Knives out for Palin

[jdobbin]

Obama will be exausted mentally and phyiscally long before that.

Really. I thought you might say he would be gone sooner than that.

[Oleg Bach]

Really. I thought you might say he would be gone sooner than that.

No way would I predict or suggest such a thing. You would have to take me as stupid to generate such an utterance. Nature will take it's course. And if the worst parts of human nature rears it's ugly head, then it would be a natural occurance..Depends on how much faith you have in the less base parts of human beings - so you are suggesting that America is still a violent priate driven society - I hope you are wrong...I wish the best for all - as as you - and I - we are not omni-potent - nor is Obama. Don't want to sound overly tradtional - but it's in God's hands -and that mysterious force may be coming closer seeing we are getting stupider by the minute...who knows - As in the old Hogans Hero's black and white sit com....." I know nothing" still...good luck America you are going to need it and possible devine intervention - with out those stupid UFOS that are propogated to further stupify.

[Shady]

Thanks to government-controlled media such as Fox News and Media-Watch, the Patriot Act etc for most of eight years the Republicans had total control and a free hand at almost everything. What was illegal during Nixon's watergate was now legal although still unconstitutional.

Any dissenting voice was shut down. TV personalities had their programs cancelled for voicing out. Citizens were wiretapped as well as arrested without charge and held indefinately. Anybody who dared to disagree with government views and "facts", even government employees themselves were at risk with intimidation. And by the looks of it, that's still continuing on this web site.

The Bush gimmick of allowing "Free Speech Zones" (ironic, huh?) was effectively adopted by China during the Olympic games.

Please tell me that's satire. If not, you need some serious help.

[Liam]

There are no Palin haters. Thats absurd. The Dems would love to have her win the nomination, believe me.

Unless she suddenly became a candidate to be a Rhodes Scholar or something , she will be as clueless then as she is now. She is not a dumb woman, but she sure is naive. If what is being said is even remotely true, then she has made enemies that will last longer than two years.

The one big lie the Republican echo chamber convinced itself of this election cycle was that Democrats were afraid of Palin. Not in the slightest. It took a while to figure out how to address her nomination, and Obama hit the right tone by ignoring her, but it's laughable to think anyone was afraid of her.

I honestly think the only way Palin can make any attempt at a 2012 run is if she gets out of electoral politics and makes a big name for herself somewhere else (talk radio, the lecture and book circuit) when she can demonstrate a deep grasp of political issues. Even then, she'd have to start a national campaign by early 2011, which does not allow for much time to resurrect her reputation.

[guyser]

The one big lie the Republican echo chamber convinced itself of this election cycle was that Democrats were afraid of Palin. Not in the slightest. It took a while to figure out how to address her nomination, and Obama hit the right tone by ignoring her, but it's laughable to think anyone was afraid of her.

You know, I dont think I agree.I think, at first announcement, they were particularly concerned. And that was because she was unknown.

She had looks,she was a Gov, she was playing to the right audience.

They were concerned that Biden would put his foot in his mouth (he has) and it would be all over.

I know they were concerned how the debates would go. If Biden slayed her, the Dems get accused of hitting a women. If he plays nice and she is sharp, they are accused of being pussies.

At the moment of her announcement, plenty of O supporters wanted Hilary in the VP slot. At least, in the upcoming debate, she could rip the blouse and pull the hair off Palin (as it were) and no one can complain, since it would be a chick on chick scrap. (sexist descript huh?)

But when the Reps kept the wraps on Palin, kept her away from the media , did not allow her to talk to anyone the Dems knew they had her number.

I honestly think the only way Palin can make any attempt at a 2012 run is if she gets out of electoral politics and makes a big name for herself somewhere else (talk radio, the lecture and book circuit) when she can demonstrate a deep grasp of political issues.

She would be wise to go the celeb route and make some real money. Grandma's going to have some babies to look after.

[Shady]

I honestly think the only way Palin can make any attempt at a 2012 run is if she gets out of electoral politics and makes a big name for herself somewhere else (talk radio, the lecture and book circuit) when she can demonstrate a deep grasp of political issues. Even then, she'd have to start a national campaign by early 2011, which does not allow for much time to resurrect her reputation.

Nope. The best place for her to stay is Governor of Alaska. It's the best situation to build up political experience. For the most part, Governor's are elected President. Or, she could always run for senate. She'd destroy any Democrat foolish to run against her in Alaska. Then we could all say Senator Sarah Palin. That has a nice ring to it too. However, I like Governor better.

[marksman]

Not true. Read your history.

Anyways, think John Edwards, who was picked as VP by Kerry, but lost. He didn't go away, he spent the next several years preparing for his own Presidential run. That's the position Sarah Palin is in, except that she's 1000 times more popular and 1000 times more qualified than an ambulance chasing trial lawyer. You Palin haters may hope she goes away, but she ain't.

Palin could easily return. Has everyone already forgotten that it's McCain that lost the presidential election not Palin?

I do hope you're kidding about comparing Palin to Edwards. If you think someone with over a decade of legal experience is less qualified than someone who can't name major continents then you're taking anti intellectualism to a new level. She couldn't even answer a question about what magazines she reads. I think with 2 years of coaching Palin will be back but to call Edwards unqualified because of a successful career is dumb.

[marksman]

I think McCain and his avisors made a calculation: they could neutralize the Obama star factor and force Democrats to raise the issue of experience - which of course would shine the spotlight on Obama's lack of experience and it worked for awhile - I remember seeing the look on Pundits' faces - democrat pundits who are usually sharp and ruthless - and they looked genuinely at a loss - confused and defensive - for a couple of days.

What McCain didn't count on is the relentless MSMedia efforts at "investigating" her (and their complete and utter lack of similar efforts on Obama's past associations).

Time to remove the tinfoil. If noone looked into Obama what was going on for over a year while he was running for president? All the talk of you don't know Obama was pathetic especially because it was coming from someone that noone had ever heard of before. If they didn't know Obama after over a year then it's totally reasonable that Palin get investigated since she came out of nowhere only a few months before the election. To say there was no effort to look into his past is hiding from reality. Even Clinton raised the Ayers issue long before Palin showed up. Anyone who wants to run for VP and thinks they can hide from the media and never answer a question is fooling themselves. Palin tried and it wasn't unreasonable for the media to vet her. Someone had to since McCain didn't bother.

[jdobbin]

I would take everything I read about Palin with a grain of salt.

Here is Palin's response.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/07/mcc...alin/index.html

Speaking with CNN's Gary Tuchman after returning to Alaska, Palin speculated those stories may have originated with campaign staffers who helped her prepare for her debate with Democratic Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

"Those were taken out of context and that's cruel," Palin said. "It's mean-spirited. It's immature. It's unprofessional and those guys are jerks if they came away with it, taking things out of context, and then tried to spread something on national news."

[Canadian Blue]

I think things would have turned out a hell of alot differently if Condoleeza Rice or Kay Bailey Hutchison was picked as VP, assuming he wanted a women. If not then Romney or Pawlenty would have done just fine. The one thing McCain had going for him was experience and he just threw it right out the window.

I still can't get over people who are touting Palin as the next Reagan. Ronald Reagan could articulate conservative ideas to a national audience and had a real grasp on politicial issues, Palin couldn't even name a single paper she reads, or even articulate whether or not she agreed with the Bush doctrine.

[marksman]

Here is Palin's response.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/07/mcc...alin/index.html

Her response is amusing. She's calling these aides jerks because they apparently took her comments out of context. Meanwhile she spent most of her campaigning doing things like taking Obama's relationship with Ayers out of context. Not just out of context but creating a whole new context so that it would seem worse than it was.

[Guest American Woman]

Her response is amusing. She's calling these aides jerks because they apparently took her comments out of context. Meanwhile she spent most of her campaigning doing things like taking Obama's relationship with Ayers out of context. Not just out of context but creating a whole new context so that it would seem worse than it was.

You said exactly what I was going to say. I'll just add that since it was apparently a-ok for her to do what she did, I have no sympathy for her now. The aides are cowards to do it anonymously, but as for what they are doing, she did the very same thing herself -- and justified it, over and over, when called on it. So it's sort of like 'what goes around comes around.'

[Oleg Bach]

Palin as a potential rightist leader is not so bad. The interaction between Biden and herself will be fruitful. Like I said before - what would you rather have? A good natured attractive female with traditional values or a crazy man like egg head Carl Rove who thought it was amusing to dupe America and indirectly murder thousands - in order to achieve an errection - At least we do not have a power nut like Henry Kissinger who made the damning and revealing statement "Power is the greatest aphrodisiac" - This male impotence is dangerous. Palin is a mother -and in time may offer a gentle touch that America desperately needs in order to deal with primative egotisitcal males - domestically and abroad - she will come to good use.

[Sir Bandelot]

Palin is a mother -and in time may offer a gentle touch that America desperately needs in order to deal with primative egotisitcal males - domestically and abroad - she will come to good use.

I don't believe it. She is one who claims that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is a mission "from God". Sounds like another nut-job ala Bush.

Even if she didn't mean it, that she would say such a thing to appeal to the minds of the religious right wing conservatives and the gun lobby and their children, is unconscionable. In my opinion in a secular state, the words "from God" issuing from the lips of political leaders should be verboten.

[kimmy]

I don't believe it. She is one who claims that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is a mission "from God".

That's not actually what she said.

-k

[kengs333]

That's not actually what she said.

-k

You mean this?

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

[Sir Bandelot]

"While describing her family, Palin told students about her oldest son, 19-year-old Track, who is set to be deployed to Iraq this month with the U.S. Army. She urged students to pray “that our leaders -- that our national leaders -- are sending [soldiers] out on a task that is from God.”

She added, “That's what we have to make sure that we are praying for: that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.”

“It's pretty uncomfortable stuff,” said the political operative, after watching the video online."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...02/1327574.aspx

= Pray to God for a good war.

“I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas pipeline built so pray for that …I can do my job there in developing my natural resources..But all of that doesn’t do any good if the people of Alaska’s heart is not good with God.”

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/08/ac36...-pastor-speaks/

= Pray to God for the big money, honey

[kimmy]

You mean this?

Yes, that is it. She is in a church, asking people to pray that the action the government is undertaking is something that God would want them to do. Trying to recast that quote to make it sound as if she's proclaiming the plan was delivered by God himself is simply dishonest.

I don't get it. Palin has plenty of *real* shortcomings. Why not just stick to those?

-k

[bush_cheney2004]

I don't believe it. She is one who claims that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is a mission "from God". Sounds like another nut-job ala Bush.

It was "from God".....because "In God We Trust".

Even if she didn't mean it, that she would say such a thing to appeal to the minds of the religious right wing conservatives and the gun lobby and their children, is unconscionable. In my opinion in a secular state, the words "from God" issuing from the lips of political leaders should be verboten.

Sorry, American "lips" are permitted to say such things according to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and often do.

Edited November 8, 2008 by bush_cheney2004

[Smallc]

Sorry, American "lips" are permitted to say such such things according to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and often do.

Aren't you also supposed to have a separation of church and state? Should God really be guiding policy?

[bush_cheney2004]

Aren't you also supposed to have a separation of church and state? Should God really be guiding policy?

"God" doesn't guide policy, but the concept does guide many people..who are elected to office. The courts are left to decide what is and is not constitutional, which only requires that "Congress shall make no law establishing.....". The notion of any such separation is much later.....early 1800's.

[Oleg Bach]

"God" doesn't guide policy, but the concept does guide many people..who are elected to office. The courts are left to decide what is and is not constitutional, which only requires that "Congress shall make no law establishing.....". The notion of any such separation is much later.....early 1800's.

Belief and state have never been seperate - ask the pope - he is the state and the state is him - Christ would roll over in his grave if he had one.

[bush_cheney2004]

Belief and state have never been seperate - ask the pope - he is the state and the state is him - Christ would roll over in his grave if he had one.

Christ was overrated...he didn't have thermonuclear weapons.

[Oleg Bach]

I would say you are wrong on that one - His weapons were more patient and incrimental - those that were killed or killed in his name amount to a higher body count than ten nukes...and I am being conservative. 2000 years later he is still getting revenge for getting lynched...that's not over rated. You mentioned that Cheney would have influence and power even from the grave - sure - might last a decade at best - There are a lot of decades in 2000 years....nope - nukes are childs play.

[bush_cheney2004]

I would say you are wrong on that one - His weapons were more patient and incrimental - those that were killed or killed in his name amount to a higher body count than ten nukes...and I am being conservative. 2000 years later he is still getting revenge for getting lynched...that's not over rated. You mentioned that Cheney would have influence and power even from the grave - sure - might last a decade at best - There are a lot of decades in 2000 years....nope - nukes are childs play.

2000 years is nothing.....pagans have worshipped a thermonuclear sun far longer than that...and it is the finite source of all power. Christ will die again for good...long before that final goodbye.