CBS News: Palin Aced It
[F]or the rest of the voters and interested Americans tuning in, Palin succeeded in giving the kind of speech that will be remembered for its dramatic circumstances – at the very least. Wednesday night, Sarah Palin lived up to all the accolades used to describe her by those who know her best back home, even some counted as adversaries – likable, smart and confident. The campaign could hardly have asked for more.
It was a test for Palin, this introduction to the national stage, one that was set up for her to pass – a well-prepared speech in front of a celebratory crowd guaranteed to respond to all the applause lines. Tougher challenges await, such as press conferences, hard-hitting interviews and that upcoming debate with her Democratic counterpart, Biden. But if this was the first exam, she easily aced it.
Great analysis, except that the Biden debate will hardly be a tougher challenge, given what a smarmy phony he is.
The oddest thing in all this is that they haven’t been basing her for her pot smoking. Are they afraid the base doesn’t care (enough) but that the MTV vote just might?
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 9/4/2008 @ 2:54 amI don’t think you can get any traction against any politician for smoking pot anymore, as long as it stopped before they took public office and stopped a decade or more ago. I think Palin could admit she was baked all through college but gave it up when she got married or found out she was pregnant with the first kid and no one would bat an eye these days.
Aplomb (b6fba6) — 9/4/2008 @ 3:18 amThe amount of traction they would get is ZERO, due to a certain confession published in “Dreams from My Father”.
Icy Truth (6189a6) — 9/4/2008 @ 4:13 amWhat a lot of BS but not surprising! She claimed to be against the Bridge to Nowhere yet she was for that and only after the outcry against it did she change but SHE STILL took the money and used for other pork spending. In fact she has grabbed thousands of earmarks in spite of her claims.
She makes the usual republican claim about Democrats raising taxes, always a good bogyman, and like a true elephant she forgot that Obamas proposal would raise taxes only for those making $250,000 year or more. Or maybe like McCain she thinks that is what ordinary Americans make. Its the usual Republican Tax fear mantra where truth is just an inconvenience.
Republicans were preaching experience and now they nominate her??!! She could be the next President and that’s ok? Shows that all the talk about experience is bullcrap. Just political posturing.
Republicans like her because she makes snide remarks and attacks Democrats. That’s all they care about it and it shows. If they wanted woman who could really be a help in serious governing they have many others in their party much more qualified.
Its theater of the absurd. McCain running a campaign against Washington insiders! Yes the Republican idea of change is a 72 year old man who has been in Congress since its founding, and who has voted with Bush 90% of the time! Its a joke but no more so than Republicans railing against pork barrel spending and the influence of Big Oil. HA HA Doesnt anyone ask what they have been doing all these years.
Its not surprising they could get away with this after all Bush got us into a war for reasons shown to be false and that didnt stop them from voting for him again. No big deal to them, I guess.
The only people that could buy this load of crap are die hard Republicans who also think there really are WMDs in Iraq and that this phony war really does have something to do with terrorism. And those that believe unemployment, inflation, the falling dollar, and the massive deficit are nothing compared to the horror of gays getting married.
The GOP of today just goes to show how much people will believe if you create enough fear and denounce the critics as unpatriotic. Has anyone seen that strategy before???
VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:10 amThe link below more accurately depicts last night’s Palin speech reading. I know the press wants to keep this close, but get real..She has no credentials to be vice president. A mayor of a town of 6000 and a governor of a state for less that 2 years and a population less than many urban counties in the lower 48 states. Not impressed…
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Sad.html
Paul Bibb (d9977f) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:23 amVEV, You are a Hate Filled Jerk.
If you like Democrat nostrums so much, move to Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe implemented all of Obama’s platform.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:27 amVEV – She really got to ya’, huh? Smarts a little, doesn’t it?
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:49 amPCD Nice racist comment!!! Typical
VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:56 amI’ll hand it to VietEraVet. He understands efficiency.
He writes comments that can be cut and pasted into any and all threads that mention Sarah Palin.
Natalie (08d9f5) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:02 amRacists
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:03 amEverybody knows that for years white racists have derided black folks by saying ” Go back to Africa” usually followed by some unprintable name. Well Now we see PCD doing exactly that!
VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:04 amAnd he refers to me as a jerk, proving once again Republicans, in spite of their rhetoric, only love vets when they keep their mouths shut and tow the company line.
Actually, VEV, PCD told you to go to a country run by a dictator who has gotten quite a bit of admiration from the left. They’re a bit muted about their admiration now, since he’s started openly murdering his opponents, but it’s still there. The fact that the guy happens to be an African dictator wasn’t really the point.
But, hey, you’re supporting a coke-using racist for President, so I guess you gotta go with whatever you can, right?
Rob Crawford (6c262f) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:16 amActually, comparing Obama to Mugabe is not racist.
And comparing Obama’s policies to Mugabe’s policies is not racist, either.
Oh!, you mean they are both black? Are you seriously implying it is racist to comapare one black politician with another?
I bet Baraky is closer politically to Mugabe than he is to Sarah Palin, or to you, for that matter, VEV. The problem is that you can’t tell because Baraky has no real, easily checked public record.
He has hidden most of his resume.
Jack (d9cbc5) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:17 amVEV – It is toe the line, not tow.
And you are free to offer whatever opinion you want. Your honorable position as a veteran does not immunize yourself from criticism though.
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:22 amOhhhhh…more VEV! More! I love the sound of lefty squealing.
It is a GOOD day.
S. Weasel (ed7c8f) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:22 amRACISTS!!!!
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:25 amHey Crawford, you forget that Bush too was involved in coke.. what is the difference..skin color?
And Jack you and I both know that telling blacks to go back to Africa has long been a racist statement. There are plenty of countries he could have made that stupid ignorant statement about but he chose a black one and dont tell me that is just coincidence. Not in light of the things racists usually say.
Also to suggest that Obama can be compared with a murderer is just hateful ignorance especially in light of the 4500 solders killed by Bush’s rush to war and the tens of thousands of Iraqis as well.
As the son of a combat wounded vet and a Vietnam Era Vet myself I can honestly say, Robert and PCD, I wish people like those that have posted on this board would get the hell out of this country and take your racism, wars and self pity along with you!!
VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:27 amThat’s it. That’s the stuff, VEV. Oh, it is sweeeeet.
S. Weasel (ed7c8f) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:31 amVietEraVet, it seems that you like to deal in unproven innuendo and rumors, not to mention old debunked Democratic lies. “rush to war” – what a stupid, stale, false Democratic slogan.
Hardly a show of character to match your alleged background.
SPQR (26be8b) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:32 amAt I sat and watched Sarah Palin rail against “special interest” and “shaking up Washington”. The cheering crowds were ironic. Since, people in the crowd supported Bush for 2 terms and a Republican Congress for 12 of 14 years.
What Republican failures does she want to “change”?
James (f7470d) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:39 amActually, that’s incorrect, though your ignorance does not surprise me. What actually happened was that she killed the BRIDGE project, and took the other money the state was given for DISCRESIONARY SPENDING (that means she could spend it however she liked). Please, I know you’re still a touch shell shocked, but do try to at least understand the difference. Pretty please? Do it for the eldest child of a former Army Specialist from Vietnam?
Considering the (in some cases) massive increases to the marginal rates, and that while there ARE spots that show no increase there are NO places that show a decrease, I would say it is fair to say the Dems will raise taxes.
Ironicly, you say this when the top of your ticket has less actual experiance than Gov. Palin… Seriously, do you WANT to keep on this? List his accomplishments. Count them off for me. I dare you.
Ok, this is going to be hard for you, but follow along with me…
She made exceedingly valid points regarding Obama. If they want to compare “experiance”, they are more than welcome. Like she said, being mayor of a small town is not unlike being a community organizer, except she had actual responsibilities…
Combined, Obama and Biden have 40 years in the Senate. McCain and Palin have 26. I would say that yes, that makes the Obama/Biden ticket the ticket of insiders, especially when the person with the record of working with the other party isn’t on the Dem ticket.
You missed then, I guess, the tons of biological weapons they found a while back, or the other 30-some-odd reasons listed as to the reason for why we should go into Iraq. You just hear “Bush lied, people died”, and dutifully repeat it. You are a living reason why the draft gives us a lower-quality army. I wonder… Were you part of Project 100,000?
I’ll say it again so you can follow alow, and I’ll use small words so you understand – every country thought they had WMDs. Every single one. Unemployment is actually dropping, inflation holds steady (it is always rising), the dollar is at 2-year records for STRENGTH vs the British Pound, and frankly we only barely care about gay marriage. If they would go for “civil union”, we’d probably help them get the laws passed.
I’m glad to see you got over the whole “Liberals spat on me when I came home” thing…
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:39 amVEV, you are the bloody racist. I didn’t mention anything about race. YOU DID.
You got bitch slapped last night, and again right now. YOU can’t handle it.
Now, deal with the comments honestly, hack.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:48 am#4 VEV:
Yes, I have. And from the same people that gave us gulags, concentration camps, and who knows how many millions of dead killed at the altar of “for our children.”
Hell, even the graphics that I am seeing here for Obama are the same as the fearless leader variety of a Mao, a Kim Jong Il, or a Soviet 5 year plan.
Now, I know you understand what that strategy of fear mongering one one hand, and utopian promises on the other is: you’ve articulated your revulsion for it. What I can’t understand is why you are willing to believe it will be different “this time,” when the party of the socialists continues to peddle flagrant falsehoods that are easily disproven~to wit, the WMDs in Iraq, where literally tons of them have been found.
EW1(SG) (da07da) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:11 amer, “…is on the one hand, and … on the other…”
EW1(SG) (da07da) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:12 amCBS said this? I thought it was a joke. Whoever wrote this apparently didn’t get the memo about the official stance on the Repubs.
Quaking Conservative (89e11d) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:14 amPerhaps VEV would cheer up if we changed the reference from Mugabe to Hugo Chavez? I find it more apropos at any rate. If my memory hasn’t failed, the FARC commander who met his very own Hellfire in Venezuela, was financed by Chavez and had messages on his laptop that included promises of very positive (from the commie viewpoint) changes which were to occur should Obama be elected. Chavez, Raoul Reyes (dead and therefore, good, FARC) and Obama all had their start as community organizers. It’s an experience shared by tens of thousands of socialists and communists around the world. There’s no need to be stuck on Mugabe.
Rick Ballard (0a8990) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:17 amI’ve never met someone claiming to be a Vietnam vet spew this kind of stuff, and two of my friends were stationed at Firebases there and are still hardcore lefties from way back. I think this guy is suffering from watching too many Oliver Stone movies…”hey, man! I was over there, and I’ve seen some things and stuff…you don’t wanna know, man!”
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:27 amVietEraVet wrote:
People paying attention know Obama voted to raise taxes on the middle-class in February. Obama says one thing, votes another.
Karl (1b4668) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:36 amWhat is so amazingly awesome about Palin’s speech was this: The teleprompter didn’t stop for all of the extended applauses and raced ahead. So from about a third of the way through the speech until the end, SHE WAS ON HER OWN WITHOUT THE TELEPROMPTER! I’d love to see the Obamessiah pull that off without every other word being Uhh…uhhh Also, what’s funny is all the talking heads making sure that everyone knew that she didn’t write the speech, that it was written for her. Duh! Like Obamessiah doesn’t have people writing his speeches too! I mean come on. I also love “Tasergate.” What a scum-bag, he tasered his 11 year old step son. And this is a guy the left wants to put forth as a victim? Go right ahead. Like Flounder said in “Animal House” “This is GREAT!!!”
J. Raymond Wright (d83ab3) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:00 amVEV is obviously suffering from Agent-Orange withdrawal symptoms.
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste”
Another Drew (22a60f) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:01 amI’ve been on the fence, waiting to see what happens at each convention; but, I’ve now made up my mind.
I thought that perhaps John McCain would select a moderate running mate, someone who would appeal to moderate Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, not another right-wing conservative. The Republican party is “packaging” this campaign for moderates, with lots of rhetoric that suggests that they’re putting our country first; however, look at what they’re doing and listen closely to what they’re saying. The selection of Sarah Palin is for the right-wing of the party – what it says is, be patient, this talk of reaching across the aisle and reform is only temporary, down the road it will be business as usual. Politicians like Sarah Palin are the future of the Republican Party, moderates are a dying breed. I don’t see how her selection helps us change the tone in Washington and break from the right-wing ideology that’s lead us down the wrong path.
We’ve heard this before. Do you remember when George Bush said he’d change the tone in Washington, that he’d reach across the aisle to get things done, that he was a “compassionate” conservative? Sounds pretty moderate right? But what actually happened? Look at where we are.
I was willing to give John McCain a chance. I voted for him when he was running against Bush eight years ago; however, John has steadily moved to the right ever since, which has made me skeptical. Now it’s become quite a bit clearer where his true allegiance is. McCain may have his own ideas, but the same cast of right-wing characters are working behind the scenes to continue business as usual – just as soon as they can pull another one over on the American people.
I’ve had enough, I’m throwing 100% of my support to Barack Obama.
Matt (5fae6d) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:11 amThe world applauds your decision Matt.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:19 amWhy are Mobys so friggin’ obvious?
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:20 amYes, and in much the same way no one was surprised the day Andy Dick admitted he was gay, I’m sure everyone you tell this to is shocked at your decision.
Simply shocked.
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:21 amSHOCKA !!!!!!!!!!!11elevnty
Moby Matt is not even original. Good Allah, that kind of stoopidity should be painful.
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:24 amWhat’s really funny is that George W Bush has more military experience than the entire Democratic Party ticket-even if he only showed up for a day.
Neo (cba5df) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:26 amWho provides these people with their templates and are there any blanks to fill in? Is the only space on the mad lib the part where they get to be creative with the “…and because of this I’m voting for Obama…”? Do they get to choose the “…for the first time in my life” or the “as a lifelong Republican”, etc? It’s like a million monkeys with typewriters.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:26 am33, Scott, we need the wav of the actor in Casablanca saying that he was, “Shocked, Shocked that gambling was going on here!”, then the character took his cut of the house’s winnings. Sort of like Matt.
At best, Matt a RINO, but probably is just a Donkey troll trying to act like a undecided voter to dishonestly influence other undecideds.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:27 amGive me a car battery, a set of jumper cables and a water-filled steel washtub, and it can be…
🙂
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:27 am“I’ve been on the fence…”
Of course you have, sweetheart – and it would appear that said fence – sitting has completely torn your testicles off in the process.
Which is not an altogether bad thing – the planet doesn’t need more contaminants to the gene pool at this time. But hey, thanks for playing.
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:28 amWe’ll never see him online here again, either PCD…
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:28 amMcCain and Obama go ice fishing. And for days on end, McCain comes back with fish and Obama none. Finally Harry Reid tells Obama that McCain is cheating so dont fish, just follow McCain around and find out how. Obama then reports back that he has caught McCain cutting a hole in the ice!
Neo (cba5df) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:30 amMatt – You forget about Bush actually reaching across the aisle. He let Kennedt write a major education reform bill. On immigration reform he let McCain work with the democrats, but the American people wanted to see enforcement first. Other efforts on reaching across the aisle, on things like social security, Nancy Pelosi just slapped his hand and became the party of NO for four years. You have a selective memory Matt.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:31 amI thought I was watching a WWF wrestling match. Hardly anybody knew her, and yet they screamed and yelled and worshipped her, calling “we love you.” What has happened to our country, that we prefer to elect a person we don’t know, who wouldn’t even get her foot inside the door for a job interview for the 2nd most important and demanding job in the world? Why would people react to her scripted speech like she’s a wrestlemania star? I guess we just want actors to run our country!
Jane-Des Moines (d671ab) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:36 amSpeak for yourself, Jane. Lots of people knew her before last night.
Patricia (ee5c9d) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:41 am“I guess we just want actors to run our country!”
Funny, that’s exactly what the Dems used to screech about Reagan before he started cleaning their collective clocks, and wound up being regarded as one of our country’s greatest Presidents.
Don’t know much ’bout history, do you, Jane? You should meet Russell, your shared ignorance sounds like a match made in heaven.
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:41 am“I guess we just want actors to run our country!”
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:43 amNah, I’d prefer an empty suit Chicago community organizer who stirs his followers into a frenzy worthy of a cult leader. Much more impressive.
Odd how the Democrats wail about Palin being an unknown. Outside of a convention speech, who had heard of Obama before he started his campaign?
Rob Crawford (6c262f) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:44 amWhat has happened to our country, that
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:48 amwea lot of people prefer to elect a person we don’t know, who wouldn’t even getherhis foot inside the door for a job interview for the2ndmost important and demanding job in the world?Rob, a lot of Illinois had…
Mores the pity.
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:49 am“who had heard of Obama before he started his campaign?”
Jeremiah “Hate Whitey” Wright
Alice “He Stabbed Me” Palmers
Bobby “Black Panther” Rush
Bill “Bomber Boy” Ayers
Antoine (Uncle Tony to the Obama kids) Rezko
Mike “Look, I’m a commie but I’m no bomb maker” Klonsky
Frank “She was begging for it” Davis
There are others, of course, but Obama has told them to keep their mouths shut if they know what’s good for them.
Rick Ballard (0a8990) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:53 amAmen – and there wasn’t a whole lot of vetting of The Messiah while he was running for the Senate here, either. But of course, there was a plethora of vetting on his opponent, which uncovered solid evidence of…his divorce.
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:54 amFunny that someone would claim that they were waiting for JSM to have a “moderate” on the ticket, but because he picks a feisty woman, they’re full bore for Bambi.
Uh, that doesn’t sound like someone that understands anything about what JSM is about. Sounds like a seminar caller.
steve miller (0fb51f) — 9/4/2008 @ 10:47 amJane-DesMoines, if that is really you and you are a Democrat from Des Moines, this is PCD from Dubuque, the 2nd most Democrat-Union Goon area of Iowa after Davenport. You are one of Tom Harkin’s interns. Please be honest about being a Democrat tool.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/4/2008 @ 10:54 amMugabe and Obama are unprintable names?
h0mi (a21964) — 9/4/2008 @ 10:59 amJane #43 – because you (and the MSM) didn’t know about Palin does not mean that everyone else was just as uninformed. I’m sorry but you are not the standard bearer. Some of us have been reading about Palin since she ran for gov of Alaska. Can you imagine?!
So please don’t assume we are all as clueless as you….and the now shamefaced MSM.
JD & Klompus – I love Moby’s music! There I said it. I shall now send myself to the corner and double-denounce myself. But I really do…love his music…can’t help it!
Dana (b4a26c) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:06 amFollowing is a message from someone who actually knows Sarah Palin. Very enlightening. Can be found at: http://sites.google.com/site/letterfromwasilla/
Letter from Wasilla
A note to all by Anne Kilkenny
Dear friends,
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
common: their gender and their good looks. 🙂
You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .
[ This was already posted on Washington Independent comments area,
with a controllable hotmail account, and was obviously meant by the
author to be read. ]
Thanks,
Anne
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
father was my child’s favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular
girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and
won’t vote for her can’t quit smiling when talking about her because
she is a “babe”.
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
for seven months.
She is “pro-life”. She recently gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby.
There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn’t take positions; she just “puts things out
there” and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly
sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his
work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or
so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She’s smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the
City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece
of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was
still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers
involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the
community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it
would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that
could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will
make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she
proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while
she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today’s
surplus, borrow for needs.
She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by
her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the
basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin’s
attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew
her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the
Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.
Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for
Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of “old boys”. Palin
fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
grateful and fiercely loyal–loyal to the point of abusing their power
to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated”
her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska’s top
cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure
and she had every legal right to fire him, but it’s pretty clear that
an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn’t
fire her sister’s ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen
contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she
later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew
her support.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t
like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great
job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this
Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to
nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
action restored most of these projects–which had been vetoed simply
because she was not aware of their importance–but with the unobservant
she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
fiscal conservative.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah’s
mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march
to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
global warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state
initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s
lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar
bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
(said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby
BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I’ve always operated in the belief that “Bad things happen
when good people stay silent”. Few people know as much as I do because
few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don’t have a job she can bump me out
of. I don’t belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah’s
attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
Wasilla, and I can’t recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
for a private person to get any info out of City Hall–they are
swamped. So I can’t verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
population of Wasilla, ranging from my “about 5,000”, up to 9,000. The
day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the
current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.
Anne Kilkenny
August 31, 2008
psb6571 (0fa415) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:18 amDmac #51 – there wasn’t a whole lot of vetting of The Messiah while he was running for the Senate
I disagree. Daly vetted Obama completely, because he had to know that he would be compliant chicago politician.
Apogee (366e8b) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:23 amHey! I can cut and paste too!
Judy, Sarah Palin is the US’s answer to Margaret Thatcher! Anyone who thinks she cannot handle the job or deal briskly and efficiently with ANY issue, including foreign governments, they haven’t met our Sarah .
As an Alaskan resident as well as a resident of Wasilla, AK, where Sarah Palin was at one time Mayor I can speak with confidence. Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska is exactly what she portrayed during her introduction this morning and exactly what our US Government needs. She is ethical to a fault (if there is such a thing), a refreshing change to the status-quo and as smart and determined a PERSON (gender really isn’t an issue here as far as I’m concerned) as anyone could ask for at the head of government.
Sarah is no naïve ‘small town mayor’ she just *started out* there. Btw, as Mayor of Wasilla, she brought this ‘small town’ through a lot of GOOD changes and left it at the end of her term having grown to the 4th largest CITY in Alaska a lot of growth and a stronger economic base than ever before.
She has EXECTUTIVE experience *running a government* (something NONE of the other candidates can actually boast, even John McCain ) as Governor of Alaska and got there by defeating the *incumbent* Republican Governor, who was definitely part of the ‘old school’ and who WAS very much in the pocket of the big oil companies. We in Alaska wanted change and we got it in the person of Sarah Palin!
Sarah Palin is everything she looks to be and more. Her approval rating as Governor of Alaska has been as high as 95% and is currently leveled out consistently in the upper 80 percentile throughout the state (and in both parties) – the HIGHEST approval rating of ANY sitting Governor.
Sarah has been turning around corruption in the Legislature of Alaska – turning things on their ear for that matter; cutting spending in spite of the increased income the state is currently receiving due to the high oil prices – she has insisted on putting a huge amount of the “windfall” into savings for the future rather than spending, spending, spending – and has insisted from the get-go on what she refers to as “honest, ethical and transparent governing” – no more closed door meetings and dealings – the big oil companies thought she would be a pushover and have learned better to their chagrin.
She understands the “real people” and the economic issues we all face (Alaskans along with the rest of the country) – she was one of “us” not long ago. Rather than passing useless “laws” or throwing money at pet projects, she (most recently) temporarily suspended the state gas tax (on gasoline at the pumps, fuel oil and natural gas for homes, etc.) and has ordered checks issued to ALL residents of Alaska this fall in an attempt to assist with the burden of high fuel costs for the upcoming winter. I could go on and on, but that’s enough for now . She isn¹t doing these things to be popular she is doing it because her constituents are HURTING financially and she can help.
She became Governor of Alaska by defeating the Incumbent Republican Governor and doing it *without* the money or the support of the Republican Party, which was amazing in itself – and she won by a landslide. The “powers that be” at that time totally underestimated Sarah and learned better the hard way. She has done exactly what she claimed she was going to do and is just as popular today as the day she was elected – perhaps more so since even the Democrats up here seem to like her – she works well with both sides in the Legislature here.
Sarah “belongs” to us (Alaskans) .. and although we are going to be terribly sorry to see her leave before she finishes the job she started here (two years ago) straightening out OUR State … we understand she is needed for a bigger purpose and hopefully her Lt. Governor will be able to fill her shoes here and continue the job.
As for worrying about what would happen if McCain were to die or step down or whatever … Theta, up here in AK we’ve only been wondering how long we would be able to KEEP Sarah in Alaska and have seen her as our first woman President of the USA from the start. It’s always been a matter of whether she would wait until the end of her TWO terms as Governor (no doubt at ALL that she would be re-elected if she ran for a second term at the end of her current term) … or end up in Washington sooner. She could do the job TODAY.
Personally, I feel a lot better about McCain now that I know he has someone as savvy, as strong, as ethical and as steady as Sarah at his back. She will be an excellent Vice President .. and my guess is will be our US Republican Presidential candidate in four years – AND by then the country will KNOW her will love and respect her as we do here – and she’ll win by as much of a landslide as she did here in Alaska. I only wonder if McCain has a clue what he is unleashing on the US of A . She is going to be a fresh wind, but also a strong wind.
Is that enough of an endorsement? If not, I’ll add this … Jerry and I have for many years felt the best “vote” was to vote for the lesser of two “evils” and hope they didn’t do too much damage. Two years ago during our State Governor’s race was the first time EVER that we actually asked for not just a little sign to put in our yard showing our support of our candidate (something we’ve never felt the desire to do at all before) – we asked for a full 4′ x 8′ “SARAH PALIN FOR GOVERNOR!” sign and were proud to have it. She hasn’t let us or Alaska down. She will do the same for the USA if given the opportunity.
Feel free to pass this on to anyone who may be interested (and spam those who aren¹t!).
-Deb Frost in Alaska
Apogee (366e8b) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:30 amThe Kilkenny letter reads like a letter to the editor written 2 years ago during Palin’s campaign for governor.
original comment here
h0mi (a21964) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:36 amHomi #59: What part of Anne’s recent message is debatable? Why?
psb6571 (6307e7) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:44 amAnne said it, therefore it is true !
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:50 amI heard that Anne was distributing LSD laced stamps with Mickey Mouse’s picture on them and was involved with some shenanigans involving Richard Gere and rodents.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:53 am#60 – What’s debatable is the home-spun ‘off the cuff’ nature of the latest letter:
So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
How convenient. Finding the earlier letter exposes the author as someone with an axe to grind against Palin, as a letter and email campaign that’s been repeated during political cycles seems a bit much to believe as simple ‘activism’.
I find it difficult to believe that Palin has an almost 80% approval rating if she’s doing such a bad job. Either she has everyone fooled, or they’re stupid in Alaska. Is that what you’re attempting to say?
Apogee (366e8b) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:00 pmpsb6571 – thanks for posting that about Gov. Palin. It is good to see her record.
Now, if we can see the Big Zero’s record. Oh that’s right, community organizers don’t actually accomplish anything – they just run around caring and, you know, organizing … communities.
How ’bout in the senate – cosponsored a few things but never held a meeting of his committee, and then ran for president after about 150 days of uninspiring service.
When a politician actually accomplishes something, it will always be easy to find critics to spin a yarn.
Come to think of it, when you think of community organizer, who comes to mind? Al Sharpton is who I think of. Sharpton is as qualified to be president as Obama. If a community organizer came to my community, we’d tell’em to buzz off. We don’t need no stinkin’ community organizers. We’ll organize ourselves and if we don’t care enough to do it ourselves, we don’t need it.
quasimodo (edc74e) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:08 pmApogee – This little letter campaign is about as believable as the Moby’s that were going to vote for McCain until he insulted them by displaying the fucking audacity to select a female Governor as his running mate.
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:13 pm@ psb6571 As apogee said, it calls into question whether this was really something someone threw togeter in 2 days, or if this was from a partisan Democrat who’s had an axe to grind against Palin for ~10 years. Plus the blogger I linked to raised the question about her tax math- it doesn’t sound like the population growth in Wasilla was accounted for in the growth of taxes/spending.
h0mi (a21964) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:31 pmSmall town politics are vicious, like academic politics, because there is usually so little at stake.
Stealing from commenter arb at Beldar’s: Sarahcuda!
htom (412a17) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:46 pmWhich I first saw last night from Chris Muir who does Day by Day.
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:49 pmhomi,
There’s no white pages listing for a Kilkenny in Wasilla, Alaska, and no listing for Anne Kilkenny in all of Alaska. I know it’s not conclusive proof but it is something to consider. While you’re at it, also consider that there are listings for Anne Kilkenny in two other states that show a person or persons by that name contributed to Barack Obama.
DRJ (7568a2) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:02 pm“Great analysis, except that the Biden debate will hardly be a tougher challenge, given what a smarmy phony he is.”
– Patterico
Now that’s great analysis!
Leviticus (41975c) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:05 pmDRJ @ #69…
You are a mean, mean person, DRJ.
To expose this poor innocent in such a manner –
Shame!
How about an ice-cream?
Another Drew (67986d) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:14 pm#69 @ DRJ – Bravo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:23 pmQuasimodo #64: It’s amazing what a little research can reveal. Try it sometimes.
1980 – 1984
OBAMA: B.A. in political science with a specialization in international relations from Columbia University.
PALIN: Wasilla High School, captain of the state-champion basketball team. Miss Wasilla, runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, also Miss Congeniality, although that is now disputed.
HIM: Ivy League degree.
HER: Tiara.
1985 – 1990
OBAMA: Moved to Chicago; became a community organizer as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization on Chicago’s far South Side. During his three years as the DCP’s director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants’ rights organization.
Moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law School. Selected as an editor and then elected president of the Harvard Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review’s staff of 80 editors.
PALIN: Bachelor of Science degree in Communications-Journalism, with a minor in Political Science from the University of Idaho. Brief stint as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations; left to join her husband in commercial fishing.
HIM: Sterling Legal Education
HER: Sportscaster.
1991 – 1995
OBAMA: Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School; received contract and advance to write a book (“Dreams from my Father”) as well as a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School. Directed the Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers that achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading Crain’s Chicago Business to name Obama to its 1993 list of “40 under Forty” powers to be. Appointed as a Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago. Joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development. Active in several community organizations, usually as a board member.
PALIN: Member of the Alasaka Independence Party which advocates “Alaska First”. Elected to Wasilla city council.
HIM: Expert on our nation’s fundamental legal principles.
HER: Plotted to leave the Union; thinks Pledge of Allegiance was written by our founding fathers, doesn’t know what a Vice President does.
1996 – 2000
OBAMA: Promoted to Senior Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Elected to the Illinois Senate. Sponsored more than 800 bills. (See http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/29/us/politics/20070730_OBAMA_GRAPHIC.html ) In 2000, lost a Democratic primary run for the U.S. House of Representatives to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush by a margin of two to one.
PALIN: Elected as Mayor of Wasilla (population 5,470), defeating the incumbent by a total of 616 votes to 413. Town budget, $8 million (3 millionths of the Federal budget), approximately 100 employees. Reduced property taxes but increased sales taxes. Fired the Wasilla police chief, citing a failure to support her administration. (He then sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin’s opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons.) Hired a DC lobbyist to bring $27 million in earmarks to the city. Wasilla had zero debt when she entered office but she left it with indebtedness of over $22 million, including $15 million-plus for construction of a hockey center which was built on a piece of property that the city didn’t even have clear title to, a matter that is still in litigation. Attempted to ban books from the city library.
HIM: Sponsored 823 bills.
HER: Swayed 616 voters.
2001 – 2004
OBAMA: Re-elected in 2002 and became chairman of the Illinois Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.
Publicly spoke out against the invasion of Iraq BEFORE the congressional authorization in 2002, and then again before the actual invasion in 2003.
Wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
November 2004: elected to the US Senate, receiving over 3.5 million votes, more than 70% of total.
PALIN: Elected President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. Unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second in a five-way race in the Republican primary, receiving 19,000 votes. Appointed to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, served as chairman from 2003 to 2004 and also served as Ethics Supervisor. Resigned in protest over the “lack of ethics” of fellow Republican members. Exposed the state Republican Party’s chairman, Randy Ruedrich, for doing party work on public time and working closely with a company he was supposed to be regulating. Director of Ted Stevens’ 527 group.
HIM: Demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even began.
HER: Hasn’t Really Though Much About Iraq – despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there
2005 to Present
OBAMA: Sworn in as the fifth-ever African-American U.S. senator. Worked with Republican Senator Lugar to author and implement a program to locate and dismantle stray Russian WMD’s. Designated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as the party’s point man on ethics. Worked with Russ Feingold to pass a major ethics/lobbying reform bill. Cosponsored, with John McCain, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. Called for increased fuel efficiency standards (3 percent every year for 15 years). Assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Homeland Security. Chairman of the Senate’s subcommittee on European Affairs. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Waged a tremendous battle to become the Democratic presidential nominee. Currently manages 2,500 campaign employees and a budget of $40-$50 million/month.
YEARS 2007-08: All Bills Sponsored-70; All Amendments Sponsored-59; All Bills Co-sponsored-404; All Amendments Co-sponsored-106; Bills Originally Co-sponsored-230; Amendments Originally Co-sponsored-75
YEARS 2005-06: All Bills Sponsored-66; All Amendments Sponsored-86; All Bills Co-sponsored-255; All Amendments Co-sponsored-172; Bills Originally Co-sponsored-161; Amendments Originally Co-sponsored-125
PALIN: 2005: Board Member, Valley Hospital Association, which runs the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Wasilla.
Became youngest and first female Governor of Alaska, taking office in December, 2006. Received 114,600 votes. The population of Alaska is 683,478 and more than 50% of the state budget comes from oil revenues, not taxes as in other states. Gross State Product: $44 billion (including the oil revenue). Ranking 45 of 50.
Auctioned off the Governor’s jet on eBay. Took on fellow-Republican Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings. Promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska. Helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits. Formed a sub-cabinet group of advisers to address climate change but does not accept that it is man-made. Objected to listing polar bears as an endangered species because it might hurt oil and gas development in the bears’ habitat. Was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it. However, Alaska kept the federal money. Denied her daughter was pregnant before she confirmed it. Supported abstinence-only education.Currently under a bipartisan investigation for abuse of power for dismissing Alaska’s Public Safety Commissioner. Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, but has played no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. (The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations.)
Obtained her first passport in 2007 to perform visits to the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait and Germany. (Foreign experience so limited that a stopover in Ireland listed on her resume.)
HIM: Impressive figure on the national stage who knows how Congress works and is engaged with foreign policy issues.
HER: Small state governor for 21 months; “next to Russia”, but that is just 1 of the 190 countries in the world she has never been to.
CONCLUSION: The word “executive” is not some kind of magic force multiplier when placed in front of the word “experience”.
psb6571 (6307e7) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:25 pmMy friend Anne Kilkenny who gave Natalie Merchant herpes got an A on her philosophy exam. The professor asked the question “Why?” and all she wrote down was “Why not?”
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:26 pmThere IS an Anne Kilkenny in Wasilla, AK.
psb6571 (6307e7) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:38 pm#74…
Another Drew (67986d) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:40 pmLink, please.
I think what we’ll find is that “Anne” will really mean “Rick” and “Kilkenny” will mean “Ellersberg.”
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 1:51 pm#74 – Devastating response. We wither under the weight of your brilliance.
JD (5f0e11) — 9/4/2008 @ 2:01 pmDmac – Outstanding.
JD (5f0e11) — 9/4/2008 @ 2:02 pmAD, JD, and psb6571,
psb6571 is right. The Anchorage Daily News reports there is an
Anne Kilkenny in Wasilla, Alaska and the email is authentic. The complete email is at the link and it’s interesting reading.
The ADN describes Kilkenny as a “stay-at-home mom, letter-to-the-editor writer and longtime watcher of Valley politics” as well as a registered Democrat. She seems to be a long-time critic of Sarah Palin.
Good for Kilkenny for speaking her mind, and some of her claims raise concerns and should be investigated. From the reports, there are journalists and Obama supporters investigating Palin’s history as we speak so we may hear more on this. My bet is we are most likely to hear more about book banning that allegedly happened early in her career when she had less experience. Book banning is a valid concern.
Who knows? We may see Anne Kilkenny interviewed on TV soon.
DRJ (7568a2) — 9/4/2008 @ 10:54 pmDRJ…
Another Drew (67986d) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:11 pmWe knew that Palin had been active in the PTA, but I didn’t know she was on the school board?
PTA’s, at least in my experience when my Mom was active during my K-6 years (a long time ago), didn’t control what was on the Library shelves – that was a Board function.
Now, perhaps she lobbied the Board contending that certain books were inappropriate for the grade-level involved. Parents do that all the time, right or wrong – how many times do we have to fight the Left over Huck Finn ?
Anyway, Ms. Kilkenney seems as she was described by the paper, and has probably made a career out of opposing Sarah Palin.
Palin asked the librarian how the librarian would feel about certain books being removed from the library; librarian was hostile to the idea. ~week later, Palin asks for resgination.
To date nobody’s said what books were being talked about or why these books would be removed from the library.
Fabrication.
h0mi (a21964) — 9/5/2008 @ 10:45 amhomi @ #83…
Another Drew (faec8a) — 9/5/2008 @ 10:54 amJust what was Sarah Palin’s position when this event took place?
Kilkenny was a crony of Murkowski. (The GOv Plain took down)
She is a leftwinger from U of Cal Berkley. She is now an Obama operative.
geevill (7d094b) — 9/5/2008 @ 12:39 pmAs I mentioned in #82, a professional anti-Palin operative.
Another Drew (faec8a) — 9/5/2008 @ 12:58 pmAnd what about the son of the nazi from Stromfront that joined the republican GOP!! This does not bother you?
Squaw (1d5a3e) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:15 pmAnd palin without any international knowledge and beiing just mac cain’s parrot… she even did not write her address to the congress… This is a dangerous situation for the whole world. 2 persons able to ruin bush’s ruins!!! and willing to enter another war….. Think again…
First, I think you meant “convention”…
Second who, by chance, wrote Obama or Biden’s speech?
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:19 pmDoes anyone recall when Palin addressed Congress? Folks?
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:20 pmWhere oh where do these people come from – they are a treasure trove of comedic gold.
And what’s Obama’s?
And what about the son of the nazi from
How about David Duke, or the “esteemed” senator from the Democrat side of the floor who was a member of the KKK?
You folks also had Wallace… Nice guy, he was…
I’ll think again just as soon as you’ve managed the task once…
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:22 pmI guess they’re all caught up with the jerky chores?
Another Drew (faec8a) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:26 pmDavid duke never was a democrat. Just like all nazi guys he just had one choice to run. Be a republican….Look the one that ran in Tennessee…. some years ago…
Squaw (9be276) — 9/6/2008 @ 2:12 pmhttp://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2008/02/twoton_turdreicher_jt_ready_di.php
Squaw (9be276) — 9/6/2008 @ 2:14 pm#87 – Squeal
she even did not write her address to the congress
— Governor Palin addressed the US Congress? When was that?
Icy Truth (5b3d64) — 9/6/2008 @ 2:21 pmWhat a crew! mc Cain does not know who is Ptin, does not know that Tchekoslovaquia is no more a country for alerady 15 years… thinks that Irak has borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan!!! takes advises from Bush’s family!!!! 8 years of disasters…. almost 10 trillions of debts… and his “vision” will just increase this debt….
And Palin that never left the country and was mayor of a 7 000 people village.. and you want this team to have at the head of the country????
Squaw (9be276) — 9/6/2008 @ 3:35 pm#87, 92, 95, you shame squaws everywhere.
Dana (084de8) — 9/6/2008 @ 3:49 pmJesus Christ was a community organizer.
Pontius Pilate was a governor.
Why do so many Republicans hate Jesus?
VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:31 pmCan someone tell me what it is conservatives are so afraid will happen if Obama wins? They sure sound angry and terrified about the prospect, but why?
It can’t be that they’re afraid women will be suddenly awarded the right of reproductive choice; women already have it and the GOP did nothing to change that when given the chance of a lifetime. Fuel prices have tripled under the Republican reign, they seem fine with it, and so we have to assume that that worry is not a factor in the conservative calculus. Nor can they be legitimately concerned that democrats will vastly increase federal spending, or enact horrendously expensive new entitlement programs supported by taxes socializing healthcare costs and bar the government from benefiting from the cost saving magic of the free market. Nope, those horses have all fled the barn, no use closing the door now.
Maybe they’re worried democrats will be vacationing, sound asleep at the switch, while the intel community frantically tries to warn them of a vast, pending terrorist attack that could kill thousands of innocent Americans. Some might even be concerned that democrats will exploit such a tragedy for personal political gain and still fail to capture or kill the criminal masterminds that planned it. Others might speculate Obama will respond by foolishly attacking the wrong nation on a false premise and get us embroiled in a trillion dollar bloody boondoggle that wrecks out military readiness, destroys our international credibility, and gets thousands of US soldiers and untold hundreds of thousands of innocent bystanders killed or maimed for life. Worst case scenario: after all that misery and money, weak willed democrats will roll over and hand a date for US failure to the insurgents in Iraq.
Then again, maybe conservatives are thinking closer to home. What if progressive economic policies wrecked the economy, rocked Wall Street, caused hundreds of thousands of people to lose their homes and jobs, and turned over our national economic future to the tender mercies of fundamentalist Sunni Monarchs and the communist Chinese? Or expand government intrusiveness making toilet paper out of the US Constitution? Maybe, in their darkest fears, they’re afraid democrats would foolishly go on vacation and ignore their responsibilities while a massive hurricane lumbers into the US coast at a slow jog and sinks a major American city.
At least one source of conservative anxiety is imminently plausible: Democrats might rescind tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas, divert corporate welfare from insanely profitable corporations to uninsured or sick children, raise taxes on billionaires and oil companies, and create a more equitable healthcare system. That such possibilities strike fear into the corrupt soul of conservatism says a lot more about their decedent priorities than the middle class values of their opponents.
I guess that’s what confuses a lot of voters: Conservatives are worried that Democrats might do the same astonishingly lousy job Republicans have done for the last eight years. To avoid even the possibility that that might happen, conservatives prescribe electing more members from the same crew who wrecked the country, in what is clearly to any lucid external observer the ridiculous and desperate hope that the same party will fix it all by continuing, uninterrupted, the same policies that produced the damage in the first place. In the alternate reality fabricated by the seamlessly integrated conservative PR apparatus, this extension of the failed status quo is called change, in the rest of the world it’s one of the better known definitions of insanity.
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VietEraVet (543dfe) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:33 pmBecause he didn’t have any “actual responsibilities” .
i like america (f4c1e0) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:45 pmHey yo vet..
Russia, Iran and Venezuela for starters.
Vermont Neighbor (a066ed) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:48 pmAnd you’re an astroturfer.
Jim Treacher (592cb4) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:48 pmYou both need to lay off the acid…and I was gonna say ‘Before it’s too late,’ but that point has passed.
EW1(SG) (84e813) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:51 pmHmm, and I should make sure there isn’t any ambiguity in my posts, but I’m pretty sure Vermont Neighbor and Treacher know I wasn’t referring to either of them.
EW1(SG) (84e813) — 9/6/2008 @ 8:53 pm