Delusional John McCain peddles "Alaska is close to Russia" nonsense
Has it really come to this? A presidential nominee citing the geographic proximity of Alaska in relation to Russia in order to defend his VP choice and argue that she has relevant foreign policy experience? John and Cindy must be drinking the same kool-aid.
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GIBSON: Can you honestly say you feel confident having someone who hasn't traveled outside the United States until last year, dealing with an insurgent Russia, with an Iran with nuclear ambitions, with an unstable Pakistan, not to mention the war on terror?
MCCAIN: Sure. And one of the key elements of America's national security requirements are energy. She understands the energy issues better than anybody I know in Washington, D.C., and she understands. Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that.
As it that weren't enough, John McCain offers one of the most deceptive lines of his entire campaign, stressing four times that Alaska is America's "largest state." Geographically speaking, yes, McCain is right. But in real terms -- such as population (683,478) and nominal GDP ($44 million) -- Alaska ranks near the very bottom, at 47th and 45th, respectively. These semantic games are laughable. I wonder if the campaign realizes how foolish he sounds.
Another amazing quote:
"So she is experienced. She's talented. She knows how to lead and she has been vetted by the people of the state of Alaska. But most importantly, people in America want change. They don't want somebody from inside the beltway."
If the American people want change -- which is the one thing in the entire interview John McCain actually gets right -- why the hell would they elect someone who has been part of the Washington establishment for 25 years?!?!!!? Does he even hear the words that are coming out of his mouth?
But wait, we're not done. Check out this one:
GIBSON: But you criticized, for a long time, Sen. Obama based on his lack of experience. [...] Jan. 6, I'm quoting you, "Sen. Obama does not have the national security experience and background to be president."
MCCAIN: I said he didn't have the judgment.
GIBSON: Sarah Palin does?
MCCAIN: I said that he didn't have the judgment. He doesn't have the judgment. He didn't have the judgment on Iraq. He still refuses to acknowledge that the surge has succeeded. Gov. Palin knows the surge has succeeded. She's the commander of the Alaskan National Guard. He said that Iran was a tiny problem. He's never visited south of our border. He has no experience on these issues.
Leave aside for the moment the fact that John McCain is just spitting out nonsensical one-line lies, and focus on the two bits I highlighted. John McCain seems to believe that the history of our involvement in Iraq begins in January 2007, when the surge began. Because if we go back to the real start of the war in 2002, he would look like a fool saying Obama doesn't have the judgment on Iraq considering he predicted exactly what the consequences of an invasion would entail. Secondly, and this is a talking point that needs to be forcefully blown out the water, Sarah Palin has NOTHING/ZERO/ZILCH/NADA to do with "commanding the Alaskan National Guard." It's a nice-sounding talking point, but it is a bald-faced LIE.
Either John McCain is dumb, or he thinks we are. Either way, he and Sarah Palin are unfit to serve.
Hahahahahahaha! McSame is McStupid! And Mrs. Palin is an aggressive hag.
It's also next to czechoslovakia
And your last line is absolutely true... neither McSame or Sarah is fit to serve. Shameful and absolutely arrogant, both of them.
Palin: I’m Qualfied to Burn Books Cause I Border a ‘Borders’
Nice peek into what the next four years could look like ...
Didn't Stewart say something about Alaska being close to the North Pole?
Something about Santa Claus?....
Geesh...
I guess this should come as a suprise, but it doesn't. If McCain wins, we Americans will be the laughing stock of the world. They didn't think highly of us after Bush won his second term.
I couldn't agree with SilentPatriot more. This argument that Alaska is right next to Russia so Palin somehow understands foreign policy (not just with Russia, mind you but with anywhere) is so downright inane and stupid that it is flat out discrediting to these jackasses.
I want someone to tell them how stupid they sound - but then again, maybe not...
Is the Coast Clear?--- @ 6:
He did and it was hilarious!
Seeing this exchange im beginning to wonder if he will see this nomination through. Some part of him must be absolutely disgusted with himself, saying these things. These talking points are simply childish.
Jeff Scahill interviewed some average RNC attendees on Dnow today, after hearing a taste of that intellect its easy to see how this BS goes over.
Very easy.
Mid-Dull Murka does NOT follow 'politics.'
Mid-dull Murka HATES 'politics,' cuz it cuts into their regular tee-vee schedule.
Therefore, Mid-Dull Murka will not notice--and if they notice, they will not give a runny shit about--the lies told by their (white/war hero) candidate, John S. McShitstain...
No, the campaign doesn't worry about how foolish you/we think it sounds. The troops hear what they are being told and they repeat it. I have a couple at work. First thing I heard yesterday morning was: 'Alaska is the biggest state in the union.'
These people are going to get all of the people that have always voted Republican in the past to vote Republican this time.
The question is going to be do the independents really think and decide for themselves? God I pray to thee so!
Somehow I still believe that a greater percentage of people are still going to vote for the Republican ticket and the rest of the world will still look on in wonder. I also believe for this to happen, the Republicans will have to do a good job of preventing the minority vote. Just like they did for the last 2 elections.
While it's tempting to start putting up signs in favor of Alaskan Secession (thus giving their governor the crucial foreign policy experience she needs...) I'm sticking with the simple word "Peace":
http://freewayblogger.blogspot.com/2008/09/john-lennon-quotes.html
Starting next week I'll be putting these up all the way from San Diego to Seattle.
Base @ 8:
Yup, and the GOP base just laps it up...
Talk about lowered expectations...
A gal with a two year degree at Idaho state having the gavitas to compare herself to Obama...
DAmn...
Proof again that old soldiers' should just "fade away" when their ideas don't match the challenge of our times...
it's good to know that palin is such an authority on russia . . . that's where osama bin laden is hiding, right?
Technically, if you re-read McCain's comment, he's stating literally that Sarah Palin is aware that Alaska is next to Russia.
Lowered expectations, indeed.
what a hockey puck
"Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that." and that doesnt mean a thing about energy it means she has a cursory grasp on geography
And Murica swallows it.
It's now official...we are the DUMBEST NATION ON THE PLANET.
United Simpletons of Arrogance
SO Gibson quotes McCain saying Obama doesn't have the experience, McCain denies it, saying he said Obama doesn't have the judgment and Gibson lets it slide? That is some fine journalism Chucky.
innocent bystander @ 17:
Actually I'm wondering what the perspective from Russia is on that one...
I didn't know Palin was such a buddy of Putin, you know, being neighbors and all....
I don't know how many clips I have seen from political speeches and interviews in the past nine months, but this is the lamest of all. It is chock full of lies and misinformation and downright cuckoo ideas.
Jeez! It just keeps getting worse and worse.
What else he is ignoring is that out of the 683,478 people in Alaska a) some are not old enough to vote and b) many who can don't because they have no access. My SIL in Dillingham was instrumental in bringing the ability to participate in the primary process to people who have never had that opportunity.
Mr. McCain can you find Czechoslovakia on this globe please.
Either John McCain is dumb, or he thinks we are. Either way, he and Sarah Palin are unfit to serve.
Of course he thinks we are dumb. We know the party faithful who all went crazy for Palin last night are, and mcshame agrees with that too. He thinks we are ALL too dumb to figure out what Palin really said and didn't say. After all the speech of the century was written by his team and not by Palin. She only had to memorize it and recite it.
Mcshame is just patronizing us. He thinks we will all love Palin as much as the media does, even when she attacked them. How cute! Every, EVERY, show this AM, on MSNBC had all the repug talking heads on. Even Chuck Todd. Todd, Williams, Gregory, Scarborough, are all so taken in by Palin they can't do anything but giggle when they talk about her. They have swallowed her message; hook, line and sinker. They can't sort out the lies. The few Democrats who were on the morning shows are afraid to say anything that the repugs can construe as "feminist attacks." So they all praise Palin too. Except Norah O who tries to tell it like it really is.
Hey, I got an A on my map-reading skills in elementary school but I wouldn't in a million years suggest that it would qualify me as someone who should be negotiating foreign policy for the U.S.
Actually, Alaska borders on the Bering Straight. It's like saying Greece borders on Libya.
Well, WE aren't dumb, but the group of people McLame is talking to, duuuh repug base, ARE. And this is exactly the kind of shit they enjoy having stuffed in their ears. They don't want facts; they just want to feel good about their "team" ("Gotta support th' team" gruntgrunt).
It's really something to watch these people just lie, lie, lie, lie. They're like overgrown brats who just broke Mom's favorite vase, right in front of Mom, and are trying to lie their way out of it!
Unreal.
This gets more and more surreal every day.
Shameless, disgusting, worn out drivel from a lying sellout. Everyone starts every sentence praising this creep. Let's face it, McCain is the traitor. He'd sacrifice the nation, with lies and impulsive, irrational behavior, in order to win an election to gratify his sick demented ego. This guy is nothing more than a spoiled, angry stunted adolescent.
I got'cher "Community Organizer" right here:
http://www.bgladd.com/McSameStore/CommunityOrganizer.jpg
I liked Colbert’s take on this.
Alaska also had Mt McKinley – the tallest mountain in N America. That means she’s qualified to lead the space program as well…
As this story correctly notes, "If the American people want change ... why the hell would they elect someone who has been part of the Washington establishment for 25 years?" But certainly the same thing can and should be said about Obama's foreign policy advisers, such as Madeline Albright, Warren Christopher and Anthony Lake who go back at least as far as the Clinton administrations. How can Obama keep these people on his staff and claim to be an agent of change when these people, who have been around D.C. for many years, are whispering in Obama's ear to send more troops into Afghanistan, where they will make sure that more innocent civilians and children are slaughtered by 500 and 2000 lb. American bombs.
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
Honestly, I think Palin's ambition has far outstripped her judgment and abilities and she is gladly being used because of it. Her being an christo-fascist sympathizer is not to hot either.
Yeah well Texas is even closer to Mexico.
Doesn't mean Bush is respected in the international community.
Liberal AND Proud @ 21:
We are toast....
It's getting so bad that future GOP presidential hopefuls could conceivably be gleaned from the "Gary Springer" show....
Is the Coast Clear?--- @ 15:
Or having the gravitas to discuss complex issues with Putin, Ahmandinejad, Kim Jong Il, Al Malaki, Chavez, and the list goes on and on...but the answer is a resounding NO! She does not! She, like McPOW, would be an international disaster and a laughing stock. We've already had near 8 years of that disaster, thank you very much.
Wrap some ribbons around him and McCain looks like Boris Karloff's Mummy in that picture.
So what has she done about Russia?
She's been holding off invading forces? She's been holding bilateral talks? She's been facing them down with her AK47 from the same airplane she hunts wolves in?
Even though Alaska is our largest state it has a tiny populaltion -- does that mean the Russians have been invading us for years and we just didn't know i? - and Sarah Palin did and has been single-handedly saving America from being overrun?
The fact that he is also spouting this Alaska/Russian proximity nonsense is alarming.
The base must be the stupidest people in the world.
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if proximity to russia is so important, why weren't more Alaskan governors vetted when we were in the cold war? you know when something like that would have maybe mattered?
also, has she ever had talks with diplomats from russia? if not, then her state's proximity to them means nothing.
Yes, Alaska is close to Russia. However, all of the cities that matter in Russia are 3,000 miles away-- you know, on the OTHER side of Russia.
I have a vision of McCain drunk as a skunk on the day after losing the election and projectile vomiting all over Cindy's vanity and getting yelled at. Please let this happen.
someguy @ 38:
Hey, I live in California....so does that make me a foreign diplomacy expert for Mexico?...
Maybe I can run for Prez too
At least I've been to Europe...
all the repug talking heads on... Even Chuck Todd. Todd, Williams, Gregory, Scarborough, are all so taken in by Palin they can’t do anything but giggle when they talk about her. They have swallowed her message; hook, line and sinker. They can’t sort out the lies.
that's not their job.
their job is to make the horse-race seem close so people keep watching their campaign coverage, and--not incidentally--keep it close to steal at need...
of course, they'll swallow the party line. it's good 'television,' a great 'Murkin Exceptionalism' piece, proving the Murkin Dream is still possible.
They are propagandists for the Corporate State, for the love of fucking christ...
what do you expect? truth?
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...(gasp) Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
No doubt if Biden was the governor of Alaska they would be wondering if the close proximity made him a communist
I realize this is off topic, but last night during Giuliani's opening act he made a huge point about calling terrorists Islamic terrorists. That was blatant race baiting and would make a great post.
Residents of Oklahoma City would probably disagree with the notion that we only have to fear Islamic Terrorists.
Is the constitution that hard to understand?
Foreign policy and national security are Federal issues. End of story.
Liberal AND Proud @ 41:
You mean he's NOT?
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Have a little fun comparing the population of the STATE of Alaska to other cities here in the lower 48..
Something like Alaska's population is like being the mayor of Memphis Tennessee
or that the city of San antonio Texas is TWICE as big as the Alaska's population!!
lol... even though Mccain's buddies Liebermann and and the Graham boys ( Linsdey and the other old "whining one") will carry most of the weight in foreign and domestic policy a Mccain administration, I thought Mccain would still take his selection of VP more seriously than this!!
Guess not..
“Conservatives have found their Obama.”
Hilarious now Palin's Obama.
The Nut Case Party
Thing is, all those cute little xian ladies out there in "middle America" don't know any better. And, when their pastors start spouting this weekend about what a wonderful example Sarah is for their "community" they won't care (or know) how pitiful this woman is as a VP candidate.
They'll just be raising their hands and praising whoever for Johnny and Sarah for working so hard to "save" our country........
scarlet p. @ 14:
Yay!!! I love you and what you do!
Is the Coast Clear?--- @ 39:
It's fucking embarrassing.
Do you realize that most European grade school children would be offended by the condescension of the Republican Party.
Either John McCain is dumb, or he thinks we are. Either way, he and Sarah Palin are unfit to serve.
Fact: They think we are.
I think its funny you eco-democrats keep saying there is nobody in alaska but as usual, you ignore the animals. If you add up the moose, raccons, elk and bears Alaska is actually the 2cd most populous country in northern north america. Why do democrats feel that elk don't count? I think the elk know better than Barack Obama.
I can't believe that anyone is dumb enough to fall for this logic. While it is true that Russia is near Alaska, it is the most uninhabited part of the country. Northern Siberia is not really a major part of Russia, unless you are a nomadic herder. Generally, when speaking in terms of proximity, Moscow would be the more important factor, not East Dogpatchski, Russia.
To put this into perspective, Moscow is as close to Alaska as NYC is to Libya. All NYers therefore have foreign policy experience based on the proximity to Libya. NYers should immediately update their resumes to reflect their new-found skills.
THIS is the problem. There are morons out there who buy into this crap because they think that the REAL issues are gays, abortion, and all things religion. So these one-liners are perfect for them. This man will do ANYTHING to be President. That's all that matters to him.
"Country first" my ass.
Trittydi @ 50:
No. And I now have finally decided on a name...no...not American Hero...from now on..I will be referring to him as the American Cadaver.
Mr. Anon @ 48:
Moreso, it's Islamist terrorists. Not 'Islamic'. the latter referring to anything having to do with Islam, wheras the former term refers to a fundamentalist political ideology.
My daughter went to school in the middle of a cornfield. She told me she's qualified to be McSame's secretary of agriculture - I think she's right.
My son lives near a busy highway - he sent me an e-mail last night - he wants to be McSame's secretary of transportation.
All theree of my children are qualified to be the secretary of education since they all went to school.
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Can't wait for the VP debate:
Biden: I've been to Russia, I've negotiated with the Russians, I'm quite familiar with the way foreign policy must be dictated towards Russia...
Palin: I'm aware that Alaska is next to Russia.
Jeremy Scahill has done a very funny report from the floor of the RNC.
http://www.democracynow.org/
It's a riot!
bubba @ 56:
Maybe that's where Palin got her 80 percent approval rating...
Giving the wildlife an option of getting shot or voting for her...
I honestly thought we couldn't do worse than Bush/Cheney. I'm so wrong.....McCain/Palin, what a nightmare. This is just too much. The woman hasn't had two minutes of thought on any of our countries major issues and now she's being "briefed" (spoon fed) the views she will have to sell to the voters.
Face it folks, all this crap about Obama doesn't have this, or that, or whatever, is simply offering yet another item that this racist bunch can grab hold to as an excuse not to vote for a 'n****r'. In their hearts that's their motivation, and in our hearts we know it to be true.
Is the Coast Clear?--- @ 15:
You are so so right. The thing is that the Repugs seem to revel in the stupidity of their politicians. It is like the dumber the better. "We love George W Bush because he is just like we are - dumb as shit."
It so reminds me of this great clip from Bill Maher. So damn funny and so so true.
LegallyBlonde @ 62:
Don't be so harsh....
Maybe she drinks vodka....
Trittydi @ 61:
I mowed lawns as a kid!! I want to be Secretary of the Interior!!!
Oooh...ohhh...I balanced my checkbook!! Can I be Secretary of the Treasury!!!
I started a recycling program in my office! I want to head the EPA!!!
I can take my own temperature! Can I be Surgeon General!!!
L.A. Confidential @ 52:
Wishful thinking. How many stadiums do you think she could fill up unless she promised to take her clothes off? And THEN it's not a sure thing.
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Sarah steals the show,now onto finish up stealing the rest of America for the neocons.
j swift @ 37:
And so is McSame's ambition outstripping his judgement and abilities... he's sold his soul to the devil to become the president. That's it; that's all.
Strange. I'd never heard the term "bald-faced lie." I thought it was a typo. It was my understanding that the phrase is "bold-faced" as in "bold." Apparently both are acceptable though the original phrase comes from the printing world. "Bald-faced" doesn't really make much sense to me.
That said, isn't there like thousands of miles of frozen tundra between inhabitable Alaska and inhabitable Russia? Bush having foreign policy experience as Governor because "Texas is close to Mexico" actually makes some kind of sense considering Texas actually shares a physical border with Mexico and illegal immigration is of great concern to Texans near the border. I wonder how many illegal immigrant are using the less convenient route of crossing the Bering Strait into Alaska?
Trittydi @ 70:
The only thing conservatives go to stadiums for is football and baseball.
Totally agree with comment #13. The Republicans will keep repeating this same crap, the news pundits will then repeat it, and the majority of the MSM will go along. Try not to be so surprised.
Also, comment #42 made a great point, "So what has she done about Russia?"... too bad no one will really ask this question on air or to McCain.
In the outtakes from the interview McCain actually thought that Alaska was right next to Iraq. Joe Lieberman stepped in to straighten him out.
Obama should show McCain saying this with a graphic overlay of "John McCain has been in the beltway for 25 years"
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 44:
Let's all hold this vision!! and the vision that has us seeing Barak and Michelle Obama, and their daughters, moving into the White House... bringing back some sense of dignity to the place.
On "experience" vs "judgment" -
A favorite line is "experience is that which you get immediately after you really needed it."
But, seriously, while empirical "experience" accrues in everyones' cognitive databases, it not does axiomatically follow that everyone will effectively use the data to make informed, rational judgments. Some people -- such as John McCain (Bush is the poster child here) -- seem to never learn, immune from the weight of their experiences. Others have the cerebral chops with which to connect the deductive and inductive dots and arrive at cogent judgments.
On the aggregate evidence of "judgment" to date, I have to go with Obama, imperfect as he may be.
AnotherJohn @ 75:
She MAINTAINED THE BORDER!
Leave Sarah Alooooooone!
If there was an "Alaska's Got Talent!" Palin would have been kicked off already. The Republicans have succeeded in making a total mockery of the political process. Hopefully, most Americans will see through it.
Hey America,
FYI, if this guy gets elected, we are officially fucked. Don't know if I can be any more blunt.
Let everyone you know.
No. 44 @ 80:
Yup, and she did without a fence too
hehehehe...
When I heard the "next to Russia" quip the other day, I rolled my eyes and just laughed. Now, to hear Sen. McCain say it, as a reporter, my first question would be, "Mr. Senator, tell us about one piece of legislation, one compromise, one round of negotiations or anything else that Mrs. Palin has engaged in with her neighbor to the West."
Well, Senator, we're waitiing.
Sarah (the pit bull wearing lipstick) talks to the salmon that swim between Russia and Alaska. That is her foreign policy esperience
If Palin is such an expert on Russia, could she not have tipped us off on the whole Georgia invasion? She is such a dick head.
There. I wasn't sexist.
He is frighteningly desperate. His mind is set on "win" at any cost. I don't know if he is suffering some sort of dementia or what, but if he is believing the things he says, he's dangerous.
If he knows these foolish things he's saying are just that, foolish, then something has happened to him and he's fearful. Maybe he's under so much pressure from the vultures running his campaign that he's about to crack. Perhaps he has been told by Rove that if he loses this election he's toast with the party.
do you think Canada would allow millions of American immigrants into their country?
Wow. Lucky for McCain that the media is a bunch of spineless bought lapdogs and corporate apologists, or somebody might, I dunno, challenge him on some of this b.s. he's spewing. Fortunately for him he's just talking to Charlie Gibson.
Helen Thomas will drink his milkshake.
P.D. @ 7:
After Pres. Caligula I'm certain that we are already world's laughing stock. If we elect this angry old, pandering, gigolo fool and his evil, gun loving, secessionist, nasty bitch helper into the White House, people all over the world will arm themselves.
So the previous successionist is now an uber-patriot commie blocker because of alaska's proximity to russia?
Anyone who so much as entertains this idea as anything more than the laughable joke it is needs to have their mental health checked.
mcstain, I'm looking at you.
OMG has it come to this.... I use to think highly of this guy but i can't believe the word coming out of his mouth!
The repugs might honestly tell themselves she could handle foreign policy - after all - they think McMummy can.
But this is for the same reasons that they think they can actually govern AT ALL.
They simply don't understand ANYTHING about actual governing - which is why they suck at it. They can't actually grasp any of the necessary concepts for foreign policy - which is why they suck at it.
They say they can - but they can't. They're convinced they can - but they have proven they can't. They have f***-ed the entire country up - all our diplomatic concerns are in shambles -- and they think everything is hunky-dory.
It is this mentality that has them saying "She can do it! She has the experience! She can do it! She's Wonder woman!"
These are surely the talking points at the convention parties where it is reported they've trucked in the hookers and blow. THIS is what repukelics are good at.
Repuglics -- the party of angry, white, doughy, bigots, racists, perverts, pedophiles, murderers, war criminals, homophobes, misogynists, stupid women and liars.
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re: the line that Giuliani said, i.e., the Republicans are going to "shake up Washington," Obama/Biden should follow that with this:
"Rudy Giuliani said that the republicans are going to shake up Washington. They already did shake it up. They shook it and shook it again until they broke it."
Psssssaaaaaa!
Kathleen @ 88:
How about "liberal immigrants"....
Because if we stay here we're all going to be POWs...
Geesh...
Q: Is she more qualified than...?
A: She's the best candidate.
The GOP are good at winning contests but are clueless at governing.
I have yet to meet the human being who doesn't laugh hysterically at this idiocy. Unbelievable. Explains why all the polls have started heading Obama's way. Hell, he's even ahead in ND.
This info is from an e-mail from a person that knows Sarah very well. No name for privacy reasons.
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. I attend more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a fiscal conservative. During her six years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same six years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list so borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the 20 voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? Or a new library? No. $1 million for a park. $15 million-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn't even have clear title to, and that was still in litigation seven years later. The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5 million for road projects that could have been done in 5 to 7 years without any borrowing. These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
Sarah complained about the old boy's club when she first ran for mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys." Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal -- loyal to the point of abusing their power.
New bumper sticker:
"McAin't" [picture of mccain with red line through it]
L.A. Confidential @ 52:
The Nut Case Party is absolutely correct! Any comparison of Palin to Obama is pure untruth, absolute ignorance, and downright absurd!
The Republicans have a habit of sticking incompetent fools into top jobs. Palin is McCain's Browne. Remember Bush in New Orleans saying, "Good job, Brownie!"????
Will it be "Good job, Palin" in 2009 after the psycho bitch burns all the books she dislikes????
We need campaign buttons and bumper stickers reading "Palin and Bush's FEMA Browne: One and the Same."
theWalrus @ 76:
LIE-berman doesn't straighten anything out -- he does it all bent over holding his ankles.
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No. 44 @ 63:
See #11 :)
(except I Gannon/Guckerted him and called him "Jeff"... )
If I called Vega$ right now, I'd bet there's a line on McCain. Here's the bet, I bet that after McCain loses, he'll leave the senate after this term.
Yes, on presidential experience Bush has them all beat. But that has nothing to do with judgement.
The only person who has the legislative, executive and foreign policy experience required is POTUS himself. Going on judgement, Palin out-wingnuts Katherine Harris. She uses the same puppy love rhetoric toward GWB.
A letter from someone who knows Sarah Palin since 1992:
http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/a-letter-from-someone-who-has-k...
Spread this far and wide!
right on! @ 78:
I remember the first time President Clinton and Gore won. I was so excited to see them and their wives up there smiling and waving ("Don't stop thinking about tomorrow" was playing in the background). I picture the Obamas up there with the little girls and the little girls smiling and waving with Biden's kids and grand kids. That's what I'm waiting to see. Maybe this time "A brand new day" will be playing in the background.
Another theft of the lexicon!!!
The free use of "understands" John McCain "understands" this or that. Sarah Palin "understands" that Alaska is next to Russia!! What the hell does that mean? High IQ? Does that message magically presume that what to do about it is a given? Who cares when the one thing she might know something about, being a small time Mayor, she never told us what she did...just used it to ridicule Obama's civil service.
I want our language back!!!
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According to the McBush/Falin'08 Campaign, I'm a qualified expert on natural gas because I fart!
.
Can anybody explain to me the difference between Robert Mugabe and John McCain?
Unfortunately these lame talking points are spreading among the sheep. I have heard the Russia thing from so many people it's starting to make me ill.
Kathleen @ 88:
Sure! C'mon up. (there's an IQ test though ... ;-)
"Sarah complained about the old boy’s club when she first ran for mayor...."
Most times the 'old boy's club' is Republican.
The strategical importance of Alaska w.r.t. Russia is so critical that we dismanteld most of our bases and early warning systems in the late '50s and '60s. In 1996, we finally paid off Canada to clean up the hazardous waste we left there from building the Distant Early Warning Line which we bailed out of in 1990.
So as you can see, the relationship of Alaska to our national security can be easily overstated. What? "can't be"? . . whatever.
Something about Palin reminds me of Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island.
Dow down 315 points.
pissed off patricia @ 106:
Last night, the lovely post-speech onstage Family Values Moment notably included THE YOUNG MAN WHO'S BEEN PRE-MARITALLY FUCKING THE GOVERNOR'S DAUGHTER.
.
Yes McGeography let's us all know that Sarah "Book Banning" Palin knows that Russia is in close proximity to Alaska.
... Every 6th grader knows this FACT!
McDuh!
.
So, a would be President is spewing this nonsense ... and not getting called on it ...
Get READY!
ITS 2000 ALL OVER AGAIN BABY!
lj @ 107:
Let's get our country back first...then we can worry about language.
Embittered & Anti-Republicrat - Max-Hussein-1 @ 108:
Okay you win my vote! We've heard lots of things like that but that one has to be in the top three if not the winner.
earl @ 111:
Damnit! We're screwed!
Well, gosh, I played RISK as a kid and routinely used the land bridge to Alaska to conquer opponents holding North America, so I guess I should be SecDef in the McPalin Administration ...
And haven't we gone through this chain-of-command nonsense with Dumbya? The 'commander-in-chief' role is solely to establish a chain of command, and not because he's actually hands-on with the deployment of individual units. Similarly, Governor Palin has no direct authority over national guard troops except in the most general sense. She does not say, "Today, I want the national guard to prepare sandbags, and tomorrow, we'll hold mobilization drills."
Amid all this, it is not the absence of the word 'victory' that is the problem - it's the Green Lantern Foreign Policy Plan perpetuated by knuckleheads like McCain, Bush, and now Palin, who emphasize their place in the chain of command without accepting the responsibilities, or necessarily understanding the qualities of leadership that contribute to victory.
I refuse to count Palin down and out in the debate. I remember all too well Saddleback with Rev. Warren who lied to everyone that mcshame was in a "cone of silence!"
I don't trust the repugs. They will find a way to take over the VP debate and Biden will have to watch every word he utters. The repugs will not give up without a dirty fight. I have no doubt that Palin will come out of the VP debate looking like the winner. And the msm will declare she was wonderful and won handily over Biden.
However, mcshame against Obama might be a different story. IF the moderators play fair. Which Warren did not do. If we couldn't trust a minister of Warren's reputation who can we trust? Certainly not Schieffer, not Lehrer. Then who????
L.A. Confidential @ 98:
No wonder they love her - it's a match made in heaven.
Repuke-lic voters must be the stupidest people on the planet.
*
I'm just so thrilled to discover that I, also, am qualified to be Vice President: I have children, I've been active in PTA for decades, and I've lived in both Minnesota and Southern California! This means I've got foreign policy expertise via my proximity to Canada, Mexico, and all of Asia!
I've faxed my qualifications to the Obama people, in case Mr. Biden gets his spleen ripped out by a pit bull wearing lipstick.
i live in weho
my building is filled with russians and other immigrants...i talk to them everyday
i am qualified to be the next sec of state
"She’s the commander of the Alaskan National Guard."
Alaska has had 107 casualties in Iraq (one of the lowest in the nation).
My state, California, has had 3,201.
http://icasualties.org/oif/USCasualtiesByState.aspx
Give me a fucking break, McCain.
"MCCAIN: Sure. And one of the key elements of America’s national security requirements are energy. She understands the energy issues better than anybody I know in Washington, D.C., and she understands. Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that."
And St. Paul, where he was speaking, is right next to Canada. So John and Sarah plan on invading Universal Health Care while they're here and bombing the shit out of it .
Why didn't Palin stop Russia invading Georgia?
cmac @ 126:
Having played real time strategy games for years...with AND without cheat codes...I am highly qualified to be Sec. of Defense!
P.D. @ 116:
Setting the stage for the next sucker pump rally.
I have said for a long time now that McCain has alzheimer's or else maybe just too old for good judgement anymore. He is extremely scary. She is just as bad or worse.
Everytime I hear the Democrats repeat "the American people are too smart for that" I cringe. The truth is they are not. They have proved it too many times. Reagan is the perfect example. Nixon and Bush another. I'm scared.
Liberal AND Proud @ 41:
Or the Old Charlie Chaplin---without the humor.
God they keep sending in these vacuous perma-grim blondes without an original thought in their head.
For a long time I couldn't figure out if McCain was dumb, old and confused, or just a liar. Now I don't have to pick. He is all of those things.
The man has no intellectual curiosity, no real record of accomplishment and whatever "maverick" qualities attributed to him have been left in the dust. I don't believe he can possibly be en effective leader.
The last time around the Republicans put up an ex-drunk cheerleader frat boy. Now they have a dumbass and a beauty queen with the nickname "barracuda".
He's got nothing left to offer but ridiculous rationalizations and lies.
BobbyG @ 117:
You know those Chevy Chase movies where his brother, or maybe it's his brother in law, shows up out of nowhere and unexpected with his dim witted family and they just make themselves at home in Clark's home. That's what last night looked like to me. The Palin's had all moved in and they took over the convention hall. McCain looked lost in space.
Remember the beauty pageant contestant who didn't really know how to read a map? John McCain is explaining that his Beauty Pageant Contestant does know how to read a map.
"MCCAIN: Sure. And one of the key elements of America’s national security requirements are energy. She understands the energy issues better than anybody I know in Washington, D.C., and she understands. Alaska is right next to Russia. She understands that".
What he's actually saying is that she understands Russia is next to Alaska, because she understands how to read a map. See, he's not just explaining her foreign policy experience, he's anticipating the obvious question that should be asked of all Pageant contestants about their map reading ability.
A brilliant piece of anticipation in my opinion.
The Bush-Cheney regime may be on its last legs, but a new incarnation of right-wing populism is shadowing the near horizon.
Thats the story.
You nailed it! He thinks WE are stupid...all Repugs do (and for half the citizens they are correct)...the saddest thing is that it works for them because we have a complicit media who is now nervous that they've been "picking on the girl"...didn't seem to bother them when it was Hillary, did it? This country will deserve what happens if folks don't get off their butts and donate time and money and get FIRED UP about making the change to Obama...
liberalNmoderation @ 131:
Also...I live in South Florida...I talk to Cuban, Haitian, Dominican and Jamaican immigrants almost daily...that qualifies me to be Minister of Big Ass Fence Building...right?
Trittydi @ 125:
Yes.
liberalNmoderation @ 122:
.... like a 17 year old Alaskan ...
I can top that one Mr. McCain! Florida is even closer to Cuba! Ha Ha!! Just you try and debate me!
Gov. Palin knows the surge has succeeded. She’s the commander of the Alaskan National Guard.
non seqitur
He said that Iran was a tiny problem.
shameful misquoting
He’s never visited south of our border.
neither has palin.
He has no experience on these issues.
i thought we were talking about his "judgment".
Filthy Harry @ 130:
It was around that same time that she was busy being boned by her husband's business partner.
L.A. Confidential @ 138:
Let's just HOPE that this movement is limited to 28% of the population.
"But most importantly, people in America want change." - McCain
Sounds like the beginning of a good pro-Obama political ad to me.
I lived next door to a doctor's office. By McCain's logic, that qualifies me to do surgery.
Who needs edumacation?
sofa_king_angry @ 148:
Maybe you remove Rush's anal cyst.
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