Sarah Palin as political landmine
St. BBQ’s pick of Sarah Palin was a brilliantly stupid move that really encompasses everything we’ve seen about Republican politics over the past eight years. From a governing perspective, it’s blisteringly stupid — do we even know who this woman is? Say what you will about Obama’s lack of executive experience, but he’s been under a pretty intense spotlight for the past year or so. He’s taken heavy fire from members of both parties and has come out of it looking like a smart, cunning and capable candidate, someone who has real command not only of himself, but of his surrogates and campaign messaging as well. Sarah Palin, on the other hand… well shit, I’m one of the biggest political junkies around, and my first reaction when I heard the news yesterday was “WHO THE FUCK IS THAT????”
People, we’re talking about a woman who eight years ago was a Pat Buchanan supporter and who is winning accolades from every crazy Christian and economic wingnut group in the country. This is someone who obviously has a hard, hard right ideology and who would likely make an even worse president than Bush. I mean, she’s less than two years into her first term as governor and she’s already being investigated for abuse of power. Can you imagine how she’d behave if she had the levers of power in the White House at her disposal? Can you imagine all the zany Christianist shock troops she’d appoint to the Justice Department? Can you say Defense Secretary Jerry Boykin?
So yes, from the perspective of governing, this is a supremely irresponsible and crazy move on John McCain’s part. The fact that he only met this woman once twice before making her the nominee for vice president of the United States is astonishing to me and it says a lot about his judgment and his desperation to win this race.
That said: from a political perspective, this pick is brilliant. It took the spotlight away from Obama’s speech, it gave the GOP base a reason to vote for St. BBQ and it created a large landmine for the Obama campaign to step around. They have to be extremely careful with how they approach her. I imagine there must be great temptation on the Obama camp’s part to simply run roughshod over this newcomer and treat her as though she were the new Dan Quayle. But, but, but: if Biden comes off as a smarmy and condescending d-bag during the veep debate, it could turn off a lot of women voters. This is not to say they’ll all switch en masse to St. BBQ, mind you — in this sort of ratfuck operation, the goal is to dampen enthusiasm and depress opposition turnout.
So the smart move here would be to largely ignore her and focus the attention on McCain. Vice-presidential picks, although they generate a lot of media hype, do not end up deciding presidential races. If you have to mention Palin in a line of attack, don’t make the focus about her, make it about McCain — i.e., he only met her once twice before making her his vice-presidential pick (and seriously, my mind is still reeling about this… what the hell, man). The Obama camp seems to be taking the smart route so far by waiting for the media hype to die down and keeping on message that this election is about John McCain and the last eight years of failed Republican rule.
Tintin adds: The picture and caption are my fault.
UPDATE: Oh my:
The governor’s appearance on KWHL’s “The Bob and Mark Show” last week is plain and simple one of the most unprofessional, childish and inexcusable performances I’ve ever seen from a politician. […]
Early on in the conversation before Palin started to crack up, Lester referred to Sen. Green as a jealous woman and a cancer. Palin, who knows full well Lyda Green is a cancer survivor, didn’t do what any decent person would do, say, “Bob, that’s going too far.”
But as the conversation moved on, Lester intensified his attack on Green.
Lester questioned Green’s motherhood, asking Palin if the senator cares about her own kids. Palin laughs.
Then Lester clearly sets the stage for what he is about to say by warning his large audience and Palin. He says, “Governor you can’t say this but I will, Lyda Green is a cancer and a b—-.” Palin laughs for the second time.
What were teenage boys thinking when they heard the governor laugh at someone being called a b—-? How about the teenage girls who look up to Palin. What did they think when they heard her laugh?
But there is more. Lester then describes Green’s chair as big and cushy. A clear reference to the senator’s weight. Palin laughs a third time. She’s just having a grand old time.
Palin was clearly enjoying every second of Lester’s vicious attack on her political rival.
But it gets worse.
Lester asks Palin point blank: “Do you have any idea of what you did, to make Lyda Green dislike you, hate you?” How does Palin respond? Does she do the right thing? What you would expect from a mature leader, a governor and say, “Bob, Lyda doesn’t hate me.”
No, she responds like a 13-year-old and says, “Um, you know once and a while I try to figure that out but I can’t figure that out.”
And yes, Virginia, we have audio:
Holy shit. Listen to this. Really. Listen to this. This is the person that John McCain thinks can lead the entire country in the event of an emergency. Hoe. Lee. Shit.
UPDATE II: My jaw is still on the floor from listening to this. Did the McCain campaign do any vetting, like, at all? Did they even bother to do a fucking Google search?
UPDATE III: This is how we do it:
Hillary Rodham Clinton urged voters Saturday to support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, saying the stakes of the election are high and the differences between Obama and Republican John McCain are stark.
“During our convention, we Democrats laid out clear, bold solutions to tackle the two biggest challenges confronting our nation — economic disarray at home and a decline in American strength and support around the world,” she said in the Democrats’ weekly radio address. “The contrasts between us and the Republicans could not be starker, especially on issues that matter to middle-class families.” […]
She said McCain has said “our economy is fundamentally sound.”
“John McCain doesn’t think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security and he’s promised tax breaks for the biggest corporations instead of middle-class families. And in 2008, he still thinks it’s OK that women aren’t earning equal pay for equal work.”
Clinton’s criticism of McCain was sidestepped by Republicans, who are trying to win over disaffected Clinton voters after McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Instead, they seized on Clinton’s earlier comments praising McCain during her primary battle.
“As Hillary Clinton aptly stated, ‘Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience,'” said RNC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson.
When your entire election strategy boils down to attracting the supporters of a person you despise, your goose is well and truly cooked. Ratfucking only works on the margins — on a grand scale, it is doomed to fail.
McCain picked a vice president for himself?
To be honest, when I heard that McCain HADN’T picked Pawlenty, Mittens, Giuliani, Thompson, Lieberman, etc., I thought for a minute that somebody on his staff had taken some money out of the till and finally bought directions to the clue store.
Then I started reading about her …
if Biden comes off as a smarmy and condescending d-bag during the veep debate
Donkeybag?
Dumbobag?
DavidHorowitzbag?
She’s currently under investigation for using the power of her office (such as it is) to get her ex-brother in law fired. Giving her the keys to the United States Justice Department would be liking handing the car keys to Otis the town drunk.
People, we’re talking about a woman who eight years ago was a Pat Buchanan supporter and who is winning accolades from every crazy Christian and economic wingnut group in the country.
But she’s cute as a button!
Paul Begala (bear with me) apparently said something like, In this selection, McCain has suddenly made the election about his age, his health, and his judgment.
That’s not a bad two-bank shot, eckshully. The Obama line might be, “Governor Palin is, of course, not remotely ready to be Vice-President, let alone President, although no one can fault her for answering the call to duty. No, the irresponsibility of this choice lies squarely with McCain..”
Etc. Biden will need some, but not tons of, skill in the debate, to balance showing-respect and shutting-her-down. It’s more of an acting coach problem than a policy expert’s problem. He has to seem respectful but not condescending.
Thus, when she asserts some stupid opinion or value, he might say, “I know you want to protect our national security every bit as much as I do, so let’s agree on what the facts are. Because what you said isn’t quite accurate. In fact (insert expert lecture here)…”
And then use it to attack McCain.
I’m shocked by the number of people who seem to think that it’s a given that Obama’s campaign, particularly Biden, are going to step directly on the landmine you describe. These people aren’t a bunch of idiots. They know this is the one problem they have with this woman and that the time in the spotlight will expose all of her weaknesses for them. They’ve run a brilliant campaign so far, so let’s give them a little credit.
The fact that he only met this woman once twice before making her the nominee for vice president of the United States is astonishing to me and it says a lot about his judgment and his desperation to win this race.
That’s barely enough time to leave your wife for her!
It’s a desperation move, a “Hail Sarah Pass” (as TBogg calls it), and it’s made me feel better about Obama’s chances – it will turn off at least as many rednecks as it will pull in sympathy votes.
At least, as long as the sympathy is just from the pick. Brad’s right, she’s pretty much self-insulating, a free attack dog that must be handled with care.
I’d say just ignore her completely, and let her attack away. As nutty as she is, and with that voice, she’ll just annoy the hell out of people anyway.
That said: from a political perspective, this pick is brilliant. It took the spotlight away from Obama’s speech, it gave the GOP base a reason to vote for St. BBQ and it created a large landmine for the Obama campaign to step around.
Brad Brad Brad, that’s pre-2006 thinking.
I’m sure the things you mentioned are the reasons she was picked (also, did everyone notice McLame staring at her ass and playing with his wedding ring?).
But the fact is, it’s 4th and 59 in the last quarter, the goopers are down by 9, and this is the hail mary.
Damnit, LittlePig!
I’m waiting for a decent pic of her rack before I pass judgment.
McCain picked a vice president for himself?
I think McCain wanted Lieberman, but the party honchos thought that was a given failure.
But the fact is, it’s 4th and 59 in the last quarter, the goopers are down by 9, and this is the hail mary.
O, I know. And I know Team Barry X is smart enough to dance around this. But I have to almost admire the audacity to pick someone no one has ever heard of — and who by all accounts is dangerously unqualified for the job — to be your veep just to ratfuck your opponent.
Mark Steyn’s Amnesia: Who cares about the War on Islamaliberalfascism? I have a boner.
“…First, Governor Palin is not merely, as Jay describes her, “all-American”, but hyper-American. What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew? As an immigrant, I’m not saying I came to the United States purely to meet chicks like that, but it was certainly high on my list of priorities.”
And he’s one of the “deeper” thinkers over there.
Damnit, LittlePig!
Sorry. It’s just one hell of an apt metaphor. You can smell the desperation.
Well, that or McThusela needs a change.
Talking Pants Memo:
Karl Rove, prescient as always:
“I think [Obama’s] going to make an intensely political choice, not a governing choice,” Rove said. “He’s going to view this through the prism of a candidate, not through the prism of president; that is to say, he’s going to pick somebody that he thinks will on the margin help him in a state like Indiana or Missouri or Virginia. He’s not going to be thinking big and broad about the responsibilities of president.”
What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew?
This cries out for JanusNode.
What other country in the developed world produces kinkajou trainers who lift ibexes and deal out death with alacrity?
What other country in the developed world produces plaid fetishists who swirl cinderblocks and rotate a vast pinion?
Yes, it took the spotlight away from Obama’s speech, but in a David Brent sort of way. Not good.
Well Shit! The one thing she is definitely going to do is keep the wingnuts from the wingnuts from gnawing on each other.
I was looking forward to that!
Still, without her nomination Planet USA would have never met the Commander in Chief of the Alaskan National Guard and Queen of the Alaskan frontier!
oops
Imagine the governor of Alaska was a guy named Sam Palin, with exactly the same history and background as Ms. Moose Dinner there. Would the McCain camp even have bothered to short-list him, let alone vet or pick him?
In the unlikely event she and Senator McCain are elected to the White House there is a greater concern about Governor Palin. If McCain has a ________(fill in the blank: stroke, heart attack, fatal bout with cancer, etc.), and she became President, my concern is not that she is a shrewd manipulator of the levers of power, but that she will be “handled” by the current power elite. The halls of Washington D.C. are filled with conniving, craven and corrupt operators who will just love to give her advice on what to do. I don’t believe she has the experience or judgment to resist them. There will arise a shadow government that will not have been elected and will not be accountable. ( We have gotten a taste of that over the past eight years. Fortunately, there was enough muscle in the remnants of the Bush I camp to keep them from completely taking it all over, but they managed to do a pretty good job of keeping the government inept in its action and unfocused in its policy work all the while enriching themselves.). She will be a capital P patsy in their hands.
The comedy stylings of Josh Trevino, Ben Domenech and the Turk: Sarah Palin Facts.
Because it worked so well with Fred Thompson.
Rove and company seriously miscalculated, because this isn’t 2004 and they’re not running against John Kerry and Terry McAuliffe’s suckass DNC. They’re running against a much more skilled political team, and they just lobbed a big, juicy softball at Axelrod. Obama is fresh off a victory over Hillary freaking Clinton– do you think he’s scared of this wingnut lightweight?
The Hail Mary pass is not a high-percentage play. Nine times out of ten, it’s batted away by one of the seven defensive backs huddled around the goal line.
..but..but McCain really really likes his VP pick. A lot.
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/08/getting-to-know-you.html
Sarah Palin, Northern Exposure’s very own Anita Bryant.
I’ve seen a lot of comments like that throughout the blogosphere and I’m baffled by them. People seem to find it hard to believe that the Republicans can screw up. To me, this was clearly a blunder.
Yes, but McCain did so by making himself look like a fool.
Actually, I think Palin was picked in large part to attract large numbers of votes from non-conservative women. I’m pretty sure that that just ain’t gonna happen with an anti-choice uber-reactionary.
No doubt the GOP base loves Palin, but again McCain should have been able to find someone less blatantly unqualified who could’ve served the same purpose.
Again, I can’t imagine large numbers of non-conservative women identifying with Palin. It shouldn’t be that tough avoiding mass alienation.
Here I agree with you. But they shouldn’t entirely ignore Palin. A well-placed giggle here and there is in order.
I think the most ringing endorsement has come from the Republican leadership in Alaska, “She’s a citizen and a old enough.”
Inspirational.
The campaign is just going to ignore her. keep the focus on McCain and his love of all things Shrub.
If she really feels like helping the Obama campaign, Hillary Clinton could tear Palin to shreds. One well-placed ad featuring HRC talking about how Palin would run roughshod over womens’ rights would go a long way.
If this were truly a “brilliant” political pick, the GOP would be sounding considerably more enthusiastic, today. Sure, the evangelical Christians love her, but they learned where they stood within the party when Huckabee was scorned to death and many of them will see her selection for what it is: A sop, nothing more. She’s a landmine only if she’s treated as one, and the palpable consternation of her Republican peers, over her and what her selection says about McCain’s judgment, signals that they don’t consider her a weapon protecting their perimeter. More like a whoopee cushion. I agree that it’s best, in the short term, to ignore her, but when the time comes to neutralize her it can be done in ways that won’t play within the “Halp! A poor woman is being mugged by a mean old man!” narrative. Three words: Under criminal investigation. That’s all we need, really. I mean, has any VP candidate in memory been selected while they were the subject of an ongoing probe of criminal behavior? As for pulling focus from Obama’s acceptance speech, well, 36 million people watched that, and the Palin announcement came hours before a lot of Americans started a long holiday weekend. Bonus: we enter the GOP convention week with the threat of another hurricane hitting the Gulf coast bringing back memories of Republican presidential fail. Whatever PR gains McCain thought he could make by this stunt should be negligible.
What demented country in the plain world produces beauty queens who hunt kinkajou or serve up their monstrous coati pilaf?
What nutritious country in the enduring world produces beauty queens who hunt gorilla and serve up a courageous giraffe squares?
What tough country in the hissing world produces beauty queens who hunt bighorn or serve up at least one spread monkey cacciatore?
What wild country in the perpetual world produces beauty queens who hunt ass and serve up no alien mule pasta?
Debate Preview:
Joe Biden: I think we must do whatever we can to make sure this nation’s children are well-educated, safe, and have access to the best healthcare possible.
The Press: Oh my god. Joe Biden just dissed Sarah Palin’s baby with Down’s Syndrome. Children? Healthcare? Biden obviously means us to think “unhealthy baby.” Biden has just crossed a line here. He’s not only viciously assaulted Sarah Palin as a mother, he’s really assaulted all mothers. And he’s taunting children with Down’s Syndrome? Or should we say infants? Yes, taunting– no, wait– beating up on— Joe Biden beat up on helpless innocent infants in tonight’s debate. I don’t know what the Obama campaign is thinking with this tactic.
Sarah Palin: When I’m VP I’m going to ritually sacrifice a goat in the oval office. I’m going to chop off its head and smear my body with its blood just like Ma and Pa and all my brothers and sisters used to do when I was a child each time we burned down a neighbor’s house for not loving Jesus enough.
The Press: Sarah Palin did all she needed to do tonight. She proved that she indeed had both experience and a plan for what she’s going to do when she first enters office. She talked about her family’s background– let us get to know her– and she spoke eloquently about the role religion plays in her life. I think its this part of her performance more than any other tonight that’s going to connect with people of faith across this country, no matter what religious beliefs they may have. Sarah Palin knocked this one out of the ballpark. We have a clear debate winner.
This seems like a disaster that even the DC press and talkers may acknowledge quickly. I wonder if McCain’s campaign will find a way for her to step down from the nomination before it happens, perhaps citing her family’s needs or Alaska’s needs come first for her. And deliver it with a big helping of victimization: “Those Obama people hate women. And women with families. And children with disabilities. They made the race unbearable for a mother of five.”
The change would bring a new host of judgment questions for McCain but probably best to deal with those two months before the election rather than drag around a remarkably shitty VP candidate for two months.
Despite being stunned by how well the DNC was pulled off, this VP selection is the first time I’ve felt like maybe things have got too stupid even for the really stupid and this election won’t be nearly as close as imagined (as it should have been for months).
I hear Geraldine Ferraro is on board with Palin.
It’s the Diane Keaton/Love And Death school of decision making. Having just been publicly humiliated by her lover, she rashly decides to marry whoever is at hand:
“I also have an announcement to make! Tomorrow, I too get married.
I have been proposed to and have accepted the hand of… Sergei lvanovich Minskov.
[he stands up frailly, clutches chest, collapses and dies]
Yes… I mean Leonid Voskovec, the herring merchant.”
Hm, so her antics will distract from the choice of McCain as president, meaning his positions still won’t be carefully weighed, meanwhile she’ll attract the base and some rabid PUMAs…
Not sure that this is still that bad a choice but OMFG!
Sarah Palin is a politician who can relate to common people. She’s an authentic Christian who knows that life begins at conception. Obama thinks that fetuses are subhuman but Palin knows better.
It’s Governor Palin’s common background that has made her the target of an incredible smear campaign by the far left.
The fact is that Sarah Palin has more of the experience we need than Barack Obama.
You may notice that the Republicans that brought us Fourthbranch Cheney and cheered on his taking over nearly every major policy sector are now reassuring us that the position of VP isn’t really important and, as McCain says, is really all about attending funerals and the like.
This isn’t just a political move by McCain. No one should have any fantasies that if he wins, suddenly he’ll sideline and undercut the ultra-right fundies like Palin.
No, Sarah Palin is who McCain wants in government. Assuming it’s “just” a temporary political move because surely Saint Maverick McCain would never, ever, really pursue this anti-abortion / anti-global warming / anti-environmentalist / pro-big Oil / creationist policy because, well, because he’s AWWWSUM, is really dangerous.
If you want to give the Cheney keys to someone with just as crazy ideas as Cheney but half the political wiles, go for it. Maybe we will get that war with Russia after all.
Hmm.
Palin would be honored to have the radio guys sit in that bitch Lyda’s seat.
Who’s Lyda anyway?
You know who picked Palin? Rightwinged bloggers. Seriously. I have heard of her quite a few times before this week, and it was mostly from bloggers saying that she would be an almost perfect VP pick… and the McCain campaign actually bought it.
She’s nothing but a reflection of the mouth breathing knuckle dragging cheeto snorting dumbasses that we make fun of day to day here at S,N!
Honestly Brad, the McCain campaign has been more interested in trying to cause trouble for Obama rather than worrying about how stupid they look. Example: Paris Hilton ad. Palin looks like another attempt to try and muck the gears up for Obama without considering the consequences.
Listened to the update. Meh. I couldn’t summon up much outrage. I don’t think you’ve got much there.
Her “Feminists for Life” stuff is much worse. They’ve said some seriously perverted shit over the years. Maybe you should dig up some of that.
Palin was picked to motivate the base. And the base love their hate.
If you want to give the Cheney keys to someone with just as crazy ideas as Cheney but half the political wiles, go for it. Maybe we will get that war with Russia after all.
I’m not sayin’ we won’t get our hair mussed…
This entire incident proves the Obama campaign’s hatred for women. Which went back to the primaries, and all the way to last week when Obama refused to consider Hillary.
BTW, the Clintons are voting for McCain.
My Fair VP
You have to wait a couple of seconds for the music to start.
I’ve been trying to come up with a list of who else McCain could have chosen that would have represented the same kind of snap-judgement thinking.
Alan Keyes?
Michael Steele?
Jodi Rell?
Thing is…I suspect that most of the names I come up with would be more qualified.
“Sarah Palin is a great choice,” said Grover Norquist
[…] Original post by Clem […]
That’s the real Gary Ruppert, peeps.
Hey Gary: y’all are totally, totally gonna lose this thing. I’m going to laugh my ass off.
A day later and this still seems staggeringly insane, unbelievably cynical and mind-blowingly stupid. But you know what’s worse? The reaction. With a few honorable exceptions, the critics are pulling their punches and the media are pretending this could be a serious pick, while the wingnuts have had no trouble in rewriting their reality to include Palin’s “executive experience” … yum, mooseburgers, they’re not just for special occasions anymore
Change demanding a superhuman suspension of disbelief. And all too many seem capable of it.
By the way, McCain was a PoW, did you know that?
That’s the real Gary Ruppert, peeps.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEND HIM OVER TO AMY ALKON!!!!!!!!
Brad, don’t mess with the real Gary, after all he predicted Katherine Harris’ crushing senate victory.
Know what would be awsome? If they used the song Mooseblood, by Federation X at the RNC convention when the introduce Palin. That would get some votes. Van Halen not so much
MOOSEBLOOD- runnin’ through the forest hungry naked at night, mooseblood drippin’ into my eyes, with a knife i cut out all my parts that can’t fly, mooseblood drippin’ into my mind, a hunger for thirst and a thirst for my kind, mooseblood drippin’ into my sight, mooseblood drippin’ givin’ me life,
As much as I hate to say this, I think Palin is a great pick for McCain–much better than Mittens or Pawlenty or even Lieberman would have been. Sure, she doesn’t have much experience, and logically one would think that that would cancel out one of the key criticisms of Obama. The problem, of course, is that voters don’t think logically. The wingnut narrative will go something like this:
“Palin’s got a HELL of a lot more experience than Obama! She’s been a businesswoman and a mayor and the governor of the biggest state in our nation. [The fact that it’s in the bottom 5 by population doesn’t matter.] She’s the commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard, for heaven’s sakes. [Expect to hear this ad nauseam over the next two months.] Alaska’s got Soviet Canuckistan on one side, where the terrorists can wander around like it was nothing, and then on the other side there’s Russia, and they’ve been acting up lately, so you gotta figure she’s been keeping a close eye on foreign issues. [Never mind that governors and their National Guards don’t have a hell of a lot to do with border security, and that Putin hasn’t been bothering with the Kamchatka anyway.] Plus, can you imagine how pissed off those liberals will be when we elect a gun-totin’, oil-drillin’, moose-shootin’, snowmobile-in-national-park-ridin’, fur-wearin’, abortion-hatin’ LADY to the Vice Presidency? It’s worth it for that alone. And even if old Mac kicks off, she’ll have good people around her to tell her what to do.
“Plus, she sure is fine-lookin’, not like that ugly Clinton woman. You better believe I’m gonna pull my lever for Palin this fall!”
Brad said,
August 30, 2008 at 18:08
That’s the real Gary Ruppert, peeps.
Hey Gary: y’all are totally, totally gonna lose this thing. I’m going to laugh my ass off.
Sure, next you’re going to produce original Bigfoot.
But I agree with RB. Off to AA with him!
Hey Gary: y’all are totally, totally gonna lose this thing. I’m going to laugh my ass off.
They’re not just going to lose the White House, they’re going to lose an assload of Senate seats and an assload of seats in the House of Representatives. You think 2006 was rough, Ruppert, wait until you get a load of 2008. With two of the branches of government under Dem control, we can get to the work of dismantling your precious wingnut judiciary.
Oh, and President Hussein X will be appointing at least three judges to the SCOTUS too. BWAHHAAAHAAHAAAA HOOHOOHOOHEEEEHEEEHEE HAAHAHAHAAHAA EATABAGOFDICKS
Specifically, this dildo, a College Republican zealot. After awhile, Fred Barnes and Limbaugh began picking up on it. Presumably, the McCain campaign caught the idea from them.
It’s a pick designed to help win the election, not help govern the country. That shit’s not important, winning is important. You can just ride out non-election years
Oops. This dildo. Sorry – linking is hard work.
Shorter McCain (tee hee!).
Oops. This dildo. Sorry, linking is hard work.
Fucking wordpress!!!!!!!!!!!
And McCain is voting for Jackson Kirk Grimes.
I think Sarah Quayle is a fine choice for VP.
She’s an authentic Christian who knows that life begins at conception.
Who risked a late term abortion-by-airplane, chum.
I’m not sayin’ we won’t get our hair mussed…
Dependin’ on the breaks…
Listening to the announcement on the radio yesterday, I was struck by how many people mentioned her basketball experience, and how one of the big applause lines was when McCain said, “She taught her children to excel at sports.” And people applauded for a good long time. I wasn’t sure what to make of that. Except that Republicans have the mentally of a high school football team.
Also the “USA! USA!” chant is creepy.
Folks, can’t you see the perfect symetry in McCain’s choice of Palin as his VP?
Here, take a look:
Is it just me or does it seem the only women Republicans believe deserve equal rights are their politicians?
I don’t admire people shooting themselves in the foot.
I do appreciate it. And expect it.
McCain’s people leaked to the freakin’ NYT to get him to back off on a pretty lobbyist. McCain was unprepared to answer how many houses he had.
If Team Obama isn’t planning on McCain bringing teh dumb all Fall, then I’ll be cheesed.
On Real Time last night, Tim Kaine (Gov. of Virginia) remarked that McCain chose Palin on the basis of having “only talked to her once last February in person.” He contacts her by “cell phone during the Alaska state fair last week and decided to offer her the job.” He doesn’t know her, hasn’t worked with her and yet “she’s going to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.”
Either some Rove-like committee is making all the decisions for him or he’s an impulsive idiot who sees the usefulness over the short term of co-campaigning with a fundie beauty-contest-winning “hockey mom” with huntin’ skills. She’ll appeal primarily to the Duggar-family types (particularly the born-again women) with the Christian values.
Yeah, I agree that Miss Alaska is a landmine.
But here’s just one of several reasons why I think McCain is the dumbass who actually stepped on it immediately after setting the trigger.
Mikey could probably tell us specifically why you should never let a flyboy anywhere near a landmine, but I think the general idea is pretty clear.
Palin was chosen to appeal to two groups: the mythical PUMAs and the fundies. No serious (and sane) Clinton supporter will vote for McCain and the anti-Hillary and contrary to the McCrazy campaign logic, most women do not think with their vaginas. As to the fundies, I really do not think she has enough mojo to overcome their aversion to McCain. My guess is that they will largely sit this one out. Remember that until fairly recently, when the Goopers started pandering to them, the fundies were not only low information, limited issue voters, they were largely apathetic and seldom voted. They rightly observed that nobody (thank God) was seriously addressing their issues. I think that the realization that they have been had by the GOP establishment is starting to sink in and that they will largely return to their natural state of political apathy.
On the plus side for McCain:
Alaska is ten kinds of awesome. I was born there, so you know I’m unbiased.Stop making fun of mooseburgers. Unlike our current VP, at least Palin has the decency to eat what she shoots.Palin is cute, has a minority husband, and has a kid with Down’s. Those are even better for deflecting criticism of her (batshit-crazy) positions than “Look over there! POW!”It places the focus on Alaska, which is full of the kind of people that will really appeal to conservatarians (note that the appeal is not necessarily mutual).
On the minus side:Every time Hillary speaks, she’ll tear Palin up: “John McCain thinks he’ll get women’s votes just because he nominated a beauty queen for VP. How stupid does he think we are?”Palin’s positions on cultural issues are so far right, they’re practically caricatures of the GOP platform. Obama/Dems won’t have to distort them to make her look like a foolish ideologue–she’s already there.The VP debate will be a GOP nightmare; Biden doesn’t have to be smarmy or condescending. All he has to do is talk about national issues and foreign policy like he knows what he’s talking about, while she plays a fish out of water on national TV.She’s an AK politician, which means she’s up to her neck in shady oil-industry connections. Ted Stevens’ indictment should have made the McCain vetting team think (at least) twice about nominating anyone from AK, and as soon as he goes on trial the DNC is going to hit their mutual connections to VECO again and again and again.She’s currently being investigated by the state legislature. Like, right now, while she’s being paraded around as an integral part of McCain’s November strategy.She short-circuits the celebrity/inexperience narrative. Only the 28%ers are going to buy the argument that she’s no worse than Obama; everyone else is going to say “Yeah, but… mayor of Wasilla? Where the hell is that?”
On the balance? A really, really dumb (and/or desperate) pick.
“Plus, she sure is fine-lookin’, not like that ugly Clinton woman. You better believe I’m gonna pull my lever for Palin this fall!”
There’s your campaign slogan: Pull your lever for Palin!
SHIT. My post looked awesomely well-formatted in Preview, what with the bulleted lists and all. I don’t suppose I can get one of the Sadly, No! masters to go in and at least replace “li” tags with line breaks?
[…] the VPILF pick: “Worst Vice-Presidential Nominee in U.S. History”. Sadly, No also has choice observations. […]
Yes, and The Good Roger Ailes agrees. Leave her alone and let her implode. She’s already been caught in two lies (the Trooper scandal and the bridge to nowhere). She’s a beauty contestant creationist global warming denying freak. Let the Daily show and Letterman et al do the job. Got to keep Joe from chewing her up like a jackal on carrion.
No doubt that was the theory, but Palin is more likely to hurt them than to help them.
For anyone who cares, an excellent summary of the Troopergate scandal from an Alaskan in the know:
“Sarah Palin’s sister Molly married a guy named Mike Wooten who is an Alaska State Trooper. Mike and Molly had a rocky marriage. When the marriage broke up, there was a bitter custody fight that is still ongoing. During the custody investigation, all sorts of things were brought up about Wooten including the fact that he had illegally shot a moose (yes folks this is Alaska), driven drunk, and used a taser (on the test setting, he reminds us) on his 11-year old stepson, who supposedly had asked to see what it felt like. While Wooten has turned out to be a less than stellar figure, the fact that Palin’s father accompanied him on the infamous moose hunt, and that many of the dozens of charges brought up by the Palin family happened long before they were ever reported smacked of desperate custody fight. Wooten’s story is that he was basically stalked by the family.
After all this, Wooten was investigated and disciplined on two counts and allowed to kept his position with the troopers. Enter Walt Monegan, Palin’s appointed new chief of the Department of Public Safety and head of the troopers. Monegan was beloved by the troopers, did a bang-up job with minimal funding and suddenly got axed. Palin was out of town and Monegan got “offered another job” (aka fired) with no explanation to Alaskans. Pressure was put on the governor to give details, because rumors started to swirl around the fact that the highly respected Monegan was fired because he refused to fire the aforementioned Mike Wooten. Palin vehemently denied ever talking to Monegan or pressuring Monegan in any way to fire Wooten, or that anyone on her staff did. Over the weeks it has come out that not only was pressure applied, there were literally dozens of conversations in which pressure was applied to fire him. Monegan has testified to this fact, spurring an ongoing investigation by the Alaska state legislature. But, before this investigation got underway, Palin sent the Alaska State Attorney General out to do some investigative work of his own so she could find out in advance what the real investigation was going to find. (No, I’m not making this up). The AG interviewed several people, unbeknownst to the actual appointed investigator or the Legislature! Palin’s investigation of herself uncovered a recorded phone call retained by the Alaska State Troopers from Frank Bailey, a Palin underling, putting pressure on a trooper about the Wooten non-firing. Todd Palin (governor’s husband) even talked to Monegan himself in Palin’s office while she was away. Bailey is now on paid administrative leave.
As if this weren’t enough, Monegan’s appointed replacement Chuck Kopp, turns out to have been the center of his own little scandal. He received a letter of reprimand and was reassigned after sexual harrassment allegations by a former coworker who didn’t like all the unwanted kissing and hugging in the office. Was he vetted? Obviously not. When he was questioned about all this, his comment was that no one had asked him and he thought they all knew. Kopp, defiant, still claimed to have done nothing wrong and said to the press that there was no way he was stepping down from his new position. Twenty four hours later, he stepped down. Later it was uncovered that he received a $10,000 severance package for his two weeks on the job from Palin. Monegan got nothing.”
Compared to the current situation this seems like pretty small potatoes. We’ll see if it gets any traction.
There’s your campaign slogan: Pull your lever for Palin!
Well, to be accurate, you really have to alternately push and pull.
Excellent summary, comsympinko.
The Editors have more.
Palin was totally right in troopergate.
You mean that the Democrats support tasering 11 year olds and making death threats now?
Palin vehemently denied ever talking to Monegan or pressuring Monegan in any way to fire Wooten, or that anyone on her staff did.
If nothing else we do know that Governor Palin does understand it is a NO NO to use her powers to get cops fired.
TBogg offers a link to a comprehensive examination – from an Alaskan’s perspective – of Palin aka “Governer Skeakyclean or not” and the environment she hails from:
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/
snippet:
Speaking of the VP debate, keep in mind that it is only a month away. That’s four weeks for Palin to get a crash-course in foreign affairs, while simultaneously campaigning full time. You can forget about her day job, which she’ll probably end up quitting.
Four weeks to prep for Joe Biden. And Gwen Ifill will be moderating the debate. Back in 2004, she posed the following question:
Gary punishment was administered by the people appointed to do the job. No one is condoning Wooten’s behavior.
Another take on Palin is here.
http://medianeedle.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/morse-films-presents/
Re: JF Sebastian’s “Debate Preview” at 17:49:
Dude, you really ought to astonish your friends by writing that down and putting it in a sealed envelope to be opened the day after the VP debate.
You know, I’m beginning to suspect the Alaska Republican Party is really, really not going to like all the light Governor Palin’s ascendancy to VP-hood is about to SHINE on them.
Just a guess, tho…
Snarki, child of Loki Says:
August 29, 2008 at 10:05 pm
This, my friends, is what it looks like when a GOP presidential campaign looks down, and realizes that it is in midair, jumping over a shark.
What it is.
“What demented country in the plain world produces beauty queens who hunt kinkajou or serve up their monstrous coati pilaf?
What nutritious country in the enduring world produces beauty queens who hunt gorilla and serve up a courageous giraffe squares?
What tough country in the hissing world produces beauty queens who hunt bighorn or serve up at least one spread monkey cacciatore?”
The answer, my friends, is blowin’ in the wind.
If this travesty doesn’t persuade you that no vote you or any of us cast will have the slightest bearing on the outcome of the ‘election,’ I guess nothing EVER would…
The abject, unapologetic cynicism of McShame’s choice demonstrates nothing so much as his utter contempt for the principles he’d be elected to uphold. Well, that, and that he’s–or his handlers–got to know the fix is in and it just doesn’t matter.
I have an (admittedly somewhat oracular) theory about this which has nothing to do with the horse race. (Go in through the top and admire a “Driftglass” original in the foyer, then scroll down one). The accession of either candidate to power will have differential, but effectively interchangeable consequences for the Elites, in any case.
It is not “brilliant” to mortgage the future of your campaign and administration in order to steal a news cycle. I am ecstatic with the Palin pick.
She’s nothing but a reflection of the mouth breathing knuckle dragging cheeto snorting dumbasses that we make fun of day to day here at S,N!
Sitting in Coney Island eating a chili dog and watching CNN yesterday, my first thought was OMG HE’S TAPPED KAYE GROGAN!!!111!1!
Brad, don’t mess with the real Gary, after all he predicted Katherine Harris’ crushing senate victory.
Yes.
By the way Gary, you went so barking mad and then disappeared for so long after the 2006 midterms, we thought they’d never again let you out unsupervised. Did you escape? Or are you still using the dayroom computer at the Institute for the Very, Very Nervous?
As to the mooseburger thing, I don’t think real Heartlanders care about this gastronomical issue. What I want to know is: Does Palin like Cheez-Whiz on her Philly steaks and does she show proper scorn for Republican-blacklisted garden greens? And what is her position on sprouts? Devolving minds want to know.
Time will, of course tell, but I’m pretty sure she’ll turn out to be a blunder. Whether or not you accept the cheney role in executive governance or not, the primary role of the VP is to smoothly transition executive command in the event that the President is incapacitated or dies.
And as we go through the campaign Gov. Palin will be repeatedly shown to be both a political and intellectual lightweight, well out of her depth and wholly reliant on her extreme ideologies to form positions without nuance. And even if you don’t hear it asked relentlessly by the corporate press, you can be certain that people across the political spectrum are going to be scratching their heads and saying, “Gawd, under the aged and infirm McCain THIS is what we have to count on one heartbeat away from the presidency”?
Ultimately, when that 8-15 percent of voters who’s minds are not solidly made up already start to think about that, it reduces the viability of McCain in many of their eyes, and helps sway them to a more thoughtful, intelligent and consistent Obama/Biden…
mikey
Putting two and two together:
McCain doesn’t believe in equal pay for women;
McCain has selected a woman for Veep;
Therefore:
McCain would pay Sarah Palin less for being Vice President than he would pay a man.
What does a Vice President do anyways? Huh. OK then.
Wait. You didn’t tell me people will look at things I did before I got picked to be Vice President. Well, that’s OK, the people of Alaska love me!
What’s that? People … outside … of Alaska will be looking too?
Why?
No more than ten to twenty million killed, tops.
Yes, he will defend the Palin selection as part of his plan to balance the budget by cutting spending.
TGW: CNN’s Sexist John Roberts
Has Obama apologizd for this John Roberts smear yet?
~
ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© | Homepage | 08.30.08 – 12:57 pm | #
.
Aha – I knew the Palin pick reminded me of something.
I’m not too worried about the debate with Biden. Whatever he does, McSame’s running mate will be Palin in comparison.
[…] really enjoying Brad’s “Fuck the Rats” posts over at S,N! The latest, on the coming Palin fiasco, is everything an aspiring Liberal version of Rove will need to propel herself (or himself!) to the […]
Anybody else seen this?
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-69834
Wow, ‘some people’ say the damnedest things.
ittdgy:
Here’s the mighty blogmistress this morning, addressing a friend of mine (“Schadenfreude”) in her mighty booming blogmistress voice:
(emphasis mine)
A “spreader of Lies and Misinformation.” TGW is now officially a 1984-ish dystopia. Beware, all who enter there! You may be tagged! (owch)
Rabid PUMA-nity: When borderline personality disorder gets ratfucked.
This election now neatly boils down to two choices:
Batshit crazy vs. rational and bright.
That is all.
Now we’re going to find out how the American electorate breaks down. I wish I could say I was optimistic.
Palin has excited the evangelical base which is nearly one-quarter of the U.S. electorate. These people rely on the bible as their source of news and opinion. Attacking her will be attacking motherhood and will only backfire.
Few of my neighbors in an upscale subdivision north of ATL even get the paper. The “well informed” ones watch Faux News and listen to Rush. These are NOT intelligent or questioning individuals. If a candidate protects the unborn, that’s 80% of what they care about.
I think the best alternative is to ignore her, hope the MSM picks up on her abuse of power charges and lies about the bridge to no-where, and watch while she stumbles in the national spot light. I think the best we can hope for is that she withdraws under this scrutiny which could cast doubt about McPOW’s decision making ability to his base. After all, this constituency is looking for another “decider.”
This choice was about energizing the fundy base of the party–which is immune to rational thought and logic. I live deep behind enemy lines and can say there is little Obama/Biden can do that will tarnish Palin in their dead and empty eyes. She has to self destruct.
[…] 9: Yes, the politics are good. But shouldn’t we worry about the “governance” part for a few years? Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Edwards […]
Please, no.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the WTFBBQ ticket.
Oh, MzNicky – I’d have to say that those TGW peeps definitely fall into the batshit crazy camp. No doubt about it. I can’t believe there are that many of them out there, though. I sure as hell hope not.
Reading that site made my head feel all tight and funny. I need some wine.
MzNicky, I picked up on that theme, and adjusted my tinfoil hat accordingly.
” What other country in the developed world produces beauty queens who hunt caribou and serve up a terrific moose stew? ”
Indeed, this fact is central to my point. ANWRheartland !
Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies. Crush your wildlife, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their babies.
If it weren;t for TGW, No Quarter and Talk Left readers I’d be out of business.
Candy — TGW is getting a lot of traffic right now cuz WaPo picked ’em up for a story on Hillary supporters flocking to McCain/Palin. Most of the time these days, fortunately, it’s just the same four or five nutballs chatting back and forth over how much they hate Obama. It’s such a monstrous train wreck, and I cannot tear my eyes away!
What country in the tricky world produces beekeepers who hunt bat and serve up each eternal walrus kugel?
What wasteful country in the arbitrary world produces bellhops who hunt hamster and serve up every omnipotent ferret biscuit?
What silver country in the eery world produces arborists who hunt ocelot and serve up their own bighorn mix?
What fat country in the world produces brokers who hunt kangaroo or serve up one parrot wonton?
Palin has excited the evangelical base which is nearly one-quarter of the U.S. electorate. These people rely on the bible as their source of news and opinion. Attacking her will be attacking motherhood and will only backfire.
Few of my neighbors in an upscale subdivision north of ATL even get the paper. The “well informed” ones watch Faux News and listen to Rush. These are NOT intelligent or questioning individuals. If a candidate protects the unborn, that’s 80% of what they care about.
Exactly. But this changes nothing. Exactly 0% of those folks were going to vote for Obama anyway. So maybe a few less of them stay home in november, maybe not. But the fight’s over the undecided “middle”, and while those may not be the most informed voters, they aren’t ideologues either or they wouldn’t be in that undecided category. She’s mostly a loss in that battle…
mikey
The fact is, hunting caribou and serving up moose stew are not all that popular in the Heartland owing mainly to a lack of caribou and moose.
Governor Palin needs to get her fine behind down Kentucky way and hunt her some squirrel and serve up a possum stew.
Only then will the common bloodthirst of denizens of Real America, the Heartland be sated.
Oh you’re time’s a coming. No worries there old man.
What wild country in the perpetual world produces beauty queens who hunt ass…
That explains it. McCain is trying to excite the GOP base with images of ass-huntin’ beauty queens.
Did someone say squirrel?
In a deep pot or dutch oven, heat some olive oil.
Season the squirrel on all sides with the Cajun seasoning. Add to the hot oil and turn to brown on all sides. Continue to cook until done.
Place the onion, bell pepper and garlic in a blender. Cover with water and chop. Add to the pot when squirrel is done.
Sprinkle the added vegetables with Cajun seasoning.
Add the Tabasco sauce, ketchup and the Gumbo File. Stir to mix well.
Serve over the cooked rice.
Enjoy
What Mikey says. Let’s make an analogy–let’s say that Obama, trailing and desperate, had thrown his own “Hail Mary” pass and selected someone designed to excite his far-left base. Someone like, say, Dennis Kucinich. People like me and probably many of the folks here would’ve been thrilled, on an ideological level at least. Politically speaking, of course, we’d all have jumped out of a building moments later, realizing the election was now really over.
“Add the Tabasco sauce, ketchup and the Gumbo File.”
You could put that on cardboard and it would taste good !
I have to agree focusing on McCain is Teh Win strategy but honestly, I don’t think this was a good move for him from a political perspective and here’s why:
1) Yeah, it stopped media talk about Obama’s speech. Instead it simply left the millions who saw it to form their own impressions rather than the warped shit that was sure to have come out of our wonderful media like AP the past few days.
2) It has forced the media to actually look into his Veep pick’s past, positions and focus on what she’s said and done. This is not good for her or him. With Mitt, it would have been nothing but a 24/7 lovefest.
I’m trying to picture a post-election world with McCain and Ms. Deer Caught in Headlights from WildWestville running it and quite frankly can’t. I can’t imagine the half of America that was sorry for Bush getting in in 2004 passively accepting it. I’m seeing massive demonstrations, riots in the streets.
Did I mention how hard it sucks when WordPress eats your shit before you can even submit Fuck You WordPress FUCKYOUFUCKYOUFUCKYOU
The fact is, Jimmy Carter is and was the worst President ever and his arrogance combined with nuanced stupidity is continuing to show. His attack on mcCain’s service is evil. The only thing worse than Mr. Carter is the liberal news media (MSM) that keeps reporting Carter’s blurbs and burps as if they were worthy of coverage. Carter was no war hero – he was a failure and he has milked his failed economic policies and failed foreign policies and failed domestic policies until the cow died. However, the liberal culture thought they ought to award Mr. Carter for trying so they gave him a Nobel Peace Prize (I would venture to say that most people can’t remember why he was given this award). His words and actions do not point toward peace unless you are a lock-stepped Demo”rat” who kisses the shrine of Obama and honor Carter and Clinton. Plus this peanut farmer with a grin from Georgia is still riding his cow thinking it is a wild stallion. Mr. Carter is just a weak brained Demo”rat” who likes to verbally abuse others while thinking he and his cronies are great. NOT! The MSM is co-dependent with a dysfunctional former President and these MSM propaganda pushers for the liberal Demo”rats” need to keep losing viewers and readers until they are out of business. Carter and the MSM should crawl to retirement headquarters for losers. Good riddance. One last thought – how is what Jimmy Carter says today being equated to his deep Chrisitian faith? He seems to be ignoring the Bible and God by choosing to be the judge of others.
What Candy said: Batshit crazy vs. rational and bright.
I keep hearing Mencken (the dead one) whispering in my ear: No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
Then I irrationally tell myself to cheer up. We (collectively) are not THAT crazy. Are we? Do you feel lucky, punk?
Sure, next you’re going to produce original Bigfoot.
It’s in Gavin’s freezer.
You mean that the Democrats support tasering 11 year olds
Not since you turned 12.
I just need to make it clear to everyone here that a Teflon Hat has none of the space satellite surveillance deflecting capabilities of the Tinfoil Hat whatsoever.
The only use for the Teflon Hat is to avoid a hail of shit motes, and how often does that happen? I’ll tell you, not very often certainly not as often as Predator drones monitoring the Lojack your dentist put in your 2nd molar or Black Army CIA helicopters and trucks closing in on your body heat signature why dont you jst get lost teflon Hat Slasenam tkae yer fkking Tlfeon hats and GET TEH FUCK OUT OF MY TERTITORY THX
Think of it as McCain/Marie Jon’ ’08!
See how that just slide off me?
Clever McCain. Now he has Alaska sewn up!
I find this to be a face-slappingly, jaw-droppingly, bone-deep stupidly arrogant choice which communicates how much contempt the Republicans have for the very concept of governance.
Of course, it’s their pattern to dismiss anything they don’t understand, which is most things.
But look at W. Their operating principle is that the office of the President is not that demanding, since any fool can do it.
And they keep running them.
Oh look! A rare appearance by the REAL Gary Ruppert!
This is why I don’t subject any of the Garys to the Pie Script™.
Every now and then the OG Gary shows up to remind you Parody Pikers how it’s done…
mikey
It seems to me that the most likely explanation for the Palin choice is that McCain had his spies reading the Dem blogs and they kept seeing comments like, “Oh, please pick Mittens!” and “Biden will beat Mittens like a gong!” This scared the bejebus out of the McCainanites, and they began to discuss whom they could pick to keep scary Joe Biden at bay.
I can imagine the phone calls and replies:
Condi: “Are you freaking high? No way!”
Olympia Snowe: “Sure, when arugula flies!”
KBH: “Uh, I have to run. I’ll think it over and call you back next Tuesday.”
Palin: “Sure! Yee-ha! Just let me grab my moose gun and I’ll be on the next plane to Warshington.”
Personally, I think the strategy will backfire. Probably. In any event, I’m not sure Joe Biden is even remotely capable of holding back and pulling punches. Maybe what they’re indeed hoping for is the aforementioned pity party the press will throw for Palin after Biden savages her. I doubt very much Palin would have been the nominee had Hillary been Obama’s VP pick. Hillary would have savaged her and it would be impossible to scream anti-woman. (Not that the press wouldn’t have been all like, “That horrible Clinton woman is so mean!”)
Whatever the McCain camp’s strategy was, on (sadly) sober reflection it seems very stoopid.
serve up a possum stew.
Trust me on this, but you really do not want to go there. Been there and done that and ain’t going back. Roast ‘coon, however, is a whole ‘nother matter entirely (with roasted sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, & collard greens, yum).
[…] at Sadly, No. Palin listens and laughs as cancer survivor-colleague is called a […]
Possum sittin’ on a hick’ry limb
Hi-away hi-away home!
We will make short work of him!
Hi-away hi-away home!
Put him in a pan and cook him sweet
then he’s fit for a king to eat!
Possum gravy can’t be beat!
Hi-away hi-away home!
Just a little ditty we used to sing in 2nd grade. I’ve never forgotten it.
I think Candy makes a good point: the McCain camp has been highly reactive in their choices of late, kinda like a pithed frog.
I imagine them sitting around the office, high-fiving. “They’ll never see this one coming!”
As I see it, McCain is once again ass-kissing the evangelicals, because they are the only hefty demographic he has left to court. Independents and disgruntled Republicans who are finding Dumbya’s antics personally humiliating (it reflects on them) are going for Obama.
He’s just trying to not get Mondaled. Bringing in that base chunk, instead of them sitting home griping, is all he has left.
And why this one? Well, how many batshit crazy choices does he have? Huckabee would grab all the press. Santorum is out of politics. She’s a governor, a looker, and the fundies love her. Must have seemed like a no-brainer.
And I think it was.
Teflon Hat Salesman, Teflon Hat Sales, Inc–
You might want to take a moment and think about all the paranoid delusional maniacs that depend on me for their mental well-being.
Jus’ sayin.’
“kinda like a pithed frog.”
Hadn’t thought about one of those in years.
The analogy is apt. Apt!
Making no bones about it, this is a big mistake for McCain. It might inspire a few right wing crazies in the heart of Jesusland to turn out, but disgruntled Clinton supporters? No way.
Notice the easy clean-up?
McCain camp has been highly reactive in their choices of late, kinda like a pithed frog.
The Pithed-frog Party! That’s even better than the Bullshit Mooseburger Party re-name I was thinking about earlier.
Maybe. McPOW’s attempt to steal Obama’s thunder is about to get blown off the front pages by the only windbag bigger than McPOW.
On a serious note, anyone who lives down there, take care and why are you reading this? Go! GO!
You bring the pithed frog, I’ll bring the batteries.
Ladies and gentlemen, you go into the election with the pithed frog you have, not the pithed frog you wish you had….
mikey
Since part of the reason for Palin’s nomination is clearly to appeal to female voters, this seems like to place to ask a question that’s been on my mind. Does anyone know of a poll that shows the following information? 1)What percentage of female Hillary Clinton supporters have said they will now vote for McCain instead of Obama(before or after the Palin announcement)? 2) What percentage of those who have said they will switch their support from Clinton to McCain previously voted for the Democratic nominee in the past x election(s) and what percentage voted for the Republican nominee? I want to know if Clinton supporters were primarily voting for Clinton and her positions or for Clinton and her sex organs. If the Clinton to McCain crowd normally voted Republican and the Clinton to Obama crowd normally voted Democratic, then I don’t see Palin making a huge impact just on the basis of her gender, and she doesn’t seem to bring much more to the ticket than that.
Hey! We have feelings over here too, ya know!
Of courth I’m pithed! Thomeone thtuck a pin in my thkull!
They think John McCain’s a righteous dude.
No way McCain is a righteous dude.
We oughtta know.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Either Sara Palin covered for her daughter’s pregnancy by claiming the child as hers, or she got on an 8-hour plane flight after her water broke, so the baby would be born in Alaska. Either way, we have officially entered Bizzarro World.
Do you pith the frog before nailing it to the cross, or the other way around?
Wait, hang on, let’s see if I’ve processed this correctly: Sarah Palin faked a pregnancy to cover for Bristol Palin who was knocked up by John McCain? Wow, that’s weird. And gross. Weird and gross.
aw Smut, you beat me to it – but here’s the accompanying graphic:
pithed frog on a stick
The fact is, George W. Bush is and was the worst President ever and his arrogance combined with nuanced stupidity is continuing to show. His attack on mcCain’s service in 2000 was evil. The only thing better than George W. Bush is the corporate-owned news media (MSM) that keeps reporting Carter’s quotes because they are worthy of coverage. Carter was no failure and he didn’t milk his failed economic policies and had no failed foreign policies or failed domestic policies. And why I bring this up 40 years later is a mystery even to myself. I’m glad the liberal culture thought they ought to award Mr. Carter for achieving great things so they gave him a Nobel Peace Prize (I would venture to say that most people can’t remember why he was given this award – when I say “most” it’s because I only know neocons and they aren’t very bright). Bush’s words and actions do not point toward one who would kiss the shrine of Obama and honor Carter himself and Clinton. Again, no reason to add that. Plus this non-farmer with a smirk from Crawford, TX is still riding his Segway thinking it is a wild stallion. Mr. Bush is just a weak brained corporo”rat” who likes to verbally abuse others while thinking he and his cronies are great. NOT! The MSM is co-dependent with a dysfunctional soon-to-be former President and these MSM propaganda pushers for the corporo”rats” need to keep losing viewers and readers until they are out of business. Carter and the MSM should crawl to retirement headquarters for winners. Good luck. One last inane ramble – how is what Jimmy Carter says today being equated to his deep Chrisitian faith? He seems to be embracing the Bible and God by refusing to be the judge of others.
Speaking of lower animals with no functioning nervous system…
The first woman VP – maybe even the first woman president – will be a Republican.
Maybe, but not this woman. As usual, mikey’s dead-on about the fundie Bible thumpers not voting for Obama anyway, so Palin’s Christianist nutbaggery doesn’t really bring a whole lot to the McCain campaign. Hell, he might even lose some votes, since Bible thumping knuckledraggers hate women, and just ’cause Palin is properly anti-woman and anti-choice doesn’t mean they’ll see her as an actual human.
She brigns absolutely nothing to the table, and honestly, the only reason I can see that McCain’s folks chose her (that old coot probably doesn’t have much say in the day-to-day decision making anymore) was solely to distract people from Obama’s remarkable acceptance speech, which it really didn’t. So, the McCain campain is stuck with this dead wood and they didn’t even accomplish the sole goal on the chosing.
I give her three weeks before she regretfully steps down, probably to pop out another regrettably named yard ape. Seriously, “Bristol”?
So, basically, picking Sarah Palin was one ginormous act of trolling.
Uh, Truth, if it was my post at 20:16 you mistook as an accolade of Ms. Palin, I must inform you it was not.
I think it shows McPOW’s real fear and desperation, and that he (again) makes decision on emotion rather than facts (by fully vetting her.) I think the gop propaganda machine was well briefed and oiled in advance, and have sound-bited her into a legendary figure to their base. I think it will energized people who had been under-impressed with McCain.
It is a real hail-mary, but if the base comes out they will represent significant numbers.
From Obama’s view, I think it is a real landmine. Factors outside his control (Gustav and troopergate) could make it blow-up in McPOW’s face. I think the most effective option is to have Hillary tie Palin’s “abuse of power” to Bush’s wiretaps, signing stmt’s, etc. More McSame.
Sadly, that argument would never be understood by my neighbors–bless their little red hearts. But hopefully it will connect with moderates still uncomfortable with voting for Hussein X.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I reckon that “Political Landmines” would make a great reality-TV show.
I don’t know, Clyde. I’m thinking “Landmines” would make a great reality show.
You put a half dozen B-List celebrities in a little cabin. 1000 meters away, there is a flag on a hill, clearly within sight. Working together, independently, or forming teams, they just need to figure out how to get to that flag first. They have 24 hours.
The thing is, there are mines, booby-traps, mantraps and all manner of lethal impediments scattered in the surrounding 1 klick radius. And they’re REAL devices. I mean, if there’s a renewable resource in America today, it’s B-List celebrities, isn’t it? So watching them killed horribly would truly qualify as entertainment.
Hell, it would be painless to edit that 24 hours into 12 hours of compelling TV, with triumph, heartbreak, courage, cowardice, loyalty and treason. And as there would be no requirements other than to try and win the game, the people left in the cabin as others venture out, only to hear the explosions and the cries of pain, perhaps with the dazed or even wounded survivors staggering back to the cabin, this would be one helluva “very special TV event”….
mikey
I’m working on the script for the movie version. If all else fails, I’ll steal dialogue from The Wages of Fear.
Unfortunately, she was in such a daze, danced straight through the trench and out into No Man’s Land. I tried to stop her, but before I could say, ‘Don’t tread on a mine’, she trod on a mine.
When I say ‘a mine’, it was a cluster of mines, and she was blown to smitereens, rocketed up into the air, said something I couldn’t quite catch, totally incomprehensible to me, something like, ‘Tell him, his little chipmunk will love him forever’.
She is not aimed at liberals. When will any of us get that? And obviously he is not choosing her as a potential president. He doesn’t intend to die.
I think she was a good pick. They have to get more crazy fuckers out to vote than we get out sane people. Their polling has told them that they’re stuck in the 40s and there’s no way out.
No one who cares about this would be voting for McCain anyway. They are aiming her at the people who think all liberals are cancers.
I think she was a good pick. They have to get more crazy fuckers out to vote than we get out sane people.
The crazy fuckers also dislike women.
The crazy fuckers also dislike women.
C’mon, don’t be stupid. Where’s the logic in that?
If us crazy fuckers didn’t like women, who’d we fuck? Who’d fuck us?
It makes no sense if you think it through. No sense at all.
Now go get me a beer.
A Few Thoughts on Sarah Palin’s Noble Choices and Aspirations.
As much as I may resent what I see as some of the most exploitive politics in recent times, I can’t help thinking and talking about McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate. It’s true that I am playing right into GOP hands by helping wipe the slate clean after this week’s Democratic convention. But this is a fascinating scenario that I’m still trying to get my head around. This is Machiavellian strategy at its finest. Imagine making a decision of this magnitude, and doing it completely out of expediency. It’s purely reactionary thinking on the part of the McCain campaign. Do you have any doubt that things would have gone down differently had Obama picked Hillary Clinton as his partner? I don’t. Not at all.
Listening to the right wing pundits on talk radio, you’d think that this was sheer brilliance. The Christian branch of the GOP has been stroked. This woman is so “pro-life” that she had a kid that she knew was afflicted with Down’s Syndrome. How wise and compassionate she must be to accept this “gift from God”. She’s accepted this beautiful presence in her life in such a self-sacrificing manner. It should be pointed out that anyone who makes the choice not to abort a fetus with such a severe disability is making a commitment to give of themselves in a way a parent of normally-functioning children can not ever truly understand. The amount of time and energy that the mother must invest are extraordinary*.
This Sarah Palin must truly be a noble soul, right? She’s going to prioritize the sanctity of life. She’s going to live up to her reputation as a crusader for “family values”. She must be absolutely inexhaustible. As governor of a state of such crucial importance to the rest of the nation, she must call upon her extensive education and experience to look out for the interests of all US citizens, and not just the tens of thousands who elected her to office. And that’s not all. Now she’s agreed to take on a bigger role of service to our country. She’s willing to accept the nomination to be our Vice President. Why is that? Well, as of the beginning of this month she didn’t even know. In her own words “I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?”
Well, in her case (should McCain win in November) she has to be prepared at any time to assume the duties of the presidency. If you’re not aware of the state of John McCain’s health, suffice it to say that the 72-year-old’s prognosis is not especially favorable. So Palin really ought to be boning up on her prospective duties in the number 1 spot as well, because she is not what anyone could call especially well-informed when it comes to federal government (in fact she’s never served in it). At the very least, she should spend some time studying Iraq. In an interview with Alaska Business Monthly in 2007, she was asked about the troop “surge” and she replied, “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq.”
Of course that’s a bit odd considering her oldest son is due for deployment to the Middle Eastern theater on September 11th of this year. But we’ve got to cut her some slack. She has a lot on her plate. I’m sure the investigation into her possibly unlawful dismissal of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan is eating into her moose-hunting time. The results of that inquiry will be released on October 30th. Furthermore, she’s going to be on the campaign trail for the next 60 odd days. In order for her to unleash her “Sarah Barracuda” persona on Joe Biden, she’s going to have to receive a basic introduction to national policy and government, which should sufficiently complement her prestigious bachelor of arts degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.
And finally, the duties of motherhood never end. This will be a crucial time in the early development of her four-month-old disabled infant. And she’s got four other kids to nurture. Hopefully she can carry over some of the burnished luster from her “Miss Congeniality” days that allowed her to finish second in the Alaska Beauty Pageant. Maybe she can take few a sips from John McCain’s energy drink.
* Especially for a woman with four children who decides to have another at age 43, knowing that the risks of an abnormal pregnancy are dramatically heightened.
Looks ever more as if the GOP is bound & determined to throw this one, because they know where the economy will be by this time next year.
Famous last words: “Vetting? We don’t need no stinking vetting!”
It’s only a day or so, & Palin looks more & more like someone the DEMS selected for Johnny Wet-Start. Targets just don’t come much softer than pro-life nutters who take long jet flights while in labour (unless she was actually faking it to cover for her own daughter, which would be the political equivalent of Larry Craig’s “wide stance” for sheer deadliness), let alone ones currently under criminal investigation for abuse of power. Looks like the GOP has bought into another Spiro Agnew, minus the brains.
The blowback from her idiotic support of Pat “Hitler was a real Mensch” Buchanan in Florida will be heinous – & even if Obama decides to stay “pure” the blogosphere will have no such scruples. I suspect the e-mails are already being sent as I type. Looks like McCrash-&-Burn just threw away Florida. Palin is a life-preserver for the Republicans – a life-preserver stuffed with anvils.
Just like you agreed with Rove’s “THE Math” in 2006? Or perhaps with “Mission Accomplished” a few years earlier? Thank you, o wise & sagacious The Trout – your enthusiasm for this twit is a warm comforting blanket on a cold night.
Yes, Sarah Palin is indeed a landmine … a friendly-fire landmine.
In the unlikely event she and Senator McCain are elected to the White House there is a greater concern about Governor Palin. If McCain has a ________(fill in the blank: stroke, heart attack, fatal bout with cancer, etc.), and she became President, my concern is not that she is a shrewd manipulator of the levers of power, but that she will be “handled” by the current power elite. The halls of Washington D.C. are filled with conniving, craven and corrupt operators who will just love to give her advice on what to do. I don’t believe she has the experience or judgment to resist them. There will arise a shadow government that will not have been elected and will not be accountable. ( We have gotten a taste of that over the past eight years. Fortunately, there was enough muscle in the remnants of the Bush I camp to keep them from completely taking it all over, but they managed to do a pretty good job of keeping the government inept in its action and unfocused in its policy work all the while enriching themselves.). She will be a capital P patsy in their hands.
Yeah, well. This is a feature, not a bug. You think Dubya makes his own decisions? You think Reagan did? The same policy assholes who always make the decisions for the GOP president will keep doing it. You’ll see the same creeps and liars and profiteers in the background you always do, should she become president. And you’ll see them there should McCain do so, too. All GOP presidents are interchangeable. Some are just worse than others. But the policies stay the same: redistribute the wealth and power to themselves from everybody else.
Palin will do what she’s told, so it doesn’t really matter who she is. Meanwhile, guys like Gary and The Truth get to spend the next fifty years explaining that the chicks don’t need any “special rights” (like equal pay, or bodily autonomy) because hey, they’re totally equal now–as long as they stop acting like victims and work hard, just like Sarah, and the only reason anyone’s still whining about domestic violence is that the Democrat Party, who are the real misogynists here, are a bunch of sexism pimps.
I won’t say it’s a brilliant choice, because it all depends on them winning the election in the first place, but honestly I’m not sure they won’t. They’ve cheated and caged enough democrats out of their votes that they might actually win it.
Meanwhile, any attack on Palin, regardless of its merits, will leave the GOP and the media screaming about SEXISM! and don’t imagine the reams of material documenting their behavior towards Clinton will embarrass them at all on this score. If it gets commented on at all, it will be in a We’ve Learned Our Lesson way.
You know, maybe McCain could have vetted her better if the Vietnamese had given him access to Google in the prison he was held in for 5-1/2 years.
[…] Digby also notices that Palin was a smart choice for McCain, and attacking her might just be full of landmines. Go carefully, my children. (And the media continues to help the Republican.) Some people think Palin is going to make this thing easy, but, sadly, no. […]
McCain’s first wife was a beauty pageant contestant #1, whom he dumped while she was undergoing 24 surgeries after a car accident that almost killed her, for Cindy 20 years younger and beauty pageant contestant #2. Suddenly out of nowhere allegedly, he picks Sarah Palin who is now McCain’s beuaty pageant contestant #3. Did anyone question why during the debates John McCain referrred to himself as “No Miss Congeniality” after the movie about a beauty pageant with Sandra Bullock? I believe this man has no relational boundaries as a married man and a perversion for women that do this and we are going to find McCain’s bodily fluids all over Palin’s blue dress very soon!