Palin
 

Im kicking myself right now, cause a few months ago, I had her in the top slot by default for McCain's pick (he hates Mittens, and Pawlenty is my governor so I followed him closely enough that I know he wouldnt be it as a Dem like Biden would slaughter him in a debate cause hes terrible when he gets off his talking points), but eventually talked myself out of that when a mini-scandal brewed up around her office in terms of her ex-brother-in-law being fired.

I love the website wonkette's long standing line about her being America's GILF (she is a former beauty pageant contestant). And there's a million tasteless jokes to be made about her supporting the "more drilling" mantra and the fact she's got 5 kids.

Electorally, she takes Alaska off the table. Nate Silver over at 538 did some research on VP's carrying a state awhile back, and his data suggests that its greatest affects is on small states (to the tune of an additional 7-8 percentages points) whereas it has almost no effect on bigger states (see John Edwards, 2004). Those who dont follow electoral politics may find it strange that a traditionally heavily Republican state like Alaska was in play to begin with, but the state party is HEAVILY corrupt (see Don Young and Ted Stevens), and Alaska is, demographically, the youngest state in the union (young people, as been noted before, break more with Obama) with a libertarian type in attitude sort of similar to what you see in a place like Montana, and for some reason I cant fully explain the mountain libertarians dont take too kindly to McCain.

it's not a bad pick but there are two major problems with it. first the corruption within the Alaskan republican party can't help her at all. second (and probably more importantly) she has even less experience than Obama and if the GOP is going to continue to paint Obama as inexperienced, they're going to shoot themselves in the foot. After all McCain isn't exactly a young man and while I believe he'll likely make it four years there's a shot he won't (isn't' that why we have VPs?) and if we can't trust Obama due to inexperience, how the heck are we ever going to trust Palin?

That said, she does bring Alaska and may help to offset the Hillary factor (you know she'll campaign hard) with women. So it's not a tragic mistake for McCain but I do think he could have done better. Hey at least he didn't take Guiliani or Huckabee so you have to tip your hat to him for that.

The main stream media version of her story.

Story Here

Well if everyone is good then I will give another version which will be the Alaskan version of the story sometime.

A terrible picture is starting to emerge of who Governor Palin really is.

1. She owns a gun has a membership with the NRA and she also goes out and shots lovable animals that cannot defend themselves as well.
2. She did not want to have an abortion even after the fact that she knew that her youngest child may have downs syndrome.
3. She said no not in this state to the so called "bridge to nowhere". Which by the way was just government wasteful spending at its finest.
4. She has sons in the military and next month another one will go to Iraq on the 11th.
5. She has absolutely no experience running a town of 9,000 and a state that has just a small number of people like the State of Delaware.
6. She believes in the free market system.
7. Alaska has connections to big oil so she has to have these as well.
8. She supports drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. [ANWR]
9. She is a religious person and of course as we all know there should be a clear separation of church and state.

These are the real reasons democrats must oppose this women no matter what.

It will be interesting to see if the main stream media even mentions these things for there very good reasons this absolutely horrible vice president choice that Senator McCain has made.

I would like to thank the "talking forehead" Paul Begala for reminding me of someone.

Now good old Paul is talking about Governor Palin here, "In his first presidential decision, John McCain has shown that he is willing to endanger his country, potentially leaving it in the hands of someone who simply has no business being a heartbeat away from the most powerful, complicated, difficult job in human history."

I want to focus on this sentence for one reason and one reason only. This sentence reminds me of someone else besides Governor Palin but the person I am thinking of will have this very powerful, complicated, and difficult job just months from now.

Thank you Mr. Begala for reminding me again why I should not vote for Obama and I could have not written it any better than this if I tried.

The talking forehead speaks his mind

Adding to the list of horrible things Governor Palin believes.

She thought it would be a good idea to teach creationism in Alaska schools as she was running for governor in Alaska.

Story Here

What other dirt and I am going to find about Governor Palin?

Why P are you putting this stuff here?

I want people to know the real reasons why the main stream media is going to paint this very negative picture of Governor Palin next week in Minneapolis-St. Paul at the republican convention.

I already have one very negative sentence about Governor Palin from Mr. Begala already.

gotta emphatically disagree with this one Peter. I don't think Obama could have found a better candidate to take over, God forbid something happened to him. I think Joe Biden, of ALL the talked about Dem or Rep VP choices, was BY FAR the best of either party.

Honestly, I think she's too much of an unknown quantity to most people. From my rounds around the blogosphere, the liberals are both going "who?" and/or "thank you for this electoral gift", the conservatives are finding about her plank (as you noted about) and falling in love with her. The media is just treating her as their bright shiny object of the moment (in a figurative sense), but I dont think they'll treat her that harshly in only a week's time (though that might change between now and the election).

From what I understand, McCain REALLY wanted either Lieberman or Ridge, but the powers that be nixed that idea vehemently. Actually, given that circumstance, this pick could be a relative blessing in disguise for him (James Wolcott at Vanity Fair had a great line that McCain/Lieberman on stage together would like a gay metamucil ad :rotfl: )

I have to say - I'm now actually interested ("engerized") in this election.

I think the greatest thing about this race, whether for or against a particular candidate, there will be history made in the end. IMO, a great step forward for America.

:cheers:

No I was not thinking of Joe Biden when I read this sentence.

"In his first presidential decision, John McCain has shown that he is willing to endanger his country, potentially leaving it in the hands of someone who simply has no business being a heartbeat away from the most powerful, complicated, difficult job in human history."

I was thinking of none other than Obama himself when I read the parts of this sentence. The parts of this sentence that remind me of Obama are he is willing to endager his own country and he simply has no business doing this very powerful, complicate, and difficult job.

I would not mind Obama, and his way of thinking which to me is extremely dangerous and there are unimaginable consequences to his way of thinking, if he was not running for as Mr. Begala said a powerful, complicated, and difficult job.

11. She does not think Global Warming is man made.

Why do I need facts when I am talking negatively about Governor Palin?

out of curiousity, what exactly do you base this opinion on? i'm not questioning the validity of it, just wondering why you feel it to be true.

in her short political career she's taken some respectable positions.

for example she led an investigation into ethics violations by state Republicans while serving on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 2003

but the fact that she is under investigation for firing state public safety commissioner because he refused to fire a state trooper involved in a contentious divorce and child custody battle with her younger sister gives me cause for concern

Tell me, how many days has Obama spent in the Senate, as opposed to Palin as Governor?

Buehler, Buehler ...

Nick