GOPollster Luntz finds most don't like Palin

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Another week, another Frank Luntz/AARP focus group of undecided voters--this one in Minneapolis and with some bad news for John McCain: they don't like the choice of Sarah Palin for vice president. Only one person said Palin made him more likely to vote for McCain; about half the 25-member group raised their hands when asked if Palin made them less likely to vote for McCain. They had a negative impression of Palin by a 2-1 margin...a fact that was reinforced when they were given hand-dials and asked to react to Palin's speech at her first appearance with McCain on Friday---the dials remained totally neutral as Palin went through her heart-warming(?) biography, and only blipped upwards when she said she opposed the Bridge to Nowhere--which wasn't quite the truth, as we now know.

Then there was this, from a woman named Teresa, who went to the Democratic Convention as a Hillary delegate and is leaning toward voting for McCain--obviously the target audience for the Palin pick: "His age didn't really bother me until he picked Palin. What if he dies in office and leaves us with her as President? Also she leans toward the rigid right, and I always thought he was a moderate...You know, I change my mind almost every day, but right now I"m wondering where the John McCain I really liked in 2000 went, what happened to the moderate? This John McCain has the look of someone who is being manipulated--probably by Karl Rove."

Read the whole story here. (http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/focusedthe_sequel.html)

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Palin's Trouble with the Police

By Robert Parry
September 1, 2008

You have to admire the Republican chutzpah. Still confronting a national scandal about packing the Justice Department with “loyal Bushies,” they pick a vice presidential candidate who – in her two executive jobs in Alaska – ousted top law-enforcement officials because they were insufficiently loyal or not malleable enough.

One of those firings has put Gov. Sarah Palin at the center of an ongoing legislative investigation that presumably will require her to testify about whether she was behind efforts by her husband and senior staff to pressure the state’s public safety commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law from the state troopers.

When the commissioner, former Anchorage police chief Walter Monegan, refused to go along, he was summarily ousted by Palin without much explanation.

Unless the Republicans can figure out a way to block Palin’s sworn deposition, she will have to either admit that she used her political influence to wage a family vendetta or she must face the risk that her continued denials of involvement will be contradicted by her own staff or by some other evidence.

However, if Palin admits that she did use her government office to punish a personal enemy – or that she fired the public safety commissioner because he refused to join in her family feud – the Republicans may have trouble continuing to sell Palin as a reform-minded governor.

Instead, Palin would appear to fit more neatly with Bush administration operatives who engineered the firing of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006 and who employed ideological litmus tests in deciding who to hire for career jobs at the Justice Department.

As Kyle Sampson, chief of staff to then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, famously put it: the motive for purging the federal prosecutors was to eliminate those who were deemed not “loyal Bushies.”

Some of the U.S. Attorneys, such as New Mexico’s David Iglesias, had balked at political pressure before Election 2006 to bring what the prosecutors considered flimsy voter-fraud cases against prominent Democrats.

Now it appears that Sarah Palin shares the Bush administration's view about putting cronies in key law-enforcement jobs, making hers act like “loyal Palinistas.” As mayor of the tiny town of Wasilla and as governor of Alaska, she fired two top law-enforcement officials when they didn’t show sufficient loyalty or obedience to her.

Ousting the Chief

In 1996, after winning the election to be mayor of Wasilla then with a population of about 5,000, Palin sought to oust six department heads because they had signed a letter supporting the previous mayor, their old boss. Palin ultimately fired two of them, including the police chief.

Wasilla’s ousted police chief, Irl Stambaugh, sued Palin in 1997 for alleged contract violation, wrongful termination and gender discrimination The police chief claimed Palin fired him not for cause but for being disloyal and because he was a man whose size – 6 feet and 200 pounds – intimidated her.

However, a federal judge dismissed Stambaugh’s lawsuit.

So, having escaped any serious damage for punishing Wasilla’s police chief for a supposed lack of political loyalty, Palin had little reason not to throw her weight around when she became Alaska’s governor in December 2006.

By then, Palin was deeply involved in her family’s vendetta against her sister’s ex-husband, trooper Mike Wooten. Through complaints to his superiors, Palin already had helped engineer Wooten’s five-day suspension from the state police earlier in 2006 for various examples of personal misconduct.

In January 2007, a month into Palin’s term, her husband, Todd, invited Palin’s new public safety commissioner Monegan to the governor’s office, where Todd Palin urged Monegan to reopen the Wooten case. After checking on it, Monegan informed Todd Palin that he couldn’t do anything because the case was closed.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Monegan said that a few days later, the governor also called him about the Wooten matter and he gave her the same answer. Monegan said Gov. Palin brought the issue up again in a February 2007 meeting at the state capitol, prompting his warning that she should back off.

However, Monegan said Gov. Palin kept bringing the issue up indirectly through e-mails, such as comparing another bad trooper to “my former brother-in-law, or that trooper I used to be related to.”

Monegan also began getting telephone calls from Palin’s aides about trooper Wooten, including from then-chief of staff Mike Tibbles; Commissioner Annette Kreitzer of the Department of Administration; and Attorney General Talis Colberg.

Questioning ‘the Process’

Colberg acknowledged making the call, after an inquiry from Todd Palin about “the process” for handling a threatening trooper, and then relaying back the response from Monegan that the issue had been handled and nothing more could be done.

Monegan also told the Post that he warned each caller about the risk of exposing the state to legal liability if Wooten filed a lawsuit.

However, Todd Palin continued collecting evidence against Wooten and lobbying for his dismissal. The governor’s husband acknowledged giving Wooten’s boss, Col. Audie Holloway, photos of Wooten driving a snowmobile while he was out of work on a worker’s compensation claim.

Alaska’s Deputy Attorney General Michael Barnhill told the Post that a member of the governor’s staff, personnel director Diane Kiesel, also made at least one call to Col. Holloway about the snowmobile incident. [Washington Post, Aug. 31, 2008 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083002366.html)]

On July 11, 2008, Palin abruptly fired Monegan, saying only that she wanted to take the public safety department in a different direction.

Monegan then went public with his account of the mounting campaign against Wooten from the governor’s family and staff. Monegan told the Anchorage Daily News that Todd Palin showed him the work of a private investigator, who had been hired by the family to dig into Wooten’s life and who was accusing the trooper of various misdeeds, such as drunk driving and child abuse.

Though Palin insisted she wasn’t involved in the pressure campaign, a review by the Attorney General’s office found that half a dozen state officials had made about two dozen phone calls regarding Wooten.

A tape recording of one conversation – between Palin’s chief of boards and commissions Frank Bailey and police Lt. Rodney Dial in February 2008 – revealed Bailey saying, “Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, ‘Why on earth … is this guy still representing the department?’”

Expanded Investigation

On Aug. 2, the state legislature launched its own investigation into whether Palin “used her public office to settle a private score.” A bipartisan panel appointed special prosecutor Steve Branchflower to investigate and report back in a few months.

After Palin learned of Branchflower’s appointment, she questioned whether the investigation would be fair and objected to a comment from Democratic state Sen. Hollis French about the possibility that the case might lead to the governor’s impeachment.

Palin’s spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said, "Publicly elevating this to 'impeachment' raises doubts as to how fair a process some senators may intend for this to be." [Anchorage Daily News, Aug. 2, 2008 (http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/482003.html)]

However, with Palin now Sen. John McCain’s choice to be the next Vice President of the United States – and with much of the national news media hailing McCain’s “bold” choice of a fellow “maverick” and “reformer” – it’s unclear how far the state investigation will be allowed to go.

Still, there is a risk to McCain’s campaign that a deposition will either draw out from Palin an admission that she abused her office to pursue a personal vendetta or she will put herself at risk of having a sworn statement contradicted by others.

For a Republican Party that impeached – but couldn’t ultimately remove – President Bill Clinton for lying about a sex act, there might be some discomfort about having to justify any false statements by Sarah Palin.

But the Bush administration has demonstrated how well it knows how to frustrate investigations into Republican wrongdoing. For seven years, the administration has deployed its expansive claims of executive privilege and other obstructive tactics to thwart all kinds of fact-finding, including the probe into the firing of the nine U.S. Attorneys.

Presumably, a similar cloak of protection will now descend around Sarah Palin’s shoulders.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/090108.html

[Hogan11]

Has anyone ever checked out this Frank Luntz guy? I've seen him on Real Time a couple of times and he was hilarious enough for me to buy his book. A true master twister of words, his book, Words That Work, is pure comedy.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Has anyone ever checked out this Frank Luntz guy? I've seen him on Real Time a couple of times and he was hilarious enough for me to buy his book. A true master twister of words, his book, Words That Work, is pure comedy.

;D

Have to check that out.

[Smiling Assassin27]

Ah, the media's just ticked that McCain showed uncharacteristically great smarts and political savvy with the Palin pick.

It's a master stroke. Absolutely brilliant. Conservative. Woman. Inexperienced in big time politics. The last bit is maybe the best, politically speaking, because the Democrats have to hit her on it, and every time they do, they're hitting their own guy twice as hard. I'm dazzled by how clever this choice is.

The Palin thing is the first time I've noticed the McCain campaign doing something politically brilliant. But then I haven't really followed the campaign all that closely. Couple that with Obama's campaign basically floundering all summer long and you have a contest that has no business being this close. While i still ain't ready to pull the lever for McCain, I gotta say he's got the best of this fight thus far.

p.s. Palin's a quantum leap better than that dinosaur Joe Biden.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Ah, the media's just ticked that McCain showed uncharacteristically great smarts and political savvy with the Palin pick.

It's a master stroke. Absolutely brilliant. Conservative. Woman. Inexperienced in big time politics. The last bit is maybe the best, politically speaking, because the Democrats have to hit her on it, and every time they do, they're hitting their own guy twice as hard. I'm dazzled by how clever this choice is.

The Palin thing is the first time I've noticed the McCain campaign doing something politically brilliant. But then I haven't really followed the campaign all that closely. Couple that with Obama's campaign basically floundering all summer long and you have a contest that has no business being this close. While i still ain't ready to pull the lever for McCain, I gotta say he's got the best of this fight thus far.

p.s. Palin's a quantum leap better than that dinosaur Joe Biden.

Just one question:

Can you see our solar system from the planet you live on? :rofl:

[Rohirrim]

McCain has been selling himself out so much since 2000 that I doubt he has a grasp on who he is anymore. He's a tool. I actually used to admire the man.

[Drek]

Ah, the media's just ticked that McCain showed uncharacteristically great smarts and political savvy with the Palin pick.

It's a master stroke. Absolutely brilliant. Conservative. Woman. Inexperienced in big time politics. The last bit is maybe the best, politically speaking, because the Democrats have to hit her on it, and every time they do, they're hitting their own guy twice as hard. I'm dazzled by how clever this choice is.

The Palin thing is the first time I've noticed the McCain campaign doing something politically brilliant. But then I haven't really followed the campaign all that closely. Couple that with Obama's campaign basically floundering all summer long and you have a contest that has no business being this close. While i still ain't ready to pull the lever for McCain, I gotta say he's got the best of this fight thus far.

p.s. Palin's a quantum leap better than that dinosaur Joe Biden.

Its basically a fact now that McCain wanted Lieberman and had to be talked out of it at this point, namely by Charlie Black, FYI.

Also, the polling numbers don't paint the rosy picture you see here. And any woman who is swayed by Palin is either part of the right wing already or very much out of touch with the issues. Funny that surveys show women historically have a much better understanding of the issues and vote accordingly.

Of particular note is a lot of recent polls showing some pretty damning numbers in regards to Palin's appeal to female democrats (Hillary's supposed base). By and large it has pushed them AWAY from considering a McCain leap.

The real problem is that Palin does nothing to flip Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Colorado and at the same time doesn't help protect Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, or Ohio. McCain needs to pick off one of the first three without losing any of the later four. Palin is a push for national attention as a whole but there is nothing about her to suggest that kind of appeal.

[Rohirrim]

Its basically a fact now that McCain wanted Lieberman and had to be talked out of it at this point, namely by Charlie Black, FYI.

Also, the polling numbers don't paint the rosy picture you see here. And any woman who is swayed by Palin is either part of the right wing already or very much out of touch with the issues. Funny that surveys show women historically have a much better understanding of the issues and vote accordingly.

Of particular note is a lot of recent polls showing some pretty damning numbers in regards to Palin's appeal to female democrats (Hillary's supposed base). By and large it has pushed them AWAY from considering a McCain leap.

The real problem is that Palin does nothing to flip Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Colorado and at the same time doesn't help protect Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, or Ohio. McCain needs to pick off one of the first three without losing any of the later four. Palin is a push for national attention as a whole but there is nothing about her to suggest that kind of appeal.

I think as more of the facts come out about Palin Americans will really begin to question McCain's judgment. The only question you are eventually left with is, "What was he thinking?" The only benefit to the McCain campaign is that the Radical Right is increasing their fund raising for him. Other than that, it's a wash.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

The real problem is that Palin does nothing to flip Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Colorado and at the same time doesn't help protect Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, or Ohio.

But hey - she's got the caribou vote all sewn up. ;)

[TailgateNut]

I think as more of the facts come out about Palin Americans will really begin to question McCain's judgment. The only question you are eventually left with is, "What was he thinking?" The only benefit to the McCain campaign is that the Radical Right is increasing their fund raising for him. Other than that, it's a wash.


What was he thinking? He was thinking that women, in general terms, are just plain gullible enough to vote for him/ her because she's a woman.

Sorry DUDE, women ARE informed and quite intelligent. You (McStain) lose!

[frerottenextelway]

l_ 0 l_

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u101/kubla000/319098225_e3fb99541f.jpg

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

I think as more of the facts come out about Palin Americans will really begin to question McCain's judgment. The only question you are eventually left with is, "What was he thinking?" The only benefit to the McCain campaign is that the Radical Right is increasing their fund raising for him. Other than that, it's a wash.

The question that's foremost in my mind is "will the GOP, true to form, find a way to make troopergate go away before November?"

I read that McCheese had already dispatched a team to Alaska to "investigate" (read: spread enough cash around to nip this thing in the bud.)

If there's one area where the Bush Crime Family excels, it's in covering up Republican wrongdoing.

In any event, should the rethugs somehow fail to squash the investigation and Palin makes it to that deposition, then it's game over for Turtle Head and the Prom Queen.

Caribou Barbie would face a catch-22 where she either has to admit she abused her powers or perjure herself.

[baja]

What was he thinking? He was thinking that women, in general terms, are just plain gullible enough to vote for him/ her because she's a woman.

Sorry DUDE, women ARE informed and quite intelligent. You (McStain) lose!

McCain has stopped calling the shots on his campaign a long time ago, it happened when he was "chosen" for the nomination. He is now, like Bush before him, a stooge of the dark forces. ;D

[Rohirrim]

But hey - she's got the caribou vote all sewn up. ;)

Yeah, but she has no chance with the Bullwinkle vote. :~ohyah!:

[snowspot66]

Caribou Barbie

That is pure gold right there.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

That is pure gold right there.

:D

You know, I thought I was the first person on the web to use the name, but I Googled it and found this.
(http://tpgtl.blogspot.com/2008/09/caribou-barbie.html)

[Drek]

McCain has stopped calling the shots on his campaign a long time ago, it happened when he was "chosen" for the nomination. He is now, like Bush before him, a stooge of the dark forces. ;D

Pretty much.

Everyone overlooks that he replaced his primary campaign director with Schmidt, a guy who in 2000 was directly involved in the smear ads that sunk McCain's primary bid back then. He sold out, its obvious to anyone who looks.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Pretty much.

Everyone overlooks that he replaced his primary campaign director with Schmidt, a guy who in 2000 was directly involved in the smear ads that sunk McCain's primary bid back then. He sold out, its obvious to anyone who looks.

Just in case there are folks out there who still need reminding, the Dems should plaster this photo on every billboard between Tallahassee and Tacoma:

http://anotherkcblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/1-mccain_bush_hug.jpg

[baja]

Just in case there are folks out there who still need reminding, the Dems should plaster this photo on every billboard between Tallahassee and Tacoma:

http://anotherkcblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/1-mccain_bush_hug.jpg

Notice that old left handed prison hand shake.

[W*GS]

Why isn't the original:

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/carls064/freealonzo/mccain_bush_hug_713122.jpg

good enough?

Clearly, LABF belongs to the "if it wins us an election, even if it's a lie, that good enough for me" party-before-principle mindset.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

W*GS to the GOP's rescue - just like old times.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Notice that old left handed prison hand shake.

Hilarious! ^5

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Actually, I didn't notice the Photoshopped "handshake" when I grabbed that pic off Google - honest! :D

Anyway, W*GS, little is lost in translation when you post the original.

In any case, I'm sure ol' Johnny Boy appreciates you having his back. :thumbs:

[W*GS]

The original is incriminating enough without having to lie.

That puts you into Rovian territory, LABF. Given that you advocate abandoning the rules of decency, honesty and integrity when it comes to the dirty aspects of politics, I don't get why you bitch about Rove and his ilk.

[Rigs11]

GOP lackey Tucker Bounds OWNED! Answer the question Tucker.:rofl:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/09/01/brown.tucker.bounds.interview.cnn

[Play2win]

McCain has been selling himself out so much since 2000 that I doubt he has a grasp on who he is anymore. He's a tool. I actually used to admire the man.

I used to too, but not the one that got abducted and replaced by aliens...

[Play2win]

And by aliens, I mean Karl Rove... ;D

[Play2win]

l_ 0 l_

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u101/kubla000/319098225_e3fb99541f.jpg

Hilarious! :rofl: :rofl:

[Play2win]

Just in case there are folks out there who still need reminding, the Dems should plaster this photo on every billboard between Tallahassee and Tacoma:

http://anotherkcblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/1-mccain_bush_hug.jpg


HA! HA! I lived in both Seattle and St Petersburg (fl)

[Blueflame]

Just in case there are folks out there who still need reminding, the Dems should plaster this photo on every billboard between Tallahassee and Tacoma:

http://anotherkcblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/1-mccain_bush_hug.jpg

True... but not that obviously-photoshopped pic. The unaltered picture was damning enough.

[Rohirrim]

True... but not that obviously-photoshopped pic. The unaltered picture was damning enough.

It still boggles my mind that McCain would do that after what Bush pulled on him in South Carolina.

[Blueflame]

It still boggles my mind that McCain would do that after what Bush pulled on him in South Carolina.

No doubt, Roh... the fact that he allowed himself to be photographed hugging the man whose campaign so sleazily defamed his family shows that he has no integrity whatsoever. IE: he had sold out.

[baja]

No doubt, Roh... the fact that he allowed himself to be photographed hugging the man whose campaign so sleazily defamed his family shows that he has no integrity whatsoever. IE: he had sold out.

hate to say it but I think he was broken by the VC as a POW.

It happens!

[DenverBrit]

McCain has stopped calling the shots on his campaign a long time ago, it happened when he was "chosen" for the nomination. He is now, like Bush before him, a stooge of the dark forces. ;D

I think you're exactly right.

[Blueflame]

hate to say it but I think he was broken by the VC as a POW.

It happens!

That could be, Baja... certainly little that he's done since returning home (cheating on... then unceremoniously dumping... his first wife, the Keating Five scandal, etc.) seems at all "heroic". And now he's old and in poor health and has chosen a religious zealot dogged by her own ethical questions as a running mate. IMO, she's in no way qualified to take over the reins of this country in the event that McCain suffered a health crisis.

[peacepipe]

Another week, another Frank Luntz/AARP focus group of undecided voters--this one in Minneapolis and with some bad news for John McCain: they don't like the choice of Sarah Palin for vice president. Only one person said Palin made him more likely to vote for McCain; about half the 25-member group raised their hands when asked if Palin made them less likely to vote for McCain. They had a negative impression of Palin by a 2-1 margin...a fact that was reinforced when they were given hand-dials and asked to react to Palin's speech at her first appearance with McCain on Friday---the dials remained totally neutral as Palin went through her heart-warming(?) biography, and only blipped upwards when she said she opposed the Bridge to Nowhere--which wasn't quite the truth, as we now know.

Then there was this, from a woman named Teresa, who went to the Democratic Convention as a Hillary delegate and is leaning toward voting for McCain--obviously the target audience for the Palin pick: "His age didn't really bother me until he picked Palin. What if he dies in office and leaves us with her as President? Also she leans toward the rigid right, and I always thought he was a moderate...You know, I change my mind almost every day, but right now I"m wondering where the John McCain I really liked in 2000 went, what happened to the moderate? This John McCain has the look of someone who is being manipulated--probably by Karl Rove."

Read the whole story here. (http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/focusedthe_sequel.html)
Speaking of polls,Gallup now has Obama hitting the 50% platteau leading McCain 50%-42%. Palin seems to be hurting McCain more than helping.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx

[frerottenextelway]

Get your copy!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/ksh01/palinnnnnnn.jpg

[TDmvp]

hate to say it but I think he was broken by the VC as a POW.

It happens!

what a ignorant comment ...
I'm not sure if i'll vote for him , but i think he is at least owed my respect ...

[Rigs11]

what a ignorant comment ...
I'm not sure if i'll vote for him , but i think he is at least owed my respect ...

Respect your momma. We need a leader.Remember the respect Kerry got?

[Drek]

hate to say it but I think he was broken by the VC as a POW.

It happens!

Seriously, there is no need for that Karl Rove level bull**** in here.

Hold yourself to a higher standard. There are tons of reasons to be against McCain for president and he might even be a horrible person. But he spent over 5 years in a **** hole because he had the balls to step up and defend this country when many of his era fled to Canada or hid in colleges. He had the out, his Admiral dad would've let him fly a desk all through the war. He chose to go overseas and fight for this country. Don't try and degrade that.

[TDmvp]

As well belittling Kerry's service was just as wrong ...
anyone that has the guts to risk their lives for my safe being has my total respect ...

Just because ALL political machines are brutally cut throat DOES not mean we the people have to stoop to that level ...

[DomCasual]

I'll admit it. The Palin pick scares the crap out of me, and makes me much more likely to vote for Obama in November.

Seriously, I can't imagine I could care less about her pregnant daughter. And I don't really care about her brother-in-law. What scares me to death is the thought of her being in the oval office.

[Blueflame]

I'll admit it. The Palin pick scares the crap out of me, and makes me much more likely to vote for Obama in November.

Seriously, I can't imagine I could care less about her pregnant daughter. And I don't really care about her brother-in-law. What scares me to death is the thought of her being in the oval office.

I kinda do care if she was willing to abuse her power as governor to settle a personal feud... because it speaks volumes about her character and suitability (or possible lack thereof) to be one heartbeat away from the highest office in the land.

[Rohirrim]

Speaking of polls,Gallup now has Obama hitting the 50% platteau leading McCain 50%-42%. Palin seems to be hurting McCain more than helping.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx

Maybe the Palin pick pushed a lot of fence-sitters off. I know I'm beginning to waver.

[Garcia Bronco]

Maybe the Palin pick pushed a lot of fence-sitters off. I know I'm beginning to waver.

It's pushed me toward Obama or Barr. Barr has no chance.

[Rohirrim]

It's pushed me toward Obama or Barr. Barr has no chance.

I'm just not wild about Obama. A Ron Paul vote basically goes nowhere. I intended to cast my vote for Kucinich as a statement that Bush should have been impeached. Now, I definitely don't want to take a chance on McCain/Palin getting in the WH. I just hate the experience of always voting against somebody instead of for somebody.

[enjolras]

As well belittling Kerry's service was just as wrong ...
anyone that has the guts to risk their lives for my safe being has my total respect ...

Just because ALL political machines are brutally cut throat DOES not mean we the people have to stoop to that level ...

Rep. I won't be voting for McCain, but I'm not going to call into question his toughness for one second. It was sad when they did it to Kerry, but its just as bad when you do it to McCain. He served his country and survived in some incredibly tough circumstances.

That doesn't make him qualified to be president, but it does gain him my admiration.

[enjolras]

I kinda do care if she was willing to abuse her power as governor to settle a personal feud... because it speaks volumes about her character and suitability (or possible lack thereof) to be one heartbeat away from the highest office in the land.

Absolutely agree... its this type of corruption and 'me and my people first' attitude that led to the President of the Arabian Horse Federation being put in charge of FEMA.

[Needa Pass Rush]

McCain has stopped calling the shots on his campaign a long time ago, it happened when he was "chosen" for the nomination. He is now, like Bush before him, a stooge of the dark forces. ;D


.... yet Barry is still getting executive experience. :wiggle:

[frerottenextelway]

Levi's Coming (or would that be cumming?)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/02/1327348.aspx

The AP reports: "Bristol Palin's boyfriend plans to join the family of the Republican vice presidential candidate at the GOP convention. Levi Johnston's mother said her 18-year-old son left Alaska on Tuesday morning to join the Palin family in St. Paul, Minn."

Jerry Springer approves of this Convention.

[Traveler]

I'm just not wild about Obama. A Ron Paul vote basically goes nowhere. I intended to cast my vote for Kucinich as a statement that Bush should have been impeached. Now, I definitely don't want to take a chance on McCain/Palin getting in the WH. I just hate the experience of always voting against somebody instead of for somebody.

Roh,

While I hate to hear you aren't enthusiastic about (possibly) voting for Obama, welcome aboard nonetheless.:thumbsup:

[Rohirrim]

Roh,

While I hate to hear you aren't enthusiastic about (possibly) voting for Obama, welcome aboard nonetheless.:thumbsup:

Still trying to drag me into your camp, eh? :wiggle:

Obama seems to be a likable enough guy. And certainly he's sharp enough. He's just not radical enough for my tastes. I want radical reform, not Obama's incremental stuff.

[Traveler]

Still trying to drag me into your camp, eh? :wiggle:

Obama seems to be a likable enough guy. And certainly he's sharp enough. He's just not radical enough for my tastes. I want radical reform, not Obama's incremental stuff.

On this we agree! But those on the right already say he's too radical. Go figure.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

I'm with Ro on the radical reform front, but I also remember that the collective can only handle so much change at a time.

Bill Clinton found that out the hard way.

[peacepipe]

Still trying to drag me into your camp, eh? :wiggle:

Obama seems to be a likable enough guy. And certainly he's sharp enough. He's just not radical enough for my tastes. I want radical reform, not Obama's incremental stuff.The mess GWB has left behind can't be fixed overnight. It's just not possible. I agree with you but it's just not feasible.

[Spider]

Just one question:

Can you see our solar system from the planet you live on? :rofl:

Hilarious! Hilarious!

[Bronco Bob]

W*GS to the GOP's rescue - just like old times.

You can set your watch with W*gs.

[Rigs11]

Bwahahahahahahaha!Hilarious! Oh man it just keeps getting better and better. Yep mccain this is how you distance yourself from Bush, by having his cronies tutor your VP on foreign policy.ROFL!

Bushies Come to Palin's Aid
Michael Isikoff

By Michael Isikoff

The McCain team has hastily assembled a team of former Bush White House aides to tutor the vice-presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, on foreign-policy issues, to write her speeches and to begin preparing her for her all-important Oct. 2 debate against Sen. Joe Biden.

Steve Biegun, who once served as the No. 3 National Security Council official under Condoleezza Rice at the White House, has been hired as chief foreign-policy adviser to the Alaska governor, campaign officials told NEWSWEEK. After taking leave from his job as vice president for international affairs at Ford Motor Co. last Friday, Biegun flew to St. Paul and, together with McCain’s foreign-policy guru Randy Schuenemann, began briefings for Palin on national-security issues—an area where her resume is conspicuously thin.

continued...

http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/02/bushies-come-to-palin-s-rescue.aspx

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Bwahahahahahahaha!Hilarious! Oh man it just keeps getting better and better. Yep mccain this is how you distance yourself from Bush, by having his cronies tutor your VP on foreign policy.ROFL!


:rofl:

I can just see that!

"Remember: this is the one that looks like a boot..." :D

[Rigs11]

And another, seriously talk about a right wing nutjob...

The Palin church video
Posted: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 6:04 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, Republican debates, McCain

From NBC's Michael Levine
As questions have been raised over how thoroughly Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign vetted Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for the V.P. slot, it seems the McCain campaign was unaware of a video -- available online -- in which Palin talks about God's role in U.S. military action overseas, according to a political operative familiar with the situation.

The video, first reported by the liberal blog HuffingtonPost.com, is from a June Palin speech to the graduating class of commission students at Palin's former church in Wasilla, Alaska. 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. “It's bad. It's really bad. … It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out.”

In addition to talking about Iraq, Palin also referred to God's role in her work as governor.

“I can do my part in working really, really hard to get a natural gas pipeline, about a $30 billion project that's going to create a lot of jobs for Alaska. … [but] I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” she said. “I can do my job there in developing our natural resources, in doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded. But really that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's hearts aren't right with God.”

It wasn't all serious, though. At one point during the address, Palin praised the graduating class as “a bunch of cool-looking Christians.” Then she picked out one student in the crowd and said with a smile, “Ben, I don't know you well enough yet, but looking at you, I'm thinking, people are going to interested in Jesus Christ through you because of the way you look - this red-headed Sasquatch for Jesus. You look good!” The students cheered. “Times are really changin'. And with the times that change, looks even change.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/02/1327574.aspx

[Rigs11]

:rofl:

I can just see that!

"Remember: this is the one that looks like a boot..." :D

"We must protect Czechoslovakia" !Booya! Seriously though I hope the dems use this in an ad. I mean it's basically being handed to them.

[Rigs11]

Church video...what a kook.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QG1vPYbRB7k&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QG1vPYbRB7k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[Bronco Yoda]

Levi's Coming (or would that be cumming?)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/02/1327348.aspx



Jerry Springer approves of this Convention.

ROFL!

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

It wasn't all serious, though. At one point during the address, Palin praised the graduating class as “a bunch of cool-looking Christians.” Then she picked out one student in the crowd and said with a smile, “Ben, I don't know you well enough yet, but looking at you, I'm thinking, people are going to interested in Jesus Christ through you because of the way you look - this red-headed Sasquatch for Jesus. You look good!” The students cheered. “Times are really changin'. And with the times that change, looks even change.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/02/1327574.aspx

"Red-headed Sasquatch for Jesus?"

Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious!

Beverage/nostrils/monitor

Damn you, Rigs!

[Rigs11]

"Red-headed Sasquatch for Jesus?"

Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious!

Beverage/nostrils/monitor

Damn you, Rigs!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s289/Fenrir2112/MessinWithSasquatch_3-782940.jpg

[Drek]

It's pushed me toward Obama or Barr. Barr has no chance.

You should vote for Barr.

The number one hands down problem in the U.S. today is that so many people don't feel they can vote for their real choice.

Do you know that it only takes a 15% share of 5 major polls for a 3rd party to get into the national debates?

Think of the kind of traction Barr would get if he pulled 5% or more of the total electorate.

People need to start voting with their feelings on the issues, not "which party is going to **** me less".

Maybe I'm spoiled, having grown up in a state where our best recent governor was a two term independent and our republican senators are pro-choicers. I've seen the power of people voting their hopes and not their fears and it leads to some very good things if you ask me.

The more people vote how they really feel the more our government will actually reflect us, the American people.