Run, Baby, Run? The Sarah Palin Sideshow—Scottsdale Edition

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Obama Thinks There Are 57 states - And He Even Stopped To
You're right, worse facepalm moments have occurred. How big a deal they are is as much a factor of who controls the press and the medium of information flow and of how things are projected as it is of who said them. I think everyone all knows what she meant. At the time. . . all American colonists were British, weren't they?

It's really hard to make the argument that we have 57 states though, isn't it?

So which faux pas is the bigger deal? You tell me :shrug: At least someone has the guts to think and speak off the cuff.

 

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I certainly lean conservative, but Sarah gets on my last nerve. I feel sorry for the abuse she takes, but she brings it on herself trying to swim in the deep end. She's regular person. She might even be a nice person. I know a lot of them. They shouldn't be president either. Nor would I want them defending me in a murder trial or performing brain surgery on me.

Aren't we frick'n tired of narcissists with mediocre intellect, talent, experience and insight being our figureheads? (I sure don't want to think of them as leaders.) We've had a whole lot of that just recently. No more. Please. No more.

Unfortunately, it's like cops. The people who want to do it are the last people you want doing it.

 

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Palin's. By far. Any number of them. I don't recall Obama going on the talk shows to claim he really meant the territories as well, or there really were 57 states, or the media asked him a gotcha question, or anything like that, eh?

But she makes so many, they kind of blur together - like a forest of tall trees, none of them look tall among the others.

Leave off the "think" part - it's not indicated. As far as run their mouths? Lots of people do that. I meet them at bus stops, at the bar, in line at the gas station. The courage of ignorance and the confidence of incompetence are not rare in this world.

The only interesting thing about Palin is why her backers are running her out there again. I think she moves the frame - by the time she gets done talking, even Paul Ryan spouting "voodoo economics" (Bush Sr's term for the original) sounds mature and thoughtful. Palin can make the Romney/Bachmann ticket look almost like an actual governing possibility.

 

Obama obviously misspoke once while on a grueling campaign schedule. He obviously knows the number of states in the Union. The guy graduated with honors from Harvard Law.

That is far different from repeatedly getting very simple facts wrong on a rather consistent basis and then doubling down refusing to admit error; and then having your supporters intentionally rewrite history to be consistent with the errors.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217359/Sarah_Palin_fans_try_to_rewrite_history_on_Wikipedia

Unfortunately, I think this speaks to the larger issue - the complete lack of morals and ethics of those who follow and support Palin. They are willing to lie in order to further their political agenda.

 

A friend of mine that is my age went to Harvard about that same time and he said it was all "pass/fail". Is that true?

He said the hard part was getting in, and then smooth sailing.

 

For the regular undergraduate school, the children of the rich and alumni enjoy a certain slack - what is known at Yale as the "Gentleman's C" grade.

Obama was not a child of alumni, or any relation to wealthy donors. He went to Harvard Law school, not the undergraduate college, and excelled. That is not a "pass/fail" situation.

Lots of center-right corporate friendly politicians like Obama are very bright guys. They aren't oblivious to their situation - Obama is probably sincere when he says, for example, that a single payer setup would be his preference for health care - he just can't see getting it.

 

I just looked up my friend's credentials:

Law School: Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1980

College: University of Pennsylvania (B.S., Econ., magna cum laude, 1977; B.A., Pol. Sci., magna cum laude, 1977; M.A., Pol. Sci., 1977)

So his only experience at Harvard was law school, and it was pass/fail according to him.

I had a Yale prof in Law school who used the word "bofe" for "both" and he had the great Yale Law credentials but he was in the process of getting terminated for being a lousy teacher. I also don't remember him being very brilliant, so there might be ways to get in such institutions that don't require superhuman intellect. I really don't have any other info about how they make the sausage.

 

Sarcasm?

 

Oil Wrestling and Rubbernecking

The Press, They Are a'Tryin

Because the American press adores a train wreck, we ought not be surprised at the schoolyard fascination shown the emerging showdown between former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

Julian Brooks at Rolling Stone offers the Bachmann-Palin Challenge: "Can you tell them apart?" And the back-and-forth between the would-be campaigns is perfect fodder for a press willing to egg them on:

Surrogates from the camps of Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have been a-feudin' this week, because newly-minted Bachmann consigliere Ed Rollins went on the radio and said that Palin "has not been serious over the last couple of years." Which, relative to Bachmann, who has an actual job in politics and is mounting a presidential campaign, is fairly objectively true. But Rollins caught flak for the statement, and yesterday, did one of those limited walk-backs where he apologized for overstepping while simultaneously scoffing at the Palinistas' demand for a "retraction."

Of course, Rollins has been working pretty hard this pre-primary season, primarily on building a campaign infrastructure for Mike Huckabee. Huckabee declined to take Rollins up on the offer, so now he's trying to seamlessly plug Bachmann into the "campaign-in-waiting" he'd already built. So, from Rollins' perspective, is Bachmann a more serious candidate? Sure! After all, she hired Ed Rollins!

(Linkins)​

And yet, as Jason Linkins recalls for the liberal Huffington Post, "who was the last person Rollins deemed to be unserious? Why, it was Michele Bachmann. That could prove to be somewhat nettlesome."

Meanwhile, Jonathan Capehart is practically screaming for it, posting a title, "Rollins slap at Palin shows Bachmann isn't afraid of a fight"—

When 64 percent of the country says it won't vote for you (up 11 percent since November 2009), when 42 percent of your fellow Republicans say they won't vote for you (up 18 percent since November 2009, which is also the biggest increase), and when you've done nothing to alter the perception that you're "not serious," why shouldn't you be attacked?

In the movie "Elizabeth," Walsingham tells Queen Elizabeth, "A prince should never flinch from being blamed for acts of ruthlessness, which are necessary for safeguarding the state and their own person. You must take these things so much to heart that you do not fear to strike. Even the very nearest that you have if they be implicated." This is a tad dramatic, I know, but the Rollins slap at Palin (and the backhanded apology) is a sign to me that Bachmann isn't too afraid of a fight.​

—but he is discussing, in part, his colleague Jennifer Rubin, who covered the Rollins salvo for the Washington Post's Right Turn blog:

The trouble started when Rollins, still in his TV cabler mind-set, went after Sarah Palin, calling her "not serious." This was dumb on multiple levels including (in no particular order): 1) it took the focus off his boss; 2) it will offend voters who are Bachmann's natural constituency; and 3) it plays into the sexist "Palin v. Bachmann!" match-up that his boss has tried to downplay.​

In other words, Bitch Fight!

Not just a catfight, but a mother of all hodowns.

If Bachmann runs, we will eventually hear mainstream press references to oil wrestling, hair pulling, and scratching of the eyes. They'll be lucky to get out of it with nothing more severe than a Kilkenny joke or six. Rubin knows it. Capehart knows it. Everyone knows it: Bachmann, Rollins, Palin—anyone remotely involved in the Beltway news cycle.

Even a sympathetic media organization like The Christian Post can't help but ask:

Bachmann declined to answer the last question: "If you choose to not pursue the presidency, what would you think about a Sarah Palin attempt?"​

Who says America's manufacturing sector is in decline? It's just devoting a greater proportion of its output to journalism.
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Notes:

Brookes, Julian. "Take the Bachmann-Palin Challenge: Can You Tell Them Apart?" Rolling Stone. June 9, 2011. RollingStone.com. June 10, 2011. http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...in-challenge-can-you-tell-them-apart-20110609

Linkins, Jason. "Palin, Bachmann Camps Feud Over Who Gets To Be Defined As A 'Serious' Candidate". The Huffington Post. June 9, 2011. HuffingtonPost.com. June 10, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/09/palin-bachmann-camps-feud_n_873918.html

Capehart, Jonathan. "Rollins slap at Palin shows Bachmann isn't afraid of a fight". PostPartisan. June 9, 2011. WashingtonPost.com. June 10, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...raid-of-a-fight/2011/03/04/AGUkgQNH_blog.html

Rubin, Jennifer. "Ed Rollins isn’t helping Michele Bachmann". Right Turn. June 8, 2011. WashingtonPost.com. June 10, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...michel-bachmann/2011/03/29/AGarTJMH_blog.html

Lyman, Isabel. "Interview: Bachmann Shares About Her Faith and Family". The Christian Post. June 9, 2011. ChristianPost.com. June 10, 2011. http://www.christianpost.com/news/interview-bachmann-shares-about-her-faith-and-family-51009/

 

Palin keeps showing up a key Republican events, straw polls, candidate announcments. The only Republican event she seems to avoid with fervor are debate. It appears to me that she intends to run for POTUS. However, she wants to minimize exposure to little things like debates and those gotcha questions.

 

Run, Baby, Run!

It could be that Sarah Palin is something of a guinea pig or lab rat. The Republicans are presently in a state of unease about their own processes; Mitt Romney, for instance, is skipping the Ames Straw Poll, but intends to keep campaigning in Iowa. Sarah Palin intends to duck the Straw Poll, too, but keeps herself in orbit as if to plunge into the race at any moment.

So perhaps some wonks in the Republican establishment are looking for a new electoral formula. Palin can't win the general, but seems determined to chase the spotlight. As many have speculated her intentions to be more financial than political, it seems possible that if she enters the election, her public relations stunts are going to receive new scrutiny.

In that sense, the wonks can figure out something about what they can and can't get away with.

Of course, that's entirely speculative.

And while I do trust some of the assessments that suggest Palin is all about money, UPI reports that she is still dangling the presidential carrot in front of Republicans:

Ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is to visit the Iowa State Fair after GOP presidential hopefuls debate but before Saturday's Iowa straw poll, her office said.

"We accept with gratefulness an invitation to meet folks at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines," she said in an e-mail her political action committee sent to supporters announcing the resumption of her "One Nation Tour" that spotlighted iconic U.S. destinations in the Northeast in May and June.

The fair is a popular stop for White House contenders and her appearance could coincide with those of declared Republican hopefuls Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who are also due there Friday.

Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, has said she will announce by next month whether she intends to run for president. She is to deliver the keynote address at a Sept. 3 Tea Party of America "Restoring America" rally in Waukee, Iowa, near Des Moines.​

Part of me hopes she really does run. The present Republican field is astounding, and yet another increase in its whack factor will certainly keep the contest interesting. Indeed, the more voters see of the spectacle, the more hopeful I am that they will eventually come to understand that the GOP is best taken not so much with a grain of salt or a spoonful of sugar, but as a comedy troupe instead of a political movement.

I mean, between Bachmann, Cain, Santorum, Gingrich, and the expected entry of Rick Perry, the fringe court is in high style. Adding Palin to the mix would be interesting, to say the least.

Meanwhile, Huntsman, Romney, and Pawlenty continue to lag in Iowa, and Ron Paul offers up his own unique brand of sideshow. Truthfully, this will all be kind of funny until one of them manages to win the general election.
____________________

Notes:

United Press International. "Palin to appear in Iowa after GOP debate". August 11, 2011. UPI.com. August 11, 2011. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011...-in-Iowa-after-GOP-debate/UPI-61951313049600/

 

Palin Family Priorities?

Palin Family Charm Priorities on Display at Iowa State Fair

Todd Palin apparently received some criticism last week at the Iowa State Fair; RawStory has the transcript:

"We're from Alaska," the woman told him. "We were sick when she quit."

"What would you recommend doing when you got $600,000, $700,000 of debt hanging over your head, and you still have all these people filing complaints against you?" Todd Palin asked. "What would you do?"

"Well, you go for the money obviously. That's what she did. Everybody in Alaska thinks she sold out," the woman replied.

"Hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. You got all this debt going to be there," Todd Palin insisted.

"It's not there anymore is it? You got quite the deal," the woman charged, adding that Todd Palin was also a "sellout" as he walked away.​

The last few years have heard many suggestions that the Palins are all sorts of wrong for public office. Many of these criticisms focus on their "folksy" approach, insinuating that their charm masks deep, rural ignorance. And, certainly, there is all manner of -ism in many of those critiques. Sexism, classism, regionalism, liberalism; you know, the usual litany of evils in America.

But something about Todd Palin's tone and posture; has his proximity to politics simply hardened and stiffened him? Or is he simply that clumsy in dealing with people?

That wasn't the most helpful piece of Wasilla Arizona that Todd Palin brought to the Iowa State Fair. Is it Alaska? Is it Todd? Is it "Palin"? Or is it just that among the diversity of humanity, Todd Palin is so unlucky as to be politically doltish in public yet married a politician?

Remember: They're arguing about public service. The question of whether Todd's remarks represent his own outlook specifically or the general Palin view is vital; one can construe his remarks as an affirmation of the Palins' public service priorities.
____________________

Notes:

Edwards, David. "Iowa fairgoer to Todd Palin: Your wife 'sold out'". RawReplay. August 15, 2011. RawStory.com. August 15, 2011. http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/iowa-fairgoer-to-todd-palin-your-wife-sold-out/

See Also:

Garofoli, Joe. "Todd Palin answers woman who calls Palins a "sellout" at Sarah Palin Iowa event". The San Francisco Chronicle. August 14, 2011. SFGate.com. August 15, 2011. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=95350

 

Hey is Palin not going to run for president? Whatever happened to that idea?

 

Actually, word has is that the upper-tier law schools have lately implemented a "Gentleman's B" as one of many means of gaming the USNWR rankings.

But this would be a recent development, long postdating Obama's terms.

And anyway, merely getting in to such a program (on merit, without being a product of wealth and connections, as you mention) is itself an impressive enough achievement, regardless of how cushy the instructional program itself may or may not be.

One would have to have one's head pretty far up one's ideological fundament to regard description's of Obama as center-right and corporation-friendly as problematic. He's to the right of Nixon.

 

She's Still Dangling Her Carrot

Too Feminist to Fight a Girl

Still floating around in the aether. Mama Grizzly turned up at the Iowa State Fair in advance of the Ames Straw Poll, largely to stir things up. Although Kasie Hunt noted one episode from all of that worth chuckling over:

But Palin did her best to make herself the center of the political universe, eagerly engaging with just about every candidate she'd compete against if she did get in—including Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

"Just because there may happen to be two women in the race," Palin said, "that they would you know as Michele had put it once, get in the mud and engage in some catfighting that's ridiculous. It's kind of even a sexist notion to consider that two women would be kind of duking it out."

She raised her fists and punched the air. "If I'm gonna duke it out, I'm gonna duke it out with the guys," she said.​

____________________

Notes:

Hunt, Kasie. "Sarah Palin's presidential campaign plans remain a mystery during Iowa trip". Politico. August 12, 2011. Politico.com. August 15, 2011. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61248.html

 

Palin Continues to Tease

The Tease?

Sarah Palin is slated to speak in Indanola, Iowa, at a Tea Party rally on September 3. According to Charlie Gruschow, of Tea Party of America, explained to FOX News that, while her specific speech agenda is not clear, Palin will "make a major announcement".

Party of America has already started running radio ads in Iowa promoting the event. And the group's website has a poll asking readers not if but "when" Palin will announce her candidacy.

Karl Rove, a Fox News analyst and former adviser to ex-President George W. Bush, said the movement looks "pre-presidential campaign" to him.

"I'm not much of a gambler but I'd put a little more money that she gets in than if she doesn't, because of the schedule she's got next week in Iowa, it looks like that of candidate, not celebrity," he told "Fox News Sunday."

Donald Trump, who had publicly entertained -- and then snuffed -- the thought of his own presidential campaign, said Monday that he thinks "she maybe is going to go into the race" ....

.... However, a Rasmussen Reports poll out Monday showed that President Obama would slay Palin in a head-to-head matchup if the election were held today. According to the poll, 50 percent would support Obama compared to 33 percent for Palin. Rasmussen notes this is the first time Obama has climbed out of the 40s in a hypothetical match.

John Fund, senior editor with the American Spectator, said he thinks Palin is merely toying with the media. He said he does not think Palin will enter the race at this point, and dismissed claims that the Republican field is too flawed to be competitive against the incumbent president.

"Every Democratic field has been accused of having the same problems," he said, citing the 1992 field from which emerged Bill Clinton. "Once someone has the nomination, they will have demonstrated campaign skills, campaign abilities that will become apparent. And they will be competitive."

Palin, as ever, is keeping the buzz alive. She told Fox News last week she is "still contemplating" whether to jump in the race. At the same time, she said, "you don't need a title to make a difference. You don't need to hold an office to make a difference."​

I still don't think she's going to actually run.

But what will her announcement be?

It's likely not a Congressional run; I'm uncertain what state she actually lives in, anymore. Alaska Democratic Sen. Mark Begich isn't up this year; the representative from AZ-5 (Scottsdale, Tempe, southeast Phoenix, and environs) is a Republican, David Schweikert.

Thus, I don't think she will be announcing any kind of run for office.

The question, then, is what will she be saying?

So I'll start off with a guess: Sarah Palin will endorse Gov. Rick Perry on September 3, in Iowa.

Anyone? Anyone?
____________________

Notes:

FOX News. "Clues Dropped on Potential Palin Run, but Decision Still a Secret". August 22, 2011. FOXNews.com. August 22, 2011. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/22/palin-stirs-2012-talk-with-iowa-schedule/

 

So much comes to mind.

But before that, I need to tell a little back story.

Remember in "Blue Harvest", "Something, Something, Something . . . Darkside" or "It's a Trap!" the scene where they are all gathered together, plotting something-or-other, and a comment is made to Lois/Lea about another woman in the room being the ONLY other woman in the entire galaxy, and Lois/Lea is left nonplussed for just a moment, then mumbles, "I don't like her."???​

Well it's pertinent. Because, I have noticed--and I know I'm stereotyping females here--that the ladies, especially strong ones, tend not to like other ladies, ESPECIALLY the strong ones. I don't know why. But I've seen it ALL too often in the corporate world where I work. I have FAR too many female friends who aver, regularly, that they just don't like other women, etc. etc.

Well, I have a nagging suspicion that "the bitch is back" precisely because of that reason. Like, how dare that other gash hog my limelight!!! (okay, that was a bit inappropriate, but you see where I'm going with this)

Anyway, I'm thrilled about this. More than thrilled. I'm extatic. I hope that Palin, Bachmann and Perry duke it out over the "I'm the bigger batshit, nutcase, fucking lunatic Christian than you are" award.

Why do I care? Because, despite the nay-sayers saying "nay", I'm starting to see Mr. Obama as a one-termer. Not saying that I like it (I've actually come around to Obama while most people have turned away from him--more on that later), but if some Republican has to win, I'd rather it be the Mormons ("THE MORMONS ARE COMING!!! THE MORMONS ARE COMING!!!)--specifically, Huntsman. If I have to have a Republican in the office, then I'm praying to Vishnu that it's one of those two.

Now, as to why I've come around to Obama, it's for the very reason that I've lambasted and insulted many other voters in my lifetime: I've become a "one issue" voter (technically, a "two issue" voter). Why have I become a one [er, two] issue voter? Because, I realize that, no matter who's in the office, American foreign policy is untouchable by either party. The mechanisms of State, in this country, aren't changing regardless of the party of the POTUS (see: Obama's lofty claims before the election, see the reality now).

Domestic policy, while shifty, doesn't seem to change so much based on the POTUS either, but more on the Congress. Ergo, I'm left with two issues (which, sorta boil down to one): My never-ending second-class status as an American citizen. See, in the past four months, I've decided that I want to marry my boyfriend of five-point-five years. We now have joint checking accounts, we live together, we're raising our two lovely cats together, we have a home together and we--in every way imaginable--are married except legally. We have zero rights to each other's property and should either of us become sick, our parents will be making existential decisions on our part and not the other half of the partnership. And this shit sucks.

For me it's all about: Who's going to appoint the next SCOTUS justice and who is going to put forth effort to getting me the right to marry my boyfriend.

So, to that end, I will only vote for the candidate who promises and has previously demonstrated some of the values which directly impact my aspiring-to-be-a-first-class-citizenship status. Any candidate who does not, will not ever get my vote. Any candidate who campaigns for the opposite, I will work against to whatever means I have.

~String