: Sarah Palin fired the top cop of the state police for not bending to her whim and firing the BIL.
Fact: There are now two investigations pre-existing the VP pick.
Talking Points Memo has been chronicling of Palin power abuses for months now. The link has a nice summary of evidence and ethics.
Let's be clear: it is wrong to use governmental power to carry out a family vendetta. Sounds like brother-in-law was a jerk and tested her; and she failed the test.
This is exactly the type of questions that should be aired before a candidate is nominated who could be a 72-year-old-heartbeat away from being President.
Ahh, here's BetaLiberal with this afternoon's official talking points! Thanks for that, comrade!
Yet again! This beauty queen only nonsense is everywhere! What is wrong with you people?
I'm thinking of hiring Jill Stevens to track down pinheads sneering at beautiful and competent women. She can even patch them up after she takes them apart. If she wants to, that is. ;-)
Heartbeat away from being President.
Heartbeat away from being President.
Heartbeat away from being President.
Heartbeat away from being President.
Heartbeat away from being President.
The talking points suggest repeating this phrase as often as possible so I'm just getting a few more in.
Thanks for another substance-free post, Pallad! (Oh, look, substance. "Heartbeat" is no talking point, it's used every time a VP nominee is picked).
---------
To those arguing that a bad BIL makes it okay to fire the top cop and otherwise abuse power; do you have any principles at all?
Do you think people unrelated to Palin can have government officials fired to handle their divorce trials?
Why can't we all agree to a basic principle: Elected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit."
This is no scandal. Her family involvement in the matter started before she was elected. This will eventually blow away except at the hate filled whacko sites like KOS, Huffingglue, and MYDD.
The man she fired, the head of Public Safety, was a political appointee that can be fired at whim with no reason. He serves at the pleasure of the governor.
As to the trooper, he gave permission to have the file released. If there was ever a reason to fire someone, he is it. The man is an embarrassment to law enforcement and the human race.
This coming from a retired cop.
I have friends who taser each other for fun, while drinking.
They're x-Navy, now working in high security positions in the federal government.
They use the small ones with fixed electrodes. They don't have the police kind that shoot electrodes.
The bottom line is that tasering a kid is despicable.
But, I still want to know if Palin is a liar. She's on tape looking very sincere as she denied exerting influence. I would be concerned if she's that good of a liar.
But, fire then look up that scumbag.
I'm not trying to turn this thread into a discussion of the merits. But I went to the TPM site and just want to say this, real quick:
If Palin fired Monegan for insubordination, that is, for refusing to commence termination proceedings against Wooten, then why didn't his successor commence termination proceedings since Palin was pursuing a red hot personal vendetta?
At first blush, it seems to me the better explanation is that there was no personal vendetta in the first place and that Monegan was fired for some reason other than refusing to commence termination proceedings.
And who the hell "pressures" a subordinate to do his or her job, anyway?
"I would be concerned if she's that good of a liar."
Yes, she might rise to Clintonian levels with such abilities.
The stepson asked to be tased. Trooper Wooten obliged by putting it on the lowest setting and tasing him for one second. That's according to the stepson in his testimony for the investigation. Not that it was a good idea for Wooten to oblige the request. But Wooten was disciplined. He was suspended. But the Palin family disagreed with the official determination that a suspension was the appropriate punishment, and sought to have him fired after one of them got elected to the governorship.
John, Alpha, there's no story here. All will agree that "[e]lected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit." That a Governor fires someone who happenes to be an estranged relative isn't by itself a scandal. It's only a scandal if it can be proven that there were inappropriate motives at issue, and in the absence of such evidence, as I said above, there's no there there.
And frankly, I have a hard time seeing how this scandal - even if every allegation is true - plays beyond the crowd who thought there was impropriety in the U.S. Attorneys firings, a crowd that is already voting unanimously for Obama. I honestly doubt that the electorate at large would find this story concerning, even if every word of it were true.
Simon:
"but that the Governor fired someone who happened to be an estranged relative isn't by itself a scandal."
She didn't fire the BIL. He's still on the job. She fired the head of state patrol who refused to fire the BIL, as the BIL has already been punished.
So, top cop stands up for principle and rules. Sarah Palin fires top cop for not obeying her. (This probably disrupted a few things down at HQ involving public safety, if not not the Gov's sister.)
Suggest you become acquainted with the facts before you dismiss it. Just sayin.
Well, as far as how this becomes a story, we already have TPM, who pushed the US firing story, on the caper and continuing to fine-comb the news.
If a major paper rips them off and carries it, it will get more legs.
Even better, a high profile Dem needs to lay it out, and smartly. (OK, not the best odds there).
So I agree it may not be a campaign issue at all. Of course, if this was a Dem, the GOP would flog the hell out of it, Drudge would carry it and the cable news would be running it endlessly.
One more thing. Why wouldn’t the discipline be res judicata?
If there were no new facts, and her lawyers told her there were no grounds to commence termination proceedings, and she never actually did . . .
You see? This abuse of power thing is all starting to look like a frame job.
TPM pushed the US Attorney firing story. And that supports Troopergate 3 as a Palin scandal? Because the Bush Administration fired 8 US Attys? Did TPM make hay out of the Clinton administration firing 93 US Attys?
Simon says: "I honestly doubt that the electorate at large would find this story concerning, even if every word of it were true."
That's one reason why I don't vote. The electorate at large is moronic. Why cast a vote into a sea of moronicy?
As someone who occasionally represent clients in divorce and custody matters in a neighboring county whose reputation for corruption and old-boyism is well-deserved, this kind of abuse of power in child custody matters probably pisses me off more than it might others.
alphaliberal said:
alphaliberal said...
I prefer that libs focus on how Sarah Palin has already shown she can't handle the power of executive authority. Sara Palin has already bused the office of Governor by using it to fire the top cop who refused to fire her brother-in-law.
This is my conclusion based on the evidence Talking Points Memo has been chronicling of Palin power abuses for months now, and from other reports. The link has a nice summary of evidence and ethics.
Let's be clear: it is wrong to use governmental power to carry out a family vendetta. Sounds like brother-in-law was a jerk and tested her; and she failed the test.
12:23 PM
Is that you Alpha?
John, you find Palin's actions an upsetting abuse of power in a child custody case, but you don't have any related concerns about a cop with a badge and a gun threatening to shoot a man who helps his daughter find a divorce attorney? Please explain how this works. I'm really not following your logic here.
So speaking of various 'gates, I was watching a college football yesterday and one of the schools was touting its journalism school in one of the requisite two commercials about the schools playing. And I was thinking: who in their right minds would possibly major in journalism today? Isn't that a bit like majoring in abacus engineering?
AlphaLiberal said...
"She didn't fire the BIL. He's still on the job. She fired the head of state patrol who refused to fire the BIL, as the BIL has already been punished."
That makes the story even more directly analagous to the US Attorneys story, and thus even less substantial than even I'd thought it. She fired someone who serves at the pleasure of the Governor. There's less and less to this than meets the eye, as it turns out.
This is just a silly little meme that the left and their surrogates in the MSM are pushing to help Obama. Have you ever read "Hunting the President," a book about how certain groups on the right set out from day one to shipwreck Bill Clinton, using anything they could get their hands on, even if it had to be misrepresented or blown out of proportion? This seems exactly the same to me.
Repost from prior thread:
Palin on Wooten posted August 13.
2 parts 34 minutes total
"Fact: Sarah Palin used the power of the Governor's office to try and get her estranged brother-in-law fired. "
Not a fact at all, but an assertion that is of very questionable merit.
But, let's stipulate that it is accurate. Her brother-in-law was found by a police investigation to have threatened Palin's father, to have Tasered his own stepson, to have drank in his patrol car.
And she wanted to get him fired? This is a feature, not a bug!
Bissage ues tortured logic:
"If there were no new facts, and her lawyers told her there were no grounds to commence termination proceedings, and she never actually did . . ."
Except she did seek to have her BIL fired after the official process resulted in punishment. You slipped that falsehood in there. See the story Ann links to to learn more.
You can hear audio via the links and previous reporting of someone saying the Palins want this done.
And the fact that it was dealt with through official channels and she kept pushing it is to her discredit.
This whle blog is going to require a disambiguation page now that you've fallen in love with Sarah Palin!
enigmaticore, you believe elected officials should use public office to settle personal scores?
Everybody else has to use the court system and due process but a Governor should be able to mete out punishment to family enemies by fiat?
That sums up the Republican vision of government ethics.
How does this even register as a scandal?
1. The trooper still has his job.
2. It took 18 months after her ascension to governor before Palin fired the trooper's boss.
3. The trooper's boss was offered another position, he declined.
4. The trooper's boss is an appointee who works at the discretion of the governor, who can be fired for any reason whatsoever.
5. As already mentioned, the fired guy's replacement hasn't shifted a muscle to get the former brother-in-law kicked off the force, and yet he still has his job. Why hasn't Palin booted that guy, too?
6. Most rational people agree that the trooper should be fired, given the facts stipulated about him and his extensive record of reprimands.
Ironically, the trooper probably still has his job only because he used to be the governor's BIL.
This is nothing but a controversy manufactured by Palin's political opponents. She has made a lot of enemies in Alaska bucking the status quo. It's really funny to see the Kos Kids aligning themselves with corrupt Republicans.
Wonder where our old comrade WD went? Is our neighborhood troll under another name? Pity!
Perhaps he's started up his own blog and is waiting for someone, anyone, to comment there upon?
Or, am I simply not recognizing old WD under his brand new name?
'Troopergate' inquiry hangs over campaign
Palin's replacement for Monegan, Chuck Kopp, was forced to resign just two weeks after he was appointed because of a sexual harassment complaint that had been filed against him when he was the chief of police in Kenai.
Palin, in a news conference announcing Kopp's resignation July 24, said she was unaware that the Kenai city council had reprimanded Kopp as a result of the complaint and would not discuss how her staff had vetted Kopp before naming him to replace Monegan three days after Monegan was fired.
Oh, brother. Nothing like a sexual harassment complaint in the mix to keep things interesting. Don't people ask questions?
In re the alleged death threat against Palin's dad (and the alleged drinking on the job), this Anchorage Daily News article has a very good summary of the case against Wooten:
http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html
People say things in a divorce they shouldn't. Wooten was headed home in a rage, for some reason. How do we know he wasn't justifiably angry about something? When he got home is when he made the alleged comment about his father-in-law. Witnesses at the scene noted that while Wooten was obviously angry, his then-wife did not appear physically intimidated by him. As far as I know, there's never been an allegation that Wooten hit his ex-wife.
The investigation noted that the alleged comments Wooten made about his father-in-law did not constitute a crime, because they weren't said directly to the father-in-law. They appear to have been empty, stupid words. Again, it is appropriate that Wooten was disciplined for being so reckless in his personal life. And he was disciplined.
Here's part of an interview with a Palin cabinet member:
PM: Monegon says that you pressured him on the governor's behalf to fire the trooper. Can you comment on that?
Kreitzer: I never had a conversation with the Governor about that. Monegon was trying to put the trooper's union first and policy second. He pressured me to pay for the union boss to do union business on state time and I told him no, twice. During the contract negotiation Walt pressured me about things he wanted to see in the contract. I work for the Governor. I do what the Governor tells me.
PM: What was Governor Palin's philosophy during the contract negotiation?
Kreitzer: Governor Palin wants to constrain the growth of government and takes that very seriously. I take that very seriously. At the same time the governor is a big supporter of public safety. It's unfortunate that Walt Monegon has tried to paint her as anti-law enforcement.
Kreitzer is a pro-Palin R, and is undoubtedly putting forward their spin. But it looks to me like there were budget fights and conflicts over dealing with the union as factors. The vendetta explanation and the "not a team player on the budget" explanations are not mutually exclusive, of course. The BIL getting a slap on the wrist surely reinforced the view that the interests of the union and the interests of the people of AK sometimes are not congruent.
"you believe elected officials should use public office to settle personal scores? "
I believe that elected officials should use public office to remove abusive cops from their jobs. If it so happens to 'settle a personal score' such as taking the police gun from the hands of a man who has threatened the official's father, that doesn't bother me in the least.
So I take it that you think that cops should be able to Taser their kids, drink in their cars, and threaten to shoot people while maintaining their jobs?
John K, are you suggesting that being "justifiably angry about something" is an excuse for threatening to put a bullet in someone's head?
Just... wow.
Thank god the people who sign court orders to protect people from out-of-control spouses don't think the way you do.
Simon, you're going through contortions to dismiss this thing. Olympics are over, spare us the gymnastics!
Simon:
Have you ever read "Hunting the President," a book about how certain groups on the right set out from day one to shipwreck Bill Clinton, using anything they could get their hands on, even if it had to be misrepresented or blown out of proportion? This seems exactly the same to me.
The hunting of the President used millions of dollars in payments reporters, magazines and witnesses, a barrage of falsehoods, rumor, innuendo and collaboration with elected officials.
Here, you have a pre-existing scandal being report upon. An ongoing investigation of a candidate for high office being vetted.
Not similar at all. Given you haven't bothered to learn what your talking about, maybe your strenuous dismissals should be ... dismissed.
And Joan has it right, anyway. There is not a lot of reason to suspect that of which is alleged about her firing of Monegon, and a lot of reason to suspect that he was fired for reasons completely disjoint from the whole affair with her former brother-in-law.
But even if the allegations were somehow true, the only thing it would convince me is that there is still work to be done, because the cop still has a job.
Alpha, when are you going to learn that a story at TPM has about as much credibility as an Enron financial report?
Ah, I see the smearing of the top cop that Palin fired has begun. Predictable.
eccore:
So I take it that you think that cops should be able to Taser their kids, drink in their cars, and threaten to shoot people while maintaining their jobs?
It would be dumb of you to leap to that assumption, so I hope you haven't.
I think the fact that the case was considered and he was punished for all these things says it's time to move on. If he does something else, he's probably outta there.
I don't defend anything he does and it's pretty low class to accuse me (and others) of same.
Sarah Palin abused her office. Let's hope she doesn't get a more powerful office to abuse.
Gotta mow the lawn.
simon, tell that to Alberto Gonzalez!!
Ha-ha!
EnigmatiCore,
No.
Alpha Liberal stated:
"Why can't we all agree to a basic principle: Elected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit."
Alpha- how do reconcile this principle with Obama's home purchase?
John K, that is good to know, because it sure seemed that you were arguing that we might find out that he was justifiably angry, and that this would somehow mitigate his threats.
Alpha Liberal, I chose my words carefully. Was there commencement of a termination proceeding? Was there service of a notice of termination? Was there a Loudermill hearing or the functional equivalent?
The link says NOTHING about that, so far as I can tell. That's a crucial omission.
The word "seeking" has no legal meaning.
I'm not asking about evidence of motive or desire.
I'm asking about evidence of a formal, legal act.
I'd appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.
Thank you.
P.S. You've been here at Althouse long enough to know I'm in good faith. Partisanship's not my thing.
"I think the fact that the case was considered and he was punished for all these things says it's time to move on."
So you think that a five day suspension for those offenses is all that should have happened?
I disagree. And if that is what the union fought for (or less) than that is a union that needs to re-evaluate it's way of thinking. After all, when they protect dirty cops, they hurt the reputation of all of the clean cops in their membership.
It's pretty obvious Palin didn't fire Monegon over her ex-brother-in-law. That said, the only thing that really bothers me about this whole thing is that he still has a badge.
Alpha- how do reconcile this principle with Obama's home purchase?
Unless Obama somehow got his house through eminent domain, I don't really see a whole lot of government power here.
Obama steered hundreds of thousands of government dollars and government work to Resko.
It's interesting that the first two Troopergates were about governors leveraging state troopers to violate the rights of citizens, while Palin is accused of harming the troopers themselves.
So far I'm not sure if this scandal has legs or not, but if it does, I'd still say that's an improvement.
Lets not talk about this--lets talk about how Gov Palin conceived a down syndrome child and then refused to have it aborted so she could further her political ambitions; or lets talk about how a few democrats apparently want a hurricane to strike the gulf so it might disrupt the republican convention==Now THATS modern liberalism
MSNBC Monegan Interview
You've been here at Althouse long enough to know I'm in good faith. Partisanship's not my thing.
Yeah. Too bad it's AlphaLiberal's thing. His only thing.
Simon,
Your explanations about the MSM-giving blow jobs to Obama and Joe are completely spot-on.
I take refuge in the eternal frustration these journalists will experience when they can't communicate with anyone while burning in hell.
Roger J
I hope you don't smoke. You're going to set yourself on fire.
Palin Retrenching?
As an Alaskan I can tell you this scandal is no small story up here. It's been big news all summer, which is one reason why we are particularly shocked that McCain picked Palin... we thought the scandal would rule her out. (The other big reason we're shocked is because she really hasn't done much in her short stint as governor, but I digress.)
"I have taken a vow of cruel neutrality, and it's actually easy for me not to decide who to vote for."
Give it up. You have already stated that you will vote for Obama unless he makes some major error. I doubt any error he makes short of going on a homicidal rampage will satisfy your definition of "major". And of course there will be no admitted cumulative effect from "minor" errors. Still a 70-30 kinda "neutral", Althouse, or is it closer to 100-0 now?
What you are is a liberal by default who, for whatever reason, doesn't want to openly and directly admit it. Only something extraordinary will sway you from the Dems (You've said as much.), where your academic associates (and offspring?) live. The fact that screaming far-left radicals see you to their right doesn't change any of the above. Cruel neutrality? Cute, but NOT. No neutral would constantly reference
NYT
WaPo
The Atlantic
CNN
MSNBC
Bloggingheads
and treat their usual leftist drivel as worthy of serious comment. Joke time is over. Time to come out of the closet wearing that Obama button. Your fans will still respect you in the morning.
Hey, Anti-Palin Jerk-offs:
You'd have at least a shred of credibility if anyone here thought that you would be just as concerned if she was the Democrat VP nominee, assuming she was pro-choice.
But since everyone knows you wouldn't, keep farting your comments out.
Thinking adults will move on.
`
NEWS ALERT:
Barack Obama is STILL the least qualified Presidential candidate for a major party in the ENTIRE HISTORY of the United States.
Funny how none of the AlphaLiberals, et al, are ever willing to take that on.
`
CAMILLE PAGLIA (Ann, are you listening?):
“We may be seeing the first woman president. As a Democrat, I am reeling,” said Camille Paglia, the cultural critic. “That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician. Palin is as tough as nails.”
Barack Obama is STILL the least qualified Presidential candidate for a major party in the ENTIRE HISTORY of the United States.
The MSM is now toting the line that Obama has gained the experience by "debating" for the presidency and "thinking" about Presidential issues over the last two years (so said both Brokaw and Andrea Mitchell) this morning on Meet the Press. The bias never ends.
toting the line
An eggcorn via towing the line?
The MSM is now toting the line that Obama has gained the experience by "debating" for the presidency and "thinking" about Presidential issues over the last two years (so said both Brokaw and Andrea Mitchell) this morning on Meet the Press. The bias never ends.
Then why not elect Tom Brokaw or Andrea Mitchell?
I keep hearing the line from the MSM, even the so called veterans like Brokaw that only two years ago Sarah Palin was a mayor of a small town. In fact, it has been 6 years since she was a mayor. Her term ended in 2002. Then she ran for and lost the Lt. Governor's post. Then she was appointed and chaired the Alaska Oil and Gas conservation commission for two years. Then she ran for Governor for a year, then she was elected governor and has served in that post for 19 months and will have served for two years when she ius sworn in as VP on Jan 20, 2009.
4 years ago Sarah Palin was leading an important oil and gas commission in Alaska. 4 years ago Obama was a state Senator with no accomplishments.
An eggcorn via towing the line?
It must be my midwestern roots.
Well, it's toeing the line, anyway, not towing (or toting).
AlphaLiberal said...
Why can't we all agree to a basic principle: Elected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit."
Unless, of course, they are Democrats with names like Reid, Pelosi, Clinton, Obama, Biden, Daley, Feinstein, Boxer, Gore, Kerry, and that paragon of virtuosity, honesty, ethics and morals, Ted Kennedy.
BTW, Alpha,
TPM is a partisan hack. A good journalist, but an unethical partisan hack.
I would like to make an amendment to Alpha Liberal's undoubtedly non-partisan suggestion:
"Why can't we all agree to a basic principle: Elected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit."
My amendment-- why can't we all agree to a basic principle: Elected officials should not use government powers for their personal benefit, or their family's benefit, unless it is to the benefit of their constituents in a non-trivial manner.
I think we can all agree that any efforts made to get rid of a power-abusing cop benefit us all.
After reading this and other comments here as well as comments across the web, The Democrats still don't get it. Palin isn't running for president, McCain is and concentrating on her is precisely what is supposed to happen.
This is why Obama's failure to pick Hillary was so politically disastrous--she could have been the lightening rod, just like she was in 1992.
Obama is too politically astute to not understand this which is why he will be desperately trying to get back on message by mid-September--that's when elections are won and lost. I wonder if the Democratic core will let him. I doubt it.
AlphaLiberal said...
simon, tell that to Alberto Gonzalez!!
You mean the guy who fired political appointees who served at the pleasure of the Attorney General? The guy who did the same thing Bill Clinton had done, and every other president has had done?
Oh, and the only reason Gonzalez got into trouble is that most of those appointees are recomended by Senators and Congressmen- you know they are patronage jobs.
Not wise to piss off the legislature. They may investigate you for using your legitimate powers.
Sloanasaurus said...
"4 years ago Sarah Palin was leading an important oil and gas commission in Alaska. 4 years ago Obama was a state Senator with no accomplishments."
How things have changed. Nowadays, Sarah Palin is Governor of Alaska, and Obama is a state's Senator with no accomplishments. (No relevant accomplishments, that is - being the first african-american nominee is an accomplishment, but it'd be a bit of a bootstrap argument so suggest that it's an accomplishment relevant to his pursuit of the Presidency.)
“That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician."
The only thing missing was the song "I'm Every Woman" playing in the background.
Professor Althouse said: Well, it's toeing the line, anyway, not towing (or toting).
Bissage said: JOHN BARLEYCORN-EGG CREAM MUST DIE!!!
But don’t be alarmed.
It’s a nature-worshipping/alcoholic/Christian/drug-body/Traffic/Progressive Rock/New York/chocolate syrup/seltzer/Jewish kind of thing.
I wouldn’t understand.
Heh.
I have an observation to make, regarding this uniquely American phenomenon of "Troopergates".
Each of the Troopergates in question, Clinton's, Spitzer's, Palin's have different dynamics but they all involve personnel serving in a public safety capacity. And these personnel are in close proximity or under orders of each of the Governors involved.
Governors are Commanders-in-Chief, embodying a quasi-military position, unlike Senators or Congressmen, it's always been said.
Think Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Willie Jefferson, Ted Stevens, recent scandals all. All accused of moral transgressions like corruption or lasciviousness.
Does this make Governors more likely to be involved in Troopergates, which are abuses of power rather than moral transgressions as the other legislators have? It would seem a certainty.
(Clinton and Spitzer messy the conclusion with their ultimate storylines, though curiously even Palin's brother-in-law is involved; a sexual substitute, if you will)
It seems that if American Governors have a chance to abuse their power or to be accused of wrongdoing by them, it is curious that protection detail or similar is often involved.
I've often wondered why the American public got 4 Senators at the forefront of this election cycle? McCain, Clinton, Obama, Biden. It's extraordinary and unheard of in American history, where Senators usually have a very difficult time getting directly elected from the Senate to the White House.
Did Al Gore break his own kind of recent glass ceiling, followed by John Kerry? IOW, did their candidacies raise Senators to be more viable contenders for the Presidency?
It was always thought Governors had more executive experience, and indeed, that's why Palin was chosen as running mate -- breaking that crocodile line of Senators.
But can the American public be experiencing Governor fatigue, of which these Troopergates are the poster childs?
Perhaps the candidates or their advisors sensed that, in some way and realised the time was right to run.
Lastly, I think John F. Kennedy was a pioneer in this "security detail"/scandal linkage. The Secret Service charged with his protection often ran rampant themselves, and were even accused of having covered up his sexual indiscretions.
Palin dismissed her personal police detail. Interesting to speculate, no? Though she did it because the risk is lessened in Alaska, and she's an accomplished riflewoman who packs heat.
But both Clinton and Spitzer must've been in the same situation as JFK given their amourous natures.
Perhaps Senators, at this moment, carry less baggage for the American public. Part of an elite only 100 people strong, they were always thought to be too seignorial to run for President.
But Maybe that's what Americans want, today.
Gravitas -- not raw power.
Sidenote: I remember reading a book about Bill Clinton by the guy who carried his "football" (the briefcase with the nuclear codes), Lt. Col. Robert Patterson. It was called Dereliction of Duty, and just about called Clinton criminally negligent. It's always those darn service personnel, so close to the Executive branch, who see the most and forgive either too much or not enough.
Cheers,
Victoria
BetaLiberal is so hoping this gets legs! There's no "There there". If this is the best the liberal smear machine has, it's game over!
Randy said...
This -gate ending for real or imagined scandals is long past being trite.
It's gone BEYOND trite to being an idiotic phrase slapped on any controversy by journalists taught
that their greatest triumph was Watergate. And, in GroupThink, have thrown "gate" on any matter of impropriety alledged, both public and private for 35 years.
Two years ago, our area was subject to "Beerpartygate!" as Hero Cops and Noble Zero Tolerance School Administrators attempted to interrogate junior and senior HS students they heard had attended a pre-graduation kegger.
Which then became Dr. _______gate, after the superindendent that had cops come to school to "question suspects" who they thought attended a private party, threatening students with not graduating - to build criminal cases on the "illegal drinkers" and "the alcohol-purveyors".
Which was interesting because the kids tend to go to several parties that day, and two other parties where they behaved less than angelically were also on and a sophomore family member went to both of them.
His Mom told him, as a lawyer, to politely and respectfully decline to talk if called into Hero Cop and Noble Zero Tolerance School Official interrogation. And if they said no after that, and kept insisting, "tell them to fuck-off and demand to contact Mom, who will show up with a nasty trial lawyer in tow in half an hour."
Of course, what Mom says goes, so the kid eventually literally said said "fuck off" to one cop and a school Ass't Principal and the "caring" substance abuse counselor" and was threatened with suspension before Mom and the Trial lawyer, who did show up, asked for names and all documents and all names of students interviewed without speciying they had a right to an attorney and to contact a guardian.
For the abuse of power and civil rights violation lawsuits.
The whole time the media kept slapping "gate" on their stories.
The town of course backed down and settled....
=======================
Peter v. Bella - The man she fired, the head of Public Safety, was a political appointee that can be fired at whim with no reason. He serves at the pleasure of the governor.
Except when a high-powered official blocks a criminal investigation, attempts to influence by firing the officials, even those appointed ones that "serve at the pleasure of the appointer" - it is legally called obstruction of justice.
(see the history on the "Saturday Night Massacre" for the old, actual Watergate scandal)
=======================
hostwiththemost - Hey, Anti-Palin Jerk-offs:
You'd have at least a shred of credibility if anyone here thought that you would be just as concerned if she was the Democrat VP nominee, assuming she was pro-choice.
A good deal of the people criticizing McCain's move are Republicans and idependents disgusted with emulation of liberal identity politics, who believed McCain when he insisted that the first and foremost thing in selecting a VP was to "Put the Country 1st and select someone ready to be President from Day 1".
The same people who also have big reservations about Obama's fitness to lead, and about an erratic old man with a history of treachery against fellow Republicans. Now about that old man who has significant medical risk factors having a backup even less qualified than Obama.
In civil matters, where
=================
Host quotes Paglia:
“That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician.
Written entirely by herself, doubling the impact and raising the admiration for her.
One of the disaffected commenters said she's not ready for primetime. They mentioned her hair, or something stupid like that.
It's okay. All public figures are a little rough around the edges when they start, and a makeover will sort her out.
Both Paglia and I see something much deeper in this woman. She engenders the same kind of excitement in Republicans that Obama does for Democrats.
And that's why she is dangerous to Democrats and must be torn down as a candidate.
Pawlenty? Not so much.
Cheers,
Victoria
Joan wrote:
6. Most rational people agree that the trooper should be fired, given the facts stipulated about him and his extensive record of reprimands.
It would behoove the Democrats for him to be fired, or for him to leave the service willingly.
Then that would allow him to run to the mainstream media (or, rather, they to him) for interviews on dirt regarding Sarah Palin.
I can already see him on Larry King Live, or more explosively, with Matthews and Olbermann.
An embittered former brother-in-law, who seems like a scummy person given his on-duty behaviour, is a gold mine for the Democrats seeking to destroy this woman's credibility.
Victoria does bring up an interesting angle regarding the '08 race! Tricky Dick was a Senator before gaining the VP slot. Both JFK and LBJ were senators before their team was elected; LBJ was a powerful Senate Majority leader too. Ford and Truman were Representatives and both quite powerful in their respective Congresses; GHWB was a Representative before his VP-ship or Presidency. HHH was a Senator of much renown before becoming LBJ's VP.
So, maybe being a member of Congress isn't too unusual, at least in recent times. Although the question if at all pertinent is whether being a governor or in congress better prepares one for the top job. FWIW: Truman was thought not to be a good choice but got the bottom slot; he did turn out to be one of our better modern presidents.
Personally, IMHO, Palin will turn out well whether as a campaigner or as the VP herself. Can just hear Demo Senators choking when they say, "Madame President;" Hooray.
You know, they could have called it BIL-gate.
Troopergate is actually what happened with the Kelly twins when they were waitresses at the Quiet Man in 1982. Luckily that was before the Internets.
Had Trooper been born 20 years later, he'd be a YouTube celebrity.
It's gone BEYOND trite to being an idiotic phrase slapped on any controversy by journalists taught...
In 1946 George Orwell in “Politics and English Language” wrote of “dying metaphors” and bad political writing. His first rule: “Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.”
Nothing has improved since 1946.
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