AMERICAblog: Politico: Sarah Palin story sparks Republican family feu
woodroad34
· 4 months ago
Given her screeching vitrol towards Dave Letterman and her daughter's baby daddy, her lies about the Bridge to Nowhere, her legal and ethical troubles, her blaming all her woes on McCain's staff, and her padding of her abilities, I really don't see someone of good character and leadership here. I think I'd go with psycho diva. I've worked with women like her, I've had friendships with people like her, and I've had in-laws like her. She's a poor example of a female politician. She's low-grade and immature for someone her age.
nomoremister
· 4 months ago
We shouldn't just focus on her because she has a serious chance at being the GOP's 2012 nominee. We should focus on her because the more we do, the more the rank and file think we're being mean to her, which makes them want to flock to her even more. We can actually help make her the nominee.
JustAnOldLady
· 4 months ago
You betcha.
lost_nacf_gop
· 4 months ago
Yeah? Remember, burn Sarah Palin now and you virtually assure that the Mittster emerges as the strongest candidate. Who'd you rather run Obama against - especially if the economic recovery is still a work in progress in 2012? I'd rather have a b*tsh*t insane post-pageant depression sufferer, over the well-coiffed "I'm a sensible businessman-blecch" that will no doubt be a pillar of the Romney campaign. How 'bout this one - Gingrich/Palin 2012 "Newtie/Cutie '12" bumper sticker franchise anyone? The 30%ers will eat those up.
SouthernYankee
· 4 months ago
The country can't go through her hate appeal again. She needs to be removed from national office now. Let her go the hollywood way.
JustAnOldLady
· 4 months ago
PLEEZEEEE.....let her run. Just imagine how entertaining the debates will be.....
kittycatastrophe
· 4 months ago
I think that the fact that Republicans are still bothered enough to get into disagreements about Palin and that some still see her as a viable candidate for 2012 confirms that they were completely devastated by 2008. She literally is nothing more than a tabloid distraction for people to amuse themselves with until something better comes along. The woman is only taken seriously by people who have lost all hope for anything better to believe in; they aren't diehards, they're deadenders.
Milli
· 4 months ago
This woman could have been one heartbeat away from the presidency. That thought scares me more than if I knew a five thousand mile wide meteor was on an absolute collision course with the earth.
AdrianBrowne
· 4 months ago
How about a follow-up on The National Enquirer's revelation that she had an affair with Todd's friend, Brad Hanson?
LuZenMyMnd
· 4 months ago
Wouldn't that be fodder for the 2012 campaign? Running for prez requires a lot more scrutinity from the puritan party.
SouthernYankee
· 4 months ago
Problem with the puritan party is they forgive them and that makes it all good. But let it be more than one there might be some problem. Remember when Carter said he had lust in his heart and alot of the puritans went nuts. Well am sure alot of those puritans have lust for Palin.
GusII
· 4 months ago
Palin Bachman 2012! Leaders the GOP can believe! America is ready for that kind of change! Stop socialism! Save Freedom! (with apologies to women everywhere)
Wesinoregon
· 4 months ago
And her witch doctor for Sec of State. Her envoy to Africa.
MrHeathen
· 4 months ago
LOL! How about Palin/Prejean 2012. Bible Spice and Breast Inplants!
GusII
· 4 months ago
NO! Prejean for Sec of Education!
MrHeathen
· 4 months ago
Perfect! And maybe Sanford can head up the Dept. for Faith-based inititives!
okojo
· 4 months ago
If it is Palin/Bachmann in 2012. I demand at one of their campaign stops, they have a mud wrestling match and it is pay per view... To show some global sensitivity, if they wanted to wrestle in olive oil as the Turks do, I will be fine with that as well.
That would be the craziest tag teams with some national prominence since Harry Caray/Jimmy Piersall were play by play announcers for the Chicago White Sox.
If they became President and Vice President, I am expecting a re-creation of the "Handmaid's Tale"
GusII
· 4 months ago
PPV would not pass the FEC, whoops, nevermind.
okojo
· 4 months ago
Okay, prayer breakfast/mud wrestling with a medication stop to received their anti psychotic medication before their next campaign stop.
As a liberal, Having Palin the Republican Nominee would make the re-election of Barack Obama in the same blowouts as Roosevelt in 36, Johnson in 64 and Reagan in 1984.
larkohio
· 4 months ago
The problem with Sarah Palin for me, was not only her stand on the issues, but what she did not know. When good old Charley Gibson asked her about the Bush Doctrine and it was clear that she had no clue what he was talking about, I just didn't think she was ready to be a heart beat away from the presidency. I KNEW what it was and no way am I qualified to be president. She isn't either.
LuZenMyMnd
· 4 months ago
The PROBLEM w/Sarah Palin was she used class and racial politics to divide. She was too busy screaming "he's (Barack) is not quite like US..."
She could never unite a nation. Not then...and Definitely NOT NOW. She doesn't have the class nor intelligence to rule a nation. She'd go to war w/Russia, Venezuela and Iran...because they're "not like us..." She's scary. Her temperment is too much like McCains.
combustibleturnip
· 4 months ago
But what should we hope for--Palin actually winning the nomination so that it further exposes the GOP as the dangerous, unprincipled party the have become, or is it too dangerous for the nation to have Palin that close to the presidency? It might be good politics for us to have her front and center, but potentially bad for the country--the world--should she somehow pull it off.
tlsintx
· 4 months ago
we think WE'VE got it bad...
GOPers are so fuct.
SouthernYankee
· 4 months ago
Gee, We don't have to pour any water on be cause she is doing a great job herself. She keeps up these tabloids issues no one will want her as president. She and her crazy family make Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carters brothers look like a couple of chorus boys. I can't image what it would look like with the Palins in the white house. Can anyone image how help would react them her demands?
HelenRainier
· 4 months ago
I just saw this morning that she is posing for Runner's World. No kidding. Pictures of her wearing her running shorts and using baby Trig as a prop in some pictures.
SouthernYankee
· 4 months ago
It would be nice when she is running that she runs into a bear. Be gone already.
angelshepherd
· 4 months ago
Seriously, people! What did Sarah Palin ever do to you folks?
The facts are: 1) Barck Hussein Obama did not win because he was a better candidate with a better platform. He won because millions of self-deluding Americans drank the hopium, and they will suffer for that choice: a worthless currency; no rights for gays; bailouts for the rich; depression; joblessness ...
2) Barack Hussein Obama will lose in 2012. Nothing like the hard knocks of life to smack you with some reality upside-your-head.
This is the sad, sad truth. Please feel free to call me names.
JamesR
· 4 months ago
You mean "angelshepherd" isn't your real name?
HelenRainier
· 4 months ago
I suspect there are a lot of people who, like myself, believe that they end up voting for the who they think will be "the lesser of two evils."
It may not be be that a lot of people thought he was the "best" but rather rather that he was the "lesser." It's been years since I've voted for who I believed was the "most qualified" but rather for "who will do the least amount of damage."
okojo
· 4 months ago
Obama won because the election was a referendum on the Republicans. Obama won because independent voters who were the backbone of the Republican victories of 2002 and 2004, fled the party in droves in 2006 and 2008.
Obama ran a much better campaign. Being in second place always have a rats fleeing a sinking ship feel to it, but McCain was erratic.
The election was decided on September 15th, 2008. Which had nothing to do with "Hopium" or "lipstick on a pig". That was the day the US Gov't let Lehman Brothers fail, setting off the Global Credit Crisis. Even if almost a complete meltdown of the World Banking system. I doubt Bush and McCain's remarks of "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" would hold up until Election Day.
okojo
· 4 months ago
As much as I loath Governor Palin, the Vanity Fair article was a badly written piece. The article shouldn't had been published. It was sloppy, highly speculative, and frankly shoddy, for hinting that Governor Palin has a personality disorder or was suffering from postpartum depression.
I do think Governor Palin is highly unqualified for the job of either the President or Vice President of the United States, but the Vanity Fair article was just plain was the just really bad journalism.
sonofloud
· 4 months ago
Let me play devil's advocate for a minute.....to the claim Palin is unqualified, if you believe that, do you also believe that Obama's 134 days in the Senate does not qualify him?
RainbowPhoenix
· 4 months ago
There's also the issue of how much education they have and the kinds of experiences they had prior to obtaining high office.
sonofloud
· 4 months ago
I see very little evidence that Obama is as intelligent as so many of his followers think.
RainbowPhoenix
· 4 months ago
The educational credentials, the time he spent as a constitutional law professor, the fact he didn't bankrupt his hometown.
sonofloud
· 4 months ago
For someone who is considered a constitutional professor, he either has one of the worst understandings of it or has no problem violating it (from the faith based initiative to FISA to kidnapping, torture, and indefinite imprisonment without trial).
RainbowPhoenix
· 4 months ago
You raised the question of his qualifications relative to Palin. The difference between them has been given.
Valentinefrey
· 4 months ago
The latter my friend. By a mile.
jixter
· 4 months ago
Wasn't it disqualifying enough that her first, official act as a contender, standing upon the National stage, was to lie to the American people?
Bridge To Nowhere?
"I told them 'thanks ... but no thanks!' "
And then, when she was exposed, she continued lying.
That's where she lost. Right there.
Everything that came after that were exhaust fumes.
sisterfaith
· 4 months ago
The sad, sad thing to me is what her nomination to the GOP ticket and the people that championed her, say about the level of intelligence in the US today.
This is scary, scary, scary.
Angelshepherd....to paraphrase Pogo....."you have met the enemy and it is you."
MrHeathen
· 4 months ago
I loved how succinctly Andrew Sullivan put it (in referrence to Todd Furdum's Vanity Fair piece (which I thought was spot on and extremely well done):
Palin - The Horror As the months have gone by since John McCain revealed his total cynicism and contempt for America's national security by selecting one Sarah Palin to be a potential vice-president of the United States, we have learned that every single ghastly attribute we discovered in the campaign is worse than we thought at the time. The narcissism, the pathological and incessant lying, the viciousness, the delusions of grandeur, the vindictiveness, the fathomless and proud ignorance, the opportunism, the vanity, the white trash concupiscence and fraudulence in almost every respect: these are now indisputable. How an advanced democracy came that close to having this farce of a candidate running the most powerful country on earth reveals how deep the corruption of our politics and especially our media are.
There is not much new in Todd Purdum's nonetheless superb summary of the Wasilla whack-job. I learned that Matt Scully's concern for the welfare of animals did not prevent him from writing not one but two speeches for a woman who backed shooting wolves from helicopters and allowing them to die a gruesomely painful death. I learned that Mark MacKinnon publicly said he would never join a campaign against Obama and yet coached Palin for her presidential debate, and kept it quiet. One should remember, I suppose, that in Washington even those who seem able to put principle before partisanship are all liars and hypocrites in the end. Chief among these goons is John McCain, a man whose reputation should never, ever recover from this act of wanton irresponsibility and cynicism.
But I did learn of several new odd lies - in the same classic pattern of categorically denying things that are categorically and patently and verifiably true. This is not, as this blog noted in the campaign, the typical political lie, the Clintonian parsing of truth or lying when the truth cannot easily be discovered. It is the statement that it is night when it is clearly, by universal aggreement, three o'clock in the afternoon. So the Dish needs an update and it is imminent. Stay tuned.
I have absolutely no patience for anyone defending Sarah Palin. None.
okojo
· 4 months ago
Todd Purdum's article was poorly written.
MrHeathen
· 4 months ago
In what way exactly. Please be specific in as much detail as possible because I disagree.
okojo
· 4 months ago
First, the article is all over the place. The introduction is awful, Purdum goes into Palin's future and book contract then then jumps into the Presidential Campaign. He then does background on Palin's rise to governor and being governor. It is very difficult to understand what is his points that he is trying to make. It seems the main narrative is bolting anonymous quotes and disillusioned ex Alaska staffers for the piece. The paragraph on Wayne Ross is just a filler.
Purdum uses way too many anonymous sources. It is a couple months after the fact,(ie the Presidential Campaign) many of these people don't need to anonymous. he should have at least show some attribution of the quotes to the relevant staffer to show better context, and to help the narrative.
My biggest problem is Purdum using speculation on Palin's behavior. I do think Palin is an ignorant insular politician, who can't handle the presidency or vice presidency of the US. However to use unattributable sources that Palin has NPD or a quote that she was suffering from post-partum depression is just bad journalism, really bad journalism.
To get a diagnosis like these, take many sessions, not just looking up DSM-IV or V, to put these in an article from anonymous quotes is just irresponsible. It doesn't matter if Governor Palin does have a NPD, or other serious behavioral matters, or she was worse than she comes across in the article. There are some standards in putting a profile piece together. If he isn't going to get an interview or face time with Governor Palin, then he should refrain from some of underhanded put downs, or have the sources be attributable to the most poignant judgments.
Todd Purdum did this for his piece on Bill Clinton last year. It was also painful to read, because he seems either incredibly arrogant to flaunt some basic journalism tenets or feels that "access" is more important a good profile of the subject. What the reader gets is the equivalent of drift net fishing, whatever is in the net becomes dinner.
It is just really sloppy writing.
mozziekiller
· 4 months ago
"The more fuel we can throw on her fire, the better."
All Comments
(with apologies to women everywhere)
That would be the craziest tag teams with some national prominence since Harry Caray/Jimmy Piersall were play by play announcers for the Chicago White Sox.
If they became President and Vice President, I am expecting a re-creation of the "Handmaid's Tale"
As a liberal, Having Palin the Republican Nominee would make the re-election of Barack Obama in the same blowouts as Roosevelt in 36, Johnson in 64 and Reagan in 1984.
She could never unite a nation. Not then...and Definitely NOT NOW. She doesn't have the class nor intelligence to rule a nation. She'd go to war w/Russia, Venezuela and Iran...because they're "not like us..." She's scary. Her temperment is too much like McCains.
It might be good politics for us to have her front and center, but potentially bad for the country--the world--should she somehow pull it off.
GOPers are so fuct.
The facts are:
1) Barck Hussein Obama did not win because he was a better candidate with a better platform. He won because millions of self-deluding Americans drank the hopium, and they will suffer for that choice: a worthless currency; no rights for gays; bailouts for the rich; depression; joblessness ...
2) Barack Hussein Obama will lose in 2012. Nothing like the hard knocks of life to smack you with some reality upside-your-head.
This is the sad, sad truth. Please feel free to call me names.
It may not be be that a lot of people thought he was the "best" but rather rather that he was the "lesser." It's been years since I've voted for who I believed was the "most qualified" but rather for "who will do the least amount of damage."
Obama ran a much better campaign. Being in second place always have a rats fleeing a sinking ship feel to it, but McCain was erratic.
The election was decided on September 15th, 2008. Which had nothing to do with "Hopium" or "lipstick on a pig". That was the day the US Gov't let Lehman Brothers fail, setting off the Global Credit Crisis. Even if almost a complete meltdown of the World Banking system. I doubt Bush and McCain's remarks of "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" would hold up until Election Day.
I do think Governor Palin is highly unqualified for the job of either the President or Vice President of the United States, but the Vanity Fair article was just plain was the just really bad journalism.
(from the faith based initiative to FISA to kidnapping, torture, and indefinite imprisonment without trial).
Bridge To Nowhere?
"I told them 'thanks ... but no thanks!' "
And then, when she was exposed, she continued lying.
That's where she lost. Right there.
Everything that came after that were exhaust fumes.
This is scary, scary, scary.
Angelshepherd....to paraphrase Pogo....."you have met the enemy and it is you."
Palin - The Horror
As the months have gone by since John McCain revealed his total cynicism and contempt for America's national security by selecting one Sarah Palin to be a potential vice-president of the United States, we have learned that every single ghastly attribute we discovered in the campaign is worse than we thought at the time. The narcissism, the pathological and incessant lying, the viciousness, the delusions of grandeur, the vindictiveness, the fathomless and proud ignorance, the opportunism, the vanity, the white trash concupiscence and fraudulence in almost every respect: these are now indisputable. How an advanced democracy came that close to having this farce of a candidate running the most powerful country on earth reveals how deep the corruption of our politics and especially our media are.
There is not much new in Todd Purdum's nonetheless superb summary of the Wasilla whack-job. I learned that Matt Scully's concern for the welfare of animals did not prevent him from writing not one but two speeches for a woman who backed shooting wolves from helicopters and allowing them to die a gruesomely painful death. I learned that Mark MacKinnon publicly said he would never join a campaign against Obama and yet coached Palin for her presidential debate, and kept it quiet. One should remember, I suppose, that in Washington even those who seem able to put principle before partisanship are all liars and hypocrites in the end. Chief among these goons is John McCain, a man whose reputation should never, ever recover from this act of wanton irresponsibility and cynicism.
But I did learn of several new odd lies - in the same classic pattern of categorically denying things that are categorically and patently and verifiably true. This is not, as this blog noted in the campaign, the typical political lie, the Clintonian parsing of truth or lying when the truth cannot easily be discovered. It is the statement that it is night when it is clearly, by universal aggreement, three o'clock in the afternoon. So the Dish needs an update and it is imminent. Stay tuned.
I have absolutely no patience for anyone defending Sarah Palin. None.
Purdum uses way too many anonymous sources. It is a couple months after the fact,(ie the Presidential Campaign) many of these people don't need to anonymous. he should have at least show some attribution of the quotes to the relevant staffer to show better context, and to help the narrative.
My biggest problem is Purdum using speculation on Palin's behavior. I do think Palin is an ignorant insular politician, who can't handle the presidency or vice presidency of the US. However to use unattributable sources that Palin has NPD or a quote that she was suffering from post-partum depression is just bad journalism, really bad journalism.
To get a diagnosis like these, take many sessions, not just looking up DSM-IV or V, to put these in an article from anonymous quotes is just irresponsible. It doesn't matter if Governor Palin does have a NPD, or other serious behavioral matters, or she was worse than she comes across in the article. There are some standards in putting a profile piece together. If he isn't going to get an interview or face time with Governor Palin, then he should refrain from some of underhanded put downs, or have the sources be attributable to the most poignant judgments.
Todd Purdum did this for his piece on Bill Clinton last year. It was also painful to read, because he seems either incredibly arrogant to flaunt some basic journalism tenets or feels that "access" is more important a good profile of the subject. What the reader gets is the equivalent of drift net fishing, whatever is in the net becomes dinner.
It is just really sloppy writing.
burn baby burn
a disco inferno
burn that mother down!