September 4, 2008

David Axelrod on Sarah Palin: "For someone who makes the point that she is not from Washington, she looks like she would fit in very well there."

Politico reports:
“She is deft at going on the attack. For someone who makes the point that she is not from Washington, she looks like she would fit in very well there,” Axelrod told reporters on the campaign plane in Pittsburgh, Pa. “These attacks all felt very familiar to Americans who are used to this kind of thing from Washington.”

Axelrod said her speech was riddled with distortions.

“Right down the line,” he said. “She tried to attack Obama by saying he had no significant legislative accomplishments – maybe that’s what she was told – but she should talk to Sen. Lugar, talk to Sen. Coburn, talk to people across the aisle in Illinois where he passed dozens of major laws to expand health care reform welfare, reduce taxes on working families. So I think she had an assignment and she went out and she discharged it.”
She's an automaton, programmed to carry out a mission. Possibly raised hydroponically by Karl Rove in a basement in the White House.

By the way, I keep hearing that Obama has executive experience qualifying him to run for the presidency in that he has run a campaign for the presidency. Does that mean Axelrod -- and Rove -- could run for President? I mean, isn't Axelrod really the brain behind it all?
He founded a political consultancy and soon made his mark running the re-election campaign of Chicago's first African-American mayor, Harold Washington. He has since done work for clients ranging from the current mayor, Richard M Daley, to presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. But the Washington campaign proved a template for helping other African-American mayoral candidates, leading one commentator early in the Obama campaign to remark that Axelrod had 'developed something of a novel niche for a political consultant - helping black politicians convince white supporters to support them'.

Yet in Obama, almost from the moment they met, Axelrod seemed to sense something on a far grander scale: a potential for what he described to friends as a 'historic' agent for change in American politics on the scale of the hero he had seen as a five-year-old. He helped to run Obama's campaign for the US Senate in 2004 and was also credited with helping to craft the powerful Democratic convention speech in July 2004 that put him squarely on the national political stage.

167 comments:

Hawspipe said...

I know Obama has co-sponsored lots of legislation -- which doesn't necessarily mean he so much as added a comma to it -- but has he actually "authored" any? I'd like to find a definitive answer on this.

Original Mike said...

Lugar, Coburn. Lugar, Coburn. Lugar, Coburn.

The more they trot out those two bills as examples of legislative accomplishment, the more apparent it becomes that that's all they got.

Johng said...

Maybe President Obama plans to follow Senator Obama's example and ask Republicans to decide on a proper course of action and then sign his name to it and claim it as his own.

If that's the case I might have to vote for him after all.

Danny said...

They Mayor of Detroit should run-- he's got all the blackness of Obama and all the "executive experience" and corruption of Palin.

Joe Giles said...

Yes, Gov. Palin showed she can throw some hard punches. Too rough and sarcastic? Perhaps -- time will tell.

But Mr. Axelrod implies that those "bantamweights" from the sticks should take their beating and ask for another. Gov. Palin redirected the traffic last night -- if there's going to be a brawl, she's going to gouge an eye or two.

I don't think he's being sexist here. He's being provincial.

Original Mike said...

I'm with you, Hawspipe. Can someone please provide a link to a description of Obama's legislative accomplishments? FLS? Alpha? I'd really like to review his record.

Maybe Ann can, since she's voting for him.;-)

Peter V. Bella said...

Health care reform welfare? He voted to pass the embattled governors health care package; more like ram it down the throats of the tax payers with his mentor and sponsor, Emil Jones. There was no money to fund it. No legislation to fund it and the program raised the ire of both sides of the aisle in Springfield as being irresponsible. It created a firestorm because there was and still is not a way to pay for it except for a massive tax hike in the near future. My “working family” taxes were not reduced in Illinois. The only person who reduce my taxes was Bush. Are there two separate states called Illinois; the one I live in and the parallel universe Mr. Axelrod lives in?

Barak Obama was under the foot and tutelage of Emil Jones. Barak Obama did what Jones told him to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Barak Obama was an order taker.

holdfast said...

Democrats think that "policy" is a long list of presents to various interest groups. I don't want that sort of policy from the GOP - it would be "compassionate conservatism" and I'm bloody sick of that. That just means being a social con while spending in a way that would shame a drunken sailor (at least drunken sailor's only spend their own money). I wamt to hear about reducing regulation and cutting taxes in a focused way that provides the greatest stimulus for economic growth. I want to hear about your political philosophy for dealing with foreign policy challenges, since it is unrealistic for any candidate to be overly specific without committing the country in advance. I want to hear why you are better than the other guy or gal - and if necessary, why the other guys sucks.

ricpic said...

...reduce taxes on working families.

Translation: You got one pot to piss in? We may give you a tax break. More than one pot? We're coming after you, you...you...RICHIE!

kimsch said...

One vote of a majority in the state senate counts as "passing" legislation?

In Obamaland it does.

Meade said...

"At the age of five, he was smitten by John F Kennedy...[H]e described [Obama] to friends as a 'historic' agent for change in American politics on the scale of the hero he had seen as a five-year-old."

What did JFK do that left the country in better shape than when his presidency began? Tax cuts. Peace Corp. Anything else?

Bay of Pigs
Iraq coup
Vietnam escalation
Choosing to ride through Dallas with an open top

He really wasn't a very good president. Certainly not worthy of hero-worship.

Unknown said...

I saw some poor Obama staffer on Larry King last night after the speech. He looked like he had been crying, LOL.

He didn't even listen to the questions. He just deadpanned some talking point until a commercial break mercifully released him.

chickelit said...

Meade said: What did JFK do that left the country in better shape than when his presidency began?

Moon landing challenge?

Henry said...

Cuban Missile Crisis

Henry said...

Yesterday's talking point: She's inexperienced!

Today's talking point: She's too professional!

Meade said...

Moon landing challenge
Cuban Missile Crisis

Anything else that a President Nixon could not have achieved?

Henry said...

Anything else that a President Nixon could not have achieved?

Not imposing wage and price controls?

Meade said...

Besides bedding Marilyn I mean.

Peter V. Bella said...

Yet in Obama, almost from the moment they met, Axelrod seemed to sense something on a far grander scale...


The way to finally, finally make the big bucks and be taken seriously on a national scale with all the big bucks that brings in.

LarsPorsena said...

"I'm with you, Hawspipe. Can someone please provide a link to a description of Obama's legislative accomplishments? FLS? Alpha? I'd really like to review his record."

That's the problem..the compulsion to write legislation. Not that it's really needed, or the money wisely spent; it's the irresistible urge to be seen as DOING SOMETHING.
We need more senators who do not feel compelled to get their snouts in the public trough under the guise of passing 'legislation' to fluff their presidential resumes.

Unknown said...

agent for change in American politics

I think I pay attention but what the hell does that mean? So far its the same as usual. I assume most of his supporters are in favor of whatever they can determine his policies to be, or are perhaps just voting for "non Republican", but "change in American Politics"? What's naive?

ricpic said...

JFK is proof, if there ever was proof, that the American people, a substantial number of them, don't want a president, they want a prince.

Peter V. Bella said...

Henry said...
Yesterday's talking point: She's inexperienced!

Today's talking point: She's too professional!



Just goes to show in this day and age an accomplished woman cannot win. I am waiting for the cracks about whether she was over dressed or under dressed? To much or too little makeup? Wrong perfume. She should have worn flats. Maybe she should have tried that Clinton effect and worn a pants suit.

Just can't win for trying.

Sam Brazys said...

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d110&querybd=@BANDNOT(@FIELD(FLD003+@1(01763))+@FIELD(FLD008+(m)))

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d109&querybd=@BANDNOT(@FIELD(FLD003+@1(01763))+@FIELD(FLD008+(m)))

Obama's sponserships... I think he co-sponsored a concurrent resolution to honor my next door neighbor's shitzu's heroic pile on the lawn.

Of course he hasn't led anything. 1st-term Junior senators don't lead legislative iniatives, mainly because their seats in subcomittee are actually ouside the conference room so it is hard for them to hear what's going on.

But hey, I'm sure Percy Lavon Julian would disagree...

Oh yeah, and what day is Juneteenth? Is that in Smarch or something?

former law student said...

Helping the Congo was the subject of the one bill that Obama sponsored that passed the House and Senate.

S.2125
Title: A bill to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 12/16/2005) Cosponsors (12)
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-456 [GPO: Text, PDF]

At the same time, the most important of four bills Sen. McCain introduced that became law was one that transferred federal land, including "chunks of developable land on the outskirts of Flagstaff, Williams, Camp Verde, Clarkdale and Cottonwood" to a wealthy developer, in exchange for some wasteland he owned.

S.161
Title: A bill to provide for a land exchange in the State of Arizona between the Secretary of Agriculture and Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 1/25/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Related Bills: H.R.410
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-110 [GPO: Text, PDF]

http://www.hcn.org/issues/269/14592

Anonymous said...

Henry: Exactly. Now we get the meme that because she obviously has good political skills, she really is someone who might as well be part of the Washington insider set. So, what is all this talk of "change" when she's just like the rest of them?

Of course, if she had stammered her way through the speech and/or had otherwise folded under all the pressure, it would have confirmed the meme that she was "inexperienced" and "not ready."

former law student said...

But what I was going to say is that David Axelrod was John Edwards' chief media advisor in 2004. But, unlike Obama this year, as Axelrod put it in a New York Times profile, Edwards "could not close the deal."

So Axelrod + Obama = Success, while Axelrod + Edwards = Failure

Sam Brazys said...

Former law student,

I don't think Edwards had any trouble "closing the deal"... it just all depends on your metric for success I guess...

ricpic said...

Helping the Congo with MY taxes?! A pox on that Africa Firster!

LarsPorsena said...

"Helping the Congo was the subject of the one bill that Obama sponsored that passed the House and Senate."

Oh!! Boy, that'll electrify 'em in Kansas.

Methadras said...

where he passed dozens of major laws to expand health care reform welfare, reduce taxes on working families.

So the new standard for executive experience is that if you vote for dozens of major laws and/or pen your name as a piggyback to someone else's hard work, namely writing an actual piece of legislation, then that should qualify you as now having executive experience? Based on that criteria, I should run for the Senate right away. I mean I'll vote for and write my name on a bill and think of all the perks I'll get for doing it. Why, even I can run for President.

Original Mike said...

FLS: Thanks, but I'm looking for somethng comprehensive. And even some analysis. "Sponsership" can be as trivial as "add my name to that, please." I'd really like a review of his time in the Senate. I don't expect you to do it, but if you can point to someone who has, I'd appreciate it.

former law student said...

Original Mike: each bill has only one sponsor. All the rest are co-sponsors.

If you want a guy who sponsors a lot of bills that became law, Teddy Kennedy is your man.

To find answers for your questions, play around with this. Note that Obama served in both the 109h and 110th Congress

http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d109query.html

AlphaLiberal said...

Glenn Greenwald fairly nails it:
"Ever since Ronald Reagan's election, this is what the Republicans do every four years. They render issues irrelevant and convert campaigns into cultural wars and personality referenda. They converted our elections into tawdry reality shows long before networks realized their entertainment value. And every four years, Democrats seems shocked and paralyzed by all of this and desperately delude themselves into believing that mean-spirited "negativity" and nastiness will alienate voters, while the media swoons at the potency of these attacks. "

and...

"Even today, fresh off of watching Sarah Palin rip Barack Obama's face off using the most intense forms of derision and condescension, Joe Biden -- Obama's "attack dog" -- went on The Early Show and said he was "impressed" with Palin's speech:"

Nasty person, Sarah Palin.

Peter V. Bella said...

former law student said...
Helping the Congo was the subject of the one bill that Obama sponsored that passed the House and Senate.

Excuse me? Helping the Congo? I really laughed at that one. That is it? He sponsored a bill to help the Congo? The same Congo that has been in and out of revolution since the Belgians granted independence? That Congo? I am still laughing. That is a major legislative accomplishment? Hee, hee, hee, heeeeeeeeeeee! That is beyond trivial; it is ludicrous and shows how he would waste our money.

Next you’ll be telling us he led a relief effort to the Congo and dodged bullets at the airstrip.

Peter Blogdanovich said...

At long last, Obama's people have to manage a situation they can only make worse. They can't make this "better" in any conceivable way. I predict they will blow it by yanking every knob and lever they can get their hands on, which will definitely make things worse. Biden's threat to prosecute Bush administration people is a perfect example. Already down the memory hole apparently.

Simon Kenton said...

"By the way, I keep hearing that Obama has executive experience qualifying him to run for the presidency in that he has run a campaign for the presidency."

I like this too. Harold Stassen becomes the most presidentially qualified American of the last century, and Ralph Nader is far and away the top candidate we have for the moment.

ricpic said...

Oh the poor poor BDS Dems. The little lambies have been blindsided again by those wascally Wepublicans.

Sam Brazys said...

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d110&querybd=@BANDNOT(@FIELD(FLD003+@1(01763))+@FIELD(FLD008+(m)))

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d109&querybd=@BANDNOT(@FIELD(FLD003+@1(01763))+@FIELD(FLD008+(m)))

These are the Bill Obama has sponsored... you can invetigate to see how many got anywehere...

Original Mike said...

Thanks, FLS!

Alex said...

Nasty person, Sarah Palin.
1:41 PM

They said the same thing about Reagan in 1980! Oops!

Hoosier Daddy said...

Helping the Congo was the subject of the one bill that Obama sponsored that passed the House and Senate.

Well that would put some notches in his belt when he runs for President of Congo.

Keep em coming.

Unknown said...

Present

Simon said...

David Axelrod's problem with Sarah Palin is that if she wins, David Axelrod's long-desired footnote in history is going to look quite different to the one he wants: he'll be the guy who ran the Democrats' campaign in the election they couldn't lose - and lost.

Buford Gooch said...

In re: JFK and the Bay of Pigs.

If Khrushchev hadn't handed him his butt in their first meeting, there would have been no missiles in Cuba, and, therefore, no "Bay of Pigs".

Simon said...

Former law student said...
"Helping the Congo was the subject of the one bill that Obama sponsored that passed the House and Senate."

Sarah Palin said...
"But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate." (Emphasis added).

Next contender, please.

Unknown said...

Hey guys, there is a huge difference betweening writing a bill and sponsoring one. Palin indicated the former.

Original Mike said...

You know, Simon, I wonder if Bob Schrum is secretly rooting for McCain.

Unknown said...

How about Joe Trippi?

Rich B said...

"Glenn Greenwald fairly nails it:"

That's got to be one of the most improbable statements in the English language.

Original Mike said...

"Glenn Greenwald nails it fairly" would be even more improbable.

Automatic_Wing said...

That's got to be one of the most improbable statements in the English language.

Ellers, Wilson and Rick Ellensburg would heartily disagree.

Good day, sir!

holdfast said...

AlphaLib - I am addressing your posts in good faith, I think. I, like many conservatives, do not want a laundry list of proposals for what they will give me if they go to Washingotn - those things cost money which we don't have and the President isn't the one who appropriates the money anyway. Over the last 2 decades we have gotten used to seeing Congress try to do the President's job and vice versa - and I think it is dumb. For better or worse, Congress has the purse strings, and so it gets to dole out the goodies, subject to the President's veto. The President is in charge of managing the executive - spending the money, reacting to crises and shaping foreign policy. The President needs to stop handing out goody bags he doesn't really have the authority to offer (oh sure, Congress might give them to him, as long as he doesn't veto THEIR stupid goody bags - see 2001-2006), and congresscritters need to stop violating the Logan Act by conducting their own foreign policy, regardless of who is in the White House (no more "fact finding" trips to hang with Bashar Assad, Nancy). This current chaos is not good for the country and it makes all the politicians involved look bad. The founders set things up in a certain way for a reason.

Henry said...

Glenn Greenwald fairly nails it

With a nine pound hammer!

Greenwald says that the Democrats are incapable of fighting for principle, and easily bewildered when attacked.

Sounds about right to me.

bearbee said...

I know Obama has co-sponsored lots of legislation -- which doesn't necessarily mean he so much as added a comma to it -- but has he actually "authored" any? I'd like to find a definitive answer on this.

GovTrack.us lists bills sponsored and status.

The Deacon said...

Our choice is clear:
Obama wants to get us to work together to fix the financial ruin we are in and the Republicans want to use the same tired wedge issues to drive us apart so they can continue the top down class war they've championed for the last four decades.
Is the phrase "permanent Republican majority" so easily forgotten? What does that have to do with democracy?

Original Mike said...

Hey, this is fun!

S. Res. 268: A resolution designating July 12, 2007, as "National Summer Learning Day"

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

Anonymous said...

Mr. Gooch, just a historical sidenote:

The Bay of Pigs "incident" was from April 16th, 1961 through April 19th of that year. The Missile Crisis was in October of 1962.

Trust me, they hammered us with those facts in school in Cuba every time a new anniversary of it would come around...

Anonymous said...

Mr. Gooch, just a historical sidenote:

The Bay of Pigs "incident" was from April 16th, 1961 through April 19th of that year. The Missile Crisis was in October of 1962.

Trust me, they hammered us with those facts in school in Cuba every time a new anniversary of it would come around...

former law student said...

Hey guys, there is a huge difference betweening writing a bill and sponsoring one. Palin indicated the former.

Republican bills tend to be written by lobbyists, or industry groups, so I don't know why she gets on her high horse here. The sponsor (not co sponsors) is considered the author of the bills s/he introduces.

A good comparison table can be found here. Again, this is for the 109th Congress:

http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d109/sponlst.html#Senate

Anonymous said...

Nasty person, Sarah Palin.

Nah, just effective.

Anyone keeping count of the exploding heads?

Someone needs to program an explodometer widget so we track them on our blogs.

Unknown said...

My advice for the Democrats: IGNORE SARAH PALIN and concentrate on McCain.

They probably won't take my advice.

Anonymous said...

Republican bills tend to be written by lobbyists, or industry groups, so I don't know why she gets on her high horse here.

You mean like the bankruptcy reform bill the credit card companies wrote for Joe Biden...oh wait...never mind.

Do you people really believe this stuff you write. Only Republicans have lobbyists?

Meade said...

SteveR said...
Present

Memerable

former law student said...

All are vulnerable to the trivia gotcha game:
- S.RES.357 : A resolution designating January 2006 as "National Mentoring Month".
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 1/27/2006) Cosponsors (30)
- S.RES.167 : A resolution recognizing the importance of sun safety, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 6/9/2005) Cosponsors (1)

Hey, look at this one. What happened to that?:

11. S.RES.344 : A resolution expressing support for the Government of Georgia's South Ossetian Peace Plan and the successful and peaceful reintegration of the region into Georgia.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 12/21/2005)

KLDAVIS said...

As Giuliani said, "He's never had to lead people in crisis"...until now.

Are we finally going to get to see Barack's leadership ability?

Unknown said...

Republican bills tend to be written by lobbyists, or industry groups, so I don't know why she gets on her high horse here. The sponsor (not co sponsors) is considered the author of the bills s/he introduces.

Nice try former law student. But unfortunately, your rhetoric falls flat in this case. We are talking about Barack Obama. Last time I checked, He is the Democrat nominee.

former law student said...

Only Republicans have lobbyists?

Had I meant "only," I would have used the word.

Boy, Republicans are sure touchy.

bleeper said...

Hey, I like the Congo as much as anyone. The music from there is awesome. But it really doesn't have a government - it's more like Chicago in that regard.

As for Palin wearing a pantsuit - you have got to be kidding. No cankles on her...

And who was it who wrote "Hillary in a suit looks like every other short fat male politician, only with smaller breasts"? Yeah, I don't know either...

Trooper York said...

Why the hell did he help the Congo? By building roads there you are only helping their runners train so they beat us in the Olympics. What's next, he's gonna buy balance beams for the Chinese?

Anonymous said...

Republican bills tend to be written by lobbyists, or industry groups,

This statement implies that Democrat bills are not written by lobbyists or industry groups, so no, not touchy, just point ing out the delusions behind your belief system.

Peter V. Bella said...

former law student said...
Republican bills tend to be written by lobbyists, or industry groups...

Really. You can prove this of course. I suppose you are going to claim that lobbyists, special interests, or industry groups do not write the Democratic bills?

bearbee said...

This is Alaska's Margaret Thatcher

She spoke for 36 pugnacious, stilleto-heeled, in your face, Barack Obama is a limp-wristed cover boy minutes. She blew the roof off. Sarah Palin has now shaken up a presidential race like no other nominee in modern times.


Having put to rest any doubts that she is a very tough lady not afraid of a fight, many males in the audience - when not giving her a standing ovation - were instinctively crossing their legs.

Trooper York said...

Well Obama does have some real accomplishments. Didn't he build that time machine and went back to get Laura to.....what....that was Urkel...oh sorry....nevermind.

Anonymous said...

All are vulnerable to the trivia gotcha game:

If that was the game being played, then you would be correct. However, the game being played is one of identifying a major piece of legislation authored by Obama, and so far, no one has provided the details of such major legislation...because Palin was right.

Johng said...

Look, Obama is running to be President of the United States. He is running on a platform of changing government. Shouldn't he have at least ONE major bill that he wrote and that he wasn't merely piggybacking on? The isn't a question of volume necessarily. If he had only one signature bill, that came from him and showed how he was bringing change to DC, then that could be enough. Certainly there should be SOME sign, other than his rhetorical skills, that he is going to bring in an era of new politics.

But there is nothing. If his major work of legislative authorship is the bill about Congo, then much like his assertation that running a campaign is proof of his executive abilities, it just goes to show that he has no substance behind his flashy words. The fact that he was not in a position to author legislation because he was only a first term junior senator is not a defense, it is a knife that only further highlights that Obama has not had enough practical, political experience to run the country.

Bruce Hayden said...

Obama wants to get us to work together to fix the financial ruin we are in and the Republicans want to use the same tired wedge issues to drive us apart so they can continue the top down class war they've championed for the last four decades.

This is just plain silly. Obama has shown zero inclination to actually work with anyone to the right of the isle on any issue. Compare this with his opponent, who has a litany of major bills co-sponsored
with Democrats, plus being the Republican leader of the Gang of 14. Where was Obama there? Was he a member of the Gang of 14? Or was he, as is arguably his real persona, voting the party line and not trying to work with the Republicans?

Obama talks the talk, but is about as far from walking this walk as anyone in the Senate.

Cedarford said...

AlphaLiberal said...
Glenn Greenwald fairly nails it


Amazing how Greenwald fans and his own sockpuppets always start with variations on that standard accolade to their hero:

"Glen Greenwald nails it. He always does....he is so wonderful...I'm so impressed by him!'"

====================
Team Axelrod is very good at getting a black pro over with white voters as a "new, transcendent sort" like clients Washington, Booker, John Street, and Deval Patrick.

Obama writes little of the crap he reads off the TelePrompter. Observors have noticed whole chunks of Obama speeches lifted from Streeter and Deval Patrick campaign speeches.
(Not a bad thing, Obama is paying Team Axelrod lots of money for the surefire crowd-pleasers targeted to specific audiences, so all the "We are the change we have been waiting for!" stuff Axelrod's business churned out before is still owned by him and his investors - ready to be recycled and spiffed up for Obama.

And Obama in the heat of the primaries was smart enough to sit by himself on the plane, play tunes, read the NCAA basketball scores, and relax while the spin doctors earned their money. All he had to do was make what changes he wanted in the final draft & practice how to deliver the written product spoken in soaring Rev Wright oratorical style.
Team Axelrod also has very good style and image people to manage the public persona of their black clients.

former law student said...

This statement implies that Democrat bills are not written by lobbyists

That statement was meant to rebut this statement of Mrs. Palin: it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform

Robert Pearson said...

A few points:

I talked to Sarah Palin on Election Night, 2002, when she finished a very close second in the six-person Republican primary for Lt. Gov. of Alaska. I told her what a lot of us (and she, I'm sure) all knew, that she would be very successful in the future. I had in mind at that time maybe Governor in 2010. The Unmagic of Thinking Small...

Legislators, whether at the state or national level, don't "write" legislation, they send ideas to staff attorneys who "draft" it, then the legislator usually tweaks it and it gets introduced. Sen. Obama has been "prime sponsor" of very little legislation in the U.S. Senate, and that was probably smart on his part, because he's been running for President basically since he get there. Thus, he's not burdened by polarizing items with names like "McCain-Finegold."

I'm getting awfully tired of "reducing taxes" on "working families." Let's be clear--a couple who work at their small business 14 hours a day and end up with $250K in income at the end of the year are sure as hell a "working family" and the Axelrod-Obama "tax (reduction) cut" will raise their taxes and send the money to someone who pays little or no income tax now. So let's call it what it is, a redistribution of wealth. Many Republicans also think that's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn't get out of hand, but it's not a tax reduction.

Peter Blogdanovich:

At long last, Obama's people have to manage a situation they can only make worse. They can't make this "better" in any conceivable way.

If you're talking about Palin, there is one effective line of attack, and that is "not ready to be President." And that has a limited shelf life, because if she does go on "Meet the Press" et al and convincingly makes the case that she knows all about our carriers in the Persian Gulf, the location of every Patriot battery in Europe and what V. Putin plans next in Uzbekistan, they'll just have to try and ignore her.

But she won't be ignoring them.

I don't think Sen. McCain really knew what kind of whirlwind he was unleashing; almost everyone outside of the 1 million plus pop. metro areas who feel a vague (or sharp) resentment of the "elites" is starting to see Palin as one of them, and yes that is the "Reagan Democrat."

The initial glow is sure to fade somewhat--but as long as Palin can discourse about the tribes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and locate Diego Garcia on a map she surely will be a positive all the way through Nov. 4.

campy said...

fls wrote: That statement was meant to rebut this statement

How does saying that lobbyists write bills for the GOP rebut Gov. Palin's statement?

former law student said...

Obama has shown zero inclination to actually work with anyone to the right of the isle on any issue. Compare this with his opponent, who has a litany of major bills co-sponsored with Democrats

If co-sponsorship counts, Obama was the co-sponsor of several major bills that McCain either sponsored or co-sponsored. In fact, Obama even co-sponsored a bill sponsored by Larry Craig -- and they just don't get any more Republican than that.

I think Obama has demonstrated he can work across the aisle.

Anonymous said...

This statement implies that Democrat bills are not written by lobbyists

That statement was meant to rebut this statement of Mrs. Palin: it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform


An effective rebuttal would have provided a list of major legislation authored by Obama, but instead you tried the "hey, look over there" routine typical of those who enter verbal combat unarmed.

The result is you made a statement that implied something you apparently didn't mean to imply while never actually rebutting Palin's central point.

Care to try that rebuttal thing by, you know, actually responding to the central point made by Mrs. Palin with evidence that proves her wrong?

Didn't think so.

Tank said...

Given BO's platform, I don't want to work with him.

I want to work AGAINST him.

He's a big government, liberal, socialist, fascist, big spender, big taxer. He and his wife, who don't particularly like this country, want to tell us all what to do, what to pay, etc. I don't want that. I had a mommy. I grew up. I don't need another.

His POLICIES are bad.

I don't want to work with him. I want to OPPOSE him, if I can't defeat him.

former law student said...

How could Republican Mrs. Palin reasonably expect more of Democrat Obama than of her fellow Republicans?

Anonymous said...

If co-sponsorship counts

It doesn't. As others have pointed out, co-sponsoring legislation requires no more effort than simply asking the author if Obama could add his name to the list of co-sponsors.

Filling out a simple form to get your name added to a bill is not the same as authorship, which is what Palin is talking about.

Nihimon said...

Glenn Greenwald nails it fairyly?

Maybe Titus would appreciate that one...

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

Cedarford, Wahrheit: Thank you for the grown-up point of view.

Unknown said...

How could Republican Mrs. Palin reasonably expect more of Democrat Obama than of her fellow Republicans?

Because they aren't running for President?
Because most haven't written their memoirs, let alone a second?

Anonymous said...

How could Republican Mrs. Palin reasonably expect more of Democrat Obama than of her fellow Republicans?

Obtuse much?

Either acknowledge that her statement is true, or produce facts to prove her wrong.

You're making it harder than it needs to be.

Roger J. said...

Not that I am a big Obama fan, but in fairness, Tom Coburn, R OK is a republican, so Obama can claim one bipartisan effort. But when you 18 months of your first term running for president, its hard to do a lot of legislating--has he ever held a subcommittee hearing? I don't think so.

former law student said...

An effective rebuttal would have provided a list of major legislation authored by Obama, but instead you tried the "hey, look over there" routine typical of those who enter verbal combat unarmed.

Can't supply that till we agree what "authored" means. Does it mean the one piece of legislation with his name on it that McCain has to show for his 28 years in the Senate? Does McCain write his own bills? Unlike Obama, who wrote his own memoirs, McCain had to hire ghostwriters to produce his.

Zachary Sire said...

this is a man who has authored two memoirs...

The Audacity Of Hope was not a memoir, but whatever, she didn't author the speech.

Sarah's experience lobbying for $420,000 to put in a new shit tank in Wasilla, now the meth capital of Alaska, is definitely the change that Washington needs.

Roger J. said...

And I suspect nearly all "memoirs" are written by ghost writers with the honoree tweaking here and there.

Johng said...

Yes, Obama went across the aisle on Coburn's bill, a bill so controversial that 40-50 other seantors co-sponsored and passed by voice vote.

Obama crossed the aisle in a situation when everyone in the Senate did. When did Obama reach across the aisle to do something unpopular but important to him? Hell, when did he reach to members of his own party? When did Obama do so much as ask his staff to write a bill to address something he felt government needed to address? Palin's point stands. Obama has accomplished nothing of substance in his time in the Senate.

Unknown said...

I guess we shouldn't be too surprised about ZPS's obsession with shit.

Roger J. said...

At any rate memoirs, co-sponsored bills etc dont impress me as productivity--again, in fairness to BHO, a first term senator isnt going to get to do much. Obama inexperience is his biggest drawback--that and a host of other negatives for me.

Simon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roger J. said...

Wasnt coburn's bill the anti-pork bill? I know coburn, who I believe is OB-gyn doc, and has term limited himself is the scourge of the leadership (in both parties)

Anonymous said...

Can't supply that till we agree what "authored" means.

Go watch Schoolhouse Rock then come back when you know what you're talking about.

runfreddtrun said...

Meade, your comments about JFK remind me somewhat of leftists who can't remark about Jefferson without spewing something about his ownership of slaves. Makes you look pretty lousy really.

Revenant said...

Unlike Obama, who wrote his own memoirs, McCain had to hire ghostwriters to produce his.

Unlike Obama, McCain had something to PUT in those memoirs. :)

runfreddtrun said...

I don't think Sen. McCain really knew what kind of whirlwind he was unleashing; almost everyone outside of the 1 million plus pop. metro areas who feel a vague (or sharp) resentment of the "elites" is starting to see Palin as one of them, and yes that is the "Reagan Democrat."

I'd disagree. McCain has always seen himself as an embattled outsider and as somebody who attracted disdain from the cosmopolitan elites and powerbrokers of the GOP.

Buford Gooch said...

erniecu73 said...

I stand corrected. Got to typing too fast and thinking too slowly.

nrn312 said...

Big surprise here.

Palin criticizes Obama again in solo appearance

She did not take questions from reporters.

Revenant said...

In fact, Obama even co-sponsored a bill sponsored by Larry Craig -- and they just don't get any more Republican than that. I think Obama has demonstrated he can work across the aisle.

I would define "working across the aisle" as supporting a bill most of the Senators in YOUR party don't want and most of the other side does". That implies a willingness to buck the party establishment to accomplish something you think needs to be done. This is not necessarily a good thing, of course -- McCain "worked across the aisle" on McCain-Feingold, which I consider the main argument against voting for him.

Signing on to a bill your party supports doesn't tell us anything, even if most of the other side does support it. Well, it tells us that you don't think any bill supported by any Republican is automatically poisonous, but outside of DailyKos few Democrats think that in the first place.

Robert Pearson said...

runfreddtrun--good point. I think McCain probably felt a gut-level affinity the first time he talked to her; but I meant that in terms of the enormous and ongoing media and grass roots blow-up. I'm sure he hoped for something like this but I doubt the campaign expected it on this scale. For a V.P. choice this is just unprecedented.

knox said...

By the way, I keep hearing that Obama has executive experience qualifying him to run for the presidency in that he has run a campaign for the presidency.

Yes, this is the lamest argument. It's like saying your qualified for a job because you did well in the interview process.

Henry said...

nrn312 - Palin criticizes Obama again in solo appearance

Well yes. That's the Vice Presidential nominees job. She's just going to keep doing it, too.

I'm awfully amused by how shocked, shocked, all the Democrats are that Palin would actually criticize Obama.

Triangle Man said...

Ann, Rove and Axelrod probably do have the experience necessary to be President. Interestingly, people's votes seem to incorporate other criteria. With W there was the "I could hang out with this fella'" factor. I can't see hanging out with McCain for too long, but Palin seems like she would be a hoot.

Roger J. said...

Lets look at BHO's campaign savoir faire--rather than just blowing off Ms Palin and letting it drop when she was nominated, team obama and their fellating MSM heaped abuse and scorn, personal attacks on her and her family--to the point where almost as many viewers watched her speech as did BHOs. What a stroke of brillance by this ace campaign team.

Revenant said...

"Palin criticizes Obama again in solo appearance"

Well yes. That's the Vice Presidential nominees job. She's just going to keep doing it, too.

Yep.

And let me just say in advance that any McCain supporters who express shock about Biden's criticism of McCain are a bunch of weenies, too. You can complain that individual criticisms are unfair, but complaining that criticisms are being made at all is pathetic.

Roger J. said...

not to mention fully mobilizing the repubican base who didnt much care for McCain--yup, real smart stuff

Unknown said...

Right on, Revenant. Whining doesn't win votes.

Triangle Man said...

henry,
The Dem's outrage in response to crowd-pleasing smears is all in the game. R's do it too, and an equal number of people find that equally amusing.

The fun-factor for this election is growing fast and the closer to the 50-yard line you sit politically, the better the show will be. Whichever side wins, it will be crushing for the other side's idealogical wing. The real winners, as always, are going to be the people with direct financial ties to the political influences of the winning party.

Methadras said...

AlphaLiberal said...

Glenn Greenwald fairly nails it:
"Ever since Ronald Reagan's election, this is what the Republicans do every four years. They render issues irrelevant and convert campaigns into cultural wars and personality referenda. They converted our elections into tawdry reality shows long before networks realized their entertainment value. And every four years, Democrats seems shocked and paralyzed by all of this and desperately delude themselves into believing that mean-spirited "negativity" and nastiness will alienate voters, while the media swoons at the potency of these attacks. "

and...


So Greenwald dilutes the Republican message as a cheap communications trick that renders the Democrats and their candidate as weak-spined sniveling victims and the Democrats lap it up? Does Greenwald live in a vacuum in not seeing the blatant smears brought on this woman and her family? And he has the nerve to reduce the message that Republicans are bad because they fought back against Democrats, seemingly put them on the defensive and he doesn't like it because it makes Democrats look weak?

Newsflash, Democrats are weak. They mainstay for the last 40 years of playing identity politics has finally caught up with them and blew up in their face, but you and Greenwald are to stubborn to even understand the momentum shift placed on the Democrat Party and it's candidates.

"Even today, fresh off of watching Sarah Palin rip Barack Obama's face off using the most intense forms of derision and condescension, Joe Biden -- Obama's "attack dog" -- went on The Early Show and said he was "impressed" with Palin's speech:"

Nasty person, Sarah Palin.


That's because Biden could only dream of delivering a speech like that. The Democrats are already rolling over, they just haven't seen the tilt yet.

Methadras said...

Zachary Paul Sire said...

Sarah's experience lobbying for $420,000 to put in a new shit tank in Wasilla, now the meth capital of Alaska, is definitely the change that Washington needs.


Everytime you talk about Wasilla and meth I get this flash that you were behind the "Me in meth" commercials.

Revenant said...

Unlike a lot of the Republican-leaning commenters here I still think Obama's likely to win. There are too many factors working against the Republican Party this time around, their alienation of their base being among the main ones.

However, I think that at this point Palin will be the winner of the 2012 election. Whether she's running as McCain's former VP (I can't see him going for two terms) or as the Republican Party's nominee against the failed Obama administration, I think that election will be hers to lose.

Roger J. said...

I take it "shit tank" is liberalese for a sewage system?

Can liberals ever use words other than profane words?

Roger J. said...

Rev: agree that the election is Obama's to lose, but the way they are going, he might just snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And yes, I think Sarah Palin will be the face of a somewhat different republican party

nrn312 said...

I'm awfully amused by how shocked, shocked, all the Democrats are that Palin would actually criticize Obama.

Perhaps bold type will help?

She did not take questions from reporters.

Danni said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Danni said...

I don't especially have anything substantive to say -- but as a former student of yours who frequently wondered what you *really* thought about things this blog is pretty fun. Above all, I'm relieved that you don't seem to love Palin. My warm fuzzy Fed Jur memories are safe.

Roger J. said...

nrn: its called message control--good tactic I think. She gets to control the message that way.

nrn312 said...

nrn: its called message control--good tactic I think. She gets to control the message that way.

Megadittos, Rush!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Roger J. Yes, ZPS is referring to a septic system project for Wasilla. Apparently it's not OK for a mayor to push for funding of basic infrastructure projects for one's city.

Meade said...

"...comments about JFK remind me somewhat of leftists who can't remark about Jefferson without spewing something about his ownership of slaves"

runfretrun,

If Thomas Jefferson had been David Axelrod's hero since the age of five, I think it would be legitimate to ask why. If it had to do with Jefferson's slave ownership, that would be worth knowing. Or was it Jefferson's use of the Navy to defeat the Barbary pirates, or something else heroic?

Why do you think JFK is Axelrod's hero? I'm curious because I don't think JFK, as President, did anything particularly heroic. Do you? In fact, I see the Kennedy presidency as being a net loss for the country.

And if Axelrod sees Obama as the next heroic JFK, why not accentuate for us why we too should see him that way rather than taking weak cheap shots at Palin?

Roger J. said...

LOL!

Triangle Man said...

I'm curious because I don't think JFK, as President, did anything particularly heroic.

Space program? Risky, certainly. Heroic, perhaps. Strikes me there was something else in that movie about him...

Alex said...

Blogger Revenant said...

Unlike a lot of the Republican-leaning commenters here I still think Obama's likely to win. There are too many factors working against the Republican Party this time around, their alienation of their base being among the main ones.

However, I think that at this point Palin will be the winner of the 2012 election. Whether she's running as McCain's former VP (I can't see him going for two terms) or as the Republican Party's nominee against the failed Obama administration, I think that election will be hers to lose.
4:18 PM

Are you trying to demoralize us?

Revenant said...

Why do you think JFK is Axelrod's hero?

I'm guessing it wasn't the failed invasion of another country... :)

Larry J said...

Perhaps bold type will help?

She did not take questions from reporters


Since the reporters have proven to be in the tank for Obama, Palin may try and do what Reagan did so well and go over their heads directly to the American people. It can a very effective tactic.

In previous threads, Ann has mentioned watching the Republican Convention on CNN and complaining about the commentators interrupting so much. That's why there's CSPAN. The job of the commentators is to try and tell you what you heard isn't what was really said. They're completely unnecessary to anyone with a mind of his own.

Revenant said...

Perhaps bold type will help? She did not take questions from reporters.

Ok, understood: she did not take questions from reporters.

Why this is supposed to be shocking or outrageous remains a mystery.

nrn312 said...

Since the reporters have proven to be in the tank for Obama

Proven by whom?

Roger J. said...

looks like McCain and Obama are tied in the NYT CBS poll at 42 each--and that doesnt include the Palin speech. Poll taken Mon-Wed

nrn312 said...

Why this is supposed to be shocking or outrageous remains a mystery.

Were you deprived of exposure to sarcasm as a child?

bleeper said...

Just got a call from a former girlfriend - she told me she is voting for Obama because Palin has no business running for office when she has a special needs child and a pregnant daughter.

The democrat meme of "women should be barefoot and pregnant, and cookin' and cleanin'" is working. Well played - they may have a winner there.

By the way, this woman has raised her son by herself, is well educated and I used to think, intelligent. I shall rethink that now...

Triangle Man said...

LarryJ, Forget Reagan, W maintained virtual press-silence for his campaign and much of his first term. He made Reagan look like a blabbermouth.

Trooper York said...

Angie Dickerson said that when she had sex with JKF it was the greatest 20 seconds of her life.

What a hero.

Beth said...

In the sense that Axelrod uses the term, hardly anybody is "from Washington"; I suppose we could use it for people like W and Al Gore, who are second-generation national office holders. But the truth is, anyone who ends up being part of our government machine ends up being "from Washington." Anyone in a state governmental body is on their way to being "from Washington," or at least thinking about how to be.

That entire "from Washington" thing is smoke and mirrors, it's just canned bullshit for campaigns. I ignore it.

Paddy O said...

Biden's criticism of McCain

Biden has a part in this race? Why haven't we heard anything about that? Seems like that kind of changiness and hopefultude would lead to at least one 200+ comment thread.

Unknown said...

Actually, the margin of error is 3 points for this 42/42 poll, and presumably for last week's 48/40 poll. So there hasn't been that much movement statistically; for instance, 45/41 is within the margin of error for both. It may very well be true that the gap has closed but I suspect it's not that big of a jump. I'll be more interested in the next poll, conducted wholly after the convention.

Anonymous said...

Since the reporters have proven to be in the tank for Obama, Palin may try and do what Reagan did so well and go over their heads directly to the American people. It can a very effective tactic.

I expect to see Palin spending a lot of time doing one-on-one interviews with local radio, TV and newspaper reporters, while bypassing the national press corps.

Palin is the ultimate surburban & rural outreach candidate.

bleeper said...

I am from Washington. Was born there. And am now "from", in the sense that I left and won't go back.

The people who are "inside the beltway" now are the many democrats who work in government. The federal government is overwhelmingly local, unionized and liberal. Leftist even. McCarthy was correct, just not thorough enough.

The news workers who staff the DC bureaus fit that profile too.

Anonymous said...

Biden has a part in this race? Why haven't we heard anything about that? Seems like that kind of changiness and hopefultude would lead to at least one 200+ comment thread.

You haven't heard anything about Biden because he is too busy planning war crime trials for everyone who served in the Bush Administration, starting with the office secretaries on up to department heads and cabinet members.

/snark

holdfast said...

"She did not take questions from reporters."

-How often does Obama? I remember a few weeks ago that many reporters were complaining he was no longer availible, and that his staff was "worse than Bush's" about controlling access. I personally think she should, except deliberately snub the worst 6 or so - Campbell Brown and Roland Marin come to mind (I don't think that Chriss twitchy-leg and Olberdouche leave the anchor desk, so they don't count).

We all know Biden does, because that is when all the insane sh*t comes out of his mouth.

ricpic said...

For New York Staters, or as they used to say back in the civil war days when this country was still a federal republic, New York People, Albany is Washington. Which is to say Albany serves us by sitting on our heads.

Revenant said...

Proven by whom?

Watching them talk. :)

ricpic said...

Rumor has it Michelle's first act as First Lady will be to fire everybody in the travel office as an homage to Hillary. Traditions must and will be maintained!

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it Michelle's first act as First Lady will be to fire everybody in the travel office as an homage to Hillary. Traditions must and will be maintained!

If Obama wins, do you think he will hang Clinton's presidential portrait in the oval office, or above the urinal in the restroom next to the intern office?

I think voters deserve to know how the Obama's plan to decorate the place before we vote. It is, after all, our house.

Methadras said...

Trooper York said...

Angie Dickerson said that when she had sex with JKF it was the greatest 20 seconds of her life.

What a hero.


Angie Dickenson was hot back then. Is she still around?

ricpic said...

Give the guy a break, JFK had a bad back.

Anonymous said...

Angie Dickenson was hot back then. Is she still around?

According to the IMDB site, she is still alive.

Anonymous said...

Here she is in 1963.

Wow, she was smoking hot back then.

JAL said...

In view of Obama's record of introspection and self searching, I wonder at what point Barack Obama will be getting / has gotten the Wile E. Coyote/Hillary feeling that he is going to be had.

vbspurs said...

Axelrod is hardly going to say anything positive about Palin, after she eviscerated Obama last night.

But this side-swipe irks me:

“She tried to attack Obama by saying he had no significant legislative accomplishments — maybe that’s what she was told —

Maybe that's what she was told. UGH.

They don't get NYT in Alaska. They probably read husky reports first in their podunk little papers. Oh, but even if she does read the NYT, because that is the only paper of record, she is just carrying out ORDERS from McCain. She is not an independent thinker, content to snarl her way into the ticket.

Great, Axelrod.

Social snobbery combined with dismissing her as someone whose political opinion-making started on Friday.

The next thing you'll find out is that she is not just unintelligent. She is incurious.

Cheers,
Victoria

chickelit said...

vbspurs said: The next thing you'll find out is that she is not just unintelligent. She is incurious.

If D.A. he says on script he'll be painting Palin as the ongoing Cheney/Rove, and the incurious meme will belong to McCain.

Biden pushed some interesting buttons today with his threats. Like punishing Clinton, reasonable people on both sides disagree. If he keeps it up, somebody's going to have to shut him up- I'm hoping it happen in a debate with Palin.

vbspurs said...

If D.A. he says on script he'll be painting Palin as the ongoing Cheney/Rove, and the incurious meme will belong to McCain.

No, and this is why.

McCain is not an unknown quantity in Washington or with reporters there. Quite the contrary, as you realise.

So I think the instant knock on him, already started but never verbalised more brutally than Carl Bernstein is that McCain has "been kidnapped by Neo-Cons".

He said on the CNN morning show today that the John McCain he has known for 30 years would be SICKENED by the spectacle the RNC put on last night.

When questioned as to why, he said that he hates the rah-rah patriotism, and knife-sticking exemplified by Giuliani and Palin.

So you know, he's either been brainwashed, or he's a cynical pol going with what will get him elected, but "THAT IS NOT JOHN I KNOW"!

Biden pushed some interesting buttons today with his threats. Like punishing Clinton, reasonable people on both sides disagree. If he keeps it up, somebody's going to have to shut him up- I'm hoping it happen in a debate with Palin.

Me too.

vbspurs said...

JFK also dated Gene Tierney before he married Tierney's near look-a-like, Jacqueline Bouvier.

There's even a story of meeting Tierney, and lifting her up and twirling her, in front of Jackie.

Nice story, but you know, bad back.

Mike Ballburn said...

Barack Obama has sponsored 136 bills since Jan 4, 2005, of which 122 haven't made it out of committee and 2 were successfully enacted. Obama has co-sponsored 653 bills during the same time period.

blake said...

That statement was meant to rebut this statement of Mrs. Palin: it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform

FAIL.

She did not take questions from reporters.

GASP!

Why do you think JFK is Axelrod's hero?

Maybe he likes walls.

Methadras said...

Dogwood said...

Here she is in 1963.

Wow, she was smoking hot back then.


I didn't watch Police Woman for nothing you know. She was a woman, back then, of fabulous proportions.

Anonymous said...

Hi Victoria. You said:
"...
if she does read the NYT, because that is the only paper of record..."

This is also for Althouse, who apparently didn't get the message or just doesn't care.

The NYT is not the "paper of record", and does not want to be. Several years ago one of the omsbudsmen said being the paper of record wasn't a good thing for them, and they no longer aspired to be such a thing. The argument I believe was that a "paper of record" is expected to be fact based and serious and hard news oriented with lots of inconvenient fact checking and a more adult tone; and the Times perception was that this made for a less "interesting" newspaper and would cost them readers. That was the day (admittedly at least) the Gray Lady was revealed as just a cheap tramp.

vbspurs said...

LOL, P. Rich. ;)

Unknown said...

BHO's Begislative Accomplishments

Texas State Senator Kirk Watson has the answer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj4VK9wVAi0