Palimonium

It's rather amazing watching all the reactions to various news reports on Sarah Palin. Based upon those reports, if I had to choose one word to describe her and her life - it would be "normal."

Is America ready for that, as opposed to the cleaned and covered-up images we generally see of our politicians?

Wait a minute ... Barack Obama's Father deserted him, he bounced around, having some number of lost years in which we at least know he did some pot and some Coke. He has a family member living in a hovel in Kenya getting by on a buck a month. But Palin's "normalcy" somehow makes her inadequate for the VP slot?

Please! The woman owns guns and knows how to shoot. I suspect she just might hold her own.

Obama presented himself for 17 months to the American people, they heard him debate more than a dozen times, they made their own decision that he was ready for the job and the Democrats voted him their nominee.

That's an unfortunate reach. A bunch of hardcore liberal Democrats may have made up their mind. As for what a broader America thinks, that jury is still out.

As for Palin, my biggest concern is that she probably poses the best mirror of ourselves I've seen on the National political stage for a long time. Whether America is ready to come to grips with that view is unresolved. But I certainly prefer it to the plastic image of Obama that has nothing to do with his reality after all.

Comments

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

Considering that Obama now points to his presidential campaign as proof of his executive prowess is the shiniest of comedy gold, simultaneously referring to Palin's mayoral role in the negative and neglecting to mention her status as a state governor.

When the man can't even admit to his own shortcoming's on the subject of experience, even though he tapped Biden for that very reason, you can't help but conclude that he doesn't even believe in himself and is lurching toward November without the slightest clue what he is doing.

[Fred Beloit]

"Obama presented himself for 17 months to the American people, they heard him debate more than a dozen times, they made their own decision that he was ready for the job and the Democrats voted him their nominee."

Dan calls BS on this statement in a most courteous fashion:

"That's an unfortunate reach. A bunch of hardcore liberal Democrats may have made up their mind. As for what a broader America thinks, that jury is still out."

This may be one of the reasons why. We are still missing info about Obie:
http://www.nysun.com/new-york/obamas-years-at-columbia-are-a-mystery/85015/

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

The odd thing is that Obama is spending an inordinate amount of time comparing himself to the VP nominee of the GOP ticket, meanwhile McCain is busy preparing himself to shred Obama for all the things he has recently said about Palin. "Campaign" as experience? Sure, if you're running for dog catcher.

[redherkey]

My edition of the NY Times must be incomplete. I keep seeing articles about Palin's 17-year-old daughter who committed the crime of unprotected sex while being in high school. Yet all the articles about Biden's adult son committing lobbying crimes are missing.

Anyone else have this problem?

[chris]

Please...Old man McSame couldn't shred the junk mail that comes to his 8 houses. The party of Lincoln and unwed teen mothers needs to get a reality check.

lol

[Fred Beloit]

chris at chris's babbling best.

[Fred Beloit]

Yea verily, Mr. Weiner. The Dems and Obie seem to be very, very confused this year. One minute they are running against Bush, who can't be reelected, the next against Palin, a VP candidate for God's sake.

[Fred Beloit]

John McCain is very fortunate that he has political advisers like Diddy. Said D-I-D-D-Y, hole. To see him in action just scroll down at littlegreenfootballs.

I don't think this guy is high, maybe. He's just a very poorly educated man from a school full of union-member, liberal teachers, who have taught him well to act like a moronic idiot. Dig? Oh, I guess one doesn't say that anymore.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

---The party of Lincoln and unwed teen mothers needs to get a reality check.---

You do realize that Barack Hussein Obama II was conceived by an unwed teen mother, do you not, and that the father was still married to another woman at the time?

Just checking, I wouldn't want to think you were uninformed.

[joeb]

Candidates children should be off limits. Period. That means you and you and you.

[Totally Heterosexual Conservative]

I'll be laughing my ass off when Ms. Palin's name is withdrawn by the end of the month. Face it, morons - she wasn't vetted. St. McBBQ didn't know dick about Ms. Palin when he recklessly chose her to be a heart-beat away from the presidency. Once again, winger hypocricy is on full display.

I wonder why none of the GOP heavy-hitters were on the bobble-head shows this weekend defending her. All I saw were some relative light-weights babbling on about how much "experience" Many Mooseburgers has with "commanding" the Alaska National Guard. Yet no one can point to a single decision she has made with respect to this very important foreign policy position.

I wouldn't be shocked to see her outa there before the end of the week. It is to laugh.

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

The liberals seem to have a tough time recognizing that Palin is not a mayor any longer but a state governor. They also seem to have difficulty responding to questions about Obama's foreign policy experience and from whence it comes.

I suppose you could say that Biden has more foreign policy experience than Palin, which is true, yet both of them are VP nominees, not candidates for the top slot. Obama has no more and no less FP experience than Palin, yet his executive experience pales in comparison to hers, and the Presidency is an executive position.

The democrat fear is clearly on display when even Barack Obama can't make himself recognize her as Alaska State Governor but instead refers to her position as a mayor (which is STILL more executive experience than what Obama has).

Now that the Obama campaign has made an agonizingly stupid decision to try to equate Palin to Nazis for God's sake, you can almost hear the wheels coming off the 'Hopey Change' bus.

[European Expat]

Just the fact that Palin is now campaigning for higher office should be experience enough for her to be deemed worthy of the job.

Where oh where have I heard that recently?

[Spartan112]

Hell, Biden has more foreign policy experience then McCain too but that not really relevant. Regardless of whether McCain has more foreign policy experience than Obama or not it's all bad.

[European Expat]

Let me get this straight here.

Biden was totally rejected for President during the nomination process and proclaimed Obama to be unsuited for the job.

Now Obama, the guy who said relevant experience shouldn't matter in a nominee, picks Biden for his VP slot because of his experience and they both agree it's the perfect ticket.

Well......who can argue with that?

[Worst President Ever]

It's not about Palin - it's about McSame and his judgement. He's been campaigning on his experience, sacrifice and putting country-first - you know, Obama's too inexperienced and allowing him near the presidency is downright dangerous. But somehow it's OK for Palin to be there?

[European Expat]

Seems McCain has more judgement than Obama, as Obama himself claimed he didn't have the relevant experience to be POTUS.

No one ever seems to focus on Obama's judgement, no one wants to dissect his decisions or his experience or his choices.

Palin has more executive experience than all three of the other's combined; it's not hard to follow if you try.

[Totally Heterosexual Conservative]

"The liberals seem to have a tough time recognizing that Palin is not a mayor any longer but a state governor."

Uh, not really. It's the winger meatballs on television who include Palin's mayoral career in her "executive expereince."

"They also seem to have difficulty responding to questions about Obama's foreign policy experience and from whence it comes."

Uh, not really. Sitting on the foregin relations committee, actually spending time abroad. More than W, more than Clinton, more than Reagan. Besides, the lack of foreign policy argument was invented by GOPers - who are about to put a woman with ZERO foreign policy expereince a heart-beat away.

"Obama has no more and no less FP experience than Palin, yet his executive experience pales in comparison to hers, and the Presidency is an executive position."

But but but, St. McMaverick is a senator too. According to your metric, there are almost 50 people in this country as quallified as Ms. Palin. In fact, according to your metric, Bill Richardson is probably the single most qualified person in this counrty to be president.

"The democrat fear is clearly on display when even Barack Obama can't make himself recognize her as Alaska State Governor but instead refers to her position as a mayor (which is STILL more executive experience than what Obama has)."

Yes, that lead Obama is opening up, and the fact that none of the GOP bobble-heads can explain Ms. Palin's qualifications on tv, and trooper-gate, etc. certainly have us worried. The fact that no one can point to a single important decision as an executive made by Palin, as an example of her "executive judgment" worries us too.

"Now that the Obama campaign has made an agonizingly stupid decision to try to equate Palin to Nazis for God's sake, you can almost hear the wheels coming off the 'Hopey Change' bus."

Um, when did Obama compare her to the Nazis?

Finally, whoops: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090103148.html

Looks, like "the reformer" is connected to GOP hero Jack Abramoff.

[Worst President Ever]

"Now that the Obama campaign has made an agonizingly stupid decision to try to equate Palin to Nazis for God's sake, you can almost hear the wheels coming off the 'Hopey Change' bus."

Got a link with a quote from Obama where he uses the words 'Palin' and 'Nazi' in the same sentence?

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

---Uh, not really. It's the winger meatballs on television who include Palin's mayoral career in her "executive expereince."---

Executive experience, whether you like it or not and as even Obama would agree because he equated his campaigning to her mayoral stint.

---Uh, not really. Sitting on the foregin relations committee, actually spending time abroad.---

Hee hee hee. While sitting as a junior senator on the FRC, he led not a single item of policy. Later, while on the European affairs subcommittee he didn't call a single policy hearing. And if spending time abroad is now FP experience, McCain would trump him by miles.

---But but but, St. McMaverick is a senator too. According to your metric, there are almost 50 people in this country as quallified as Ms. Palin. In fact, according to your metric, Bill Richardson is probably the single most qualified person in this counrty to be president.---

Good call, which makes me wonder why Bill Richardson wasn't chosen when he was the nominee. But since the two top picks are senators we need to focus on other experiential criteria, and that "metric" doesn't reflect favorably on Obama nor Biden.

---Yes, that lead Obama is opening up, and the fact that none of the GOP bobble-heads can explain Ms. Palin's qualifications on tv, and trooper-gate, etc. certainly have us worried. The fact that no one can point to a single important decision as an executive made by Palin, as an example of her "executive judgment" worries us too.---

Again, hee hee hee, nice non answer. Six whole points is quite the lead, and right after his convention no less...six points. If Palin's supposed lack of executive qualities is so worrisome to the left and Obama, why not make the effort to put that lack front and center? Because Obama's new meme, that his campaigning should now count as exec experience, makes him look like a fool so he refers to Palin as "mayor'.

---Um, when did Obama compare her to the Nazis?---

Um, I said the "Obama campaign".
Obama spokesman Mark Bubriski: "Palin was a supporter of Pat Buchanan, a right-winger or as many Jews call him: a Nazi sympathizer".

---Looks, like "the reformer" is connected to GOP hero Jack Abramoff.---

Finally, whoops, I didn't see Abramoff's name in that article. Perhaps you meant to say "Rezko", you know, just to keep within the 'Hope and Change' new style political framework.

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

Feel free to watch the vid if you like.

"Palin was a supporter of Pat Buchanan, a right-winger or as many Jews call him: a Nazi sympathizer".

Concentrate on the words "Palin" and "Nazi" which are in the same sentence.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2008/09/02/you-are-pathetic-human-being-you-should-be-ashamed-yourself

[seekeronos]

"--- Besides, the lack of foreign policy argument was invented by GOPers - who are about to put a woman with ZERO foreign policy expereince a heart-beat away. ---"

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss Ms. Palin's foreign policy experience. After all, being governor of a state a stone's throw from Russia isn't something that the governors of the Lower 48 can claim to be.

[chris]

I'm thinking that this whole Palin thing was a calculated move to shore up the white trash vote. I'd look for a picture of Brandi or Misty or whatever her name is on McCain's website barefoot with a cigarette in one hand and a gun in the other.

[Fred Beloit]

chris: "The party of Lincoln and unwed teen mothers needs to get a reality check."
Mr Conservative: "St. McBBQ didn't know dick about Ms. Palin when he recklessly chose her to be a heart-beat away from the presidency."

I wonder if you two patriots have considered that you want Americans to elect the first bastard to be president?

[PA]

"I'll be laughing my ass off when Ms. Palin's name is withdrawn by the end of the month. "

Want to back that up with some green? I got a grand says she stays put.

[Ulrich P.]

""Uh, not really. Sitting on the foregin relations committee, actually spending time abroad.""

Laughable. Sam Kinnison at the height of his career laughable. I once took a three week backpacking tour of Europe, I guess I'm now qualified to be President as I spent more time in Europe than Obama did on his last "look at me" trip. Heck, I probably wouldn't have lost as many points to McCain as he did.

Obama visits Iraq, which is currently the very core of America's foreign policy efforts, exactly twice in the five years we have been involved there.

Laughable, laughable spin in an attempt to create gravitas where none exists; its the equivalent of a gas-pumper haughtily referring to himself as a petroleum distribution consultant.

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

Chris is still trying to figure out how he can justify voting for a guy who is the offspring of an "unwed teenage mother", a demographic he apparently loathes. Leave him be and give him plenty of space to work things out.

[Worst President Ever]

Gee Fred, I wonder what you'd have to post if it were one of Obama's unwed daughters that was pregnant. I'm sure you'd exhibit all the class you usually do.

Any moer "experienced" decisions like the Palin one from McCain, and you can start talking about how big November's landslide will be. Maybe if she loses, she'll 'lead' Alaska out of the Union.

[Riff]

Hey, were you people aware that Anbar was just given over to complete Iraqi control?

If you take a few hours and sift through the thousands of stories about Bristol Palin's abdomen (three on the front page of today's NYT alone) you might be able to read more about the handover.

Ah well, the ever professional MSM has to keep their shrinking revenues from disappearing completely, copying a success like the National Enquirer might be the smart move.

[chris]

I understand that Fred's career success was limited and think that his lack of logic could be a contributing factor. In any case Fred, please try to follow along:

B. Obama was born to an unwed mother. He then rose above his circumstances and went to U of C, Harvard Law and the US Senate. Result - No stigma for Obama.

Ms Palin is a devout friend of Jesus who tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her promiscuous daughter. If said daughter excercises better prenatal precautions than her mother did and has a healthy child that child may go on to U of C, Harvard Law etc. Result - Small town mayor looks like a bad mom for hiding her 'sinful' daughter. Child has no stigma.

[Ulrich P.]

""I wonder what you'd have to post if it were one of Obama's unwed daughters that was pregnant.""

What? Do you really believe that Obama would allow his daughters to be "punished" with a baby? Perish the thought, though if one of them DID give birth, there are usually utility closets with convenient tossing distance of the delivery room.

[Worst President Ever]

Thanks for making my case there Ulrich P.

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

---Ms Palin is a devout friend of Jesus who tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her promiscuous daughter.---

Hmmm, so much for the oft-repeated terms such as "privacy", "choice" and "it's my body"; I look forward to the repeal of Roe v Wade.

Odd that promiscuity would be the new liberal catch-phrase, what with Bill Clinton fresh off his stint as guest speaker at the DFL convention.

[Ulrich P.]

That Obama feels babies are punishment and supports infanticide? No problem, happy to give you a preview of the RNC ad campaign soon to come. Good luck with all that.

[Worst President Ever]

You're a moron.

[Riff]

Hey, perhaps the liberal blogs can create more of those fake 'Palin bikini' pics and continue referring to her as "patriotic valley trash"; it's always wise to piss-off half the electorate with vulgar insults.

[Ulrich P.]

Snappy comeback. Here, let me write that down...let's see here...get into a debate...exchange views...get caught in a painful conundrum...fire back with a juvenile slur. And it's "moron", right? Not maroon or monkey, just "moron". M-O-R-...let's see...O-N.

Cool, got it. Thanks.

[seekeronos]

"--- If said daughter excercises better prenatal precautions than her mother did ... ---"

Well, the precautions that a mother *exercises* doesn't matter much when the kid has an extra chromosome or two. That's more a factor of chance and genetics, and possibly reproductive age than the timing of airline flights.

[Worst President Ever]

From Obama. "Let me be a clear as possible: I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits, and people's children are especially off limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.

"And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories. You know my mother had me when she was 18, and how a family deals with issues and, you know, teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off limits."

[Worst President Ever]

Actually, it's MORON. Becuase, in case you hadn't noticed, Obama's got TWO daughters. Which, if he truly practiced infanticide, he WOULDN'T HAVE. Duh.

[PA]

"I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off limits."

He needs to send the NYT that memo. As far as I'm concerned, if the NYT has given such attacks its imprimatur, then this is a green light to go after the private lives, spouses, and children of every single candidate on either side.

That's OK. I have no problem playing by "the rules" as long as someone tells me what they are, and the NYT has just done this.

[seekeronos]

Ah, the old "ace in the hole" for liberals: change the context.

The context of infanticide would have applied to any "blob of flesh" (a.k.a. a living, human child) was referring to Gov. Palin's influence toward her daughter Bristol towards keeping the baby.

The context of Obabma's "compassionate" comment about not punishing either of her daughters with a baby (of course, by destroying said child by ripping it limb from limb or piercing its brain with hooks, and then extracting the baby's carcass with a vaccuum).

How do you, WPE, justify twisting the context back onto Obama's daughters, as if to suggest that he had punished Michelle with two babies?

Now if you must attack Gov. Palin, take a deeper look at "Trooper-Gate" or "Secessionist-Gate".

Although I thing that you might find that both of tose are just as empty as "Pregnant Teen Daughter-Gate".

[Worst President Ever]

Infanticide is the killing of infants. You're trying to conflate infanticide with abortion.

[Spartan112]

Trooper-gate doesn't look all that empty. It's pretty clear someone was trying to cover things up, whether it was her or her staff. What also seems clear is that her husband seems more than willing to interject himself into meetings, gov't business etc.

I don't think she'll be dumped from the ticket...actually I hope she's not. She's going to be an anchor...mush like McCain at Annapolis.

[chris]

I second that. Please leave Harriet Myers 2008 on the ticket. Please.

[Pat Kris]

Abortion is the killing of infants as well as infanticide, which Obama supported through his state senate votes.

[Pat Kris]

I would definitely go with that, stand up tall for a cop who tasered his own kid and threatened the life of another person. I'm sure you can march that into a campaign commercial, leaving out of course that the guy was offered another job. As for the "pretty clear someone was trying to cover things up", sorry but breathless hysteria that Palin "might" have done something wrong doesn't count.

Dimwits, all of youse.

[Worst President Ever]

"Abortion is the killing of infants as well as infanticide"

No.

[seekeronos]

"--- Infanticide is the killing of infants. You're trying to conflate infanticide with abortion. ---"

Abortion is the murder of infants who have not had the blessing of being born yet.

Abortion IS infanticide, Abortion IS murder, Abortion IS the spilling of INNOCENT blood, which God shall require at the hands of you who celebrated the state-sponsored MURDER of 40 MILLION LIVES.

It is nothing short of genocide against the unborn, and those who have aided and abetted the legalisation of abortion-on-demand should be tried for crimes against humanity.

[befair]

Golly Gee - Good news folks. Read Newsweek online & it seems that Bush aides are tutoring Palin on all matter of things but especially foreign policy. Bush aides??? Can we say more of the same, same, same. So much for McCain and change.