What Sarah Palin Has to Do Tonight [Update: Open Thread]

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/3/2008 4:14:29 PM

Tonight is an extremely important night for Sarah Palin. What she must do is nothing less than...read a speech, written for her by former Bush White House speechwriter Matt Scully, off a teleprompter. She also must smile while she does it (although not inappropriately, for instance when she refers to the "terrorists" or whatever), not slobber on the podium, and not let the word "secession" or "creationism" slip her lips. Then, she will have been a great success, and the Republican ticket will have been saved for at least another day or two. Ha. :)

P.S.  Oh yeah, and do NOT, under ANY circumstances, mention the fact that she appears in "a campaign photo from 2006 when the Bridge to Nowhere was considered the Bridge to Somewhere by one candidate seeking votes from the people of Ketchikan."  (note: click on photo to "embiggen")

UPDATE by Rob: For your RNC viewing and commenting pleasure, please use this as an open thread.

Here's a story about her crowing about her tiny town bagging federal pork dollars that John McCain opposed.  "We did well!!!" indeed.

UPDATE by Lowell: Rudy Giuliani's speech is typical of today's Republican Party - nasty, fear mongering, blame the "other," mock the common good, the Big Lie.  Do these people have ANYTHING positive to contribute, or is it all negativity, all the time?  Wait, don't answer that question.

UPDATE #2 by Lowell:  Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been nothing but gracious to Sarah Palin, and now she's showing what she's all about - a "nice hockey mom" trashing community organizers and attacking Obama in really nasty terms. No wonder why her nickname was "Sarah barracuda."

UPDATE #3 by Lowell: Now she's just flat out lying, implying that the Democrats want to surrender/take your money/raise your taxes/blah blah blah, and of course the idiot delegates are giving her a standing ovation.

UPDATE #4 by Lowell: The Obama campaign has issued a statement.

The speech that Governor Palin was well delivered, but it was written by George Bush's speechwriter and sounds exactly like the same divisive, partisan attacks we've heard from George Bush for the last eight years.  If Governor Palin and John McCain want to define 'change' as voting with George Bush 90% of the time, that's their choice, but we don't think the American people are ready to take a 10% chance on change," said Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman


Comments



MSNBC's "First Read" (Lowell - 9/3/2008 4:29:46 PM)
slams McSame's new ad:

It's important to note that there are a few misleading assertions in the ad. For one, the "Journal" that's cited is the conservative and partisan Wall Street Journal editorial page. Two, to call Obama the Senate's most liberal senator is dubious. (The charge comes from the National Journal ranking Obama as having the most liberal Senate voting record of 2007, but he was nowhere near the top in 2005 and 2006; it's also worth noting that Obama missed many Senate votes in 2007, so that ranking is a bit skewed.) And three, the charge that Obama "gave big oil billions in subsidies and giveaways" is misleading. (According to nonpartisan fact-checkers, the 2005 energy bill the McCain camp is referring to actual resulted in a net tax INCREASE on oil companies.)


And the greatest "misleading assertion" of all... (legacyofmarshall - 9/3/2008 4:42:09 PM)
Is that the McCain campaign is so naïve that they think they can continue with their "women will automatically vote for a woman" strategy.  Having a female read the positive lines about Palin and a man read the negative lines about Obama is a thinly veiled... no, scratch that, it's not veiled at all.

Another great line from the MSNBC analysis:

"The campaign says the ad will air in "key states" (read: there probably isn't much money behind the ad)."



Yeh, McSame is probably (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 9:29:40 PM)
counting on the inane media airing the ad over and over.  Why pay for an add when the media will run it for free a hundred times?


Women Aren't Buying It (Josh - 9/3/2008 11:08:14 PM)
Obama/Biden leads McCain/Palin by 18 Among Women



Alaskan Talk Show (NP - 9/4/2008 12:49:07 PM)
http://www.democracynow.org/20...

You will want to listen to this interview which aired this morning of an Alaskan talk show host who follows palin closely.



She'll do fine tonight. (Pain - 9/3/2008 4:41:31 PM)
She can read a teleprompter, probably better than McCain.

Now, the media has to do fine as well, and not stop investigating this woman because the McCain campaign stomps its feet and holds its breath.



But when has the media (Tiderion - 9/3/2008 8:26:54 PM)
actually really done its job well? Small media outlets have a much better opportunity to really investigate and report.


Culture Wars and Flip Flops Replace Straight Talk (AnonymousIsAWoman - 9/3/2008 4:44:48 PM)
A Bush speech writer is writing Palin's speech.  Because of McCain's reckless pick, the GOP is returning to the famous Culture Wars.

I wonder how McSame's many independent and moderate supporters from 2000 are feeling now?  In fact, I wonder if even the MSM is finally going to get disgusted that this is not the "ironic" hip kewl kid from the Straight Talk Express that they grew to love so much.

And talk about flip flops.  Well, may let's not because that would fill a book.



They won't because (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 9:30:44 PM)
if McSame loses, the media will depend on him for his committee business (and favoritism).


Ouch, THIS is painful! (Lowell - 9/3/2008 4:45:04 PM)


"Two conservative commentators on MSNBC, after they're off the air, say what they really think about the veep choice."



WAS THAT AIRED??? (legacyofmarshall - 9/3/2008 4:56:34 PM)
Please tell me MSNBC actually screwed that up and left it up on cable tv...


I'm not sure. (Lowell - 9/3/2008 4:59:42 PM)
But it's on YouTube, ready to go viral - so spread it around! :)


Full Circle Back to MSNBC (jsrutstein - 9/3/2008 5:37:19 PM)
This ought to be HUGE!  With the ever-increasing speed of spreading these viral messages, I'm hopeful it goes full circle back to MSNBC tonight.  I'm not surprised that Murphy and Noonan wait until they think the mics are off before they speak freely, but NBC's Political Director, Chuck Todd, was right there with them.  This ought to embarrass the whole crew to follow Olbermann and Maddow's lead and drop the faux objectivity.  If future potential guests are deterred from showing up, because the seats become too hot, so be it.


Newsweek picks it up. (Pain - 9/3/2008 9:39:08 PM)

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs...

That said, the real long-term worry for Crystal City is that when even a former adviser is seeing cynicism in your candidate's biggest decision to date, a bunch of average, everyday moderates are probably seeing it, too. These are the voters--independents, soft Democrats--who privilege personality over policy. They're also the voters who will decide the election. They won't reject McCain because his No. 2 is further to the right than he is; in fact, they're likely to find her whole "Mooseburger Hockey Mom" persona pretty appealing. But the danger is that if Palin doesn't prove herself to be more than a "bullsh**t" political narrative over the next 60 days, she may become for these voters a living, breathing negation of what they once considered "the greatness of McCain": his "no cynicism" brand.


As long as (Ingrid - 9/3/2008 5:03:08 PM)
she doesn't mention Hillary Clinton's name she will be fine with the kool-aid crowd.


She will be sly as a fox (hereinva - 9/3/2008 5:07:10 PM)
and put on the "charm" offensive. It will be reported that she "hit it out of the ballpark", "hit a home-run", completed a "hail mary" etc(choose your favorite sports analogy).

She is very capable of reading text..and just like W, will be able to spit out the script she is given and smile while doing it. She will repeat words that will strike a chord with her base:"reformer" "pro-life" "patriot","pro-family""faith" while taking jabs at the "left".    



You've got that right. (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 5:44:10 PM)
And thelickspittle media will repeat the garbage day after day.  Note the superlatives about Obama ended shortly after his speech Thu.  And everything's back to "McCain the Maverick" this week.  It really is sickening.

Another thing:
Why is there so little coverage (or even much of a mention)  of the violent police overreaction in MN.  They rounded up reporters and camera persons.  Personnel from Newsday, the AP and Democracy Now were all rounded up, handcuffed and charged with various charges.  Amy Goodman, who never did a violent thing in her life, was accused of something ridiculous like "intention to riot" because she was running down the street trying to locate her producers who had been arrested under false pretenses roughed up, stomped on while on the ground, and bruised.  She heard that one of them was bleeding from the face.  So she was trying to locate them and reaffirm to the police that they are media.  The police stole their press passes.  Even Goodman's so she cannot report from inside the convention anymore.  Though who would want to?  They only got out of jail quickly because 1,000 people of influence called the St. Paul police.  What about innocent people, exerting their constitutionally protected rights.

Personally, I would not have wasted my time going there to protest.  I do not know what good it would do.  And, unfortunately, this overreaction was predictable.  Still, this is America.  And another piece of the Constitution was demolished this week.

Police encircled homes of those who were planning to peacefully protest (that's not even allowed now).  A very small number of people were out of control.  But the police arrested hundreds and were out of control themselves.  The staff of I-Witness TV found storm troopers encircling the house they were in.  They were told if they left to take pictures they'd be arrested.



It will be so tightly scripted and written by experts in using code language that (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 5:46:19 PM)
one would be dreaming to think it will go badly.  One GOPher said today she's an excellent "performer."  Honestly, that is really revealing.  It's as if this is all an act and the GOPher all but admitted it.


Agreed that she'll be sly as a fox . . . (JPTERP - 9/3/2008 9:14:58 PM)
It seems that lying with a straight face is pretty much part of the job description for an authoritarian Republican.

My attitude toward the press is more wait and see.  A campaign can only scream "bias" so many times.  The charges ring especially hollow when the VP pick refuses to answer questions about her candidacy -- especially in a case like this one where there are a lot of questions and the VP is a virtual unknown.  McCain is alienating his political base -- e.g. the Washington press corp -- when he and his people whine and whine about the coverage.



Yes (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 9:28:22 PM)
Yes lying comes easier to the Fundies because they think Gawd told them to say it.


McCain is saying eveyrone should lay off criticizing (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 6:02:21 PM)
Palin and the media should stop investigating her background.

Rgister your opinion here.



We must do our jobs tonight and tomorrow. The media collectively (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 6:15:48 PM)
and CNN and MSNBC in particular are acting as though Palin could actually prove she's worth of the nomination in one speech.  We have to rebut this absurd argument.  One speech tonight does not make up for the whole long list of her shortcomings, deceptions, and made up cred.  She was mayor of a postage stamp.  She has barely served as gov (of a state the size of Austin, TX) and she gets her foreign policy from God.  (The Iraq war was a "task from God.").  Otherwise she knows nothing about foreign policy.  And her ghost written speech means zip.

We cannot allow the GOP and the media to act as though she nails this and is therefore "qualified."

We must push back on this loudly.



Palin (South County - 9/3/2008 9:20:58 PM)
Her candidacy is really a joke.  This is on par with hiring a little league coach to be the manager of the Boston Red Sox.  After all the little league coach has "executive experience."  The question should not be whether someone had executive experience, but whether that experience was relevant, or was it small potatoes?  Sure, she's commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard, but Governors have no title 10 operational authority.  Plus, the Alaska Army NG has 1,850 troops.  The U.S. Army has 538,000.  Imagine Palin in a meeting with Gen. Petraeus on setting complex Counterinsurgency strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Uh....


Can you picture her at a G-8 summit?? (ericy - 9/3/2008 9:32:44 PM)

A very simple question to ask people.  Can you picture her meeting world leaders and not making a fool of herself.


McCain and Palin (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 9:34:43 PM)
G.I. Joe and Barbie. At least she can read que cards into his ear.


And if McCain kicks the bucket... (ericy - 9/3/2008 10:15:33 PM)

This crazy woman is on her own.  That's the nightmare scenario.


Bizarre (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 9:37:06 PM)
The GOP convention might be the weirdest thing I've watched since the Corey Haim E! True Hollywood Story. But hey, did you know John McCain was a POW?  


GOP Convention (South County - 9/3/2008 9:45:49 PM)
I find it really amusing the stuff I've heard this week.  

This party has been in the White House the last 8 years and had control of Congress 6 of the last 8 years.  So, what have we seen since 2001:

a weaker economy
job losses
declining stock market
stagnant wage growth
higher gas prices
Katrina debacle
Rumsfeld as SECDEF (ugh!)
a misguided war in Iraq
lack of attention to the real war on terror in Afghan
billions wasted to war profiteers
no advancement on entitlement reform
no universal health care
lack of diplomatic breakthroughs
no advancement in energy reform
lack of funding for education
more debt run up than all previous Presidents combined

But, who cares about all that, we got tax cuts!  

For all this they deserve another turn?  The audacity!  When do people stop rewarding failure?



Giuilani on McCain's experience (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:03:59 PM)


Alaska talk show (NP - 9/4/2008 12:28:44 PM)
http://www.democracynow.org/20...

you really want to listen to this interview which aired this morning.  Radio talk show host in Alaska who has followed palin closely.



Republicans ridicule community organizing (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:14:11 PM)
They apparently think it's a big joke.  Well, that's no surprise, given what conservative philosophy is all about, and given what the definition of community organizing is:

Community organizing is a process by which people are brought together to act in common self-interest. While organizing describes any activity involving people interacting with one another in a formal manner, much community organizing is in the pursuit of a common agenda.

That's the whole point, conservatives don't believe in "common self-interest" or a "common agenda" for the common good.  They believe in private self-interest only, preferably for the most wealthy and powerful individuals and corporations, and definitely NOT for the common good.  Why would anyone vote for this party?



Forgot the (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:14:36 PM)
link.


DISGRACEFUL. (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 10:20:07 PM)
You'd think after eight years of Dubya, I couldn't be outraged. Thanks, Mike and Rudy. It is absolutely shameful how Republicans are repeatedly trashing community organizing at this convention. Who are the real elitists in this country if not the rich, smug bastards who will go on national TV and trash people who dedicate their lives to helping the least fortunate among us?

Yes, I said bastards. I'm specifically referring to Mike Huckabee and Rudolph Giuliani. Absolute bastards. If they apologize for trashing community organizers, I'll apologize for calling them bastards.  



This is truly nauseating. (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:27:31 PM)
I can't decide who I dislike more, Giuliani or the people cheering him.


Guiliani (Quizzical - 9/3/2008 10:33:35 PM)
Funny when Guiliani was comparing McCain's and Obama's resume, he left out any mention of a Havard J.D., being President of the Harvard Law Review, practicing law, teaching constitutional law, etc.  Also time to dust off that editorial by Mikva about what voting present means in the Illinois legislature.

http://www.law.uchicago.edu/ne...



Giuliani is now coming off mute (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:29:55 PM)
It was quite interesting to imagine what he was saying.  I think he was saying "Obama is Number 1" or something like that.

Seriously though - what about Palin's babies ;-)  How could a mother do that!!!  Lol.  

OK, here comes the former mayor from Wasilla.



Mr Chairman, Vice President, and Delegates: (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:33:51 PM)
I'm cute.  Vote for me.


If elected you will have a friend, advocate (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:39:48 PM)
and lots of babies in the White House.


Yes. She's a mom, (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:11:12 PM)
She's a loving person.  She's qualified.  I actually heard one GOP pol yesterday say that she runs a family so she has leadership experience.


I think she probably is a nice person (relawson - 9/3/2008 11:17:43 PM)
But she just entered the ring of death ;-)  Or something like that.  

She knows what she just stepped into.  This is the big league, not the Wasilla city council or Juneau.  She is in way over her head.  

Sure she can read a teleprompter and give us a pretty smile - just like she did when she was a reporter.  I can't wait until the debates.  The only think Biden needs to worry about is making her cry - that probably wouldn't be good.



You can rest assured (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/4/2008 7:57:35 AM)
that she'll cry like Samuel Alito's wife did at this confirmation hears.  Mean! Mean! Mean Democrats.  How scripted was that?  Alito was not doing well, so they kicked it up a notch and brought her in to cry on cue.


Utterly bizarre - former mayor of the most cosmopolitan (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:34:39 PM)
city in the world, New York City, ridicules cosmopolitan cities. Huh?!?!?  Is this supposed to be some kind of bizarre joke or what?  


Unions (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 10:39:37 PM)
Wait, did Palin just brag her husband is in a union? I thought Romney trashed unions?


You caught that too!!! (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:41:26 PM)
Why would a union family be in the Republican party???  The most avidly anti-union group of people in the world.  Discusts me.


Union member... (Josh - 9/3/2008 11:13:30 PM)
Alaska First successionist first dude.

awesome!



The narrative (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 10:43:46 PM)
The GOP has no ideas, so it's all about the narrative. POW. Hockey mom. POW. Hockey mom. POW. Hockey mom.


Utterly brain dead. (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:46:37 PM)
Just repeat the same old slogans, over and over again.  Yaaaaawwwwn.

Oh, and bash the "liberal" media.

Oh, and mention 9/11, Iraq, "shining city on a hill."

Yay! Cheer! Rah rah, kill some A-rabs!



Top theme for the night (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:44:28 PM)
Ridicule community organizers.  Wonderful, great bunch of (white) people they got there at the Republican convention.


Yes, (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:17:10 PM)
meanwhile Palin doesn't know what Constitutional Law is.


Tell us what being mayor in Wasilla involves - please (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:44:55 PM)


Actual responsibilities (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:45:41 PM)
Like moose patrol.


Getting earmarks from Congress (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 10:50:18 PM)
And moose patrol. Also, you need to try to fire the local librarian. Remember, this woman only has two years of college. Seems like she has a strong anti-intellectual streak too.

What does she know about the law, about the Constitution, and about what the VP actually does?



She has a two year degree? (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:51:44 PM)
Seriously?

No offense to those without one, but we are talking VP here.



That's what I understand. (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 10:54:51 PM)


Miss Congeniality has a BS in Communications-Journalism (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:59:06 PM)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...
In 1984, Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant (playing the flute),[7][8] then finished second in the Miss Alaska pageant,[9] at which she won a college scholarship and the "Miss Congeniality" award.[6] Palin admits to smoking marijuana as a youth, during the time when possession was legal in Alaska, though she says she did not enjoy it.[10]

Palin attended Hawaii Pacific College-now Hawaii Pacific University-in Honolulu for a semester in 1982, majoring in Business Administration. She transferred in 1983 to North Idaho College.[11] In 1987,[12] Palin received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho, where she also minored in political science.[13][14]

I would also point out that she played the flute.  I went to college in Hawaii so I give her props for that.  Unfortunately she left after one semester and transfered to Idaho.  Loser!!! ;-)



First lie (relawson - 9/3/2008 11:01:04 PM)
Palin admits to smoking marijuana as a youth, during the time when possession was legal in Alaska, though she says she did not enjoy it.[10]

She enjoyed it.  She probably grows it and makes brownies for all the other hockey moms.  This is Wasilla people.

I lived in Alaska when pot was legal.  It was the least productive years of my life ;-)



I've read different in other places (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:04:15 PM)
Remember, anyone can post anything on Wikipedia. We need to watch out for new narratives on Sarah. Just as all the  McCain scandals and his cooperation with his captors in North Vietnam have been covered up so they will create a "new" Sarah Palin.


Since when (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:19:01 PM)
does journalism warrant a B. of Science?


Um, I have a BS in journalism. (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 11:34:54 PM)


Our Point, Exactly (HisRoc - 9/4/2008 1:42:58 AM)


Honest question: (Tiderion - 9/4/2008 3:07:08 AM)
wouldn't it be a Bachelor of Arts?


That's what I was asking. (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/4/2008 8:01:57 AM)
It used to be (I give away my age) that a bachelor of science had a scientific component.  And the master of arts is for everything else?  


Harsh (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 10:48:12 PM)
I'm sure the Fargo accent isn't helping (if Iraq = EYE-rack, does Italian = EYE-tal-yun?), but Palin is coming across as really sarcastic and abrasive. But I guess that's just like everyone else who's spoken tonight, so she DOES fit right in with the national GOP!


If she wants to challenge the status quo (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:49:36 PM)
She shouldn't be running to be Bush and Cheney's third term with John McCain.


She stood up to big oil!!! (relawson - 9/3/2008 10:50:01 PM)
Wasn't she chairman of the board?  LOL.


Palin (Quizzical - 9/3/2008 10:54:02 PM)
Yeah, she's a good speaker -- doesn't rush, modulates the volume and tone of her voice, isn't visibly nervous, doesn't step on her applause lines.  


She's clearly a novice though. (Tiderion - 9/4/2008 12:12:29 AM)
Notice how she stops at weird times. She got a lot better as the speech went on.


False dichotomy (Lowell - 9/3/2008 10:54:58 PM)
According to Sarah barracuda, either you do things the Republican way on energy (drill, drill, drill!!!), or you're doing nothing at all.


Obama thinks we should drill too (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 10:57:33 PM)
Its too confusing for them to tell the truth about the complex views of Obama. Its easier for them to just say he doesn't want to drill. The Republican "don't want to know nothings" just eat it off a stick.


RE: Update #2 (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 11:00:23 PM)
No more whining about how anyone who criticizes Palin is being mean and sexist. This is how she wants to play, fine. But don't act offended when we hit back.


It's open season. . . (Bobby - 9/3/2008 11:03:57 PM)
and we don't need to use personal attacks.  That's all I've gotta say.


They call even relevant negatices personal attacks. (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:15:10 PM)
So no matter what we do or say they'll say the same thing, so I am not going to worry about it.


Most of Palin's political experience (relawson - 9/3/2008 11:06:12 PM)
Image:Wasilla City Hall.jpg

Nuff said.



Yeh, as I said, the size of a convenience store. n/t (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:11:53 PM)


MCCAIN'S FAKE SMILE! (TheGreenMiles - 9/3/2008 11:12:47 PM)
How I missed you so!

How many different people have held that poor little baby tonight? He's been passed around like a prop.



The man never smiles naturally (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:13:56 PM)
It is always forced, and an afterthought.


The smile (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:20:35 PM)
I heard from a credible source (an investigative reporter) that McCain wears an undergarment. It must be hard to smile genuinely if you are always worried about wetting yourself. God help any of us if we end up in this situation. I feel sorry for McCain, even though he is a Republican.


Too much information... (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:21:37 PM)


Maybe (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:23:52 PM)
Maybe its too much information, but it is related to health, and when it relates to the presidency, it is relevant.  


He had cancer surgery on his face (Andrea Chamblee - 9/4/2008 12:00:22 AM)
And has a scar down one side. That could affect his smile. While I sympathize, on the other hand, while he opened his health records the last two times he ran, he has promised and then not delivered this time (NYT says). Perhaps his health is so bad, he's afraid Sarah Palin will be president.

http://beltwayprogressive.blog...



The baby is a prop (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:18:05 PM)
This woman is a narcissist using her children as props.


Don't know about anyone else, but (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:13:09 PM)
I am mad as hell and I will take it on on her by working harder to elect Obama.  

These folks are trying to make a mockery out of something serious.  Our country's at stake and they demean the presidency this way.  



That was a solid hour of speechifying (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:14:28 PM)
We're junkies, so we listened to it all.

I'm thinking much of America tuned out around 9:35 EDT.

Well, anyway, we now know she can read, at least.



Ok, I'm watching Faux (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:15:56 PM)
Mort Kondrake: She was brilliant.

Bill Kristol: Tough for Sen. McCain to top that tomorrow night.



My god (Lowell - 9/3/2008 11:17:03 PM)
How can you watch Faux?  I could barely even stomach the hatefest in St. Paul...


It's not easy (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:19:25 PM)
The woman from Fortune (her name escapes me) says the speech was a home run.

But, she cautions, now she will have to go out and answer questions.

Uh-oh.

Fred Barnes: She's a natural.



Kondrake said (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:17:41 PM)
she showd she had geopolitical knowledge.

He cited the part of the speech where she mentioned the Caucuses and the Saudi refinery that was attacked.

I'm guessing she was just reading those lines.

Sheesh.



You mean she hasn't studied (Lowell - 9/3/2008 11:19:56 PM)
about Saudi Arabia and the Caucasus for years?  Kondrake, what a complete hack.


AS if she wrote the speech n/t (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:20:47 PM)


Does not compute (Quizzical - 9/3/2008 11:17:57 PM)
I'm having a hard time accepting the fact that she bragged about making the oil companies "share revenues" with the people of Alaska, and then made an emphatic argument against any tax increases whatsoever.  Does not compute.  Isn't it a fact that she quadrupled Alaska's tax on the oil companies?  Or is there some semantics involved, and they call it royalties or fees or something, not taxes?

Besides that, who is going to pay for the Iraq War?  Oh wait, that's Trig's job.



You expect Republicans to make sense? (Kindler - 9/3/2008 11:37:33 PM)
You been sampling the Alaska state weed too?


Cowboy Troy is there (relawson - 9/3/2008 11:20:01 PM)
See, Republicans are inclusive.


They are spinning furiously (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:22:54 PM)
About her competency.

Of course, all she did was deliver a speech decently. I thought that just delivering a speech didn't mean anything.

Oh, never mind -- I can't stand anymore.

Anyway, my sense is that they are a way too effusive in their praise. I suspect this played differently in living rooms than in the Xcel Center.



What a morally bankrupt party. (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:23:08 PM)
The only way they can even function is to lie (and with far too much impunity at the hands of the media and some voters).


Hate, hate, and more hate. (Lowell - 9/3/2008 11:24:42 PM)
Oh, and cynicism. And more hate.  Ugh.


You're right, Lowell (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:29:35 PM)
I should have added that the only way they can function is lies, hate...and fear.  


Josh Marshall (Lowell - 9/3/2008 11:24:03 PM)
has some thoughts:

[Giuliani] positively dripped with a kind of curdled anger, the origin of which is difficult to grasp. But he actually seemed to get angrier and angrier as the speech progressed -- off chopping his hands around, bearing his teeth. I know the people in the hall loved it. But I think a lot of people will see it as whacked. Rancid. Curdled. Palin's speech ended up being much more partisan than I expected. But that was added to by the fact that she had to start her speech while the auditorium was still awash in the teeth-gnashing froth ginned up by Rudy's speech. I've seen political events that I totally got and others that I thought I got but was totally wrong. So who knows? But take this as a sign that the McCain campaign has abandoned an effort to compete for swing voters and go back to the base energizing strategy that worked for President Bush in 2004. The numbers make that look like a tough proposition. But I think a few months from now, everyone will agree this was a mistake.


It is amazing to me that the Republicans (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:26:46 PM)
do not grasp the sheer inconsistency of their message.

On the one hand, they spent yesterday talking about bi-partisanship, and today hurling insults at Obama, Biden, Reid and Michelle Obama.

Insults -- not argument. It is one thing to state a case againt Democrats, but quite another to just insult. If you make a case, I think people listen to you, but if you insult, I think it strikes people wrong.



The Republicans (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:28:20 PM)
When looking at the people in the audience I see wealthly people wearing diamonds and wingnuts. I feel like the Republican Party has come to old white guys and wingnut hicks. -Oh and the oilmen they love. The old Republicans, the middle of the road ones seem to be on the way out. Perhaps the Party will just implode and a different one will emerge. At this point they are really scraping the bottom of the barrel.


They've been on the way out for twenty years. (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:34:54 PM)
J. Warner and the other five "moderates," nearly always vote with Bush.  So, essentially we have no moderates any more.  For the health of our country I hope that the Republican party remakes itself into a real party.  During Watergate there were some Republican heroes.


Palin (Leslie Byrne - 9/3/2008 11:29:32 PM)
We now know why McCain wanted her on the ticket--to be his Dick Cheney in a skirt.


One talking head said today (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:30:45 PM)
that Biden agreed the Palin was experienced enough to be VP.  Does anyone know if that is even true?  If Biden said that, I am appalled.


Must be this, Kathy (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:35:56 PM)
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz...

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden said he does not question Sarah Palin's credentials. "She was the governor of a state. She warrants respect," Biden said during a townhall meeting at a Sarasota High School today. "I assume that she's qualified."

There's more in the story.



She fits the GOP profile: (Will Write For Food - 9/3/2008 11:29:41 PM)
Lies, slime and division.

Notice how there's no talk about the economy (except Huckabee) or McCain's 20+ year record in Congress.



Howard Wolfson on Fox (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:31:34 PM)
"She gave a heckuva speech"

"I was most impressed by her ability to stick a knife in Obama with a smile."

"Her family on stage was priceless"

"Democrats should be worried."

Finally, Chris Wallace says, "We have you on to say something critical. Can you say something critical?"

I have lost all respect for Wolfson. For whatever reason, he has opted to forego any future in the Democratic Party for a career of fetching coffee for Karl Rove in the Fox Newsroom.  



Your expectations (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/3/2008 11:36:51 PM)
were set too high (on Wolfson).  


I never thought he was great (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:43:50 PM)
And I am pretty patient on this stuff, but this was just too unbelievable.

Meanwhile, Tom Brokaw does not seem too positive on this speech. I suspect he is a better read on how it went over outside the hall than anyone on Fox.



You had respect for Wolfson? (Lowell - 9/3/2008 11:43:58 PM)
Why?


Meanwhile, back in the real world (aznew - 9/3/2008 11:39:39 PM)
Troopergate continues:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200...



Wheres the flag pin? (hereinva - 9/3/2008 11:41:56 PM)
She spent most of her time tossing out the usual zingers and blurbs. Uses a "commonfolk" point of view- shes just a gal from the Northern Slope.

Talked a lot about taxes and terrorists

-She likes to veto

-As mayor of Wasilla didn't need focus groups or voter profiles (but was most likely selected V.P. by those methods)

-shes not a "Washington Elite", and John McCain doesn't "run with the Washington herd"...he walks

She seemed friendly enough-certainly a little nervous ...but no heavy policy discussion.

Overall, her delivery was o.k., but she seemed more bent on cracking jokes and "jabbing" democratic ribs;    

The camera panned the audience and many in the audience were flat faced...not really responding.

Also, her voice has a slight twang- reminded me of a midwestern accent..though she is from Alaska.



News anchor? (Kindler - 9/3/2008 11:44:41 PM)
Well, Palin has charm and attractiveness and an effective speaking style, but the whole package reminds me more of a local news anchor than of a national leader.  I kind of expect her to be talking about cold fronts in front of a giant weather map and saying "Back to you, Bob!"  But I can't quite envision her as president or even VP.

For all the talk about her being down to earth, she seems more like a performer to me than someone I could imagine sitting down to have a beer and mooseburger with.



I've had beer and mooseburger (relawson - 9/3/2008 11:51:38 PM)
And it wasn't with someone like her.  

I agree - she has the news anchor look.  She doesn't look like a leader to me.  I'm not sure how she acts - because well she hasn't been in the national spotlight long enough for me to judge that.  I have a good feel for her experience.  That is the most troubling thing about her.  

I'm sorry, but I don't want a hockey mom being one heart beat away from the presidency.  No, I'm not sorry.  This is a serious job that requires serious experience.



I read she was wearing an Israeli flag (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:45:37 PM)
If so would you call it pandering?


What does the Republican convention have in common with an Alaskan winter? (Kindler - 9/3/2008 11:46:24 PM)
They're both allllllllllllll whiiiiiiiiiiiite!!!!!!


Alaska (Rebecca - 9/3/2008 11:48:44 PM)
When in a place like Alaska one can feel as if there are limitless natural resources and plenty of animals to kill. Its a little different from the rest of the country except possibly Texas. One might say Alaska is like Texas except it is colder.


President Sarah Palin? (Andrea Chamblee - 9/3/2008 11:54:23 PM)
Sarah Palin, mayor of a town of 6,000, with 20 months experience as Alaska governor, is asking you to make her a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

President Sarah Palin!

more at http://beltwayprogressive.blog...



If I were asked to be the VP (relawson - 9/4/2008 12:00:32 AM)
(Which will never happen, I realize)

I would decline.  My ego would say yes, but the fact is that I'm not qualified so my concience would say no.  If elected, I would make poor decisions which could result in the death of innocent people or disaster for our country.

Palin isn't much more qualified than I am to be the Vice President.  Out of concern for our nation's well being, she needs to do the right thing and respectfully change her mind.

The health of our nation is just way too important for someone of her (or my) caliber to be Vice President.  It has nothing to do with her being a woman - it is that she simply is not qualified.  She would need to make foreign policy decisions, decisions of trade, etc.

She may know which way the political winds are blowing on these issues - but putting your finger to the air and measuring the political winds is no way to lead a nation.

Now, if someone needs a new trade or labor czar - I'm your guy ;-)  NAFTA look out ;-)



Meh (Ron1 - 9/4/2008 12:00:45 AM)
Every time I switched over for a second or two, all I heard was lies. So, instead I watched a great match between Serena and Venus Williams.

I have faith that the people of this country, 80% of whom say the country is going in the wrong direction, aren't going to swallow heaping mounds of bullshit from Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin. These people are completely detached from reality. I actually heard Mike Huckabee talking about Republicans wanting to protect our liberties!!!!

And what an old, white horror fest inside the Xcel Center, dancing and prancing and carrying about with utter spite and derision for anyone that doesn't drink their Kool-Aid.

The media may fawn and fall for this crap, and the Republican base may finally all come home, but I think any independent watching tonight would be utterly shocked by how out of touch these bastards are.

All Ms. Palin did was act small, act snarky towards Barack Obama (without actually explaining her actual qualifications for the office), and lie through her shiny teeth about the famous road to nowhere earmark. The hubris it takes to lie about a story, on camera and in front of the country, that has already been thoroughly debunked is utterly amazing.

We're not in 2004 anymore. The American people aren't going to be fooled, and one night of speechifying and saying the sky is green isn't going to fool 'em.

All the Republicans have is cheap talk, and they're going down hard in November. They deserve it.  



Did you miss (tx2vadem - 9/4/2008 9:49:39 AM)
how she mocked that Obama would be more concerned with reading terrorists their rights?  


That part truly chilled me (Kindler - 9/4/2008 9:29:44 PM)
Goodbye, Bill of Rights -- you're just not politically correct anymore.

I hope that type of attitude drives more Repubs to either the Dems or the Libertarians.



Thanks Tom (Barbara - 9/4/2008 12:03:31 AM)
Had to laugh when Tom Brokow pointed out the contradiction in her speech about the bridge, (he rightly noted she was for it before she was against it.)  

I did take real offense at her line about being mayor of Wasila and the real responsibilites if brings.

I hope I'm not the only one who has no idea who Cowboy Troy is.  I'm not sure I even want to know.



Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, was once a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, its officials have said. (relawson - 9/4/2008 12:03:44 AM)
Can anyone confirm this?  How can someone who once wanted to succeed from the union now want to lead it???

Baffling if this is true.



It is true (Andrea Chamblee - 9/4/2008 12:50:31 AM)
See my post above and the link.  


She spoke to the AIP for (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/4/2008 8:08:40 AM)
their convention.  She may also ahve attended other meetings.  Officers of the Party claimed she was a member.  BUT she did not register as a party member (AIP is a legal political party in Alaska).  But Palin's husband was a member for most (all but a few months) of about 7 years --until 2002, I believe. I still believe her tires are greater than that, but that's all that's out there right now.  Stories are up about this at ABC blogs (Jake Tapper) and MSNBC.


I mean (KathyinBlacksburg - 9/4/2008 8:14:27 AM)
her ties


This is an issue that will stick (relawson - 9/4/2008 10:25:29 AM)
It goes right at her loyalty to this nation.  She must be politically savy enough to know what the "I" in AIP stands for.  

Legally registered member or not, her husband is part of a group that could be considered a traitor group and she attends their meetings and speaks at their conventions.

I think a fair question in the debate is "Sarah Palin, you have been associated with the Alaska Independence Party which, as a party, wishes that Alaska would succeed from the United States.  Do you support the succession of Alaska from the United States?"



The more interesting articles (Tiderion - 9/4/2008 10:30:30 AM)
about that issue are in foreign news. People around the world seem to think it is absolutely retarded to even consider electing someone remotely connected with a separatist movement.

Will the Confederacy too rise again under Palin? If so, I'll defend Virginia but I am not fighting anyone outside of my state.



Did anyone count (Tiderion - 9/4/2008 12:14:58 AM)
all the lies Republicans uttered tonight? I lost count.


Hockey mom? (Quizzical - 9/4/2008 6:51:54 AM)
This is a minor quibble, but I'm wondering when was the last time she was actually a "hockey mom"?  I mean, have Bristol and/or Piper been playing hockey?  It's certainly possible, especially in Alaska; but it is also possible that the Governor started using the "hockey mom" label when she first ran for Mayor, and has stuck with it because it sounds good and works for her.

If I called myself a "cub scout dad" and you found out that my son is in college, what would you think?

 



Palin through the eyes of a Wasilla resident (Quizzical - 9/4/2008 7:25:49 AM)
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com...

That post suggests that Palin's claim to be a "hockey mom" was "true for a few years".  Which is what I suspected.



Pres. of the Harvard Law Review (Quizzical - 9/4/2008 7:16:23 AM)
Another thing, that stuff about Obama never making an executive decision in his life.  Is being President of the Harvard Law Review chopped liver?  They seem to be counting on the average voter not knowing how much responsibility and how much work that job entails.