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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / Ready on Day One We’ll Be Ready In a Few Days

Ready on Day One We’ll Be Ready In a Few Days

by John Cole|  August 31, 20087:06 pm| 289 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, Did You Know John McCain Was A POW?

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Andrew Halcro, one of the Republicans who ran against Palin in 2006, is reporting that the McCain campaign has begun vetting their candidate:

The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

Word is they have have eight rooms reserved at a Wasilla hotel.

Vetting someone after you put them on the ticket, part of the change we can all believe in if we elect McSame.

Remember, when you say “supremely irresponsible,” the media says “bold.”

When you say “intemperate gambler,” the media says “maverick.”

When you say “not ready for primetime,” the media says “someone you want to have a beer with.”

Meanwhile, hopefully the vetting process will include a discussion of the founding fathers and the pledge of allegiance, as well as pointing out you shouldn’t lie to the nation on the first day as a candidate.

*** Update ***

It gets even better. Maybe they should have told them there were Iraqi WMD at the library archive, then there would have been wingnuts galore checking them out.

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Previous Post: « Some Random Quick Thoughts
Next Post: Gustav Open Thread »

Reader Interactions

289Comments

  1. 1.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 7:09 pm

    The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

    Word is they have have eight rooms reserved at a Wasilla hotel.

    LMAO.

  2. 2.

    oh really

    August 31, 2008 at 7:09 pm

    Vetting someone after you’ve put them on the ticket?

    Isn’t that what Democrats have been know for?

    With each passing day, my confidence in the utter stupidity of McPOW is renewed and enhanced.

  3. 3.

    Doug H. (Fausto no more)

    August 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    Well, someone has to make sure the skeletons stay in the closet and the long knives stay away from Palin’s back.

  4. 4.

    Jake

    August 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    Word is they have have eight all of the rooms reserved at a THE Wasilla hotel.

    Fixed.

    There are two words that summarize the McCain campaign:

    Bush League

  5. 5.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    Of course, this is the party that blew up Iraq and then looked for a reason.

  6. 6.

    gbear

    August 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    Yep, a blogger in AK has already discovered that no one from the McCain campaign bothered to look at the hometown newspaper during the time when Palin was mayor. Morans.

  7. 7.

    wasabi gasp

    August 31, 2008 at 7:22 pm

    Too late to vet. Cleanup.

  8. 8.

    NR

    August 31, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    Palin isn’t the issue. McCain’s judgment is. He chose someone who he’d met once and knew almost nothing about to be first in the line of succession for the most powerful office in the world.

    Political malpractice, pure and simple.

  9. 9.

    oh really

    August 31, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    Presumptive President John McPOW will soon announce that the vetting of Palin has been suspended because all hands are needed on the front lines of Gustav — the Central Front in the War on Nature.

  10. 10.

    Doug H. (Fausto no more)

    August 31, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    From gbear’s link, hilzoy comes up with a valid line of thought:

    The more I learn about this choice, the more it reminds me of Bush’s choice of Harriet Miers. I don’t think it’s at all similar in its political ramifications — Miers’ nomination was seen as a betrayal by social conservatives, the very people who are thrilled by Sarah Palin. But it is similar in the manner in which each was chosen. In each case, the person who made the choice had wanted to pick someone else, someone he regarded as a close friend., In each case, he was told that he couldn’t choose that person because it would be politically disastrous. In each case, the person who made the choice responded not by sitting down and thinking about who might fill the role s/he was to be nominated for with distinction, but by making a quick and ill-considered choice of a plainly unqualified person, a choice that seemed like an insult to the office that person was nominated to fill.

    So if Holy Joe is Gonzo and Palin is Harriet, who’s Alito? Mittens?

  11. 11.

    EL

    August 31, 2008 at 7:26 pm

    In honor of this VP pick, I donated this morning to Obama through the ActBlue Balloon-juice page. John, how about putting up the ActBlue thermometer and link again to allow us to express our opinion of McCain’s fine maverickiness?

  12. 12.

    t jasper parnell

    August 31, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    Agreed that the issue here is McCain’s malfeasance, Still the Halcro site offers an interesting discussion of Palin‘s pluses and minuses. The latter seem more weighty than the former.

  13. 13.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 7:28 pm

    Somebody mentioned yesterday that they got more “vetting” when they applied for a job at McDonald’s than the Repug’s veep pick got.

  14. 14.

    gbear

    August 31, 2008 at 7:31 pm

    It’s total fucking bullshit that McCain is going to set up shop down near the storm and pretend to play president thru this. He’s not in any position to affect anything other than sucking resources and getting in the way of people who are trying to do something real. He’s playing this like the Georgia crisis and he’s probably going to get away with it. It’s the only thing that people will remember about the RNC.

  15. 15.

    Jake

    August 31, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    I also donated to Obama today. This guy cannot be allowed to get into the WH.

    Oh, and, Joe Klein once again punches McCain in the balls.

  16. 16.

    CharlesF

    August 31, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    Andrew Sullivan seems to think the question about the baby is worth looking into:

    http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/things-that-mak.html

    and links to this seemingly well-researched post on Kos:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/121350/137/486/580223

    where there are almost 2000 comments already.

    I was skeptical when I first heard this story, and like John thought it was UFO territory, but the photos and facts raised there are pretty compelling.

  17. 17.

    matt

    August 31, 2008 at 7:54 pm

    It seems very unlikely that she wasn’t vetted, almost impossible. McCain might be off his rocker, but he’s still surrounded by professionals.

    The potential landmines in her past are endless, from inconsequential-but-still-embarrassing shit, to full-blown-scandal shit. It’s really hard to believe she wasn’t vetted. As Biden would say, it’s literally difficult to imagine.

  18. 18.

    rob!

    August 31, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    the fix is in: i just listened to Chris Matthews (on the phone) and MSNBC host Dan Abrams gush over how much better Bush and McCain are handling this hurricane, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING YET.

    look, every President should be allowed to destroy one major American city and then get props for doing it slightly better the next time. how else are they going to learn?

  19. 19.

    gbear

    August 31, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    Christ, a fucking swat truck prepped for a raid in front of my house about 20 minutes ago. Get these fucking nazis and republicans out of my goddamned city. And take the facsist Ramsey County sheriff with you when you go.

  20. 20.

    demimondian

    August 31, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    There’s only one change I’m believing in right now — the change in the identity of McCain’s running mate.

  21. 21.

    Jake

    August 31, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    I was skeptical when I first heard this story, and like John thought it was UFO territory, but the photos and facts raised there are pretty compelling.

    That Kos diary has been dug about 4000 times. Is that a lot? I’ve honestly no idea. Anyway if Sullivan’s picked it up, it’s certain to get much more attention.

    I guess I still view it as more of an internet rumor than anything else. What I can’t get past is the following: let’s give Palin the benefit of the doubt, and assume her story is the one that’s true. The decision she made to get on that 8hr flight, leaking amniotic fluid, without telling the flight crew, just seems incredibly irresponsible.

    The Palin’s are almost MORE sympathetic if they ARE covering for their daughter.

  22. 22.

    DougJ

    August 31, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

    So if you’re in a Wasilla public restroom and you hear a tapping noise in the stall next to yours, you know who it is.

  23. 23.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    McCain: Bomb first, ask questions later.

    Boy was this some ‘bomb’! In more ways than one…lol

    McCain: Palin is my choice.

    Aide: Why?

    McCain: Have you seen her pictures?! She makes Cindy look like a cow.

    Aide: Should we vet her first?

    McCain: Naah. She isn’t a vet so no need for that.

    McBu$h/Qualyn ’08: Something Old, Something New

  24. 24.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    MSNBC host Dan Abrams gush over how much better Bush and McCain are handling this hurricane,

    Are they having cake again this time?

  25. 25.

    matt

    August 31, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    Lowest. bar. ever.

  26. 26.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    Shoots first and asks questions later. It would be sad day to ever have a president like that.

  27. 27.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    McBu$h/Qualyn ‘08: Something Old, Something New

    The Maverick and the MILF.

  28. 28.

    Some Guy

    August 31, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    OMFG. This just gets dumber and dumber. Ditto with gbear on the exploitation of Gustav. It gets worse, actually (no, you cannot make this up, it takes too much work to do well): Rick Davis is now accusing Obama of being insenstive to Gustav because . . . wait for it . . . Obama talked politics today:

    “Told Obama had criticized McCain and Palin on the campaign trail over pay equity, Davis continued: ‘So he attacks us while there’s a hurricane going on and John McCain suspends his convention basically. What bigger contrast can you have about putting your country first?'”

    Vet your VP after the fact, do the right thing in pulling back on the convention only to blow that up by going whole hog on exploiting a nature-made disaster set. Then accuse the other guy of what you are doing. It is like Rove’s cloven-hooved cousins showed up to take over McCain’s campaign.

  29. 29.

    zuzu's petals

    August 31, 2008 at 8:01 pm

    WordPress (or whatever) ate my last, hope this isn’t a repeat.

    I don’t think the Washington Monthly quote saying the newspaper doesn’t have online archives is accurate.

    See my comment over at the Washington Monthly site.

  30. 30.

    zack

    August 31, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Oh, please. Not vetted? Give me a break.

    Intrepid journalist Michelle Malkin is fully on board with President Palin. So much so that’s she already discussing PDS (Palin Derangement Syndrome).

    Does anyone here actually believe that Palin could have any skeletons in her closet after the country’s premier investigative reporter Michelle Malkin has obviously scoured all of her granite counter-tops and found them – absolutely Palin-perfect.

    Certainly, Malkin would not give her support to someone who had not passed the most vigorous journalistic scrutiny.

    She doesn’t put her cheerleader outfit on for just anyone you know.

  31. 31.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Andrew Sullivan seems to think the question about the baby is worth looking into

    Andrew Sulluvan is dead to us now.

    Period.

  32. 32.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 8:04 pm

    The Palin’s are almost MORE sympathetic if they ARE covering for their daughter.

    They’d be covering it up for their OWN image, not their daughter. How can Mommy be all Family Values holy and come-to-Jesus if daughter dear is doin’ it?

  33. 33.

    L. Ron Obama

    August 31, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    A Kos diary with 2,000 comments? Now it must be true!

  34. 34.

    L. Ron Obama

    August 31, 2008 at 8:09 pm

    Some Guy, did we get “hyperlink rolled”?

  35. 35.

    demimondian

    August 31, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    Not so — Palin would be much more sympathetic to me if she’d covered for her daughter than if she’d taken a ten-hour plane ride against doctor’s orders when carrying a Down’s baby. Down’s syndrome kids are unpredictably delicate, due to numerous physical problems that they have, and the thought of taking the risk of a fast labor with a child who might need immediate intensive care strikes me as beyond narcissistic.

    Defrauding the state to cover for her daughter’s spread-leg-mono is crooked and vile — but endangering a child is a lot worse, in my book.

  36. 36.

    modulo myself

    August 31, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    There’s something going on, especially with all of this talk about vetting and getting people over to Alaska. The fact that self-promoting asshole Andrew Sullivan is going with it leads me to believe a lot of establishment people have suspicions right now.

    That McCain is publicly announcing he’s sending his staff over to check this VP candidate of his out leads me to think they know something too.

  37. 37.

    L. Ron Obama

    August 31, 2008 at 8:15 pm

    How can Mommy be all Family Values holy and come-to-Jesus if daughter dear is doin’ it?

    Uh, it worked for W.

  38. 38.

    Ed Marshall

    August 31, 2008 at 8:15 pm

    And take the facsist Ramsey County sheriff with you when you go.

    That shit is crazy, watch more here

  39. 39.

    zuzu's petals

    August 31, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    Hmmm, I ran another search and don’t see it pulling up anything earlier than about 2000. Sorry for the prior, then.

  40. 40.

    DougJ

    August 31, 2008 at 8:18 pm

    Not so—Palin would be much more sympathetic to me if she’d covered for her daughter than if she’d taken a ten-hour plane ride against doctor’s orders when carrying a Down’s baby. Down’s syndrome kids are unpredictably delicate, due to numerous physical problems that they have, and the thought of taking the risk of a fast labor with a child who might need immediate intensive care strikes me as beyond narcissistic.

    I agree. The story about the plane ride is weirder and reflects poorly on her judgement in a way that the other possibility doesn’t.

  41. 41.

    Nemoudeis

    August 31, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    I think at this stage of the game it’s called a “cleanup squad.” There’s no such thing as ex post facto vetting.

  42. 42.

    CharlesF

    August 31, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    L.Ron-
    Didn’t say that made it true, in fact didn’t saying anything about the 2000 comments other than they existed, but it does seem to be a sign that people want to dig into the story, which is what the internet seems to excel at. As far as I know, John is right, it is on the level of the Manchurian Muslim.

    I looked at that family photo at 7 months, and neither daughter or mother look pregnant, so we’ll see.

    But the story today about McCain people going to AK now to vet Palin sure is weird. Vetting after the fact = covering their ass.

  43. 43.

    Some Guy

    August 31, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    Oh crap, sorry. I usually cut and past the code for hyperlinks and forget to substitute the real URL for the example. I am a moron, no need to stress that, I live it every day.

    Here is the Rick Davis link. It is short and breathtakingly stupid:

  44. 44.

    zzyzx

    August 31, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    The thing about the baby story is that it’s high risk/low reward. If it’s not true all of the other problems we have with Palin are swept under the rug and she looks better. If it is true, it won’t really kill her that much.

    If it breaks, let it happen with the press who actually are interested in this (sex scandals always are news) and keep our hands clean.

  45. 45.

    Some Guy

    August 31, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    Oh crap, sorry. I usually cut and past the code for hyperlinks and forget to substitute the real URL for the example. I am a moron, no need to stress that, I live it every day.

    Here is the Rick Davis link. It is short and breathtakingly stupid.

  46. 46.

    Brachiator

    August 31, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    Doug H. (Fausto no more) Says:

    From gbear’s link, hilzoy comes up with a valid line of thought:

    The more I learn about this choice, the more it reminds me of Bush’s choice of Harriet Miers. I don’t think it’s at all similar in its political ramifications—Miers’ nomination was seen as a betrayal by social conservatives, the very people who are thrilled by Sarah Palin. But it is similar in the manner in which each was chosen. In each case, the person who made the choice had wanted to pick someone else, someone he regarded as a close friend.

    Sorry, this doesn’t really track at all. In picking Miers, Dubya was doing his usual thing, picking cronies on the basis of personal loyalty, without regard to their qualification for the job. McCain didn’t know Palin from a hill of beans, but was either attracted to her looks or her reputation for being a maverick. But both Palin and Miers were obvious pitches to the evangelical wing of the party. There were a lot of unofficial guarantees that Miers would not consider the law in her decisions, but would consistently vote the way that the evangelical leadership desired.

    Diehard Republican enablers like Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Prager immediately applauded Miers selection and predicted that her confirmation would be a sure thing. However, other Republicans were disgusted with Miers selection, and their revolt against Bush was swift and unrelenting. Opposition to Palin so far has been muted.

    Columnist George Will lead much of the intellectual opposition to Miers. But Palin’s nomination may be a done deal before opponents can fully weigh in, leaving the ultimate decision up to the voters.

    There were times in the past where no one much gave a damn about the VP choice, but Cheney’s role as co-president and McCain’s age and health issues have created a heightened sensitivity to the importance of the office.

    McCain has certainly upped the ante on his entire campaign with this choice. It will be very interesting to see where we stand by the end of the week.

  47. 47.

    Ella in NM

    August 31, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    Why does this whole thing call to mind a “Shotgun Wedding”?

    Or better yet, why did the two of them on stage together Friday resemble an old man who had just become the beneficiary of a arranged marriage?

    EeEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!

  48. 48.

    iluvsummr

    August 31, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    How I wish people would pay a little more attention to this article by former vice-chairman of the fed, Alan Blinder. Excerpt:

    …I call the first fact the Great Partisan Growth Divide. Simply put, the United States economy has grown faster, on average, under Democratic presidents than under Republicans.

    The stark contrast between the whiz-bang Clinton years and the dreary Bush years is familiar because it is so recent. But while it is extreme, it is not atypical. Data for the whole period from 1948 to 2007, during which Republicans occupied the White House for 34 years and Democrats for 26, show average annual growth of real gross national product of 1.64 percent per capita under Republican presidents versus 2.78 percent under Democrats.

  49. 49.

    The Moar You Know

    August 31, 2008 at 8:29 pm

    Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but this is not a vetting team. McCain’s people are not that stupid. Nobody is.

    This is a cleanup team.

    For what, I am not sure – but I and many others would like to know.

    I wonder if the GOP is going to have a new veep candidate next week – bets?

  50. 50.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    Andrew Sullivan seems to think the question about the baby is worth looking into:

    Like I said yesterday, others are looking into it and if it has legs it will move. I think it is a waste of time right now, but if speculation grows and it is from both sides of the aisle then it bears looking in to. In issues like this I prefer to be a follower rather than a leader. Why? I have a daughter and this line of questioning makes me uncomfortable, especially of a minor child. That is why I defer this to people who are not impeded by my ‘infirmity’. ;)

    If anything, I think John should have limited the discussion to known information and encouraged people to leave speculation out. I am a free speech nut and I agree with JSF that this is what makes BJ the place it is. Comments are the responsibility of the one who make them, not the owner of the blog. If something is being talked about that makes me uncomfortable then I don’t participate. While I am a free speech nut, I am not a hate speech nut and I can guess that John is not either. Excepting hate speech, I think all discussion should be open but that is just my opinion.

    In the realm of what I do feel comfortable talking about, the speech, flight and remote hospital just don’t make sense with a known high-risk fifth child. My Mom had seven kids and she said that by the time she had five they were literally falling out. That is what I find strange about this, and IMO her actions were selfish and irresponsible. She put everyone on that flight at a risk of whatever would happen if she were to have given birth in flight. That is not a sign of good decision making but rather a sign that she will do whatever she wants, consequences be damned.

  51. 51.

    zuzu's petals

    August 31, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    Hmmm, I ran another search and don’t see it pulling up anything earlier than about 2000
    1998. Sorry for the prior, then.

  52. 52.

    Narcissus

    August 31, 2008 at 8:32 pm

    What does it mean to “leak” amniotic fluid? And she was on an 8 hour plane ride?

    I mean, damn, I don’t like sitting in movie theater seats.

  53. 53.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    I wonder if the GOP is going to have a new veep candidate next week – bets?

    They’ll want to prolong sacking her as long as possible. The Fundie cash is rolling in. When it slows down, they can sack her for Ron Paul and suck in some major glibertarian dollars. Then they can sack Paul cuz of his white supremacist ties and go with Lieberman for the aipac money and the winz!

  54. 54.

    SGEW

    August 31, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Hmm. You know, so far this election has already had a huge soap opera/made-for-tv-movie/reality show vibe (I would say Shakespearean historical/greek tragedy as well, but there haven’t been enough murders and/or mutilations yet* (oh man, let’s hope we keep clear of that)). It feels like the whole thing was cooked up by John Sayles on a bad day.

    So maybe, just by sheer narrative momentum, maybe there is something to the Palin baby rumor. I sure as hell dismissed the whole Edwards affair thing back in the primaries, but whadyaknow. Now I just assume that the kid is his. I wouldn’t be surprised by now by just about anything.

    – McCain literally rolling dice in order to pick a V.P.? I’d believe it. (“Snake eyes! Palin it is!”)

    – Palin’s kid is actually her daughter and her husband’s child? I’d barely bat an eye at this point.

    – It’s revealed that McCain is secretly married to someone else? I’d just say: “well, that figures.”

    – It turns out that Obama was actually born in Indonesia? I’d leave the country in despair, but I wouldn’t be completely shocked, to tell the truth.

    I tell you, the movie The Truman Show (as fatally flawed as it was as a film) feels kinda, well, spookily resonant to me.

    *To reach truly Shakespearean levels of tragedy, Obama would be assassinated by a crazy Muslim who thinks he’s an apostate, McCain becomes president, tells the C.I.A. to torture a terrorism suspect, finds out that the suspect was innocent (and is actually his long-lost illegitimate son), and then commits suicide out of shame. Now that’s theatre, son!

  55. 55.

    Napoleon

    August 31, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Reading about this woman on various web sites I say there is no way she is still the VP pick when the election rolls around. She is an absolute disaster.

  56. 56.

    Ed Marshall

    August 31, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    My Mom had seven kids and she said that by the time she had five they were literally falling out.

    Ouch, part of the Sarah Palin narrative I didn’t want to think about.

  57. 57.

    The Moar You Know

    August 31, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Now I’m fucking pissed:

    The High Roaders Fighting To Lose

    Good going, Dems. I’m sure that the Republicans would have done exactly the same thing.

    Fuck.

  58. 58.

    Bill

    August 31, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Apparently, the Republican strategy is this:

    A President you’d have a beer with.
    A Vice President you’d hook up with.

    There’s a winner for ya…

  59. 59.

    t jasper parnell

    August 31, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    The hurricanes, the pick, the convention’s status, and so on makes the whole situation right now beyond weird. I wonder just what the fuck this all means. Somehow or another it looks like the Republican Party is the process of disbanding.

  60. 60.

    Sasha

    August 31, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    Andrew Sullivan seems to think the question about the baby is worth looking into

    Andrew Sulluvan is dead to us now.

    Period.

    If McCain Co. had bothered to vet their candidate, this wouldn’t have been an issue.

    Should this be an issue? [shrug] Regardless, the McCain campaign should have known it might well become one.

    I’m sure it’d be cleared up soon (probably when Palin releases her medical records, or when she drops out for “personal reasons” like I’m expecting).

  61. 61.

    w vincentz

    August 31, 2008 at 8:37 pm

    Hmmm…where oh where did I hear s slogan, “Country First”?
    Was it in the choice of a neophyte Alaskan (unvetted) governor?
    Nah, That was political.
    Was it in limiting the opening of the RNC convention due to hurrican sympathies for the gulf coast residents so as not to remind voters of the previous inept response to Katrina?
    Nah, That was political too.
    Geesh, I’m still wonderin’ when “Country First” starts to have some legs.
    I’ll wait, but it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.
    Wasn’t McCain a POW? Or, was he captured during his 23rd attempt to bomb the shit out civilians in another place that put their “country first”? Or maybe I’m confusing this with his mentor that “shocked and awed” the residents of Bhagdad when he was putting his “country first” and not theirs.

    If the ‘Merkin voters can’t see through this transparent bullshit, vote for the guy that claims to put “Country First”.
    You deserve him.

  62. 62.

    SGEW

    August 31, 2008 at 8:37 pm

    Of course, this doesn’t mean that lefties should touch this story with a 100′ pole. In fact, every Obama supporter should decry any implication of hanky-panky viz a viz Palin’s children. While bookmarking the National Enquirer and checking it every day.

  63. 63.

    jake

    August 31, 2008 at 8:40 pm

    The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

    With a particular focus on how much money she has and whether she might be able to keep a POW in the manner to which he has become accustomed.

  64. 64.

    robuzo

    August 31, 2008 at 8:40 pm

    Andrew Halcro, one of the Republicans who ran against Palin in 2006, is reporting that the McCain campaign has begun vetting their candidate:

    The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

    Word is they have have eight rooms reserved at a Wasilla hotel.

    Vetting someone after you put them on the ticket, part of the change we can all believe in if we elect McSame.

    Remember, when you say “supremely irresponsible,” the media says “bold.”- AND he’s a POW!

    When you say “intemperate gambler,” the media says “maverick.” – AND he’s a POW!

    When you say “not ready for primetime,” the media says “someone you want to have a beer with.” – AND he’s a POW!

  65. 65.

    Jake

    August 31, 2008 at 8:42 pm

    Now I’m fucking pissed:

    The High Roaders Fighting To Lose

    Good going, Dems. I’m sure that the Republicans would have done exactly the same thing.

    Relax buddy. Gustav has to run its course, and while it does there’s not likely to be much reporting on politics, except describing how the various campaigns react to the hurricane. This isn’t THAT stupid a move on the Dems’ part.

  66. 66.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 8:43 pm

    Apparently, the Republican strategy is this:

    A President you’d have a beer with.
    A Vice President you’d hook up with.

    There’s a winner for ya…

    That explains the erotic dreams I’ve been having about Darth Cheney in a bear cage.

  67. 67.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    There are two words that summarize the McCain campaign:

    Bush League

    You mean the Bush that won in 2000 an 2004? That Bush league?
    The one that beat your candidate in 2004? The one that started an unpopular war and still beat your candidate? I just want to know what you meant.

  68. 68.

    TenguPhule

    August 31, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    McCain’s people are not that stupid. Nobody is.

    I would argue the opposite.

    Yes they’re that stupid. At least 29% of the nation is.

  69. 69.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 8:51 pm

    Now I’m fucking pissed:

    The High Roaders Fighting To Lose

    Good going, Dems. I’m sure that the Republicans would have done exactly the same thing.

    Relax buddy. Gustav has to run its course, and while it does there’s not likely to be much reporting on politics, except describing how the various campaigns react to the hurricane. This isn’t THAT stupid a move on the Dems’ part.

    If they were really gonna put Richardson and Edwards on teevee to duel the RNC, I’m glad they cancelled. Maybe the respite will allow them to find better surrogates. Richardson is too fucking nice and befuddled and Edwards, well, let’s say he doesn’t really have any fucking credibility left and leave it at that. Total fraud.

    They need to get some Clinton operatives out there. They mighta lost to Obama but they’re total amoral nutcutters, just what we need dueling the Republicans.

  70. 70.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    My Mom had seven kids and she said that by the time she had five they were literally falling out.

    Ouch, part of the Sarah Palin narrative I didn’t want to think about.

    Yeah, I was like ummm, TMI Mom.

    She would never vote for a pro-birther, no way in hell. She had seven of us because our Catholic father didn’t believe in birth control. Of course, after he left our Mom for her friend then birth control was fine after they had one kid. No child support from the asshole and she raised us on her own, getting off of welfare in two years. She has more guts than my Bu$h loving hypocrite dad ever will. While I am glad to be alive (as are the rest of the kids), we can understand our mothers POV on this. She followed the rules and got dumped on by the system.

    Politicians like McCain and Palin will never get her vote. Never.

  71. 71.

    Sasha

    August 31, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    Fixed it for ya!

    You mean the Bush that “won” in 2000 an squeaked by in 2004? That Bush league?
    The one that was given a mulligan in 2004? The one that started an unpopular war and barely beat your candidate and whose current popularity, between prison rape and typhoid, is almost certain to derail McCain? I just want to know what you meant.

    Yes, that one.

  72. 72.

    gbear

    August 31, 2008 at 8:58 pm

    Relax buddy. Gustav has to run its course

    And you know that Bush and Co. will find a way to fuck up the relief efforts completely before November.

  73. 73.

    Ella in NM

    August 31, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    The story about the plane ride is weirder and reflects poorly on her judgement in a way that the other possibility doesn’t.

    Combine this story with her lies in “trooper gate”, and in an earlier firing of the town cop and librarian when she was mayor, and she is starting to look like she is an habitual liar.

    As the mother of four kids, I can concur that there is no way in hell I would have put my baby in jeopardy like she apparently did. Or have had so little compassion and concern about my teenage daughter that I would force her to participate in a conspiracy and to keep such a secret, all for my political career. Don’t forget, in order to effectively pull this little switcheroo off, she in all likelihood would have had to falsify medical and possibly public records. I can also tell you there is no way, short of a uterine transplant and a tummy tuck that she could look as good at 8 months in her pictures at the Kos site, when she looked like this in a prior pregnancy:

    http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo/080831/480/529a19dfc6774f308117d4be16d30c8d/

  74. 74.

    Brachiator

    August 31, 2008 at 9:03 pm

    Just Some Fuckhead Says:

    They’ll want to prolong sacking her as long as possible. The Fundie cash is rolling in.

    One fund-raising window has already closed. From the Washington Post campaign blog:

    Sen. John McCain has taken in $7 million in contributions since announcing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, a top campaign aide said today.

    The money bounce may owe to Palin’s appeal with conservative donors, many of whom said privately they had planned on sitting out the campaign this year. The money comes in just under the wire — after McCain accepts the GOP nomination Thursday, he will accept public funds and no longer be permitted to raise private money for the campaign.

    That will not, however, stop McCain and Palin from raising money for the Republican National Committee. In coming weeks, McCain will host four megafundraising events in major cities aimed at bolstering the accounts of the party. Palin, meanwhile, will be sent out to headline more than a dozen fundraising events for the RNC.

    There could be a bit of a backlash if McCain sends Palin out to raise cash, but ends up dumping her from the ticket.

    When it slows down, they can sack her for Ron Paul and suck in some major glibertarian dollars.

    There’s not a chance in hell that McCain would pick Ron Paul. The Republicans like to talk libertarian, but they go out of their way to keep them away from the highest offices.

    A Lieberman pick might be interesting, but I doubt that senior Republican officials would go for it.

  75. 75.

    NR

    August 31, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    All I can say is that I really, really hope there’s nothing to this baby story. Because if it turns out to be true, then all that’s going to happen is that Palin is going to hold a press conference and tearfully announce that yes, it’s true, and she’s sorry she lied, but she just did it to protect her daughter.

    And then McCain will win the election by 10 points.

  76. 76.

    D. Mason

    August 31, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    If it breaks, let it happen with the press who actually are interested in this (sex scandals always are news) and keep our hands clean.

    Regardless of truth, if this story gets broken by anyone anywhere, Obama will be held accountable.

  77. 77.

    D. Mason

    August 31, 2008 at 9:05 pm

    If it breaks, let it happen with the press who actually are interested in this (sex scandals always are news) and keep our hands clean.

    Regardless of truth, if this story gets broken nationally by anyone anywhere, Obama will be held accountable.

  78. 78.

    TenguPhule

    August 31, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    Because if it turns out to be true, then all that’s going to happen is that Palin is going to hold a press conference and tearfully announce that yes, it’s true, and she’s sorry she lied, but she just did it to protect her daughter.

    And then she’ll be skinned alive by the attack ads and public opinion.

    The gift keeps on giving.

  79. 79.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    lolz.

    You handwringers really need to seek professional help. Chronic fear and anxiety is no way to live.

  80. 80.

    Karmakin

    August 31, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    I thought this story was a whole nutter thing..you know?

    But it should be VERY easy to debunk. A picture is all it would take. I’m serious on this. VERY easy to debunk.

  81. 81.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    Fixed it for ya!

    Sasha, I don’t think your editing changed the facts. Bush. Beat. Kerry. Is that the Bush league McCain is in? I don’t think that’s what Jake really means. Otherwise, I think He’s hoping McCain will win.
    You guys whine and whine about how stupid Bush is but he still beat you guys. You know why? When you answer that, you guys can have a chance in November.

  82. 82.

    jake

    August 31, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    McPOW’s new campaign song.

  83. 83.

    The Moar You Know

    August 31, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    Jake:

    I have no doubt that the Democrats have far stupider moves up our collective sleeve, and that this is not that big a deal as far as poor decision making. However, you too seem to imply that it’s not the brightest move.

    If this were an isolated incident, I wouldn’t care. But it’s not – it’s a whole approach to politics that has yielded shit results for the last twenty-eight years.

    In those last twenty-eight years, we have essentially won one election – the 1996 contest between Clinton and Dole. The 1992 contest was a fluke – had Ross Perot not played spoiler, Clinton would have lost in one of the worst blowouts ever recorded. 42% of the popular vote won’t get you anywhere in normal times.

    What horrifies me is that we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results.

    I find this particularly demoralizing because, of those last twenty-eight years, I have been able to vote for the last twenty-four of them. I have voted for the Democrat in every goddamned election and I have never known what it is to feel like my party is on top of their shit, in control, and has a fair chance to win.

    And many of those contests, especially in recent years, should have been absolute safe bets. But somehow the Democrats managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It’s fucking demoralizing.

    And now the same behaviors that lead us down the path to loserhood are cropping up again. It’s a tight race. Obama has a blackness problem that, in a nation of racists, is a real issue with a sizable portion of the elctorate. In an ideal world, Obama would win this thing with 80% of the popular vote – his opponent is that inept. But I live in a world where George W. Bush won the presidency. Twice.

    So yeah, I’m pissed off because we need Obama to win, and instead of making the final push and doing the hard work to seal the deal, I see the Dems refusing to attack the opponent’s VP candidate on what appear to be some reasonable grounds, and then disbanding the “war room” because the Republicans will say mean things if they don’t. Guess what? They’ll say mean things anyway.

    I see it coming, folks. We’re on the verge of screwing the pooch again, because a sizable portion of us aren’t willing to do what it takes to win. Instead, the high-roaders are taking to their fainting couches in record numbers with pearls clenched tight, in absolute pants-shitting terror about what the Republicans and media will say if we go after the Dominionist Queen Of The Klondike and her undoubtedly vile offspring – or are so gauche as to serve the Republicans some of their own shit back to them.

    People talk about the Republican party being on the verge of imploding. Lose this election and there won’t be a Democratic Party left. And quite frankly, if we blow this one, we don’t deserve to keep existing.

  84. 84.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    McPOW’s new campaign song.

    Sarah Palin needs one too.

  85. 85.

    junkiebrewster

    August 31, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Just Some Fuckhead:

    Chet Edwards, not John Edwards.

  86. 86.

    w vincentz

    August 31, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    @ Ella,
    Isn’t it strange that McIdiot doesn’t know how to use a computer (do the google) but it sure comes in handy for the rest of us? Nice photo you put up.
    Those eight staffers could have started with a few search engines rather than going to Wasilla.
    Look at the amount of information that’s already been put out by so many that haven’t set foot in Alaska.
    The absurdity continues….

  87. 87.

    Ed Marshall

    August 31, 2008 at 9:25 pm

    You guys whine and whine about how stupid Bush is but he still beat you guys. You know why? When you answer that, you guys can have a chance in November.

    I don’t think you understand the landscape at all. You need to look outside whatever bubble you live in and take things in. I’ll bet you a thousand bucks McCain loses. I’ll even throw in another thousand bucks that when he does you’ll start bitching that Bush was a liberal and a spendthrift and McCain was a liberal and a spendthrift and all you need to do to comeback is rediscover your core principles.

  88. 88.

    t jasper parnell

    August 31, 2008 at 9:26 pm

    None of this makes any sense. The Palin pick was ridiculous. I’ve selected a hard right social conservative to appeal to Hillary’s supporters and to the Christian right. The I’m going to Louisiana to fix the hurricane is stupid beyond belief. What is McCain going to do? Call on his powers of awesome and impose McCain’s Law while Palin hunts moose and grills it? Rejiggering the Convention looks like self-imposed chaos. Our candidate is busy not doing anything in an area where he has no authority therefore we’ve decided to ??? The phrase falling apart at the seams comes to mind.

  89. 89.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:26 pm

    Instead, the high-roaders are taking to their fainting couches in record numbers with pearls clenched tight, in absolute pants-shitting terror

    Notice how they never fall on the couch at Republican antics?

  90. 90.

    dewberry

    August 31, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    Okay, I don’t really want to weigh in on the baby, because I think it’s crazy-town. But to me, the more likely explanation is that the 44-year old mother had the Downs baby rather than her high school daughter. Your odds go up quite substantially the older you are. That’s not all there is to it, of course, but I just want to put that out there.

    Just act reasonably.

  91. 91.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Just Some Fuckhead:

    Chet Edwards, not John Edwards.

    Thanks for the correction.

  92. 92.

    Jake

    August 31, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Check out this report from the convention (courtesy of Ambinder):

    Here at the Republican National Convention, Palin still edges out Gustav as the main topic of intrigue–at least among the dwindling number of delegates and operatives who showed up–but only narrowly, and talk of each is geared mainly toward damage assessments.

    An afternoon spent mingling with political types at the high-powered Atlantic/General Motors brunch at the Chambers Hotel (where a $4 million Damien Hirst calf’s head-in-formaldehyde is displayed behind the check-in desk, because–well, Jesus, who knows why? It’s bizarre.) yields the following insights: Most Republicans have never met Sarah Palin and are processing the news of her selection as VP with the stunned-but-well-meaning emotions you might feel toward an acquaintance who just came out of the closet. Those given to caution when discussing such things at a brunch with journalists put a hopeful, might-be-a-stroke-of-genius spin on their astonishment. Those less inhibited–who are also better people–generally see the pick as irresponsible and politically motivated (and not in a good way). No one believes Palin was fully vetted. And no one has any idea how this will play out.

  93. 93.

    dewberry

    August 31, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    Okay, I don’t really want to weigh in on the baby, because I think it’s crazy-town. But to me, the more likely explanation is that the 44-year old mother had the Downs baby rather than her high school daughter. Your odds go up quite substantially the older you are. That’s not all there is to it, of course, but I just want to put that out there.

    Just act reasonably.

  94. 94.

    wasabi gasp

    August 31, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    I wonder if the GOP is going to have a new veep candidate next week – bets?

    Considering all the sloppy kisses McCain has been dripping on Palin, I don’t see many reasons he can use to gracefully dump her. If the given reason discredits her, it will just compound his failure.

    The only out I see is bun #6 in the oven.

  95. 95.

    EL

    August 31, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    For Narcissus (Anyone who doesn’t want medical details, skip this post.)

    What does it mean to “leak” amniotic fluid? And she was on an 8 hour plane ride?

    This means what most people call the “bag of waters” is leaking. It’s a problem because this protects the infant from infection, and when fluid can leak out, bacteria can get in. If amniotic fluid leaks before labor, it’s called premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Most women with PROM will go into labor within 24 hours of the rupture. Obviously, if you think you may be going into labor very soon, especially as a woman over 40, getting on a plane for a long flight isn’t a great idea. Also a woman who has delivered several babies is very likely to have a short labor compared to someone having the first baby. So she was risking delivering inflight, without proper equipment and medical help.

    Women with PROM are normally advised to go straight to the hospital, and checked frequently for fever – every six hours according to recent literature. The longer someone with PROM goes without delivering the baby, the higher the risk of infection.

  96. 96.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    Moar,

    You were so close to making sense. Then.

    …go after the Dominionist Queen Of The Klondike and her undoubtedly vile offspring – or are so gauche as to serve the Republicans some of their own shit back to them.

    Holy Crap! You don’t think that attitude has anything to do with not winning elections? If you guys just stayed with the issues maybe? Why is your candidate better? Please, just stay with that.

  97. 97.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    (where a $4 million Damien Hirst calf’s head-in-formaldehyde is displayed behind the check-in desk, because—well, Jesus, who knows why? It’s bizarre.)

    That’s a funny as hell parenthetical. Ambers has been on a tear (the good kind) since his gurl went down.

  98. 98.

    Some Guy

    August 31, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    RE: Trig’s maternity – I don’t think the rationale that this really is just about the vetting washes. Whatever the reason for scrutinizing who is the real mother of Trig, it means that baby is getting a humiliating political imbroglio attached to his name. If the 16 year old daughter is the mother, she will have her most intimate life, a 16 year old mind you, subjected to intense and painful media attention. It just does not matter why one pries, it is horrible to do so. If Palin is lying, let her lie. The cost of finding out, in order to prove yet again McCain did not vet her, is simply making hay from a child’s life. I say she can have the lie if that is what it is. If it is a lie and she is trying to benefit from it, that is one injustice I am willing to tolerate because rectifying it would bring even greater injustice.

  99. 99.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:39 pm

    If the given reason discredits her, it will just compound his failure juicy mcmaverickiness.

    Fixt.

  100. 100.

    demimondian

    August 31, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    Hold on — if Palin defrauded the Alaskan treasury with her flight back, that’s a non-trivial crime. Falsifying a public record (a birth certificate, you know), is also a non-trivial crime.

    So holding a tearful presser wouldn’t help if Palin actually was involved in the fraud

  101. 101.

    TenguPhule

    August 31, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    You know why?

    Because Five Supreme Court Justices commited treason and didn’t receive the punishment for it.

  102. 102.

    Ed Marshall

    August 31, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    it means that baby is getting a humiliating political imbroglio attached to his name

    I don’t mean to be an asshole, but Trig isn’t going to have any idea what any of this stuff means.

  103. 103.

    John Cole

    August 31, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    Instead, the high-roaders are taking to their fainting couches in record numbers with pearls clenched tight, in absolute pants-shitting terror

    WTF is wrong with you people? Seriously?

    You have more than two choices in an election. There is more than the “low road” and the “high road.” Just because you really want to win the election does not mean you absolutely need to go around panty-sniffing the woman’s childbirthing history. There is a bunch of stuff to Palin that is completely worth pointing out and investigating. Unfounded rumors about her fucking kids is not one of them

    Now if you think you need to go all Karl Rove to win, I would suggest two things. One, you have become what you claim to hate most. Two, someone here is shitting their pants in fear, and it ain’t the people telling you fucking jackals to back off her god damned kids.

    You half-cocked morons are going to turn Palin into a right-wing martyr with your panty sniffing, when from what I have seen, she should be an election-ender she is such a bad pick. The maryrdom is already happening, and the way you club-footed sleuths operate, even if all your wild speculations turn out to be true, Palin will end up looking better in the end.

    Not to mention, it just pisses me off going after people’s kids, even if they do it.

  104. 104.

    KRK

    August 31, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    The selection of Palin does seem to fit in nicely with the Norquist school of government. If you have a VP who’s a petty tyrant and doesn’t have the first inkling of how to actually preside over the Senate, even having a filibuster- and veto-proof majority isn’t likely to do the Democrats much good in moving legislation.

  105. 105.

    The Moar You Know

    August 31, 2008 at 9:45 pm

    What is McCain going to do? Call on his powers of awesome and impose McCain’s Law while Palin hunts moose and grills it?

    Maybe he’ll crash a plane into it. He’s really good at that.

    Notice how they never fall on the couch at Republican antics?

    Hard not to, although the whining can be deafening.

    blogreeder Says:

    Moar,

    You were so close to making sense. Then.

    You’ll speak when you’re spoken to, ratfucker. I did not give you permission to open your piehole and vomit out a bunch of stupid and fail all over this nice blog here.

  106. 106.

    donovong

    August 31, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    John;

    That link you gave us goes all sorts of places I haven’t been before. I don’t know if this guy has an ax to grind, but there’s alot more shit about Madam Palin in there.

    http://www.andrewhalcro.com/shadow_governor

    This just gets weirder and weirder. Northern Exposure meets Peyton Place meets Dukes of Hazzard.

  107. 107.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    You’ll speak when you’re spoken to, ratfucker. I did not give you permission to open your piehole and vomit out a bunch of stupid and fail all over this nice blog here.

    That’s a “nice” comment? Moar, you are so silly.

  108. 108.

    mark

    August 31, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    So yeah, I’m pissed off because we need Obama to win, and instead of making the final push and doing the hard work to seal the deal, I see the Dems refusing to attack the opponent’s VP candidate on what appear to be some reasonable grounds, and then disbanding the “war room” because the Republicans will say mean things if they don’t. Guess what? They’ll say mean things anyway.

    Palin was announced two days ago. There’s already a McSame damage control team in Alaska. The Rethugs have storm troopers roaming St. Paul. Their nominee getting ready to obstruct disaster operations. Give ’em some time to implode. There’s still time to take the gloves off.

  109. 109.

    Brachiator

    August 31, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    The Moar You Know Says:

    In those last twenty-eight years, we have essentially won one election – the 1996 contest between Clinton and Dole. The 1992 contest was a fluke – had Ross Perot not played spoiler, Clinton would have lost in one of the worst blowouts ever recorded. 42% of the popular vote won’t get you anywhere in normal times….

    So yeah, I’m pissed off because we need Obama to win, and instead of making the final push and doing the hard work to seal the deal, I see the Dems refusing to attack the opponent’s VP candidate on what appear to be some reasonable grounds, and then disbanding the “war room” because the Republicans will say mean things if they don’t. Guess what? They’ll say mean things anyway.

    I see it coming, folks. We’re on the verge of screwing the pooch again, because a sizable portion of us aren’t willing to do what it takes to win.

    There’s an obvious contradiction here. You want the Democrats to go into full on attack mode over trivial shit like the who is the real mother of Palin’s last child, but at the same time you give credit for Clinton’s 1992 victory to a “fluke” instead of the efforts of Clinton’s vaunted war machine.

    I agree with you that the Democrats need to be more assertive this campaign season, but there is absolutely no reason to give the GOP Smear machine by giving it more credit than it deserves by either listening to what they say or by trying to mimic their worst methods.

    We’ve already seen their main strategy exposed. They are operating in a beserker mode, which consists of attacking Obama no matter what he does, without rationale or principle. This approach largely depends on the assistance of a compliant media, willing to cut McCain slack because he was a POW, and which views any attack on McCain as an attack on his status as a genuine American hero. But this is already getting old, and some pundits are getting tired of being McCain’s bitch.

    But if Obama goes “total attack” on McCain, the media can easily fall back into tsk tsk mode, decrying all the negativity even as they wallow in it. It will also suck up any serious discussion of the issues and probably insure that the upcoming debates will be as mind-numbingly stupid as the worst of the primary debates. Flag lapel pins for everybody!

    Blunt attacks are easy, but stupid and self-defeating, and far less effective than people believe, especially when a candidate is well liked.

    Obama has proved to be much cagier than people have often given him credit for. Ask the Clintons.

    During a 60 Minutes interview tonight, Obama made the interesting point that he knows that the Republicans are much better at campaigning than they are at governing.

    The Republicans have already shown that they will often outsmart themselves. They patted themselves on the back over painting Obama as a celebrity, but didn’t seem to consider that getting 84,000 people to come and watch you speak, and to get 38 million to watch that speech on television was a win-win situation because it allowed Obama to get his message out undiluted, without the need for interpretation by pundits and spin doctors.

  110. 110.

    Some Guy

    August 31, 2008 at 9:55 pm

    Ed, “I don’t mean to be an asshole, but Trig isn’t going to have any idea what any of this stuff means.” Not now, but when he gets older. And in regard to Down’s Syndrome children, they are far more high functioning, or can be, than many assume. People with Down’s certainly know what mom and dad mean. And coming to realize mom isn’t mom could be very traumatic, especially if the whole world is in on a secret about you that has been hidden from you. Imagine how people might treat him. So, please, don’t be so quick.

  111. 111.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    John, I’ve told you yer wrong a half-dozen times now in about the same amount of ways and you’ve just ignored me so fuck you. Yer the moron here, as usual. Square yer outrage with yer posts on Edwards love child.

  112. 112.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    Because Five Supreme Court Justices commited treason and didn’t receive the punishment for it.

    I must have missed that in 2004. :)
    You do have a point, If he didn’t win in 2000, it wouldn’t have been an issue in 2004. Which, makes Kerry’s loss even worse. He lost to a barely legitimate, unpopular war starter.

  113. 113.

    Sasha

    August 31, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    Sasha, I don’t think your editing changed the facts. Bush. Beat. Kerry. Is that the Bush league McCain is in? I don’t think that’s what Jake really means. Otherwise, I think He’s hoping McCain will win.

    A good portion of why Bush won was due to Kerry’s unwillingness to fight back when attacked, his allowing himself to be defined by his opposition, and his refusal to call bullshit when Bush’s campaign misrepresented, distorted, or outright lied about his positions. Yet despite that and being a war president, Bush barely eked out a victory. (You might remember that in 2004, the Iraq War was still pretty popular — the destruction of the Golden Mosque and the attendant sectarian violence that accelerated American cyncism of the war wouldn’t happen for another two years.)

    McCain’s campaign has also adopted tactics from Bush’s campaign, but 2008’s Democratic candidate has been far more effective at countering the more common GOP attacks.

    You guys whine and whine about how stupid Bush is but he still beat you guys. You know why? When you answer that, you guys can have a chance in November.

    Well, I’d argue that Rove beat us guys more than Bush did (he was called Bush’s Brain for a reason), but like I said, the Obama campaign has done an admirable job at making inroads.

    And I think you’ll agree that the Bush League definitely applies to the short-sightedness of the McCain campaign. Bush & Co. may have been competent and skilled campaigners, but they have been horrifying inept at actually governance.

  114. 114.

    douglasfactors

    August 31, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    Instead, the high-roaders are taking to their fainting couches in record numbers with pearls clenched tight, in absolute pants-shitting terror

    WTF is wrong with you people? Seriously?

    They’re ratfuckers, that’s what.

  115. 115.

    SGEW

    August 31, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    Um. Just to give people something else to think about, other than “panty-sniffing” (yikes!) the sitting Governor of the great state of Alaska, here’s a diary on the GOS pointing out a questionnaire where Gov. Palin believes that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by the “founding fathers.” link

    Not that this will derail the “baby-gate” debate, but I thought it was pretty funny.

  116. 116.

    John Cole

    August 31, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    John, I’ve told you yer wrong a half-dozen times now in about the same amount of ways and you’ve just ignored me so fuck you. Yer the moron here, as usual. Square yer outrage with yer posts on Edwards love child.

    If you can not figure out the difference between speculating Edwards is lying AFTER he admits to a national audience that he is, well, lying, and sniffing around a woman’s family based on a picture of a fat teenaged, well, you are just living up to your name.

    Back off her family, just like I think people should have backed off Edwards.

  117. 117.

    L. Ron Obama

    August 31, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    Well, the pregnancy shit has hit Drudge. Congratulations, you ratfucking morons.

  118. 118.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    You half-cocked morons are going to turn Palin into a right-wing martyr with your panty sniffing, when from what I have seen, she should be an election-ender she is such a bad pick

    Since this crazy story keeps coming up, I do agree that she should be an election ender without delving into her personal life. This is true with or without panty sniffing ,or Palin’s martydom by the likes of Malkin et al. And it looks to me like it’s almost certainly false. Having said that, I don’t agree if it were true of any family, anywhere, the mother would be protecting her daughter with such a heinous lie. I grew up in a family with enough layers of bullshit we didn’t need mattresses to sleep on. Claiming lies are good for kids is the biggest lie of all IMO>

    The high roaders I mean are those with piety on pet issues that are more important to them than winning an election for the prez. That’s what I saw laced throughout yesterdays prattle. We’ve seen it throughout this contest with FISA etc.. And we’ll likely see it again before election day.

  119. 119.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    Thanks for the reply, John. I still think yer dead wrong and a hypocrite to boot but you got yer NY Times coverage to worry about now. ;)

    I’m done.

  120. 120.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Palin believes that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by the “founding fathers.”

    Her response:

    If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me

    Aside from the fact that the Founding Fathers didn’t write the Pledge, does she equally think the fact that they didn’t want women vote is also “good enough” for her? Does she think every single thing they wanted and did is good enough for her?

    If not, how does she decide what should be honored and what should be ignored?

  121. 121.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    August 31, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Elron, credit where credit is due: GOS and Sully.

  122. 122.

    capelza

    August 31, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    I don’t know why people keep going on with the mommy switching story.

    It fucking bad enough, actually much, much worse to get a plane in TX knowing you are carrying a baby with Down’s and all the possible things that could wrong at birth, especially after you’ve started leaking fluid and felt contractions. And to not inform the attendants on the plane.

    That’s incredibly reckless. She was damn lucky. I don’t want someone that takes that kind of risk with her nearest and dearest causally assuming the Presidency or even having a tie breaking vote in the Senate. Because the rest of us are not her family, or from Wasilla or from Alaska. Why wouldn’t we think she might take even bigger gamles with all of us?

  123. 123.

    EL

    August 31, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    John, I think you’re absolutely right. There are plenty of things to make an issue of that are substantive, and incidentally will resonate much more.

    Troopergate
    Other firings for “lack of loyalty”
    Poor financial management of her town (20 million dollars debt)
    Paying a Canadian company to build a pipeline when it could have been done by another company at no cost to Alaska
    Lack of knowledge of foreign policy issues

  124. 124.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    Oh, I forgot. As for Rovian tactics, they are almost always based on promoting falsehoods and turning them into urban legends. You can be as dogged and fierce as Rove, and stick to truthful matters and accomplish the same thing. But you have to be as relentless and remorseless and ruthless to get it done. It’s not pretty and hardly noble and will certainly leave a layer of dirt, or two. Anything short of that and defeat is more likely than not. Although this year dems have more cards than usual, it will take multiple rounds of circular firing squads to snatch them some defeat. We shall see.

  125. 125.

    SGEW

    August 31, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    I didn’t even catch it when I first read it, but:

    If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its (sic) good enough for me.

    Creationist, dominionist, bone-headed on history, and fails at punctuation.

    She’s magnificent.

  126. 126.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 10:40 pm

    And I think you’ll agree that the Bush League definitely applies to the short-sightedness of the McCain campaign. Bush & Co. may have been competent and skilled campaigners, but they have been horrifying inept at actually governance.

    At this point, we can only see the how McCain is campaigning. We can only speculate on governance. I thought the timing of this by McCain was brilliant. Everybody was talking about Obama’s speech just before that. So, maybe it is Bush League and the Democrats better get serious. Which, reminds me, I still have to listen to Obama’s acceptance speech.

  127. 127.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 10:40 pm

    And I think you’ll agree that the Bush League definitely applies to the short-sightedness of the McCain campaign. Bush & Co. may have been competent and skilled campaigners, but they have been horrifying inept at actually governance.

    But they do serve up a nice cake.

  128. 128.

    Original Lee

    August 31, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    I just got back from visiting my very conservative family in the Heartland. I really missed having Internet access on Friday!

    However, I think that Obama surrogates ought to bring up the Palin 5th child birth story (not the speculation about who the mother really is) as subtly and as often as possible, as well as Troopergate. My one sister-in-law is the mother of 8, and she was appalled that Palin was running for VP with an infant, especially one with Down’s syndrome. Even my father-in-law, a crusty old man who was initially all for McCain, was appalled. When they and the rest of the Original wingnuts hear that Palin got on a plane and flew all the way to Alaska after her water broke to deliver a Down’s syndrome infant one month early, that will be it for them. Also pointing out that she was a communications major will put a lot of the wingnuts off their feed – they have an inherent distrust of anyone who spent their time in college learning how to lie on TV.

  129. 129.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 10:46 pm

    You do have a point, If he didn’t win have it handed to him in 2000, it wouldn’t have been an issue in 2004. Which, makes Kerry’s loss even worse more inexplicable. He lost to a barely legitimate, unpopular war starter because our nation is full of idiots who think a chimp makes a great president.

    Fix’d.

  130. 130.

    Splitting Image

    August 31, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    There is a bunch of stuff to Palin that is completely worth pointing out and investigating. Unfounded rumors about her fucking kids is not one of them

    The thing is, John, Palin’s behaviour on the day her kid was born isn’t an unfounded rumour. She gave a speech down in Texas and flew back to Alaska after her water broke. Any woman I know would have simply gone to a hospital in Texas.

    The story that’s come out of it may be salacious, but the root cause of it is most likely an extreme distrust of Texas’ health care system. That’s something the Democrats can work with. The fact that any woman of Palin’s intelligence could do what she did, or says she did, and still be considered sane is an argument that the health care system as it stands is not good enough. Palin had so little trust in out-of-state health care that she risked any number of problems to get home in time to give birth there.

    That is an angle the Democrats can tackle.

  131. 131.

    Ed Marshall

    August 31, 2008 at 10:50 pm

    Which, reminds me, I still have to listen to Obama’s acceptance speech.

    That speech set a TV record for viewership. Grab it on youtube or whatever but you are toast. Feel free to grab it and make some rant about whatever pisses you off. Yer done.

  132. 132.

    Jon H

    August 31, 2008 at 10:55 pm

    “Our candidate is busy not doing anything in an area where he has no authority therefore we’ve decided to ??? ”

    I expect all the Republicans in Minneapolis are going to take advantage of the downtime by checking out the airport bathrooms.

  133. 133.

    capelza

    August 31, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    Anyone here remember Helen Chenoweth?

    I finally remembered who Palin reminds me of.

  134. 134.

    Jon H

    August 31, 2008 at 10:58 pm

    The Obama speech is on iTunes as a high-quality 500MB video podcast, or as audio only. They also have other speeches from the DNC.

  135. 135.

    The Dangerman

    August 31, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    This is almost a reply to Conservatively Liberal @10:46.

    Will someone please (PLEASE!!) reassure me that in this world, where we all have some serious fucking problems, that it isn’t possible that McCain, who may or may not have vetted his VP candidate, could win this thing even with his (un)natural advantages of having a large block of single issue (abortion) voters (who, by the way, GOTV), having another block of voters that will never vote for an African-American, and having yet another block of voters that will vote for him because he has an R next to his name or are otherwise dumb as what I dig out from under my toenails (yes, these groups are not mutually exclusive). Seriously, in 2008, with two hot wars, one cold economy, and international respect bordering on “What in the fuck are they thinking over there in America?”, it seems to me that there is still a pretty good we could still very likely elect McCain and his PTA/HockeyMom (and notice I never addressed matters like Diebold or voter suppression). When does Rod Serling come out to explain this state of affairs? More importantly, should someone ask McCain to submit to some medical testing, because after he read the cue cards in introducing Sarah Palin Friday (“I want to introduce my, um, yes, Vice Presidential pick”), I want to be assured we aren’t about to elect a President that might have some form of PTSD thing going on. Just how hard is it to move to Canada and gain citizenship?

  136. 136.

    demimondian

    August 31, 2008 at 11:02 pm

    Anyone here remember Helen Chenoweth?

    Urgh.

    Yes.

  137. 137.

    blogreeder

    August 31, 2008 at 11:05 pm

    The Obama speech is on iTunes as a high-quality 500MB video podcast, or as audio only.

    Thanks. I hadn’t thought to look there.

  138. 138.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 11:05 pm

    When does Rod Serling come out to explain this state of affairs?

    He’s not feeling well.

  139. 139.

    D. Mason

    August 31, 2008 at 11:07 pm

    Just how hard is it to move to Canada and gain citizenship?

    That’s a question I expect to be asking on November 5th.

  140. 140.

    zuzu's petals

    August 31, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    Original Lee Says:

    I just got back from visiting my very conservative family in the Heartland. I really missed having Internet access on Friday!

    However, I think that Obama surrogates ought to bring up the Palin 5th child birth story (not the speculation about who the mother really is) as subtly and as often as possible, as well as Troopergate. My one sister-in-law is the mother of 8, and she was appalled that Palin was running for VP with an infant, especially one with Down’s syndrome. Even my father-in-law, a crusty old man who was initially all for McCain, was appalled. When they and the rest of the Original wingnuts hear that Palin got on a plane and flew all the way to Alaska after her water broke to deliver a Down’s syndrome infant one month early, that will be it for them. Also pointing out that she was a communications major will put a lot of the wingnuts off their feed – they have an inherent distrust of anyone who spent their time in college learning how to lie on TV.

    Marilyn Quayle had labor induced so she could take the bar exam.

    Time

    Anybody remember any criticism from the family values crowd?

  141. 141.

    Narcissus

    August 31, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    Thanks for the biology heads-up, EL.

    It’s illuminating that Drudge says “Lefty” ‘blogs have been pushing the story, when I think Sullivan has been pushing it just as hard as that Kos diarist. I guess he qualifies as Left now.

  142. 142.

    Phil

    August 31, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    John,

    You’ve become so lame and predictable. Your comments about Palin’s inexperience are completely insincere because you support Barack Obama for PRESIDENT, a man who has LESS experience than she does. John, I’d at least have a modicrum of respect for you if you just admitted you were a liberal hack at this point. At least you’d be being honest with yourself. You spew talking points and nothing more. You’re simply boring, predictable and disgustingly sycophantic. Kinda like Andrew Sullivan.

    And I’m seeing the Palin is really a grandmother!!! “story” all over the Daily Kos, Facebook and all sorts of liberal blogs. Not to mention Michael Moore hoping for a hurricane during the GOP convention (let’s ignore that most people in New Orleans are actually Democrats). If you want to make an omelette, you gotta break a few eggs, right John?

    You must be very proud of your new friends John. Very proud.

  143. 143.

    Kevin

    August 31, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    You’ve become so lame and predictable. Your comments about Palin’s inexperience are completely insincere because you support Barack Obama for PRESIDENT, a man who has LESS experience than she does.

    Better trolls, please.

    That is just fucking pathetic.

  144. 144.

    NR

    August 31, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked. There is photographic evidence.

    Now can we please move the fuck on?

  145. 145.

    The Dangerman

    August 31, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    My Dear Phil, if Palin has more EXECUTIVE experience than Obama, she also has more EXECUTIVE experience than McCain.

    Thanks for playing.

  146. 146.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    Phil Says:

    Pull my finger. Oops, too late!

    No, you just like farting.

  147. 147.

    Phil

    August 31, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    “Vetting someone after you put them on the ticket, part of the change we can all believe in if we elect McSame.”

    John, this really is vomit inducing hackery. What ever happened to your integrity?

    Do please let us know when you find it.

  148. 148.

    Gus

    August 31, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    he still beat you guys. You know why? When you answer that, you guys can have a chance in November.

    Because the average American voter is stupid? I don’t think they can be educated by November.

  149. 149.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 11:21 pm

    The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked. There is photographic evidence.

    Now can we please move the fuck on?

    Glad to hear it.

  150. 150.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    Your comments about Palin’s inexperience are completely insincere because you support Barack Obama for PRESIDENT, a man who has LESS experience than she does

    Say what you will about wingnuts. But once they get their teeth sunk into a bogus talking point, by God they stay sunk.

  151. 151.

    Jon H

    August 31, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    “The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked.”

    Okay, then she insanely risked the life of her unborn child on the flight back to Alaska.

    Maybe she was hoping God would step in and perform a third trimester abortion.

  152. 152.

    Kevin

    August 31, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    John, this really is vomit inducing hackery. What ever happened to your integrity?

    Do please let us know when you find it.

    Is this butthead for real?

  153. 153.

    Phil

    August 31, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    “My Dear Phil, if Palin has more EXECUTIVE experience than Obama, she also has more EXECUTIVE experience than McCain.

    Thanks for playing.”

    That’s correct. She has more executive experience than Biden, McCain and Obama combined.

    But then again, I’m not the one joining in talking about about someone’s lack of experience when I support a candidate who has none.

    I mean there’s hackery and then there’s pure unadulterated bullshit hackery, and right now John is engaging in the latter. Considering he considered himself a “conservative of conscience” at one point, it’s almost embarassing how lame his politics have become. If I want to know what John’s position will be, I apparently don’t have to look any further than dnc.org. He’ll join any talking point, no matter how much cognitive dissonance it must induce inside his head.

    To argue that Palin lacks experience as a VP while supporting Obama for President. It’s almost painful to see some of you do it. Do you take pills for that?

  154. 154.

    SGEW

    August 31, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked. There is photographic evidence.

    But but but . . . surely it’s a fake pregnancy suit!1!!one!!

    It’s a massive cover-up! Figuratively and literally! And it involves CBS, who are all just in the tank for the lieberals rethuglicans!

    We must examine her countertops! For amniotic fluid!

  155. 155.

    Conservatively Liberal

    August 31, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    Okay, then she insanely risked the life of her unborn child on the flight back to Alaska.

    Yes, and that is a legitimate issue relating to her judgment.

  156. 156.

    Jess

    August 31, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    Here:

    There were several of us PolarTRECers waiting in the Fairbanks, AK airport to catch our planes home. We were chatting about all we had learned when Kristen Timm, ARCUS administrator said “ Look, there is the Hottest Governor in the United States” as she has been publicly deemed by media and fans.

    Of course I had to check out the “Hottest Governor in the US” and quickly turned to see her pregnant (she has since had her baby) with bags and daughter in tote.

    Can we PLEASE stop trying to pin this baby on an innocent teenage girl, whose life is no doubt hard enough already?

  157. 157.

    Maggie

    August 31, 2008 at 11:45 pm

    For people who only care about what works, can you at least wake up to the fact that this story is completely counter-productive.

    The Palin pick is low hanging fruit. Of itself. Obama has spent two years helping voters to get comfortable with him despite his relatively thin resume. Palin is going to get two months to get people comfortable with an even thinner resume. McCain’s judgment is transparently awful on this. Throw in the news that he hardly knows her and that there was no vetting and his decision looks unhinged. A non-trivial number of REPUBLICANS have noticed this. And almost every single editorial page.

    There are legitimate questions to be raised about her on-going troopergate problem. There are legitimate questions to be raised about how she really performed as governor for the 5 minutes she actually was a governor.

    Then there are her positions which on social issues are extreme and which will be damaging to McCain as they become known. (No more pretending he’s really a moderate on that stuff).

    Then there’s the implied insult to the intelligence of Hillary voters.

    That’s A LOT. It’s devastating.

    We should follow up on the legitimate inquiries. We should argue against her positions. We should make sure that the quote about her thoughtful take on Iraq gets out. We should make sure people know exactly how little thought McCain put into this decision.

    But as this story metastasizes, it will knock the oxygen out of all that gold. Worse, if it proves to be false (which I’d bet money on) the charge backfires on the left and innoculates her against the legitimate scrutiny. And even if it proved to be true, the fact that it’s about her family combined with her undeniable personal appeal still risks a backlash which is more damaging to the left than to her.

    It’s almost certainly too late to get this back. But dang this has been stupid. (And let me go on the record as saying its wrong, too. The excesses of the GOP on how they campaign are no small part of why people like me aren’t voting Republican this year.)

  158. 158.

    Sleeper

    August 31, 2008 at 11:51 pm

    I wish you idiots would just let this child cover-up nonsense drop. Stop trying to argue that it “raises troubling doubts about her judgment.” Stop trying to shoehorn in child endangerment. Stop trying to tie it into some weak tea indictment of a failing health care system. Those are bullshit excuses to cover up the one and only reason to pursue this: to destroy someone’s personal life for political gain. This is nothing but the Ken Starr method of attack, and ignoring the fact that it’s appalling, it doesn’t work for us. This is not High-Roader naivete, this is realism. David Vitter fucked a roomful of prostitutes and got a standing ovation from Senate Republicans. These are people that cannot be shamed by Democrats and it’s pointless and dangerous to even try. The only thing that bothers Republicans is teh gay, anyway.

    Sarah Palin is a decoy and she doesn’t deserve to even be acknowledged, let alone attacked. No one is going to give a fuck if this story turns out to be 100 percent true, because IOKIYAR. McCain, McCain, McCain. The campaign and the blogosphere just needs to keep hammering at McCain. There’s plenty to hit, and allowing Palin to play the role of lightning rod to give McCain cover, and possibly rip open the primary wounds again, would be foolish. We need to be hawks, not magpies.

  159. 159.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 11:52 pm

    To argue that Palin lacks experience as a VP while supporting Obama for President. It’s almost painful to see some of you do it. Do you take pills for that?

    Naw, all we have to do is wait for you to drop by. You know what they say, Laughter is the best medicine.

    hey

  160. 160.

    Jon H

    August 31, 2008 at 11:53 pm

    “Can we PLEASE stop trying to pin this baby on an innocent teenage girl, whose life is no doubt hard enough already?”

    She doesn’t look pregnant. There’s a photo on the net of her late in an earlier pregnancy. She looks *very* pregnant. I find it hard to believe that she would show no signs of her fifth pregnancy.

  161. 161.

    EL

    August 31, 2008 at 11:54 pm

    Phil,

    Your comments about Palin’s inexperience are completely insincere because you support Barack Obama for PRESIDENT, a man who has LESS experience than she does.

    Obama has had years to study foreign policy issues and formulate his ideas. He has spoken to experts and to foreign leaders. His opinions and policies are on his site for all to see, and have been presented in speeches and releases. One that was ridiculed at first has even been adopted by George Bush (Iraq withdrawal time “horizon”) Obama has expertise.

    Sarah Palin, as good a governor as she may be, has acknowledged she has little time to focus on the Iraq war and her knowledge is what she’s heard on the news.

    I challenge you to compare their respective grasp of foreign policy issues. Unless you’re one of those who thinks being “near Russia” makes every Alaskan an expert on the Cold War?

  162. 162.

    myiq2xu

    August 31, 2008 at 11:56 pm

    Oh my fucking gawd! Y’all are embarrassing me with your stupid fuckstick behavior.

    I actually was defending y’all recently (because I used to be a regular here) and somebody pointed out that you were mostly ex-freepers.

    That’s when it hit me; no wonder you think you are liberals!

    Compared to freepers, you’re liberals.

    But compared to REAL liberals, y’all are freepers.

  163. 163.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    August 31, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    I wish you idiots would just let this child cover-up nonsense drop

    If you’d bother to read the thread, you would see that it has been. That goes for Jess, SGEw, and maggie too. give it a rest , jeebus

  164. 164.

    Jess

    August 31, 2008 at 11:58 pm

    Thank you, Sleeper–that was well said!

  165. 165.

    Kevin

    August 31, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    But compared to REAL liberals, y’all are freepers.

    REAL liberals like you, who will vote for McCain?

    Nice try.

  166. 166.

    Joshua Norton

    August 31, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    Unless you’re one of those who thinks being “near Russia” makes every Alaskan an expert on the Cold War?

    Not to mention that Moscow is almost equidistant from New York City as it is from Juneau. But then you’d have to acknowledge that the world was round to even have that fact start to sink in.

  167. 167.

    SGEW

    September 1, 2008 at 12:00 am

    Wow. One troll comes in and accuses Mr. Cole of being a radical left wing partisan hack. Another pops up and levels accusations of freeperhood.

    Why don’t we just sit back and let Phil and myiq2xu simply argue with each other?

    They might be the same guy, anyway. But the combined idiocy could very well create a singularity of some kind, and suck us all down into a black hole of fail.

  168. 168.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    September 1, 2008 at 12:01 am

    myiq2xu Says:

    Oh my fucking gawd! Y’all are embarrassing me with your stupid fuckstick behavior.

    This coming from our resident fucked rat.

  169. 169.

    Jess

    September 1, 2008 at 12:02 am

    That goes for Jess, SGEw, and maggie too. give it a rest , jeebus

    Yeah, the link to the picture was posted while I was composing my comment and trying, and trying, and trying to get it to post. All that effort, just to be late to the party…

  170. 170.

    plus C

    September 1, 2008 at 12:03 am

    So, if Palin has foreign policy experience via osmosis from living closer to Russia, does that mean that Obama has executive experience, since Illinois is closer to the White House than Arizona or Alaska?

  171. 171.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 12:04 am

    John,

    Despite your best efforts, it seems your new liberal friends can’t help but act like paparazzi and leap to creepy conspiracy theories and trying to determine if 16 year old girls are showing signs of pregnancy.

    But hey, you’ve made your bed with them John, and now you gotta sleep with them.

  172. 172.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    September 1, 2008 at 12:09 am

    But hey, you’ve made your bed with them John, and now you gotta sleep with them

    Now git on to bed, Cheney is calling for you.

  173. 173.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 12:11 am

    To argue that Palin Obama lacks experience as a VP President while supporting Obama for President naming a 20-month governor of Alaska I only met twice as the best possible running mate I could have. It’s almost painful to see some of you do it. Do you take pills for that?

    Fixed.

    Barack Obama endured a grueling 18 month primary process that saw him assemble a 50-state operation, shatter fundraising records, and edge past the biggest star in the Democratic Party who was thought to be invincible a year ago.

    Last week, Sarah Palin was getting ready to preside over the Alaska State Fair’s first-ever lawn mower race.

    Obama won the nomination of his party, despite that lack of experience, and has earned the right to make his case to the American electorate at large. Palin hasn’t earned anything. This was handed to her, despite her being woefully unqualified, because she has ovaries, because she loves Jesus, and because four other contenders (Pawlenty, Romeny, Hutchinson, Jindal) may have turned McCain down. Politicians are allowed to be as cynical as they want to and select running mates that appease one or more demographics, it’s a cynical line of work…but don’t sit there and tell us that McCain picked her because he looked over the whole Republican Party political establishment and she was the best person for the job. Give me a fucking break.

  174. 174.

    GSD

    September 1, 2008 at 12:11 am

    Phil,

    Check the kerning on Obama’s birth certificate and also look into the rightwingblogoswamp’s rumors that Obama’s children “hate whitey” and get back to us.

    P.S. She’s about the same age as Chelsea Clinton when you and your Limbaughist pals were laughing at McCain’s vile jokes about her.

    -GSD

  175. 175.

    SGEW

    September 1, 2008 at 12:13 am

    . . . give it a rest , jeebus.

    Sorry. I was just gettin’ high off of th’ fumes.

    I mean, c’mon. It is good drama. But I guess i kinda forgot that we’re talking about, you know, real people and not some fictional concoction.

    I blame the media.

  176. 176.

    capelza

    September 1, 2008 at 12:13 am

    GSD, don’t forget! Hillary killed Vince Foster, too!

  177. 177.

    Beej

    September 1, 2008 at 12:16 am

    OT but has anyone been following the arrests of protesters in Minneapolis and St. Paul? Glenn Greenwald, Digby, and others have been covering it pretty heavily. It’s a damned scary proposition when people planning a peaceful protest are rounded up and held for no actual reason. Are these the “terrorists” FISA was supposed to protect us from?

    I had a law professor who used to like to say that the 1st Amendment was written to protect speech that everyone, especially the government, hated, because if everyone agreed with it, it needed no protection. Looks like this whole country needs to take another look at that 1st Amendment.

  178. 178.

    blogreeder

    September 1, 2008 at 12:17 am

    Because the average American voter is stupid? I don’t think they can be educated by November.

    Fantastic strategy. Let’s call the voters stupid. You’re right. Why even have elections? They’re just stupid voters.

  179. 179.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 12:17 am

    Last week, Sarah Palin was getting ready to preside over the Alaska State Fair’s first-ever lawn mower race.

    Great, there goes the lawn mower racer vote.

  180. 180.

    Joshua Norton

    September 1, 2008 at 12:19 am

    So when McCain announced that most activities scheduled for tomorrows convention were canceled and only necessary business would be done, does that include Lie-berman’s speech?

    I’m just saying….

  181. 181.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 12:20 am

    “ABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Former DNC Chairman Don Fowler apologized on Sunday for joking in a private conversation that the timing of Hurricane Gustav demonstrates that God is on the side of the Democrats.

    “If this offended anybody, I personally apologize,” Fowler told ABC News. “It was a mistake, and it was a satirical statement made in jest. And one that I clearly don’t believe.

    Fowler, a superdelegate who endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2007, was caught on tape saying: “The hurricane’s going to hit New Orleans about the time they start. The timing is — at least it appears now that it’ll be there Monday. That just demonstrates that God’s on our side. [Laughter] Everything’s cool.”

    “One doesn’t anticipate that one’s private conversation will be surreptitiously taped by some right-wing nutcase,” said Fowler. “But that’s the nature of what we’re dealing with.”

    Generally, one doesn’t assume Democrats high five one another when a hurricane hits a highly Democratic city.

    But apparently they do. They just hate it when they get caught.

  182. 182.

    Jon H

    September 1, 2008 at 12:22 am

    I’m hoping Gustav peters out or otherwise does no real damage, then Bush and Cheney insist on speaking at the GOP convention later in the week in prime time, throwing everything into chaos.

  183. 183.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 12:22 am

    So when McCain announced that most activities scheduled for tomorrows convention were canceled and only necessary business would be done, does that include Lie-berman’s speech?

    I’m just saying….

    Lieberman will be rescheduled. Republicans won’t miss an opportunity to stick their monkey in our faces.

  184. 184.

    Eric

    September 1, 2008 at 12:22 am

    Your comments about Palin’s inexperience are completely insincere because you support Barack Obama for PRESIDENT, a man who has LESS experience than she does.

    I expect partisanship and bravado from both sides. I expect talking points, from both sides, that are dubious and debatable. But some of these right-wing talking points on Palin (more experienced than Obama, Commander in Chief of the National Guard, etc.) are just categorically ridiculous. The talking heads and commenters spouting these things obviously do not actually believe what they are saying.

    So where did these talking points come from? I mean, somebody has to actually sit down and write this stuff. Why are these memes so nonsensical? Is it just because the Palin choice was such a surprise, and everybody’s struggling to catch up? Or is there just nothing inelligent to say about Palin?

    This thing is so weird…

  185. 185.

    Kevin

    September 1, 2008 at 12:23 am

    Tool: Noun
    See: Phil (Balloon Juice)

  186. 186.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 12:24 am

    Jon H Says:

    She doesn’t look pregnant. There’s a photo on the net of her late in an earlier pregnancy. She looks very pregnant. I find it hard to believe that she would show no signs of her fifth pregnancy.

    At this point, you’re embarrassing yourself. Please stop, almost everyone else here has.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj) Says:

    If you’d bother to read the thread, you would see that it has been. That goes for Jess, SGEw, and maggie too. give it a rest , jeebus

    Yeah it took me a couple tries to post that. I don’t mean to be repetitive, but this crap just irks the hell out of me, and it’s bad politics to boot. It’s important to stamp that stuff out quickly, lest it metastasize into full-blown No Quarterism.

  187. 187.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 12:24 am

    OK. Nothing else from me about the story that should not be discussed. Sorry I even mentioned Sullivan’s interest. Really.

    I hoped it wasn’t true, also, for several reasons, which have been covered here.

    But I was curious about what the reality was, that’s all. If that is panty-sniffing, well then, it sure is easy to fall into deviancy here. I am sure I will feel dirty in the morning.

    But John, your righteous scolding makes me wonder about something: Does Obama’s campaigning (and how it is viewed by the masses) now depend on the quality of our casual conversation about political matters here? If we commit the sin of ‘panty-sniffing’ (politically speaking, of course) do we risk embarrassing Obama? Or force him somehow to join in our odd questioning, thereby making a martyr of you-know-who? Self-censorship for the cause is the least we can do.

  188. 188.

    EL

    September 1, 2008 at 12:26 am

    Generally, one doesn’t assume Democrats high five one another when a hurricane hits a highly Democratic city.

    Uh, Phil, one doesn’t assume that a Christian organization which is a Republican ally would ask its members to pray for rain on Obama’s speech, but they did. So which is worse – observing (no high fives involved) that God appears to favor Democrats based on which convention weather affected, or to ask God to screw up the other team’s convention?

  189. 189.

    Craig

    September 1, 2008 at 12:28 am

    I just have one basic question that I think is pretty reasonable. Why is Gov. Palin allowed to be paraded in front of the public and not answer any serious questions. Honestly, this is a person who no one knows ANYTHING about whatsoever and the press can’t come near her? Are you kidding me? Never been on MTP, never been on any national show. At the very least, shouldn’t she be at the very very least be expected to have a press conference?

  190. 190.

    Joshua Norton

    September 1, 2008 at 12:30 am

    Synonym:

    ToolRatfucker: Noun
    See: Phil (Balloon Juice)

  191. 191.

    Kevin K.

    September 1, 2008 at 12:32 am

    myiq2xu speaks to the PUMAs:

    Compared to freepers, you’re liberals.

    But compared to REAL liberals, y’all are freepers.

    Well said!

  192. 192.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 12:32 am

    Phil Says:

    Generally, one doesn’t assume Democrats high five one another when a hurricane hits a highly Democratic city.

    But apparently they do. They just hate it when they get caught.

    You’re right, he should have had just had birthday cake with McCain instead. Maybe strummed hisself a little gee-tar. That would have been forgiveable.

  193. 193.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 12:33 am

    “Uh, Phil, one doesn’t assume that a Christian organization which is a Republican ally would ask its members to pray for rain on Obama’s speech, but they did. So which is worse – observing (no high fives involved) that God appears to favor Democrats based on which convention weather affected, or to ask God to screw up the other team’s convention?”

    Well I’ve always been on record as saying James Dobson is a fucktwit and I could care less about him.

    But comparing praying for rain to delighting in a hurricane is not even in the same ballpark. Especially when that hurricane is more likely to kill Democrats than Republicans. Not exactly sure how that shows God is on the Democrat’s side. Perhaps you’d like to debate that one amongst yourself and Michael Moore. I prefer not to think of weather as a political issue myself.

  194. 194.

    L. Ron Obama

    September 1, 2008 at 12:34 am

    I hoped it wasn’t true … But I was curious about what the reality was, that’s all.

    In the name of science, right? Admirable.

    If we commit the sin of ‘panty-sniffing’ (politically speaking, of course) do we risk embarrassing Obama? Or force him somehow to join in our odd questioning

    Have you been paying attention for the last 8 months?

  195. 195.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    September 1, 2008 at 12:35 am

    So, if Palin has foreign policy experience via osmosis from living closer to Russia,

    Some of them Polar Bears are Russki Bears you know. No doubt sent by Putin to thwart our oil production. She’s on the case though.

  196. 196.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 12:36 am

    In other words, does what we say here really matter to anyone else? Some of you are acting like this is part of the campaign, instead of just a blog. Seems nuts.

  197. 197.

    Jon H

    September 1, 2008 at 12:37 am

    Honestly, this is a person who no one knows ANYTHING about whatsoever and the press can’t come near her? Are you kidding me?

    Are you kidding? I’m sure that’s the plan. Tightly lock down access to her, keep her in favorable situations, let her give speeches without taking questions that you don’t know in advance. If they can keep that up until election day, they only have to face one debate. As we saw with Bush, the media are likely to crown her the victor no matter what the public sees happen on stage. The expectations couldn’t be lower, and the talking heads will want to portray her as the sympathetic underdog, national interest be damned.

    Never been on MTP, never been on any national show.

    I’m not sure that’d actually matter. David Gregory apparently was on today saying he thinks it “cool” that Palin went on a long plane trip after her water broke.

  198. 198.

    Kevin

    September 1, 2008 at 12:39 am

    But comparing praying for rain to delighting in a hurricane is not even in the same ballpark.

    Since nobody is delighting in a hurricane, your complaint is null and void.

  199. 199.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 12:41 am

    Does Obama’s campaigning (and how it is viewed by the masses) now depend on the quality of our casual conversation about political matters here? If we commit the sin of ‘panty-sniffing’ (politically speaking, of course) do we risk embarrassing Obama? Or force him somehow to join in our odd questioning, thereby making a martyr of you-know-who? Self-censorship for the cause is the least we can do.

    Every post wasted on this is a post that could have been slamming McCain. It’s pretty simple.

    Even this post is a waste. I’d better try and salvage it…ahem: Today on Fox News Sunday, McCain, while making the case that he and Bush diverged on a wide range of topics, told Chris Wallace that he feels that waterboarding is torture and should not be used. This despite having voted against a bill banning CIA use of the practice, and urging Bush to veto it after it passed. Link here.

    A president who is pro-torture is a lot worthier of concern than a vice president’s family drama. Eyes on the prize, folks.

  200. 200.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 12:43 am

    L. Ron Obama Says:

    I hoped it wasn’t true … But I was curious about what the reality was, that’s all.

    In the name of science, right? Admirable.

    Science or psychology, to the extent that one learns what a person’s story, and hence character, is like. This ‘admirable’ of yours is the censoring sneer I was wondering about. It seems to have great weight here.

  201. 201.

    Jon H

    September 1, 2008 at 12:46 am

    “A president who is pro-torture is a lot worthier of concern than a vice president’s family drama. Eyes on the prize, folks.”

    I have no reason to think Palin wouldn’t be even more torture-friendly.

  202. 202.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 12:46 am

    “I expect talking points, from both sides, that are dubious and debatable. But some of these right-wing talking points on Palin (more experienced than Obama, Commander in Chief of the National Guard, etc.) are just categorically ridiculous. The talking heads and commenters spouting these things obviously do not actually believe what they are saying.”

    Actually, I do very much believe what I am saying considering it is not even a debatable point. Palin has more executive experience than Obama does. She’s a Governor. He’s a legislator. I’m less impressed by the claim that she was CoC of the Alaskan National Guard because all governors are of their respective states. But I don’t have to believe or disbelieve she has more executive experience than Obama. She just does. It’s a fact. Perhaps an inconvenient fact for you, but a fact nonetheless. And as I said before, she has more executive experience than Obama, Biden, and McCain combined.

    For Obama supporters to argue about her lack of experience is therefore witness to their sycophantic musings, causing intense bouts of cognitive dissonance.

  203. 203.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 12:48 am

    In other words, does what we say here really matter to anyone else? Some of you are acting like this is part of the campaign, instead of just a blog. Seems nuts.

    I tried to splain that to ’em yesterday. They’re convinced the whole election hinges on how noble anonymous commenters can be. It’s cute, in a kitten-stalking-a-piece-of-lint way.

  204. 204.

    KT

    September 1, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Phil: But comparing praying for rain to delighting in a hurricane is not even in the same ballpark.

    Oh please. You don’t believe that was a genuine wish and you know it. It’s called black humor and I would be willing to bet my entire life savings that you have used it on multiple occasions. Cut the shit.

  205. 205.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Phil,
    How about we wait till after Palin debates to hear you praise Palin’s qualifications (if she’s still a candidate then, which is highly doubtful). Listening to your insane blather is painful.

  206. 206.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 12:53 am

    Jon H Says:

    I have no reason to think Palin wouldn’t be even more torture-friendly.

    Jesus, you’re dense.

  207. 207.

    Stuck in the Fun House (nj)

    September 1, 2008 at 12:53 am

    Well I’ve always been on record as saying James Dobson is a fucktwit and I could care less about him.

    You do realize that Palin and Dobson are kindred spirits in their worldview.

  208. 208.

    bootlegger

    September 1, 2008 at 12:59 am

    “Executive” experience answering complaints about Moose and Squirrel? Really? If that’s your definition of someone ready for the job then I want the most inexperienced candidate you got.

  209. 209.

    Joshua Norton

    September 1, 2008 at 12:59 am

    It’s called black humor

    And what FReeper Phil is doing is called “Ratfucking“. On a championship level. Just taking the parts of a story he likes and ignoring the rest of it. Much like the rest of those Mayberry Machiavellians who share his ideology.

  210. 210.

    KT

    September 1, 2008 at 1:00 am

    But I don’t have to believe or disbelieve she has more executive experience than Obama. She just does. It’s a fact.

    Palin stepped into a preexisting bureaucracy where every single functional part was created and staffed since before she was born. Obama created a political organization with as many as 4000 employees from scratch in a matter of months and that organization went on to beat the machine of a highly popular duo of a former President and his wife. Palin’s “executive experience” exists, absolutely, but creating a successful 50 state political operation from scratch and steering that organization is more impressive than just steering the existing bureaucracy of a small state.

  211. 211.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 1:01 am

    Why would anyone complain about Rocky & Bullwinkle?

  212. 212.

    Jon H

    September 1, 2008 at 1:03 am

    “Palin has more executive experience than Obama does”

    From the George W. Bush School Of Management.

  213. 213.

    bootlegger

    September 1, 2008 at 1:03 am

    2 years as a Governor of an oil state. Bush had 6 and look what a fine job he did. The Bush White House probably had more government experience than any administration in history and look how that turned out.

    So the “experience” debate is a red herring as far as I’m concerned (despite the fact that the Right has twisted reality on this one).

    Oh, you know who else had less experience than Obama? I’ll give you some hints: he was a Republican and considered one of the greatest president’s evah!

  214. 214.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 1:04 am

    Josh has this up:

    Executive Experience

    With a push from the McCain camp, the conservative blogs are suddenly aflutter with claims about Sarah Palin’s “executive experience” and readiness for the presidency based on her six years as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska …

    And then he has a picture of the Wasilla City Hall. Go take a look Phil, see you you have a twinge in the place your wits used to be.

    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

  215. 215.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 1:08 am

    Phil Says:

    Palin has more executive experience than Obama does. She’s a Governor. He’s a legislator.

    I’ve never understood this right-wing talking point. Why is a background within the very legislative body with which the President must work to, you know, pass legislation and all, considered less of an asset than running a far smaller state government? This is a bogus argument to me.

  216. 216.

    Joshua Norton

    September 1, 2008 at 1:09 am

    Wasilla City Hall.

    Don’t you need to be a city to have a City Hall? Did they remove the gas pumps when they moved in, or are they around to the side of the building?

  217. 217.

    Sleeper

    September 1, 2008 at 1:13 am

    And speaking of executive experience, didn’t Palin drive Wasilla, a town of 9000 people, into a $20 million debt during her tenure as mayor?

  218. 218.

    cain

    September 1, 2008 at 1:17 am

    Despite your best efforts, it seems your new liberal friends can’t help but act like paparazzi and leap to creepy conspiracy theories and trying to determine if 16 year old girls are showing signs of pregnancy.

    Hey Phil, prince of insufficient light.. we learned all our stuff from Malkin. Please tell us what kind of countertops you have.

    cain

  219. 219.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 1:18 am

    myiq2xu speaks to the goats:

    Yes, he also likes to engage in hot goat sex with them too. We call him the Whispering GoatFucker here.Or is that the RatFucking GoatFucker that Whispers?

    Whatever. As long as it involves praising McCain and fucking goats, myiq2xu GoatBoy is happy.

    He is one of the racist ratfuckers who are proud to call themselves a

    Propping
    Up
    McCain’s
    Ass

  220. 220.

    KT

    September 1, 2008 at 1:21 am

    Did they remove the gas pumps when they moved in, or are they around to the side of the building?

    +5

    :)

  221. 221.

    KT

    September 1, 2008 at 1:28 am

    myiq2xu myiq2/u speaks to the goats:

    Fixed your typo

  222. 222.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 1:30 am

    Did they remove the gas pumps when they moved in, or are they around to the side of the building?

    Great, there goes the DIY voters.

  223. 223.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 1:38 am

    Fixed your typo

    Technically it belongs to Kevin K, though it still it slipped by me. Thanks! ;)

  224. 224.

    Martin

    September 1, 2008 at 1:38 am

    And speaking of executive experience, didn’t Palin drive Wasilla, a town of 9000 people, into a $20 million debt during her tenure as mayor?

    Let’s see…

    Palin: $20M/9000 = ~$2200 debt/person.
    Bush: $2.75T/300M = ~$9100 debt/person.

    Relatively speaking, Palin is a fucking marvel of fiscal responsibility! No wonder they tapped her.

  225. 225.

    Jeff

    September 1, 2008 at 1:42 am

    What I could not believe today on Meet the Press was they were praising her for courage to fly when nine months pregnant and possibly in labor.

    MR. GREGORY: She went into labor and got on an airplane to go back to Alaska. That’s pretty cool. I think there’s a lot of people, men and women, who are going to look at this story and say, “This is a compelling person. I want to take a new look at this ticket.”
    MS. KEARNS GOODWIN: Yeah.

    She was having a child already diagnosed with Downs. Infants with Downs are much more likely to have other health issues including cardiac issues. They are therefore much more likely to need NICU level care after birth. This only adds to questions about her judgment for putting her own child’s life at risk.

    She is certainly a maverick, going against doctor’s orders. Will she also not listen to other experts, say scientists on global warming and evolution?

  226. 226.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    September 1, 2008 at 1:47 am

    What I could not believe today on Meet the Press was they were praising her for courage to fly when nine months pregnant and possibly in labor.

    Meet the Press is dead to us.

    Period.

  227. 227.

    L. Ron Obama

    September 1, 2008 at 1:50 am

    This ‘admirable’ of yours is the censoring sneer I was wondering about. It seems to have great weight here.

    I don’t have any pull here, I’m just making fun of your dispassionate interest in the truth of ridiculous rumors.

    As for censorship, your posts are not being deleted.

  228. 228.

    Chuck Butcher

    September 1, 2008 at 2:06 am

    I’m a great believer in taking the gloves off over misuse of political office for personal benefit, creationism, anti-abortion freakdom, faux reform, and lying – in fact I do that very thing. What I don’t have any enthusiasm for is having the least resemblence to Rovian politics. Playing hardball can be a dangerous game for the pitcher if he serves up a bad pitch – a nice line drive to the head. You play stupid with people’s lives at serious risk, deservedly. Obama has played this smart so far, advocating changing that isn’t smart.

    The only real use in whacking at Palin is to make McPOW look bad – tying poor judgement to him as a noose. In regard to experience: I prefer judgement to practice making mistakes and McCain has a litany of those – and learning nothing from them.

  229. 229.

    ThymeZone

    September 1, 2008 at 2:11 am

    No wonder they tapped her.

    Um …

  230. 230.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 2:20 am

    No wonder they tapped her.

    That explains it all! One of McCain’s guys asked him if they should tap Palin and McCain said ‘I would!

    Next thing he knows, he has a VP!

    She has several clear instances of questionable or even poor judgment, and McCain not vetting her properly only shows his poor judgment.

    It’s a twofer, and we would be fools to pass on it. A bird in the hand…

  231. 231.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 2:21 am

    “Oh, you know who else had less experience than Obama? I’ll give you some hints: he was a Republican and considered one of the greatest president’s evah!”

    I can only assume you’re talking about Ronald Reagan. If so, I would suggest new talking points as Reagan was the Governor of California for 8 years.

    By the way John, your fellow “conservative with a conscience” Andy Sullivan was all on board the “Palin’s vagina is within the pale” paparazzi until literally this morning, when photos showing her obviously pregnant were presented to him. Now excitable Andy thinks the case should be declared closed, because excitable Andy says so.

    John, why don’t you tell your creepy, excitable friend Andy to just STFU?

  232. 232.

    Martin

    September 1, 2008 at 2:29 am

    I can only assume you’re talking about Ronald Reagan

    God, you’re more retarded than myiq. He’s talking about Lincoln, dipshit.

  233. 233.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 2:31 am

    “What I could not believe today on Meet the Press was they were praising her for courage to fly when nine months pregnant and possibly in labor.”

    Hold up here, are we back to talking about ‘it’ again, risking the whole fabric of time and space, or at least Obmama’s non-martyrizing the you-know-who female? I can’t keep track of the rules in this damn place.

    “L. Ron Obama Says:
    I don’t have any pull here, I’m just making fun of your dispassionate interest in the truth of ridiculous rumors.”

    Wasn’t putting it all on your shoulders, dude. ‘Panty-sniffing’ as far as the censoring sneer is the model to aspire to it seems, I am afraid yours lacks the punch.

    I am open to the rumors being ridiculous. In fact I hoped they were, since it would lead nowhere good. Seems we got it out of the way already, and have moved on to her flying while leaking.

    But dispassionate? You know I care about these things deeply, even talking with you on a blog, so I am assuming that is another censoring sneer. You have any other tricks?

  234. 234.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 2:33 am

    ““Oh, you know who else had less experience than Obama? I’ll give you some hints: he was a Republican and considered one of the greatest president’s evah!”

    I can only assume you’re talking about Ronald Reagan. If so, I would suggest new talking points as Reagan was the Governor of California for 8 years.”

    Thinking about it some more, if you’re referring to Abraham Lincoln, then you’re going back all the way to 1860. Funny enough, even honest Abe had more experience when he ran for President than Obama does now!

    New talking points please.

  235. 235.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 2:37 am

    “But dispassionate? You know I care about these things deeply, even talking with you on a blog, so I am assuming that is another censoring sneer. You have any other tricks?”

    It doesn’t sound like he’s trying to censor you so much as shame you into a sense of human decency. Then again, Bill Clinton was supported by liberal feminists throughout his Presidency so perhaps I’m kidding myself here.

  236. 236.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 2:41 am

    Phil you are truly an idiot.

  237. 237.

    inugai_kenzo

    September 1, 2008 at 2:41 am

    oh nice save/correx Phil—
    NOT

  238. 238.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 2:45 am

    Freeper Phil Says:

    Pull my finger! Oops! Too late.

    Some peoples kids…

  239. 239.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 2:45 am

    Phil, let me attempt to engage you in a serious question. What blogs do read on a regular basis?

  240. 240.

    zuzu's petals

    September 1, 2008 at 2:53 am

    Palin: $20M/9000 = ~$2200 debt/person.

    ‘Course the population was only 4-5,000 when she was mayor. I guess that ups the ante a bit.

  241. 241.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 3:06 am

    Phil, let me attempt to engage you in a serious question. What blogs do read on a regular basis?

    Freeper Phil can read?! Heck, I thought he was just typing words and randomly hitting Enter for the fun of it.

    BTW, what makes you think that Freeper Phil is capable of cognitive thought? Just curious. ;)

  242. 242.

    TenguPhule

    September 1, 2008 at 3:11 am

    But I don’t have to believe or disbelieve she has more executive experience than Obama. She just does. It’s a fact.

    So this means Bill Gates is more qualified to run the country?

    ‘Executive experience’ means jack shit. She’s been in small potatoes and done a bad job of it. Saying this ‘qualifies’ her is like saying you can be a heart surgeon because you know what’s in a first aid kit.

  243. 243.

    Phil

    September 1, 2008 at 3:13 am

    “Phil, let me attempt to engage you in a serious question. What blogs do read on a regular basis?”

    Instapundit (daily), Little Green Footballs (much less so recently as I believe national security is less of a concern now) and Andrew Sullivan (stopped completely after he morphed into excitable Andy circa 2005, now reading it more to read what a vomit inducing sycophant would say about Obama – he doesn’t disappoint).

    And as you can probably tell, once in a while this blog, because Cole was one of those who followed Andy Sullivan’s “conservative with a conscience” brigade. I don’t have a problem with conservatives who stopped liking Bush (I am one of them). I do have a problem with those (like John) who became absurdly sanctimonious about it and made their bed with people like Sullivan (who is simply a creep and should honestly not be considered a mainstream media figure any longer at this point).

    Ironically, those who became annoyingly sanctimonious about it had bad timing as their sanctimony prevented them from realizing the surge was working and the Iraq war is now drawing down. Whether you personally think the surge worked or not makes no difference to me, as even excitable Andy admits it worked now. I’m not going to debate something with you that is frankly obvious to even a 4 year old child like excitable Andy.

    Does John think the surge worked? He probably does, but will never admit it. He’s having too much fun admiring the smell of his own shit to do so. Ironically, it’s him and Andy Sullivan that are the ones who have been wrong about literally everything in Iraq.

  244. 244.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 3:15 am

    Phil Says:

    “It doesn’t sound like he’s trying to censor you so much as shame you into a sense of human decency.”

    Phil, whose moral conscience shines the way for all of us.

  245. 245.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 3:33 am

    Phil,

    May I suggest you broaden your online reading habits? Because what you post here is really, really limited in understanding and facts? I mean laughably limited. Embarrassingly limited.

    Follow some links to other blogs, like the ones that John has up.

    Do the homework, and give us something worth replying to. For instance this surge deal. Exactly what have we traded our lives, money, military readiness for the actual WOT®, and this country’s reputation for that couldn’t have been worked out better by intelligent diplomacy and actually going after the people who attacked us?

    But until you actually read up, any answer you give will be limited. Laughably, embarrassingly limited.

  246. 246.

    Chum

    September 1, 2008 at 3:36 am

    I expect talking points, from both sides, that are dubious and debatable. But some of these right-wing talking points on Palin (more experienced than Obama, Commander in Chief of the National Guard, etc.) are just categorically ridiculous.

    Don’t go over to Althouse then, where they think she’s just adorable and love her hoop earrings and red shoes. Seriously, that’s the discussion!

    Meanwhile, bank # 10 went into the toilet on Friday. Has everyone gone completely nuts?

  247. 247.

    Chuck Butcher

    September 1, 2008 at 3:45 am

    PHIL
    Ronnie Reagan?? You’re historical ignorance is only esceeded by your political naivete. Um, Lincoln had 2 terms IL legislature and 1 US House, that leaves him short of Obama & Senate trumps House, in case you didn’t know.

    Not liking George II may have been a catalyst for Cole to take a hard look at what Republicanism has become, but he’s made himself clear that most of what you stand for today alienated him. You are a clear and compelling argument that intelligence has taken leave of that Party along with Cole. As for Sully, he amused me as a Republican and he still does – amuse me.

    The surge has worked? Militarily it has, it virtually had to with the Awakening preceding it, but socially/politically it is a bust. Remember it was all about giving the Iraqis time to work things out? I know, you guys change the Iraq goals so often nobody can keep track of them without a scoreboard. WMDs, Democracy, …

    The problem you’ll have around here is that we do pay attention.

  248. 248.

    Chum

    September 1, 2008 at 3:47 am

    She was having a child already diagnosed with Downs. Infants with Downs are much more likely to have other health issues including cardiac issues. They are therefore much more likely to need NICU level care after birth. This only adds to questions about her judgment for putting her own child’s life at risk.

    Taking a 8 hour flight in a pressured cabin once your water has broken is suicidal. Respiratory difficulties at birth and throughout life are quite usual for a person with Downs syndrome, I cannot imagine what they were thinking. No wonder they hid it from the airline… they were fortunate social workers didn’t arrive at the hospital to check out the situation.

  249. 249.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 3:52 am

    Phil-

    I suppose you know that when Palin was asked about the surge, she had no idea what it was about, but wanted to see a plan to get us out of Iraq.

  250. 250.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 4:01 am

    Executive experience is the best experience?! How about the banking executives of the recently failed banks and those on the verge of failing? What about mortgage company executives who were willing to approve a loan to a corpse if they could make a buck? How great were the Enron executives who financially raped a couple of states, their company shareholders and their employees? Worldcom executives? Bush administration executives? How about a small town mayor incurring $20 million dollars of debt executive? How about the governor making a stupid pipeline deal that could cost the state of Alaska dearly?

    Some executives sure are professionals at screwing things up royally, eh? The title Executive don’t mean shit unless you have a record of real results that have endured for a period of time. Sarah Palin does not. I live in a small rural town of 6,000, in a county of 22,000 and I know that things are pretty laid back in a small town. Land issues, animal/wildlife issues and other small stuff, rarely ever anything major.

    She won the governor sweepstakes in Alaska, and it was not her talent that won it. It was a perfect storm of political problems in the state, and she was not on the radar until she won. Nobody took her seriously, and that was their mistake. I have been reading up on her, mostly opinions of people who have dealt with her or have evaluated the way that she handles herself in public. She has a cute way of disarming crowds, both visually and verbally, and she milks her looks for all they are worth to grease the political skids. The right is thrilled to have such perfection in their party, and they fell for it.

    Since Alaska is essentially a Republican state, whoever wins the Republican primary usually wins the general. While she is popular, some buyers remorse is setting in among the voters and her positive ratings have dropped about 15% in the last couple of months due to the TrooperGate and the crappy pipeline deal she made. Hell, with as little substance as she is, I would not be surprised if 50% of her support in the polls is based solely on her looks. Why?

    Because she is a small community mayor who got lucky and in over her head at the same time. She was in the ‘wading end’of the political pool as mayor, and she went for the ‘deep end’ as governor. She has been, at best, foundering there in the deep end. Now she wants to go for broke and jump off of the high dive of politics. While I question the judgment that put her where she is, I really question her judgment. Seriously. She is not ready to be president and she damn well knows it. That she would endanger our country for a job whose function she admittedly knew nothing about in July tells me all I need to know about her.

    She imposed a windfall tax on oil in Alaska, with the proceeds to go to the people of the state. How popular do you think that idea would be with the oil companies in the lower 48? I am sure that they would not be too thrilled with that idea. But since the people of the state get the cash, it is all right with them. Odd how the lower 48 righties are all in a fluff about any kind of windfall profit tax, eh?

    Go ahead you Repubs, you are making fools of yourselves. Again. She was not vetted and you know it. The fact that her town is being invaded by Repubs to check things out should tell you that this was a bums rush to a VP. They fucked up.

    You righties can say what you want about Biden, but I would stack his foreign policy chops up against Palin any day. She is in the big time now, and coy answers or deferrals ‘to experts that will be brought in if the need arises’ are not going to cut it in the debates. People are going to want to know if she has the chops to do what it takes, and frankly IMO she clearly does not.

    You. Are. Fucked. Live with it.

  251. 251.

    CharlesF

    September 1, 2008 at 4:32 am

    Couldn’t agree more, ConLib, good post. I’m having flashbacks to when I first saw Dan Quayle standing next to Bush I, thinking boy, is he in way over his head. Yes, if she had any sense, any respect for her family and country, she should have said no. How long before she’s the butt of jokes on late-night TV? Days?

  252. 252.

    pj

    September 1, 2008 at 4:32 am

    While I did promise Mr. Cole that I would avoid it, the Anchorage paper has now addressed it, and the press spokesman’s comment is at best a non-denial denial, at worst bizarre.

    As you read below, why would Palin go to McAllister to ask about a rumor about here daughter, BEFORE she announced her pregnancy?

    …What’s the McCain campaign say? Nothing so far. I’ve called and e-mailed for an on-the-record response, but haven’t heard back.

    What’s Palin’s in-state spokesman, Bill McAllister say?

    That it’s not true. “The answer to that is no,” he said.

    “But beyond that, I don’t know, why should we even have to say anything,” he said.

    McAllister was an Anchorage TV reporter before working for Palin. He said Palin once approached him – before people knew she was pregnant – assuming he’d been hearing rumors.

    “She said it’s not true about Bristol,” McAllister said.

    At the time, the rumor would have been that Palin’s daughter was pregnant.

    How does McAllister know it’s not true?

    “The governor’s not a liar. That’s the main reason. But also this would have to involve some sort of conspiracy with the hospital of Wasilla. They said she gave birth there. Is the doctor, the nurses … are they all lying?” he said.

    Why not share the birth certificate?

    “What a thing to request — prove that this is your baby,” McAllister said. “I mean, my god, that’s horrifying to think that she would have to do that.”

    I said one reason is to put it to rest.

    “In my mind, there’s nothing to put to rest,” he said.

  253. 253.

    KT

    September 1, 2008 at 4:50 am

    pj Says:
    While I did promise Mr. Cole that I would avoid it, the Anchorage paper has now addressed it, and the press spokesman’s comment is at best a non-denial denial, at worst bizarre.

    Here’s the photo that answers the whole “controversy.” Look closely at the purple shirt through the gap in her coat. Clear baby bump. Mystery solved.

  254. 254.

    pj

    September 1, 2008 at 4:59 am

    KT, I agree, the photo is convincing.

    For completeness, here is the link to the Alaska Daily News item.

    http://community.adn.com/adn/node/130178

  255. 255.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 5:24 am

    Thanks CharlesF. How long? Well, IF (that is a big IF!) any of the press does their job, they will start on this Monday. Comedians need material, and no doubt they will have it by Tuesday night. I expect The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will start with the best snark, and the others (Letterman, Leno and such) will follow suit shortly afterward. I also expect the comics to lead the press, as usual in situations like this. Comics are not afraid to tread where the press will not, and if Colbert or Stewart focus on something, it usually gets the attention of the press.

    The weekend may work against McCain in that it gives the news outlets (and comic show writers) time to get their ducks in a row for the next week. No starting out cold and letting a lot of initial misinformation be reported. They will be armed and ready to rock and roll, no doubt about it, and that ‘first impression’ will hopefully be a more accurate one.

    She is not going to measure up and I expect that people are going to take note. This is not some stage show she is auditioning for, and after the last eight years of ineptitude, I expect that a lot of people are not in any hurry to suffer another fool. If the Meiers debacle is any indication of a past republican revolt, lets hope they do so again. Word is already coming out that elements of the right are not happy with the choice, and I hope they get louder soon. They know she is not suitable for the job, but right now they are nervously watching to see what happens. If she blows it, you can bet they will start squawking loud.

    If Palin is called out and falls on her face, McCain is going to take a beating. He made a very risky move, and the press is not going to be patient while she goes through ‘basic training’. There is more than enough out there to ruin McCain and Palin without any whose baby? distractions. Focus on the politics of the situation and that is more than enough to do the job. Anything personal risks generating sympathy and that is the last thing we want.

    If people want to waste their time on the baby angle, that is their business but I think it is a wasted effort for little (if any) political gain. We got better dirt to work with, it’s legitimate, and it is right out there waiting to be used.

  256. 256.

    colleeniem

    September 1, 2008 at 7:33 am

    Okay, people. There is an AP story in yesterday’s online archives that catches Palin in an out-right lie (going against pork-barrel spending) in her first address to the national audience. I know we are supposed to ignore her, and I’m fine with that. But McCain vetted her speech, right? Did he just take what she said at face value after 96 hours (and I’m being generous) of consistent contact, if not face time? This is the story. He’s a lying liar, and it has never been so blatant.

  257. 257.

    TR

    September 1, 2008 at 8:24 am

    Funny enough, even honest Abe had more experience when he ran for President than Obama does now!

    Two years in the House is more than four years in the Senate? Really?

  258. 258.

    oh really

    September 1, 2008 at 8:27 am

    A modest suggestion. Ignore Phil.

    I’ve read through much of this thread and one thing particularly bothered me.

    Why does anyone respond to Phil? It’s not that he’s got different views from most of the people posting here. It’s that he’s a complete moron. It’s not like he doesn’t mean any harm, because that’s exactly what he means.

    I could be wrong, but if no one (and I mean no one) responds to his nonsense he will cease to exist. Will he still post? Probably. His adolescent need for attention seems overwhelming, which is why giving him attention is the wrong thing to do. But how much fun will it be for him to write post after post (all the while missing cartoons on TV) if no one ever responds.

    Consider the source. Remember that phrase? Does it really bother anyone to be insulted by Phil? His attacks are childish, factually challenged, and meaningless. This isn’t like a political campaign, where failing to respond can be fatal. Quite the opposite. Responding gives him oxygen.

    I say suffocate Phil. Stop responding. It might be useful for other posters to note that “Phil is back,” without any specific reference to the content of his latest spewage. Add a reminder that responding is a bad idea and leave it at that.

    The same goes for the guy with the dumbest user name I’ve ever seen. I won’t even bother to type it. He knows who he is, and I suspect everyone else does too.

    Just ignore them. They tend to ruin any discussion they enter.

    Just a suggestion.

  259. 259.

    grandpajohn

    September 1, 2008 at 8:46 am

    Why not share the birth certificate?

    “What a thing to request—prove that this is your baby,” McAllister said. “I mean, my god, that’s horrifying to think that she would have to do that.”

    Unless the name on the birth certificate is Obama?

  260. 260.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 9:01 am

    Here is a good one to go after Palin for:

    Is Sarah a secessionist?

    If true, vetting absolutely never took place.

  261. 261.

    bootlegger

    September 1, 2008 at 9:14 am

    Oh Really, you’re right of course. I’ve just been itching to slam the “experience” red herring all day and phil gave me an opening. But yes, generally a bad idea to feed the trolls.

  262. 262.

    oh really

    September 1, 2008 at 9:30 am

    Conservatively Liberal Says:

    Here is a good one to go after Palin for:

    Is Sarah a secessionist?

    If true, vetting absolutely never took place.

    I dunno. Unless someone has tape of Palin calling for the independence of Alaska, I can’t see this going anywhere.

  263. 263.

    oh really

    September 1, 2008 at 9:36 am

    PS

    Conservatives’ job today —

    1) Hate the federal government because it intrudes in peoples’ lives;

    2) Get control of the federal government and govern as incompetently as possible;

    3) Use the power of the federal government in ways that would horrify anyone subscribing to 1).

  264. 264.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 9:42 am

    I dunno. Unless someone has tape of Palin calling for the independence of Alaska, I can’t see this going anywhere.

    The tape of the AIP speech has the statement that Sarah was an AIP member before becoming mayor in 1996, and that to accomplish the AIP goal of secession their members have to “infiltrate” the major parties to effect change.

    She speaks in front of their convention and she is praised as a one-time member? This is worth asking questions about and that is for damn sure. Has McCain’s VP choice now or ever been an AIP member, and do they espouse or eschew their platform? This is legitimate political fodder and IMO it should be pursued.

  265. 265.

    Doug H. (Fausto no more)

    September 1, 2008 at 9:42 am

    Is Sarah a secessionist?

    That may have been a feature, not a bug, to certain elements of the GOP base.

  266. 266.

    oh really

    September 1, 2008 at 9:51 am

    Conservative Liberal
    This is legitimate political fodder and IMO it should be pursued.

    I don’t doubt that the right “evidence” could prove very damaging. (Question for Republicans: Is wanting to secede from the Union patriotic?)

    It just seems to me that the evidence will have to be very direct and explicit. Otherwise, I wouldn’t see it having any impact.

    What I want to know is does she wear a flag lapel pin and was she a Muslim before she was a Christian. Until I get satisfactory answers to those questions, I’m afraid I can’t commit to McPOW-Palin ticket.

  267. 267.

    gil mann

    September 1, 2008 at 9:57 am

    Defrauding the state to cover for her daughter’s spread-leg-mono is crooked and vile—but endangering a child is a lot worse, in my book.

    “The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked.”

    Okay, then she insanely risked the life of her unborn child on the flight back to Alaska.

    Who the Goddamn Christ-humping fuck decided somebody else’s fitness as a parent was anybody’s business? Oh, wait, that’s right, the fascist theocrats we’re trying to take back our country from.

    RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET OUT OF MY UTERUS

  268. 268.

    Ella in NM

    September 1, 2008 at 9:59 am

    The Sarah Palin baby story has been debunked. Now can we please move the fuck on?

    Unless she faked the picture, it appears we can move on from the story that may have been entirely lifted from the storyline of “Desperate Housewives.

    However, I still think that the eight hour plane ride, after her water broke, with a fragile downs baby indicates something about her “experiences”—she doesn’t learn from them. She is reckless, lacks good judgment and is willing to put others at risk for her personal preferences. (unless part of her was hoping something would happen to the baby…NO, that’s just too evil.)

    She did it for the opportunity to give a stupid keynote speech. This makes her desperately, disgustingly, selfishly political.

    But most of all, DANGEROUS.

  269. 269.

    Conservatively Liberal

    September 1, 2008 at 10:07 am

    RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET OUT OF MY UTERUS

    I have heard of broadband, but a direct connection to a uterus? Wow! ;)

  270. 270.

    SGEW

    September 1, 2008 at 10:23 am

    RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET OUT OF MY UTERUS

    Awesome. I want it on a t-shirt. Seriously.

  271. 271.

    umc

    September 1, 2008 at 10:41 am

    i find it very disheartening to hear republicans harp on endlessly about family values and they then go and pick a mother, who after giving birth to her special needs baby goes back to work three days later and five months later chooses to runs for the job of vice president of america? her priorities seem sadly skewed to me.

  272. 272.

    w vincentz

    September 1, 2008 at 11:04 am

    Wow! Such an informative thread!
    We have someone that goes by the handle when he speaks to goats, as a pick up line, that his IQ is twice theirs, and another that claims no knowledge of Lincoln.
    It has been entertaining to say the least.

    And, yes, I’ll weigh in again on the “baby” deal…as I previously stated, if there’s anything to it, leave it to the Enquirer. There is so much more damning stuff to be thrown at the lower part of the ticket that goes by the title “The Old Man and the She”.
    An example is a case referenced by Stuck in the Funhouse (nj). The case…American Petroleum Institute etal v Kempthorne etal.
    Some governor out in the frontier is very lucky that polar bears can’t vote.

  273. 273.

    Gebghis

    September 1, 2008 at 11:07 am

    This is how to respond to the “more experienced” mantra.

    Not all executive experience is good. Bush is more experienced than any of the candidates. So is Dick Cheney. Both of them abused the powers of their offices – some of it will require the supreme court to unravel the mess they have left. (I’m thinking Gitmo, signing statements, Scooter Libby, etc.)

    Not to mention the fiscal crisis that will be caused when the true cost of the Iraq War needs to be dealt with.

    Palin’s executive experience includes possible Nixon-style abuse of the office. The investigation into her former brother-in-law looks as if she attempted to influence a public official to fire him. When the official refused, she fired him.

    If you liked Bush-Cheney, you’re gonna’ love McCain-Palin.

    Onward….

  274. 274.

    jurassicpork

    September 1, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    Hilzoy’s right. This is exactly like Harriet Meirs redux.

  275. 275.

    Ecks

    September 1, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    And if it wasn’t debunked enough already, It has just been announced that Bristol is 5 months pregnant and going to marry the daddy.

    Here’s the math: Trig was born 4 months ago.
    Here’s the other thing to remember: It seems the wingers ahve basically decided this isn’t a big deal. So even if all the stuff with trig had panned out, lots of fire would have been expended to no real gain.

  276. 276.

    Sasha

    September 1, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    And I think you’ll agree that the Bush League definitely applies to the short-sightedness of the McCain campaign. Bush & Co. may have been competent and skilled campaigners, but they have been horrifying inept at actually governance.

    At this point, we can only see the how McCain is campaigning. We can only speculate on governance. I thought the timing of this by McCain was brilliant. Everybody was talking about Obama’s speech just before that. So, maybe it is Bush League and the Democrats better get serious.

    It was a clever move, but it may end up being too clever by half.

    Yeah, it pushed Obama off the screen, but so would have the news that McCain left Cindy to run off with the corpse of Anna Nicole Smith. Having announced Palin as his VP without vetting her first is a hell of a gamble, one that’s not panning out.

  277. 277.

    gil mann

    September 1, 2008 at 2:50 pm

    i find it very disheartening to hear republicans harp on endlessly about family values and they then go and pick a mother, who after giving birth to her special needs baby goes back to work three days later and five months later chooses to runs for the job of vice president of america? her priorities seem sadly skewed to me.

    Yes, that’s an excellent point. Why, if only there were somebody in her life that could help her raise the child, some sort of “he-mother,” if you will.

    Find it disheartening, do ya? Y’know what might help with that? MINDING YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS.

    Oh, and thanks, SGEW. I’d whip you up a silk-screen but it looks like I’ll be busy the next few weeks doing something that’s not really in my skill set: steering the conversation away from vaginas.

  278. 278.

    Rome Again

    September 2, 2008 at 4:49 am

    i find it very disheartening to hear republicans harp on endlessly about family values and they then go and pick a mother, who after giving birth to her special needs baby goes back to work three days later and five months later chooses to runs for the job of vice president of america? her priorities seem sadly skewed to me.

    Wingnuts “Family Values” are only about birthing babies, not caring for them.

    Yes, that’s an excellent point. Why, if only there were somebody in her life that could help her raise the child, some sort of “he-mother,” if you will.

    Well, after being a mother, I can tell you that women have a soft spot for caring for babies (usually, not always) that men don’t have. A man can make sure the baby is fed, diapered, played with, and yes, even loved… but he cannot offer a mother’s love (it’s a genetic thing).

    I am getting so sick of this ‘a man can mother just as well as a woman’ – no, he can’t.

    I’m not a women’s libber, I understand some women do in fact try to do the type of labor a man does, and that is their choice, but, offering the bonding of a mother to a child is something a father can’t do.

    You want to argue the point? Please tell me that Mr. Palin has the estrogen level of his wife. Men carry more testosterone and women carry more estrogen because WE ARE DIFFERENT. The estrogen hormone makes women natural caretakers; while the testosterone makes men more nature hunters and warriors. Are you sure you want to blur those differences?

  279. 279.

    gil mann

    September 2, 2008 at 11:07 am

    Rome, this thread’s well past its shelf life, but that was a whole buncha bullshit you just posted, so if you wanna do this, let’s do this.

    Not that I care about changing your mind about anything—if you’re planning on voting Dem, you’re fine by me—but teeing off on you and your wack-ass biological determinism would give me mad cred with cute feminist chicks.

    Hunters and warriors, yet. Yeesh.

  280. 280.

    gil mann

    September 2, 2008 at 11:30 am

    Actually, y’know what? Maybe we should hash this out in person. If you’re east of the Rockies it’d be quicker than waiting for this damn page to load.

    I haven’t seen a server this shitty since my days of waiting tables stoned.

  281. 281.

    Rome Again

    September 2, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    teeing off on you and your wack-ass biological determinism would give me mad cred with cute feminist chicks

    Go for it, I’m not here to get you dates.

  282. 282.

    gil mann

    September 2, 2008 at 4:29 pm

    AW SHIT IT’S ON NOW

    Well, after being a mother, I can tell you that women have a soft spot for caring for babies (usually, not always) that men don’t have. A man can make sure the baby is fed, diapered, played with, and yes, even loved… but he cannot offer a mother’s love (it’s a genetic thing).

    In general? Sure. Allow me to quote someone with insight into this issue:

    usually, not always

    Real smart cookie, I forget her name. See, I don’t give a shit about what men and women are like in general. Some men have a strong maternal instinct. Statistical outliers? Okay. What, you’re gonna tell me they’re doing it wrong?

    Can’t speak for my own mad fatherin’ skillz—I don’t mind children but I place far too much value on my own kid-unfriendly lifestyle, plus I’d have to clean up this shithole—but I do animal rescue, and I’d put my record of caring/sacrificing for helpless creatures up against anybody’s, and I guarantee you there are only a handful of women in the world who share my talent for bringing things back from the brink of death. And we’re talking 5% learned skill, 95% pure instinct, don’t-you-die-on-me tenacity, and a sense of empathy that makes an atheist like me go “where the hell did that come from?” Whatever you feel when your child vocalizes is just a higher-stakes (and admittedly more praiseworthy) version of what I feel when something I hand-raised from the looks-like-a-gummi-bear stage squeaks for food or warmth.

    Now, my tastes tend toward the tomboyish, so I don’t know from representative, but very few of the women I’ve dated have had any sort of motherly drive.* Yeah, I know it comes out full-force when you actually have a baby, but if I’m capable of doting on a friggin’ squirrel, I can only imagine how I’d melt into goo and restructure every inch of my life if it was my son or daughter wrapped up in that towel.

    I don’t think I’ll ever be a father. It’s gotta be something you really want, and though I could see adopting a child in need if he or she wandered directly into my path, I’m far from hell-bent on it. But if it ever happens, I’m just this side of positive that I’ll be the primary caregiver. Feel free to have a problem with that. While people like you are judging my family’s choices I’ll be busy not giving a shit.

    I’m not a women’s libber

    Really? Wait, hold on. I’m in New Jersey—where are you, 1973?

    I understand some women do in fact try to do the type of labor a man does, and that is their choice

    Well, yeah, and that’s fine, but I’m a little thrown by the implication that they necessarily fail. Is that what you’re saying? No, I must be reading that wrong, because it’s spectacularly dumb and I’ve been lurking here long enough to know you ain’t even close to dumb.

    offering the bonding of a mother to a child is something a father can’t do.

    Look, I realize there’s a biological component, I do. I’m not so radfem as to deny that. But it only matters in the big picture, and we don’t live in the big picture. We live in our teensy little chunks of it. Some mothers abandon their newborns. Some men find babies in dumpsters and fall in love on the spot. Of course you’re not saying those men might as well just dash their brains because the situation isn’t the evo-devo best-case-scenario, but, well, that is the obvious glib response to what you’re saying.

    You want to argue the point?

    What do I look like to you, some sort of contentious prick who puffs himself up by getting into pseudonymous arguments? Get real, lady.

    Please tell me that Mr. Palin has the estrogen level of his wife.

    Oh, I get it. you’re taking a subtle dig at my soy-rich diet. You callin’ me a fruit, Rome?

    Men carry more testosterone and women carry more estrogen because WE ARE DIFFERENT.

    Yeah I KNOW WE ARE. But again, here’s this shining nugget of wisdom I picked up on my travels:

    usually, not always

    That shit ain’t destiny. Not every woman is better at child-rearing because of her chemical makeup, just like not everyone with a dopamine deficiency can write a good emo song (oh, screw you, such a thing does too exist). Don’t get me wrong—it helps. Usually. Not always.

    The estrogen hormone makes women natural caretakers; while the testosterone makes men more nature hunters and warriors. Are you sure you want to blur those differences?

    Oh, I’m damn sure. And what I definitely don’t want is for women to think they should leave certain things to the menfolk, especially jobs and callings they’re drawn to, just because the average woman, whatever the fuck that is, ain’t up to the task. And blowing smoke up women’s asses about their innate mothering ability is all too often meant to achieve just that.

    Oh dear God. Now I’m that smarmy guy bitching about the patriarchy. I’m Chris Clarke without the talent.

    *The only serious girlfriend I ever had that actively wanted children (BTW, that’s an easy out if you’re looking to bail on some dude who’s totally beneath your station, just FYI), I mean seriously yearned for ’em, could wield the contents of a toolbox with more facility than I can even dream of, and I make my living as a handyman. Plus, this one time? I started shit with some guy for hitting on her, he kicked my ass, and then she grabbed the dude and made what he did to me look like a hickey, so there’s your huunter-warrior.

    I dwell on that one a little, can ya tell?

    Anyway, thanks for this. I’ve been pissed off about the way people are getting up in Palin’s business for a few days now, and it’s nice to blow off some steam without directly defending a Republican.

    I’m not here to get you dates.

    Hey, that’s cool. Nerve.com is and their track record’s not much better than yours.

  283. 283.

    Rome Again

    September 3, 2008 at 5:19 am

    gil mann,

    I agree that some men might have that ability, but it’s very rare.

    I am not saying some women cannot do the jobs that men do (I don’t know how well they do, I’m sure some do just fine. I’ve always been a feminine woman, I don’t tackle manly jobs personally, but I don’t fault others for trying).

    Now, to take what you said and draw it out a little further, we are looking at a situation where:

    1. The mother is looking at holding the #2 power position of the country, one heartbeat away from the presidency (this is not a 40 hour job)

    2. The oldest daughter is pregnant and will need help and advice

    3. the youngest child is special needs and should not be around large crowds due to his immune system

    4. the oldest child is headed to Iraq to fight in a war

    5. there are two other children who are barely mentioned but still need parenting and attention to not fall through the cracks…

    given the severity of all of these situations coming together, would you be willing to bet your last dollar that Mr. Palin can mother these children?

    P.S. – my “usually, but not always” is due to the fact that I had a heartless mother myself. She would rather drink and be wrapped up in her own little world than to be around children, so I kept wondering why she had any. I learned to not be like my mother, I care very deeply about my own children.

  284. 284.

    gil mann

    September 3, 2008 at 3:41 pm

    given the severity of all of these situations coming together, would you be willing to bet your last dollar that Mr. Palin can mother these children?

    Nope. I wouldn’t give anyone particularly good odds on that one. But it’s none of our business, and “hey, give ’em the benefit of the doubt, we just don’t know” is both morally sound and a great dodge. I didn’t mean to imply that I’m not an enormously judgmental son of a bitch, because I most certainly am; you don’t want to know what I think about that family. Especially the part where they marry off a 17-year-old, for crying out loud.

    P.S. –

    Wow. It will not sadden you to learn that I have nothing to say about that.

    Well, except that you should be proud of yourself for seeing her for what she was and not passing the family curse along the way so many people do. You’ve got some lucky kids there.

    Oh, hey, I hope the vitriol read as intended. Sometimes I see things I wrote and think, ooh, my jokey-mean comes awfully close to just plain mean.

    Thanks again, Rome. See ya in a more contemporary thread.

    SERVER FUCKING PERMITTING.

  285. 285.

    Rome Again

    September 3, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    Nope. I wouldn’t give anyone particularly good odds on that one.

    I’m not asking you to pass judgment on anyone. I’m asking, for you to qualify if you believe a mother, any mother who has the family dynamics of this family is responsible to go off and become the VPOTUS?

  286. 286.

    gil mann

    September 3, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    Yes.

    And that would be my answer even if the job in question had responsibilities.

    Next time you and me scrap, let’s do it on a blog that works. Cole’s clearly doing some sort of psyche experiment on fans of this place.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. Let’s nominate the candidate, then vet them « Amused Cynicism says:
    August 31, 2008 at 9:39 pm

    […] Posted by cabalamat on 2008-Sep-01 McCain has an odd strategy: publicly nominate the VP candidate, then vet them: Andrew Halcro, one of the Republicans who ran against Palin in 2006, is reporting that the McCain campaign has begun vetting their candidate: […]

  2. McCain Ready To Vet Palin Now « Suzie-Q says:
    August 31, 2008 at 10:46 pm

    […] HT: John Cole. […]

  3. Word up: McCain team is vetting Palin in Alaska | Daily Astrology & Adventure by Eric Francis says:
    August 31, 2008 at 11:19 pm

    […] For those of you who are not plugged all the way into the blogosphere via one of those Matrix ports in the back of your head, I have some funny news. A number of top blogs are reporting Sunday night that the McCain team is in Wasilla, Alaska vetting Sarah Palin. Vetting means checking her background, making sure she’s up to the job and so on. The story reportedly broke on the blog of Andrew Halcro, a Republican who ran against Palin for governor in 2006. The story was picked up by John Cole’s Ballon Juice and bas been bouncing around all night. […]

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