Sarah Palin- links, from the beginning

various links | 08-30-08 | The Heavy Equipment Guy

[backhoe]

Here is where it all began:

McCain appears set to name Palin as running mate (FR exclusive analysis)

 Governor Palin was my choice all along...

John McCain Selects Alaska Governor Sarah Palin [From the McCain official site]

Brilliant McCain Stroke: Now Hillary & Bill Can Vote For A Female... (Debbie Schlussel Thumbs Up!)

Palin's First Shot at Obama

BUILDING A SARAH PALIN PICTURES THREAD

   

Palin for America: A true conservative: “She knows when to stand up and doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down”

By Michelle Malkin  •  August 29, 2008 11:03 AM

Scroll down for updates…vid of the announcement at HA…

The announcement from Dayton will start any minute. There’s a new rock star in town. Conservatives are full of Hope that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will bring much-needed Change to McCain Republicanism.

Catch the fever.

I’m starting a new thread and kicking off discussion with this YouTube ad from Palin supporters.

Yes, I’m impressed. Very impressed.

Flashback: You go, girl: Alaska GOP Gov. will sue Bush administration over polar bear listing

***

The official statement from McCain:

U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president.

Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us – Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the “bridge to nowhere” that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

As the head of Alaska’s National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.

Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today.

***

The ACU raves:

CONSERVATIVES HAIL MCCAIN VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK

(Minneapolis, MN) - David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union, has issued the following statement on Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain’s pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

“The selection of Governor Palin is great news for conservatives, for the party and for the country. Her dedication to principle, her courage both before and after her election as Governor of Alaska and her personal qualities make her a perfect choice for Vice President. I predict any conservatives who have been lukewarm thus far in their support of the McCain candidacy will work their hearts out between now and November for the McCain - Palin ticket.”

***

Jennifer Rubin at PJM:

…Palin will argue that in fact Obama has no more experience than she does, and that Palin has the advantage of sharing McCain’s views (and thus being right) on the surge, Russian ambitions, and meetings with state terror sponsors. The VP debate against Biden may be dicey, but the McCain camp knows full well that a vice-presidential debate isn’t going to make or break their candidate. In short, McCain is hoping that Palin is good enough on this score for a number two pick against a Democratic ticket headed by a man with virtually the same meager national security credentials.

As to the second, Palin has much to offer McCain. On a non-political level few can doubt her Q-factor. (She will be the first former beauty queen to run on a national ticket.) The daughter of a teacher and mother of five, she has an ebullient personality and an excellent TV presence. The Right will be entranced : a pro-life hunter with a passion for domestic energy development? And in the battle for “change” she has the record of reform and the identity of a complete Washington outsider. Finally, as a lifelong NRA member, an outdoorswoman, and a western governor she may provide extra help in mountain and western states such as Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico which are certain to be in play.

On the policy front, Palin can make the case that the Democratic program of higher taxes, more spending, and a government takeover of health care is a proven loser. She will argue that she can bring practical experience from as far outside the Beltway as one can get. And, of course, the presence of a woman on the ticket creates instantaneous excitement and puts into play Clinton voters looking for a new champion.

The pick also tells us something about McCain: he thinks he can win. He was not willing to rock the boat with his conservative base. He can use Palin on offense to make a run at women voters and on defense to blunt the populist attacks from the Democrats. And it shows he understands the need to generate enthusiasm and “newness” in his own campaign.

Ed Morrissey: Change conservatives can believe in!

LifeNews has an excellent overview of Palin’s staunch, pro-life activism.

James Pethokoukis sends the 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sarah Palin:

. Sarah Louise Palin (nee Heath) was born Feb., 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Her family moved to Alaska when Sarah was an infant. Her father, Chuck, is a retired schoolteacher.

2. She attended Wasilla High School where she played point guard on the state champion basketball team. Her nickname was “Sarah Barracuda.”

3. Palin graduated in 1987 from the University of Idaho with a degree in journalism. She worked briefly as a sports reporter in Anchorage.

4. She refers to her husband, Todd, as the “First Dude.” He’s worked as a commercial fisherman and as a production operator on the North Slope for BP. He enjoys snowmobiling and has won the Tesoro Iron Dog, billed as the world’s longest snowmobile race, four times.

5. Palin and her husband have five children, Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and Trig. Trig, born in 2008, has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Her son Track joined the army in 2007.

6. Her favorite meal is moose stew.

7. She comes from a family of outdoor enthusiasts. Her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, enjoy hunting and fishing, and have both completed marathons.

8. Palin was named Miss Wasilla in 1984 and was a runner-up for Miss Alaska. In 1996 she was elected mayor of Wasilla.

9. She’s a lifetime NRA member and enjoys hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling.

10. Elected in 2006, she’s Alaska’s first female governor and the youngest governor elected in the state.
***

12:22pm Eastern. McCain: It is with great pride and gratitude that I tell you that I have the right partner for those who value their responsibilities over their privileges, someone who has fought corruption, stopped government from wasting taxpayers’ money…someone with executive experience, who has shown great tenacity and skill in tackling tough problems, especially our dependence on foreign oil, someone with strong principles, a fighting spirit, and deep compassion, someone who grew up in a decent, hard-working middle-class family…

Good stuff: “She knows when to stand up and doesn’t let anyone tell her to sit down…She’s exactly who I need, she’s exactly who this country needs…”

Really good.

The next vice president of the United States, Gov. Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska.

Huge roar of applause. Huge.

Obama-Biden has to be in full snit-fit mode.

And Hillary must be experiencing a schadenfreude-licious moment right now.

It’s McCain’s birthday and the Palins’ 20th anniversary today.

12:44pm Eastern. Palin gives props to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. “The women of America aren’t finished yet…We can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all!”

Palin coopts the Hope and Change mantra. Sweet.

Audience coopts “Yes, we can!” Sweet.

God bless America!

For real.

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JIM LINDGREN reports that Sarah Palin is playing well with Hillary supporters.

 

 

 

Palin bio - not just another pretty face
http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net

Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 10:25:47 AM by Brookhaven

Sarah Heath Palin (born February 11, 1964) is the current Governor of Alaska, and a member of the Republican Party. She is the youngest and first female governor of Alaska. Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders,[1] she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary, then a former Democratic Alaskan governor in the general election. On August 29, the Associated Press reported that "speculation [has] moved to [Palin as a] darkhorse" pick for the vice president running mate slot by presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.[2] The CNBC news service is now reporting that Palin will in fact be the GOP vice-presidential nominee.[3]

She is reported to be a possible choice for the Republican Party's nomination as Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election. Formal announcement of the presumptive nominee will be made in Dayton, Ohio on August 29, 2008, by Presidential candidate John McCain. Palin was born as Sarah Louise Heath in Sandpoint, Idaho, the daughter of Charles and Sally (Sheeran) Heath.[4] Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant.[5] Charles Heath was a popular science teacher and coached track.[5] The Heaths were avid outdoors enthusiasts; Sarah and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school, and the family would regularly run 5k and 10k races.[5]

Palin was the point guard and captain for the Wasilla High School Warriors, in Wasilla, Alaska, when they won the Alaska small-school basketball championship in 1982; she earned the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" because of her intense play.[5] She played the championship game despite a stress fracture in her ankle, hitting a critical free throw in the last seconds.[5] Palin, who was also the head of the school Fellowship of Christian Athletes, would lead the team in prayer before games.[5]

In 1984, Palin was second-place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, winning a scholarship to help pay her way through college.[5] In the Wasilla pageant, she played the flute and also won Miss Congeniality.

Details of Palin's personal life have contributed to her political image. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.[6][7] Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana when it was legal in Alaska, but says that she did not like it.[8]

Palin holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho where she also minored in politics. She briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd, her high school sweetheart.[5] One summer when she was working on Todd's fishing boat, the boat collided with a tender while she was holding onto the railing; Palin broke several fingers.[5] Outside the fishing season, Todd works for BP at an oil field on the North Slope[9] and is a champion snowmobiler, winning the 2000-mile "Iron Dog" race four times.[5] The two eloped shortly after Palin graduated college; when they learned they needed witnesses for the civil ceremony, they recruited two residents from the old-age home down the street.[5] Todd is a Native Yup'ik Eskimo.[5] The Palin family lives in Wasilla, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Anchorage.[10]

On September 11, 2007, the Palins' son Track joined the Army. Eighteen years old at the time, he is the eldest of Palin's five children.[10] Track now serves in an infantry brigade and will be deployed to Iraq in September. She also has three daughters: Bristol, 17, Willow, 13, and Piper, 7.[11] On April 18, 2008, Palin gave birth to her second son, Trig Paxson Van Palin, who has Down syndrome.[12] She returned to the office three days after giving birth.[13] Palin refused to let the results of prenatal genetic testing change her decision to have the baby. "I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection," Palin said. "Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?"[13]

Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she challenged the incumbent mayor, criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes.[5] The ex-mayor and sheriff tried to organize a recall campaign, but failed.[5] Palin kept her campaign promises, reducing her own salary, as well as reducing property taxes 60%.[5] She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin.[5][14] Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.[11]

In 2002, Palin made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a four-way race. After Frank Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in mid-term to become governor, Palin interviewed to be his possible successor. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter, then-Alaska State Representative Lisa Murkowski.[5]

Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission[15], where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.[5] After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.[16] Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine.[5]

In 2006, Palin, running on a clean-government campaign, executed an upset victory over then-Gov. Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary.[5] Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles.[5] Palin said in 2006 that education, public safety, and transportation would be three cornerstones of her administration.[8]

When elected, Palin became the first woman to be Alaska's governor, and the youngest governor in Alaskan history at 42 years old upon taking office. Palin was also the first Alaskan governor born after Alaska achieved U.S. statehood. She was also the first Alaskan governor not to be inaugurated in Juneau, instead choosing to hold her inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks. She took office on December 4, 2006.

Highlights of Governor Palin's tenure include a successful push for an ethics bill, and also shelving pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. Palin successfully killed the Bridge to Nowhere project that had become a nationwide symbol of wasteful earmark spending.[13][17] "Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on 'federal dollars,' as the state does today."[6]

She has challenged the state's Republican leaders, helping to launch a campaign by Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell to unseat U.S. Congressman Don Young[18] and publicly challenging Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings.[13] Palin supports holding occasional legislative sessions outside the state capital, and municipal revenue sharing to help local governments.[citation needed]

Palin's tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies, while still promoting resource development.[6][13] Palin has announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors, to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska. [19]

Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded an appointment by Murkowski of his former chief of staff Jim Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, one of thirty-five appointments made by Murkowski in the last hour of his administration that she reversed. [20][21] Clark later pled guilty to conspiring with a defunct oil-field-services company to channel money into Frank Murkowski's re-election campaign. [22]

In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) as the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.[23] Only one legislator, Representative Ralph Samuels, voted against the measure,[24] and in June Palin signed it into law.[25][26] On January 5, 2008, Palin announced that a Canadian company, Transcanada, was the sole AGIA-compliant applicant.[27][28]

In response to high oil and gas prices, and in response to the resulting state government budget surplus, Palin proposed giving Alaskans $100-a-month energy debit cards. She also proposed providing grants to electrical utilities so that they would reduce customers' rates.[29] She subsequently dropped the debit card proposal, and in its place she proposed to send Alaskans $1,200 directly and eliminate the gas tax.[30][31]

SOCIAL ISSUES Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life.[8] She opposes same-sex marriage(we will have to work on this one, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.[8] While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law. [32]

She supported a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.[33] Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.[34]

Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska's attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.[35]

 

THEY'RE SAYING THAT MCCAIN HAS PICKED SARAH PALIN. The Insta-Wife is ecstatic, which may bode well for that demographic. I'd like it if she had more executive experience, but to be fair, she's got more than anyone else on either ticket. Is she too liberal on gay rights? Not for me, but maybe for some people.

UPDATE: Sissy Willis has more, including video of an interview of Palin by Larry Kudlow.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Judging from SayUncle, Palin will play well among the crucial bitter gun-clinger demographic. [They prefer to be called 'blasty-Americans' now -- ed. Oh, good grief.]

Plus, the WaPo's Ben Pershing on Sarah Palin's Porkbusting.

The pick is getting good marks from Geraldine Ferraro.

And, Palin as the anti-Ted Stevens."In an election where the Republican’s biggest liability isn’t Iraq but Ted Stevens and the Alaskan Bridge To Nowhere, McCain took his maverick mantle by the reins and just signed up the Anti Stevens to help him root out the corruption endemic in DC."

This rather churlish response from the Obama campaign won't help them -- dissing small towns doesn't fit well after Biden's "nobody is better than anybody" talk. [LATER: McCain response: "I'd think the Obama people would have learned by now not to belittle the experience of women."]

By contrast, I just saw Palin praise Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as pathbreakers. And that "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" line was delightfully sly.

MORE: Reader Kyle Griffin emails: "Did the Obama campaign just accuse the Republican campaign of having a VP with insufficient experience? Was that really smart? Will we see an ad about that tomorrow from the McCain youTube team?" Yeah, it did seem like an unforced error.

An "I told you so" from Katie Granju. [LATER: Granju emails: "I'm telling you. She's got the goods. Of course, I disagree with her on, well, mostly everything, but she's super impressive." Yeah, I'd never seen her speak before, and I was wrong to discount her, though I thought she'd said she didn't want the job.]

More on Geraldine Ferraro on Palin.

Roger Simon: Obama the stodgy, McCain the Maverick.

Ha! Say the Online Hillary Supporters [Rat Remorse Alert]

Sarah Palin Video

The Base Hearts Sarah Palin

Defending Against the First Attacks on Sarah Palin

Gov. Sarah Palin: On The Issues

Kudlow: Drill, Drill, Drill: My Interview with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin and Experience

From the Comments:

Brilliant choice. It will be hard to criticize her on experience as she probably does more before breakfast than Obama does all day.

American Thinker:

That's an easy one to dismiss. Sarah Palin has had more executive experience, meaning experience in running either a business or a government, than either Barack Obama or his running mate, Joe Biden. She has more executive experience than even her running mate, John McCain. Governor Palin served as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from 1999 to 2002. She was elected as President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. She was elected as Governor of Alaska in 2006. And she has quite a few concrete achievements, considering the amount of time she's been in office.

Double Think:

The McCain campaign is hoping and praying that someone will say that Palin is unready for the job. “Please,” John McCain is praying right now AS I TYPE, “Let a Democrat say that an executive with 2 years of experience and no foreign policy expertise isn’t ready for the presidency. Oh pretty please. Because you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to take that soundbite, put it in an ad, slap Obama’s mug up there, and run it over and over and over again.”

Posted by Cjunk at 3:02 PM | Comments (9)

 

The sniping and carping from the Jackal Pack Press begins:

CNN’s John Roberts: Palin Might Neglect Her Disabled Infant?

 Here’s what Palin said about the arrangements she has ALREADY made for Baby Trigg as Governor of Alaska...

Anchorage Daily News
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/382560.html

“The governor said she won’t take a maternity leave but will bring Trig with her to work. Her spokesperson later clarified, at Palin’s request, that the governor will take time off for medical appointments, physical therapy and whatever Trig needs.”

Sarah’s bringing a Baby to the White House!

"The last two callers to Michael Medved show, both claiming to be lifelong Republicans, were “appalled” that McCain would pick a mother with a disabled baby. They said she should be home caring for her child and not running for VP. Clearly the seminar callers have received their marching orders and the Dems are well along on one of the most despicable attacks on a candidate in history."

Dem Boykin: Palin 'Affirmative Action' Pick

Now's Response to Palin

McCain-Palin, Joined In Progress (Rush: All Accomplishments, Not Promises, Folks Alert)

 

 

It Took a Woman

Hillary Supporters Going Wild Over Palin Pick (in a good way!)

 

 

Todd Palin unique among nation's 5 first husbands

 

Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change

Profile of Alaska's Sarah Palin: Governor, Reformer, Mother

Palin? Perfect  By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY ^

McCain VP Choice Is Gov. Sarah Palin, Transforming Race

Palin=$

How Do The Hillary Fans Feel About Palin? ( Donation Thread underway )

Some Thoughts on Sarah Palin: Be Very, Very Careful When Criticizing [From a Gay Website!]

Palin pick already yielding rhetorical dividends?

See, this is why journos in the bag for Obama should await the royal talking points before opening their dullard yaps. CNN’s John Roberts: Palin Too Young and Inexperienced:

During the 9 a.m. EDT hour of “CNN Newsroom,” “American Morning” co-anchor John Roberts gave an analysis of Governor Sarah Palin during discussion of Senator John McCain’s vice presidential choice. Roberts focused on Palin’s lack of experience, saying that a prerequisite for the vice presidency should be the ability to step right into the office, especially because of McCain’s age. Roberts stated [...] “she’s the youngest governor ever in Alaska’s history, and she’s the first woman. She’s only been in office for a couple of years now, which really raises the experience issue here.”

Leave aside for the moment the dissonance of pretending to worry about Palin’s “inexperience” should she be forced (by the death of a fossilized McCain) into the Presidency when you haven’t offered the same argument for a man with even less executive experience getting the job outright; that probably has to do with her being “the first woman” governor or something equally patriarchal.

But in making this argument — that a 72-year old candidate is almost certain to kick while in office — what you have further done is begun alienating aging boomers who will soon be McCain’s age, questioning their worth and viability, throwing into doubt their general competence.

– Which means Roberts has managed to 1) highlight the inexperience of the Dem candidate for president by going after the inexperience of the Republican candidate for vice president; 2) has managed to make an implied argument that the inexperience of a woman is somehow more dangerous than the inexperience of a man, or a man of (half) color; and 3) has managed to make an ageist argument that could, at some level, get aging Dem Boomers to believe that their party thinks of them as prop voters, necessary for victory, but after that, to be set afloat on an ice chunk and allowed to drift off serenely into the great political beyond.

Add to that the calculus that many Hillary supporters will be thinking, “that should have been Hillary!” and what we have here is a perfect storm of identity politics for the Dems to try to steer their shiny yacht through safely.

Of course, the wildcard here is that female Democrats who detest Obama’s shiny empty banality will be forced to bite the bullet for him just to prevent the GOP from getting elected the first female VP. But I’m not sure that’s enough to counteract moderates who may now swing heavily in favor of McCain.

At any rate, the lines of attack should prove instructive — and, for the Dem’s sake, let’s hope they’re a bit better thought out than those offered by CNN’s John Roberts. Who really should wait for the next “Obama Action Alert” before he decides to speak again publicly.

For the narrative consistency and all.

O!

****
update: Wait, why can’t women have both a career and children? What, you want to see them barefoot and in the kitchen?

YES WE CAN!

****
update 2: David Harsanyi calls Palin “the libertarian vp candidate.” Which might could just temper McCain’s progressivism — even if she has to bat her pretty li’l eyes to get his macho in check…

Posted by Jeff G. @ 10:56 am
Comments (720)

 

http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=5055328

 

 

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/08/021365.php

 

The Bright Side

Paul and I have already voiced our concerns about John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for Vice-President. Now it's time to look at the upside. In fact, there is a lot to like about Palin. To begin with, her nomination provoked a typically mean-spirited reaction from the Obama campaign:

Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Of course, "zero foreign policy experience" describes Obama, too, unless giving ill-informed campaign speeches constitutes "experience." So maybe, in the end, Palin will highlight Obama's lack of qualifications rather than undermining McCain's critique of them. Maybe.

Then, too, Palin's selection was probably the only one that could drive Obama's speech last night off the front pages. Just in time, perhaps, as the Obama bounce is now up to 8 points if you believe Gallup. (That tends to support the conclusion that Obama is an effective demagogue.)

Palin could help McCain with several demographics, like the pageant community. Here she is as Miss Wasilla 1984:

News reports indicate that the crowd in Dayton, Ohio responded enthusiastically to references to Palin as an athlete. She was the point guard on a state champion basketball team:

I think McCain has pretty much got the hunter/fisherman demographic sewn up, but Palin will certainly be a plus there, too:

She is a big supporter of the troops, and her oldest son is headed for Iraq:

I like this one; Palin is the one with the gun. Unlike Michael Dukakis, she actually knows how to fire it:

I think voters will like the whole Palin family. Her husband Todd is a commercial fisherman and also works in oil production on the North Slope. I think this photo is of Sarah working on the family's fishing boat; I'm told that as Governor, she still does that on weekends:

Todd Palin is a union member and a world-class snowmobile racer; here they are at a race:

A lot of voters are going to find this image appealing. I certainly do. In general, Palin's strengths seem to reinforce McCain's, but she could help a bit with blue-collar voters.

Substantively, Palin is a legitimate reformer. She killed the "bridge to nowhere," which is probably the only pork project most voters have heard of. She is a solid conservative and, perhaps best of all, she is an expert on energy and a staunch advocate of drilling. A large majority of Alaskans want develop ANWR; one hopes that Palin can change McCain's mind on that part of the energy issue.

I, for one, am very tired of hearing Democrats say that we can't drill ourselves out of our energy shortage. We could, actually, but since when is that the standard? Wharton Econometrics Forecasting Associates estimates that developing ANWR petroleum alone could create 736,000 American jobs... Permalink 

Defending Against the First Attacks on Sarah Palin ( -more-

Madam Vice President

Palin? Perfect

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/

BILL STUNTZ on Palin, Obama, and the experience issue. "Perhaps the jobs she has held are too small to count in a national presidential campaign. But that isn't obvious, not yet anyway. What matters more, to me and I bet to more than a few others, is what she's done in those jobs. The fact that her approval rating among Alaskans is in Mark Warner territory suggests that she might be the kind of governor Warner was in Virginia. If so, that should count for a lot--even if she hasn't had much time in office. Because time-serving won't count for much in the offices these four candidates are seeking."

Plus, fellow lawprof Ann Bartow on sexism: "The Supposedly Liberal Doods threw the most disgusting sexism at Hillary Clinton and her supporters during the Democratic primary. Then Obama picks Joe 'no friend of women' Biden as his running mate, rather than choosing somebody who would help build party unity. Now the Supposedly Liberal Doods are back in gear, throwing disgusting sexism at Palin. Why does it have to be like this? Hey Supposedly Liberal Doods, if you want Obama elected, stop burning bridges with women voters and start building some." Good advice. But is Biden really "no friend of women?"

More on experience, from Ross Douthat ("Yes, Joe Biden has more experience than Sarah Palin. But there's a not-implausible case to be made that Sarah Palin has more experience than ... Barack Obama!"), Jonathan Adler ("Sure, Sarah Palin was a 'hockey mom' before her entry into politics, but Barack Obama has never held a single full-time job for more than three years.") and Tyler Cowen ("Around the blogosphere you will see many left-wing writers criticizing Palin for lack of experience. Maybe this criticism is correct, but these commentators are falling into The Trap.")

But from Ramesh Ponnuru, cold water. Eric Scheie, meanwhile, comments: "I wonder whether a media analysis would reveal whether 'inexperienced' Republicans draw more media criticism than 'inexperienced' Democrats." Yes, as noted at TalkLeft, the Tim Kaine double-standard appears. Though that's more a case, perhaps, of a gender double-standard.

UPDATE: Via Ann Bartow, this post on the Palin pick: "It will complete the alienation of the rest of the Hillary supporters from the Obama camp. How? That’s easy — the Obamabots will do it themselves. Go read the Washington Post blog or anywhere online where the Palin pick is being discussed, and you’ll see the trademark Obama misogyny already out in full force. She’s been on the ticket for two seconds and already the Obamabots are saying she 'looks like a porn star,' they’re making rude remarks about her childbearing, they’re ridiculing her intelligence."

Yeah, Obama's supporters are his biggest weak point. Including the ones in the media.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Ann Althouse and Rachel Sklar on the Palin pick.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Swimsuit competition? Yeah, that's a killer issue. "The Obamabots really aren't going to try to reverse that reputation for misogyny any time soon."

Bounce

Right after watching the CGI re-enactment of Richard Candelaria’s 1945 dogfight in a P-51 Mustang with 2 ME-262s and 15 ME-109s, I read Roger Simon’s observation that McCain was apparently demonstrating a willingness to take more political risks, by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate, than the One. “John McCain has once again shown he is willing to, in fact eager to,  move in a positive and (relatively) unexpected direction. He is his own man.  Obama - the agent of change - picked the most conventional of the conventional.” I think that’s only half true: McCain will take risks, but only after figuring the odds.  Those who watch the video will notice that Richard Candelaria took two huge risks in his epic dogfight, once against the ME-262 and another against an ME-109 flown by a better pilot than he was. They were calculated risks; but once taken were pursued without hesitation or reservation.

The parallels between any pilot and McCain are going to be obvious.  He has the ability to wait patiently until his opponent commits himself to a move then ruthlessly strikes to exploit it.  He gives nothing away to clue his opponent on which way he is going to turn. Then suddenly he snaps the stick. A collection of links by Glenn Reynolds reveals a sudden appreciation by McCain’s opponents of his unpredictability. Some are hesitating to criticize Palin’s relative youth and inexperience, lest they fall into the Trap.  What trap? A classic AP head says it all: Analysis: Palin’s age, inexperience rival Obama’s.

But the other piece of combat experience McCain endured, separate from his pilot training, one which every jailbird will appreciate, was his experience as a POW.  Resistance in prison is one of the hardest forms of combat there is. As a prisoner you are always in the slower plane; the guard is always, by definition in the ME-262. A prisoner has only two friends: his mind and his nerve.  McCain survived years of this and some of the skills he learned may have been on display just now. A number of political commentators thought John McCain would be easy meat for BHO. Maybe. Maybe not. Candelaria got the ME-262.

(more…)

Read | (37) Comments  "McCain suddenly persuades the dispirited and the cynical that he has something good to say and do. I’m in. Sarah Palin is an inspired pick, both because of what it says about McCain’s gutsiness and his strategic willingness to take the angle shot, but also because of what it says about the Republican next gen. She’s got game, and Johnny Mac is willing to let her use her game. Notice how different that is, where Obama Know-nothing is looking to Joe Do-Nothing (for 30 years) as his “successor.” The dynamics of this race just reversed, big time."

Palin: Global Warming Not Man-Made

Democrat Wexler Smears Sarah Palin as "Nazi Sympathizer" Sympathizer

FWIW: VoteMatchQuiz, Palin is a Moderate Populist Conservative.

John McCain & Sarah Palin on Shattering the Glass Ceiling (People Mag. Interview Today)

Sarah Palin's Speech - Full Text

Sarah Palin [VP] Speech Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpPpfYOe92c

Sarah Palin [VP] Speech Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt_4zW_HF0A

PHOTO: Sarah Palin's Parents Watching TV

 

How Palin Will Help McCain

What Palin Does

Wipes out the image of McCain as the crotchety elder and brings back that of the fly-boy and gambler, which is much more appealing, and the genuine person.

Former Beauty Queen Was An Unlikely Choice [UK Palin Perspective]

From Wasilla to the White House? [BBC On Sarah Palin]

As commander of the National Guard of Alaska, Palin must be well aware of the Russian incursions into our airspace, a story largely unnoticed in the MSM. And the threat is real and growing.

 

 You are right; it is a story the MSM is not paying attention to. Canada is quite upset and angry over this too.

Additionally, Norway and Sweden are also seeing Russians invading their airspace.

I couldn't find the article buttressing your assertion; but I know it's here at FR.

Britain intercepts Russian Bombers Every Week, April 5, 2008

Russian Bear bombers fly along Alaskan, Canadian coastline, September 30, 2007

'Israel decides to stop nuclear Iran' (Israel Prepares for Military Action)

Read the above carefully.

If you really think Happy Dancing Bunny Talk is going to help, vote for the New, Improved Black Jesus...

Otherwise, vote for the adults.

 

Not to mention this:

Russia tests missile that can beat shield

 Keep in mind-the Russians put a LOT of their money and technology into their military—while we tend to spend it for health care for illegals, gay pride parades, “Global warming” studies, etc

Russia tests out new lethal nuke

McCain picks Palin for GOP ticket: Selection sets up historic vote in fall

Profile of Alaska's Sarah Palin: Governor, Reformer, Mother

McCain’s VP Search Designed for Surprise (timeline on when Palin was offerred the job)

Is Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Idaho Outdoors Tough? [Heart Warming Article]

Alaska's Governor With a Gun Rack

PALIN AS VICE PRESIDENT

Is this the new face of Ronald Reagan?

Steyn: Hostess with the Moosest

 Over in the Frumistan province of the NR caliphate, our pal David is not happy about the Palin pick. I am - for several reasons.

First, Governor Palin is not merely, as Jay describes her, "all-American", but hyper-American. What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew? As an immigrant, I'm not saying I came to the United States purely to meet chicks like that, but it was certainly high on my list of priorities. And for the gun-totin' Miss Wasilla then to go on to become Governor while having five kids makes it an even more uniquely American story. Next to her resume, a guy who's done nothing but serve in the phony-baloney job of "community organizer" and write multiple autobiographies looks like just another creepily self-absorbed lifelong member of the full-time political class that infests every advanced democracy...

And... for a bit of reading fun... here are the reactions of HillaryDieHards to the Palin pick:

They're Chatting up a Storm in Hillaryland   [Jonah Goldberg]

Here.

08/29 02:20 PM

Stay Classy Daily Kos: Accusations Palin 'Faked Her Pregnancy' of Down's Syndrome baby

CNN Newslady headline, "Has John McCain lost his mind"

Any inkling of objective journalism has completely disappeared. CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and the major networks are openly and actively campaigning for Obama bin Biden. There isn’t even a pretense of objectivity anymore

 

One glaring thing I've noticed about the lefts initial attacks on VP Palin

Cokie Whacks Weir on 'Who's Looking After Baby?' Question

Palin’s Trooper’Gate: Beating MSM distortions to the truth

  It’s been over 12 hours now since Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, has been named as GOP choice of Veep. Already, a desperate Obama camp of supporters are in search of talking points… other than the obviously poor choice of “inexperience”… or a scandal to take back what they perceive as the DNC ticket superiority.

Knowing the Palin-Monegan-Wooten investigation of abuse of power was their prime target, I’ve been spending time this AM researching the chain of events in hopes of beating the media to the political and biased distortions creating a new, and false “truth. I took into consideration that journalists… and ardent supporters like Markg8 on Curt’s thread… will be quick to post what they believe is damning evidence without reading more material on the issue.

So on that note, settle back and catch up with the reality of rural country politics. I’d like to share with you what appears to be the crux of the story, using both pro and con Palin bloggers and news media.

A timeline of events in the so-called “scandal”

4-11-05: Investigation of Mike Wooten by AST (Alaskan State Troopers) over two year allegation of misconduct involving family members commences.

5-1-05: Domestic complaint incident involving Mike and Molly Wooten, Sarah and Todd Palin. Transcript of Sarah Palin with troopers. Also, Trooper notes on the same interview.

SUMMARY: Molly calls Sarah (not yet Governor) in fear from husband. They leave an open phone line where both Sarah and Molly’s son hear Wooten threaten Molly and Sarah’s father (he’ll “eat an f*#king bullet). Palin doesn’t call police because she doesn’t want to hurt Wooten’s trooper career, nor make the situation worse…. Providing it didn’t get physical. Other incidents with Wooten noted.

8-18-05 Re’interview of both Sarah and Todd Palin. Trooper notes on Sarah interview. And Trooper notes on interview with Todd Palin, plus with bartender of Mug Shot Saloon.

SUMMARY: Sarah confirms an email on Aug 10th, 2005 to Col Julia Grimes, Director of AST (Alaska State Troopers) complaining of Wooten’s negative representation of the department. Wooten’s abuse of his authority and position in various instances. His racist attitudes towards native Alaskans (Todd Palin is a native Alaskan…), abuse of state resources (free gas/credit), illegal hunting activities, and Sarah’s daughter (Bristol) being a witness to Wooten’s tasering of his 11 year old stepson (verified)

SUMMARY: Todd also confirms Wooten’s disparaging remarks about Alaskan natives, his consistent abuse of authority and position, plus his hunting violations. Bartender confirms Wooten involving himself in bar fight, misusing his position as a trooper. Also bartender confirms Wooten with “girlfriend” at the bar, who was later arrested for DUI.

This is no means a complete picture of all that happened… but enough to give you a picture of an “out of control” trooper. ~~~

NOTE: Palin was not Governor of the State at this time… and this transpired BEFORE her primary campaign against GOP competitor, Andrew Halcro. Coincidently, the same man leading the pack screaming “scandal” over the “firing of Monegan”.

The investigations against Wooten started more than a year before she was elected governor, and about two months before launching her campaign”. ~~~

11-2005: Palin elected Governor of Alaska

3-1-06: Col. Julia Grimes findings on Wooten investigation results in suspension…. for only *five* days.

What we can derive from the timeline is that the investigations and complaints against Wooten as a State Trooper (not to mention with problems exhibiting a derelict father who tasers his step son, and is a physically and verbally abusive, unfaithful husband per the transcripts and testimony) had started prior to Palin’s term as Governor.

We can also determine that this is a man who most certainly does not need to be a trooper, armed with a badge and gun. And, if not in rural Alaska, Wooten is a law official who would have been run out of most departments as a seriously troubled man with violent tendencies.

Per Col. Julia Grimes in the Fairbanks Newsminer on July 28, 2008… and showing how long this “scandal” has dragged out…

The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable, and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession,” Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006, letter suspending Wooten for 10 days. After the union protested it, the suspension was reduced to five days.

She warned that if he messed up again, he’d be fired.

There is much more in the story at this site--

http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/08/29/palins-troopergate-beating-msm-distortions-to-the-truth/

and are lots of links to source documents that make it worth reading it at the original site. This is an excellent well sourced piece to debunk MSM reporting.

McCain and Palin -- Supporters of our Troops in Word and Deed - Video

Palin Makes Good First Impression: Is Viewed More Favorably than Biden

Responding to the 'No Forign Policy Experience' rap on Palin

 

Let Palin Be Palin

What Palin Does

1. Steps on the story of Obama's speech (and convention), and possibly the bounce coming from them, and wipes them off the news cycle. The Sunday news shows will be all-Palin, all of the time.

2. Sends Republicans into their convention on a huge head of steam.

3. Wipes out the image of McCain as the crotchety elder and brings back that of the fly-boy and gambler, which is much more appealing, and the genuine person.

4. Revs up the base AND excites independents, which no one else in the party, or perhaps in the world, could have accomplished.

5. Puts youth, change, and history on both of the tickets.

(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...

A BRILLIANT TRAP MAKES DEMS THE MALE CHAUVINISTS

WOW. Kirsten Powers Nails the Obamabots!

This usually pro-Obama lady really calls out her own.

(excerpt)

"She's also a governor of Alaska (my home state), the first woman in that office and the youngest elected in state history. She has an 80-plus percent approval rating. She has turned the state upside down with her reformist zeal and has made enemies of the Republican establishment. And she can talk energy policy, one of the biggest issues facing this country. Is she a gamble? Definitely. But so is Barack Obama, who has himself dismissed experience as a prerequisite for leadership, despite his spot atop the Democratic ticket. At this point, Palin is so unknown, there's no way to make a clear judgment about her. But listening to Obama supporters take to the airwaves to shriek with indignation about her lack of experience is just a little too rich. Where were they when Obama, two years into the Senate, announced his candidacy for president?"

read entire article at:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08302008/news/columnists/a_brilliant_trap_makes_dems_the_male_cha_126765.htm?page=1

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...

What Hillary Clinton Supporters are saying about Sarah Palin (Priceless)

Cat 5 Hurricane Sarah is Catastrophic for Obama Campaign

Men Behaving Badly On Palin

I like our moose-burger eating, gun-toting, business leading woman, mother of 5, Governor of Alaska (while pregnant) VP. The Barracuda and the Maverick will take on the Messiah and the Mouth - and win.

 

 

[backhoe]

A historic night: The first presidential debate of 2008

By Michelle Malkin  •  September 26, 2008 07:51 PM

Scroll down for updates and liveblogging…Obama hammers Bush-McCain theme, McCain emphasizes — sigh — fighting against “climate change…with Sen. Clinton”…McCain hits his stride on the war, foreign policy, Obama’s no-preconditions bungle…Gaffe of the debate so far: Obama trying to respond to McCain on his military/moral authority: “I’ve got a bracelet, too!”

What a week, huh? The high-stakes presidential debate at Ole Miss starts at 9pm Eastern. Hang out here and share your thoughts. I’ll liveblog for as long as my stomach can take it.

Expectations: Low.

Ole Miss has a debate site here.

The moderator will be PBS anchor Jim Lehrer. The debate format:

– Each debate will have a single moderator and last for 90 minutes…

– During the first and third presidential debates, and the vice presidential debate, the time will be divided into eight, ten-minute segments. The moderator will introduce each segment with an issue on which each candidate will comment, after which the moderator will facilitate further discussion of the issue, including direct exchange between the candidates for the balance of that segment…

– Time at the end of the final presidential debate will be reserved for closing statements.

***

A reader proposes the first drinking game suggestion:

Michelle, how about a college-style drinking game tonight - where everyone takes a drink whenever Obama says “Bush” - in his laughably ridiculous ongoing effort to link McCain to Bush.

If you’re looking to get inebriated quickly, start drinking every time Obama says “Uh.”

Or every time McCain touts bipartisanship.

***

9:08pm Eastern.

First question on the need for solvency and security: Where do you stand on the economic recovery plan?

Obama: He’s reciting his bailout talking points…Oversight, returns to taxpayers, no CEO golden parachutes, help homeowners. Failed economic policies by George Bush supported by McCain.

McCain-Bush! Take your first swig, people.

McCain: Mentions Ted Kennedy being hospitalized. I’m not feeling too great about things tonight, but tonight I’m feeling a little better…touts bipartisan efforts to forge a bailout deal…Republicans and Democrats sitting down and negotiating.

Bipartisanship! Take another swig, people.

More McCain: This is the end of the beginning of the crisis. We’ve got a lot of work to do. Eliminate dependence on foreign oil.

Lehrer: Do you favor the plan, Sen. Obama?

Obama: We haven’t seen the language yet. There is constructive work being done there.

The question is how did we get here? Obama takes credit for warning about the problem.

McCain: Reminds that he warned about it, too. Says he will vote for the bailout. I’ve been heavily criticized for calling for the resignation of the SEC chairman.

He’s going on an anti-greed screed.

Obama: Attacking McCain for claiming the fundamentals of the economy are sound. Lehrer tries to get them to talk to each other directly. They won’t.

I agree with a commenter below. Obama is wearing too much make-up.

9:19pm Eastern.

Still on the economy.

McCain: We need to control spending. He’s talking about earmarks as a gateway drug. Refers to his friend Tom Coburn (also cited as a friend of Barack Obama). Obama has asked for $932 million in earmarks. Points viewers to Citizens Against Government Waste for documentation. That’s one of the fundamental differences between Obama and me.

Obama: Earmarks account for $18 billion in the budget. McCain wants $300 billion in tax cuts to wealthiest corporations and individuals.

McCain-Bush, McCain-Bush!

Bottoms up. Take another gulp.

McCain goes after Obama for $800 billion he supports in new spending. Obama says he’ll close corporate loopholes. Expand health care.

9:25pm Eastern. McCain is defending his business tax proposals. He really should challenge Obama on the Bush talking point.

Side note: Obama’s got a shiny flag lapel pin.

9:34pm Eastern. Sorry, tuned out for a moment there while Obama was burbling about building broadband lines.

McCain turns to defense spending. He’s recounting all his pork barrel fights.

I wonder if this debate will ever get to the stated focus: Foreign policy.

9:36pm Eastern. Another “Bush’s failed policies” line from Obama. What’s that now? 10?

Lehrer keeps hectoring the candidates to answer his question about how the financial crisis would change how they govern.

McCain says he’d call for a spending freeze on everything except defense and entitlements.

Obama’s babbling about something or other.

McCain goes after Obama on nuclear power, dependence on foreign oil…and CLIMATE CHANGE, “an issue I’ve been involved in for many years along with Sen. Clinton.”

Gag.

9:42pm Eastern. McCain is repeating his lines about cutting spending. Okay, I think he’s got his message across on that.

Obama: Bush-McCain! Bush-McCain!

McCain: Repeats his “I was not elected Miss Congeniality…I’m a maverick and so’s my running mate.”

Lehrer moves to the war. What are the lessons of Iraq?

McCain talks strategy, surge, praises Petraeus, we will come home in victory.

Obama pats himself on the back for opposing the Iraqi invasion, rattles off body count, claims al Qaeda is resurgent, complains about military spending.

9:48pm Eastern. McCain does well, finally, in attacking Obama on his surge flip-flops and not visiting the battlefront.

Obama’s answer: “I’m proud of my vice presidential pick.”

Joe Biden: Obama’s human shield!

McCain says “Obama doesn’t know the difference between a tactic and a strategy.” McCain recounts his visit to Baghdad two Fourth of Julys ago and how troops told him, “Let us win.” McCain gives a counterinsurgency 101 lesson. McCain points out Obama voted to cut off funds for the troops.

Very good fusillade from McCain.

Obama getting antsy.

McCain engages Obama on setting specific dates for withdrawal.

9:55pm Eastern. Lehrer turns to Afghanistan. Do we need more troops?

Obama: “Yes. I’ve said that for over a year now.”

9:58pm Eastern. McCain is “not prepared to threaten Pakistan as Obama said he would do…You don’t say that out loud…I’ve been to Waziristan…need a strategy…”

Sidenote: Email from reader Rich…

MM,

Overall so far…McCain is not quick enough on the uptake. Obama is more focused and clearly more prepared with the details and populist counter-arguments. McCain needs to respond quickly from two perspectives….1) What he would do moving forward, and 2) What he has done over the last 25+ years, esp bipartisan efforts.

Q1: Why did McCain say he has “spoken out” about Fannie and Freddie instead of talking about his introduction of legislation in 2003 to provide further regulation/oversight of F & F.

Q2: Obama immed answers a question of what he plans to cut during this financial crisis with a laundry list of his proposals for new spending programs. McCain misses an easy opening to say just that…”Obama was asked what he would cut and answered how he would spend”.

More later..

Rich
USMC (Retired)

Obama comes back at McCain for singing “Bomb, bomb, Iran.”

McCain returns fire with his record on Lebanon, Somalia, Kosovo. “I have a record of being involved in these national security issues which involve the highest responsibilities you can have…”

McCain recounts his Matthew Stanley bracelet story. Talks about troops, families, refusing to come back with defeat and dishonor.

Obama: I’ve got a bracelet, too!

He has to look at it…uhhh…to remember whose bracelet it is.

10:06pm Eastern. Obama attacks McCain on Afghanistan. McCain responds: “You would think if he were so concerned, he would have gone to Afghanistan.”

McCain wants a “League of Democracies.”

10:14pm Eastern. McCain takes a dig at Obama’s presidential seal…”I don’t have a seal yet”…
should have probably explained the joke a little…

10:15pm Eastern. McCain attacks Obama’s pledge to meet tyrants without preconditions.

Obama blusters on his preconditions/preparations line.

10:18pm Eastern. McCain is strong on North Korea.

Obama cites Kissinger.

McCain comes back: He’s known Kissinger for 30 years. Obama is parsing words.

10:26pm Eastern. McCain sounds forceful on Russia/Georgia. Obama follows up meekly.

10:30pm Eastern. Last question. What’s the likelihood of another 9/11?

McCain: Less than it once was. Recounts teaming up with Joe Lieberman on formation of a 9/11 investigation commission…Bush opposed us…we reached across the aisle…long way to go on intelligence services…trained interrogators so we don’t ever torutre another prisoner ever again…America is safer today than it was on 9/11, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a long way to go…he really should tie the war on terror overseas — not just in Iraq, but worldwide — to homeland security…and what about border security…

Stop. Oh, my god, he just mentioned doing a better job on our borders.

Knock me over with a feather.

Obama: He’s talking missile defense. al Qaeda in 60 countries.

McCain should have covered that.

10:34pm Eastern. Obama credits McCain on the torture issue and then gives us his Big Idea for making America safer? “Restoring our standing in the world!” Making us more “respected!”

McCain: Obama doesn’t get it. If we fail in Iraq…it would lead to defeat…Americans will judge…right path or wrong path…this is the central issue of our time.

10:40pm Eastern. Wrapping up.

McCain: “I don’t need any on-the-job training. I’m ready to lead now.”

Obama is talking about his name. Filibustering about “investing,” “The Children,” etc.

McCain gets the last word: “I know how to heal the wounds of the war, I know how to deal.”

Posted in: Barack Obama, John McCain

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comments (1398)

 

On September 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

McCain conducted himself like a statesman and Obama conducted himself like a car salesman, (him being the ‘car’).

[backhoe]

A Threat Bigger Than Wall Street

First 2008 Presidential Debate (Full Video)

Text of Obama's Cease and Desist Letter to TV Stations Running NRA Ads (Goon Squad Alert)

And I heard that in Missouri the local authorities who are in the tank for Obambi are on record that they will target — including prosecution — anyone who produces or runs a “misleading” ad against Obambi, or who produces or runs one that calls into question Obambi’s character. It was on KMOV.

The NRA's response letter HERE

The NRA's refutation of the Washington Post's lies HERE

 

 

How ACORN Helped The Housing Crisis Harm Taxpayers

Clowns in the Cockpit

[backhoe]

 

 

‘Senator McCain Is Absolutely Right…’

Obama in the Tank for Pritzker

Subversives for Obama [Excellent List and Summary]

Obama directly tied to voting fraud group

Gallup Daily: Obama Holds 5-Point Lead

RealClearPolitics State of the Electoral College as at September 27,2008 too close, folks...

Don't fret, THE MOST ACCURATE POLLSTER in America currently has McCain ahead +2

With One Debate, It’s Already Over on September 27, 2008

BBC News world economy debate - World economy on the brink?

A Genuine and Immediate Crisis (What Congress has to do now)

The huge European bank Fortis is apparently about to fail. The ripple effect on the American banking system could be disastrous, with bank runs, liquidity crises, and stock sell offs possible Monday.

 

Devastating!... Dems Refuse to Reform Freddie & Fannie in 2004

Is Air Conditioning the Next Tobacco?

“Kill your air conditioner,” wrote Joe Klein in Time Magazine. “The unnecessary refrigeration of America has become a chronic disease.” What? I’m tempted to laugh at the lunacy. It’s as silly as banning the light bulb in an attempt to save the planet. Who could be that stupid?

Well, in a few years incandescent light bulbs will be illegal. We’ll be forced to buy compact fluorescents, which require Hazmat disposal teams when broken. In today’s green environment, nothing is too insane.

Your air conditioner will not be taken away directly. You will just not have any power to operate it. The coming energy meltdown will force you to turn it off. What is more important: eating or air conditioning?

George Soros, Maurice Strong and company redefine the Middleclass (Must read)

Britons face carbon spotchecks-It's the price of 'one planet living'[UK]

Sundown in America

=============================================

Hollywood's latest effort to portray pedophiles sympathetically.

[backhoe]

http://maxedoutmama.blogspot.com/

 

Japan's in recession - with a trade deficit in August, nothing's going to help very much. Singapore's in recession, China's going to try to spend itself away from a growth recession, and is now loosening stock investment rules, as well as buying into their main banks. Shipping rates are collapsing. Australia's government is already buying their own RMBS. UK banks want a government bailout, Fortis is in trouble (big trouble). Deutsche Bank and others had to cancel their planned sales of yen-denominated bonds. This is rather grim, because the European banks are over-leveraged in comparison to the big US banks. Before I am accused of partisanship, read what the European economists have to say about it:

 

More:

I'm posting this after the European markets have closed. It's dire.

// posted by MaxedOutMama @ 9/26/2008 11:41:00 AM 5 comments

 

 

[backhoe]

FReeper Guide to the REAL economic problem - Credit Derivatives - Lesson 1

Kristol: A Genuine and Immediate Crisis (major European bank about to fail)

ACORN funding still part of finance bill

 

Obama Unveils Federal Gun Bill (from 1999)

 

Gas shortages: get ready for more [razor-thin spare gas capacity; inventory lowest since 1967]

I wish there were more publicity about the Democrats/liberals/enviro crazies ideas.

They are against building more refineries

They are against more domestic oil drilling

They are against nuclear power

They are against more hydroelectric projects

They are against more use of coal, even the newest “clean coal” technology isn’t good enough for them.

They are against oil shale development

They are against so many things that could help.

Gas could stabilize in weeks [GA; week+ to restart TX refineries, fuel moves 3-5mph thru pipeline]

McCain's Big Night

[backhoe]

[Video] Sarah Palin Better Than Barack Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-K7JwwV0U

 

Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam

McCain voted 90% with Bush. Democrats voted 100% with Bush.

Left Angered Over Erin Brockovich Praise for Sarah Palin

Rep. Hastings Says Palin "Don't Care" About Jews, Blacks

Obama was a key player behind the mortgage crisis

More Obama gangland tactics: Signs banned at Virginia rally today

Gov. Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign’s Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement

Obama’s Legal Goon Squads

Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 CALLL NOW!!!

Promise (Devastating New McCain Ad on Nobama)

McCain: ‘When They Call It a Tie That Means We Win’

Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam

• **Watch it, send it to everywhere. Brand new, best explanation of this crisis EVER.**

  Youtube ^

Links to follow while viewing the video:

• Subprime Lender Implosion: Bad Omen For Housing Market
• Community Reinvestment Act (WikiPedia)
• Community Reinvestment Act (PolicyLink)
• The Trillion-Dollar Bank Shakedown That Bodes Ill for Cities
• First Union Capital Markets Corp., Bear, Stearns & Co. Price Securities Offering Backed By Affordable Mortgages
• Fannie Mae Announces Pilot to Purchase $2 Billion of "MyCommunityMortgage" Loans; Pilot Lenders to Customize Affordable Products For Low- and Moderate-Income Borrowers
• Going Subprime
• Fannie's Perilous Pursuit of Subprime Loans
• Chart (pdf): Loans With Affordability Features And Adjustable Rates
• Options expert calls Fannie, Freddie shares 'worthless'
• Regulators Spin Public to Boost Fannie, Freddie
• 12th bank failure of the year announced
• IMF says US crisis is 'largest financial shock since Great Depression'
• New Agency Proposed to Oversee Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
• John McCain Warned Of Mortgage Collapse In 2005
• S. 190 [109th]: Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005
• Chris Dodd’s Loan Problem
• Obama turns to trusted political insider Jim Johnson for key campaign role
• Barack Obama advisor Jim Johnson quits under fire
• James Johnson resigns from Obama team
• Raines's Estate
• Advice from Raines
• On the Outside Now, Watching Fannie Falter
• *Friends of Angelo?
• Senior Fannie Mae bosses resign
• All Recipients of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Campaign Contributions, 1989-2008
• *Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Invest in Democrats
• *Obama's ex-boss (Miner, Barnhill and Galland) a Rezko partner
• Strong, silent type (Fought red-lining)
• Schools in Chicago Are Called the Worst By Education Chief
• Obama, Education, and Accountability
• Kids' protest highlights rich-poor schools gap in Illinois
• The Immigration Debate: Its Impact on Workers, Wages and Employers
• Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac blind to bubble
• 4 Fannie Mae senior execs resign
• Pelosi: Dems bear no responsibility for economic crisis
• Obama Ridicules McCain's Economic Response

* - Couldn't find exact article. Provided suitable substitute.

29 posted on Saturday, September 27, 2008 6:45:59 PM by BufordP

Links to follow while viewing the video:

• Subprime Lender Implosion: Bad Omen For Housing Market
• Community Reinvestment Act (WikiPedia)
• Community Reinvestment Act (PolicyLink)
• The Trillion-Dollar Bank Shakedown That Bodes Ill for Cities
• First Union Capital Markets Corp., Bear, Stearns & Co. Price Securities Offering Backed By Affordable Mortgages
• Fannie Mae Announces Pilot to Purchase $2 Billion of "MyCommunityMortgage" Loans; Pilot Lenders to Customize Affordable Products For Low- and Moderate-Income Borrowers
• Going Subprime
• Fannie's Perilous Pursuit of Subprime Loans
• Chart (pdf): Loans With Affordability Features And Adjustable Rates
• Options expert calls Fannie, Freddie shares 'worthless'
• Regulators Spin Public to Boost Fannie, Freddie
• 12th bank failure of the year announced
• IMF says US crisis is 'largest financial shock since Great Depression'
• New Agency Proposed to Oversee Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
• John McCain Warned Of Mortgage Collapse In 2005
• S. 190 [109th]: Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005
• Chris Dodd’s Loan Problem
• Obama turns to trusted political insider Jim Johnson for key campaign role
• Barack Obama advisor Jim Johnson quits under fire
• James Johnson resigns from Obama team
• Raines's Estate
• Advice from Raines
• On the Outside Now, Watching Fannie Falter
• *Friends of Angelo?
• Senior Fannie Mae bosses resign
• All Recipients of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Campaign Contributions, 1989-2008
• *Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Invest in Democrats
• *Obama's ex-boss (Miner, Barnhill and Galland) a Rezko partner
• Strong, silent type (Fought red-lining)
• Schools in Chicago Are Called the Worst By Education Chief
• Obama, Education, and Accountability
• Kids' protest highlights rich-poor schools gap in Illinois
• The Immigration Debate: Its Impact on Workers, Wages and Employers
• Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac blind to bubble
• 4 Fannie Mae senior execs resign
• Pelosi: Dems bear no responsibility for economic crisis
• Obama Ridicules McCain's Economic Response

* - Couldn't find exact article. Provided suitable substitute.

[backhoe]

Hear Women As Engines Roar (Palin at NYC event)

Old Media Pushes False ‘Rape Kit’ Charge Against Gov. Palin

MORE ON THOSE MISSOURI GOON SQUADS: Would people really refrain from criticizing Obama just because they fear being, er, sent to prison for it? "Oh, the fun we’ll have with a deep blue Congress and an Obama-run DOJ and FCC. He promised you a 'new type of politics,' didn’t he?"

More on this lame speech-suppression effort here. Really, I don't understand the point of this stuff -- for every critic it silences, it creates ten. Bad judgment. But are these things bad enough to support civil-rights conspiracy charges? Hard to say at this point. Will the Department of Justice take an interest? But spare me the Godwin's Law violations, please. MISSOURI GOVERNOR MATT BLUNT is condemning the Missouri Goon Squads: MORE ON THE MISSOURI GOON SQUADS.

 

Ten Things Obama Fears The Most

UPDATE: Gerard van der Leun emails:

I don't think "excitement" is what to look for in this election. What's coming here is a reckoning.

Here in Seattle, you see endless signs and bumper stickers for Obama as you might well expect. Not a lot for McCain except in the suburbs. But I don't think that represents the actual popular sentiment in any significant way. Washington actually has, via Rasmussen, McCain within 2. That's optimistic but even within 6 represents a notable surge in a state where Seattle skews all elections substantially left. (It is a city, as I like to say, where it seems that somebody lifted up the Northwest by the corner, shook it, and everything loose rolled into Seattle.)

As a result, there is no frank exchange of political views between the camps that I can observe here either socially or in the local media. It is simply assumed that if you are not for the Big O, you have nothing to say and if you persist in saying it you will be shouted down in very short order.

I think you see fewer signs not because we are not interested, but because we are now so sharply polarized -- to the point of vituperative arguments and outright vandalism. It's as if we've all decided to just prepare and then show up on Election day ready to rumble.

There's been no little of outright intimidation in this election so far, and I think for the most part, it all flows from the Obama camp. I can think of a number of incidents of hostile action against McCain supporters and even "moderates." None come to mind when looking the other way. I think we're seeing a secret sheaf of opinions held close to the vest and running up to a secret ballot. If we had to vote with a show of hands a la the caucus, it might tilt one way. But since we don't do caucusing for the general, it might well tilt the other.

That's not encouraging.

Obama Campaign Is Modeled On Alinsky

September 27th, 2008

From a year old story from the archives of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Jocelyn Woodards, director of Camp Obama, trains Barack Obama supporters Sunday to campaign for the Illinois senator.

‘Ruthless’ for Obama

WEST LOOP | Intensive course gets volunteers fired up, turns them into activists

September 4, 2007

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com

“The next tip is to be absolutely ruthless,” Jocelyn Woodards tells the campers. “We want you to be determined, ambitious, take a risk.”

No toasted marshmallows here. This is the second day of Camp Obama, a two-day (sometimes four-day) intensive training course in becoming an activist to help get Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) elected president.

“It’s not enough for you to be a supporter of Barack. You have to go out and build an organization that will deliver votes for Barack Obama,” Woodards tells the 40 campers — most in their 20s — from around the country gathered at the campaign’s national headquarters in the West Loop.

Obama is not like other candidates, and part of this training is learning to mimic the methods he used before he was an elected official — back when he was a community organizer in Chicago following the textbook of legendary agitator Saul Alinsky.

Saul Alinsky wanted results

Rivals of Obama know that while he may at times appear to channel Martin Luther King Jr., his methods sometimes give evidence of his allegiance to Alinsky, who shunned starry-eyed idealists and recommended purging do-gooders from organizations. Alinsky wanted results. And his methods often forced the hands of elected officials.

It’s not enough to want to help others, Woodards says. These campers need to focus on people’s self-interests. What do they want? How can Obama help them?

“We want you to stop thinking about Barack Obama and be Barack Obama,” she says.

“What do you want?” Woodards asks Katie Murphy, 30, of Bartlett. Since her son was born with a heart defect 10 months ago, Murphy has had to stay home to give him constant care and fight with the insurance company about what expenses are and are not covered. Murphy wants a better national health-care plan.

“I want my brother to come back from Baghdad,” says Kris Kolky, 26, of Michigan, who just finished law school.

There are campers from Maine and California, African immigrants and a woman from Kentucky who was considering leaving the country as her job went non-union and her pay dropped from $12 to $10 an hour. They have paid their way to Chicago because they think Obama can be an agent of change.

Woodards, an Obama campaign staffer who used to work for the Democratic National Committee, tells the campers to break up into groups of two and spend 20 minutes at a time just listening to each other.

“Listening, listening, listening. Listening is the No. 1 tool,” she says. They hold a mock Iowa caucus in which campers learn to try to lure other candidates’ supporters to Obama during re-alignment periods.

Whether they are going on to Iowa or other early primary states or back to their home states or neighborhoods, they need to start pinpointing community leaders and clergy, and start building an actual organization, Woodards tells them.

Building alliances

Just about all the candidates’ campaigns do some version of this volunteer training but others don’t have the candidates’ own backgrounds to draw on in mapping out the training regimen. Alinsky had been dead for a decade when Obama came to organize in Chicago in the ’80s, but his disciples were here ready to train him as Woodards is ready to train the volunteers.

“The first thing I did when I came back to Arizona was to join a volunteer group called Arizonans for Obama,” said Alice Cho, a graduate of a camp held here two weeks ago. She has been going to every informal Democratic gathering she can in her up-to-now very Republican state, passing out Obama buttons and trying to build relationships and a structure that will last beyond this election.

And behold some of the fruit of these camps, from the Obama campaign’s Illinois HQ Blog:

Camp Obama - Normal, IL

By Adam Hitchcock - Sep 29th, 2007

Jonathan Moore, the Illinois State University SFBO Chapter Coordinator, wanted to share his experience at the Camp Obama sessions in Normal, IL …

Last weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend Camp Obama in Normal, IL. Being new to the world of campaign politics and campaign organizing, I really found the Camp to be incredibly helpful. Currently, I am the Illinois State University SFBO Chapter Coordinator and a lot of what I do revolves around community and campus organizing. I couldn’t possibly put into words the value that I obtained from Camp Obama. The training program taught me the ABC’s of how to be an effective community organizer.

I was fortunate enough to hear from Mr. Mike Kruglig, who is the man that gave a young Barack Obama his first opportunity as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Kruglig early before the Camp started. While we waited for the Bone Student Center to open its doors, Mr. Kruglig spoke to me about the importance of being able to connect with people. One of the most important skills of a community organizer is to be able to tap into each individual’s self-interest. He told me that Barack was gifted at this and that it is one of the reasons he has become so successful and so well-liked in our country.

These points were later reiterated during Camp Obama, and these are the skills that I believe will help me become a more effective community organizer.

I also had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Tari Renner from Illinois Wesleyan University. Dr. Renner explained the science of the election process and gave us an outline of what our goals should be as community organizers for Sen. Obama. Then we heard from some of the Policy Department staff led by Mr. Larry Strickling. They gave us a wealth of information about the positions that Sen. Obama has taken a wide-range of issues facing our country. This was very helpful for when we go canvassing in states such as Iowa, because we have heard from the policy team directly and we’ll be able to communicate the campaign’s message more clearly and comprehensively.

The Camp Obama organizers even ran a Mock Caucus that the attendees really enjoyed. It was very exciting and chaotic and it got me motivated for the actual January Caucus in Iowa.

The best part about our Camp Obama in Normal, was the people. I met so many wonderful supporters who were all giving up a weekend to come and learn from some of the best and the brightest about how they can best help Senator Barack Obama get elected President of the United States. I was able to meet with other Chapter Coordinators from around Central and Southern Illinois like, Alex Enyart from Knox College, Anna Ruch from Bradley University, and Carolyn Hull from Illinois Wesleyan University. I look forward to keeping in touch with all of them so we can share our stories, advice, ideas, and generally brainstorm with each other.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to put this entire thing together. I thought Jocelyn Woodards, Director of Camp Obama, did a fantastic job putting so many intelligent and hard working people (both speakers and attendees) and coordinating their efforts to grow this grassroots movement. I can’t imagine how much work went into putting it all together and I want to personally thank her for it.

Attending this Camp Obama training program was a life changing experience and it began my evolution from a Barack Obama supporter and volunteer to a Barack Obama organizer. So, I hope to take all I learned from Camp Obama and put it into practice here at Illinois State University. So I’m FIRED UP and I’m READY TO GO! And I think Barack Obama and his community of organizers are ready to shake up the world!

And, yes, all of the tactics described are right out of Saul Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals.”

Ms. Woodward and the rest of the professional street agitators are teaching these kids exactly the same thing Mr. Obama taught his charges when he worked for ACORN’s “Project Vote.”

They are the same “tactics” he went on to use for his first campaign, and every campaign since.

Of course these four-day Alinsky training courses are done in coordination with all the usual suspects:

(Click images to enlarge)

And they have been set up all over the country — in Illinois, California, Nevada, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina…

No wonder the Hillary people didn’t know what hit them in the caucuses. (Which is quite ironic considering that she too is an Alinsky acolyte.)

Let’s hope that the McCain campaign is better prepared.

2 Comments »

 

Obama Organizer Camps - Alinsky Lives!

September 27th, 2008

 

The Bailout: Three words

Prayer. And. Fasting.

I’m not kidding, either. After watching the incompetence, lies, malice, spitefulness, bad faith and corrupt, self-serving buffoonism of the whole lot of them in Washington, I am horrified by what we have seen. We’re in big, big trouble, and I’m not even talking about the bailout. I trust absolutely nothing coming out of Washington this day. And I bet you don’t, either.

Clearly, this fellow does not: …the failure is deliberate. Don’t laugh. This method not only has its proponents, it has a name: the Cloward-Piven Strategy. It describes their agenda, tactics, and long-term strategy.

Here is Morning Prayer for today. You’ll be interested in hearing the psalms and prayers and how well they seem to suit the day…“it is better to put your trust in the Lord, than to trust in man; it is better to put your trust in the Lord, than to trust in princes…” and that’s just to start.

I recorded this in the wee small hours of the morning and made a mistake with the antiphon to the canticle of Zechariah. If you’re following along with the Christian Prayer Breviary, we begin on page 780 and pick up the closing prayer from page 632.

For those so inclined, you can pray the hour before a live feed of the Blessed Sacrament here.

It was interesting to see that this week’s flowers were donated “For the intentions of Pope Benedict and President Bush.” Whoever made that donation could not have known where we would be this weekend, or that the intention would be so apt. Funny how things work out.

I’ll post Vespers in the late afternoon.

by TheAnchoress @ 1:33 am. Filed under America, Economic woe, Podcasts, Prayer

 

545 people with too much power…UPDATED

Rescuing ACORN

Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis

Credit Default Swaps: A $50 Trillion Problem

FReeper Guide to the REAL economic problem - Credit Derivatives - Lesson 2

MALKIN: Illegal immigrant factor

2004 Hearings - Democrats Refuse to Reform Freddie & Fannie with Video

Bill Clinton Says Dems Share Blame

McCain's Trump Card - The Debate Argument He Didn't Make - But Could Still Help Him Win

Timeline shows Bush, McCain warning Dems of financial mess

Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

================================================

After Georgia, Crimea? Some fear Russia's goals

[backhoe]

 

Timeline shows Bush, McCain warning Dems of financial mess

 

[backhoe]

 

 

Family Told Obama NOT To Wear Soldier Son's Bracelet... Where is Media?

 On this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2091638/posts

There are links to articles with quotes from Mrs. Jopek from when she FIRST gave him the bracelet.
There is also a link to a comment her ex-husband made that the reason she is not coming forward and making herself available to the media is because she doesn’t want to end up in another “Cindy Sheehan situation”.

[backhoe]

Read this again- including the replies:

Family Told Obama NOT To Wear Soldier Son's Bracelet... Where is Media?

He died on August 1, 2006 or more than two years ago. Funeral of Sgt. Ryan D. Jopek"

Tracy Jopek gave the bracelet to Obama in February 2008. Sounds like a setup. The link below is a Feb 18, 2008 story written long before the debates.

During their brief meeting with the Illinois senator, Jopek and her daughter showed him a picture of a smiling Ryan dressed for battle, the New York Times reported.

"Jopek, a Democrat who will vote for Obama in Wisconsin's primary on Tuesday, has been against the war from the start, the paper said."

''And it's not over for us until this war is over. I just don't want any more soldiers to die in vain for something that we can't solve,'' she told the paper."

"Jopek, a self confessed political junkie, told the New York Times that she had noticed Republican presidential candidate John McCain wearing a similar bracelet."

"McCain, the Arizona senator, received the bracelet from the mother of Corporal Matthew Stanley, who was also killed in Iraq, and he has been wearing it ever since."

I wonder if this bracelet business was a set up by the Obama campaign who sought this woman out in order to counter the McCain campaign. I find it odd that she now doesn't want to talk, yet the story at the time as related to the NYT makes no bones as to why she asked Obama to wear it. Why the silence now? I suspect that there is much more to this story.

64 posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 8:15:03 AM by kabar

 

--Meanwhile, his buddies and Annenberg Challenge colleagues, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, each have a ring given to them by the North Vietnamese communists! The rings are made of metal from U.S. planes shot down over Vietnam.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/obamas_foul_weather_friends.html

Read this again- including the replies:

Family Told Obama NOT To Wear Soldier Son's Bracelet... Where is Media?

He died on August 1, 2006 or more than two years ago. Funeral of Sgt. Ryan D. Jopek"

Tracy Jopek gave the bracelet to Obama in February 2008. Sounds like a setup. The link below is a Feb 18, 2008 story written long before the debates.

During their brief meeting with the Illinois senator, Jopek and her daughter showed him a picture of a smiling Ryan dressed for battle, the New York Times reported.

"Jopek, a Democrat who will vote for Obama in Wisconsin's primary on Tuesday, has been against the war from the start, the paper said."

''And it's not over for us until this war is over. I just don't want any more soldiers to die in vain for something that we can't solve,'' she told the paper."

"Jopek, a self confessed political junkie, told the New York Times that she had noticed Republican presidential candidate John McCain wearing a similar bracelet."

"McCain, the Arizona senator, received the bracelet from the mother of Corporal Matthew Stanley, who was also killed in Iraq, and he has been wearing it ever since."

I wonder if this bracelet business was a set up by the Obama campaign who sought this woman out in order to counter the McCain campaign. I find it odd that she now doesn't want to talk, yet the story at the time as related to the NYT makes no bones as to why she asked Obama to wear it. Why the silence now? I suspect that there is much more to this story.

[backhoe]

Bailout Basics

[backhoe]

 

WaPo Highlights 'President Obama' Painting

...and you thought it couldn't get any weirder or creepier?

 

[backhoe]

STOP HIDING SARAH PALIN! (very frustrated with McCain vanity)

 

Has America Been Defeated Without a Shot Being Fired?

WIDENING Allegations of Civil Rights Violations by the Obama Campaign

Yes, we ban (more on the Obama effort to jail critics)

Change you BETTER believe in.

 

Blunt Gives Side-by-Side Details of Final Bill

Myth vs Fact on bailout compromise

Must See Video - Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan Destroys Democrats on House Floor

The Housing Bubble in 4 Easy Steps

Offshore oil spigot still years away (drilling ban expires Tuesday, September 30)

Change you BETTER believe in.

Blunt Gives Side-by-Side Details of Final Bill

Myth vs Fact on bailout compromise

Must See Video - Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan Destroys Democrats on House Floor

The Housing Bubble in 4 Easy Steps

Offshore oil spigot still years away (drilling ban expires Tuesday, September 30)

[backhoe]

Obama wins the first debate

Not according to the pundits but rather to the undecideds. Who, let’s face it, are undecided at this point for a reason:

If you want to assess the “winner” of a campaign debate, the only data that matters is the post-debate polling — not the pronouncements of the pundits. It will be some days before we see what effect the McCain-Obama debate at Ole Miss has on the national polls, but in this first 24 hours following the meeting, we already have several data points to consider. All of them bode poorly for McCain. A CBS News/Knowledge Networks poll has Obama winning a plurality of uncommitted viewers. A Frank Luntz focus group of undecideds gave the edge to Obama. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll of viewers nationwide yielded a majority for an Obama victory. (Commentary’s Noah Pollak and RedState’s Jeff Emanuel rightly note a partisan skew in the CNN/ORC sample, but do not explore what this may signify: a significant edge in Democratic enthusiasm, manifesting itself in audience composition.) Most shocking is the Democracy Corps survey which, though a Democratic outfit, stacked its focus group 2-1 with ‘04 George W. Bush voters — and yielded a plurality for an Obama win.

The bottom line is that John McCain did not accomplish what he needed to: discredit Barack Obama as a responsible steward of America’s fortunes abroad. A major theme of his campaign is Obama’s callowness and consequent unfitness to lead in wartime. The failure to expose this posited shallow grasp of the wider world — a remarkable proposition about a half-Kenyan raised in Indonesia anyway — is a serious erosion of credibility for McCain. To find a foundational proposition of one’s candidacy rendered ineffectual is a tremendous blow.

You may discuss.

Me, I’m going to watch football. But I will say this: it appears we are moving toward an historic day — not the day when the U.S. elected its first black President (which, while it will be a first and so historic in a trivial sense, is of pedestrian measure to those of us who don’t bother to worry about skin color in the first place), but rather the day that the strategy to overwhelm classical liberalism from the inside out finally takes hold, and leads us down a path followed by Western Europeans toward a micromanaged society run by progressive elites and their cronies.

Representative democracy was always dependent upon the willingness of voters to educate themselves. Which means that the ways they are educated and informed will always be important.

Today, we as a nation (and here I’m speaking in very general terms: a slight plurality, which, to Democrats, is a “mandate”) seem more concerned with popularity than with character, more interested in easy soundbite platitudes than with complicated ideas and how to fix difficult problems. Part of that problem was the difficulty the Bush administration has had in explaining itself — in getting its national security message out to the people without the filter of hostile press spin. Too, we can lay blame on the Bushies for “compassionate conservatism” — which is nothing more than a failed effort to emulate some of the social policies of Dems that are popular with an electorate increasingly looking for promises of more and more government help. Unsurprisingly, this watering down of conservatism wasn’t seen as a gesture of good will, or of agreement in principle, by Democrats. Instead, it was viewed as an encroachment onto their power base: promises to solve problems without concern for spending — the free lunch pitch — is a staple of Democratic politics, and they would be damned if they were going to let somebody like George Bush take a piece of their pie. Politics, after all, is about power; and as the Fannie/Freddie fiasco unfolds, we can see why it is profitable for some to put power above any other consideration, provided they have the cover of a sympathetic media to spin away their transgressions as some much partisan cotton candy.

We have been molded, little by little, into a nation of needy children — by nannystatists, PC fearmongering, and multiculturalist demands on the left, and by copycats on the right, who often assume the guise of social moralists. And as such, we play “pass the buck” as easily as we might “kick the can” — waiting for mommy state and daddy state to put the household in order.

Meantime, we just want to play with our Wii’s.

On the plus side of all this, it looks like our pal Larisa will be able to put away her Glock and call the subcontractors to cancel her order for the terracotta tiling she’d planned to have laid in her fallout shelter.

The revolution will indeed be televised; but it will be a short, bloodless revolution, with levers and curtains rather than bullets and body bags auguring the end days of a once great notion.

And, to borrow from Larisa, thank God it didn’t come down to violence!*

Posted by Jeff G. @ 10:19 am
Comments (89)

[backhoe]

The Cloward-Piven Strategy

 

[backhoe]

Democrats in their Own Words Caused our Economic Crisis

YouTube Video of C-Span Coverage ^

 

 

[backhoe]

GOP "Myth vs Fact Sheet" Wrong On Key Fact (No Action Needed For Bill To Go To 700 Billion)

Socialism U.S.-style and Ronald Reagan

Vanity Fox News (Fed Data shows 92% of Banks fine and issuing credit)

TIME FOR ALL AMERICANS TO TAKE TO THE STREETS - MASSIVE SHUTDOWN

>>>Rush, Sean, Mark call for a national strke.<<<

For the past several months I’ve been re-reading “Atlas Shrugged.” A national strike isn’t going to do it. Ayn Rand had the right idea here, although I don’t suggest that the productive members of society vanish.

If it really gets bad, here’s my idea: the work slowdown. Just do the minimum for yourself and your family. No overtime, no investment, no trying your hardest to be your best. Just the basics and nothing else. Starve the government by reducing your taxes to the bare minimum. If you earn only one-third of what you did last year, and don’t go on vacation, and don’t buy anything of value except food and utilities - what’s the government going to do? After all, you might just reduce your income right down to the level where you’re not paying taxes at all - like half of all Americans right now.

Call it an economic embargo against the federal government. Done on a large scale, it could be impressive.

Barack “The Silencer” Obama’s Gangland Assault on Free Speech

Fighting Obama’s Goon Squad

How Sarah Palin Rallied Pakistan's Feminists

[backhoe]

McCain/Palin Could Win this Election by Exposing the Trillion Dollar Scam

"Religion: Islam"

—Ace

AP CAPTION: 20 months ago: This registration document, made available on Jan. 24, 2007, by the Fransiskus Assisi school in Jakarta, Indonesia, shows the registration of Barack Obama under the name Barry Soetoro into the Catholic school made by his step-father, Lolo Soetoro. The document lists Barry Soetoro as a Indonesian citizen, born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, and shows his Muslim step-father listed the boy's religion as Islam.(AP Photo/ Tatan Syuflana)

Truth Squad this.

If prosecutors are going to threaten those who "lie" about Obama, I guess we'll just have to start preparing the truth-is-a-defense-to-libel ground.

A lot of people thought that even though the Danish cartoons may have been excessively provocative, the fact that the cartoons were met with a threat of violence demanded they be displayed. If only to send the message that threats would not shut down free speech.

I hope many of the same people react similarly here.

Even those who believe that calling Obama a Muslim is an unjustified smear should acknowledge, I hope, 1) there is certainly enough question about Obama's early upbringing that to threaten prosecution for noting these questions is out of line, and 2) such threats must be demonstrated to be not only outrageous but guaranteed to result in the opposite outcome than the threats are designed to produce.

I hope I don't need to remind anyone that George W. Bush has been called 1) brain-damaged from cocaine overdose 2) a war criminal and 3) a murderer throughout his candidacy and term of office without threatening to prosecute any of his critics.

Are the rules different for Barack "Religion: Islam" Obama?

Posted by Ace at 04:50 PM New Comments Thingy

[backhoe]

A FIRST LOOK AT THE BAILOUT BILL, from David Zaring at The Conglomerate.

 

51% Say Bailout Plan Is A Power Grab

Final Deal Summary

 

JERRY POURNELLE ON THE BAILOUT DEAL: "If the Republicans had stood on principle after Newt left as Speaker and had not taken us on a wild spree of wild spending and unlimited pork, we wouldn't be in this mess"

I note that Barney Franks and Dodd are making certain we understand that the crisis was caused by deregulation. Of course it was not. It was caused by over-regulation, and the CRA forcing banks to make bad loans or face lawsuits. But we will hear it all again and again. But see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o for details.

 

Via FreedomWorks, 10 reasons to oppose the bailout. Click to sign their petition.

 

I was going to vote McCain as an anti-OhBlahBlah vote, but now I may just stay home. Let the Dems try to get the New People’s United Socialist Democratic Republic of Africa North off the ground and be stuck with this mess. Sure, we’ll have the Brownshirts, and they’ll (try - molon labe) to take our guns away, but they’re such incompetent fools, they’ll probably screw that all up anyway. World markets have started to dive already.. Watch world markets <- here.
Only Asia Pacific & Australia open so far, and all are dropping. Every single index that has opened so far has dropped. If this keeps up, the predicted ‘Wednesday at the latest’ action will be worth just so much dust in the wind. 11:43 pm

 

We need to vote out all incumbents. It probably won’t improve anything, but it can at least teach these imbeciles that we can’t take any more...

we can still vote in November. Here’s an outstanding video I saw today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH–o

Describes how we got here, who the bad guys are, WHO TRIED TO WARN ABOUT IT AND MAKE CHANGES

Fortis Bailout In Progress

So tonight I can get some sleep.

Eventually we will all get used to the secondary explosions as banks crash, but for now it is still an unpleasant novelty, and the gentle splat sound of a soft landing on government $$ is the most welcome sound in the world.

There's really good coverage at Calculated Risk.

 

Fortis, B&B, Wachovia, Bailout Plan

by CalculatedRisk

Sunday is the new Monday ...

UPDATE 2: Der Hypo Real Estate droht die Insolvenz or in English from AFP: German mortgage bank near bankruptcy: report

Germany's Hypo Real Estate, a mortgage bank, is on the brink of bankruptcy, the daily Financial Times Deutschland reported in an advance copy of its Monday edition.

Update: From the Financial Times: Fortis thrown €11bn lifeline by governments (hat tip Alain)

Fortis was thrown an €11.2bn (£8.8bn) lifeline on Sunday night as the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments combined to inject capital into the embattled banking and insurance group in a last-ditch effort to shore up confidence among savers.

The partial nationalisation was announced in Brussels by Yves Leterme, Belgium’s prime minister, after a frantic weekend of talks involving ministers, central bankers and financiers.

In the U.K., Bradford & Bingley is being nationalized. From The Telegraph: Financial crisis: Bradford & Bingley nationalisation will cost taxpayers £150bn

British taxpayers will be liable for more than £150 billion of potentially toxic mortgage debt following the nationalisation of Bradford & Bingley, one of the country’s biggest mortgage lenders.

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, will announce on Monday that the Government is taking over the bank’s mortgages and selling off the savings business and the branches. Savers are reassured that their money is safe although people owning shares in the bank will lose out.

The Government may merge the bank, which has mortgages worth more than £40 billion, with the nationalised Northern Rock. Every taxpayer in Britain will be exposed to the equivalent of £5,500 in mortgage debt as a result.

Meanwhile, as mentioned in the previous post, Citigroup and Wells Fargo are in negotiations today with regulators about a potential emergency takeover of Wachovia.

And the BIG story - the proposed bailout legislation was released earlier today. See: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 Professor Krugman is being told there are "significant changes from this draft", so there is probably more to come.

Posted by CalculatedRisk at 7:13 PM Comments (972)

 

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From the NY Times: Citigroup and Wells Fargo Said to Be Bidding for Wachovia

Citigroup and Wells Fargo were locked in a bidding war on Sunday over a possible emergency takeover of the Wachovia Corporation ...

The government, led by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department, has been involved in the talks as well ...

The government has ... opposed taking over Wachovia the way it did Washington Mutual earlier this week, these people said, unless its financial position deteriorates more rapidly.
...
Citigroup and Wells Fargo are unlikely to bid more than a few dollars per share for Wachovia

Wells and Citi would probably like a structure similar to the JPMorgan deal for WaMu assets (with the FDIC seizing WaMu first). Probably all they have to do is wait ...

Posted by CalculatedRisk at 6:10 PM Comments (193)

// posted by MaxedOutMama @ 9/28/2008 06:35:00 PM 2 comments

 

http://www.vdare.com/francis/contempt_bushman.htm

 

http://www.gulfcoastpundit.com/index.php?/forums/viewthread/16260/

MRE type foods:

http://www7.mailordercentral.com/longlifefood/home.asp

Freeze dried foods:

http://www.nitro-pak.com/index.php?cPath=147_58_245

Odinist, knew to stay away from hybrids. Was curious as to the “shelf-life” of most seeds. Guess beans and squash would be favorites.

Tom

AlpineSurvival Foods

Also has links for Handy underground bomb and end of the world shelters for those so inclined

They have a big chunk of the Mormon End of the World Market and have been doing it for a long while.

Fully stocked 1 Year Supply of a complete tasty menu for a family of 4, freeze dried, vacuum canned and cartonized delivered to your door, 10-15 year shelf life.

Interesting “Guns to Grap” link and “Ammo to Grab” link.

http://strata-sphere.com/blog/

Why America May Be Tuning Out UNTIL Election Day

Published by AJStrata under 2008 Elections, All General Discussions

As folks may know LJStrata and DJStrata have been out campaigning for McCain-Palin. One thing is striking, how vile and crude the far left is. They have had bitter old men (ex-hippies I guess) try and rip up their signs (thankfully the old coots don’t have enough strength to tear cardboard). They have had a lot of things yelled at them. It is a vocal but small minority.

And then there is everyone else, who look aghast at the 3rd graders now entering their retirement years. They are visibly, but quietly, repulsed. They grab for information and walk away from the scene. You can see this in full force in the following video where McCain-Palin supporters simply express their support in the middle of liberal madness in NY City:

“>H/T Jawa Report. This is not America folks, this is fascism. This is not America as the shining city on the Hill. We used to be able to respect differences of opinion, now we mock them. I can start to see how Jews felt in pre-WWII Germany when the bitter and angry Nazis took over.

The last time I saw a surprise bump in the polls for Obama was when the Olympics where on, and it was interesting to realize it was probably due to a sampling anomoly. There is no doubt the far left is rabid about this election, and therefore they are most likely to be heard - both physically and in poll samples. They are obsessed. They are also about 20% of the population.

When the nation turned its attention to the Olympics Obama’s poll numbers rose as the rabid left sustained its obsession and the rest of the country put its attention elsewhere. When the Olympics where over and attention turned back to politics, Obama tanked.

The question one has right now is whether Obama is rising, or whether Americans, sick of the bile and anger and hate from the far left, are tuning out until election day. Watching the hate rise on the left I could make the case for the latter, that polls are now dominated by the angry left and the moderates have been repulsed and made their decision, and are just staying away until the get in the voting booth.

This sounds too good to be true, so I would have to mark it down to my own optimism. But I have been saying for a year now hyper partisanship will turn off the moderate middle and send the election to the other camp. I still think this is the case, but there is no way to prove it until after the polls close.

17 responses so far

"To the Obama supporters this is not an election, it’s a revolution. It is going to get more ugly."

"If the Republicans do not stand up and tell the truth about who is responsible for this problem and the role that congress had then Berry will win. I’m listening to Pelosi tell one lie after another. I’m totally disgusted with politicians."

"I believe the polls. It is what I have been seeing. What I am watching on TV is the reason. They have erased Palin, put her into a box and she is now the twit that can’t spell ‘potato’. Republicans either point it in their faces and name NAMES now, or forget it. Last chance because when they have all 3 power seats, they will strip away all future possibilities."

"Does anyone really think we will get a fair election what with all the ACORN voter registration fraud that has taken place? . And it was all done on our money. ACORN is not the only seditious organization that is feeding at the public trough. From sources inside the dissident movement I have heard that many of those rabid far left orgs. have perpetual funding built into different agency budgets."

[backhoe]

Ready to have your head completely blown off? Check out tonight's thread at Obama Crimes...

 

 

Words cannot begin to describe the shame Americans will all feel after this guy gets elected and you find out who he really is and who has been backing him all along.

I never thought my own country could be so utterly stupid - but I was wrong - that he is this close to the White House is a travesty beyond all description.

The guy still holds Indonesian citizenship - and the Indonesian government knows more about Obama that the Americans do. But guess what FRiends, they want him in the White House badly and let me assure you that Indonesia will make full use of their relationship with Mr. Soetoro.

Obama: Throwing Papau Under The Bus

I'm sure Obama's people will just say it is all "lies and smears" - Obama's thugs have already been here - seen me and threatened me once. You would never imagine how an American expatriate living on the other side of the world could be involved in this so deeply.

I'm still hoping to get a copy of the passport application - but so far it has been difficult - with luck I hope to be able to get at least the number of his old passport - or something related to Lolo.

I was called a liar by Obama's people for almost a year until I was vindicated recently. What I said back in 2007 was all proven true.

There is a lot more investigative work to be done in Indonesia but it takes a lot of time and money - Paypal donations are much appreciated.

Please ping your lists.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

30 posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 11:00:51 PM by expatguy

Words cannot begin to describe the shame Americans will all feel after this guy gets elected and you find out who he really is and who has been backing him all along.

I never thought my own country could be so utterly stupid - but I was wrong - that he is this close to the White House is a travesty beyond all description.

The guy still holds Indonesian citizenship - and the Indonesian government knows more about Obama that the Americans do. But guess what FRiends, they want him in the White House badly and let me assure you that Indonesia will make full use of their relationship with Mr. Soetoro.

Obama: Throwing Papau Under The Bus

I'm sure Obama's people will just say it is all "lies and smears" - Obama's thugs have already been here - seen me and threatened me once. You would never imagine how an American expatriate living on the other side of the world could be involved in this so deeply.

I'm still hoping to get a copy of the passport application - but so far it has been difficult - with luck I hope to be able to get at least the number of his old passport - or something related to Lolo.

I was called a liar by Obama's people for almost a year until I was vindicated recently. What I said back in 2007 was all proven true.

There is a lot more investigative work to be done in Indonesia but it takes a lot of time and money - Paypal donations are much appreciated.

Please ping your lists.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia