Hucksters

These Palins sure are some Hucksters. The daughter with the baby is charging 30k for speeches!

Hate 2008

The Secret Service, in mid-October, warned the Obama family that death threats had increased as an apparent result of the increased character attacks on Barack Obama by VP nominee Sarah Palin. Looks like Palin's words were taken to heart by some of our dear fellow citizens/bigots prone to violence.

According to the report Michelle Obama asked, "Why would they try to make people hate us?" Good question. Somebody ask Ms. (not so) smarty-pants-Alaska please.

Another First

The election of the nation's first African American President is certainly a milestone. Here's another. Alaska may be about to elect the nations first Felon-Senator. Ted Stevens maintains a few thousand vote lead (there caould be a recount) despite his very recent conviction in Washington DC for failing to disclose gifts and renovations to his home.

Congratulations again Alaska!

By the way Stevens may be forced from the Senate by fellow Senators which would result in a run-off for his Senate seat. Guess who could be a potential candidate in that election....Sarah Palin? I betcha!

CORRECTION: No recount in Alaska but all the votes aren't counted yet.

What Do They Know?

Sarah Palin has said a few dumb things since she began her run for Vice President. For example, citing Russian proximity to Alaska as foreign policy experience, claiming she reads everything when asked which magazines and newspapers she reads, saying she is unsure whether abortion clinic bombers are terrorists, just to name a few. But, two particular things she has said are particularly unsettling and should disqualify her for an Executive position.

First, she twice failed horribly trying to explain what her job as Vice President would entail. The first time was in the VP debate when she said she was thankful that the Constitution gave extra powers to the VP to get legislation through the Senate. In actuality the VPs role (besides taking over for a dead or incapacitated President) is to serve as the President of the Senate which means they preside over the Senate when it is in session. In reality, someone else almost always fills in and performs this duty because the Senate is in session a lot and the VP has a lot of useless stuff to do, and believe me if Sarah Palin becomes the VP she won't be doing much for John McCain. Also, the Vice President casts a tie-breaking vote in the Senate if necessary.

Then she said it again, in an answer to a 3rd graders question about what the VP does. This time she claimed the VP was the head of the Senate. Wrong twice. Not good.

Most recently, today in fact, she claimed that the press was threatening her First Amendment Rights by pointing out and criticizing her negative attacks on Barack Obama. She clearly has no idea what the First Amendment is all about. She is a public figure so anyone can basically say anything they want about her, including the press. Also, her complaints about the press are actually more of a threat to the First Amendment than the bullshit threats she is creating in her own mind. The Constitution says, about the press, that

"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of...the press"

So, Sarah Palin is complaining about what the press is saying about what she says.

THAT'S WHAT THE PRESS DOES GODDAMN IT!

They take news (for example things newsworthy people say about other newsworthy people in Presidential campaigns) and they report on it (you know describe it, maybe try to figure out what the hell dumb people be talking bout).

So, how could the press be stopped? Well, maybe a law could be passed to prevent them from criticizing Sarah Palin or any other candidate...oh wait, lets look at that pesky Amendment again,

"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of...the press"

Little Racist Liar

You may have heard about this McCain campaign volunteer who claimed that she was robbed and beaten by a black man who then saw she had a McCain bumper sticker on her car, got extra angry, and carved the letter "B" on her face, presumably to signify his support for Barack Obama.

She made it up.

Her name is Ashley Todd.

She is fucking awful.

Why would someone do this? I suppose it's a combination of being a little crazy and having that little craziness ignited by the sanctioned craziness coming from the McCain-Palin campaign and the shitbags orbiting around their quickly sinking campaign.

Turns out the "B" carved on her face was backwards as though it had been carved on to her face using a mirror (by her). She's admittd she made the whole thing up. Oh, and McCain and Palin made personal phone calls to her and the campaign alerted the media to the story in the first place (before it was exposed as a lie).

Here We Go

During recent and separate McCain and Palin rallies Obama has been called a terrorist, accused of being treasonous, and his murder has been called for by audience members. Up until now the McCain campaign has not denounced or even acknowledged the comments.

The Secret Service is investigating the "Kill Him!" threat per MSNBC.

...and there's been other awful stuff.

Oh, and this shit makes it on FOX News:

VP Debate...An Open Thread

Vs.

This is an open thread of sorts. What was your favorite part? Who won? How drunk are you? Or just leave a comment. Talk to each other, all 8 of you.

This is Not Good

Not sure if Charlie Gibson will get accused of being too hard on her, but this next "video" is definitely sexist.



In all seriousness, Palin's answers to basically every substantive question was clearly a scripted answer to a general topic. Israel, Russia, Foreign Policy experience all had prepared responses that she went to over and over despite the actual details of the question. Oh, and you can actually see Russia from some parts of Alaska!

Expectations

Check any of the mainstream media news outlets and you'll read this morning how Sarah Palin's speech at the RNC last night was "a home run" or (even better!) "a grand slam." I like how Sarah Palin can read a speech that SHE DIDN'T EVEN WRITE off of a teleprompter, and now she is suddenly a qualified VP candidate. What a joke.

As a society, it's sad how low our expectations are. We don't need a self-professed "Average Hockey Mom" as second in command. Personally, I want somebody smarter than me running things. We should expect our leaders to be extraordinary individuals. This reminds me of all of the idiots who voted for Bush in 2000 because he seemed like someone they would enjoy having a beer with.

No Sex Education = Pregnant

Check out this video from May Blumenthal of the Nation asking various Republicans about the fact that Vice President candidate Sarah Palin opposes sex education (you know abstinence only) and now her 17 year old daughter is pregnant.