July 11, 2009

Sarah Palin says she resigned as governor "so that I could get out there and fight without the shackles..."

"... for our state and for our country, to fight for what is right, and to support the people who have more freedom than I do evidently to be able to cast those votes and administer the policies and the laws that we need to protect our Constitution... I’m going to be freer now to fight for what’s right."

Ha ha. That's why I like being an independent blogger, so I can identify. But I still think she's running for President... and talk about shackles!

Wait. I can't lie. I have to back off from that identification. I have no sense of fighting for what's right here. I'm just talking about things that interest me, expression for it's own sake. If the occasion to distinguish right from wrong arises in the natural course of things, it will be in the mix. But it's not a fight. It's a conversation.

185 comments:

Chase said...

Love Sarah Palin.

Plus, if we are going to have a woman President, why not someone who's already much more beautiful than everybody else in the world?

I'm starting to agree with the old Rush Limbaugh statement:

"Feminism was created to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream".

Meade said...

Yeah... are we gonna fight, or... what?

Chase said...

Alright Meade. Can't compete with that.

garage mahal said...

First comment on the Conservative4Palin post is "Somebody post this on Free Republic", followed immediately by "Just did :)".

Fred4Pres said...

Professor Bainbridge has the Red State Crew on the Topic.

Fred4Pres said...

I really think this is about NOT running in 2012. I did not know what to make of her announcement right after she made it, but that was my first impression then and everything she has done since has reaffirmed it.

And that is not a bad thing. Sarah Palin would have had a very difficult time winning the GOP nomination where she has strong but not overwhelming support, let alone a general election. She can actually make a living, have a life, and make a signficiant difference and contribution going on the speaking circuit and supporting candidates she agrees with.

I like Sarah Palin. She is not a young earth creationist as the left likes to paint (she is probably like most "creationists" who think God created the universe), not anti evolution per se, is a fiscal conservative and generally more knowledgable than most on energy issues. How a somewhat socially moderate, but pro life, conservative managed to piss so many liberals off is beyond me (with the exception of Camile Paglia who gets her).

There there are those who are downright rabid. You would think Palin was flying a bush plane on a regular basis over Andrew Sullivan's place and taking pot shots at the beagles for his reaction to her.

chuck b. said...

She's on the knife's edge. When I couldn't sleep last night, I read this longish article on her and the media and liked it. http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/08/sarah-barracuda-palin-and-the-piranhas-of-the-press/

chuck b. said...

PS I hope she runs. I feel like she has unfinished business with us.

Peter Hoh said...

One of the reasons for not being in politics is that one gets to avoid any hard decisions. I remember Rush getting a question about NAFTA in the early nineties. He dismissed it with a vague "NAFTA bores me."

Fred4Pres said...

Thanks chuck b, that is a very good article.

Naked Surfer said...

Palin ain’t a fighter.

She’s a gone-with-the-wind Scarlett O'Hara, bankrupt of leadership, bankrupt of fight, bankrupt of guts, a washed up Scarlett, hiding behind her widow curtains fashioned into a fake-rich dress of words, to hide her bankruptcy.

The only real fight left in Palin is a post-bankruptcy fight over her “dress” of words of self-explanation: words as weak as, “it depends on what the defintion of ‘is,’ is,” the only lasting fight over words trying to parlay flat out quitting and bankruptcy into a victory speech – before a prom, long over.

Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

One of the reasons for not being in politics is that one gets to avoid any hard decisions.

Palin is no Colin Powell. She's running.

While she has the fire in the belly Powell lacked and she is never going to get Powell like coverage from the MSM, she needs to try and establish herself as a serious contender.

Begin to reintroduce herself to the voters.

We didn't get a chance to get to know her.

A Palin listening tour (just dont call it that)

Greg said...

Sarah Palin confuses and confounds all the conventional thinkers. She lives outside the box, and thinks outside the box. What they can't figure out is why anyone would voluntarily give up power, because for them power is the be all and end all of everything. They cannot believe that stepping down in favor of her ally Parnell, perhaps having him in power for the next 10 years to oversee the pipeline deal, is far better than her remaining a sitting duck for every cheap shot artist to come her way with their phoney "ethics" complaints.

chuck said...

Dear Naked,

That's a long post for someone who doesn't give damn. It looks to me like you will have to do a lot more venting before you even begin to deplete your stock of damns. Good luck with that.

former law student said...

What they can't figure out is why anyone would voluntarily give up power, because for them power is the be all and end all of everything.

What I can't figure out is how she's going to backtrack and run for office, if being an office holder is so confining.

If she runs for President, she'd better pick her VP very carefully because based on her exhibited behavior, she'll likely bail after 20 months or so.

But speaking of behavioral interviewing, who here would hire Sarah Palin to work for them?

Unknown said...

Naked Surfer -

I don't agree with you about Sarah Palin. Just want to get that out of the way.

But you are obviously trying to write clever. Politics aside, and you have glimmer of talent, you should read some who are very good at writing. Their examples can help you clean up your unsubtle amnd mixed efforts.

Some of the several Althouse Commenters writing both well AND clever (and some of my favorite examples of their style):

palladian ---- you learn stuff when palladian writes. He can actually cut through some of your hidden prejudices without you first realizing it. He's that good.All of his stuff is great. I actually have used several of his quotes in training classes that I have taught.

meade --- This guy is so good, his writing made the owner of this blog fall in love with him. And get engaged to him. The Pen. Mightier.

Bruce Hayden --- wise and yet everyday


Rhhardin --- pithy and always quotable.


Time does not permit me to link several other outstanding writers. Perhaps I'll work something up for another time.

Learn, grasshopper.

Unknown said...

But speaking of behavioral interviewing, who here would hire Sarah Palin to work for them?

Please.

Who here would not?

Naked Surfer said...

Chuck,

I’m having more fun than she is.

She should turn out the lights. The one-shot prom is over. But, she won’t. She’ll run. She’ll run, but only like Scarlett ran (movie’s on my brain: just saw it again). Away.

I'll vote for McCain -- again. Before voting for the Moosechop version of Lamb Chop. The show is over. She is probably running now (at this time) because some bushed-out Alaskan Toklat Grizzly advisor told her to get a head start, quick, unless Condy Rice runs, and out-queens the ice-queen.

Condy head on head with Obama would be a worthwhile show. Down.

If Palin’s lucky, very lucky, the best she’ll ever get is ebony on ivory – on the coattails of Condy.

Yeah. She’ll run. She's already running. Running and parroting the words of her bankrupt beauty queen protégé, “there’s always tomorrow!”

There's gotta be "tomorrow.” Because today ain't cutting it.

Yeah, honey. “There’s always tomorrow.” Go for it, baby.

As far as real world electability, on her own. She could probably get elected dog catcher on some Libertarian ticket, in an igloo-iced, whale blubber sucking northern exposure hovel. Where she'd stay, until big dogs barked. Or maybe its equivalent: the new hand picked appointment, by her hand picked sub-gov, the beautiful figure (not too beautiful mind) replacement for a Senator more dirty in ethics than she – where she might still look good, compared.

Run, baby, run. Fast. Far. Away!

Unknown said...

Naked -

You posted again before reading my comment to you above.

Read it.

Learn. Your last post proves you're trying too hard.

BJM said...

Two people I am so sick of hearing about; MJ and SP.

Palin is young she can easily wait until 2016 or 2020. She needs to get the fuck off the national stage. Bone up on issues and put in her time on the rubber chicken circuit, as did Reagan, otherwise she's just jerking us around.

To the Jackson family; plant the poor guy somewhere, set up the Ka-ching machine and get off TV.

LonewackoDotCom said...

She's not going to have much of a chance at anything as long as the vast majority of her supporters are, frankly, as lame as they've been. Aside from a recent, extreme case, I'm not aware of anyone taking a career hit for their treatment of her. And, like training a dog, that needs to be done. MSM reporters have to be taught that lying has an impact on their careers. That's what I try to do in many of my posts, but almost all bloggers don't do things that way and instead simply jump up and down and rant and have no long-term inpact. On my site, I already described what her supporters could do. Finding it is left as a minor test of initiative.

Naked Surfer said...

Gee, Brent.

Thanks for the writing tips! Those heavies on your list are just regular Strunk and Whites.

I’ll try real hard to write that way. Promise.

So my mummy can be proud.

LonewackoDotCom said...

But speaking of behavioral interviewing, who here would hire Sarah Palin to work for them?

Let me close my eyes and think about that while I listen to this cheesy saxophone-and-chugga-chugga-guitar track.

Jim said...

fls -

"What I can't figure out is how she's going to backtrack and run for office, if being an office holder is so confining."

That's a failure of your imagination. Given the anti-politician mood in this country, somebody who says "I'm not going to take taxpayer's money while running for another office" is going to play better than a competitor who does exactly the opposite.

"If she runs for President, she'd better pick her VP very carefully because based on her exhibited behavior, she'll likely bail after 20 months or so."

Since even you don't really believe this but rather use it as purely as a line of partisan attack, it's hard to take this line of argument seriously. After all, you voted for a guy who "bailed on his job" as Illinois senator after a similar period of time, and you've had no problem at all justifying your decision to do so.

"But speaking of behavioral interviewing, who here would hire Sarah Palin to work for them?"

I would if I was looking for a leader rather than a follower. Only a weak-minded CEO would avoid hiring someone who might challenge the way he thinks. To me, Palin is exactly the same kind of non-conformist actor that is capable of shaking up an organization for radical success. Big steps are never taken by the timid: they are too busy currying favor to ever strike out on the path not taken and effect real change.

The person who wouldn't consider hiring Palin is the kind who is a "caretaker" rather than a "leader." A protector of the status quo is welcome if the status quo is working, which it clearly isn't.

Unknown said...

Naked -

If you don't get the parts:

1)your style doesn't have to match theirs, but

2)you still need cohesiveness to your references and the basic rules of communication skills,and

3)you need to read deeper than just the examples you were given.


I teach vocal training to several names you would recognize. I am a teacher. I can recognize talent and the arrogance that keeps that talent floundering for years.

You get to make the choice. Humble yourself a little and spend some time learning by reading MORE THAN just the examples I gave you.

Teaching you how to fish brother.

Unknown said...

Also Naked,

Read a bit of Jason Gay, the Monday Sportswriter in the Wall Street Journal. He does a better imitation of you.

Really - this is to help you. I don't have to have anywhere near the same level of writing talent as you do to recognize yours and what you need to do to go forward. It's what I do for a living.

Joe said...

Sarah Palin is a driven, yet mediocre and not especially bright, politician. I initially liked her, but her petty aggressiveness, lack of integrity (resigning from the office to which she was elected) and the way her defenders are becoming sycophants in much the same way as Obama defenders is alienating me.

Palin could change my mind, but she's not going to do it by camping out in Alaska and have spokespeople make pithy remarks to the press. She has to dump "her people" and get out there. She needs to pick a few solidly conservative principals and hammer them home--fiscal responsibility being the biggest. Her solution can't be what most of the spineless "Republicans" in congress propose, which is merely rearranging the proverbial deck chairs. How about really cutting the size of the federal government in half? How about a genuine push to get rid of the 16th amendment? How about simply denouncing Cap and Trade?

The problem is, that she was one of the pigs feeding at the trough. Granted, the Alaskan congressional delegation has more power over federal purse strings, but while governor, Palin said little about it. By resigning, she can do nothing about it--the bully pulpit she had to SHOW how she wouldn't be yet another big government "conservative" is gone. This gives her a tall hill to climb. I hope she does--we fiscal conservatives need someone besides Jeff Flake--but I don't think she has the courage.

Once written, twice... said...

It turns out Sarah Palin had a shorter shelf life than Sacha Baron Cohen.

Fred4Pres said...

I still like Sarah Palin. I want her around. I do not necessarily want her running for President. Not in 2012.

AlphaLiberal said...

Poor Sarah. She can dish it ou but she can't take it.

She was caught lying about her reasons for quitting (too much money to Alaska etc). Now it's a changed story, including shackles. She had public office and considered it "shackles."

So why would she run for office again? She likes shackles maybe? Doesn't make sense.

section9 said...

One of the promising things about Palin is that she has pointed out that the Republican Party is too partisan and that she would also campaign for fiscal conservatives who are Democrats and independents.

Now this should make Althouse swoon!

No, seriously, if she follows through on this, she becomes a serious, authentic threat, because she leaves Hannity Land and gets authentic.

section9 said...

Alpha:

Friends don't let friends get their facts from ThinkProgress, I guess. While she overestimated by 29,000.00., her estimate of 1.9 million was fairly close to the mark.

Now, the fuckwith leftists have let her loose on the country. Nice going, guys. Had you people left her alone, she'd still be up there. But, you folks take your Saul Alinsky too seriously.

Now, it's too late. For you, that is.

Naked Surfer said...

BJM - 7/11/09 2:11 PM

I agree. Almost all the way. If Palin would get lost awhile and bone up by doing hard homework. Out of view, or, like Reagan on lower circuits.

Otherwise she is just jerking us around.

If she acts on such advice, then her practical problem between 2016 (or 2020) and today is a Reagan-like problem in reverse. That is, beginning today some Republican with substance, with homework done on issues, with some real history in the major leagues -- will run starting now, and keep running instead of quitting, despite defeats.

Like Reagan did.

It's not as if the current population pool of Republicans are all as equally in need of remedial education as Palin. As if her whole party must wait for her to catch up in the library stacks in obscurity. While the rest of the pack does what? -- nothing?

Palin in obscurity and learning, or, Palin in the public light now and floundering -- will be overtaken from within her own party. Overtaken by someone willing to fight, really fight; not quit and call it a fight; to fight in the form of paying Reagan’s dues of not quitting, hanging tough, despite defeat.

Unknown said...

My bet's on Professor Higgins, I think they'll make a duchess out of her yet....Pickering had more class but that's not the point, she's sarah, she's sexy, has that insect like determination and dammit, she has sheer protean will like madonna.

I don't agree with her on many issues but she's got the IT factor in spades and she's captured the litigious/victim/evangelical pathologies, it's almost like hittin' the trifecta.

go sarah. go america!

AlphaLiberal said...

Section9, Palin claims the ethics cases cost the state and extra $2M in costs. The Anchorage Daily News showed that 90%ish of that was bullshit. It's inflated.

If none of those cases happened, the State of Alaska would not have saved $2M.

They have other oddities, like attorney costs that equal $30,000 per hour.

But I debunked this enough yesterday.

Anyway, like I say, she's stopped using that story. You guys may want to, as well.

chuck said...

Overtaken by someone willing to fight, really fight; not quit and call it a fight; to fight in the form of paying Reagan’s dues of not quitting, hanging tough, despite defeat.

Who would that be? If Romney believes in something I haven't been able to locate it, although that may be due to his wooden personality. Who else? No one comes to mind. Much of the Republican leadership suffers from the same problems as the Democratic leadership. IMHO, our elites as a whole are corrupt and out of touch. And many are pursuing their own interests while disregarding the public good. The fact that Palin actually cares about people is practically unique.

rhhardin said...

It warms the shackles of your heart.

Big Mike said...

A Sarah Palin thread that has so far drawn on 35 comments? Maybe "Palin fatigue" has set in?

Kirby Olson said...

She beats "Bella" abzug in the beauty department. It would be fun to have her run. Maybe even the media would become ashamed at its assassination attempts and finally give her a break. Anyway, she makes a lot of news wherever she goes.

UWS guy said...

Brent:

Take your own advice and please stop boring the ever-loving-fuck out of everyone in this thread with your really bad High-School-creative-writing-workshop.

UWS guy said...

Also re: Chase.

And radio was designed so fat, sweaty, bald men could access the mainstream as well.

His post also proves the poll numbers that show Sara Palin is most popular with aging right wing men.

Cedarford said...

Jesse Jackson, another "cultural warrior", explained his refusal to run for any office less than President as "putting him in shackles and chains."

You see, it would hinder Jesse in speaking out and acting on matters of national and international importance....Had he been a mere Senator or Governor, he couldn't have achieved as much. (As he did with his Heading PUSH, having his own radio, TV shows....and getting those consulting fees for corporations interested in Jesse helping them avoid their past racism and all the crowds of angry blacks that could show up on their doorstep.)

Jesse was there..to demand justice anytime cops shot a black thug, to rescue a pilot held by the Syrians. To pronounce "Kellogg's" had a clean bill of racial health after certain demands were agreed to. To rally "his people" from Seattle to Miami for elections, new programs for the oppressed and disadvantaged.
And free to pursue any scrap of media airtime he could get to dispense rhyming slogans and liberal red meat one-liners..while hawking a Jesse book or threatening a civil rights march on Augusta until they admit women and blacks in equal numbers to their demography.

Unshackled Jesse did claim to be DC's "shadow Senator" for a while...

He had a 20-year run at this while making himself 10s of millions. All because he knew he could "excite his base" with Reverend Jesse's own brand of charisma...

Naked Surfer said...

Chuck, great questions. Beats me. I don’t know.

Romney’s problem is Obama. Romney is “pretty.” Obama is “prettier.”

Palin is pretty ignorance-ugly.

I agree with you that she cares. Something in my gut tells me. Give her that.

Care can be a fragile virtue. Unstable. Not fixed over time. Or as incompetent as caring-Carter’s failed special ops helicopter rescue burning in the desert.

Care counts. When it's competent.

I don’t know who will emerge. Whoever, will probably have to win despite defeats in the next rounds. And stick in. Not run.

Stick. And win ugly. Not pretty.

Beats me who.

Jim said...

Alpha -

"She was caught lying about her reasons for quitting (too much money to Alaska etc)."

We already had this discussion the other day, and you came out on the losing end...badly. Why would you revive the argument once again? Do you enjoy being proven the fool?

You have got to stop getting your daily news from the dailyKos: the only ones who believe what is written there are the ones who live there. Everybody else knows what a pile of propaganda (to put it kindly) that place is built on.

Really. The articles you cited as your proof didn't say what you thought they said because you never read them yourself. Someone there posted them and told you what they said. You blindly reposted the link, and thought yourself clever. But you were played by the one issuing your talking points.

Really. I'd file a complaint with Markos if I were you.

Chase said...

And radio was designed so fat, sweaty, bald men could access the mainstream as well.

Well, let's see. Rush Limbaugh is on the radio, completely supported by listeners who choose to listen and the advertisers who want their audience.

Every major "Feminist" you can name (don't choose Gloria Steinem - she's actually hot) makes their living from government supported organizations and academic sales. In other words, taking money from people who don't necessarily agree with them.

So - your radio analogy is like everything you do in life UWS - a cheap shot.

Ever watch "Jaywalking" on Jay Leno? Those idiots are actually your superiors. How's it feel to know that Down's Syndrome kids like my son are of higher intelligence and worth than human filth like you?

rhhardin said...

With the shackles of the Alaskan Governorship thrown off, Palin is free to engage in zingers.

BJM said...

Naked Surfer @3:18

I disagree, retreat is often the most sensible/best option; lose a battle, win the war.

Dunkirk comes to mind.

More apt may be General Smith's famous misquote at the battle of Chosin Reservoir; "Retreat, hell! We're attacking in a different direction!".

Invisible Man said...

You blindly reposted the link, and thought yourself clever.

And you blindly believe Princess Sarah. You act as though she hasn't misled the public countless times during her very brief walk in the public spotlight, and deserves some "benefit of the doubt", based on what? Different news organizations have poked holes already in her rambling resignation, yet I'm guessing that unless we get Sarah on tape, with 2 ID's in her hand, a police officer as a witness and her momma vouching that she's lying, your just going to faithfully follow Sarah as if she was the political version of the Pied Piper.

BJM said...

Again I must disagree Naked Surfer, Romney's problem is his religion.

Were he Catholic, Romney would be President today, not Obama.

Think the Palin-Media debaucle was ugly? Stand by, the MSM has a special place in their litany of religious evils for the LDS.

Andrew Sullivan's head would implode for sure.

BJM said...

Invisable MAn @5:08

Different news organizations have poked holes already in her rambling resignation

Muhwhahahahaha!

You have to be kidding, the only organization with less crediblity than the GOP is the MSM.

Chip Ahoy said...

I'm going to keep this thread in mind next time I need a tutorial on how to say "I don't give a damn" in a thousand words or less.

Ecgbriht said...

"Sarah Palin confuses and confounds all the conventional thinkers. She lives outside the box, and thinks outside the box."

You see clearly. She's like a cat now, toying with dim little mice, who think that they are as clever and clever, and that the world is made of words. They think that they can make her disappear if they can just find the same magic words to chant together. I admire her discipline, and the skill with which she disguises her contempt.

TangoMan said...

Joe,

I initially liked her, but her petty aggressiveness, lack of integrity (resigning from the office to which she was elected)

I don't understand commenters like you. You're not the only one who exhibits poor skills of analysis but you serve as a good example.

You leave unexplained the charge that Governor Palin lacks integrity for leaving office for her stated reasons (her presence is a drain on state resources, in that her time is valuable, but she, and her staff, are spending the majority of their time replying to frivolous complaints with response times dictated by statute) yet every other politician who quits on their obligation in order to further their own personal ambitions is a model of integrity.

She needs to pick a few solidly conservative principals and hammer them home--fiscal responsibility being the biggest.

Your comment actually creates negative value in the blogosphere because it is based on rank ignorance disguised as fair mindedness. You indicate that you don't know her record at all. Governor Palin has a record on tax cutting that extends all the way back to the beginning of her political career. Her Wikipedia page can provide you with details. Consider the following:

In June 2007, Palin signed a record $6.6 billion operating budget into law.[74] At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history. The $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects, and reduced the construction budget to $1.6 billion.[75] In 2008, Palin vetoed $286 million, cutting or reducing funding for 350 projects from the FY09 capital budget.

She seems to have a pretty good record with the veto pen. Compare to Romney:

Governor Mitt Romney vetoed $108.5 million yesterday for healthcare contractors, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, courts, and alcohol- and tobacco-control programs, as he signed a new $24.5 billion state spending plan

When considered on a proportional basis she vetoed $8 of spending for every $1 vetoed by Romney. How much spending did President Bush veto?

Granted, the Alaskan congressional delegation has more power over federal purse strings, but while governor, Palin said little about it.

Bullshit. From Wikipedia:

Palin’s decreasing support for federal funding has been a leading source of friction between herself and the state’s congressional delegation; Palin has requested less in federal funding each year than her predecessor Frank Murkowski requested in his last year

This is evidence that directly contradicts your charge against Governor Palin. Do you even bother informing yourself with evidence before you spout off your fantasies as though they were truth?

former law student said...

"Sarah Palin confuses and confounds all the conventional thinkers. She lives outside the box, and thinks outside the box."

You see clearly. She's like a cat now, toying with dim little mice, who think that they are as clever and clever, and that the world is made of words.

Verily, Sarah Palin is Chauncey Gardener come to life.

former law student said...

somebody who says "I'm not going to take taxpayer's money while running for another office"

But that's not what she said. She said she could get more accomplished out of office than in.

The Presidency is just another office, like being Governor of Alaska, only with more responsibilities.

If she can't handle G of A, what makes her think she can handle the Presidency?

Palin's a flake, and if you'd like to have a flake working for you, more power to you, I guess.

somefeller said...

BJM says: "Think the Palin-Media debaucle was ugly? Stand by, the MSM has a special place in their litany of religious evils for the LDS."

Democrats and liberals weren't the ones who voted against Romney in the last GOP primary because he was a Mormon. While there may be anti-Mormon prejudice from many corners of American society, Romney's main concern (with regard to getting the GOP nomination) isn't anti-Mormon prejudice from liberals in the media.

Joe said...

Tango Man,

Anyone who runs for and is elected to office is obligated to fulfill their duties of that office and to fulfill their term. Leaving that office for any reason other that health or family issues shows a lack of integrity (even to assume another office.) The notion that "it's best for the state" is disingenuous.

Furthermore, I'm not comparing her to Romney. How about comparing her to Jon Huntsman of Utah (who also shamed himself by resigning elected office)? Romney is a flip flopper. I supported him early on ONLY because he wasn't John McCain (I preferred Fred Thompson, but knew he didn't stand a chance.)

Did even read what you cut and paste? She signed a RECORD budget. This precisely the bullshit that needs to stop; increasing the budget for less than what everyone wanted and calling it a budget cut.

Read on dude; For the 2009 budget, Palin gave a list of 31 proposed federal earmarks or requests for funding, totaling $197 million, to Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. This is just plain hypocritical.

And the bridge to nowhere. She ran on the platform that it should be built. About a year later, she canceled the project, but kept the money. Ooh, real fiscal conservatism and just the way to separate Alaska from the federal government teat.

The fact is that Palin's record as a fiscal conservative is VERY spotty at best.

TangoMan said...

Joe,

Anyone who runs for and is elected to office is obligated to fulfill their duties of that office and to fulfill their term.

I'm not expressing an opinion on how you feel about this issue, all I'm doing is pointing out that if you feel that Governor Palin lacks integrity by taking the course of action she's undertaken, then so too does President Obama, Senator McCain, Senator Clinton, Senator Biden, Governor Huntsman, Governor Sebeilus, Governor Napalitano, and every other political figure who moved onto higher office from a position into which they were elected. If you feel that this behavior highlights lack of integrity, then don't put the spotlight only on Governor Palin.

Further, if you agree that all of the politicians above should be similarly tarred as lacking integrity, then please explain why Governor Palin's decision not to advance her own interests while on the State's payroll is worthy of more condemnation that those political figures who advance their own personal ambitions while neglecting the duties of their elected office.

Furthermore, I'm not comparing her to Romney. How about comparing her to Jon Huntsman of Utah

I'm game. Show me some data on the dollar amount of Governor Huntsman's vetoes. Alaska's budget was about $6.6 billion which compares to Utah's 2009 Budget summary figure of $11.7 billion. So, Governor Palin had to manage a budget a little more than half the size of Governor Huntsman's budget. Let's compare their ability to say no to spending requests from varied parties. Show me the figures.

She signed a RECORD budget. This precisely the bullshit that needs to stop; increasing the budget for less than what everyone wanted and calling it a budget cut.

That's mostly a reflection of two factors, both connected to the price of oil. First, she reformed the royalty rate on oil extraction in the State. As the price of oil increased, the royalties paid to the State increased. Secondly, she took this surplus and channeled it back to the citizens of Alaska, you know, the people, as sovereign, who actually own the oil buried underground, and sent each household a $1,200 voucher to help them pay for the cost of oil heating in the winter.

It's important to note that a royalty paid for the extraction of natural resources is different in kind than a tax imposed on productive activities. The people of Alaska own their oil and they should benefit when it is extracted. An entrepreneur who achieves success through his own efforts isn't drawing upon the resources of the state in order to achieve success.

If you wish to penalize Governor Palin for these economic dynamics then please make a case. From my vantage point she's managed very responsibly.

TangoMan said...

Joe,

Read on dude; For the 2009 budget, Palin gave a list of 31 proposed federal earmarks or requests for funding, totaling $197 million, to Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. This is just plain hypocritical.

No, it's not hypocritical. This complaint is best categorized as making perfect the enemy of the good. First, I don't expect any politician to go completely cold turkey on earmarks while every other politician is feasting at the trough. What she did was reduce requests below the level of her predecessor. That by itself is good. Second, Alaska has only been a state for a bit more than half a century. More than 65% of Alaska is owned by the Federal government and off limits to development. In fact, only 11% of the land is in private hands and of that 11% fully 10% is owned by native corporations. Alaska needs a lot of infrastructure built up in order to bring it up the accumulated infrastructure that has been developed over the last 200+ years in much of the lower 48. There is no justice in withholding vast territory from development, and the fees that can be generated from such development, and then expecting Alaskans to fully fund their own infrastructure development. Release the land and allow it to be logged and mined, and then the State can reap tax revenues which it can use to replace lost Federal revenue.

And the bridge to nowhere. She ran on the platform that it should be built. About a year later, she canceled the project, but kept the money.

This is probably one of the biggest soviet style propaganda pieces floating around out there. Both Biden and Obama voted to approve funding for that bridge, not just once, but twice, and they had the opportunity to kill the funding and they didn't. Palin, six weeks after taking office as Governor slashed all funding for engineering studies and removed the state contribution for the bridge. The Federal allocation provided the funding but simply removed the condition that the funding be applied to the bridge. So, who do you think actually killed the bridge? Which Senator? Giving the money but removing the condition that it be spent on the bridge is not an act of killing a project. Nine months after taking office, Governor Palin formally killed the bridge project. She could have taken the money and applied it to the bridge. She didn't. That's pretty clear cut, as is her decision soon after taking office to cut all funding for engineering studies and to cancel the State of Alaska's contribution to the bridge.

Anonymous said...

She’s a gone-with-the-wind Scarlett O'Hara, bankrupt of leadership, bankrupt of fight, bankrupt of guts, a washed up Scarlett, hiding behind her widow curtains fashioned into a fake-rich dress of words, to hide her bankruptcy.

So...project much?

But I debunked this enough yesterday.

Having read you for a while...I doubt it.

Any thoughts on them CONTINUING to file charges against her? Does the Left have anything besides hate to drive them to action?


Palin's a flake, and if you'd like to have a flake working for you, more power to you, I guess.


Well, you seem satisfied with Obama and Biden...

LoafingOaf said...

Two people I am so sick of hearing about; MJ and SP.

I haven't minded hearing about Michael Jackson. I was never a big fan of his music, but after he died I realized he was much more worthy of respect than I had given him credit for. Of course MJ was nuts and SP is nuts. But MJ had far more redeeming qualities and accomplishments than SP ever will, and MJ's nutty aspects deserve a lot more empathy than SP's.

Joe said...

TangoMan,

You simply do not understand. This has nothing to do with Obama, Biden, Mitt Romney or anyone else BUT Sarah Palin.

Your argument that "everyone else was doing it" proves my point. Sarah Palin is a politician first, fiscal conservative by pretense.

The argument that Alaska needs to build up its infrastructure at federal expense is a load of absolute bullshit. This is a state that makes enough off its oil revenues that it has no income or sales tax and gives its residents a check every year AND THEY STILL LOOT THE FEDERAL TREASURY.

And, Palin killed the bridge. Great. BUT SHE ALLOWED ALASKA TO KEEP THE MONEY. It was an empty and purely political gesture.

Now, I do not for one moment disagree that the federal government owns too much land in Alaska. They own a higher percentage in Nevada and only slightly less in Utah and huge sections of the west and their stewardship has sucked. Federal ownership of western land is obscene. Has Sarah Palin made a vocal stance on this (seriously; I don't know)?

You also fundamentally misunderstand my criticism. Sarah Palin can win me back, but she needs to show real political courage and demonstrate some evidence that she really is a different politician.

(You also support my previous points on this blog that the sycophantic support for Palin and the knee jerk reaction that anyone who questions her and her record supports Obama or Romney or whomever. The moment we get into the territory that Palin is anointed to office or beyond criticism, then she's no better than Obama and IT WILL be disastrous for the Republican Party and whatever is left for the small government ideal.)

Synova said...

"Does the Left have anything besides hate to drive them to action?"

And now they're doing background research on Ricci to see if he's got any skeletons in his closets they can smear him with.

Joe said...

President Obama, Senator McCain, Senator Clinton, Senator Biden, Governor Huntsman, Governor Sebeilus, Governor Napalitano, and every other political figure who moved onto higher office from a position into which they were elected

Yes, they all lack integrity and I made that clear. (I'm especially annoyed by candidates who run for Vice-President and Senator at the same time.)

LoafingOaf said...

I realize the right-wingers of Althouse's comment section will never see what is obvious because they worship Sarah Palin like a bunch of cultists, but Sarah Palin is an ignorant, nutty, compulsively lying joke of a political leader. The idea that anyone is even talking about her being President of the United States of America, Commander in Chief, Leader of the Free World, is so scary it never stops shocking me when I see it. Even Levi says she's not fit for higher office.

Althouse and Paglia are too very interesting cultural commentators who continue to pretend Palin is still worthy of respect. I think it's because both Althouse and Paglia like being slightly left-of-center independents who nevertheless manage to be friendly with right wingers, both are feminists who don't like some of what goes on in left-wing feminist circles, and both hate admitting they were very wrong about something. They spent a lot of time criticizing those who saw Palin for what she was a long time ago, and everything that's happened with Palin ever since has only proven the Palin attackers had it right.

But what can Althouse and PAglia do now? If they start attacking Palin, they will instantly lose all these right-wing fans they spent so long cultivating. If they admit Palin is a joke of a political leader, they will also have to admit they had things wrong.

Well, whatever. It's time for Sarah Palin to get off the stage. The idea that someone who couldn't hack it as governor of Alaska should be our next prez is beyond laughable and downright frightening.

And AlphaLiberal is correct. Palin lied about her reasons for flaking out as governor. Bow she's trying to spin up new reasons.

SHE IS A JOKE.

LoafingOaf said...

Bow=Now

LoafingOaf said...

Where's that dude who used to troll me, saying Palin's vagina was biting my leg, or whatever? HA HA I outlasted that mofo. The last time I saw him he was conceding Palin was unfit for higher office. Maybe it's time the rest of you do.

DO YOU REALLY WANT SARAH PALIN AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES, LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD? REALLY?

Sorry, I'm drunk, thus the caps.

Invisible Man said...

And now they're doing background research on Ricci to see if he's got any skeletons in his closets they can smear him with.

Yes, how unfair of anyone to do research on a witness to impeach their credibility. That's unheard of.

LoafingOaf said...

BTW, does anyone know if the new governor of Alaska will continue with the horrendously evil aerial wolf hunts Sarah Palin was so gung-ho about?

DaLawGiver said...

Even Levi says she's not fit for higher office.

Well that's the clincher. I mean the dude who knocked up Bristol should know about Palin's ability to lead the free world if anybody does. By the way who did he vote for, Obama or McCain?

Anonymous said...

And, Palin killed the bridge. Great. BUT SHE ALLOWED ALASKA TO KEEP THE MONEY. It was an empty and purely political gesture.

Governors can refuse federal money unilaterally now?

That must be news to Mark Sanford.

And now they're doing background research on Ricci to see if he's got any skeletons in his closets they can smear him with.

I noticed that. How dare he...file suit for discrimination and when the case!

I guess PFAW is only for SOME people...

DO YOU REALLY WANT SARAH PALIN AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES, LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD? REALLY?

Compared with what we have now?

Yeah.

Yes, how unfair of anyone to do research on a witness to impeach their credibility. That's unheard of.

Let me guess, it was HIS fault for not just taking it, huh?

Progressives...ALWAYS for the little guy, aren't ya?

Is this more of the empathy the Left seems so obsessed with?

Can you explain how, unless he cheated on the test (which, no, he did not), anything in Ricci's past has ANY bearing on Sotomayor's qualifications? Or do you just enjoy the bloodsport of attacking people who dare to stand up for their personal rights?

DaLawGiver said...

BTW, does anyone know if the new governor of Alaska will continue with the horrendously evil aerial wolf hunts Sarah Palin was so gung-ho about?

Yeah, and did they stop killing those blameless turkeys too?

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

Lawgiver, I live in the Cleveland area, and they just charged a 75 year old woman with cruelty to animals cuz she attacked a fawn with a shovel. I think that story got national play, so perhaps you heard of it. And I agree with those charges. Fucking bitch. But Sarah Palin was committing cruelty to wolves on a much larger scale. Congress even condemned it in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act of 1972. Fuck that bitch!

LoafingOaf said...

Lawgiver, Levi was trotted out at the GOP Convention. Just months later he says Palin is unfit for higher office. And if you watch the clip (Andrew Sullivan embedded it on his blog) you see that, as Sullivan pointed out, he's making a lot of sense these days.

DaLawGiver said...

Sully is using Levi to prop up his Palin hatin? Imagine that.

You do know that Michael Jackson voted for McCain/Palin don't you?

DaLawGiver said...

I live in the Cleveland area, and they just charged a 75 year old woman with cruelty to animals cuz she attacked a fawn with a shovel.

Yeah it sucks living in Cleveland doesn't it.

But what about the turkeys? My God, they just slit their throats and let them bleed to death. The bastards.

Anonymous said...

Lawgiver, Levi was trotted out at the GOP Convention. Just months later he says Palin is unfit for higher office. And if you watch the clip (Andrew Sullivan embedded it on his blog) you see that, as Sullivan pointed out, he's making a lot of sense these days.

Yes, a Trig Truther is often a solid source for "sense" nowadays.

Synova said...

Senate hearings are generally self-promoting drama fests of very little value.

But perhaps someone should consider that the personal destruction by political activists of private citizens who are invited to testify at Senate hearings is not at all where we want to go in this country.

Jen said...

Are you kidding me? This woman resigns from her responsibility as an elected official and you think she is fabulous for it? Is this really someone you want controlling a nuclear nation? Insane.

Cedarford said...

TangoMan said...
Joe,

"Anyone who runs for and is elected to office is obligated to fulfill their duties of that office and to fulfill their term."

I'm not expressing an opinion on how you feel about this issue, all I'm doing is pointing out that if you feel that Governor Palin lacks integrity by taking the course of action she's undertaken, then so too does President Obama, Senator McCain, Senator Clinton, Senator Biden, Governor Huntsman, Governor Sebeilus, Governor Napalitano, and every other political figure who moved onto higher office from a position into which they were elected. If you feel that this behavior highlights lack of integrity, then don't put the spotlight only on Governor Palin.

Both of you are evoking a bizarre defense of The Goddess Palin.

That her quitting is exactly the same as someone who serves out their elected term, or those serving in office that seek or are appointed to office somehow lack integrity.

Romney "quit" by not seeking a new term.
And anyone leaving one office for another of higher importance is a "quitter."

That sort of defense won't work.
People intuitively know the difference between some soldier who goes AWOL and one who decides not to reenlist when his obligated term of service is over.

People understand the difference between quitting and accepting a promotion to a new job the CEO wants them to take.

People even know the difference between resignation over high principle, forced resignation in scandal to do best by constituents, resignation for personal or family medical necessity - and quitting for pure personal self-interest.

Mindless members of the Palin Cult will have an especially hard timemaking a case her Most Unique action was in anyway like the example of any other official they try and compare her to.
Try as they will, it will fail. With the public seeing the closest analogues to Palin in a soldier finding it too hard and going AWOL over the fence. Or, the angry employee that storms out of the job one day yelling that the stress and aggravation are unbearable.

Jen said...

It's absurd that there is even speculation about WHY she quit. If an elected official quits, they are obligated to give clear and compelling reasons to the public that voted for them why they have decided to abandon their post.
This woman is unstable.

LoafingOaf said...

Lwgiver, I don't actually live in Cleveland. I live in Beachwood, Ohio, which is quite nice. Though the rest of the Northeast Ohio is pretty much in a Great Depression all around me. But, hey, since I've been living in an area that's been in a depression before George W. Bush realized we were going into national economic collapse, I have learned to live with it for a long time now, and so I am used to it.

Anyway, Palin claims she's a woman of God. If you believe in God, are wolves not God's creatures, too? Are they not worthy of more respect than this crazy governor running around saying the aerial hunters aren't killing enough of them and she will pay them for bringing in more hacked off paws? Aerial hunting, which is extremely cruel and causes much suffering. Is that showing respect for God's creatures, if you believe in God?

Andrew Sullivan was just asking questions of a politician who was telling an awful lot of lies while asking to be a heartbeat away from Commander in Chief under an eldlerly man.

BTW, Andrew Sullivan claims to be a man of God, and he DOES show respect for all of God's creatures, not just humans. Props to him for that.

Synova said...

About the wolf hunting...

The caribou in a particular park had a calf survival rate of ONE calf per ONE HUNDRED cows. At that rate the entire herd faced extinction.

A total of 14 wolves were killed under the program. IIRC 7 adult wolves and (unfortunately) 7 orphaned pups.

The result of this HORRENDOUS slaughter... calf survival went up to 20 calves that survived one year for every 100 cows.

OH MY DAWG!

Why do people hate caribou so much? Aren't baby caribou cute? Aren't they furry? Don't they have darling big brown eyes and long long lashes?

You know they do!

LoafingOaf said...

Yes, Jen, I'm afraid they are insane. They are cultist partisans who basically worship Sarah Palin. Pretty funny (and pretty scary) that the politician they worship happens to be a complete dunce. I think some of them, deep down inside, realize Palin is a dunce, but they don't wanna admit it because to do so would be to admit they had things wrong.

I have admitted many times I have been very wrong about things. But then I am a humble man. Just a loafing oaf. It is no big deal for me to admit I have been wrong. For many people, though, they cannot handle admitting they were wrong about anything. Especially on the internet.

Jen said...

Palin is a coward. She kills animals from helicopters. She quits her job. End of story.

Jim said...

Synova -

"Why do people hate caribou so much? Aren't baby caribou cute? Aren't they furry? Don't they have darling big brown eyes and long long lashes?"

These are the very same people who invoked protection of the caribou as their reason for opposing a pipeline. But the pipeline got built over their objections, and guess what? The caribou thrived! Turns out they loved the heat generated by the oil rushing through the pipeline.

Yeah...bunch of nature lovers there without the first clue about what it actually means.

Jim said...

Loafing Oaf -

"BTW, Andrew Sullivan claims to be a man of God, and he DOES show respect for all of God's creatures, not just humans. Props to him for that."

Yeah...respect for all of God's creatures except Down's Syndrome babies born to women of the wrong political persuasion...

Mr. Power Glutes is all heart..yeah, I believe that.

Jen said...

Baby as political accessory. What a woman.

DaLawGiver said...

A total of 14 wolves were killed under the program. IIRC 7 adult wolves and (unfortunately) 7 orphaned pups.

14 wolves? FOURTEEN STINKING WOLVES? Forget the wolves, over 280 million turkeys were slaughtered in the US last year!

Loafing,

What has Sully to say about the turkeys? They are also God's creatures and we are breeding them for the slaughter. Billions world wide die for our enjoyment. It must stop now.

Jim said...

Loafing -

"Anyway, Palin claims she's a woman of God. If you believe in God, are wolves not God's creatures, too? "

If you are a Christian, then perhaps you are familiar with Genesis in which God creates Man and gives him dominion over all creatures.

You really should stay away from theology. It's pretty evident that your knowledge of Scripture is no greater than that of other Leftists here whose pretensions to knowledge of the workings of Christian faith are limited to an opportunistic snark here and there.

Jim said...

Jen -

"Baby as political accessory. What a woman."

It was you and your friends who made Trig an issue. Don't get me started on the ugly, vicious, nasty, despicable and downright evil inherent in attacking the parenthood of a baby - Down's or otherwise.

That you and your friends think he is some kind of political sport is a reflection on you - not Palin.

Jen said...

Then she should stop using him as one.

DaLawGiver said...

If an elected official quits, they are obligated to give clear and compelling reasons to the public that voted for them why they have decided to abandon their post.

Really? Is the clear and compelling stuff something you just made up or is it actually in Alaska state law somewhere?

Jim said...

Jen -

"Then she should stop using him as one."

Stop making excuses for your own behavior. Name me one political act for which she used Trig as an excuse. Name me one reason for you ever having a word to say about Trig when you won't say a word about Sasha and Malia. Obama's daughter was wearing an expressly political shirt at nuclear talks in Russia which expressed her father's political views. According to you, that makes her fair game for whatever trash I want to talk about her. He explicitly used her as a prop. On foreign soil. As President. And you want to talk about Trig?

Go ahead. Defend Obama while you continue to attack Palin. Prove how little integrity you really have.

Synova said...

Shooting wolves from helicopters is cruel... and even worse than that UNFAIR! Fairness is more important than anything.

Starving to death is fair. Being weakened by hunger and dying of disease is the most fair thing of all. Left alone the imbalance between wolves and caribou would work itself out. Nature isn't cruel. It can't be.

Shooting wolves from helicopters, that's cruel.

Jen said...

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

Which God? Palin's God? Your God? The God of the USA? The Catholic God? The Jewish God? Allah?

Creepy.

Synova said...

"Stop making excuses for your own behavior."

Like that will happen.

Jen said...

Should it be in "law" that this is true? Isn't it a matter of integrity? And moreover a sense of obligation to the people that you SERVE?

How much money are you willing to shell out for her stylist people?

Jim said...

Jen -

"Creepy."

She was in her own church, offering a prayer for our men and women in uniform.

So she's not allowed to have a religion while Obama is allowed to have an anti-Semitic, racist one and that's OK?

C'mon now. You're getting desperate here. Any other ways that you would like to point out your own hypocrisy?

Jen said...

Jim:

That's weird. I wasn't talking about Obama anywhere. I was discussing Palin. If you want to discuss use of children as political tools then I will agree with you. He shouldn't have done that.

Again. We were discussing Palin not Obama. Another discussion. Both are at fault.

Jim said...

Jen -

"How much money are you willing to shell out for her stylist people?"

Tell me how much you paid for her stylist people and then you can complain about their cost. As far as I'm aware, the only people who "paid for her stylist people" were people who voluntarily gave her campaign money. Did you get a new deduction on your paycheck before the election for her stylists that you neglected to mention previously?


On the other hand, the American people are picking up the tab for Michelle Obama's stylists whenever she makes a public appearance. She's not even an elected official, but I must have missed the part where you criticized Obama for that. Could you point me to your criticisms, just we can make sure you're being consistent?

Synova said...

There is nothing at all "creepy" about praying that the decisions that are made are made according to God's plan and that everyone should pray that it is so and that those making decisions make the right ones.

This is as basic as vanilla.

You know what is creepy? A bumper sticker I saw today that said "The Destruction of Faith is the Beginning of Evolution."

Wow.

Talk about hostile. "Tolerant" sorts usually pretend to tolerate other people's beliefs and their rights to those beliefs.

Jim said...

Jen -

"Again. We were discussing Palin not Obama. Another discussion. Both are at fault."

So you agree that politicians with children appear in public with those children, and when they are on the campaign trail that their children often appear with them.

Now explain to me exactly what offense that Palin committed which was so horrible as to justify the attacks on her infant son when you admit that Obama has done even more to exploit his children than Palin ever did.

Jen said...

Jim:

Nancy Regan?

Jim said...

Synova -

"Like that will happen."

Unfortunately too true. It is the hallmark of a Leftist to always blame the victim of their attacks for bringing it on themselves.

In a related note, Jen also evidently believes that women who are raped should not have been wearing short skirts.

Jen said...

"when you admit that Obama has done even more to exploit his children than Palin ever did."

I didn't admit that. I never said that.

This is a strange and unusual logic or approach to an argument.

Jen said...

Jim:

WHAT? What in the world are you talking about? Short skirts? Where did I ever say that?

Jim said...

Jen -

"Nancy Re[a]gan?"

So Michelle Obama's stylists are being paid for in the same tradition that First Ladies' stylists are always paid for. The same that the makeup artists who prepare Obama for his appearances are paid for. Out of taxpayer dollars. Yet you yourself have never been asked to pay a dime for Palin's stylists. So what was your beef, or are you just attacking Palin for being a woman and therefore subject to an entirely different standard than the males in her field?

Jen said...

Oh no. Typo on Reagan. Here it comes.

DaLawGiver said...

Should it be in "law" that this is true? Isn't it a matter of integrity? And moreover a sense of obligation to the people that you SERVE?

So it was something you made up.

Jen said...

I think spending 30K on a jacket is an absurd use of money. Period.

Jim said...

Jen -

"I didn't admit that. I never said that. "

Obama's daughter wore an expressly political shirt at nuclear talks which expressed her father's political views. He used her as a prop. Palin never dressed Trig in a nuclear disarmament t-shirt and paraded him around, so yes - you did admit that Obama committed a more egegrious exploitation of his child than Palin did.

The logic that's evidently confusing you is asking you to apply the same standard that you apply to Palin to Obama. That may be strange to you. But consistency is the proof of whether or not you just blindly hate Palin and therefore will judge anything she does to be wrong or whether you have a legitimate belief system which she has run afoul of.

So far, you're batting zero on the consistency scale.

Jen said...

"So it was something you made up."

No, it was a point of discussion about integrity.

Jen said...

Jim can't move forward until he clarifies the strange skirt comment.

Jim said...

Jen -

"WHAT? What in the world are you talking about? Short skirts? Where did I ever say that?"

You're trying to make Palin responsible for your despicable attacks on her and her family. All she did was bring her family with her on the campaign trail, she didn't say "Hey, they're fair game. Have at them."

Any more than a woman who's wearing a short skirt is inviting unwanted sexual advances or rape. You are the same type of person who claims that the woman was "asking for it" by wearing a short skirt simply because you didn't like her.

Jen said...

Alright, that is too absurd for me even to address. I'm out.

Good luck with your logic.

Jim said...

Jen -

"I think spending 30K on a jacket is an absurd use of money. Period."

Nobody spent 30K on a jacket. That was pure BS from the depths of dailyKos. And it wasn't Palin's decision to spend that money on outfitting her and her family: it was the McCain campaign, and specifically Nicole Wallace who made the decision to spend the money.

The money that was spent was privately donated funds, not taxpayer funds. If you had, in any way, been asked to pay for the clothes, then you might have a point. But since you didn't, this is just petty backbiting based on misinformation and lies.

DaLawGiver said...

Isn't it a matter of integrity?

To quote a famous past president, "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the—if he—if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement"

TangoMan said...

Cedarford,

People intuitively know the difference between some soldier who goes AWOL and one who decides not to reenlist when his obligated term of service is over.

People understand the difference between quitting and accepting a promotion to a new job the CEO wants them to take.


I disagree. I think that most people can relate Governor Palin's decision to their jobs. If they put themselves in the position of business owner, they would object strenuously if the employee they hired on a 4 year contract decided to spend two years ignoring the job they were hired to do and instead networked and interviewed for a higher position in another firm, all the while shortchanging the company that hired them by stalling initiatives that would flow through them, and drawing a salary to boot.

As for the comparison to the military, I imagine that most people familiar with military customs and culture will get Governor Palin's decisions. For instance, at the end of a tour, a Three Star General needs to find another position that requires a general of his rank and he has 60 days to do so or he must voluntarily retire. This is done for the good of the service so as not to impede the promotion flow.

Governor Palin stepped aside because her work is being impeded by the Obama accolytes who are following the Alinsky playbook. The State of Alaska does not benefit by having the Governor spend ~80% of her day dealing with the statutory requirements involved in addressing the ethics complaints. She can't postpone these complaints and deal with them at a time of her choosing. She is compelled by law to address these complaints in accordance with rigid timetables. She steps aside and her Lt. Governor steps in to carry on their joint mission.

A General who becomes a lightening rod of controversy, even if they're effective in their job, will often step aside for the job of the service.

Ralph L said...

Ricci was a witness to what?

Ralph L said...

Jen said...
Jim:

Nancy Regan?

I'm quite sure Don Regan wouldn't have fucked her with someone else's dick.

JAL said...

Jen: Palin is a coward. She kills animals from helicopters.

Some physicians kill babies by sticking a surgical instrument in their brains.

Wanna duel?

Didn't think so.

Jim said...

JAL -

"Some physicians kill babies by sticking a surgical instrument in their brains."

And then there are the animals that fail in killing them in the first instance and then stick them in a hospital closet until they die.

And, believe it or not, there are the monsters who oppose stopping this barbaric practice by killing legislation designed to end it.

I know, unbelievable, right?

former law student said...

The State of Alaska does not benefit by having the Governor spend ~80% of her day dealing with the statutory requirements involved in addressing the ethics complaints.

So, she left before she was impeached? That's certainly kinder than what Blagojevich did to Illinois. I applaud her for that.

Obama has done even more to exploit his children than Palin ever did.

But Palin made political hay about not aborting her precious package sent direct from God Almighty, the little Down syndrome boy whose amniotic fluid was dripping down her leg as she cut short the keynote address at the Republican Governor's Conference to fly/drive back to Wasilla.

And what about brave 18 year old Tron, or whatever his name was, who was about to leave to defeat Islamofascists in Iraq?

I never hear about Obama's decision not to abort Malia or Sasha. I never hear about their amnioic fluid. I never hear about them serving bravely in Iraq.

Invisible Man said...

So, she left before she was impeached? That's certainly kinder than what Blagojevich did to Illinois. I applaud her for that.

Really? So we can firmly establish that Sarah is better than a Governor who was actually trying to sell his office. Not exactly a high bar there.

I continue to think how telling it is that even her supporters can't help but comparing her to disgraced figures like Nixon and Blajo just to prop her up. Former law student, Jim and others are arguing with us, because they'd rather lose Texas to Mexico than lose an argument to a bunch of libruhs, but if you poke through the blather their heart just isn't that in it.

Anonymous said...

Baby as political accessory. What a woman.

Are Obama's kids political accessories? If not, can you explain how they are not but Palin's are? Is it because Trig is, you know, a baby and all?

That's weird. I wasn't talking about Obama anywhere.

That was the point. You single out Palin as unique in that she, apparently, has children. Obama pimps out his daughters at the drop of a hat and that's, apparently, cool with you.

I think spending 30K on a jacket is an absurd use of money. Period.

Is it YOUR money?

No?

Then, quite frankly, it's not your business.

So, she left before she was impeached?

Given that every complaint thus far has been dismissed, no. It's just a massive drain of time and money to fight them.

They're STILL doing it, mind you. Filing NEW charges --- the same bitter Leftists who have done it thus far --- after she announced she's stepping down.

But Palin made political hay about not aborting her precious package sent direct from God Almighty, the little Down syndrome boy whose amniotic fluid was dripping down her leg as she cut short the keynote address at the Republican Governor's Conference to fly/drive back to Wasilla.

Can you cite her making "political hay" about it? I mean, outside of mentioning it when asked about it...

And what about brave 18 year old Tron, or whatever his name was, who was about to leave to defeat Islamofascists in Iraq?

Hasn't the Left been whining that people who support the Iraq War won't send their kids there? Wasn't that a laughable insult people like you used about Bush?

Seems like a damned if you do, damned if you don't problem.

I never hear about Obama's decision not to abort Malia or Sasha. I never hear about their amnioic fluid. I never hear about them serving bravely in Iraq.

I never saw Trig wearing political clothing while talking to a foreign leader. So, to each their own.

I continue to think how telling it is that even her supporters can't help but comparing her to disgraced figures like Nixon and Blajo just to prop her up.

Yes, FLS is quite the defender of her. Really.

I must ask if you are literate.

Anonymous said...

I gotta ask --- you don't see Biden mentioning his cokehead daughter or his son who is being credibly accused of fraud.

Why is that? Why is he ashamed of his kids?

traditionalguy said...

I see that all you commenters are Palin around again. Palin's quote from the Marine General Smith when advancing Marine units were caught way to far north from their supporting forces by the massive Red Chinese Army Hoard's sneak attack is very appropriate. The new Propaganda Army of the leftist horde has launched a campaign of annihilation of Traditional Americans just like Mao's communist monarchy did in 1951. The losers of ground were the Marines. But the losers of the battle were the Chinese attack forces. The marines killed 10 to 1 more of the Chinese encircling them on their way back to the seacoast for their evacuation to Japan. And the weather was also exactly like an Alaskan winter. The Palin move is just as necessary and just as gutsy, and I expect that the casualty rates will be similar. I suppose to C-4 that this just proves that Marines belong to some sort of a cult, since they won't agree to quit and die whenever an enemy decides that it is time for it. That is the quality in Palin that her supporters value: that she will not surrender to Obama's Communist Monarachy and quit and die.

hdhouse said...

Greg said...
Sarah Palin confuses and confounds all the conventional thinkers. She lives outside the box, and thinks outside the box. ... stepping down in favor of her ally Parnell, ....is far better than her remaining a sitting duck for every cheap shot artist to come her way with their phoney "ethics" complaints."

yo Greg. No one gives a rat's ass about Palin and her ethics unless you are a minimalist at heart.

You guys don't get it do you? She is dumb as a pet rock and if you think she is presidential... ohmygod then Bush ruined your mind.

She is a quiter. the made up from whole cloth story about Alaskan finances if she remains is just bull and if someone lies that blatantly to position herself then what do you think you are getting? Just another cheap hack politico who has smelled the limelight and now wants it lights up. You wags decry power hungry hacks and then you follow like dogs on a leash.

I can't wait for the first debate. Ya'betcha girl will get her ass kicked as soon as the moderator asks what time it is.

hdhouse said...

traditionalguy said...
" And the weather was also exactly like an Alaskan winter."

Hey you left out the part that she knows all about Russia cause she can see it from Alaska...well she can see Siberia but that's another story...

If you look up your butt you'll see some commie there too...

I think you are crazy.

traditionalguy said...

Hd...The Communist part of Obama is well hidden today, but the Monarchy part is in plain sight. Only Palin has the guts to fight for the Republic, so she draws the fire. Call us crazy or call us cult followers, if that feels good to you. But no one is frightened of your slander anymore, so long as Sarah Palin is not frightened of the industrial strength slander sent her way every day.

LoafingOaf said...

Jim: If you are a Christian, then perhaps you are familiar with Genesis in which God creates Man and gives him dominion over all creatures.

So, you're preaching that Good Christians can be as cruel as they want to animals? What would Jesus do if he came back today? Would he volunteer to be a shooter in the chopper to help gun down wolves for Saint Sarah?

You really should stay away from theology. It's pretty evident that your knowledge of Scripture is no greater than that of other Leftists here whose pretensions to knowledge of the workings of Christian faith are limited to an opportunistic snark here and there.

I'm not a Leftist, but your un-Christian prejudices cause you to mis-label people.

TAnyway, the Pope doesn't agree with you: "[W]e can see that [animals] are given into our care, that we cannot just do whatever we want with them. Animals, too, are God's creatures . . ."

Nor did the previous Pope: “[A]lso the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.”

LoafingOaf said...

Jim: Yeah...respect for all of God's creatures except Down's Syndrome babies born to women of the wrong political persuasion...

Sullivan has never posted a disrespectful word about Trig Palin, and has in fact emphasized over and over again that he admires Palin for choosing to have Trig and care for him.

Mr. Power Glutes is all heart..yeah, I believe that.

Hmm, that sounds homophobic. Is that part of being a Good Christian too?

former law student said...

Am I the only one who thinks that "traditionalguy" is the Stephen Colbert of the althouse blog? Can he really be that over the top?

Bruce Hayden said...

Interesting article by Willie Brown: Sarah Palin, political genius. Presumably, this is the same Willy Brown who not so long ago was considered the most powerful Democrat in the California legislature. And, yet, he thinks that Palin's move here was a good one politically.

Jim said...

Loafing -

"Sullivan has never posted a disrespectful word about Trig Palin, and has in fact emphasized over and over again that he admires Palin for choosing to have Trig and care for him. "

Do you expect me to take anything you ever say seriously? Really? Sullivan has never said anything disrespectful about Trig? Accusing his sister of bearing him with absolutely zero proof and denying him his mother aren't disrespectful? Of course not in your world because Trig is the son of a conservative therefore there are no boundaries too far. You show nothing but your own lack of character by even suggesting such a thing.

"Hmm, that sounds homophobic. Is that part of being a Good Christian too?"

It has nothing to do with homophobia and everything to do with pointing out that even Sullivan rarely actually believes the garbage that he writes. He most often writes one thing, and does quite another. He no more believes the garbage he's writing about questioning Trig's maternity than I do: he writes it because it is a hurtful, spiteful, mean-spirited way to attack Palin. Kind of like the way he writes about the responsibilities of a gay lifestyle while advertising himself as Power Glutes.

Jim said...

Loafing -

"So, you're preaching that Good Christians can be as cruel as they want to animals? What would Jesus do if he came back today? Would he volunteer to be a shooter in the chopper to help gun down wolves for Saint Sarah? "

I'm not "preaching" anything. What I was doing was pointing out that those who want to tar Palin's Christian faith don't have a clue what they're talking about.

I wasn't aware that Jesus took a position on proper wildlife management. If you can find it in the Scriptures, then I'd be happy to consider your thoughts on the subject.

Any other red herrings you want to throw while displaying your contempt for Christian faith, or are you finished yet?

"I'm not a Leftist, but your un-Christian prejudices cause you to mis-label people."

Which prejudices would that be? That time after time here Leftists have attempted to cynically use Scripture to condemn a Christian only to reveal how little they themselves understood the Scripture they were attempting to use? Please. If you're going to make an accusation, then you should be prepared to back it up with actual facts rather than just smug ignorance.

"TAnyway, the Pope doesn't agree with you: "[W]e can see that [animals] are given into our care, that we cannot just do whatever we want with them. Animals, too, are God's creatures . . ."

Nor did the previous Pope: “[A]lso the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.”"

Again, your breath-taking cynicism shows that you are attempting to abuse Catholics without so much as a hint of understanding what the pope was saying.

Are the caribou that were being protected by controlling the wolf population not also God's creatures? If creatures are given to man's dominion, is it not our duty to protect the balance?

This is exactly what I'm talking about: you cite religion only cynically when you think you can score points with it. Keep your nose out of something that you clearly don't understand.

Jim said...

fls -

"So, she left before she was impeached? "

Talk about making a leap of illogic. Point me to even the slightest hint that she committed an impeachable offense. Even a hint. C'mon. Don't be forced to admit that you're just speaking through your sphincter here.

Again.

Jeremy said...

Jim said..."I wasn't aware that Jesus took a position on proper wildlife management."

There are all kinds of things you're not "aware" of, Jimmy.

In Deuteronomy 22:6-7, God promises a long life to those who will watch over wild birds. If we rape the land or the creatures in it, what will sustain us in the future?

He allows for the taking of eggs, but commands that we release the mother bird to continue living in the wild and reproducing as He intended. In Job 38:41, God says that He hears the cries of newborn ravens crying to Him for food.

Jesus went on to say that God supplies food for the wild birds and that not one of them falls to the ground without Him knowing it (Matthew 6:26, 10:29).

Jeremy said...

traditionalguy and Chase spend at least five hours a night whacking off to Princess Sarah pics.

Maybe more.

LoafingOaf said...

Jim: Which prejudices would that be? That time after time here Leftists have attempted to cynically use Scripture to condemn a Christian only to reveal how little they themselves understood the Scripture they were attempting to use? Please. If you're going to make an accusation, then you should be prepared to back it up with actual facts rather than just smug ignorance.

Lots of Leftists are Christians, and lots of non-Leftists are not Christians. The fact is, I'm not a Leftist. So, you were wrong again.

LoafingOaf said...

Jim: Are the caribou that were being protected by controlling the wolf population not also God's creatures? If creatures are given to man's dominion, is it not our duty to protect the balance?

So, you're claiming Sarah Palin was so obsessively into aerial wolf hunting because she wants to please God by showing how dutifully she'll look after His creatures?

I previously posted about this in this old thread.

Scroll down to the post and you'll see (via the links and quotes and whatnot) that it is you who needs to look into things before you post. Palin was so into aerial wolf hunting because she felt human hunters of moose and caribou couldn't compete with wolves. She wanted a more fair playing field for human hunters. Even though wolves are really more scavengers.

And this: Gordon Haber is a wildlife scientist who has studied wolves in Alaska for 43 years. "On wildlife-related issues, whether it is polar bears or predator controls, she has shown no inclination to be objective," he says of Palin. "I cannot find credible scientific data to support their arguments," he adds about the state's rationale for gunning down wolves. "In most cases, there is evidence to the contrary."

Last year, 172 scientists signed a letter to Palin, expressing concern about the lack of science behind the state's wolf-killing operation. According to the scientists, state officials set population objectives for moose and caribou based on "unattainable, unsustainable historically high populations." As a result, the "inadequately designed predator control programs" threatened the long-term health of both the ungulate and wolf populations. The scientists concluded with a plea to Palin to consider the conservation of wolves and bears "on an equal basis with the goal of producing more ungulates for hunters."

See that? 172 scientists said her wolf hunting policies were bad for both the wolves and the ungulate populations. I guess they're all wrong and Saint Sarah knows better?

Then Palin flipped out because not enough wolves were being killed, and she offered $150 for every hacked off paw brought in, a sick policy stopped by the courts.

Palin thought the $150 cash bounties would do the trick. Haber has another explanation for the dry spell. "I can tell you from my own research that the reason they didn't get many wolves in certain years, particularly last winter, is because they have scraped those areas clean," he says.

Etc. More at the old thread.

Saint Sarah was dutifully looking after the animals of Alaska in a way that would please God? LOL Jim is...wrong again.

LoafingOaf said...

Jim, the fact is, you claimed Andrew Sullivan was posting disrespectful things about Trig Palin, and as a reader of his blog I have only seen him posting nice things about Trig, and repeatedly stating that whatever his issues with Sarah Palin are, whatever questions he has of her, her decision to care for Trig is something she deserves praise and admiration for.

So, why did you lie about Andrew Sullivan? I think you need to ask God to forgive you for your message board sins.

Jeremy said...

LoafingOaf - You can't discuss anything with Jim or with Chase or with tradionalguy for that matter.

You could have Jesus Christ post a comment in support of something you believe and they all would find something about it to whine or bitch about...especially if it was in any way, shape or form critical of Princess Sarah or something they already believe to be so.

They all love to use God and Jesus as their basis for argument, when in fact it's hard to imagine God (whichever one you choose) or Jesus jumping into the fray for any reason.

As for Christian "beliefs," just read the very first posting today via Chase:

"I'm starting to agree with the old Rush Limbaugh statement:

'Feminism was created to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream'."

Very Christian indeed.

Jeremy said...

LoafingOaf - You can't discuss anything with Jim or with Chase or with tradionalguy for that matter.

You could have Jesus Christ post a comment in support of something you believe and they all would find something about it to whine or bitch about...especially if it was in any way, shape or form critical of Princess Sarah or something they already believe to be so.

They all love to use God and Jesus as their basis for argument, when in fact it's hard to imagine God (whichever one you choose) or Jesus jumping into the fray for any reason.

As for Christian "beliefs," just read the very first posting today via Chase:

"I'm starting to agree with the old Rush Limbaugh statement:

'Feminism was created to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream'."

Very Christian indeed.

Jeremy said...

Oooops...double posting.

Of well, it usually takes the dynamic trio (Chase/traditionalguy/Jimmy) at least two readings to understand anyway.

Jeremy said...

I love this:

WASHINGTON — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she's not only staying involved in national politics, but she plans to jump back into the national scrum when she leaves office at the end of the month.

The former Republican vice presidential nominee said she plans to write a book, campaign for political candidates from coast to coast _ even Democrats who share her views on limited government, national defense and energy independence _ and build a right-of-center coalition.

As if Democrats will be champing at the bit to have Princess Sarah appear beside them at a political function.

It would be the kiss of death.

Synova said...

Only Jeremy could knee-jerk himself into arguing that a pledge of principles over party loyalty is something to scoff at.

Ralph L said...

Loafing, former President Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves. I say, gun them all down.

traditionalguy said...

Jeremy...I'm just back from doing Christian stuff all day. Have I missed out on any new Palin indictments? I have to confess that people ate animals that had been killed for selfish men's benefit everywhere I went this weekend. Has our favorite Governor up in Alaska been seeing Russia again or hunting for wolf packs? Or has Palin just been out seducing men like me by unethically posing for pictures with salmon and caribou? Alaska sure is more exciting than DC these days.

Jeremy said...

Synova - And only an idiot like Princess Sarah would think anyone would believe she would campaign for Democrats who "share her views on limited government, national defense and energy independence."

This from a Governor who represents a party that blew a massive surplus, has us still buried in Iraq and Afghanistan, left Obama holding the bag on a worldwide economic mess...and still tells people she doesn't accept federal dollars, when in fact she took 97% of the money offered.

The woman is an uneducated lying twit.

Jeremy said...

traditionalguy - Based on your nonsensical drivel it looks like you must have been downing quite a bit of booze, too.

Do you EVER read what you're writing before posting?

You sound like an idiot.

Jeremy said...

Ralph L said..."Loafing, former President Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves. I say, gun them all down."

And yet another complete moron enters the fray.

Low on meds?

Anonymous said...

Sullivan has never posted a disrespectful word about Trig Palin, and has in fact emphasized over and over again that he admires Palin for choosing to have Trig and care for him.

No, he claims she didn't have him at all. That he was Bristol's.

So, given your willingness to lie, why should anything you write be believed?

You guys don't get it do you? She is dumb as a pet rock and if you think she is presidential... ohmygod then Bush ruined your mind.

She is a quiter.

Helpful hint: When calling somebody "dumb as a rock", not spelling simple words correctly tends to dull the impact of your critique.

In Deuteronomy 22:6-7, God promises a long life to those who will watch over wild birds. If we rape the land or the creatures in it, what will sustain us in the future?

So, we are now watching "Progressives" calling for government to honor the laws of God. Intriguing. I'm shocked you avoided yelling at yourself about separation of church and state.

I bet God wouldn't be fond of abortion. Should we ban that...or does THAT part of God's law not really apply?

Jim, the fact is, you claimed Andrew Sullivan was posting disrespectful things about Trig Palin, and as a reader of his blog I have only seen him posting nice things about Trig

...so, you're illiterate. Thanks for clarifying.

traditionalguy said...

Jeremy...It is hard to take what you say seriously. I really do try, but you have me argued into a corner. The evils of that Wasila Wonder Woman have been proven over and over by you until no one can like her except Idiots like me. No one has called me an idiot that many times since my older brother (who was very jealous of me, in my opinion). So please try to get over your jealousy of the Republicans "It Girl". She's gonna win, you betcha.

Anonymous said...

Anybody ELSE shocked that Jeremy doesn't get a reference to a rather funny SNL bit?

Fingers on the pulse of society that boy has.

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

scinfinity: You're mixing quotes from multiple peoples' posts in your reply. That can confuse people.

Anyway, you quoted me: "Sullivan has never posted a disrespectful word about Trig Palin, and has in fact emphasized over and over again that he admires Palin for choosing to have Trig and care for him."

And replied: No, he claims she didn't have him at all. That he was Bristol's.

So, given your willingness to lie, why should anything you write be believed?

A quick search of the blog in question, confirming my memory....

ANDREW SULLIVAN: "One more thing: whatever actually happened, I want to reiterate what I have said from the start. The decision to have Trig and to care for him and support him and defend the rights of children with special needs is a noble, admirable thing. Whatever happens to Palin in the future, she deserves enormous props for this, and is a real inspiration for the pro-life movement in this respect. We're all human and this decision was, in my view, the best one Sarah Palin has ever made, whatever the precise facts behind it. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Palin in this respect. It's a beautiful thing and Trig is a beautiful, precious, powerful human being.

So, I was accurately paraphrasing and characterizing Sullivan. I guess that makes you the liar.

And, yeah, try and learn how to quote people in your replies in a less confusing manner, dummy.

LoafingOaf said...

Jeremy: You could have Jesus Christ post a comment in support of something you believe and they all would find something about it to whine or bitch about...especially if it was in any way, shape or form critical of Princess Sarah or something they already believe to be so.

I especially love when these worshippers of Palin start calling others liars as if they're at all insterested in the truth. Here's Sullivan's damning roundup of some of Palin's constant flow of lies. Let me guess, they'll keep blaming the blogger for fact-checking her.

They all love to use God and Jesus as their basis for argument, when in fact it's hard to imagine God (whichever one you choose) or Jesus jumping into the fray for any reason.

Jim was acting like only Palin-worshipping Christianist right-wingers are allowed to suggest something is un-Christian.

Anonymous said...

And, yeah, try and learn how to quote people in your replies in a less confusing manner, dummy.

If you lack the comprehension to know what you wrote, it hardly seems like my failing.

And nice of you to not post what he posted before that --- you know, when he opined she didn't bear him and that is a giant conspiracy to keep the truth quiet.

"Still, I am not convinced by Patrick's core argument - that a conspiracy, however unlikely, is near-impossible to sustain in this case. Here's why, as a reader explains:

The ability to keep a lid on a conspiracy is entirely proportional to the influence one has on those being kept quiet. Patrick should recall that every single person in on the proposed conspiracy is from Wasilla, Alaska. I grew up in a small town that was a million billion times more sophisticated than Wasilla. Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure that the most influential person in my hometown could have kept a lid on a similar story, no matter how many National Enquirer reporters were snooping around.

Palin is quite prepared to use her public office to pursue personal vendettas. ... Many people in Wasilla are terrified of her; and she's also, as we know, compulsively secretive and protective of her family - even Sarahpalin_200908_477x600_7 as she pushes them into ludicrous crusades like Bristol's abstinence thing. Besides, the only conceivable, logical alternative to Palin being the natural mother of Trig is another close family member. Nothing else makes any sense -and anything more complicated would have been exposed by now. But close family members are also the most likely to keep secrets, especially since this whole thing transpired long before Palin was really in the global media klieglights. You think you can't get away with all sorts of (benign but odd) stuff when you're just a governor of what is, in effect, a population of a medium sized city spread out over half a continent? Her local hospital is also highly influenced by members of her church; and her personal doctor has gone into virtual hiding since the veep announcement. The more you know about Alaska, and I now know more than I would have ever imagined, the more successful a small-town, benign and actually admirable decision to bring a child into the world and care for him is not impossible. Highly unlikely, I know, but not impossible.

And look: I'm perfectly aware that continuing to air even the faint possibility of this makes a lot of people think I've gone round the bend. And maybe I have on this. Blogging obsessively can do that to a person. But if you haven't figured this out by now, I don't care much about what people think of me. I'd just like to know the truth, please. That's why I'm a blogger and a journalist. That's why I've published a lot of things in my time that others wouldn't. As long as I am not deceiving anyone or publishing untruths, and airing counter-arguments, I think I'm doing my job. Others have a different view of what legitimate discourse is, and I respect that. And I certainly think the brickbats are valid. But this is the way I am. Read someone else if you don't like it."

You wish to continue down this path?

Synova said...

Oaf... your quote means nothing more than any Southern lady who qualifies a juicy bit of character assasination with "Bless his heart."

"Andrew doesn't have the sense God gave a Jack Rabbit, Bless his heart."

Of course a person is going to qualify the extreme poor taste of statements that will certainly be taken negatively with a little disclaimer that they aren't negative.

No need to do it if the comments *aren't* negative, after all.

Synova said...

"I grew up in a small town that was a million billion times more sophisticated than Wasilla."

Small towns are a whole lot of lovely things... I grew up in a small town... pop. 300... went to school in a different small town... pop. 450... not so far from another small town with a *mall*... pop. 12,000... and a good hour's drive from the nearest "city" with 50,000 people in it.

I LOVE small town America... but don't even TRY to tell me someone who grew up there would use the word "sophisticated". There's not enough people for the "sophisticated" sorts to avoid dealing with the unsophisticated.

And nothing is EVER kept under wraps!

Two clues that the author of that bit is either in fantasy land or lying.

Small towns do not KEEP secrets.

Egad.

Synova said...

"I grew up in a small town that was a million billion times more sophisticated than Wasilla. Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure that the most influential person in my hometown could have kept a lid on a similar story, no matter how many National Enquirer reporters were snooping around."

The last statement proving the lie of the first statement.

Everyone knows everyone in a small town. Not everyone knows every single thing, but *someone* knows any single thing, and some of it is actually true.

Jeremy said...

traditionalguy said..."The evils of that Wasila Wonder Woman have been proven over and over by you until no one can like her except Idiots like me.

Oh, I understand who "worships" the "Wonder Woman."

Considering the latest Republican polling puts Rush Limbaugh as the "leader" of the party...it's not difficult to understand why wingnuts like yourself would attach themselves like a barnacle...onto anything resembling a candidate.

Regardless of the fact that she's uneducated, unfamiliar with the most basic aspects of domestic and world politics, and shows her real mettle by quitting the job her constituents expected her to do.

You deserve what you get.

Jim said...

Synova -

"Of course a person is going to qualify the extreme poor taste of statements that will certainly be taken negatively with a little disclaimer that they aren't negative."

Besides that, Sullivan wound up ultimately being told by his employers that he was to knock off the bat-guano crazy rantings about Trig under pain of losing his cushy gig. (After which, he pouted like a young schoolgirl for several days before he returned to blogging.)

But he doesn't carry a personal grudge about his Trig Trutherism almost costing him his job or anything, honest. Because he's never written a negative thing about Trig no matter what his employers think. I mean, they just cut his paychecks, what would they know about him anyway?

LoafingOaf said...

scinfinity: If you lack the comprehension to know what you wrote, it hardly seems like my failing.

I'm talking about confusing other readers.

Anyway, to re-cap, I pointed out that Sullivan claims to be a person of God and he, admirably, does show respect for animals, unlike Palin. Jim started claiming Sullivan says cruel things about Trig Palin. I said Andrew Sullivan has never attacked Trig Palin and has only said nice things about the baby.

Then you guys start saying that because he asked questions about Sarah Palin's stories related to her pregnancy that this was an attack on Trig. No it isn't. And he's always said that whatever the truth is about the pregnancy, he admires Palin choosing to raise a Downs Syndrome baby.

Furthermore, the portions you quote show Sullivan pointing out that some of the theories are highly unlikely but that doesn't make them impossible. He was replying to Patrick, his employee who he has allowed to air counter-arguments on his blog. In the portion you quote, Sullivan calls it a "faint possibility" that he chooses to air, while also airing other views on the matter. And he continues to do so because of frustration that the MSM hasn't been doing its job.

Jim said...

Because evidently questioning who your mother really is has suddenly become an act of kindness. Claiming that your sister is really your mother is the very model of respect.

Especially when that questioning and the accusations have no basis other than the crazed ravings of a lunatic.

LoafingOaf said...

Since we're all quoting from Sullivan's post, we may as well get the beginning of it up, which shows what he believes most likely to have occurred:

I'm really grateful for Patrick and readers for pushing back on my speculations about Palin. The reader who suggests that the implausibility of her labor narrative is simply a function of her usual delusional embellishment is extremely persuasive. In fact, I'd say it's easily the likeliest explanation for what really happened. She made a lot of stuff up, as she always does, in order to make the story more gripping and to add to her aura as the tough-girl Alaskan. So of course the story doesn't make sense (and we may never know which bits are true and which just truthy). And the need to have the kid born in Alaska does make more sense when you consider Todd's extremist politics.

It could also easily be true that, as she said in Indiana, she simply had conflicted feelings about this pregnancy and considered an abortion. Grappling with that, she kept it all secret, got caught in lies about it, and her ambivalence about her pregnancy may even have led her unconsciously to act irrationally during labor. This is very human and very real and deserves our sympathy, not derision. But in national politics, you have to explain all this from the get-go, or just release the medical records on or off the record, and move on by defusing and humiliating bloggers like me. I understand that this is easier said than done, but when you accept a veep nomination, and ask people to contemplate putting you in the most powerful job in the world, you just have to suck it up and tell the truth. That's the awful price of public life. If she had told her story at the start, I think she would have earned much more support and admiration and become a real and much more persuasive advocate for the pro-life movement. But she didn't. And so the rubber-necking began.

traditionalguy said...

Jeremy...We barnacles do indeed deserve what we get. We deserve to be picking our own candidate, especially one that the NYT has not first vetted and approved with faint praise. That will be quite an experience for the barnacle wing. The ghastly truth is that Palin will win walking away by talking like she respects American voters. You ought to try it sometime.

Jim said...

Since you like posting quotes from Andrew Sullivan, let's post someone who emailed him on June 10:

Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan continues to spread doubt about who is
Trig Palin's mother. For an odd reason I decided to email Sullivan about
his Trig trutherism. I emailed Sullivan and wrote this:



You do realize that humans take nine months to gestate. Are you
suggesting that Sarah Palin is not human and had two children in
matter of months?
I asked him this because it ridiculous to think that Bristol is the mother of Trig and her new son because they are not even 9 months apart. I accidentally wrote Sarah Palin instead of Bristol. Andrew writes back
and mentions my gaffe:

u mean bristol palin? i have no idea. i would just like some medical records to ut the whole thing to rest.
I write back:

But aren't you questioning if Sarah Palin is the mother of Trig?
He responds:

there are sufficient questions about her very bizarre pregnancy to
wonder if she is indeed trig's mother
. and there must be medical records proving it. but none are available, and the doctor won't talk and the media has been intimidated. maybe mercede will halp get to the bottom of it whatever it is

I don't know who "mercede" is.

Update: I typed in mercede in Andrew Sullivan's search engine. Apparently
it's Levi sister, who he thinks might have more information, I guess.


That's from one month ago. He's still a Trig Truther. The guy who never demanded release of Obama's transcripts and any other of the hundreds of records that Obama has shielded from the public claims that Palin's refusal to allow her medical records be handed over to a lunatic is proof that she's not Trig's mother.

But he's never written an unkind word about Trig. Never. Ever. Not in a million years. Oh yeah. And he loves animals.

Jim said...

There's not a damn thing "bizarre" about Palin's pregnancy. My wife interviewed for her doctoral program and "hid her pregnancy" from the interviewers because she knew they would think that she wouldn't be capable of completing the program if they knew. She was well along into her pregnancy at the time, so according to Sullivan's bizarre and twisted logic "she couldn't possibly have been pregnant" since no one there caught on that she was.

[BTW, she was accepted into the program and the reception she received when she showed up as a new parent confirmed that she was right to have concealed her pregnancy during the interview.]

Maybe if Sullivan had even a passing knowledge of women and pregnancy he would understand just what a lunatic he sounds like. That anyone would defend his lunacy is a poor reflection on them.

former law student said...

Point me to even the slightest hint that she committed an impeachable offense.

Some commenter said Palin was spending 80% of her day defending herself from ethics charges. These are the ethics charges that have cost the taxpayers of Alaska to date almost $2 million to defend.

Even when Bill Clinton got caught sticking stogies and staining dresses, he didn't spend 80% of his time dealing with it. There's a lot of smoke plumes, so presumably a lot of fires.

LoafingOaf said...

Jim: Since you like posting quotes from Andrew Sullivan, let's post someone who emailed him on June 10: .... That's from one month ago.

You didn't link. I entered the text into Google and saw that it was from April. Just pointing out your sloppiness and inaccuracy.

The guy...claims that Palin's refusal to allow her medical records be handed over to a lunatic is proof that she's not Trig's mother

More inaccuracy. He's not saying Sarah is not Trig's mother. In fact, he thinks it's unlikely that she's not Trig's mother. You keep trying to say otherwise just because he as wondered about some possibilities. He's saying there are a lot of questions surrounding her strange pegnancy and her stories about it, and it would be helpful if journalists looked into it and if Palin released the medical records to put everything to rest.

You claim there's nothing strange at all about Palin's pregnancy, which is obviously not true. But you have to avoid conceding there are unanswered questions and strange things that don't add up about her pregnancy story because if you did concede that then why would it be "lunatic" for a blogger to ask questions and try and make sense of things?

And, again, asking questions of Sarah Palin related to her pregnancy story may or may not be mean or unfair to Sarah Palin, but it's not an attack on the baby. This whole sub-topic began when you claimed he was making vicious attacks on an innocent baby.

Synova said...

There is *nothing* strange about Palin's pregnancy.

Not the fact that she didn't show until she did.

Not the fact that she stayed active during the pregnancy.

Not the fact she traveled while pregnant.

Not the fact that she was confident she could make it home after her water started to leak.

Probably the *least* strange thing possible about it was that she chose not to tell anyone.

A full range of choices on that is possible and *normal*, but the *most* normal thing is to call everyone you ever met immediately on taking a home pregnancy test for the first pregnancy and then wait longer and longer to tell *anyone* for each subsequent child. By number 5 I wouldn't find it "strange" to simply say nothing at all even without the knowledge that your child had Downs. In that case, and I say this as someone who had four pregnancies and while all of my children are healthy you *always* live in fear that they won't be and *that* gets worse each time too, the last thing I'd want to deal with was a situation where I had to listen to sympathy from strangers and random acquaintances.

Jeremy said...

traditionalguy said..."Jeremy...We barnacles do indeed deserve what we get. We deserve to be picking our own candidate, especially one that the NYT has not first vetted and approved with faint praise. That will be quite an experience for the barnacle wing. The ghastly truth is that Palin will win walking away by talking like she respects American voters. You ought to try it sometime."

Still hanging onto that NYT's bullshit?

Obama was elected by Americans, most of which have probably never read the NYT's in their entire life.

And guess what, dipstick...

He's President....get over it.

Synova said...

"Obama was elected by Americans, most of which have probably never read the NYT's in their entire life."

And Palin will be elected by Americans, most of which have never read the NYT in their entire life.

;-)

Synova said...

... most of whom?

hdhouse said...

Synova...

whom. i think is right.

Just a question....if this nitwit is elected president what expectations do we have that at one point, when something better comes along or the going gets a little tough, that she won't just quit again?

she essentially quit during the campaign. she just quit as governor....do i see a pattern here?

Anonymous said...

Considering the latest Republican polling puts Rush Limbaugh as the "leader" of the party...

Link, please?

Anyway, to re-cap, I pointed out that Sullivan claims to be a person of God and he, admirably, does show respect for animals, unlike Palin.

Thinning the herd is an unpleasant necessity. Last I checked, God wasn't big on sodomy. Pretty sure on that one. But the drama queen engages in that by his own admission.

But he doesn't carry a personal grudge about his Trig Trutherism almost costing him his job or anything, honest. Because he's never written a negative thing about Trig no matter what his employers think.

Yes, saying his sister bore him --- how could anybody view that as a negative comment? Seriously.

Furthermore, the portions you quote show Sullivan pointing out that some of the theories are highly unlikely but that doesn't make them impossible.

You don't mention theories you don't personally buy. I don't buy into 9/11 Trutherism. You don't see me trying to discuss how it could be plausible.

I could theorize that Obama's kids aren't his. I could also point out that he hasn't released any of HIS medical records to prove that they are his.

...except I don't believe that they aren't his for a second. But I have less proof of his kids being his than Trig being Sarah's.

Some commenter said Palin was spending 80% of her day defending herself from ethics charges. These are the ethics charges that have cost the taxpayers of Alaska to date almost $2 million to defend.

So, filing numerous frivolous complaints that get dismissed is proof that you really did something wrong? Interesting.

Just a question....if this nitwit is elected president what expectations do we have that at one point, when something better comes along or the going gets a little tough, that she won't just quit again?

You agree that Obama is a nitwit?

Synova said...

"...she essentially quit during the campaign. she just quit as governor....do i see a pattern here?"

She also quit her ethics board job... don't forget that.

As a mind experiment, just for a moment, imagine that you *like* her politics. Imagine that you like the ways in which she's a bit like an old fashioned Democrat... a little bit of martial fire, a little touch of populism, strongly pro-public ed, pro-union blue collar sensibilities, believes in government intervention but on a far smaller scale than what we've grown into today, a reformers heart willing to get out there and expose the corruption in her own party, not just the opposition... just for a moment *pretend* you like that...

Now... how about the quitting?

She quit when the going got hard at her ethics commission job. She was getting slapped down for trying to report ethics violations... the going got tough... so she quit.

Then what happened?

I'd quibble about her quitting the campaign. She seemed to be trying to keep up the energy while McCain didn't seem willing to fight. Many of us said, at the time, that something was going on. At the least, that she was not in a position to make her own decisions but was hemmed around with professional handlers she hadn't hired.

(How is it, really, that we know the names of the handlers almost as well as the candidates these days? Are we like the Hebrews who demanded that God give them a King except that what WE'RE demanding is a Grand Vizier?)

And now she's quit as Governor.

I suppose that if she writes a book and travels about giving speeches or becomes a radio or television personality the whole point is moot as to if she'd quit if she became President because we'd find out that it wasn't her intention.

But to become President, if it's sooner or if it's later, this is going to have to have been a redirection rather than a retreat... as was her quitting the ethics board.

When she couldn't do her job as an ethics commissioner, she did what was necessary to complete that job... which was to take herself out from under the authority of her boss and do an end-run.

Time will tell what her *intentions* are now. We don't know and can't know. I don't think we'll find out until she's actually out of office at the end of the month. But *if* her intentions are to continue to push forward her agenda and she feels that she can do so more effectively out of the governor's seat... then she hasn't quit *her agenda*. She hasn't even quit Alaska, since her agenda is closely tied with developing the natural resources in that State (and so creating revenue and jobs for Alaskans.)

Remember, we're pretending that you *like* her agenda.

So if she got elected as President, what really are the chances that she'd face a situation where the job itself curtailed her ability to affect change?

Synova said...

Americans *are* getting pretty sick and tired of politicians who quit, I think.

But that is most certainly those politicians who get elected and then immediately run for a higher office. I honestly don't know... has Obama ever finished a term? Was he even a state Senator for an entire term before leaving for DC? We all know that he didn't stay in that job long enough to learn how to do it but ran for President right away.

Hillary Clinton won her election as Senator and *immediately* quit to take the post of Secretary of State.

Republicans do this all the time, too. Everyone does.

I believe that Jindal won election to DC and ran for and won Governor without completing even one term either.

It might be business as usual but I think that people are getting tired of it, no matter who does it.

LoafingOaf said...

scinfinity: Once again you quote text from posts in a lazy fashion that is confusing to readers as it makes the text of multiple peoples' posts look like they're from one person.

You said: Last I checked, God wasn't big on sodomy. Pretty sure on that one. But the drama queen engages in that by his own admission.

Sounds like more homophobia here. You guys always seem to end up going down that path.

BTW, are you confessing that you're one of those strange people who never engages in sodomy? Your God won't even let you enjoy a blow job?

You don't mention theories you don't personally buy. I don't buy into 9/11 Trutherism. You don't see me trying to discuss how it could be plausible.

What the fuck are you talking about? He's aired numerous theories related to Palin's pregnancy story, and he can't possibly buy all of them. And, in fact, the theory he clearly states that he feels is most likely is the one I already quoted above, and is not that Palin was not Trig's mother. Why you keep pretending you can't read, I have no idea.

And what is this rule you're pushing? That one cannot air theories while asking questions about something unless they already buy into that theory themself? That's absurd. There's no crime in asking questions and airing theories about a matter one finds strange and not adding up. The crime is telling people they are not allowed to ask questions of their leaders.

And it's not the same as a 9/11 Truther. There was nothing wrong with people asking what really happened on 9/11 and wanting their questions answered. But the information has been released to show that, say, it was a passenger plane that hit the Pentagon, not a missile. Those wild theories have been put to rest by the release of evidence. If they hadn't been put to rest by the release of evidence, I'd be wondering what really happened too.

But I know you are hellbent on comparing Andrew Sullivan to some sort of person who hates his country so much he wants people to believe our own government committed the 9/11 atrocity. No, he's just a blogger who noticed that Palin is an odd and compulsive liar and her pregnancy story had a lot of strange aspects to it.

The issue is whether you think there are legit questions surrounding Palin's pregnancy stories. You think there aren't, others think there are. I think if she released her records we'd find some stuff she doesn't want us to know. You think it's an abuse of Palin to ask her to release records. Ok, whatever. I understand that. But, when you run for high office, you're gonna be asked questions and it's your choice whether you wanna put them to rest or let them fester. She used her pregnancy stories to promote herself into power, so it's not out of bounds to ask if she's being 100% honest about those stories.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like more homophobia here. You guys always seem to end up going down that path.

If somebody is going to use God's law as a reason to do something, like stop the program to thin the herd of wolves, then it no longer becomes a question as to whether one should use religion to make law but in regards to use religion to make which laws.

BTW, are you confessing that you're one of those strange people who never engages in sodomy? Your God won't even let you enjoy a blow job?

Wife doesn't enjoy doing it, so no, manage to live without it. Thanks for asking.

What the fuck are you talking about?

I can use smaller words if you're having a problem keeping up.

He's aired numerous theories related to Palin's pregnancy story, and he can't possibly buy all of them. And, in fact, the theory he clearly states that he feels is most likely is the one I already quoted above, and is not that Palin was not Trig's mother. Why you keep pretending you can't read, I have no idea.

He clearly DOES believe that the kid isn't hers. Thus the reason he's obsessed over it to the point of nearly losing his job. That you can't recognize that does make one question your capacity for basic reading comprehension.

And what is this rule you're pushing? That one cannot air theories while asking questions about something unless they already buy into that theory themself?

...to the point of nearly being fired? Yeah. That is a really solid rule to go by.

Note that I don't go into any depth about Obama's "birth certificate problem".

Know why?

Because I have no reason to believe he's not a citizen. Now, if I sat here and posted all the reasons those inane Truthers mention for it, my claim to not believe it would be damaged just a wee bit, no?

The crime is telling people they are not allowed to ask questions of their leaders.

...says the supporter of a President who has elected officials saying people disagreeing with the President hate America.

Spare me.

And it's not the same as a 9/11 Truther.

Well, it doesn't pretend to be scientific...

But the information has been released to show that, say, it was a passenger plane that hit the Pentagon, not a missile.

Pictures of a very noticeably pregnant Sarah from February are quite public knowledge.

...yet excitable Andy still keeps it up.

Has he ever asked Obama to prove his kids are his? If not, why not? Obama has provided zero proof.

But I know you are hellbent on comparing Andrew Sullivan to some sort of person who hates his country so much he wants people to believe our own government committed the 9/11 atrocity.

So, you ARE terrible at basic comprehension. Thanks for clarifying.

No, he's just a blogger who noticed that Palin is an odd and compulsive liar and her pregnancy story had a lot of strange aspects to it.

...such as her not menstruating for 9 months. I'm sure that is odd to Andy.

The issue is whether you think there are legit questions surrounding Palin's pregnancy stories. You think there aren't, others think there are.

Unlike you, I discount inane theories from both sides. I don't think there were valid arguments that Obama wasn't legally qualified to be President.

You think it's an abuse of Palin to ask her to release records.

Well, given that the President hasn't done so, I see no reason for the soon-to-be-former Governor of Alaska to do so.

But, when you run for high office, you're gonna be asked questions and it's your choice whether you wanna put them to rest or let them fester. She used her pregnancy stories to promote herself into power, so it's not out of bounds to ask if she's being 100% honest about those stories.

I'll take questions about pregnancy from a non-misogynist who has basic understanding of what women actually are like --- not from a drama queen who has a crush on the President and a brutal lack of what the heck he's talking about.

Unknown said...

That's politics.
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