Palin Discussion [split]

[SirNitram]

Current CNN report shows Stevens over Begich by 3353 votes, with 99% reporting. If Stevens is indicted and forced to step down, the odds seem rather good that Palin will take his place. That's...depressing.

Something like sixty thousand absentee ballots. This one will take a while. Hopefully they'll not be in the convict's favor.

[Glocksman]

In retrospect, would McCain have benefitted from choosing a more experienced and moderate VP candidate? Or would he have alienated the hard right voting block, and cancelled out any gains he might have got?

Not that I'm saying Palin alone has lost him this election, mind, but she doesn't really seem to have contributed much other than a really brief bounce in McCain's ratings.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson was the one name floated for Veep that really scared me. Unlike Palin, she might have had a decent shot at peeling away disaffected Clinton voters--she's a smart, tough, experienced woman who's moderate on social issues, especially abortion. She could have held her own against Joe Biden, the campaign wouldn't have had to sequester her, she wouldn't have made an ass of herself in an interview with Katie Couric or anyone else, she doesn't undermine McCain's experience argument against Obama, she damn sure could have told you what the Vice-President's actual job is, and I have no doubt people would have no trouble picturing her as president. And she wouldn't have had an abuse-of-power investigation hanging over her head. Yeah, the base wouldn't have liked it, but they would have disliked it less than they would have, say, Joe Lieberman, and at any rate, the smarter move for McCain would have been to try to appeal to independents and soft Democrats and bet the base is going to come home in the end.

Now, would Hutchinson have taken the job? Maybe not; rumor is she's tired of Washington and wants to run for governor of Texas when Rick Perry's term expires in 2010. But even if she didn't want the job and couldn't be convinced to take it for the sake of the party, there are other Republican women out there who wouldn't have been such a disaster--even Liddy Dole would have been a better choice. Hell, given the benefit of hindsight, even Holy Joe would have been a much better choice. Yeah, the base might have taken its ball and gone home, which probably would have cost him the election, but it's not like he could be doing any worse than he is now.

KBH was the woman I thought he was actually going to choose for all of the reasons you listed if he couldn't have Joe Lieberman.
I confess that I wrote Palin off because of the experience factor and the budding 'troopergate' scandal.

Though given her eventual effect on his campaign, I'm glad I was wrong.

[Cyborg Stan]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/ ... 976/651932

Watch the video there, 0:33-0:38 is just...

Smith: Now that the election is over, Carl, tell us more about those reports of infighting between Palin and McCain staffers.

Cameron: I wish I could have told you more at the time but all of it was put off the record until after the election. There was great concern in the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lack the degree of knowledgeability necessary to be a running mate, a vice president, and a heartbeat away from the presidency. We’re told by folks that she didn’t know what countries that were in NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, that being the Canada, the US, and Mexico. We’re told she didn’t understand that Africa was a continent rather than a country just in itself ... a whole host of questions that caused serious problems about her knowledgeability. She got very angry at staff, thought that she was mishandled.....was particularly angry about the way the Katie Couric interview went. She didn’t accept preparation for that interview when the aides say that that was part of the problem. And that there were times that she was hard to control emotionally there's talk of temper tantrums at bad news clippings......

Notwithstanding that there is to be an avalanche that will continue for many days now we’re told of stoy upon story of the foibles of Sarah Palin.

[CarsonPalmer]

That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly...God help us all.

[Aratech]

Hooooly shit.

I believe that Dubya may have actually been outdone by this woman on all levels of 'make a complete idiot out of yourself and a mockery of the job you hold.'

[sketerpot]

That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly...God help us all.

No, this is a good thing. The worse Palin looks, the harder it'll be for her to get elected to anything ever again. I hope.

[Netko]

Talk about a shocking proof of the spinelessness and uselessness of the American media - they hear that the potential VICE PRESIDENT doesn't know that AFRICA IS A CONTINENT and they DON'T REPORT IT because it was said OFF THE RECORD?!? What the hell? What if she was elected? Just what the fuck?!?

I can understand keeping some stuff off the air to remain in the good graces of certain people to get access down the line, but a bombshell like this - I would think that any sane person would consider that something like that is worth burning some bridges to report - if not even that it is a journalist's duty to report it.

Anyway, thank goodness such an incompetent didn't get elected.

On that note (since the main result thread is now locked), congratulations and well done America on the Obama election! Really, thanks!

[Dargos]

Humor me on this. Has anyone considered the possibility that Palin was chosen as a throw away VP running mate? Perhaps the Republicans knew that they really didn't have a chance to win the presidential elections the entire time and were looking to the future. You know the old "nobody likes a loser" mentality. Perhaps they were trying to cut their losses and protect future potential candidates from being infected with "Lost big in '08" stigma.
I have no evidence for this, just wild speculation.

[Samuel]

That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly be true. That can't possibly...God help us all.

No, this is a good thing. The worse Palin looks, the harder it'll be for her to get elected to anything ever again. I hope.

But all this proves to her supporters is she isn't an elitist- she is as smart as them.

I hope I'm not being to cynical... but I just read a book all about Reagan's screw ups and the population found it... endearing.

[ArcturusMengsk]

RNC lawyers to audit Palin's clothing

PHOENIX — As a top adviser in Senator John McCain’s now-imploded campaign tells the story, it was bad enough that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska unwittingly scheduled, and then took, a prank telephone call from a Canadian comedian posing as the president of France. Far worse, the adviser said, she failed to inform her ticketmate about her rogue diplomacy.

As a senior adviser in the Palin campaign tells the story, the charge is absurd. The call had been on Ms. Palin’s schedule for three days and she should not have been faulted if the McCain campaign was too clueless to notice.

-----

On Wednesday, two top McCain campaign advisers said that the clothing purchases for Ms. Palin and her family were a particular source of outrage for them. As they portrayed it, Ms. Palin had been advised by Nicolle Wallace, a senior McCain aide, that she should buy three new suits for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in September and three additional suits for the fall campaign. The budget for the clothes was anticipated to be from $20,000 to $25,000, the officials said.

Instead, in a public relations debacle undermining Ms. Palin’s image as an everywoman “hockey mom,” bills came in to the Republican National Committee for about $150,000, including charges of $75,062 at Neiman Marcus and $49,425 at Saks Fifth Avenue. The bills included clothing for Ms. Palin’s family and purchases of shoes, luggage and jewelry, the advisers said.

The advisers described the McCain campaign as incredulous about the shopping spree and said Republican National Committee lawyers were likely to go to Alaska to conduct an inventory and try to account for all that was spent.

[Darth Wong]

I would love to see the Republican wolves turn on Palin. Clearly, she only became governor because Alaskans have low standards. After all, these are the people who didn't seem to have a problem with the idea of re-electing Stevens even though he's going to prison on corruption charges.

[Flagg]

I would love to see the Republican wolves turn on Palin. Clearly, she only became governor because Alaskans have low standards. After all, these are the people who didn't seem to have a problem with the idea of re-electing Stevens even though he's going to prison on corruption charges.

I think that's what will eventually happen. She'll get the blame for the election loss despite McCain's horrid campaign and total lack of any coherent message.

[The Yosemite Bear]

hey they had a message, FEAR!!!, it worked once before.

[Flagg]

hey they had a message, FEAR!!!, it worked once before.

You can't say a guy pals around with terrorists, is anti-American, would endanger the country, and then sit down with him for an hour and a half and engage him in civil discussion let alone fail to bring those very issues up demanding he explain himself there and then. That's not coherent at all.

[The Yosemite Bear]

ok the McCain Campain had a LOT of messages, they just turned around so often they could have been harnessed for an alternative energy source. (I think that's almost FUQ worthy)

[Uraniun235]

I would love to see the Republican wolves turn on Palin. Clearly, she only became governor because Alaskans have low standards. After all, these are the people who didn't seem to have a problem with the idea of re-electing Stevens even though he's going to prison on corruption charges.

It's not surprising that a state full of people regularly receiving payoffs wouldn't have a problem with their elected officials also taking payoffs.

[Stravo]

I would love to see the Republican wolves turn on Palin. Clearly, she only became governor because Alaskans have low standards. After all, these are the people who didn't seem to have a problem with the idea of re-electing Stevens even though he's going to prison on corruption charges.

Your wish is their command.

See here. Priceless.

To think the fucking right wingers kept trying to prop this atrocity of a vp up and attack others for daring to undermine her when they knew the stuff in this clip is punch you in the face kinda outrageous.

EDIT:

Wait there's more.

[Vendetta]

Wait there's more.

The right wing machine can't have completely disowned her yet. Fox didn't put a D after her name.

[Stravo]

Wait there's more.

The right wing machine can't have completely disowned her yet. Fox didn't put a D after her name.

One has to wonder with the glee in which Fox seems to be spilling the beans what their agenda is. Are they following some back room decision to try and sabotage any attempt by Palin to come back in 2012 by the elements of the GOP leadership who want to try and steer the party away from the Palin element or is Fox trying to suck up to the left in the hope they're not relegated to the news wilderness where no one from the Obama administration provides interviews or information for the next 4 years?

There's got to be something to this Night of the long knives like behavior on their part.

[Mayabird]

I thought the "Hail Mary" analogy was spot-on, but for reasons they probably didn't think of: Most of the time, "Hail Mary" passes don't work. It's a subset of desperation moves usually not working. Certainly people remember those spectacular (and usually incredibly lucky) moments when it actually does, but they don't remember the vast majority of times the ball was swatted away or caught or just bounced on the ground and the game was over with little fanfare.

Instead of the GOP elements wanting to go to the left or against her element, maybe they just don't want to lose, and there are enough intelligent people to know that Sarah Palin would be a poison pill for any future elections outside of Alaska. They just want to make damn sure she never leaves her state again to bother them.

[Patrick Degan]

is Fox trying to suck up to the left in the hope they're not relegated to the news wilderness where no one from the Obama administration provides interviews or information for the next 4 years?

Why should that prospect bother them since they just make shit up anyway? The prime qualification for a reporter or newswriter at FoxNoise seems to be "failed fiction author".

[Darth Wong]

One has to wonder with the glee in which Fox seems to be spilling the beans what their agenda is. Are they following some back room decision to try and sabotage any attempt by Palin to come back in 2012 by the elements of the GOP leadership who want to try and steer the party away from the Palin element or is Fox trying to suck up to the left in the hope they're not relegated to the news wilderness where no one from the Obama administration provides interviews or information for the next 4 years?

There's got to be something to this Night of the long knives like behavior on their part.

There might not be any particular agenda, other than deflecting blame away from the body of the Republican Party. After all, by attacking Palin (I would say "scapegoating" except that she does bear legitimate blame for her horrendous performance), they deflect blame away from all of the other problems with the Republican party and McCain's campaign, which they share. The laissez-faire economics, the military adventurism, the constant attempts to divide America into "real America" and "anti-Americans", the theocratic anti-intellectualism ... these are all staples of not just Republicanism but the FOXNews network itself.

By pinning all the blame on Palin, they get to continue telling themselves that there was nothing wrong with all of that stuff.

[Oscar Wilde]

One has to wonder with the glee in which Fox seems to be spilling the beans what their agenda is. Are they following some back room decision to try and sabotage any attempt by Palin to come back in 2012 by the elements of the GOP leadership who want to try and steer the party away from the Palin element or is Fox trying to suck up to the left in the hope they're not relegated to the news wilderness where no one from the Obama administration provides interviews or information for the next 4 years?

There's got to be something to this Night of the long knives like behavior on their part.

Dude, it's Fox News. They don't need the President, they have the power of making up total bullshit and having people accept it.

Further Palin 2012 ruination is just topping on the cake.

[Darth Wong]

There might also be some resentment against Palin for not being a good soldier. She didn't follow orders, she didn't stick to the script, she went off half-cocked.

If a QB ignores instructions from the sidelines and scores a Super Bowl-winning touchdown, his coach is likely to forgive him. If he ignores instructions and fumbles the ball so that the other team scores, his coach is going to be PISSED.

[irishmick79]

There might also be some resentment against Palin for not being a good soldier. She didn't follow orders, she didn't stick to the script, she went off half-cocked.

If a QB ignores instructions from the sidelines and scores a Super Bowl-winning touchdown, his coach is likely to forgive him. If he ignores instructions and fumbles the ball so that the other team scores, his coach is going to be PISSED.

Which is exactly why I hope Palin winds up in the senate. McCain is definitely one to hold a grudge, and if he has to deal with her as a senate colleague, it would be interesting to see where and when they lock horns. The prospect of Palin and McCain engaging in open legislative combat at some point is a delicious one.