Well, in that case, I'm gonna have to check it out again. I don't recall him ever saying he'd been awarded a "big one." Whenever we'd get him to talk about the medals he'd always make sure we didn't think he was the only one to get them - he'd really downplay the whole thing, as in "Oh heck, LauraJean, they'd give them things to everyone." He probably wouldn't say that about a really big one. Or maybe he would. He'd usually end up telling us about his brother and his cousins and his friends who never made it home. Then he'd be sad - and then he'd get quiet. And eventually we grew up and realized it pained him, and so we quit asking.

It was more fun to talk about his tattoos anyhow.

I wonder if John McCain has any of those? I wonder if Sarah does?

CARTOON FROM THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Sarah unscripted? This, my friends, is Sarah unscripted:

<object width="425" height="344">

</param>

</param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E_23HhsKOQQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

For useful context, as well as some perspective on that fabled 80% approval rating, see also THIS BLOG from the Anchorage Daily News around the time of the incident.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...ace-barracuda/

Hi Lo,

Your link has been scrubbed. Either you have bad timing, or someone at CNN got cold feet real fast. And no cache neither. I googled "mccain +palin +embrace +barracuda." The same dead link shows up . . . but no cache. Curious, that.

Anyway, perhaps you could tell us what it was about?

Steve C.

The group, Heart, has asked that the McCain campaign immediately cease using their song, Barracuda, as an intro for Sarah Palin. They do not endorse her nor do they appreciate their song being used without permission.

I wonder why the story was scrubbed?

edited to add - try this one:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...ace-barracuda/


UPDATE: Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart said Thursday night that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease and desist notice to the McCain-Palin campaign over their use of 'Barracuda.'

"We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We
hope our wishes will be honored," the group said in a statement that said they "condemn" the use of the song at the Republican convention.



[This message has been edited by Laura Heidy-Halberstein (edited September 05, 2008).]

<object width="425" height="344">

</param>

</param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q2l45yu9vMA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Lo,
That video is priceless!

Thanks, Catherine. Made my morning!!

Below is a link to an email (supposedly) written by one of Sarah's neighbors in Wasilla. I can't verify it yet, I'm at work and it's not easy to check things from here, but it seems to have made a lot of the newspapers and Internet sites. It sounds pretty legit, but, again, I can't confirm if it's authentic or not.
http://www.crosscut.com/politics-government/17341

http://cartoonbox.slate.com/davidhorsey/2008/09/03/
http://cartoonbox.slate.com/davidhorsey/2008/08/22/