McCain Curtails First Night Of Republican National Convention
By Nicole Belle Sunday Aug 31, 2008 11:00am
Download | play 
Download | play (h/t Heather)
How dare Hurricane Gustav threaten the Gulf Coast on a Sunday? Doesn't Mother Nature know that McCain likes to take weekends off? I'm hoping that it is truly the feedback he complains about in the early part of the video and not just petulance for being forced to make executive decisions on a Sunday that accounts for a somewhat disoriented McCain announcing that in sensitivity to the damage that Hurricane Gustav may wreak on the Gulf Coast, he's opted to cancel all but the "necessary" components of today's RNC schedule:
Ariz. Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, visited the Gulf briefly and instructed convention organizers to suspend all but essential business on the opening day of the convention and turn many of the gathering's planned festivities into fundraisers for potential victims of the storm.[..]
Adding to the sense of uncertainty, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney announced that they would skip the convention to monitor preparations for the storm, which is expected to make landfall late this morning.
Officials said that as part of the convention's opening night, Laura Bush and McCain's wife, Cindy, would speak from the podium and describe ways to help victims of Hurricane Gustav. The First Lady visited the convention hall Sunday evening to check out the podium. Cindy McCain and Palin arrived in the Twin Cities by private plane Sunday night.
It's heartwarming to see such concern for the hurricane victims, isn't it? Especially since John McCain did so little for Hurricane Katrina victims and actively fought against a commission to find out what went wrong. My buddy Bob Geiger--the Senate blogger--is back to his blogging duties and files this:
What does seem odd is that McCain thinks Gulf Coast residents will forget how he, George W. Bush and the then-Republican Congress turned their backs on them so many times in the months after Katrina thundered ashore in 2005.
Sure, McCain was big on rote sympathy right after the disaster, saying on September 1, 2005 "American citizens have proven time and again how generous and selfless a people we are, and now we have an opportunity to come to the aid of those in need." A week later he stridently said "Our work to help the victims of this national tragedy has just begun, and Congress must do all that is necessary to fund essential relief and recovery efforts and help those in need."
It must be nice to have staffers writing that stuff for you.
Too bad he spent the months to follow leading the Republican charge against every Senate bill that would have actually helped Katrina victims or mandated investigations on how the Bush administration could have blown disaster response so thoroughly.
Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden jumped immediately to the aid of hurricane victims in the week after the 2005 disaster, authoring S.Amdt. 1661 "...to provide emergency funding for victims of Hurricane Katrina."[..]
But with John McCain's help, the Republican-led Senate shot down the funding on a 41-56 vote with McCain voting against, while Biden and Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama voted for the funding.
When Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) proposed the creation of a Congressional Commission to "examine the Federal, State, and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.. and make immediate corrective measures to improve such responses in the future," John McCain was once again exactly where George W. Bush wanted him to be: On the "nay" side of a straight party-line vote (44-54) that killed that legislation.
So when McCain tells the people of the Gulf Coast now that we'll pray for them, is that the only assistance they can expect from him?
Transcripts below the fold
I want to say thank everybody [sic]. Thank you. I wish everybody's having a good time in the Twin Cities and thanks to the hospitality of our great Governor of Minnesota. As you probably know, I'm in St. Louis. Yesterday, we were in Pennsylvania and the day before, in Ohio. And I'd just like to say that the enthusiasm and the warmth of the reception for the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, has been incredible and magnificent. And I really am...I knew I made the right choice, but it's been confirmed by the support and outpouring of appreciation from all over America.
As you well know, I...we are facing a great national challenge and the possibility of a great national natural disaster. And I just received a briefing down in Jackson, Mississippi, along with Gov. Haley Barbour, there's a teleconference, with the other three governors, Gov. Perry of Texas, Gov. Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Riley of Alabama. I'm happy to report to you that the coordination and the work that's being done at all levels appears to me to be excellent. There are still some challenges, such as further evacuations that need to take place. Search and rescue capabilities still aren't at the level that we'd like to see them. And communications still amongst first responders is not quite at the level that we would seek.
But I can also tell you that the level of cooperation between the federal government, the state governments, the local governments in Louisiana and in the other affected states is excellent. Is excellent. And I have every expectation that we will not see the stakes of Katrina repeated. In fact, I'm very optimistic that we will see a degree of cooperation and effort on behalf of any victims...of anyone whose lives are touched by this great natural disaster that maybe we continue to do, as Gov. Haley Barbour said the other day...he said today, ‘pray for the best and prepare for the worst.' And I think that's what we're doing as a nation.
And, as you know, the hurricane is supposed to hit sometime tomorrow, roughly noon, and the tropical storm stage is supposed to be reached sometime late tonight. And one of the things we know about hurricanes, is that many times they do the unpredictable. Three out of the last four hurricanes have veered to the east in the last several hours on their path. So we don't know, of course, exactly what's going to happen. But, as Gov. Haley Barbour said - the outstanding governor of the state of Mississippi-said, ‘we'll pray for the best and prepare for the worst.'
So, of course this is a time when we have to do away with our party politics and we have to act as Americans. We have to join, with 300 million other Americans, on behalf of our fellow citizens. It's a time for action. So we are going to suspend most of our activities tomorrow, except for those absolutely necessary. Rick Davis, our campaign manager, will be coming on right after me to tell you about the details of it. But I know you'll agree with me, it's time to open our hearts, our efforts, our wallets, our concern, our care for those American citizens now under the shadow and the probability of a natural disaster.
So I hope that all of us and I'm very...I know that all of us will not only keep in our thoughts and our prayers the people of the Gulf Coast, but we will act. We will act together. We will provide the necessary relief, the necessary comfort. We will open our arms, as Americans always have, in time of challenge, to those in our society who are...who are less fortunate because of any circumstance, but in this circumstance, because of this hurricane. So ahead of time, I want to thank all my fellow Republicans as we take off our Republican hats, and put on our American hats and we say, "America, we're with you. America, we're going to care for these people in their time of need and we're going to display it in every possible way, as Americans always have and Americans always will.
I thank you. I can hardly wait to get up there and I hope and pray that we'll be able to resume some of our normal operations as quickly as possible, but some of that, frankly, is in the hands of God.
So keep them in your prayers and also, when you get a chance to thank these wonderful thousands and thousands of volunteers, who have turned out in these efforts, not only now but will in the future. God bless them and thank God. It makes me proud to be an American.
Thank you. The time for action is now.
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So will the media call him "presumptuous" for daring to act presidential?
Only until he plays the POW card.
Almost three years to the day of Katrina... It's almost like some Deity wants to remind everyone just how dangerous it would be to elect another Republican.
...if you believe in such things... and millions of *them* do.
So "Dick" Cheney will be busy "monitoring preparations" for the storm?
Why am I not comforted by that?
Like they really need a blowhard like McCain adding to the already high winds in the area. Doesn't he have a birthday party or the like to attend? Maybe his clown suit and baloons were left in one of his other McMansions? Good thing that this time around they have some Republican governors in charge so the Feds know where to find them.
This is the greatest thing to ever happen to the Repugs. They love it
1) No Bush
2) No Dick
3) No Stump speech by McCain (see horrible performance in "green-screen" day)
4) No focus on Sarah Palin's lies
5) No focus on Ron Paul convention
6) No focus on protestors
They love this! Oh, if only every hurricane could occur in an election year.
“Dick” Cheney will be busy monitoring Americans.
Gustav is not a do over!
McCain and Bush were eating cake when New Orleans was drowning during Katrina and all the grandstanding by Bush and McCain during Gustav won't change that fact.
Three years too late and if the election was not in November you have to wonder if they would bother pretending to care at all.
"So when McCain tells the people of the Gulf Coast now that we’ll pray for them, is that the only assistance they can expect from him?"
Praying has been proven over and over again to be much more effective than taking action. Look at all those amputees who have had their limbs restored like new due to prayer.
Dobson First!
actually I have to take part of my last post back. The cake was left uneaten. It was just a photo-op cake.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/24/flashback-as-katrina-raged-mccain-ce...
Ruthless People @ 7:
9/11 Changed Everything.
I guess all those prayers for rain interfering with the DNC's convention have boomeranged.
Palin's daughter is reported to be pregnant.
Cindy to John: "Hurry up John we have to get to New Orleans! You forgot again we have a house there!"
So, when McCain said we must act like Americans, not republicans, is he making a freudian slip here? Republicans are not Americans?
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
They breed like rabbits don't they?
WHY the fuck is the Sr. Senator from AZ receiving "briefings" on the emergency management response in LA?!?!?!? Talk about presumptuous! If Obama had even flown anywhere near LA, Wolf Blitzer would spend the entire week asking 'Is Barrack Obama too presumptuous'? I can't believe they're going to get away with this shit! Barrack literally scared them out of their own convention and the media is acting like this is perfectly normal. The corporate media is spending NO energy on vetting Palin (who I've learned is a right wing crackpot worse than Huckabee) and heaven forbid anyone be reminded that 3 years ago John McCain and George W. Bush were having cake while American citizens died in Katrina.
I think this is more of a ploy.
Not only does this give him the impression of caring, perhaps not elitist, but
He can't hope to top Obama's convention.
Estimates I hear is that mcgramps may have tens of thousands in attendance whereas Obama had hundreds of thousands, and forty million watching his speech on TV.
So mcgramps is trying to lower expectations on purpose, so it'll look more like concern, and cut off unfavorable comparisons.
election year?
Lisa D @ 13:
I'm waiting for James Dobson to hold a press conference and admit this is proof God is a Democrat and wants Obama to win, then throw his support to Obama and encourage his supporters to do the same.
(turning purple...can't...hold...breathe....much...longer......)
Lisa D @ 13:
You gotta be real specific when praying for weather.
Please take notice:
Earlier today the premier conservative website Redstate had a post on John Kerry. That post got only eight comments. So you know that it's not scouring hundreds of comments for dangerously offensive stuff. Restate also remember isn't a marginal right wing site. It's on Huffingtonpost's selection of major blogs. Here's a copy of one of those eight comments:
As much as I'd like to see the SOB hung for treason
mbecker908 September 1st, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (link)
the more fitting, and much harsher, punishment may very well be allowing him to remain the Junior Senator from Massachusetts. From that silly perch he can continue to make a complete fool of himself on a regular basis and he can watch himself fall into damnable obscurity and total irrelevance.
On the other hand, I have a new rope I'm still willing to donate...
The links are :
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/sep/01/john-kerry-attacks-...
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/sep/01/john-kerry-attacks-...
The above comment was posted at 9:11 am today and almost three hours later it still adorns Redstate.com. The fascists are back.
Oh, and in addition with boosh and darth chainey not going to the convention, presumably because of the weather, mcgramps can put distance between them without insulting the 28% or so that still support booshco.
Tekras @ 18:
Because he's playing president and the MSM is going to let him get by with it.
RuthlessPeople@17: Yeah, so true. Guess that Palin's(and others) "abstainance
only" program is not working; even in Alaska. NYT's has reported that Sarah and
her husband Todd acknowledge that their 17 year old, unmarried, daughter is 5
months pregnant.
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
yo xoites!
I thought the youngling looked a bit paunchy in that fambly foto!
Ruthless People @ 17:
Shotgun wedding coming right up. Does Palin advocate Abstinence Only?
It's disgusting how the Republicans use tragedy for political gain.. They did it with 9/11, and now they're attempting to do it with a hurricane...
What a passionate and moving speech (major sarcasm).
How I am going to miss hearing these passion filled, from the heart (and telepromter) speeches from the "American hero" (cough, cough).
A shame they have to cut some of the blathering...I mean meaningful speeches from the repuke...I mean repug...I mean neocon/fascist party convention. A shame. Can you imagine....four solid days of lies and distortions, shortened into just a few hours. Wow....whoa is me.
I can't believe they gave this blithering idiot so much time to ramble on, repeating himself as only john mcSame can do, to paint the picture, albeit a fantasy, of American joining together to help the needy...oh wait, they were already flooded out, weren't they...well, the sorta needy who remain in New Orleans.
Good thing this hurricane didn't happen a few days ago...on his birthday again. He would have had to finish his cake before addressing us, and he probably would have had frosting on his nose and shirt. Oh, whoa is me.
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
OMG! Don't go there!
JimboSlice @ 5:
But then they will play the unfair card on the democratic party for having better luck. They are like a bunch of high school kids trying to beat out another high school before a game or something.
We have problems in this world and many of them were caused by these freaks who play games instead of discussing issues. From what I have read, they still have not made changes to FEMA to handle disasters. They are still poor at governing and they think private industry should handle everything. They are corrupt and inept.
Ruthless People @ 25:
Obama should be getting the same briefings. The MSM will not announce that. Their reasons are as they have always been. the msm is in the repugs pants.
Doggiebobo @ 26:
17 AND unmarried? Will the Palins damn her or do they just reserve their judgements for other people and other people's kids like true conservatives?
Ruthless People @ 7:
Well put.
MKKKain said
"I thank you. I can hardly wait to get up there and I hope and pray that we’ll be able to resume some of our normal operations as quickly as possible, but some of that, frankly, is in the hands of God.
So keep them in your prayers and also, when you get a chance to thank these wonderful thousands and thousands of volunteers, who have turned out in these efforts, not only now but will in the future. God bless them and thank God. It makes me proud to be an American.
Thank you. The time for action is now."
Yeah well show us by example asshole and open up one of your seven house to help for Christ's sake!
Exactly three years ago my brother and I drove 27 hours straight from L.A. to Beaumont TX to rescue an 84 year old man, his 88 year old wife (who had dementia) and their two grandkids - all of whom had been in a bus in New Orleans that was hijacked and driven to Beaumont during Katrina.
Providing shelter, clothing them and feeding them was the easy part.
It may be in God's hands but you can't wait for the government to do something.
Beelzebud @ 29:
they did it in 2005. the flyover and follow-up foto-ops.
xoites defends Constitution @ 28:
Sarah's going to loose track of which child's baby she's claiming as her own.
I love the irony of a hurricane in New Orleans canceling Bush's speech after a preacher asks McCain supporters to pray for it to rain on Obama.
Fil Hussein Oaks @ 36:
you can't wait for the boosh gubmint.
JimboSlice @ 5:
The Republicans will make hay out of this, to be sure, but there's more going on than meets the eye.
First, this storm isn't going to be as bad as initially thought. That's a *GREAT* thing for Gulf Coast residents, but maybe not so good for Republicans because it makes them look reactive...where were they three years ago when a truly big storm hit?
Second, now that the storm is hitting Texas, Bush is involved. Whether you love him or hate him, this leaves him open to the charge that he's only getting involved because it hit Texas. And that reminds people he did nothing to help during Katrina, when New Orleans drowned.
Third, what if the Republicans threw a convention--and nobody came? Well, the press is there, and they're bored. So what are they doing? As I mentioned on the previous thread, they're talking about Sarah Palin's "troopergate" investigation and her flip-flops on the bridge to nowhere--in between hurricane updates. This can't be good.
Now, Palin's a good speaker; she shouldn't be underestimated at all. News sites are showing clips of her debates during the Alaskan gubernatorial bid, and she's someone Biden better be ready for. But the fact that the press has nothing to do in Mpls/StP gives them time to pursue other stories--something they wouldn't have been willing to do if the convention had been running full steam. Later tonight, when Mrs. McCain and Mrs. Bush take the stage, all will be dropped. For right now, though, they're asking questions.
lvogt @ 39:
Here it is again for those who missed it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnG7F3BnfyE
ysbaddaden @ 19:
Of course. This *IS* the strategy. The hurricane was a gift--only it's not turning out to be quite as bad as Republicans had hoped. That's great for the residents of the area, though.
Weren't the Republicans "praying" that the God would rain down on the stadium during the Democratic National Convention and ruin the day?
Apparently God doesn't like people using his name in vain.
And maybe, just maybe, God doesn't favor Republican hypocrites over the rest of the world.
Ruthless People @ 42:
...and for those who have seen this already, check it out again. This one has captions!
RuthlessPeople@34: NYT's reports that the two "children" will be getting married;
but no mention of a Shotgun being in the picture. However, since Todd and Sarah
are such NRA gun enthusist, I feel rather confident that they have mucho supply
of various guns in their closet.
xoites defends Constitution @ 28:
Yes, Palin advocates abstinence only.
Oh gawd, was that awful or not? Did you notice that Republicans and Americans were synonymous throughout as if Democrats are not Americans? It appears that NOLA and Houston will be spared and the sparsely populated oil drilling areas hit instead (by a category 2, not 5 hurricane). I wonder if McCain will be giving his acceptance speech from the damaged oil fields and saying how the poor oil industry will need all our help, and drill, drill, drill.
the real storm that caused them to shutdown, is the shit storm over the fact that palin is really a new grandmother...not mother
John McCain hates black people
lvogt @ 39:
the Dems have too much class to bring that up.
Doggiebobo @ 46:
At the very least there will be a lot of shootin into the air and hootin and hollerin after the vows.
I have an odd feeling that this hurricane is actually going to help the Republicans this election season. Gustav's damage is not going to be as visible as Katrina's and the Repubs are going to take credit for their "wonderful" response. Then the media is going to run with the argument that somehow this storm redeemed the Bush regime for their negligence last time around.
22 Surging Blue Lensman Says: Lisa D @ 13:
I guess all those prayers for rain interfering with the DNC’s convention have boomeranged.
You gotta be real specific when praying for weather.
________________________________________________________
That's why I don't do weather spells anymore.
They're among the easiest, but I have to time them to the sunrise or moonrise of the the proper day to the two hours I'm at my strongest (they're an hour apart), on the weekends so I can do it.
If I summoned a wind windows would be smashed and rooftops torn away. If I summon a storm, South Dallas seems to flood (actually I think in South Dallas they would flood if just a couple of people left their lawn sprinklers on overnight.)
On at least a couple of occasions people were struck by lightening.
So then I click on my rational side, it's a coincidence, I heard a weather report so my efforts were also timed to that etc.
I've been tempted to this summer, it's been so damn hot.
But now if I want rain I find it's easier to wash my car, park it with the windows open, and "forget" my umbrella.
If if wasn't for all that whistling in the microphone, I think I would have gone to sleep. I just sent the McCain campaign an economy size jar of Fixadent.
Mick Piobr @ 31:
yes....go there
but she isnt pregnant....she already gave birth
and the reason they suspended today is not because of the storm...its because they finally sent a team to alaska
and the enquirer is there with tons of caishe for anyone who will talk
i love sleaze
Just another example of McCain's poor judgment. He made a snap decision to use the hurricane as a political tool while slamming his opponent. I am glad for the people of Louisiana that this hurricane did not create the same major damage that Katrina did ALTHOUGH I doubt McCain would have the same feelings.
RobertD @ 47:
Time for her to damn the poor child to hell then.
RobertD @ 47:
How's that working out for her so far?
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
Here's the link:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/palins-17-year-old-daughte...
Ruthless People @ 25:
This crap makes me want to rip my hair out! Every corporate media outlet is reporting on this as if it's perfectly normal!!!! NEVERMIND the fact that the SOB voted against federal relief for Katrina multiple times! Nobody has mention that nowhere is it in the job description of AZ Senator nor AK Governor to oversee disaster relief in LA!!! Just imagine the hell that would have broken loose if Barrack had gone to LA and started talking about being briefed by FEMA officials. Where's the archive footage of McCain with is BFF Bush smiling and laughing and eating cake while there were American citizens standing on their rooftops begging for bottled water?!?!?!
IndridCold @ 53:
If the levees hold, McSame will take credit for it.
Just like he did with the VA bill he opposed.
Different Anonymous @ 3:
It looks like Gustav will not hit New Orleans and may not hit as hard as originally expected. It’s a good thing, because from what I have heard, FEMA still does not have its act together.
Which child is it reported to be pregnant? Piper? Willow?.......Prancer? Fairydust?
RuthlessPeople@52: They had better not do toooo much shooting since Alaska
is in such close proximety to Russia, and we would not want Sarah to start WWIII
inadvertely. You know, as Cindy McLame indicated yesterday..."She(Palin) is very
aware of the stakes since Russia and Alaska are so close to one another"
aquarius2 @ 57:
The truth about Obama is at www.obamafactsheet.com Yes Obama is a baby killer.
Ruthless People @ 65:
Bristol.
Barbasol's sister. LOL :)
Ruthless People @ 34:
Correction - 17, unmarried, and balling apparently. Gotta love that abstinence only mentality!
Bhickey @ 63:
The truth about Obama is at www.obamafactsheet.com Obama - "The baby killer".
#56
I don't think I have ever been a fan of National Enquirer but hell, I will send them a donation to get to the root of this rumor. They are like pit bulls, never letting go until they get answers.
Obviously the Lord sent Gustav so republicans won't win this year.
wait a sec
now they are saying that bristol is pregnant and will marry the father?
and mcoldfart knew all the time?
and we have to stay away from this, even though this woman is for abstinence only teaching?
the whole story stinks
it will stink worse when the baby never materializes
The truth about Obama is at www.obamafactsheet.com Obama - "The baby killer". Just drink the kool aid.
Doggiebobo @ 66:
Everybody run! http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/08/29/more-palin-on-guns/ The VP pick's gotta gun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8hxCpAdCJI
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
I just read that.
Am I surprised? No.
I bet Gov. Hockey Mom only told the kids to focus on abstinence. How did that turn out?
Now this woman is one heartbeat away from being leader of the free world. Good God.
Not so bad a hurricane as predicted it seems at this hour. So, "luck of the draw", a Weather Service guy who needs to be crucified for screwing up the convention or was the hysteria planned to keep Bush and Cheney away?
a href="#comment-864507">Ruthless People @ 58:
You know, this is actually really sad. This poor kid's gonna need some help, both practically and on an emotional level. And now she's going to have to go through this under the scrutiny of the media and in the national spotlight because her mom's a social climber.
The responsible thing for Mrs. Palin to do would be to bow out.
No matter what happens, though, this calls McCain's judgment into SERIOUS question. He picked his running mate without vetting her. Is that how he proposes to run the country?
Americans Against Obama @ 74:
Now there is a link i will never click on. LOL :)
Oh, and eat me!
Ruthless People @ 65:
Bristol - check out the NYT article (the link is on the homepage) - its funny!
Except I can't figure out who/what "Levi" is - is giving kids weird names a prerequisite for living in Alaska?
Why is our only choice between the chunky and the scrawny?
Look at Vladimir Putin, he's pretty buff.
Americans Against Obama @ 74:
You're wasting your time. You only receive McCain points based on the QUALITY of your smears, not the quantity. If you really want that McCain koozie you need to come up with something better than that.
ysbaddaden @ 81:
My God, just imagine what Putin would
Ruthless People @ 65:
Are you telling me that this woman was a "Charmed" fan? Perish the thought.
I thought those Bible-thumpers shunned witchcraft. ;)
I think it is good that the RNC is toning things down. Recent national conventions, for both Democratic and Replublican parties, have been more about partying and showing how great they were vs. the olden days where platforms were set. And, as the GOP mouthpieces have stated, "having a party during a disaster is not appropriate". (I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.) To top it off, W is almost doing the right thing by staying away to take care of Gustav. Sadly, he then blows that to pieces by insisting on flying down to the area, which will take away needed resources to protect his criminal ass. ("Nah - we'll go down tomorrow - it's too sunny for our photo op today.")
McCain, on the other hand, is being an ass. What good (I mean good for the folks affected by Gustav, not good for him) can come of his being in the area, taking needed resources from the folks who need it?!? Not a damn bit of good.
Do Not Feed.
smchris @ 77:
Canceling day one of the convention was to hide the fact that Republicans were leery about being too closely identified with Bush--the hurricane was the convenient excuse (or the "inconvenient truth," depending on how you look at it). They had no way to reply to Obama's speech, so "hurricane preparations" became their strategy. Not a bad plan, actually--except that the hurricane, thankfully, seems to have proved something of a dud.
What's REALLY going on today, though, is that McCain is finally vetting his "soul mate." It's a good thing he had a day off to do it.
Look for her to drop out by tomorrow.
I guess there isn't much to do in Alaska except Drink and ****! Palin doesn't believe in Birth Control, obviously. She believes the earth was created 6,000 years ago, but doesn't belive that human beings are destroying that creation. It's the hypocrisy.
BREAKING - Palin's 17-year-old daughter pregnant
Body: Breaking News - Bristol Palin, 17-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin, is pregnant and will keep the baby and marry the father, a senior McCain aide confirms.
http://politicalticker. blogs. cnn. com/
The aide said they decided to reveal this information now because of rampant Internet rumors that Sarah Palin’s four month old baby, who has Down’s Syndrome, was actually Bristol’s.
not having read any comments, or even the whole story, based on the headline alone,
i'll repeat myself (from TP):
what i don’t get is, this is the NATIONAL repug convention…
don’t ALL those delegates have an obligation to their party and country to have a convention and spell out their priorities?
this hurricane is just an excuse… can’t say as i blame them…
it would probably look rather anemic following the dems…
dobson didn’t guess that those prayers for rain would turn into a “small favor” for the goopers…
it’s great though, that even while trying to avoid another katrina catastrophe, that is still brought up every time as an explanation…
If this kid is pregnant how is that going to sit with the Dobson crowd? They absolutely go berserk over pregnancy before marriage.
Post American @ 87:
My question is, what if Bristol doesn't want to marry the father? What would Gov. Hockey Mom do then?
#87
Wait a minute, McCain's campaign is offering up the daughter to stop the rumors of Palin's fifth pregnancy???? For god's sake, how low will the Republicans go to win a campaign.
Just got a message from the Obama campaign: Obama is going up with a site where you can donate to Gustav victims through the Red Cross.
Give $5 or $10 if you can. It's good for everyone.
The Very Bitter Ceci Hussein @ 90:
The marriage is already planned.
Bitter Bud Hussein @ 80:
Track she named after track and field, seriously. I believe there is a town in Alaska named Willow. Trig I don't know but I guess because the whole damn family is tigger happy. Hope she doesn't give birth to her next child in the restroom she'll name that poor kid "Crapper".
McCain is so desperate for the Pro-Life vote that he picked Palin BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER IS PREGNANT and she's keeping the baby and marrying the father. Oh, and Palin kept her "Down Syndrome", a pro-life 2fer if I ever saw one.
THAT IS WHY HE PICKED SARAH PALIN!! That should tell you all you need to know about McCain.
The McCain aide insisted a key point to keep in mind is that Bristol decided to keep the baby, a decision "supported by her parents."
RobertD @ 92:
The Red Cross has a very long history of taking in donations, but not a very good history of getting that money to victims of disasters.
Count me out.
* kept her "Down Syndrom" baby
xoites defends Constitution @ 93:
You're right. And since Mom, the grandparents and Dad (from what I have read) like to shoot willynilly, it will definitely a shot gun wedding.
I pity the fool who marries into that family.
Tekras @ 82:
Putin must be laughing his ass off. After being lead by a chimp for 8 years we gotta a forgetful old troll and a shrill beauty queen stepping up to the plate Haven't we been shamed enough already?
ldzppln @ 97:
I'm surprised she didn't name that baby "Downs"
xoites defends Constitution @ 96:
Yeah, me too. I can understand why the campaign is doing this, but the actual damage of the storm hasn't even been accessed. This reeks of the same sort of pandering the republicans are mired in. If there is a need I will give, but to make this into a game of political oneupmanship kind of pisses me off.
aquarius2 @ 89:
I thought people were making this shit up... looks to be the truth.
Liberals will say, "so much for her abstinence and anti-sex education and anti-birth control stance" and the Dobson crowd will of course blame it on liberals!
http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=1801
The Gulf Coast should feel lucky to get Republican prayers. If it were not an election year they would not get even that.
Can we drop the Palin BabyGate thing? Either the 16 yr. old had a baby or is going to have a baby. No matter. The main thing is Abstinence doesn't work so well. Not even for the Right Wingnuts.
Sarah Palin is a horrible choice on issues and I am hoping we can stick to those.
Am I the only one who finds it particularly insulting that the Republicans were planning their convention to start on Labor Day?
It is supposed to be a day to celebrate organized labor - a creation of the Labor Movement.
aquarius2 @ 89:
IOKIYAR
#101 Rasputin.
hypocritical social conservatives preaching one thing and practicing something different. Just more of the McSame.
NBC is reporting that, "It looks like the Gulf Coast has dodged the bullet on this storm (Gustav)."
BobbyG @ 104:
Nah! The Dobson crowd will give her the sympathy vote and McCain is blaming the liberal blogs for the attention and saying it is Obama supporters. McCain already issued a statement to that effect.
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl042408tpleveepaper.98095b74.html
4 Investigates: Floodwalls stuffed with newspaper?
11:54 PM CDT on Thursday, April 24, 2008
Lee Zurik / WWL-TV News Anchor
“It blows my mind.”
Those are the words St. Bernard parish president Craig Taffaro used to watch videotape Eyewitness News showed him, of floodwalls built to protect his parish.
“That should be criminal,” Taffaro continues.
What he's talking about was witnessed by a St. Bernard Parish resident who didn't want to be identified, but did have sharp criticism of the work done by a contractor hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“It's like putting a Band-Aid on the hole of a gas tank of an airplane,” the resident said.
Instead of an airplane, it's a floodwall, and instead of a Band-Aid, the witness says two years ago, he saw the contractor filling the expansion joint or opening between the floodwalls with newspaper.
“The whole length of the wall was stuffed with newspaper.”
And when he confronted the contractor, the contractor blamed Washington for the substandard work.
“He basically told me when Congress sent down the money, it would be repaired the proper way.”
But during a recent trip to the area, two years later, it was apparent that didn't happen. Much of the newspaper had deteriorated or been eaten by bugs, but some still remained. In fact WWL cameras even captured the date May 21, 2006, on a page of the Parade magazine from the Times-Picayune.
Eyewitness News asked local engineer Subhash Kulkarni to investigate the findings at the floodwall.
“They should have done a better job than what you see here.”
Kulkarni is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The ASCE named him outstanding civil engineer in Louisiana back in 2003.
“I cannot even comprehend that somebody would stuff some newspaper in there.”
Engineers tell Eyewitness News an expansion joint has three lines of defense. The first is an elastic strip that helps keep water out. In the middle is the most important part, a waterstop, which is in fact included in the St. Bernard floodwall. However what is missing is a rubber joint that goes in between and helps keep foreign objects out.
The witness who talked to Eyewitness News says the contractor used the newspaper in place of the rubber joint. Kulkarni says it's not a short term risk, but over time that missing rubber joint could weaken that waterstop.
“It could be very serious,” Kulkarni said. “It doesn't take a lot of stress to cause the failure of these floodwalls. We don't know after two or three years how the main joint will perform. This is the first line of defense.”
But the Army Corps of Engineers says it is confident the floodwall will sufficiently defend residents of St. Bernard and the Ninth Ward.
“If you look at the repairs we made to the joints, there's not really a safety issue with the joints at all,” said Kevin Wagner with the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps also says it’s satisfied with the quality of work done by its contractor. When asked by WWL if there was any shoddy work involved, Wagner said, “I don't think so at all.”
But days before that interview, after a request by Eyewitness News , another Corps employee e-mailed the Corps’ standards for expansion joint construction and in that e-mail, the Corps employee describes the specific materials needed as "sponge rubber" that goes next to the waterstop. That’s the same spot where a witness saw a contractor stuffing newspaper back in 2006.
When asked if the absence of material behind the waterstop was what was called for in the contract, Corps spokesman Kevin Wagner called the project an emergency repair.
“If we would have built a new floodwall that would not have been the case. We would have the waterstop, some joint filler material in between and then we would put an elastic sealer over the top of it,” Wagner said. “In this case we tried to do the repairs as quick as possible to protect the water stop before the start of hurricane season.”
But according to the contract obtained by Eyewitness News, that may not be the case. The contract calls for Ercon Corporation, based in Lafayette, Louisiana, to do the almost $2 million of work to raise and repair the floodwall under the Paris Road bridge.
In the contract, WWL found at least four mentions of field molded sealants. Kulkarni says that is the sponge rubber material to fill the cavity in the expansion joint. And he says the contract shows the rubber material was contractually required to be installed.
“I would say they have not met their obligation to install the joint correctly. They haven't installed it at all,” Kulkarni said.
Eyewitness News contacted the president of Ercon Corporation by phone and e-mail. He didn't respond to our repeated requests for a comment on this story. Further, our investigation revealed Ercon Corporation is not even licensed by the state's board for contractors. The Corps of Engineers says as long as the federal government pays for the work, it does not prevent them from hiring an unlicensed Louisiana company.
“If you're telling me this is an out of town contractor who drives back to wherever they're from and puts their head on the pillow at night, does it really matter to them that this particular part of the project fails?” St. Bernard president Craig Taffaro asks.
Taffaro calls the response from the Corps and Contractor unacceptable.
“Would they let a contractor put Play-Doh in the place of mortar when they put bricks on their house? No, I don't think so,” Taffaro said.
He says while newspaper doesn't define the entire levee system, it does have him concerned about the oversight of all work being done in southeast Louisiana.
“It's an indictment against the quality of work being done,” Taffaro says. “Let’s hope that same standard wasn't being used in constructing the floodwall in constructing the levees.”
i hope the father is howard stern.
Thoughts@103: Even more idiotic is fact that when McLame is supposed to give
his "acceptance speech", it's on the very night that the opening game of the NFL
Football season kicks off on TV....Dumb, dumb planning; but then again, maybe
it is the hopes of the Repugs that ONLY the neoncon, religious, right wing radicals
will be tuning in to McLame's speech and the rest of the country will not find him
(McLame) sooooo embarrassing.
xoites defends Constitution @ 96:
My late Dad once observed that The Salvation Army were always the first ones in and last ones out, while the Red Cross stood around signing autographs (not to mention charging victims for supplies).
Recall after 9/11? The Red Cross vacuumed up every available contribution dollar in the nation for as long as they could, far beyond what they needed -- to the detrmient of all other charitable organizations.
They suck.
thoughts... @ 103:
Damn son where have you been? Labor is dead! 2 shots to the back of the head by Ronney Raygun. In my field, the best I can hope for is that my employer won't replace me with 2 H1B holding "tech workers" willing to work 12 hours/day for 1/2 the pay. Celebrate Labor in America? If by celebrate you mean exploit, I think you'd be a lot closer to the republican understanding of Labor Day.
BobbyG @ 111:
OK, OK...don't shoot the messenger.
Xoites, I made two replies to your response and haven't been able to get through.
So, I'll just say this: Of course the marriage is planned.
The other thing to propose is how good of a mother is she if her 16-year-old daughter ends up pregnant? Religion and abstinence education was clearly not working.
Rasputin @ 107:
It's "liberal blogs'" fault she's pregnant?
RobertD @ 106:
Perhaps barely. Look at this picture http://www.nytimes.com/ what is that like a 15-20 levee wall and the water is right at the top of it.
redcat @ 109:
would be better if it were don imus
can you believe that the meme is the daughter has "chosen" to keep the baby???
wtf?
i thought these people were anti abortion...no choice about it
so abstenence only....down the tubes
family values....down the tubes
mccain's ability to make a decision...down the tubes
cannot wait for the wingnuts to really come out on this
oh...and they are blaming obama for the internet rumors....which all came from bloggers in alaska
After 4 months when the election is already done, they gonna say, oh by the way, she already delivered in April, but don't worry , it won't be a big issue to conservatives, they already expressed they would be fine even if she lied, that's how all conservative should do, take the moral authority, break it yourself, cover it by lies, then pretend those who point out your hypocrisy as low ans scums immoral unhinged loney dirt liberals.
and the McCain camp is saying liberal blogs got too low even sites with Obama name on it!!! what a bad man Obama is, his name stays on sites that support him and get that much dirty? it is definitely not like the sites that smeared Obama as terrorist, radical leftist, Islamist and a Muslim and a radical Christian and those sites have McCain name on it. Because it is only wrong when done by the left.
RobertD @ 115:
ya....bristol got pregnant by osmosis
see...we talked about it...and it came true
btw, we are all guilty of statutory rape too
turn yourself in you nasty boy
BobbyG @ 111:
Funny you should say that.
My mother said the same thing almost word for word. When she was a kid in Cumberland, Maryland the levies broke or were breached more than once. The Salvation Army came in and gave people food. The Red Cross came in and sold coffee and donuts to the National Guard.
this whole thing could be a fucking sitcom.
Evidently Absinence Only did not work for Palin. Maybe she should spend more time raising her kids and less time trying to catapult her career.
RobertD @ 115:
Of course not... it is all about those "evil rumors" on Obama blogs...
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2944356420080901?sp=true
The Very Bitter Ceci Hussein @ 114:
I think it tends to put a lie to the myth that you can control what your children do and that misbehavior of children is the fault of the parents (especially if they are not right wing religious nut cases.)
redcat @ 121:
Bill Maher's already called that one - "The Maverick and the MILF"
Of course, when an evangelical prays for rain to punish the Democrats - the implication being that hurricanes and natural disasters are God's Will, targeted at those whom God disapproves of - no one notices when those dire wishes fail to come true, and, in fact, manifest in the opposite manner.
steve doocy is full retard
http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=1794
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
I have every sympathy for Bristol, this is not going to be easy for her, especially being dragged into the spotlight.
The big question I have is, when did she turn 17? The age of consent is 16 in Alaska. If she was 16 when the baby was conceived, what do you suppose the odds are that the father will be charged with statutory rape? You don't think a Governor who is a member of the "Law and Order at All Costs" party would let something like that go unprosecuted just because her daughter was involved, do you...?
I may have a warped sense of humor but I find it amusing that the pregnancy is announced on Labor Day and that the unmarried pregnant daughter is from Alaska (think the movie Juno)
(P.S. before anyone points it out I know that in the movie the Juno is not the one in Alaska)
ask mcBush about how the Drill Here...Drill Now campaign is going......test the temperment
Shadowgm Hussein @ 126:
The evangelicals will just spin it that God is punishing black people for nominating a black man for President. They won't actually use those words, of course - they'll dog whistle it.
xoites defends Constitution @ 120:
My brother was in a train wreck in a desolate part of Canada in the dead of winter with arctic conditions... he said the same thing... the Red Cross was no where to be seen, but the Salvation Army was there with hot food, blankets, and medical teams. No proselytizing... just helping those in need... good works.
He won't give a dime to the Red Cross, but makes a hefty donation to the Salvation Army every year.
thoughts... @ 103:
It's standard operating procedure with the Bush Administration.
Bush launched his war against Iraq on Ostara (the Spring Equinox), a Wiccan sabbat.
May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, is now LOYALTY DAY in the United States. (And, IMHO, it's repulsive that we have a holiday named such - it reeks of totalitarian and fascist regimes of decades past, rather than pride in America.)
JimboSlice @ 5:
your so correct.......they didn't want the comparison of mccain to obama......and people are foolish to believe otherwise. palin maybe would have gotten some foreign affair questions and totally revealed.
Zach @ 128:
if the father is under 18, then he cant be charged with statutory rape
hey, guess what
the clintons are better parents than the palin's
chelsea never got pregnant
that is what birth control education is all about
Palin's daughter bristol is named after bristol connecticut....
since ESPN is headquatered their......wow
constituent @ 130:
I'm not sure how to interpret that. Is my mind swiftly falling in the gutter??
governor palin opposes the use of 'the Pill' and condoms.
xoites defends Constitution @ 124:
True. But this news only makes Sarah Palin a hypocrite in the worst way. And it also should teach her to keep her nose out of the bedrooms and life-styles of other people. It also should be a cautionary tale for anyone who decides to push their morality on other people.
That is what gets me about these Evangelicals. They feel that they can tell everyone else how to live and when their "advice" backfires, look who they turn to for pity?
Quite ironic, to say the least.
I have pity for the daughter and her beau. But I have none for the mother.
Can't these people find condoms? Does jesus really hate condoms?
Zach @ 128:
That is why no personal or ad hominem attacks should be made on Palin because it will get sympathy blowback!
If you want to criticize her keep it to her policies, the record, and what is known to be factual at the time.
governor palin raised taxes on oil company profits. why is that OK but obama gets beat up for discussing changing taxation
http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/08/30/palin-raised-taxes-on-oil-c...
JimboSlice @ 5:
and the storm now appears to not be as bad as once thought.
They will have overreacted to what will amount to a minor storm. compare this to their non-response for Katrina and you expose the Keystone-Copness that defines the GOP.
Beelzebud @ 29:
And a teenage pregnancy ...
governor sarah palin ptentially could become second in command of the u.s. actually could become first in command
and raise 4 children one of them a down syndrome newborn.
she is from the family value party....i hope she shares how she accomplishes those big/time consuming responsibilities.
If Palin was fully vetted and is the best candidate the Reps could have, I think Britney Spears' mom should be standing by, just in case Palin decides to drop out to spend more time with her family.
Not that they need it.
Why are people comparing and letting the media compare palin and obama? can i please see a comparison between palin and biden....you both v.p. candidates thank you!
how stupid is this woman to accept the nomination knowing that this pregnency would come out. now her 17 year old daughter is going to have to deal with the fact that people will think she's nothing but a little skank. the commedians are going to have a field day with this.
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