During tonight's presidential debate between Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Wednesday's interview between CBS's Katie Couric and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, both McCain and Palin attempted to avoid former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's recent assertion that the United States should meet with leaders from Iran without pre-conditions. McCain provided the following quote in an exchange with Obama: "Dr. Kissinger, who's been my friend for thirty-five years, would be interested to hear this conversation and Senator Obama's depiction of his - of his positions on the issue." Palin made this statement during her interview with Couric: "I've never heard Henry Kissinger say, 'Yeah, I'll meet with these leaders without pre-conditions being met'."
Not so fast! Here is exactly what Kissinger, a current advisor to McCain, had this to say at a bipartisan roundtable discussion aired on CNN: "I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations. We ought, however, to be very clear about the content of negotiations and work it out with other countries and with our own government." Oops! Considering the fact that Kissinger has known McCain for thirty-five years and that he met with Palin earlier this week, it makes you wonder what they have been discussing. And let's not forget that Obama was ripped after a Democratic candidate debate in July 2007 when he commented on meeting with foreign leaders without pre-conditions.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thank God for John McCain, Part I
During her recent interview on the "CBS Evening News", Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin discussed the economy and foreign policy with anchor Katie Couric. By doing so, Palin definitely showed that she is truly out of her league when it comes to being on the national political stage. The following exchange between Couric and Palin is centered around the current financial crisis:
Couric: "You've said 'John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business'. Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more examples of his leading the charge for more oversight?"
Palin: "I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie - that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a lot of other Senators and Representatives did for us."
Couric: "But he's been in Congress for twenty-six years. He's been Chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more."
Palin: "He's also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he's been talking about - the need to reform government."
Couric: "But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you've said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his twenty-six years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?"
Palin: "I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today."
Couric: "I'm just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his twenty-six years of pushing for more regulation?"
Palin: "I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you."
I know what you are thinking and, yes, it is very frightening. But just wait - there's more from Gov. Palin and it keeps getting better.
Couric: "You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?"
Palin: "That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to...I don't know, you know...reporters."
Couric: "Mocked?"
Palin: "Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah."
Couric: "Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials."
Palin: "Well, it certainly does because our, our next door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…"
Couric: "Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?"
Palin: "We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state."
Couric: "You've said 'John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business'. Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more examples of his leading the charge for more oversight?"
Palin: "I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie - that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a lot of other Senators and Representatives did for us."
Couric: "But he's been in Congress for twenty-six years. He's been Chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more."
Palin: "He's also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he's been talking about - the need to reform government."
Couric: "But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you've said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his twenty-six years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?"
Palin: "I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today."
Couric: "I'm just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his twenty-six years of pushing for more regulation?"
Palin: "I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you."
I know what you are thinking and, yes, it is very frightening. But just wait - there's more from Gov. Palin and it keeps getting better.
Couric: "You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?"
Palin: "That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to...I don't know, you know...reporters."
Couric: "Mocked?"
Palin: "Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah."
Couric: "Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials."
Palin: "Well, it certainly does because our, our next door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…"
Couric: "Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?"
Palin: "We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state."
Monday, September 22, 2008
Special Only When It Is Convenient
Along with her recent speeches on the campaign trail, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin delivered these lines earlier this month at the Republican National Convention: "To the families of special needs children all across this country, I have a message. For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if [Sen. John McCain and I] are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."
Although Special Olympics Alaska requested a budget of only $550,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, Palin exercised her line item veto power to reduce that amount by fifty percent, to just $275,000. And since the state's Republican controlled legislature had already approved the $550,000 budget, Palin certainly went out of her way to implement the cut. Now I certainly am aware of the fact that budgets for state and federal programs are reduced on a consistent basis. However, you would think that Palin would have been able to locate a lousy $275,000 in the $223 million she kept from Congress for the "Bridge to Nowhere". I guess that, when it comes to increases for individuals with special needs, Palin only cares if those numbers concern the polls.
Although Special Olympics Alaska requested a budget of only $550,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, Palin exercised her line item veto power to reduce that amount by fifty percent, to just $275,000. And since the state's Republican controlled legislature had already approved the $550,000 budget, Palin certainly went out of her way to implement the cut. Now I certainly am aware of the fact that budgets for state and federal programs are reduced on a consistent basis. However, you would think that Palin would have been able to locate a lousy $275,000 in the $223 million she kept from Congress for the "Bridge to Nowhere". I guess that, when it comes to increases for individuals with special needs, Palin only cares if those numbers concern the polls.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
He Also Invented the Question Mark
When questioned last week by reporters about Sen. John McCain's role on the United States Senate Commerce Committee, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a senior policy advisor for McCain's presidential campaign, highlighted his boss's experience by pulling a BlackBerry from his suit jacket pocket and saying "[McCain] did this. The premier innovation in the past fifteen years comes right through the Commerce Committee. You're looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create and that's what he did."
In an attempt to recover from Holtz-Eakin's ridiculous claim, Matt McDonald, a senior aide to McCain declared that "[McCain] would not claim to be the inventor of anything, much less the BlackBerry. This was obviously a boneheaded joke by a staffer." "Boneheaded" is the perfect description because McCain does not know how to use a computer or send e-mail, one of the BlackBerry's primary functions. Amazingly the supposedly liberal media did not pounce on Holtz-Eakin and his comment as they did when Al Gore stated "I took the initiative in creating the Internet" before his 2000 presidential campaign. And although Gore is obviously not involved in the presidential race and he made that comment more than nine years ago, I still feel it necessary to stand up for him with the following quotes from Internet pioneers Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn: "Al Gore was the first political leader to recognize the importance of the Internet and to promote and support its development...The fact of the matter is that Gore was talking about and promoting the Internet long before most people were listening...As far back as the 1970s, Gore promoted the idea of high speed telecommunications as an engine for both economic growth and the improvement of our educational system...As a Senator in the 1980s, Gore urged government agencies to consolidate what at the time were several dozen different and unconnected networks into an 'Interagency Network'...The Gore sponsored High Performance Computing and Communications Act in 1991 supported the National Research and Education Network (NREN) initiative, which became one of the major vehicles for the spread of the Internet beyond the field of computer science...Gore provided much needed political support for the speedy privatization of the Internet when the time arrived for it to become a commercially driven operation...No one in public life has been more intellectually engaged in helping to create the climate for a thriving Internet than the [former] Vice President...The [former] Vice President deserves credit for his early recognition of the value of high speed computing and communication and for his long term and consistent articulation of the potential value of the Internet to American citizens and industry and, indeed, to the rest of the world." With those words from Cerf and Kahn, it is apparent that both Gore and McCain have played a part in changing the world as we know it.
In an attempt to recover from Holtz-Eakin's ridiculous claim, Matt McDonald, a senior aide to McCain declared that "[McCain] would not claim to be the inventor of anything, much less the BlackBerry. This was obviously a boneheaded joke by a staffer." "Boneheaded" is the perfect description because McCain does not know how to use a computer or send e-mail, one of the BlackBerry's primary functions. Amazingly the supposedly liberal media did not pounce on Holtz-Eakin and his comment as they did when Al Gore stated "I took the initiative in creating the Internet" before his 2000 presidential campaign. And although Gore is obviously not involved in the presidential race and he made that comment more than nine years ago, I still feel it necessary to stand up for him with the following quotes from Internet pioneers Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn: "Al Gore was the first political leader to recognize the importance of the Internet and to promote and support its development...The fact of the matter is that Gore was talking about and promoting the Internet long before most people were listening...As far back as the 1970s, Gore promoted the idea of high speed telecommunications as an engine for both economic growth and the improvement of our educational system...As a Senator in the 1980s, Gore urged government agencies to consolidate what at the time were several dozen different and unconnected networks into an 'Interagency Network'...The Gore sponsored High Performance Computing and Communications Act in 1991 supported the National Research and Education Network (NREN) initiative, which became one of the major vehicles for the spread of the Internet beyond the field of computer science...Gore provided much needed political support for the speedy privatization of the Internet when the time arrived for it to become a commercially driven operation...No one in public life has been more intellectually engaged in helping to create the climate for a thriving Internet than the [former] Vice President...The [former] Vice President deserves credit for his early recognition of the value of high speed computing and communication and for his long term and consistent articulation of the potential value of the Internet to American citizens and industry and, indeed, to the rest of the world." With those words from Cerf and Kahn, it is apparent that both Gore and McCain have played a part in changing the world as we know it.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Not Part of Oprah's Book Club
In her recent acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin offered this quote from Westbrook Pegler, who was a 20th century journalist and writer from, believe it or not, the United States: "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity and dignity."
It is important to note that, in her speech, Palin understandably does not refer to Pegler by name but merely cites "a writer". And although the above quote from Pegler is completely harmless and innocuous, we need to examine other statements and events from Pegler's life to understand why:
1. "It is regrettable that Guiseppe Zangara hit the wrong man when he shot at [President Franklin Delano] Roosevelt in Miami."
2. In conjunction with the attacks from Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-WI), Pegler accused the State Department of being too accepting of homosexuals. Five of his columns were addressed directly to Secretary of State Dean Acheson and offered suggestions to help the State Department reflect "the distinctive spirit and character of so many of the personnel". Pegler recommended that Acheson change the name of the street adjoining departmental headquarters to "Grimm Street" after the author of the fairy tales, change the name of the smoking room to the "fag room" and replace the standard handshake greeting with a curtsy and the standard mode of address from "your Excellency" to "precious". Pegler also proposed that courses in interior decorating might provide better preparation for entry into the foreign service than either history or political science.
3. "[It is] clearly the bounden duty of all intelligent Americans to proclaim and practice bigotry."
4. Pegler declared that Jewish people could not claim to be victims of persecution because persecution "connotes injustice" so they are, instead, enduring "retaliation or punishment".
5. He was removed from the journal of the notorious John Birch Society in 1964 for anti-semitism.
6. Pegler constantly referred to Jewish people as "geese" due to the fact that, in his opinion, they hiss when they talk, eat anything placed in front of them and defecate on their surroundings.
7. And last but certainly not least, as Robert Kennedy was considering his own run for the presidency in 1965, Pegler expressed his hope that "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies".
Now I know that a quote is just a quote and I also know that Palin did not personally write her acceptance speech. (Trust me, after watching the first two minutes of her interview with Charles Gibson with ABC's "World News", I was able to confidently deduce the level of her writing skills.) The right has claimed that her speechwriter is fully responsible for the content of her speeches, not Palin herself, and that claim is completely moronic. Palin is running for the Vice President of the United States! Therefore, she must be fully aware of the information (including any quotes) she is delivering in her speeches, especially if the source of the quote is a known racist and fascist.
It is important to note that, in her speech, Palin understandably does not refer to Pegler by name but merely cites "a writer". And although the above quote from Pegler is completely harmless and innocuous, we need to examine other statements and events from Pegler's life to understand why:
1. "It is regrettable that Guiseppe Zangara hit the wrong man when he shot at [President Franklin Delano] Roosevelt in Miami."
2. In conjunction with the attacks from Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-WI), Pegler accused the State Department of being too accepting of homosexuals. Five of his columns were addressed directly to Secretary of State Dean Acheson and offered suggestions to help the State Department reflect "the distinctive spirit and character of so many of the personnel". Pegler recommended that Acheson change the name of the street adjoining departmental headquarters to "Grimm Street" after the author of the fairy tales, change the name of the smoking room to the "fag room" and replace the standard handshake greeting with a curtsy and the standard mode of address from "your Excellency" to "precious". Pegler also proposed that courses in interior decorating might provide better preparation for entry into the foreign service than either history or political science.
3. "[It is] clearly the bounden duty of all intelligent Americans to proclaim and practice bigotry."
4. Pegler declared that Jewish people could not claim to be victims of persecution because persecution "connotes injustice" so they are, instead, enduring "retaliation or punishment".
5. He was removed from the journal of the notorious John Birch Society in 1964 for anti-semitism.
6. Pegler constantly referred to Jewish people as "geese" due to the fact that, in his opinion, they hiss when they talk, eat anything placed in front of them and defecate on their surroundings.
7. And last but certainly not least, as Robert Kennedy was considering his own run for the presidency in 1965, Pegler expressed his hope that "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies".
Now I know that a quote is just a quote and I also know that Palin did not personally write her acceptance speech. (Trust me, after watching the first two minutes of her interview with Charles Gibson with ABC's "World News", I was able to confidently deduce the level of her writing skills.) The right has claimed that her speechwriter is fully responsible for the content of her speeches, not Palin herself, and that claim is completely moronic. Palin is running for the Vice President of the United States! Therefore, she must be fully aware of the information (including any quotes) she is delivering in her speeches, especially if the source of the quote is a known racist and fascist.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Keep Your Friends Close and Your Lobbyists Closer
During the recent Republican National Convention, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) had this to say in his acceptance speech: "I've fought the big spenders in both parties who waste your money on things you neither need nor want. And the first big spending, pork barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. I will make them famous and you will know their names. You will know their names."
This quote certainly makes for great headlines. However, the words certainly ring hollow following the news that McCain has named William Timmons to head his "transition team" should McCain win the presidential election. Timmons is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Timmons and Co., an influential lobbying firm he founded in 1975 shortly after resigning from the White House as Assistant to President Gerald Ford. With that being said, here is just a short list of the clients for whom Timmons & Co. has lobbied since 2001:
This quote certainly makes for great headlines. However, the words certainly ring hollow following the news that McCain has named William Timmons to head his "transition team" should McCain win the presidential election. Timmons is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Timmons and Co., an influential lobbying firm he founded in 1975 shortly after resigning from the White House as Assistant to President Gerald Ford. With that being said, here is just a short list of the clients for whom Timmons & Co. has lobbied since 2001:
- American Petroleum Institute, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Freddie Mac, National Rifle Association, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA and Unocal (now owned by Chevron)
It is very interesting that Freddie Mac is on this list of clients for Timmons & Co. Why? Both McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had this to say earlier this month in a joint op-ed piece in "The Wall Street Journal": "Fannie and Freddie's lobbyists succeeded and Congress failed. Under our administration, this will not happen again." Contrary to his comments from the Republican National Convention, it is probably safe to assume that McCain won't make his name famous any time soon. By the way, if you wish to read more information on McCain's extremely close ties to lobbyists, go to http://mclobbyist.com/.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Token Female Vice Presidential Candidate of the Week
In last week's interview with Charles Gibson, the anchor of "World News" on ABC, Gov. Sarah Palin put her shortcomings on full display for the American public to see. The following is just a partial list of her greatest hits, as well as some of my comments:
Palin: "Let me tell you what I did here in the city of Wasilla and then as Governor of Alaska. What I did as a city council member then, and then as mayor, was come in and we cut personal property taxes in Wasilla. We cut small business inventory taxes."
Gibson: "You raised the sales tax."
Palin: "No, well, we had a two percent sales tax. And when people came to local government and said, 'We want a sports arena here', I said, 'That’s fine, and I want a sports arena also, but we’re going to have to pay for it'."
Gibson: "I didn’t want to get off into Wasilla but you came into the city with a debt free city and left it with considerable millions of dollars of debt, didn’t you?"
Palin: "A $13 million sports arena that we bonded for but, see, we put government on the side of the people by asking them if that’s what they wanted. It was a question on the ballot and they got to vote yes or no. So that’s what we did."
The Harrowdown Hill: Check "yes" for a sports arena and a debt riddled town or "no" for intelligent government spending.
Gibson: "When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact that you have commanded the Alaskan National Guard and that Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?"
Palin: "But it is about reform of government and it's about putting government back on the side of the people and that has much to do with foreign policy and national security issues."
The Harrowdown Hill: Huh?
Gibson: "You said recently in your old church, 'Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God'. Are we fighting a holy war?"
Palin: "You know, I don't know if that was my exact quote."
Gibson: "Exact words."
Palin: "Let me tell you what I did here in the city of Wasilla and then as Governor of Alaska. What I did as a city council member then, and then as mayor, was come in and we cut personal property taxes in Wasilla. We cut small business inventory taxes."
Gibson: "You raised the sales tax."
Palin: "No, well, we had a two percent sales tax. And when people came to local government and said, 'We want a sports arena here', I said, 'That’s fine, and I want a sports arena also, but we’re going to have to pay for it'."
Gibson: "I didn’t want to get off into Wasilla but you came into the city with a debt free city and left it with considerable millions of dollars of debt, didn’t you?"
Palin: "A $13 million sports arena that we bonded for but, see, we put government on the side of the people by asking them if that’s what they wanted. It was a question on the ballot and they got to vote yes or no. So that’s what we did."
The Harrowdown Hill: Check "yes" for a sports arena and a debt riddled town or "no" for intelligent government spending.
Gibson: "When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact that you have commanded the Alaskan National Guard and that Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?"
Palin: "But it is about reform of government and it's about putting government back on the side of the people and that has much to do with foreign policy and national security issues."
The Harrowdown Hill: Huh?
Gibson: "You said recently in your old church, 'Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God'. Are we fighting a holy war?"
Palin: "You know, I don't know if that was my exact quote."
Gibson: "Exact words."
Gibson: "What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?"
Palin: "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."
The Harrowdown Hill: That sounds beautiful. But seriously, what in the hell are you talking about?
Gibson: "Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?"
Palin: "In what respect, Charlie?"
Gibson: "The Bush - well, what do you - what do you interpret it to be?"
Palin: "His world view."
Gibson: "No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq War."
The Harrowdown Hill: Why do I have this strange feeling that she doesn't know what the Bush doctrine is?
Gibson: "Color me a cynic but I hear a little bit of change in your policy there. When you say yes, now you're beginning to say [global warming] is man-made. It sounds to me like you're adapting your position to Sen. McCain's."
Palin: "I think you are a cynic because show me where I have ever said that there's absolute proof that nothing that man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any affect, or no affect, on climate change."
The Harrowdown Hill: As you wish. In an interview for this month's issue of the conservative magazine "Newsmax", Palin stated that "A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made."
Gibson: "[Congress] appropriated $223 million, I think, for the [Bridge to Nowhere]. Then they - when the project died, that money was still there. And - and you kept - the State of Alaska kept that money. Is that consistent with the image of a reformer?"
Palin: "It certainly is. Those are infrastructure dollars that a state government and a local government need to figure out how to best prioritize those federal funds." The Harrowdown Hill: Apparently the State of Alaska uses the game of "finders keepers" for the framework of its government.
Gibson: "Governor, this year, requested $3.2 million for researching the genetics of harbor seals, money to study the mating habits of crabs. Isn't that exactly the kind of thing that John McCain is objecting to?"
Palin: "Those requests, through our research divisions and fish and game and our wildlife departments and our universities, those research requests did come through that system, but wanting it to be in the light of day, not behind closed doors, with lobbyists making deals with Congress to stick things in there under the public radar." The Harrowdown Hill: Well, that explains...absolutely nothing.
Gibson: "Roe v. Wade, do you think it should be reversed?"
Palin: "I think it should and I think that states should be able to decide that issue...I am pro-life. I do respect other people's opinion on this also and I think that a culture of life is best for America."
The Harrowdown Hill: OK, let me interrupt for a second. You think that a culture of life is best for America but then you support the death penalty? Now I am all for the death penalty as well but I am just not hypocritical about it. Alright, you may continue.
Gibson: "John McCain would allow abortion in cases of rape and incest. Do you believe in it only in the case where the life of the mother is in danger?"
Palin: "That is my personal opinion."
The Harrowdown Hill: Sorry, me again. Your personal opinion and, therefore, choice is that abortion should only be allowed if the mother is endangered. However, you don't want provide other women with access to those same types of choices. Bravo!
Gibson: "Embryonic stem cell research, John McCain has been supportive of it."
Palin: "We’re seeing good progress and we’ve got great encouragement with researchers finding adult skin cell research that is proving productive towards curing these diseases."
The Harrowdown Hill: WAIT A MINUTE! Did this moron actually say "skin cell"? I listened to the video more than a dozen times to make sure and I can honestly say that she did. Here I come, Canada!
Gibson: "Homosexuality, genetic or learned?"
Palin: "Oh, I don't - I don't know but I'm not one to judge and, you know, I'm from a family and from a community with many, many members of many diverse backgrounds and I'm not going to judge someone on whether they believe that homosexuality is a choice or genetic. I'm not going to judge them."
The Harrowdown Hill: Did you previously suffer some sort of head trauma?
Gibson: "Is it sexist for people to ask how can somebody manage a family of seven and the vice presidency? Is that a sexist question to ask?"
Palin: "I don't know. I'm lucky to have been brought up in a family where gender has never been an issue...What people have asked me when I was -- when I learned I was pregnant, 'Gosh, how are you going to be the governor and have a baby in office too', and I replied back then, as I would today, 'I'll do it the same way the other governors have done it when they've either had baby in office or raised a family'. Granted, they're men but do it the same way that they do it."
The Harrowdown Hill: Is she actually trying to say that there is no difference between a working mother and a working father?
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Something Wicked This Way Comes
I recently received an e-mail containing a video which Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) struggles slightly when his teleprompter malfunctions during a speech on the presidential campaign trail. Well, at least I can say that Obama did not start spewing out lies in order to get back on track. At the Republican National Convention, a plethora of exaggerations and inaccuracies were delivered by multiple speakers, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, when their teleprompters were working properly. The following is just a partial list of the numerous falsehoods, including the actual truth:
1. McCain: "[Palin's] been governor of our largest state, in charge of twenty percent of America's energy supply."
Truth: Palin is the Governor of Alaska, which does rank second nationally in crude oil production. However, her primary power was the ability to tax oil, which she performed in conjunction with the Alaska State Legislature. And while Alaska is the largest state areawise, it ranks 47th in the country by population. This is akin to owning a 4,000 square foot house but having no furniture inside.
2. McCain: "[Palin's] the commander of the Alaskan National Guard...She has been in charge and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities."
Truth: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that specific authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. For example, when state guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, those duties fall under "federal status," reporting to the Department of Defense, not their respective governor. Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the service commander of the Alaskan National Guard stated that "When members of the National Guard are federalized, they work for the President. It's not just overseas. They could be federalized to go to other states or they could even be federalized in the state." By the way, the Alaskan National Guard units consist of approximately 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of all state guard organizations.
3. Palin: "And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending...and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."
Truth: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a private lobbying firm with close ties to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to assist the small town in securing $27 million in earmarks, including $15 million for a rail project linking Wasilla and Girdwood, a ski resort community and current home of Stevens. During Palin's two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, which is by far the largest per capita request in the country. Recently indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts of falsely reporting gifts, Stevens was the main advocate of the $398 million "Bridge to Nowhere", a proposed bridge to replace the ferry which currently connects the town of Ketchikan to Gravina Island, an area with a population of approximately fifty residents. In September 2006, Palin appeared in Ketchikan as part of her gubernatorial campaign and declared that the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity. In fact, she stated that "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project". Palin eventually changed her public view of the "Bridge to Nowhere" after national public opinion turned against the bridge for being a perfect example of wasteful spending. However, Republican Mike Elerding, Palin's campaign coordinator in Ketchikan, stated: "[Palin] said 'Thanks but no thanks' but [the State of Alaska] kept the money."
4. Huckabee: "[Palin] got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, AK than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States."
Truth: Biden withdrew from the presidential race after the Iowa caucuses. With that being said, he still received 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where his name was on the ballot. On the other hand, the town of Wasilla was recently estimated to have a population of 9,780. Now I may be a little rusty with my math but I don't believe that Huckabee's comparison adds up.
1. McCain: "[Palin's] been governor of our largest state, in charge of twenty percent of America's energy supply."
Truth: Palin is the Governor of Alaska, which does rank second nationally in crude oil production. However, her primary power was the ability to tax oil, which she performed in conjunction with the Alaska State Legislature. And while Alaska is the largest state areawise, it ranks 47th in the country by population. This is akin to owning a 4,000 square foot house but having no furniture inside.
2. McCain: "[Palin's] the commander of the Alaskan National Guard...She has been in charge and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities."
Truth: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that specific authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. For example, when state guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, those duties fall under "federal status," reporting to the Department of Defense, not their respective governor. Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the service commander of the Alaskan National Guard stated that "When members of the National Guard are federalized, they work for the President. It's not just overseas. They could be federalized to go to other states or they could even be federalized in the state." By the way, the Alaskan National Guard units consist of approximately 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of all state guard organizations.
3. Palin: "And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending...and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."
Truth: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a private lobbying firm with close ties to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to assist the small town in securing $27 million in earmarks, including $15 million for a rail project linking Wasilla and Girdwood, a ski resort community and current home of Stevens. During Palin's two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, which is by far the largest per capita request in the country. Recently indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts of falsely reporting gifts, Stevens was the main advocate of the $398 million "Bridge to Nowhere", a proposed bridge to replace the ferry which currently connects the town of Ketchikan to Gravina Island, an area with a population of approximately fifty residents. In September 2006, Palin appeared in Ketchikan as part of her gubernatorial campaign and declared that the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity. In fact, she stated that "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project". Palin eventually changed her public view of the "Bridge to Nowhere" after national public opinion turned against the bridge for being a perfect example of wasteful spending. However, Republican Mike Elerding, Palin's campaign coordinator in Ketchikan, stated: "[Palin] said 'Thanks but no thanks' but [the State of Alaska] kept the money."
4. Huckabee: "[Palin] got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, AK than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States."
Truth: Biden withdrew from the presidential race after the Iowa caucuses. With that being said, he still received 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where his name was on the ballot. On the other hand, the town of Wasilla was recently estimated to have a population of 9,780. Now I may be a little rusty with my math but I don't believe that Huckabee's comparison adds up.
How Quickly Things Change
On Wednesday's "The O'Reilly Factor", Bill O'Reilly provided his opinion on Bristol Palin, the pregnant 17-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: "Millions of American families are dealing with teenage pregnancy. And as long as society doesn't have to support the mother, father or baby, it is a personal matter...For the sake of her and her family, we hope things calm down."
For once, O'Reilly makes an excellent point. However, in December of last year, he had these strangely different comments: "On the pinhead front, 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. The sister of Britney [Spears] says she is shocked. I bet. Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her." I am sure that I am not the only individual who views the Spears family as a constant train wreck. With that being said, I wonder if O'Reilly would have a different opinion if the family were heavy contributors to the Republican Party. At the same time, let's take a quick look at Levi Johnston, the home schooled father of Bristol's baby. On his MySpace page, Johnston boasts that "I'm a f----n' redneck", "I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s--t and just f----n' chillin' I guess" and "Ya f--- with me I'll kick [your] ass". Ol' Levi definitely seems to be a solid individual and a fantastic addition to the Palin family.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
This Stuff Just Continues to Write Itself
Earlier this evening, Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee, mistakenly referred to the party's presumptive vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as "Sarah Pawlenty" at the Republican National Convention.
Even though this error is simply inexcusable by a Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee, it is important to remember that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty had been considered as one of the front runners for the vice presidential nomination. Awkward! With that being said, this mistake by Davidson was certainly helpful to me. To think that I was only planning to comment on other aspects of Palin's life and political background, including (1) her 17-year-old daughter who is five months pregnant; (2) her return to the Governor's office just three days after her youngest child was born with Down syndrome; (3) her opposition towards abortion, stem cell research, gay marriage, health benefits for same sex partners and physician assisted suicide; (3) her lifelong membership in the National Rifle Association; (4) strong promotion of oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, including in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge; (5) her refusal to place blame on the human race for worldwide climate change; (6) her decision to file a lawsuit after the Secretary of the Interior listed polar bears as a threatened species; (7) her opposition to a ballot measure which would have provided added protections for salmon from potential contamination from mining activities and (8) her dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan after Monegan failed to terminate Mike Wooten, an Alaska State Trooper and Palin's former brother-in-law. Whew, that was close!
Even though this error is simply inexcusable by a Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee, it is important to remember that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty had been considered as one of the front runners for the vice presidential nomination. Awkward! With that being said, this mistake by Davidson was certainly helpful to me. To think that I was only planning to comment on other aspects of Palin's life and political background, including (1) her 17-year-old daughter who is five months pregnant; (2) her return to the Governor's office just three days after her youngest child was born with Down syndrome; (3) her opposition towards abortion, stem cell research, gay marriage, health benefits for same sex partners and physician assisted suicide; (3) her lifelong membership in the National Rifle Association; (4) strong promotion of oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska, including in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge; (5) her refusal to place blame on the human race for worldwide climate change; (6) her decision to file a lawsuit after the Secretary of the Interior listed polar bears as a threatened species; (7) her opposition to a ballot measure which would have provided added protections for salmon from potential contamination from mining activities and (8) her dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan after Monegan failed to terminate Mike Wooten, an Alaska State Trooper and Palin's former brother-in-law. Whew, that was close!
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