'Fringe' Alaskan Secessionist Party: Palin Was A Member... Almost Recalled As Mayor... Directed Fundraising For Indicted Senator's 527... Troopergate Scandal... Calls Iraq A War For Oil... Admits She Hasn't 'Really Focused On Iraq'... Alaska National Guard General: Palin Plays No Role In National Defense...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/sarah-palin

Choosing Palin makes it clear that the only people running McCain's government will be the Cheney gang. They don't need a VP, they've got the old VP.

She certainly wasn't chosen for her creds. And if McCain should die in office, which no one wishes on him but is entirely within the realm of possibility, we'd have this cynical choice as (choke) president?

This country must look increasingly absurd to monsters like Putin. I mean we look like a pushover.

Terese,

That is precisely the scenario that has me and plenty of others seriously worried about this craziness, keeping in mind that the vote has not been secure in at least the last two elections.

Lo,
I know you love to throw yourself around on every issue and tell people off on every side. But I think you're OTT. You
started this thread about Palin. People are trying to find out anything they can about a complete unknown entity that has been thrust upon the American people after putting up with 8 years of a lawless, in-your-face, Carl Rove/Bush Cheney driven mad White House. We all have the right, and dare I say, the DUTY to fight for this country.

Now I'm sure you'll come back quick with a bunch of crap to throw at me (you always do), so let me say, I'm logging off now until Wednesday because I'm rather fed up with the way you try to control everyone and their brother.

Anne

I've never said a word to your brother.

With the mountain lions in California, most of the suburbs that are having the mountain lions are rather old and long established, not new ones tossed into virgin wilderness (though there are those too). What's actually happened is that conservation has worked and the mountain lions have rebounded, but in so doing, younger ones go off in search of fresh territory without other mountain lions and instead find greater threats. It was rather surreal to watch the local newscast where the reporter in Palo Alto was talking about the search for the mountain lion that had been spotted but the police and animal control had been unable to find until suddenly she looked up and found it herself in the tree over her head, asleep.

Unfortunately they don't make tranks that work like on Mutual of Omaha, so the police sharpshooter had to take it out.

Anyway, I think California has struck the right balance, with the police and animal control able to deal with them, but with trophy hunters not allowed to go near them.

Who is Sarah Palin?- (links from Moveon.org)

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=1

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=2

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=3

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=4

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=5

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17519&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=6

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17520&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=7

7 "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=1...55-fhSD5bx&t=8

Hurry up and look at these before they get taken down. It looks like underage drinking and boyfriends sleeping overnight is par-for-the-course at the Palin household.

Anne--you forgot #8, flag-bikini wearin', gun-totin' redneck:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/...9388008ccd.jpg

Thanks, Anne, those are useful. And, John, that pic is priceless!!

Here's two more - one from the Washington Post about the massive amount of federal funds Sarah managed to secure when she was mayor,

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26504638/


and one from the N. Y. Times about the possible non-vetting which was done:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26501863/

Interesting info - now let's see what, if anything, is done with it.

Jim,

What is the source of the photo? People will want to know.

Anne

It's only Tuesday. You didn't keep your promise. You might make a good politician after all.


Seems the thread's turning from a political discussion to a gossip column. And here I thought it was going to the dogs earlier *groan*.

Wow, after seeing those pictures of Bristol I'm even more in agreement with Palin that the girl is absolutely going to need every bit of support her family (although someone else's family might do better) can offer.

The picture of Palin packing heat by the pool gives me shivers. She's the redneck trailer trash "Get Out and Vote" poster girl! She could actually draw their vote.

Once in a while a picture IS worth a thousand words.

What reasonable person could back McCain's choice after just days of learning who Sarah Palin is? What are we going to learn about her when they really start digging deep?

James

Forget the source of the photo. Got any more? *GRIN*

It seems the slander campaign is beginning here. Is the guy in the background underage? Is clowning for a family photograph now a sign of moral decrepitude? Does the poster here have rights to publish or reproduce the photograph?

Stop drooling over the aniticipated character assassination people.

BTW, that's a rifle, not a gun.

BTW, it looks like a pellet rifle. No ejection port.



[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

I never thought I'd feel sympathy for Cindy McCain, but the frozen look on her face in this photo says it all:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...2palin.600.jpg

Jerry,

Gosh you sure have a lot of time to waste. I don't see the word PROMISE anywhere in my statement. I had planned to stay off of here. But logged in to get a private message from someone that came in my email and saw the photos.

Anyway, just admit it, you're a downtrodden conservative republican down on his luck. You're worried that Obama will win the White House. http://www.ablemuse.com/erato/ubbhtml/smile.gif

Anne

p.s. Jerry, do you want the whole world to think Americans are all like the creeps in the movie DELIVERANCE?


[This message has been edited by Anne Bryant-Hamon (edited September 02, 2008).]

LOL - It's my day off.

I worry more about the Justices than I do Presidents. You can blame Presidents for whatever you wish, but they can't take action - good or bad - without assistance.

While the legislators create (generally good intentioned but often) idiotic laws, it's the judicial side of the government that interprest these laws. They have more effect - normally- on our lives than Presidents do.

Bush can be considered an exception, but agian, he didn't act alone. Congress could have put its foot down, and didn't.

Obama or McCain - really won't make much of a difference, except for who they appoint to toss into the fire. They've been handed a situation and they both have the same limited options.

To expect one will do remarkably better than the other is self-delusion. Make your choice and cast your vote.

Right now I'm willing to vote for Palin - she looks like she doesn't take herself too seriously and knows how to have fun.

[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

You mean they're not? I spend my days dealing with the general public, and there are times I can't tell the difference. *wink*

Anne, people are going to think what they want, no matter what the facts. Some will see this photo and think as you do because they already think as you do and others will see the photo and think 'That's great! because they already think that way.

Me? I think she looks pretty damned good for her age - much better than I do. I see nothing good nor bad about the photo. People let loose and have fun and someone takes a photo for the memory. *shrug* I dislike seeing it used for propaganda, no matter which side of the political machine is using it.

And frankly, I don't care what the rest of the world thinks. Our political and economic situation does not depend on what 'they' think of the average America. Our opinion of them doesn't influence the world situation.

Or are you worried about what people shooting guns in the air and screaming 'Death to the Infidels!' think of us?

Let her family have fun their way and you have it your way. And hope no one finds fun photos of you - now that you've declared yourself an indeppendent and placed yourself in the public spotlight - and starts posting them on the net for propaganda purposes.

On that we agree. Of course the over 100 republican filibusters certainly has not helped. The Dems are still short of a majority and the Republicans won't let them get anything done.

The Supreme Court is tossing people into the fire? I'm sure you are speaking figuratively, but that's not what they are appointed to do. We're all in the fire in that sense. But the high court is tipping to the right and I hate to see the scales of justice reach a complete imbalance. Which of course it will if McCain or Palin have a say in making appointments. Some days, I figure God might let it go that way and America will completely fall like Rome. Other days, I think, maybe not - and I keep fighting.

Jerry, if you believe that, why do you care who wins? You sound more cynical than me - which is pretty damn cynical.

So, you're voting for the hot babe then? I'm not surprised. When you have no substance, go for the pretty people. I really do fear for the near future of America, Jerry. And people like you take it very, very lightly. So sad.


Jerry -

Spoken like a true-blue Bushie. Heck of a job, Brownie.

Anne


[This message has been edited by Anne Bryant-Hamon (edited September 02, 2008).]

The photo is all over the internetz (sic), such as here and here and here .

I actually have no reason to think the photo is doctored. It seems completely in character for her to horse around with her friends in this way.

Nonetheless, of course, it never hurts to have some skepticism about such things in this age of photoshop.

G

...wherever it came from, Karl Rove wants us to look at that picture.

James, bless you for posting those additional links. I followed the investigative trail posted below the photo on the first page, and came up with what was allegedly the original picture, before it was altered:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorcasino/208036176/

Why is that Rick, is he about the business of orchestrating a nuclear war with Russia while we're all worried about the pretend election? Is that what you mean (sort of)?

You're joking right? Even in the tiny world of Eratosphere it matters what others think of your public persona when it comes to their regard, their respect for and their responses to your actions (posts). The pose she's striking in that photo reminds me too much of those Death to the Infidels screaming gun wavers you mention. I don't like her way of cutting loose and having fun. And I don't like the idea that she has the potential to force me to go her party.

"And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids and your stupid dog"

Mystery solved.

Jim

Jennifer,

Good investigative journaling. I did find the photo suspicious. It is hard to believe anything we see any longer.
It's easy to crop off someone's head and attach another face to a body with photo shop.

Spin, spin, spin.... I think we're all going to fall off the earth!

Jim, Anne -- LOL. I have no official press release on the Palin thing. But that picture left me just aghast!

Jenn

Anne

Ignore the tongue in cheeck comments, and you're intelligent enough to know which is which.

I meant the President tossing people into the fire: putting them in positions of responsibility in no wwin situations. Anyone given responsibility for the withdrawel from Iraq is going to be in a no win situation. They'll be damned if they do and damned if they don't.Whether it's a Dem or a Rep in fire won't make a damn bit of difference.

Yes Anne, I'm a major cynic. (Although I don't see how you can criticize me for not caring who wins and simultaneously call me a "Bushie".) You don't know how damned cycnical I am. I merely call it realistic *grin*.

Anne, a political election is nothing more than groups of people trying to elect the person who will do what they want. Pure selfishness. *shrug* When people tell me they're doing something for the good of others, my first thought is; Yea right - they fooling themselves or trying to fool me? If I thought Obama could get the troops out of Iraq faster than McCain, he'd have my vote. He may even believe he can do it.

I like some things about McCain and some things about Obama. Both would do a satisfactory job as President, imo. Neither is going to get us out of Iraq quickly.

There's a lot about Palin I like. She's untried - true. If she turns out to be a total screwup as VP will that matter? No. The system will act as a buffer. Same for Biden.. But I don't expect that.

I don't have any qualms about Biden as VP either.

Nope. It doesn't much matter which one wins, to me. My only relief is Clinton is out of the running, and that feelings due more to her husband than her. Fair? No, but I try for honesty. Hillary woundn't have made a bad president, either, I suspect.

I guess I think people place too much importance on Presidents. They're biggest power comes from whom they appoint to positions of authority and responsibilty.

I worry more about them, but generally a President's choices are vetted by the Party, which tends to limit one man's power. It's also why we have three divisions to the government.

In answer to Anne's question about why photos like this play into the hands of the Republican machine--They are an enormous distraction. There are only so many minutes in a day and so many days before Nov. 4. McCain's pick of Sarah Palin rocked all boats. She kind of has to be who she is and fade back for Obama and everone else to take care of real business.

So 'slander' is an appropriate word, since people were going off half-cocked (pardon the pun) without there being any basis of truth.

THAT, Anne, is what scares me.

People ignorantly accepting whatever they wish as 'truth' merely because it matches what they already believe.


[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

When it comes to a group of people -take the Sphere, for example - there is a group of people here whose poetic opinions I respect. Ia sk them to look at what I write aand give their honest opinions, and I will do the same in return. I don't have to like them, or agree with them. I can joke around on GT with a lot of them.

As for their personal lives: that has nothing to do with poetry. Their poilitical views: nothing to do with poetry. A person signing on here may be a saint or a murderer - how do we know?

Other than the poetry, it doesn't much matter what people here think of me. I try to be honest and fair in my opinions and comments - what more can you ask of me? There are some whom I call friend and would be disappointed if they thought poorly of me. But I expect most people to take their friends as they are - human beings.

This is not meant to diminish others as people - no one's more or less important than anyone else in my book - but I realize you can't please everyone, so I don't try, and I'm not disappointed when others think poorly of me *shrug*.

That's life. Spend too much time worrying about what others think and you'll spend less time thinking, yourself.




[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

And don't you feel ashamed you were drawing conclusions about someone who wasn't even in the photograph?

Try thinking before you jump to conclusions: check for facts first.

Your automatic reaction to an unsubstantiated piece of information scares me, Donna. Kind of like the response to early WMD reports.

"Ohmigod-she-has-a-gun-and-she's-gonna-force-me-to-go-to-her-party!"

I doubt she'd want you at her party - or Party - anyway.

Maybe you ought to apologize to her.



[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

Yea - right. So sorry if the first quote makes me disbelieve the second.
Seems to me you were all set to go flaunting this around the media because it was to acheiving your own ends.

Me? Cynical? Naw - just realistic.




[This message has been edited by Jerry Glenn Hartwig (edited September 02, 2008).]

Jerry, your comments just after seeing the photo were that she looked like she was just having fun. And that she looked good for her age. Weren't you jumping to conclusions as well? I don't think my reaction was unreasonable or that the photo of her was unbelieveable-- she is a gun advocate, her entire family is known to drink, the bikini seemed to fit her style too. I'm glad in this instance to be mistaken.


PS the qoute about the poster girl was from me not Anne.

According to The Nation magazine, it was a secretive right wing group that vetted Palin.... http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/352178

Well, duh, is anyone surprised? These people operate on the dark side. They make me think of the mafia. How depressing - the mafia in sheep's clothing.

_____

Jerry,

I think you are whacked out defending this Palin woman and telling Donna to apologize to her! Like you actually know Sarah Palin on some personal level. It is astonishing really. And I have a question for you Jerry - if these people are so CHRISTIAN, then why do they constantly operate under cover of darkness? The scriptures tell us that those who do evil try to hide their deeds and walk in darkness, but that those who do what is right come out into the light.



[This message has been edited by Anne Bryant-Hamon (edited September 02, 2008).]

I'm not sure he's defending her - although honestly, with all the false things people are doing to her perhaps she needs defending. I'll admit that when I first saw the bikini pic I thought it was her. Although I wasn't quite as horrified as others seem to have been. I think Jerry's simply saying that we shouldn't be so quick to judge - or so rightous in our judgements. For all our complaining about the "crackpot right." aren't we behaving in very much the same fashion?

The picture cracked me up simply because there's a picture of me looking quite the same, although as far as I know, it's not made an internet appearance and the bathing suit wasn't quite so skimpy. But there's a picture and there I is - standing on a front porch in the middle of nowhere in the hot August sun, holding a semi-auto B.A.R. and smilin' like someone just bought me a new Lexus. And there's a target in the distance that shows just how well I know how to shoot with it.

It doesn't make me evil. (At least I don't think it does) It just makes me someone posing in the middle of summer with a big gun and grinning. And why shouldn't I have been? I was havin' fun.

Of course, I'm not running for VP, either - but Jerry's right, we don't know people and we can't really judge their whole person on one or two pictures. And then it turns out we were judging her on someone else's picure. I wonder what Jesus had to say about that? "Judge not lest ye be judged" comes to mind.

And so, I AM sorry I jumped to the conclusion that it was Sarah in the bikini. I should know better. Maybe I just wanted it to be her.

And that's the danger, isn't it? With any politician - be it Obama or McCain or Biden or Palin. We take the gossip that suits our purpose and we're happy with believing it. Just like we take the facts we disagree with and ignore them. Both things make us happy enough that we don't look any further.

I still don't like Palin. I think there's enough honest-to-God warning signs that she's probably not going to be good for our country. I don't think we need Daisy Duke pictures to realize she's ill-prepared for the office.

I have a bad feeling though that it's like a runaway train at this point. The more trash the so-called Left throws out there at her the more stubbornly the Right Wing will defend her. It's a bad corner to be trying to back her (and them) into - especially when it relies on doctored photo's, ill-conceived rumors and unsubstantiated stories.

Like I said before, what's wrong with using the facts we do have available? What's the burning need to spread untruths when there are so many honest facts at our disposal?

Can't resist this: Sarah Palin and Tall?

(Please don't start throwing things.)

dwl

[This message has been edited by David Landrum (edited September 02, 2008).]

Seriously. Running this person down is an enormous and destructive waste of time. In the words of John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni, "Things have their own momentum."

We need to accentuate the positive.

The clock is running.

RM

Thanks, Rick. I couldn't help chuckling at this line:

"The Ohio governor, Ted Strickland, got off the best, unheard line of the Convention when he said that, unlike George H. W. Bush, who was born on third base and thought he hit a triple, George W. was born on third base and stole second."


I was disappointed to have to listen to talking heads rather than the actual speakers at the convention. We probably missed many good lines.

I hope the pundits show greater respect to Republican speakers. I got to hear John Kerry in a repeat well after midnight, but there was no chance to catch his act at a reasonable time because the "analysis" was so heavy.

Bob

Yes, Rick - time is short. It's time to dig up the facts and expose them, not time to make nice with neo-cons.
Freedom of speech - use it while you still can...
It's Sarah Palin's party, Not McCain's http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/352893

And her stance continues to dribble out.....

On providing funds to assist teenaged mothers:

Don't do it.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/02/palin_slashed_fundi ng_to_help.html?hpid=artslot

edited to add - someone here was kind enough to point out to me that while I read the article posted I might not have read the comments that followed. And he was right, I hadn't. The Post story now appears truthful but biased. Apparently, if the comment section is to be believed (and in this case, I have no reason not to) Palin slashed out an increase in funds - she did not negate the funding. The numbers in the comments section seems to bear out that the program did not appear to need anywhere near the funding appropriated. I leave the link as proof of my own hurried reading habits and apologize.

On her involvement (and her husband's) in The Alaska Independence Party.

She's courted several times them over the years - her husband's been a member.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/aip_founder_professed_hatred _f.php

Her church's views on Jews and Jesus.

She attended a church service on August 17, 2008 where the invited speakers described terrorist attacks on Israelis as God's "judgment of unbelief" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity.

"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It's very real. When [Brickner's son] was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment — you can't miss it."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13098.html


And for those who like just-plain gossip:

The plan is to introduce the lamb to the lions tonight at the convention.

removed link because of complaints about screen stretching - too computer challenged to know how to fix it

Doesn't anyone have go to school anymore???


Does anyone else wonder why she's not made a speech or an appearance since accepting the VP slot from John McCain last week and neither is she scheduled to make any until tonight?
http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/2008...l_pr/cvn_palin

How strange was that? How strange will it be?

edited to answer my own question:

In an effort to prevent any damaging mistakes, the McCain campaign is orchestrating Palin's public introduction carefully. Except for an interview with People magazine the afternoon her selection was announced, she has not taken a single question from a reporter, and it remains unclear when she will speak to the national news media.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26520727

In other words, they expect her to make mistakes? Why would you pick someone as your running mate if you had to muzzle them to prevent their making mistakes?

Stranger and stranger.



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

Moose vs Pork?


McCain criticized earmarks from Palin

Three times in recent years, the Arizona senator's lists of 'objectionable' pork spending have included earmarks requested by his new running mate.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-ea...,6145252.story