Jackson Free Press

Quite frankly, I'm shocked. I expected a speech from Palin that would make Americans who'd never heard of her last Friday *like* her. She's just sneering over and over agaon. I'm truly shocked at the level of nastiness here. There's a belittling tone here that I'm not used to hearing on a national stage. It feels very FOX News, and the room loves (and their return sneers reflect it), but I don't see how it plays to people who aren't going to vote for McCain already. And it could turn some off. Is she going to belittle world leaders she doesn't agree with? Weird. And puzzling.

Previous Commentsshow

And she didn't need to lie about Obama's tax plan.

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

Link to Palin's speech A biography followed by one-liners and tasteless jabs. I expected more from her, actually.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

I need to find a video. Some of the things she said is not in the text, and the comment she made about Obama healing the earth or rolling back the waters or whatever was uncalled for. I didn't like it when Hillary said something similar, and i still don't like it now. Now, when the stuff about her daughter came out, Obama said the family should be left alone. Guess she showed how much she appreciated that.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

I heard that comment healing the earth. That and about the Styrofoam Greek columns...what the hell was that all about?

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

Yeah, I'm not getting the lies they're telling. I mean, Lieberman outright lied last night and now Palin. Right after the speech, JoAnne nominated her for vice president of the national PTA—although she suggested she learn to control her snarkiness. ;-) "Here's a little new flash ..." My favorite was the audience: "Drill, Baby, Drill; Drill, Baby, Drill ..."

DonnaLadd

Sep 3 2008

I expected more from her, actually. I know, I'm really puzzled. I knew she'd be slick, but I thought she would make people outside the choir like here. Everyone here was pleased at the end.

DonnaLadd

Sep 3 2008

Golden, those were the parts I mean. She belittled Obama in a very weird way. I'm surprised they let her do that.

DonnaLadd

Sep 3 2008

I disagree. I sat through the whole thing and tried to listen without my own ears. It was difficult. :P Especially when Rudy was on and I had to restrain my gag reflex. Mitt didn't even bother me as much as Rudy. Rudy made me scream curse words at the television and threaten to vomit and buy floral furniture if The Man didn't change the channel. I think Michel Martin from NRP summed up my assessment of Palin (after tonight) better than even I. Ms. Martin was on Bill Maher this week and when asked about Palin she said, "I think Democrats underestimate her at their own peril." After seeing that speech tonight-I agree. She is polished. She is precise. And, she panders better than anyone I've ever seen. This woman knows what she is doing. Yes, she made jabs. Yes, she lied about Obama's plans. But, think about her audience. Most of these people don't attend the Republican Convention and then immediately go home to check and see if what she said was actually the TRUTH. Unfortunately, neither does most of America. She is the wet dream of the American middle class. This is only more proven by the veterans in the audience wearing the buttons that say "My Vote Is For The Hot Chick" with her picture. She got the "mom" vote. She got the "special needs child" vote. She got the "my family is messed up" vote. She got the "my son is going to Iraq" vote. Minus Cindy's McCain's surgically-crafted facial expressions there were moments in the speech where I almost said, "Damn. If only she were running." Then I reminded myself of her Right to Life ideals. Guys, I wanted to HATE her...and I didn't. This must be taken into consideration when we start talking about the opinion of moderate and conservatives in this country.

Lori G

Sep 3 2008

That and about the Styrofoam Greek columns...what the hell was that all about? Oh, just belittling a historic moment, that's all. No big deal. And I suppose that there was a styrofoam Lincoln behind Dr. King when he gave his speech. The whole thing just ticks me off. I can't remember the last time I felt this angry.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

Another thing Palin did that I didn't like was that she seemed to belittle Obama's community organizing efforts. I couldn't find it in the transcript L-Dub linked in her post unless I overlooked it, but I'm thinking to myself, why would you criticize someone who tried to organize people at the ground level to make their lives and their communities better on the south side of Chicago. All she's offering is cheap shots.

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

golden, I'm not sure she understands what a community organizer does. She just insulted a large number of hardworking people.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

Here's the quote: I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

She just insulted a large number of hardworking people. Yes, but that was her point. She got the faction of the Republican party that has been leery of John McCain. THAT was her point. And, if you look at it that way, she did an unbelievable job. She goes from being the Governor of Alaska to making an acceptance speech for the VP of the United States that was extremely tough and on point and she didn't freakin' choke? I think that's why Cindy and Rudy were jumpin' out of their seats at the end. She did JUST ENOUGH to make it "okay" for the rightwingers to vote for McCain. This was a strategy for the Republicans. I have no idea what effect this will have on the outcome of the election. But, I will say that they accomplished what they wanted to accomplish tonight.

Lori G

Sep 3 2008

Keith Olbermann is interviewing Howard Fineman of Newsweek about this right now (the community organizing deal, that is).

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

Gawd, that speech was torture for me. Hillary's voice is bad enough, but Gov. Palin's Fargo/Francis McDormand twang is like nails across a chalkboard. I thought it was a good speech, but nothing spectacular. I didn't see the "sneering" that y'all saw but it was definitely salty. To me it was a standard issue VP candidate speech crafted to present her resume, promote the party and candidate's platform, and toss out some red meat to the crowd. In fact, she spent so much of her speech with Obama directly in her crosshairs that I'm sure she knocked it out of the park with conservatives. I doubt it will play well with independents and the pro-Hillary/working women crowd that McCain is trying to divide and conquer.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 3 2008

Make no mistake about it, Sarah Palin came ready to play and the Democrats cannot underestimate her. But, I also want to see how she will hold herself up in a vice-presidential debate against Joe Biden.

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

I doubt it will play well with independents and the pro-Hillary/working women crowd that McCain is trying to divide and conquer. Yes, because THIS independent is completely turned off.

LatashaWillis

Sep 3 2008

Yes, the VP debate will be interesting. Hell, for a political junkie like me, this whole election is fascinating theater.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 3 2008

Golden, those were the parts I mean. She belittled Obama in a very weird way. I'm surprised they let her do that. - ladd Seriously? You thought they would hold back? I'm telling y'all, her personal drama aside this was a shrewd pick. While she may not have been *vetted* in the traditional fashion, I think McCain saw something about Palin (besides her boobs) that he knew would resonate with hardline conservatives who really weren't feelin' him and calculated that they would eagerly circle the wagons to support and defend her.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 3 2008

I didn't expect them to hold back. I just didn't quite expect the childish tantrums throw at Obama's way in regards to his community organizing as well as the Styrofoam Greek columns deal.

golden eagle

Sep 3 2008

I guess Hush, Vannity and the right-wing blogosphere had more influence on the content in these speeches than ever.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 3 2008

"All she's offering is cheap shots." I agree, Golden. And she kept feeding them to the party faithful in that whiny voice that is bearable only in small doses. Tossing that hair around and looking out at them with that naughty gaze, which they loved. She's mastered it. However, she has a good excuse for not understanding what a community organizer does; her rapid rise from the tiny Alaskan town to tonight's podium hasn't allowed her much time to delve into that "other people" stuff. Lots of strange dis-jointed things kept racing around in my mind after her speech: Like the words "mean-spirited" and "we've reached a new low." And, I had the strangest intuition that if she and McCain get elected, we'll need to put the already-eroded-by-Bush Constitution in a locked vault and warn McCain to hire a food taster. She almost giggled out loud as she threw the jilted p.o.'d right wingers on her snow mobile and drove off with them. They were oblivious to having been scooped up and were cheering and hugging her and felt oh so loved by her. And so so so happy that someone loved them again. And, they didn't ask where they were going. And, don't know and don't care. They know one thing: this wonderful woman did not get an abortion. Anything else she's done or wanted to do doesn't matter. Not getting an abortion means she's their woman. Hope Obama brings the conversation back to the topic: McCain and Palin are 4 more years of the same thing we've had for the last 8: breaks for the rich; the breaking of the middle class; economic chaos; war forever-$10Billion/month?; broken relationships and lost reputation with other countries; erosion of the Constitution. Looks to me like ole Rove has his hand in this up to his eyeballs. As well as some of the "good ole boys" that she even defied from the podium. Wonder if they squirmed? McCain may have bitten off more than even he can chew. Time will tell.

J.T.

Sep 3 2008

I agree with Lori. I don't like Palin but that's only because I've done enough reading to know what she stands for; reading a Palin speech is no big deal--but her delivery is top notch. Hearing a Palin speech, she sounds like the presumptive 2012 Republican presidential nominee. If Huckabee doesn't get it first. That's the scary thing: The two most viable 2012 contenders now on the Republican side, Huckabee and Palin, are also among the most extreme. But this year she's second banana to the far less charismatic McCain, and that point will become clearer as the debates come nearer. McCain speeches, unlike Palin's, read better than they sound. His eyes glaze over. His cadence doesn't qualify as cadence. His smile is a rictus. That's not a function of age; that's a function of the fact that he's never been comfortable as a public speaker, and happens to be a non-happy-smiley person who is forced by circumstances to give everybody a big smile all the time. His speech tonight will be so visibly inferior to Palin's in its presentation that it won't even be funny, and his performance in the debates is likely to be painful to watch. This election isn't Palin vs. Biden any more than the 1988 election was Quayle vs. Bentsen or the 1996 election Dole vs. Kemp or the 2004 election Cheney vs. Edwards. It's McCain vs. Obama. In 2012, against an incumbent Obama, Palin may have her chance to contend with other Republicans for the #1 spot. But this year, her charisma is good (at most) for a slight bump in the polls over the next week or so, and then the narrative will refocus on the presidential candidates.

Tom Head

Sep 4 2008

AP: Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

Washington Monthly factcheck

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

Well, easedropping on the "water cooler" talk by fellow co-workers standing just outside my office door, Palin's speech was definitely a big hit with the party loyalists. Wow, what a shock.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 4 2008

The repugnants republicans unleashed the grand wizard, dragon and klavern on Obama last night. We're not afraid though. Palin might be able to pull a gun out her behind and scare the hockey redneck, as he called himself, into marrying her [snip] daughter, but she doesn't have enough guns to scare us. When you don't have a plan, any real substance or personal accomplishments, you attack the black guy like she did last night. Did y'all see the audience? I haven't seen that much old and ugly since I visited some of the country's unfunded and underfunded zoos. Hell, I thought I was watching a klan get-back-together convention with a few spots here and there. It wasn't just a Farce on Minnesota, it was a bad Fart on Minnesota. If you noticed people, Palen was short on any plans of chance. My buddy Bubba I got a good look at Palen last night. I tell you, if she going to do any pole dancing she had better seek out the blind and desperate, for she is ugly inside and outside. Besides if she dances for you and you don't like it therefore refuse to tip her, she's liable to pull out her gun and take your whole wallet. Obama called Biden last night and asked him what did he plan to do about this crazy-ass white woman, and Biden said tell that _____ I said shut up and that I'm going to kick her behind. Did y'all see how old the gravekeeper looked last night. He might go on home tonight before he finished his speech.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

I really wish Walt had spoke at the Democratic National Convention so we could all see how the average "Democrat-on-the-street" feels.

QB

Sep 4 2008

Thanks Fat Harry. Your continued compliments always affirm my brillance. I repeat, "If you're going to fight the devil you gotta get down in the hole where it lives." Fat Harry I'm not a coward hiding in the bushes or behind George Bush and waiting for a cheap occasion to see whom I can slip up on and devour or kill and take their oil and other essentials of life. I'm not average at all. Know it. Believe it. We can all see the same thing and get different impressions. You no doubt loves Palen. I'm not surprised or disappointed in you.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Don't be such a fool Walt...have you read anything about Obama's mother?? It's so much fun to watch all 426 leftists in Mississippi get upset by the next Vice President of our country.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Hayes there is only one fool speaking here and you know him or her intimately. "I pity the fool."

Walt

Sep 4 2008

I just watched her speech. *Yawn*

WMartin

Sep 4 2008

2000, if this country is what you think it is, why don't you move?  We live in a world today where someone like yourself who has the ability to move freely about can pick exactly where they want to live.  The JFP has done a better job than anyone of exposing the lunacy of Frank Melton, but he doesn't make Jackson a f*****ed up place to live, just one that needs change in leadership.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Fay Harry thinks "the average Democrat on the street" is a criminal defense attorney who keeps up with posts on the Jackson Free Press? Ha Ha. No wonder it has been so easy for hard working Applaichan Americans to be deceived for the last eight years! The convenient ideas are so simple and so easy!

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Oh I got the bitterness part loud and clear. For the record, I didn't tell you to move at all. I asked you why you don't...big difference.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Whitley, I know we're just on a blog, but facts should count.  Without getting into the war, which i understand might generate strong feelings however you feel, the first six years of the Bush presidency provided the country with a very strong economy (just check, you'll see).  It's only been in the last 18 months that things are not going well in the economy.  Some say it's since the Dem's took over the congress, it's probably as simple as cycles in our economy.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Hayes, either way, suggesting someone "move" in response to their critiques is ad hominem. Leave it out and stick to issues, please. That goes for everyone. No personal attacks; it always gets ugly on here between people supporting different candidates, and I'm going to have a zero-tolerance policy this cycle. So talk about issues or go to one of the local trash blogs. Otherwise, Hayes, we'll be happy to check on that "very strong economy" assertion. And trying to blame Democrats for this one is probably not going to get very far. ;-)

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Baquan, my brother, you can't reason with nuts. They don't have a brain. All they can see is white losing its appeal and that scares them to death. Understand it and move on. Only a klan lover can love what we saw last night. Don't fret, my brother, this is just another obstacle to overcome. You know, like the crap you have to walk through to get to the promise land. We (good and decent people of all races and sexes) will get to the promise land. So it is written and so it shall be done. Baquan, the repugnants can't stop a moment whose time has come. It will take an attempt at assasination to stop this tide and even that won't work. I've been trying to tell y'all of late about the crazy white woman lurking. We saw her last night, horns and everything. The beast have to be slain. Let's get to plotting, working, donating and locked, cocked and ready to rock.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

After going up and looking at everyones postings, as long as justice is handed out fairly...I'm all in. I couldn't agree more with getting upset with someone suggesting someone leave because of thier views. It's happened in the past and was very, very, ugly.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

And Lori, I don't "hate" Palin at all. I actually find her fascinating and suspect I would like hanging out with her. (I'm guessing she can host a decent party.) She reminds me of my mama's friends -- a lot -- although she's a bit more educated and well spoken. And I loved hanging out with my mama's friends, but I wouldn't vote for any of them for president, which is what this is, essentially, being that one can't know how McCain's health is going to hold up. As a political strategy, I get it, and it is somewhat of a threat in a country that elected Bush twice. (Consider how much alike they are, although her fews are more extreme right as far as I can tell. She speaks better, though, at least with a Teleprompter and a speech written by the campaign. As David Brooks said last night, she still has a press conference, or two, to get through.) The saddest part is that is such a divisive strategy in a time when so many Americans were trying to get past such things. (Reminds me of the Southern Strategy after the Civil Rights Movement, appealing to people's worst instincts.) I may be wrong, or have too much faith in the (majority of the) American public's desire to get past culture wars this year, but I don't think it will work beyond making the conservative base gnash their teeth publicly in a roomful of white people as they did last time for the world to see. It will ensure that those people turn out and work for the campaign, but it remains to be seen whether someone with such extreme views can draw voters beyond the middle, especially with her baggage (and lies about telling Congress no on the "Road to Nowhere" and her history of craving pork and earmarks, and the like). I'm not real convinced that voters outside the predictable right is going to go for it, especially over the haul. I don't believe they will, but the public has done some wacky things that we've ended up paying for before. Funny, I never heard a single pundit mention last night that Palin could get to appoint *three* Supreme Court justices should she become president fairly quickly. Three. It's also disheartening to hear all the horse-race talk in a time when we should be talking about issues, such as the real facts about the drilling McCain and Palin support, as Adam does in this week's cover story. So here on our little postage stamp, we're going to continue doing that between now and the election: Write about issues that affect our state and our country, and what the myths and realities are. In time when so many lies are being told, the top priority should be to be straight with Mississippians, even if it's tough for them to swallow. We've been sold too many bills of good to date, and now we're being told to fight the culture wars again so that the Republicans have a chance at the White House. Please join us on the Issues Express between now and November.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Hayes, no one is asked to "leave for their views"—unless their views are all about ad hominem attacks and bigotry. Anyone is welcome to discuss issues. People usually leave on their own because they can't stand being challenged.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

So Walt gets to say..."crazy white woman lurking...The beast have to be slain"?? Wow, I'm obviously not smart enough to get the distinction.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Hayes, you have been hoodwinked. Inequality, the disparity between the top five percent and the bottom fifty percent, is at the highest level that it has been since just prior to the Great Depression. These are facts that you can check! The home mortgage crisis is in large part due to a lack of regulation advanced by the party that controlled both branches of government for six and a half of the last eight years. The deficit that has wrecked the dollar and exaccerbates high oil prices and fuels inflation was run up well prior to the last eighteen months! Where were you for the last eight years? Have you been out of the country and just came back eighteen months ago? That deregulatory environment was not created since the Dems took over 18 months ago! Every significant economic initiative (except the stimulus packsage) Dems have proposed since they gained ascendancy has been stymied by a lack of enough votes in the Senate to set the agenda. The failure to implement a strategy to get us off the oil dependency that is wrecking the economy did not occur in the last 18 months did it? I may have missed that part. p.s. I have a degree in Economics and business admmin. so I know a little bit (enough to be dangerous!).

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Actually, Hayes, I've yelled at "Walt" many times, and kicked him off once under another name. He goes too far, especially in his little moments of satire that you have to be a long-time user to recognize, and you should note that I say above that my warning goes to everyone. So, leave out the "waaa, he did it, too, mommy," nonsense. I'm talking about everyone. So reach down deep, find your inner adult and talk about issues.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Sorry friends, I mean we saw the crazy white woman last night with a hood, horns and everything. I have been trying to tell people for years also that Hillary is the better prototype of a real female statemen or statewoman or stateperson. How did everyone like that predator, wolf in sheep's clothing, barrcuda, panther or bulldog last night. The repugnant party has fallen so low that it is now putting up a white woman to fight its battle. They assume rather incorrectly that we're unwilling to knock that [snip] out. I happen to know that all women, white or otherwise, are not like her. Please note, also, people the majority of the country will not be fooled into believing that McCain and Palen are different than George Bush and Cheney. They're exactly the same with boobs and lipstick added. McCain is so much of a maverick that he played the race and sex games from under the table. We knew he would - he's a republican. What else do they do?

Walt

Sep 4 2008

A record surplus was turned into a record deficit in a record amount of time! It didn't happen in the last eighteen months. It takes YEARS to do that much damage to a country. Hayes, why are your people so intent on destroying this great country that we love? On telling people to move if they don't like it here, I paraphrase Fannie Lou Hamer who said "All our feets is tired."

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Whitley the problem I have with the average republican on here these days is that they have that problem Morgan Freeman described as he played Joe Clark. They don't know sh1t. They're some of the dumbest people I ever met. All they have are feelings. I can't beleive they still have feelings after enduring the crock of bull shickidy they have been served for breakfast, lunch and dinner by a bunch of ole dinosaurs republicans for years. I might just leave the country to get away from their dumb and diseased behinds.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

We need real patriots in office not slaves to the oil industry. A summary of the last eight years in a nutshell: A recession from 2001-2002; we had growth after that which benefited mostly the upper echelons of society, not the majority of hard working Appalachian type Americans and now we have a recession at the end. Oh, I almost forgot the war without end we were lied into that is sapping our ability to marshal resources to fight the real war against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan or invest in our own country to rebuild our infrastructure. I wonder if they were wearing flag pins while they did all this damage? I might feel better if they were.

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

"Fecal-headed heifer"? "Crazy white woman with a hood, horns and everything"? So this is what qualifies as "inner adult" on this forum?

QB

Sep 4 2008

Brother Baquan this is America. When you're white - there is no doubt about your fitness or greatness. Haven't you learned this by now as you live in a white supremacist capitalistic culture. Like you and me, Obama doesn't have the complexion for the connection or protection. I can't put it no clearer and truer than that. It's the unalterable facts. Obama is smarter and more capable than Palin and McCain put together. It doesn't matter because they're white and play the race and sex game. They probably don't need either game. White alone is enough. Don't be fooled about what America is. Don't let a decent job, house and smile from the other man or woman fool you. America is what it is!

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Obama voted present over 130 times in the State legislature; not taking any position. Is this want you want from a President

nwrman

Sep 4 2008

Thanks again Harry. I luv ya.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Walt, Donna's warned you and now I'm seconding. Tone it down and be civil. You don't need to resort to insults to make your points. You're better than that. I'm going to try to clean up some of your comments, but I will start to delete them soon.

Ronni_Mott

Sep 4 2008

There is a candidate who did not even show up to vote for renewable energy bills or for increases in benefits for our war heros in the past few months. Is that who NWRMAN wants to be president? NWRMAN, it is an established custom to vote "present" on bills that one does not agree with in the Illinois Senate. Obama did vote affirmatively on bills to help families make the transition from welfare to work, to protect citizens against being coerced into confessions by police and he spoke out against the war before it was a popular thing to do --- before the war began.

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Alright, Ronni. While I don't think I'm doing any worse than Palin did last night or any of the republicans, I will just stop posting for a while so the repugs can have their way or moment of joy. Smile. They don't deserve any respect from me. Thanks for not running me off yet. Cheers and high fives Harry, et al. Just erase my comments altogether since I liked them as written. No hard feelings. I'll be back another day.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Obama voted present over 130 times in the State legislature; not taking any position. Is this want you want from a President I know that a new GOP talking point, but I haven't seen an analysis of both of their votes, absences, etc., so I can't comment intelligent on that out of context. I know a "present" vote is often a strategy in itself that members of Congress use. Anyone have more on this that isn't from a partisan hack site? I will say that I sure would prefer that to a president who has bragged about voted with *George Bush* 90 percent of the time. (Have you seen the video?) Also, as I understand it, McCain has a very high absentee rate, but I'm not sure how it compares to Obama and Biden.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

We'll see you soon, Walt. Otherwise, to everyone, this isn't Romper Room. Don't pretend it is.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

WOW, what is going on over here today!!!!! LOL Just a little two cents from me....I was NOT impressed at all, in any way from Palin. I didn't think she was well spoken. I didn't think she made valid points. As a matter of fact it seemed to me like she was vomitting what had been told to her. Seems like she was repeating what she'd heard and lacking that passion i talk about. I don't care what she brings to the table because in my opinion, she's only in this position as an attempt by the republican party to bring "newness". Since we, as American's have already prooven that we won't have anything else. We want change and fairness. So since McCain has pretty much beat himself over the head with his attacks on Obama, the next best thing to do is APPEAR to be on the side of the American people. Otherwise, I think she's hot. I think she's a good fit, good look. She has issues and has regular problems...I like that. She actually has a daughter who is pregnant. She's regular. I dont' think that will benefit their campaign int he end, but it's good to see that she is a regular person who has been given an opportunity to shift some of the hype off McCain. I'm sure there are many people in this country who feel victorious that she stands there. I'm sure many people are sure that she can add some fire to McCain and possibly get him heated for battle. I don't, but some likely do.

Queen601

Sep 4 2008

Have you guys seen this? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check

Queen601

Sep 4 2008

I've been on the net this morning listening to the "response" to that speech and they pretty much echo what is written on this thread. The Repubs just LOVE her (hugs from all the 'hockey moms' that wear lipstick) and Democrats realize she lied openly several times in that speech but she had a great delivery. I also agree that when it comes down to it, she will overshadow McCain in her public speaking ability. I am, at the same time, somewhat confused by her avid "outdoorsy" past and her apparent lack of concern for the environment. But, if she thinks creationism should be taught in high schools, I guess its tit for tat. More than anything, I felt sorry for Bristol's alledged fiance. Did you see when they cut to him? He looked like he'd been hit by a train and was about to cry and vomit at the same time. This woman has lots of issues. Unfortunately, none of them are really pertinent to the future of America at this time. As stated above, they are all wedge issues. In fact, I don't think another family personifies wedge issues like hers. It is quite scary, actually. How'd she managed to cover that many bases in one family? I told The Man all she had left was to adopt a half-Asian/half-African American baby with a mental illness and she'd have this whole thing buttoned up. I don't care if her husband is a "World Champion Snowmobiler".

Lori G

Sep 4 2008

I think the saddest thing was that so far, the RNC, including Palin have taken a very disrespectful and dismissive approach to Obama. This is after the DNC and Obama was very respectful to John McCain at their convention. The RNC was more of the same old, us versus them, we love America, they do not. That is why I did not think much of McCain's ad congratulating Obama. You should not congratulate someone that you think of in ways expressed at the RNC. That was the glaring difference to me. Obama nor Biden have not personally attacked Palin or McCain. But last night Palin made some serious personal attacks against Michelle and Barack that had little to do with the issues. That speech probably played well, there, but I am not sure how it will play with folks that are tired of that kind of thing. Not to mention that Palin has issues of her own and will have to answer questions at some point.

Goldenae

Sep 4 2008

I am glad there are some who still love America and are concerned for its future: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/opinion/04thu1.html?em=&pagewanted=print

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Please post one comment made by a speaker at the RNC about "us" and "them" being patriotic. It's simply not the case. I hate to tell you but a great deal of politics is about patriotism. Republicans are patriotic. I believe that Dem's are patriotic as well. Great soldiers and statesmen...(Sonny Montgomery to name one) The attacks have been on a policy front and while both party's (go back and look at Biden's speech)can slip a little into attack mode...they have been sharp attacks at what people think are Obama's shortcomings. Plus, let's face it, a month from now it will be all Obama v. McCain. That's the way it always is and this election will be no different.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

To be "fair and balanced" and present the truths and distortions and/or lies from BOTH parties: http://www.factcheck.org/

Jeff Lucas

Sep 4 2008

Great post...that group trys to keep everyone honest.

Hayes

Sep 4 2008

Hayes, Cindy McCain mentioned having been ALWAYS proud of her country, in reference to Michelle's comment. Palin and Rudy also said similiar things. All of which was intended to say that the Obamas do not love this country as much as WE do, they are not as patriotic as WE are. That was the purpose of bringing up those comments and that is how people there took it. Honestly, if you can not see that the speeches last night were belittling and disrespectful, you probably will not. Also, this entire time, folks have shown McCain a lot of respect inspite of his past activities. No way Republicans would not be mentioning it if Michelle had abused drugs like Cindy. Or if Obama had a period of multiple affairs like McCain. Especially if one of them was with his current wife. Obama has personally shown a lot of class despite not being shown much from McCain.

Goldenae

Sep 4 2008

Hayes, even David Brooks, bless his heart, pointed out that Palin's huge weakness is that she didn't discuss policy. That's not a direction Republicans want/need to go right now. I did factcheck.org; we promoted them heavily, and quoted from them, in the last election. Unfortunately, not enough people followed them. Would love to feed them; do they have an RSS? (Guess I could look myself.)

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Donna, after eight years of the Bush administration, that's the only direction they have left, isn't it? If they talk about policy, they're basically asking for a third term of Bush and they know almost nobody wants that.

Tom Head

Sep 4 2008

True, Tom. Meantime, great stuff on factcheck.org. All we need is C-SPAN and Factcheck to keep up! Tell all your friends so we can keep these people honest, or at least know when they're lying. Did John McCain cheat on his first wife? He courted his current wife, Cindy, for months before divorcing Carol Shepp in 1980. He recently called the breakup of his first marriage "my greatest moral failure." But Shepp has been quoted as saying "we are still friends." August 29, 2008 Does Barack Obama have Kenyan citizenship? No. He held both U.S. and Kenyan citizenship as a child, but lost his Kenyan citizenship automatically on his 21st birthday. August 27, 2008 Did a Billy Graham team member say Obama should be defeated "to save America"? No. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says a widely quoted anti-Obama screed wasn't written by anyone associated with the organization. August 26, 2008 Did Obama say we "are no longer a Christian nation"? He said we are no longer "just" a Christian nation, but a nation of many other faiths as well. A chain e-mail drops that key word and thus changes the meaning.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

More you can go read: Maverick Misleads September 4, 2008 A McCain ad comparing Palin to Obama isn't all above board. GOP Convention Spin September 3, 2008 Lieberman and Thompson make misleading claims about Obama on Day Two of the party in St. Paul. Hit the Brakes September 3, 2008 An Obama ad running in Michigan claims McCain didn't support loan guarantees for the auto industry. In fact, he does support them. A New Stitch in a Bad Pattern September 2, 2008 A McCain ad wrongly claims Obama plans "painful tax increases" for working families. And who's talking about deficits? FactChecking Obama August 29, 2008 He stuck to the facts, except when he stretched them. Context Included: Obama on Iran August 27, 2008 McCain ad cherry-picks Obama remarks on Iran, twisting his meaning.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

The slogan of the Republican convention is "Country First". McBush, I mean McCain, has stated that Obama would "lose a war to win an election" while McSame would lose an election to win a war...their theme is that Obama cares more about winning the election than protecting America --- that he does not put his country first like McSame allegedly does. Is that why they lied us into this unnecessary war --- because they put "Country First" or was it Exxon and Halliburton first? I am not sure and am open to education.

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Oh, and it's Snow MACHINER in Alaska, Lori. Don't sound like you're from the lower 48 now! ;-) More than anything, I felt sorry for Bristol's alledged fiance. Did you see when they cut to him? He looked like he'd been hit by a train and was about to cry and vomit at the same time. Yeah, me, too. I really can't fathom how that whole thing has been handled, as I write in my editor's note this week. I feel sorry for Bristol, too.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

If Republicans run on foreign policy and the economy they WILL lose, no doubt. Their strategy, as usual, is to use social and cultural values, personalities, and gameplaying with race and gender correctness to drive a wedge into the electorate.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 4 2008

Of course they will not focus on the issues. What is also interesting to me is that if you wait long enough a Republican will do a complete 180 on something they said. What were they saying about experience and Obama? Or experience if Obama picked Virginia Governor Tim Kaine? How are they going to react to the Palin Pastor issue? I doubt they would be praising the Obama girls for being pregnant. They want to say Palin is ready because of her speech, but remember, speeches are not that important when Obama gives them. Of course it is not about issues, it is about winning. McCain picking Palin after meeting her once makes a serious statement about his judgement and how he does things. Gut instinct should not be used like one of those black eightball prediction things. Whenever possible a person should make informed decisions. Especially when they are of this magnitude.

Goldenae

Sep 4 2008

Alright, everyone, I'm back, cleaned up and converted. My apology for that Palin-like hour or two I had this morning. It was as ugly this morning as it was last night. We both enjoyed it but it can't go on. I missed you Goldenae. Welcome back!

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Alright, everyone, I'm back, cleaned up and converted. Well, honey, that just ain't no fun. I prefer you dirty and unconverted. ;-)

Lori G

Sep 4 2008

Or experience if Obama picked Virginia Governor Tim Kaine? Here's some footage of what was said, along with some other tidbits that will tickle your funny bone.

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

Thanks, Lori. I'm getting ready to start my own schickity so I can be as dirty as I wanna be until the FCC runs me off. I'll be offering rewards to any of my enemies who dare to tread that way. Lori, I know we're kin people.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Lori, I know we're kin people. Yep. We got us a great-great granddaddy somewhere way back there with a killer sense of humor, amazing good looks, and the brains to make it all seem too good to be true. Fortunately for us, he passed all that down to his kin. :) They want to say Palin is ready because of her speech, but remember, speeches are not that important when Obama gives them. Amazingly good point.

Lori G

Sep 4 2008

Sho you're riigghht, Lori.

Walt

Sep 4 2008

Comparing McCain to Bush is just plain ignorance. It was McCain who ran agaist Bush 8 years ago and it wasn't pretty. The only thing substantial McCain has agreed with Bush on, is the war and the surge. Thank God, we might actually win. As Dick Morris basically put it, if Democrats continue to try and compare McCain to Bush,(which they are) they will end up losing miserably, because his record obviously speaks otherwise.

eagle1

Sep 4 2008

Also, the speech was light hearted and funny. Face it, it's impossible for anyone on this site to watch a speech such as hers without some bias. Sneering???? Who sneered. She had the people laughing. Did you not see the regular working class folks they'd show in the bar in Alaska laughing and cheering her on. That, my friend, is the every day working class. As for her daughter (as dispicable as the media has been about that) what did you guys think she should have done, lock her in a cage. NO, you stand by her, support her and show you are proud. That guy, as uncomfortable as he may have seemed, is her boyfriend and father of the child. What's the big deal.

eagle1

Sep 4 2008

eagle1, I don't think John McCain would appreciate having 16 of the 18 issues he describes on his campaign web site--where he agrees with Bush--described as non-substantial. (The only two where there might be any substantial disagreement between the two are climate change and ethics reform, and even that's iffy.)

Tom Head

Sep 4 2008

Also, the speech was light hearted and funny. Actually it was sneering, snarky and sarcastic. How many times did she scrunch her nose up like she was looking down at Democrats, and especially Obama? She had the people laughing. You mean the angry white folks in the arena? True. Rudy was laughing his ass off, especially. It remains to be seen how well it went over with undecided voters, though.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Comparing McCain to Bush is just plain ignorance Eh? McCain himself bragged on camera about voting with Bush 90 percent of the time. What better barometer is there than that? If I were you, I'd look beyond Dick Morris for sound bites. He's, well, gross.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

What is wrong with McCain being associated with our fine President? The Christian thing to do is to stand by your friends when times are tough, not act like you don't know them anymore (Bush who?). Palin's former pastor has preached that if you are critical of Bush, you may not get to heaven. Now, what could be wrong with that?

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

" . . .the speech was light hearted and funny.. . " Eagle1, did we see the same speech? I didn't catch either of those qualities. But, maybe it was just because as a middle class woman, I saw her without the lipstick and realized that McCain was siccing her on me and my fellow middle classers--not on Obama/Biden. And, I realized that it was a low down sorry thing for him to do, because, though I really like having a good watch dog to keep the yard around me safe, I have never seen a watch dog make a good President of the United States. And, McCain knows that, too, but his priority is siccing her to try to get votes for himself--to hell with the interests of America. And, though her twangy hollow manipulation of those in the audience who so wanted to be manipulated to feel good about themselves, again, had a certain irony to it,I just didn't get a laugh out of it. I felt sorry for any woman or Christian of any kind in that audience who saw her as the savior. For they were being duped. You are right about one thing, Eagle1, Dick Morris is savvy, but I can't get your comment to hold water: how can McCain vote more than 90% of the time with Bush and not be bringing the same with him to the White House if he is elected. So, as I see it, here's the deal: if Bush/McCain/Palin get elected, we have 4 more years of Bush with the added horror that if McCain croaks, we have a Chaney in bulldog's clothes wearing lipstick, with zilch international experience and domestic experience as a mayor, less than 2 years as a governor of a state with a population smaller than that of many cities, who is in bed with big oil. If only such a scenario only made the Democratic ticket the loser, it would be one thing. But, the way I am seeing this, all Americans, and even the world, will be the losers. And that just is not funny. So, I just can't perceive the speech as lighthearted or get a laugh out it or find anything about the future of the free world being in her hands very humorous. But, that's just me.

J.T.

Sep 4 2008

It appears as Palin hit a nerve. 37,000,000 million watched Palin last night, only 24,000,000 watched Biden. 38,000,000 watched Obama. Before her speech, a CBS/Times poll has the candidates tied. Mark my words, after polling is done after her speech, they will be ahead. We'll see. Also, it appears as Obama will concede tonight on O'Reilly, that the surge worked. Interesting stuff. Obama voted with Bush nearly 50% of the time. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/513/

eagle1

Sep 4 2008

Numbers shmumbers. You have to look into the details behind them...I watched also, as did my mother. We thought it was a bunch of nonsense. The key thing you want to know is how many of those people were just curious folk like many of the people on this site who watched and were offended. Obama voted with Bush 50% and McCain voted with him 90%. Hmmm...I wonder what your point is. Obama has already stated that the surge was one of several factors that contributed to an improvement. The "Sunni Awakening" preceded the surge and was a big factor. Has McCain conceded that timetables are useful to spur the Iraqis to assume responsibility for their own country and that we should talk to Iran as the Bush admin is doing?

FreeClif

Sep 4 2008

Obama voted with Bush nearly 50% of the time. So, does that make him a centrist? If so, do you consider that to be a good thing or a bad thing?

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

Unfortunately for McCain, last night was probably the climax for the RNC convention. NFL opener tonight. Giants vs. Redskins! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL????!!!!!!

Jeff Lucas

Sep 4 2008

What channel, Jeff? I'll be there.

J.T.

Sep 4 2008

Eagle1,I think what you said was interesting also, I watched out of curiosity myself and I am not voting for McCain/Palin. As for the surge, it was a military tactic which was part of an ill-advised mission. Success of the surge would be like putting an extra 2,000 temporary cops on the streets of Jackson and turn around and say you solved crime, and fixed other social issue. The surge has not fixed the overall mission because that requires a political solution.

Goldenae

Sep 4 2008

WLBT, Channel 3 @ 6 pm.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 4 2008

I thought the speech very "cute"........but hardly Vice Presidential for a candidate "inside" or "outside" the beltway. I now she had better get ready for the re-match because it is a-comin.....the gloves are off and she started it.

atlntaexile

Sep 4 2008

I'd say easily the most distressing thing she said is the attack on community organizers. The notion that being president of the PTA and/or a small-town mayor is somehow superior to community organizing (some of the hardest work done usually for very little money) is absolutely something this woman "sneered" at. A lot of the speech was fairly well delivered, but this was certainly the low point. Ms. Palin campaigned on cutting her salary in half when she ran for mayor; she cut it by $4k. Palin who had campaigned promising to cut her own salary, reduced it from about $68,000 to about $64,000, but she also hired a city administrator, John Cramer, adding a new salary to the payroll. And, incidentally, the speech was *really* over the top with lies an half truths. I know we're supposed to expect that from national Republicans, but...really. This is a great piece on the fact check for that speech and others throughout the night. I love this one: MCCAIN: "She's been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America's energy supply ... She's responsible for 20 percent of the nation's energy supply. I'm entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America," he said in an interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson. THE FACTS: McCain's phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she's no more "responsible" for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state — by population. John McCain. Spinmeister in Chief. Serial Exaggerator of easily refuted facts. How far he has fallen.

Todd Stauffer

Sep 4 2008

BTW, lest we work from the assumption that the Palin speech will loom large for independents; there's some evidence it won't: The Detroit Free Press invited a panel of Michigan voters to weigh-in on Gov. Sarah Palin's speech last night. Their reactions run the gamut, but the independents didn't seem to care for her very much. ... Jan Wheelock, 58, Royal Oak independent: "Nothing worked for me. I found her barrage of snide remarks and distortions to be a major turnoff. She is not a class act. The most important point she made is that she will be an effective attack dog."

Todd Stauffer

Sep 4 2008

Obama voted with Bush nearly 50% of the time. That sounds about right to me—and that 40% away from 90%. Why would that be strange, or a rebuttal? Obviously, not everything Bush wanted was controversial, like waging a war based on lies. And a much lower percentage would indicate to me that Obama was voting straight partisan; 50 percent makes me feel good. You're reaching, Eagle. 37,000,000 million watched Palin last night Of course they did! She's a media sensation and curiosity. Who the hell was going to miss her—or, especially, Levi? But it would be silly to assume that says anything about her approval. I'm guessing Us Weekly will sell out this week, and they'll likely print a double-run of the National Enquirer next week. Honestly, I thought she might get more viewers than Obama under the taboidy circumstances. The fact that she got a million fewer bodes well for Obama-Biden. I'm guessing that McCain will lose some viewership tonight, though. He is so not a good speaker.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Not a surprise. Vice presidential candidates are the attack dogs while the presidential candidates are cast in the roles of statesmen in order to attract independents and undecided voters.

Ex

Sep 4 2008

Donna wrote: I'm guessing that McCain will lose some viewership tonight, though. He is so not a good speaker. Doesn't matter. McCain as presidential candidate has the leeway to try to be a statesman and deliver a bland speech while trying to attract undecided voters if he desires.

Ex

Sep 4 2008

Right. Of course, the problem McCain has is that no one knew Palin, so their first glance of her is sneering at the camera, sarcastic remarks about leaders they've gotten to know pretty well, and looking like the cat that got the canary—even as her home front (job and family) seems to be mess. That's the inherent problem with picking such an unknown. She appears on the scene like a bulldog, lipstick or not, and some people really like that (the folks she's attacking on behalf of) and others go, "what the hell was that!?!"

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Love this quote: "Mrs. Palin needs to be reminded that Jesus Christ was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."

kaust

Sep 4 2008

Donna wrote: That's the inherent problem with picking such an unknown. She appears on the scene like a bulldog, lipstick or not, and some people really like that (the folks she's attacking on behalf of) and others go, "what the hell was that!?!" Since she styles herself as a hockey mom, I think an apropos term for Palin is that she's McCain's enforcer. Just watch out for the sticks.

Ex

Sep 4 2008

Agreed, Knol. A little less belittlement of people working to help poor people who've lost their jobs would likely behoove her over the long haul. BTW, did she ever mention poor people or poverty last night? I don't recall.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Not that I recall... Unless she was maybe throwing rocks at them. I think she was pretty much focused on the uppity and educated....

kaust

Sep 4 2008

Nice quote, Knol. From what I remember, she didn't mention the poor. She mentioned the parents of special needs children since she has a special needs child. I think that's as close as she got.

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

Barack Obama's campaign for president has raised $10 million since Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin spoke Wednesday night, the campaign announced, calling it a "one-day record." - CNN She's got everyone rowdy!

kaust

Sep 4 2008

That's a predictable response. I can't imagine anyone better to rally Obama's "base" than Bulldog Palin. (You know, if she didn't call herself a bulldog, I betcha they'd say it was sexist.) She mentioned the parents of special needs children since she has a special needs child. I think that's as close as she got. She does seem to live in a small world—her home and her state. You don't get the feeling she's gotten out much and mixed it up with people of different concerns. And I don't say that to be mean.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Knol, I clicked on the link for that quote, and the comments under it are out of this world. Some of the commenters think the person was saying that Obama is Jesus. They also said that Hitler and Jim Jones were community organizers. Wow.

LatashaWillis

Sep 4 2008

So by that logic, are they saying that Hitler and Jim Jones are Jesus? I'm beginning to think that there is a movement among the conservative rank and file to celebrate strident obtuseness--to pretend to be too stupid to comprehend basic distinctions, and to march proudly with that stupidity flapping in the breeze for all to see. It's all in the tradition of George W. Bush, who raised strident obtuseness to an art form.

Tom Head

Sep 4 2008

Things I have learned from the Republican Convention: 1) The name "John McCain" can be subsituted for any noun. "John McCain is the best candidate for Presidency. Wanna know why John McCain is the best choice for President? Because no one is John McCain like JOHN MCCAIN. In fact, no one understands John McCain like John McCain. The reason John McCain deserves to be John McCain is because he acts like John McCain. And, John McCain acts like every John McCain should when John McCain is having his best "John McCain Day". No one can quite do John McCain's job like JOHN MCCAIN. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE ONLY MAN THAT CAN EVER BE JOHN MCCAIN....JOHN MCCAIN." 2) The three guys in the audience holding up the sign that read "COLLEGE REPUBLICAN'S FOR MCCAIN" could probably use a few more years in college and quite possibly a couple back in elementary. Other than that, shame on that whore that took a crimper to Cindy McCain's head. Shame on her!

Lori G

Sep 4 2008

I find her connections to dominionist theology rather troubling....Do we really want someone with connections to this sort of absolutism to be a hairsbreadth away from the presidency? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213

tombarnes

Sep 4 2008

The Daily Kos on this issue has been about as reliable as the National Enquirer. I would be careful sourcing them.

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

This does not answer my question. Is Sarah Palin tied to dominionist theology? If so, it would be a disturbing development.

tombarnes

Sep 4 2008

I'm beginning to think that there is a movement among the conservative rank and file to celebrate strident obtuseness--to pretend to be too stupid to comprehend basic distinctions, and to march proudly with that stupidity flapping in the breeze for all to see. I took notice of that when Obama suggested how to save gas by keeping your tires properly inflated and not carrying heavy loads. You saw how the Republicans mocked him mercilessly. Even the shadiest of shade-tree mechanics know that about tires.

golden eagle

Sep 4 2008

Gotta agree with Matt re: Kos. In particular, they claim in the linked blog entry that Feminists for Life wants to ban contraception...and to prove it, they link to a Feminists for Life FAQ where they state quite clearly that they have no position on contraception. That said, the Mike Rose thing does sound interesting, and the bit about Palin wanting to see creationism taught in public schools is entirely true. I would say that Palin probably is tied to dominionism, but so is the incumbent. I would also say that we should assume that any Republican presidential nominee is funded, staffed, etc. to a great extent by dominionists. That has been the trajectory of the Republican Party for almost 30 years now. So even if McCain is not personally a dominionist, for example (and I don't think he is), he still answers to dominionists and that will influence his policy agenda.

Tom Head

Sep 4 2008

Matt, the best use of DailyKos, as any partisan blog, is for the links to other sources. And they do find the links. Sadly, the National Enquirer has been pretty reliable of late, especially John "Cad" Edwards. Remember a few weeks back when Republicans were bashing the mainstream media for not following up harder on their Edwards lead? It seems they've sent their A-team to Alaska. Hopefully, there are not more skeletons in Bulldog Palin's closet, because they will find them. Lori, there was also the "Mavrick" sign (sic). I'll wait out the dominionist question, Tom. Of course, you know about who all the Independence Party is connected to, I presume. It is crazy that Palin's husband was a member for years and that she was at least supportive enough to attend and speak to their conventions. It is hard to get more extreme in this country than that.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Tom, re Feminists for Life: You've got to dig deeper on them; they do rail about contraception, but they don't put it front and center on their Web site. And, folks: WHAT WAS THAT BUILDING BEHIND HIM on the screen? Did the protesters hack the projector? Lime green washes him out. Cindy should have warned him.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

Donna, I agree they hit the "lottery pick" every now and then and get it right. But based upon their extremely poor history, I wouldn't bet the barn on their wordl.

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

"word" that is lol

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

(Damn it, I edited this post when I realize you were talking about the National Enquirer and lost it somehow. Again:) Matt, I could never take everything the National Enquirer says as gospel and, in fact, pay little attention to it. (You brought it up.) However, they put a lot of resources into chasing down politicians who are unfaithful, and they have a good track record being right, sadly: Gary Hart, John Edwards, Jesse Jackson, for instance. So you can't write them off completely. But I'm glad you're not bashing the media for not hanging onto every word they right (about political opponents) as many Republicans were doing a few weeks back. Journalists can't just pass on trash, such as the Alaska rumor about Palin that anonymous blogs spread last weekend. We do and should follow up on rumors to prove them false as needed. (Oddly, the McCain campaign is furious that journalists followed up on rumors without publishing them, but that they dared to ask the questions. It's our job to ask the questions! How else can we prove things false, as well as expose things that wouldn't be exposed otherwise!?!)

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

[quote]And, folks: WHAT WAS THAT BUILDING BEHIND HIM on the screen? Did the protesters hack the projector?[/quote] I was wondering the same thing. What the...??? Was that one of his many houses? I'm looking forward to a new Colbert Report Green Screen Challenge now!

Tre

Sep 4 2008

No, I was making fun of myself for mispelling.

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

Never did win a spelling bee that I recall. Don't even think I was ever put in one.

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

Donna, I think I first got started on NE because of FOLO. They linked an NJ (I think NJ) story that cited the NE - nothing to do with ya'll. Just struck me as bizarre for FOLO.

MAllen

Sep 4 2008

What is NJ? I saw that post on Folo; it wasn't particularly offensive, being that it's talking about something the McCain campaign is talking about ... but we're not, so don't go there. I've been loving Folo's posts. They are very smart over there. Great blog.

DonnaLadd

Sep 4 2008

heck out this link to see what some of Alaska is saying about Ms Palin. http://www.arctic.net/~veda/index_Page421.html

rufus

Sep 5 2008

Rufus, come on. She has an 80% approval rating. End of discussion.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

This morning on NPR there was a panel discussion of independent, undecided voters and they were not very excited by this weeks events. This is in stark contrast to the excitement Palin generated among the base. Base excitement will not be enough to win. Eagle, Alaska, with a population only larger than two or three other states (only 670,000) will not decide who gets to be President. She is allegedly approved by 500,000 people up there and they are supposed to be representative of America? I have to give you credit, you are keeping hope alive. Are you with Operation PUSH?

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

So, what is ya'lls beef with deeply religious people? Or creationism taught in schools? I would argue that Obama's church was extreme to say the least. Creationism scares the uneducated who dare not read anything about it because of some pre-conceived notion that it would mean Jimmy Swaggart would be teaching in our public schools. That's ignorance at it's finest. Creationism isn't a form of religion, doesn't require any one particular belief or the belief in Jesus. It's simply a belief that the world is to organized to have just "happened." Basically, you can't throw random bike parts on the ground and in 10 million years it becomes a bike, as with the human cell. It's entirely too complex, to extensive and too well organized to have just happened. That's it. I'm not saying that I believe in it, but I've read about it. I waiver between agnosticism and athiesm almost daily, leaning towards the latter. The difference between me and other athiests is that I'm open to any belief. The majority of the world believes in a higher being and it would be incredibly arrogant for me to close my mind to it. Why cant there be a happy medium. Evolution is a theory, a good theory, but a theory none the less. Somebody help me, but a few years ago, one of the most outspoken atheist scientists (unsure specifically his field) and firm believer in evolution came out and said he believes there's something to creationism. No, he didn't drop to his knees and praise jesus or nail himself to a cross. He simply conceded that there's got to be something to it based on his years of study. He said he always prided himself to go where the facts lead him, and this is where they lead him. Just read about it, it's actually quite fascinating.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Whitley, have you not seen the recent polls. They are virually tied, in a year they shouldn't be. Now a poll is apparently about to come out showing Palin is more popular than Obama and McCain. You can write off an 80% approval rating if you'd like, but that's unheard of. Plus, I wouldn't trust any "panel" NPR has. As many people watched VP Palin as did your prez Barack. People are interested and by most accounts, even in Great Britain, she hit a homerun. Hell, a paper over there referred to her as the next Margaret Thatcher. We'll see.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Eagle, who has a beef with deeply religious people? I'm a Christian (although I consider myself spiritual instead of religious) and spent my whole life in church, and two of the churches I went to were part of strict religious sects. Both theories can be taught in public schools as far as I'm concerned. Just because I'm not a Palin fan doesn't mean I'm against religious people.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

Actually, I find some cartoons quite fascinating...("Just read about it (creationism), it's actually quite fascinating.") but that doesn't mean I think cartoons should be taught as science to innocent children (ha ha). If you follow the creationist logic, you would have to believe that human beings and dinosaurs coexisted at the same time like in the Flintstones (ha ha). The actual scientific analysis of fossil evidence shows that is impossible. Yabba dabba doooooooo!

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

There was speculation last night when would the Democracts replace Biden with Hillary, any thoughts?

nwrman

Sep 5 2008

Actually, she's campaigning for Obama in Florida.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

I was raised in the church and still attend regularly; I am not a literal interpreter of the Bible. I think that is often silly and diminishes religion. I can believe that there is a supreme Power whose energy created the world without believing some Flintstones fantasy.

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

Rufus, come on. She has an 80% approval rating. End of discussion. posted by eagle1 on 09/05/08 at 08:33 AM No discussion, just informative reading from Alaskan citizens on their own governor. There will be dialogue on all both party's candidates even long after this election is over. I just find it interesting that the Republican Party would speak as though she is flawless.

rufus

Sep 5 2008

Palin's approval rating had gotten as high as 90%, but according to an Alaskan blogger, it is currently 67%. Well, it's still more than half.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

Why is no one asking why they hate America so much? Does anyone wonder what the media buzz would be like if Michelle Obama had spent a decade as an official member of a party whose founder expressed hatred for the flag of the USA and whose party platform has espoused seceding from the union? Palin's husband was a member of the Alaska independence Party which is a flag hating secessionist group. Palin appeared at their convention and addressed them. The outrage would be deafening if this were Michelle or Barack. This hypocrisy is outrageous.

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

In response to: "There was speculation last night when would the Democrats replace Biden with Hillary, any thoughts?" Oh, maybe the news that I got hasn't reached some folks yet: I'm hearing Hillary and Biden and Obama are 3 for one like Bush/McCain/Palin. And, I'm wondering whether or not since McCain led his gorgeous bull dog Rep. V.P. out on his leash and she snapped and barked at her own shadow, the trio might turn out to be even tighter than ever. Interestingly, if Mr. Mc expected that the bulldog bit would change the subject from Bush/McCain to McCain [Bush]/"we're trying to convince you that we are doing a new thing," I'm not sure he suceeded. For me, at least, watching a dog bark and snap out at everybody, clueless to the facts, conjures up, in my mind, recollections of W--McCain's other partner--and his communication style. But, I've got to admit that she does add some beauty to the threesome.

J.T.

Sep 5 2008

"There was speculation last night when would the Democrats replace Biden with Hillary, any thoughts?" "There was speculation"? What is the source? I can't imagine Obama doing that. Biden is the perfect foil for Palin.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

us, come on. She has an 80% approval rating. End of discussion. That might have something to do with her devotion to oil socialism. See Todd's post.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

There was speculation last night that McCain would deliver his acceptance speech in a sparkly thong and pasties. Any thoughts? Donna, did a little digging on FfL and found something to what you said. Interesting, that, since Palin did specifically describe herself in 2006 as a "pro-contraception feminist," but yeah, the group ain't. It's not against contraception only if it doesn't affect statistical probability of uterine implantation, e.g. it's not anti-condom or anti-spermicide--that's why FfL opposes emergency contraception. But almost every other form of contraception, including the rhythm method, would qualify as abortion just as EC does under FfL's broad definition of the term.

Tom Head

Sep 5 2008

You've got it, Tom, that is about the same kind of "speculation" that nwrman was likely referring to, and why my response was as it was. I agree with you, baquan2000, that Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan are concerns. Biden's being born in Pennsylvania doesn't hurt. Pres. Clinton could likely help in Florida. Gore, too, since that's where his presidency was snatched. With the economy in the dumps and automobile evolution part of reviving the economy, the Dems should be able to mobilize in Michigan. Though so many people think states like MS are not likely for Obama/Biden, I wonder. Since Haley was passed over for the VP slot and we have some hot and heavy Congressional races going, wonder how all that will play out? Interesting?

J.T.

Sep 5 2008

Right, Tom. I had read up on Feminists for Life as well; they are against the "abortificients" (sp?), as are many state Right to Life groups. And they even criticize condoms because women still have to be responsible for them too often. They don't wear these anti-contraception views on their sleeves, however, especially now that they have a member in a position to pick three Supreme Court justices. Imagine if a Palin court actually defined abortion as including the Pill, the IUD and the rhythm method, for God's sake—and then outlawed it. It all is starting to feel very Handmaid's Tale, and it's going to supremely ironic if it's a woman president that makes it happen. Even Republicans who are touting Palin right now don't know what they are the risk of doing. It's time for people to take a deep breath, disengage from Palins' beauty and memes-they-want-to-hear (Melton anyone? Not the beauty part), and start thinking this through and doing some homework, or Ms. (Mrs?) Palin will be a large step toward a theocracy in the U.S. This isn't scaremongering; it's based on her records, her church, and her and her husband's associations. There is a road map there if people will shed the blinders. This is certainly a pivotal moment in our history.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

Folks, someone just wrote me (very obnoxiously) scolding me because someone here is supposedly comparing Palin to a mass murderer. Could someone point out that post to me? I'm very busy today preparing for a trip and just don't have time to read all the comments. Meantime, can we all keep the personal stuff to a minimum and leave out ridiculous comparisons to mass murderers and stereotype statements about groups. Most people would never think of doing that, but elections always draw in people who go too far. This isn't the site for trash talk. There are plenty of others around where you can say anything you want anonymously. Not here.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

Maybe they were talking about this post in the Grand White Party thread, Whitley: I am waiting for the cartoon of her and her husband with rifles slung over their shoulders, a moose head on the mantle next to a portrait of Timothy McVeigh and an American flag burning in fireplace. That will be more accurate than the outlandish cartoon that pictured Michelle Obama with a rifle and afro.

BubbaT

Sep 5 2008

If that's it, it's ridiculous, and it's not calling her a mass murderer. It's the Palins who have been aligned in various ways with the Alaska Independence Party. It is anti-United States, folks, and its members hang out with people with the views of McVeigh and Nichols. I'm sorry if that stings, but we didn't put them there. We are the bearer of some inconvenient truths on this one. If you're disturbed about that association, don't start whining about the messinger. Start thinking about who you are willing to allow to pick Supreme Court justices. Independence Party members are ultra-extremists, folks. It reminds me of when Jim Giles came and spoke to our youth voting rally, unintentionally uniting the Dems and Republicans in the crowd. That unity against the fringe *should* be the response to the Palins and their IP connections. That's scary shit, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum. And the line of thought that those groups follow sometimes plays out with anti-U.S. violence, as in the Oklahoma City bombing. My coverage of the aftermath of that, and the "militia movement," is what educated me about this fringe underbelly of America. Since that bombing, and what/who it revealed, there is no excuse on the planet for being associated with the Independence Party.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

Karma is a mutha! What is going to be the reaction of the folks that made every attempt to link Obama and Michelle to someone or something radical? The AIP and the pastor issues of Palin are hilarious(in the political sense).

Goldenae

Sep 5 2008

Do you really want to go down the religious path and debate. Obama will lose that, which is why the media gives him a free pass on it. His church has already been in question with association with an anti-american pastor. Give up already. Never mind his close association with terrorist Ayers with whom Obama has completely lied about his relationship.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Here's a New York Times article clarifying your distortions. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/us/politics/04party.html?ref=politics

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Ok. I have to post this for other's thoughts. I have no idea if its been mentioned on here...but was Sarah Palin pregnant when she got married? That makes for an interesting turn of events, huh? Her wedding date is 08/29/1988. Her oldest son Track was born seven months later on 04/30/1989. This explains her elopement. I also think it makes her one hell of a hypocrite...but it totally explains her ABSTINENCE stand. Guess what wasn't good enough for the goose wasn't good enough for the goslings either, huh?

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

The truth hurts...I almost feel sorry for wingnuts...Eagle, the information in your link is not new to me. It stands true that her husband was until recently a member of a radical right wing, secessionist party whose founder made derogatory statements about our beloved country and flag. Sarah Palin attended their convention with her husband in 1994 and addressed them again after that at another convention. We can assume she was an AIP sympathizer and an advocate that Flintstones type beliefs about evolution be taught to children. You can't get all the nuts out of this cake! If the right wingnuts had information that Michelle Obama had been a member of a radical separatist organization like AIP (think Nation of Islam) this thing would be churned night and day! These people are hypocrites and the MSM is cooperating. That is why she should have been VETTED! You can't clean this up now.

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

She was 24 yrs old not a teenager.

BubbaT

Sep 5 2008

The story is her and her husband grabbed two elderly people out of a senior care home across the street from the courthouse and just walked in and got married with their unknown "witnesses". So, I'm thinking, yeah.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

Bubba-that ain't the point. She promotes abstinence until MARRIAGE. She may have been 24, but she was sure as hell NOT MARRIED.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

Maybe that's why she promotes it now. We do learn from our errors.

BubbaT

Sep 5 2008

She embraces a billion dollar government program that has been proven time and again in studies to be ineffective? Well, that right there makes her sound like a perfect Republican candidate.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

agreed BubbaT. We all learn from our mistakes. Obama admits he did hard core drugs, I doubt seriously he will be encouraging his beautiful kids to try it. While I am a realist, I'm certainly not going to be handing condoms to my daughters. Abstinence first along with some sex ed. I know plenty of people who waited until marriage, it's noble. It is the only sure fire way to play it safe. Promoting abstinence shouldn't be any less important than say, promoting peace. Both are long shots but will always be worth the effort.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Banquan2000, seriously what in the world has the Democratic Party done for minorities lately besides promote policies that have failed minorities for the last two decades?? Jeez, at least Republicans (Bush) promotes minorities in government and breaks glass ceilings and not just because they are minorities but because they are the best persons for the job. He doesn't brag about it either nor does the media make a big deal of it. Did you not see McCains youngest adopted daughter, stunningly beautiful and not exactly white. Although, Obama does have a white grandma he threw under the bus. There's only one party that can't let race go and finally see beyond color, it's the one that constantly panders to them.

eagle1

Sep 5 2008

Her wedding date is 08/29/1988. Her oldest son Track was born seven months later on 04/30/1989. Maybe I'm not counting right, but wouldn't that be closer to eight months?

Rico

Sep 5 2008

Rico-yep. Thank God I'm a social worker and not an engineer, right? :) But, since women are actually pregnant for around ten months...I've still got my suspicions. I'll guess we'll know soon. I think its the "newest" thing the blogosphere has picked up.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

Eagle, you bring up Obama's admission that he abused substances as a teenager. He is better than your hero Bush who allegedly used narcotics and drank heavily into middle age when he finally saw the light. Your hypocrisy has two heads! You say you would advocate abstinence and sex ed, but the wingnuts you identify with do not provide both, only abstinence "education". It is nothing but wacky Flintstone thinking that has been debunked by much research on the uselessness of the right wing abstinence programs. They are a grand waste of taxpayer's money. We'd be better off building bridges to nowhere in Alaska. As to the the GOP being good for African Americans. Ha Ha. You got me. You must be a comedian doing the satirical deal like Stephen Colbert! You are saying African Americans are stupid because YOU can see what is good for us much better than the host of millions?

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

Eagle, i just question why we would want to put our tax dollars towards promoting abstinence when it's so costly on top of being a parent's job. Right? I would hope our next wave of leadership would eliminate that kind of wasteful spending. I truly hope she rethinks her stance on that issue for fiscal reasons alone. And isn't sex education a parenting issue? Not sure why we'd want such a big government that they are doing our jobs as parents.... I love this video of Governor Winter btw....might have been a good under the radar program in Alaska as well? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrDJfBmCJjE

emilyb

Sep 5 2008

I really, really hope this isn't true: "So Sambo beat the b*tch!" This is how Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin described Barack Obama's win over Hillary Clinton to political colleagues in a restaurant a few days after Obama locked up the Democratic Party presidential nomination. According to Lucille, the waitress serving her table at the time and who asked that her last name not be used, Gov. Palin was eating lunch with five or six people when the subject of the Democrat's primary battle came up. The governor, seemingly not caring that people at nearby tables would likely hear her, uttered the slur and then laughed loudly as her meal mates joined in appreciatively. "It was kind of disgusting," Lucille, who is part Aboriginal, said in a phone interview after admitting that she is frightened of being discovered telling folks in the "lower 48" about life near the North Pole. Then, almost with a sigh, she added, "But that's just Alaska." Racial and ethnic slurs may be "just Alaska" and, clearly, they are common, everyday chatter for Palin. Besides insulting Obama with a Step-N'-Fetch-It, "darkie musical" swipe, people who know her say she refers regularly to Alaska's Aboriginal people as "Arctic Arabs" – how efficient, lumping two apparently undesirable groups into one ugly description – as well as the more colourful "mukluks" along with the totally unimaginative "f**king Eskimo's," according to a number of Alaskans and Wasillians interviewed for this article. But being openly racist is only the tip of the Palin iceberg. According to Alaskans interviewed for this article, she is also vindictive and mean. We're talking Rove mean and Nixon vindictive. No wonder the vast sea of white, cheering faces at the Republican Convention went wild for Sarah: They adore the type, it's in their genetic code. So much for McCain's pledge of a "high road" campaign; Palin is incapable of being part of one. I hope this is disproven. I don't take pleasure in the demise of others.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

On MSNBC a few minutes ago, David Gregory interviewed one of their reporters whose investigation supposedly reveals that: (1) contrary to McCain's statement that Palin 'sold the Astate jet on E-Bay', it was listed on eBay' but didn't draw sufficient bids. Palin said Wednesday night that she "put it on E-Bay", period; (2) the jet was eventually sold, at a loss; and (3) the eventual buyer was one of her campaign contributors. The reporter said they are awaiting a response from the McCain campaign. The drama begins...

Kacy

Sep 5 2008

Nothing sticks with those people because the MSM will not hold them accountable. That's why McCain has not had to answer for referring to Asians as "gooks" a few years ago and referring to his wife as a "cun7". Where did that article surface LW?

FreeClif

Sep 5 2008

Here's the link again, Whitley: LA Progressive. I saw it on another forum.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

I would totally agree that sex education is a parent's job. BUT, some parents teach their children that AIDS washes off and that they can't get pregnant the "first time". Or, they tell them nothing and then they get knocked up at 17. Why is that our problem? Incurable diseases spreading are always our problem. Children born unwanted and under the poverty level will become our problem. I think sex education is a health issue that is an individual's right. Sex education is teaching a child about ORGANS they are carrying on their BODIES. People act like a kid goes to sex ed class and learns to give fellatio correctly. No, that happens at football games and sleepovers. Abstinence is actually a personal choice. It's a personal choice that I respect. But, it's not one that I am solely going to depend on to protect my child. Studies prove it won't. This is why I get so angry when politicians use it as a wedge issue to get the "religious" vote because it sounds good. It makes me even angrier when these politicians enter office and decide that is the only education the youth in our country will receive. You know what youth that ends up being? The poor youth. The ones that attend public schools and can't afford private educations. The ones that Ms. Palin has no idea about because she was mayor of the same town she grew up in-a town of 6,000 white people who (I'm pretty sure) all went to the same school. The only other significant amount of time she spent anywhere was in Idaho. Idaho, really? Because I didn't think there was a whiter place than Alaska. Turns out there is. We have to go at this like Palin might be president one day. She scares me. Plain and simple. She has absolutely no real knowledge of the diversity currently held in "The Lower 48".

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

Honey, I'm not saying it's our problem :P I'm just asking Eagle to explain why we would choose to fund abstinence if we are pushing saving funds and cutting gov't AND coming from a religious push that puts sex ed on the role of parents and not a gov't issue :P Especially when we all know that all you have to do is jump up and down afterwards anyway. Did you watch the Winter video?

emilyb

Sep 5 2008

Did you watch the Winter video? "I'M RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT, ROSE!" Actually, I'm not. I just put my party jeans on and I'm about to have a G and T. :P Pertaining to the above issue, I thought you were being sassy but I wanted to scream about that issue anyway. I've been all up in the Palin drama today. I sort of got away from myself. Its been the most fun I've had in weeks. It's sort of like Britney Spears went crazy again...only she's the vice-president-and better looking.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

I understand. COMPLETELY. It's election time. And before you're gone for the night, can I get an amen from the sisters that I'M TIRED OF HEARING HOW HOT SHE IS as a REASON WE SHOULD VOTE FOR HER??? ACK ACK ACK. She's totally working those cat eyeglasses and upswept but slightly unkempt hair ala the teacher you always WISH taught your sex ed class. I think she needs a good weekend in the south where we could have one of our mama's teach her that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all...especially after those attacks on community activism. How offensive... I was a community activist when I volunteer at my child's school, when I work a full-time job AND when I'm a mother! However, she might find those "titles" more acceptable....Maybe it has to be in a certain socioeconomic community to be considered REAL responsibility.

emilyb

Sep 5 2008

"McCain has not had to answer for referring to Asians as "gooks" a few years ago...." It should probably be pointed out that John McCain led the movement to normalize relations with Vietnam again over the objections of most Repub's and a lot of Dem's and fought the Mississippi Catfish Industry over disallowing imports of Vietnamese Catfish.

Hayes

Sep 5 2008

I think she needs a good weekend in the south where we could have one of our mama's teach her that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all... If that's the case, one of our mama's would have her hands full here.

Hayes

Sep 5 2008

Hayes, I'm not sure you've said anything nice since you've returned to the site. So don't go getting all preachy because you're in the minority here. Speaking of "minority," eagle, if I'm picturing you right, in a few years you're going to be a "minority," so you might to start practicing a different phrase for a person of color. The New York Times article didn't contradict anything I said about the Independence Party, and the Palins' involvement. As I've said here more than once, she has at least spoken to them several times and told them about the great work they are doing (the party leaders first said she was a member and then realizied, whoops, she wasn't), and her husband was a member until she started running for governor. This book is not closed, yet. The fact that it is undisputed that her husband was a recent member of this group, and that she gave speeches in support, is a very, very serious red flag.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

Speaking of community organizing, I'll be in Birmingham tomorrow for this. I'll give you all my perspective when I return.

LatashaWillis

Sep 5 2008

As for Idaho, all, we had a funny trip there a few years back. We were visiting Todd's brother on the Washington side of the border in a great convertible we'd rented, and I wanted to do nothing more than go drive by the Aryan Nation compound in Coeur d'Alene. Now, Todd puts up with a lot with me as an investigative reporter, and a Klan interviewer and all, but he drew the line at driving by a heavily guarded outpost of the Christian Identity. NO FRIGGIN' WAY. (If you read up on what happened to the daughter and mother who drove by there, you'll understand.) So, we went to the amusement park up the highway in Idaho and rode one of the best roller coasters ever. I forget what it was called. When I saw that one of Palin's colleges is in Coeur d'Alene, smiled a bit at the memory of Todd putting his foot down. ;-) Folks, that region of the country can make Mississippi look like the most racially tolerance place on the planet. (Which sometimes I think we actually are, but that's a subject for another thread.) It's really scary when the most extreme racial groups are drawn to a part of the country to hide out among other white people and plan things like secession and revolution. To that area's credit, though, there are many good people there who have taken a stand against the bigots in their midst. I really would be curious about Palin's position on race-related issues, and if she has taken a stand against the racial aspects of the secessionist movement.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

Thanks L.W. I've read great things about that foundation, and I wondered what was going on locally.

emilyb

Sep 5 2008

That Palin would mock Obama's role as a community organizer is incredulous and ironic since, in my view, serving on a PTA is a very specialized kind of 'community organizing'. So is politics itself! Maybe Palin conveniently forgot that she said she got her political start in the local PTA. Or that all politics is local.

Kacy

Sep 5 2008

Me thinks the sneering is coming from the other side of the t.v. screen. I saw no sneer.

crawdad

Sep 5 2008

Then, damn, it could not have happened! The crawdad has proclaimed it from on high.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

I don't think sneer is the word I would use. It's more like out-of-touch grin. I think she's got a good heart, I think she's a strong woman but I don't think she's a woman who represents the "average american." And I found moments like this problematic, especially when describing McCain in comparison to Obama and his supporters..... "It's the journey of an upright and honorable man — the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small towns across this country, only he was among those who came home." There were many, many, many upright and honorable men whose names you WON'T find on war memorials because they served our country in a segregated army and returned to a segregated America. Or how about men who served AGAINST our country in a war over their very own freedom and right to their own bodies and families. I found those moments to be very uncomfortable and sometimes a slap to the face. But I honestly don't think she knows any better. And she also mocked Obama's own self-reflection and honesty by writing his memoirs, which, by the way, were right next to McCain's at Border's last night. I find making light of someone's personal growth and journey very condescending. We have to learn and know better before we can do better, and I, especially as a woman, very much appreciate a man who is capable of self-awareness and expressing that awareness. And yes, I prefer leaders who know better than to promote the "type of man" whose name "would" appear on buildings and memorials with blatant ignorance surrounding the historical context. It's almost as ignorant as Cindy McCain's parading of her "token black friend" who she center-staged and praised the woman's willingness to let go of what has been and just get to working harder. But that's a whole other thread I'm sure ;)But they really should have learned how ignorant that would be sometime in the late 90's. SURELY somebody in their campaign watched Seinfeld.

emilyb

Sep 5 2008

Ladd-Not that it's a secret or anything...but I really don't think that most people know there are numerous documentaries about how Idaho-at one point-became the stronghold of the Aryan/KKK movement. With her callin' Obama a "Sambo" and never living outside a state that is 100% white except for the time that she spent in Idaho...I'm not real sure where she's qualified to run much but a country club.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

"...if that "Sambo" thing is true, Lori. It's not supported yet by a real media outlet, as far as I can see. I sure hope it's not.

DonnaLadd

Sep 5 2008

I hope its not. We've got enough to deal with.

Lori G

Sep 5 2008

I'm about to blog on this very quote (will send a link when it's up), but for several reasons I seriously doubt the story.

Tom Head

Sep 5 2008

Here it is. And to be honest, the reasons I didn't think she said it before are the reasons I'm beginning to think she said it now, now that I've put all this in print. But we'll probably never know for sure.

Tom Head

Sep 5 2008

Actually I have said nice things that conform here big time. Repub's are behind the Dem's on alternative fuels...I think Obama will be America's first black president...it just won't be 2008. He is a very, very, smart man (I mean that unlike Biden's slam on him)who will return to the Senate and guess what...he'll moderate his views so that next time he come's out of the shoot, he will appeal to more Americans than he does now. If you look at the dozen or so rating groups (liberal or conservative), he is either the most liberal member of the senate or in the top 3 or 4. And just like Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK)who rates as the most conservative member of the senate give or take, nobody on the ends of those spectrums will ever be elected president. I think Obama will see this over the next two months and will move closer to the center and then when the time is right, he will be elected president.

Hayes

Sep 6 2008

Walt wrote: Did y'all see the audience? I haven't seen that much old and ugly since I visited some of the country's unfunded and underfunded zoos. Hell, I thought I was watching a klan get-back-together convention.... I agree--especially the part about the Klan convention. The audience reactions also reminded me of those old black and white images of angry crowds gathered around the tree after witnessing (and savoring) the lynching of a Black. Palin offered nothing on the issues, just sneers, insults, unfounded attacks, and hate speech. She knew her base, and served up Barack on a silver platter. They (those in the audience) and those watching from the Appalachians of West Virginia(Palin knows Barack will never win over that segment) devoured every word like crazed, ravenous wolves. It's the same way the Bush campaign went after McCain in 2000 by distributing flyers (to a certain portion of their base)about McCain's Black baby daughter, but only this time McCain is using Palin as attack dog. Dirty politics at its worst. God help us all if that party wins in November.

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 6 2008

Appalachian Images West Virginia: Beautiful, serene, rustic, good people, good fishing and hunting. Similar images can be found almost anywhere in rural Mississippi. See link below: http://www.pbase.com/kstuebin/appalachian_images But as for the likes of Sara Palin and as the heading reads (and image shown within) for this link, Some Things Never Change… http://www.pbase.com/kstuebin/image/22267404

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 6 2008

Is that just a hunch you have, Hayes, or do you know something about the electoral-vote trends that haven't been revealed to the general public? It sounds to me that you're still going by old playbooks with your stereotypes about being "liberal" and "conservative." Many of us reject the old-school strategies; you should read up a bit on the huge generational shift in attitudes that is happening right now. Oh, and "liberal" is no longer a dirty word. Bush and his corrupt cronies made sure of that. Now, people are getting back to its original meaning and proudly reclaiming it. Because, good God, consider the alternative. I'm out, all. Am traveling for a few days, so please behave. My JFP cohorts will be helping moderate and have my permission to delete and suspend. So buck up, and don't get personal and stupid. Lata.

DonnaLadd

Sep 6 2008

Where ya going, Donna? Send us all a postcard, please!

golden eagle

Sep 6 2008

traveling for a few days, so please behave. My JFP cohorts will be helping moderate and have my permission to delete and suspend Well, guess that means Donna won't be taking her laptop, huh? Gonna miss your smart and pithy comments while you're gone, but be safe, get some rest, and have fun. Where ya going, Alaska?!!! ;)

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 6 2008

It is a hunch, one based on over 30 years of political campaign involvement. As far as old playbooks go, there's not one that you think...incorrectly...that I follow that says a black man will ever be Prez. I think this guy will do it, just not in 08. It appears now that America agrees with me. In less than a week, the McCain/Palin ticket has surpassed 50% in some polls. It's happening even quicker than I thought. But we've got to remember there is a lot of yardage between now and election day and Obama and Biden aren't totally out yet I suspect. It will be fun to watch.

Hayes

Sep 7 2008

This is the first time in the campaign that McCain/Palin is actually leading, it's three days after McCain's acceptance speech, and it's a 2-point lead. A little early to be calling it from where I sit, considering that Obama had an 8-point lead in the same Gallup poll just a week ago.

Tom Head

Sep 7 2008

I couldn't agree more, that's why I gave room for the "dignified retreat" but it is borderline unbelievable that given the national mood and Bush's numbers that this thing is even close, much less trending for McCain.

Hayes

Sep 7 2008

Agreed... McCain has done a good job of branding himself differently from Bush, I'll give him that. USA Today/Gallup seems to have McCain/Palin up 10, but again, this is the one that showed the biggest Obama leads, too. The RCP poll of polls gives McCain a 1-point lead on the weekend following his acceptance speech, but I expect it to blossom out to 3-5 points by the time the other recent polls come in. At this stage in the election, days after the Republican convention, it would be really really weird for the Republican nominee not to be in the lead.

Tom Head

Sep 7 2008

Guys, CNN said tonight their just-out poll had Obama 44%, McCain 43% and undecided 13%. Regardless of the polls, it ain't over til the fat lady sings and I would be surprised if there won't be a lot of acts before the fat lady comes on stage--at least some of those acts fleshing out the Rep VP candidate a bit more. CNN said tonight that there had been a huge backlash from the Reps. dissing community organizers and that the Dems are cranking out tee shirts with the quote re. Jesus being a community organizer and Pilate being a gov. I want one. Also, I heard that today the Dem camp hit again on the 7 or 8 or whatever houses McCain has. Palin came on strong during the Rep convention, delivered the right wing religious fundamentalists to McCain on a silver platter; more importantly she woke the Reps up. More men than women are, supposedly, hitting the internet for her photos. Unexpected. Not. But, something tells me she can get old quick. And, I think McCain will only be able to keep her from having to interact directly with the press for a short time. If he tries longer, it will raise questions for those who don't already have them. It's a horse race for sure. But, my thought is that if a non-Rep voter was reluctant to vote for McCain and now has decided to vote for him because of the VP candidate he picked, I have serious questions about their ever being able to vote for Obama/Biden, under any circumstances, anyway. So I would see the vote as, not a loss, but one that has come out of the woodwork.

J.T.

Sep 7 2008

Jackie, good to hear re: the CNN poll. That indicates that Gallup might be a fluke, which it sometimes is. (Witness the wacky numbers it gave us during the Democratic primaries, for example.) But it's normal for a candidate to get a boost right after the convention; it would have been extremely weird if McCain didn't. I think this has less to do with Palin than the fact that his convention speech was watched by +/-40 million people, just as Obama's was. It's also abnormal for a candidate to win by a larger margin than they have post-convention, so if McCain is still polling a point behind in some polls now and his high water mark was Thursday, that's not good news for him. The post-convention bump is usually gone in two weeks, and what happens to McCain's campaign then? He has less money, a disorganized ground game, he's running under the banner of an unpopular president, and he's not likely to win those debates. I don't envy him.

Tom Head

Sep 7 2008

Wonderful commentary people. I'm impressed. Hayes impresses me too. I misread her earlier, I think. I still think I described Palin perfectly the day following her speech. I'm not surprised she considers Obama Sambo and herself as a member of the perfect race. She reminds me of another infamous European. If Obama loses and racism and sexism from a majority perspective prevail, as they have throughout the history of this country, I won't be surprised. Unfortunately, I won't be able to claim disappointment either because I have never drunk the kool-aid about where we are at this point as a nation. I can't state my disapproval enough that Obama is coming to belly of the undying beast - Oxford, Mississippi for a debate. I consider Oxford and that nameless school there two of the vilest things the world has seen. You can't call Obama a coward though for coming there despite the history and present of both places where the "past is not really the past."

Walt

Sep 8 2008

Thanks Baquan. I'm glad to see that some black people disagree with me on that. I drive thru the place from time to time just to look around and guage the situation. The last time there I had a young attractive white female intern with me. She said she was nervous the whole time from the looks she got. I pretend I don't see the looks but I do. Tougaloo has nothing to do with my impressions of Oxford and Ole Miss. I could have gone to Translvania Univeristy and would have still have the same impression because I can see and read. I'm not saying absoultely nothing has changed. I'm simply saying great efforts are still being made to hold on to as much of the past as possible, and I see too little change for my taste buds. Different strokes for different folks, however. I'm hopeful that since Obama agreed to come there, considering the history of the town and school, something good and the opposite of what Reagan sought and obtained in Philadelphia will occur - a change of opinions followed by a victory for Obama and Biden. With the republicans' performance the last 7 years and yet a contest still looms apparent on all fronts, I won't be surprised to see the Democrats unjustifiably lose. And needless to say, I won't accept the myriad of race-neutral explanations as valid. I'm not that dumb!

Walt

Sep 8 2008

Everything is is just a thick gumbo right now. We will be able to see what is underneath after the first debate. If people do not love America enough to vote for a real change in the way business is done, then we deserve more of the same destruction of the country and its position in the world.

FreeClif

Sep 8 2008

Walt, over four decades ago all James Merideth wanted was a quality education from the University of Mississippi. He had to be escorted onto the campus by U.S. Marshals. My mother lived on Hwy 51 during that time. She remembers the convoy passing by her house in Holmes County. I know this really happened. Isn't there some part of you that wants to embrace this debate? Just curious.

saint H

Sep 8 2008

Saint, what debate do you speak of? The one concerning what the town and school are as of today, or the candidates' debate. I don't need any convincing that Meredith went there. I know James Merdith went there. I do not know that he sought or got a guality education. He went to JSU first and certainly could have gotten a quality education there despite the disparity in funding at JSU. One of my wife's great's aunts went to JSU probably 15 or 20 years before Meredith did then on to Columbia. She was a brillant woman who made a great contribution to mankind. Meredith's stay at Ole What You Call It was marred by violence, fear, psychological terrorism (that many claims still exist but is unacknowledged), marginal performances (but great under the circumstances), breaks and non-acceptance. If you're speaking of the debate between the potential vice presidents and presidents, I'm afraid I don't have a clue what you mean by some part of me that wants to embrace the debate. Will they be talking about the school, town, the south including the issues that we're all concerned about irrespective of race or region? If they do this, I just might embrace it being where it is to take place as long as the points made and dsicussed are honest, factual and complete. But I do wish the candidates the very best during the debate. At least I do for McCain, Biden and Obama. I'm still not so sure about ole pistol pulling Sarah. He, he.!

Walt

Sep 8 2008

Y'all know what, OJ's trial started today. I don't care what happens since no one was killed this time, and there are many witnesses who saw OJ this time. I just want his case over with soon even if it ends in another victory. I just want some time to elapse betwwen Oj's trial and the election. We don't need people confusing Barack for OJ or contemplating OJ's situation while they're supposed to be deliberating on Barack. Beside, I wonder if OJ is still a good republican.

Walt

Sep 8 2008

Amen, Walt.

justjess

Sep 8 2008

Sarah Palin said in her acceptance speech the following:The only difference between a pitt bull and a hockey mom is lipstick. If by chance you are reading this blog, Sarah Palin, my comment to you is, "Sarah Palin, you are no real hockey mom." I have been a soccer mom, a baseball mom, a football mom, a tee-ball mom, a tennis mom, a basketball mom and the list goes on and on. The one thing for "moms" who were trying to raise decent children wanted them to lear the following: (1)To Share (2)To Play Fare (3)To take turns and,(4)When the game is over, shake hands and complement the winner or accept with kindness your victory. Gov. Palin, you anology, equating hockey moms to pitt bulls is desturbing. Pitt Bulls were used by farmers in England for breeding, castration and slaughter. In Elizabethan England, bull-baiting and bear-baiting were popular forms of entertainment; however, this so called "sport" was abolished in 1835 by Parliament and secondary to this so called "sport" being classified as acts of cruelty to include those who watched the bloody fight to the animal's death. So, Gov. Palin, what should Obama and Biden say or do when they are faced with you, the self-proclaimed "PITT BULL"? FIGHT OR FLIGHT AND WITH OR WITHOUT LIPSTICK??

justjess

Sep 8 2008

Jackie, good to hear re: the CNN poll. That indicates that Gallup might be a fluke, which it sometimes is. (Witness the wacky numbers it gave us during the Democratic primaries, for example.) If you don't already have this info, here are a couple of electoral vote projection Web sites: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/ http://electoral-vote.com/

LatashaWillis

Sep 8 2008

Walt, I am 100% with you about JSU. I personally think it is one of the more progressive schools that we have here in the metro area. I went and checked out the campus just last week. My goal is to go there in the spring semester. I honestly think that they have more to offer than the other schools. All Jacksonians should support JSU. They even won the S.W.A.C. last season. We could sell out Tiger Stadium every home game. And I almost forgot to mention the one and only SONIC BOOM. I hope to see it happen. About the debate though, Obama speaks of change and I think that this moment in time is a definite change. When he enters the campus, he will be escorted by secret serevice agents on his way to the presidency.

saint H

Sep 8 2008

A couple of websites that are very revealing about Palin's character: http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sHUnxLNUNE and her religious beliefs: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/palins-pastor-god-is-gonn_b_124417.html Scary that someone of this ilk could be anywhere near a presidential ticket. If the Republicans win this election, we are in serious serious serious trouble. I hope my Republican friends will look deeply into the truth of this ticket and consider the Democratic ticket or stay home from the polls.

J.T.

Sep 8 2008

FACTCHECK: Sliming Palin http://www.newsweek.com/id/157986 Maybe Donna should check this out before spreading baseless rumors...

QB

Sep 9 2008

Palin and McCain have the complexion for the connection and protection with most white folks. The impact of race can't be denied. The impact of sexism among white women can't be denied in this instance although it seemed to not exist before when white men were on the top of the ticket. I can't understand for the life of me why intelligent people would put history aside with its failure to tell a lie for fantasy and concoction about what is taking place here. You have a white man and white woman running against a black Democrat man and a white Democrat man. The country has always been racist and shown a preference for whites because whites are the majority, no matter the historical and remaining pathology or disease of white folks and the republican party. This is why republicans can perform so racist and pathetically the last 20 or so years and not suffer any negative consequences in the eyes of most voters. Name me any of the republican principles that have been followed or upheld the last 7 years besides the racist one. Sure the Fat Harry of the world will ignore the racist history of the majority of Americans and call me the racist for saying this. He said recently he wish I could speak at the Democratic convention. I know he does because he knows well how the truth riles up racist people. However, he's a lie and the truth ain't in him when it comes to his desription of me and what America still is. We good Americans of all sexes, races and cultures who aren't racist need to stand up and stop the further destruction of our country's values and good will right now before it's too late. If we don't then don't expect me or my family to fight in your imperialistic, white supremacist, and capitalistic wars. We'd rather go to jail first.

Walt

Sep 9 2008

I have another question. A fey years ago I heard many white women say OJ got away because Black women refuse to punish black men. Oh really. Where was the white women when the white male killed off the Indians and enslaved black folks for hundreds of years and establish Jim Crow laws to advance whitedom? She was right there aiding, supporting, pushing, loving, nurturing and wishing him well. Is there any history whatsover of her standing up to or trying to stop him. Hell nall. She didn't start to fight him until she got tired of him abusing of her and her children thru violence, alcoholisn, incest, mental terrorism, et al. With this being the case and without any proof that the white woman generally has set herself apart from her male counterpart, why do we expect her to act or vote dfferently than her male counterpart. Just wondering. Can someone help me with this?

Walt

Sep 9 2008

There were a few white women opposed to slavery according to historical account. And there likely were a few opposed to Indian genocide and certainly a few oppoesed to James Crowism that has been well chronicled. The Tom Joyner Morning Show reported a story about a white woman in a Dallas church losing her job and getting a divorve from her white husband due to a relationship with Revern Wright. Yes, it turns out the Rust and Sean described hateful white person, Revern Wright, doesn't hate white folks after all. He had a white girlfriend.

Walt

Sep 9 2008

Walt, bashing generalized groups of people just doesn't do the job that right thinking, patriotic people need to be doing right now: using their brains and dialoguing with each other about the specifics of the issues facing us. When you or I generalize and bash groups of people because of the group they are born into, whether the group is one distinguished by gender, race, religion, whatever, we fall prey to exactly what will defeat our ticket in Nov. To help Obama/Biden win this race, we must look at the specifics of what Bush/McCain have done in the past and what they and their party will continue to do in the future: send our soldiers to an unnecessary killing field costing us $10 Billion/month while letting the real terrorists off the hook; move our country from one that was economically stable with a budget surplus to one that is in deep deficit, with a housing fiasco, the highest unemployment in decades, and beholding to the Chinese who hold treasury debt; a health care crisis that they refused to try to help eliminate when they could have done so if they had cooperated with Hillary a decade ago; and an energy crisis that reflects their greed and laziness and self-serving decisions. And, all to continue as McCain, who helped Bush in these failed policies tries to take the helm with Palin, who has big oil across her shoulder and is playing their tune. Let's get back on the playbook, PLEASE!!! Thanks.

J.T.

Sep 9 2008

Here's the deal, Walt: You are generalizing. Facts are absent from your blog. I will NOT be swept into your generalizations anymore than I will be swept into those of Bush/McCain/Palin, for that is the same attack game they are playing and it stinks to high heaven. It stinks regardless of what a person's color is; what his/her ticket is; or what his/her purpose is. IT STINKS! Maybe you didn't hear me. IT STINKS! Now, be assured I will not lose any sleep whatsoever if you choose not to communicate with me anymore. I will say, however, that we are in a world and an election that does not grant us the luxury of acting like little kids, Walt. And, unless we are subjected to 4 more years of Bush/McCain--which may erode all our civil liberties based on the erosion of the Constitution in the last 8--we are in a country that requires its citizens to think and dialogue, if they desire to preserve the union. We all have to put on our thinking caps--me, you, everybody, and try to get along. Try to solve our monumental problems. Try to remember that this country we live in and its freedoms are not a right. They are a responsibility to act out of our highest selves. That is how democracies are done. Anarchy is done, in part, by everybody picking up their marbles and going home. By slinging the worst of oneself and one's life at each other. by resorting to the lowest form of self. That ain't you, I don't believe, Walt. And, that sure as heck ain't me. And, I can tell you that if we all resort to such foolishness, we haven't a prayer. Peace.

J.T.

Sep 9 2008

OK, I'm peeking in from my undisclosed location, and I see that a post on my blog about Sarah Palin has turned into a revisionist conversation about slavery. When I get a second, I will read through and likely delete any posts off this topic. And be warned: Stay on topic. And also be aware that this site is not a place for fringe revisionism. And Walt et al: Do *not* use this site to generalize about groups. I will suspend you if it happens without further comment, and give my folks back home permission to do the same.

DonnaLadd

Sep 9 2008

Factually, I have not generalized, in my opinion. I realize my opinions or questions don't count for anything. Nor my ability to walk a careful line. It's more about what people think I said or wish I would say. I won't protest or contest further though. I'm gone, though. Good-bye and good luck.

Walt

Sep 9 2008

Walt, you are intentionally pushing buttons, and you know it. Some folks smarter than probably you and I put together warned that the oppressed won't win if they try to become the oppressor. Generalizing about groups (or genders) of people make you sound like you're becoming the oppressor. That's your choice, but it's beneath you.

DonnaLadd

Sep 9 2008

I think that those who really are committed to change should stick to a constructive playbook. We will not win using the same tactics as the lying liars who have done the bidding of big oil for the past decade.

FreeClif

Sep 9 2008

This is how you do it: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/opinion/09herbert.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

FreeClif

Sep 9 2008

As I tend to be a bottom feeder and read more than post, I coudln't help myself on the latest news with this crazy lady (if that's what she REALLY is.... hmmm...) Anyway, And I quote... "Saying that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin "scares the hell out of me," former New York Mayor Ed Koch endorsed fellow Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday. " http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080909/ap_on_el_pr/koch_obama

Puck

Sep 9 2008

Nancy Reagan says she is impressed with Obama and compares him favorably to her late husband. Supposedly she is still upset with McCain for the way he cheated on his crippled first wife and then dumped her. Adultery and lying (like saying you were against the bridge to nowhere when you campaigned for it) must be o.k. with the right wing god.

FreeClif

Sep 9 2008