In the span of just a few days, Sarah Palin has demonstrated that her ignorance of the First Amendment is total. One day after repeating her earlier call for Muslim Americans to "refudiate" their freedom of religion, Palin defended the disgraced Dr. Laura Schlessinger. But in tweeting that Dr. Laura's "1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist," Palin showed once again she has no idea what they are.

With no sense of irony, the former half-term Governor of Alaska and the same woman who once accused candidate Hillary Clinton of "whining" rushed to defend Dr. Laura not from government censorship, but from the "shackles" of public criticism:

Dr.Laura:don't retreat...reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence"isn't American,not fair")

For her part, Dr. Laura told CNN's Larry King the night before that she was quitting her radio show to "regain my First Amendment rights" supposedly lost after her staccato on-air use of the N-word:

"I want to be able to say what's on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry or some special-interest group deciding this is a time to silence a voice of dissent."

If that language of faux victimization sounds familiar, it should. After all, it's been a staple of the Palin persona since the moment she stepped onto the national stage.

Sarah Palin's first unfortunate run-in with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution came during the home stretch of the 2008 presidential campaign. During an interview with conservative WMAL radio, she regurgitated her usual talking points against the "elitism" and "filter" of the "mainstream media" before coughing up this nugget:

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations, then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

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The first Republican Abraham Lincoln famously proclaimed, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side." Now, in the latest sign of the transformation of the Party of Lincoln into the Party of God, Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle declared the Almighty is on her side. And to be sure, Angle, who just two weeks ago proclaimed "God has a plan" for pregnant victims of rape and incest, is far from alone in believing in the Divine Right. As it turns out, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee, Jan Brewer and Michael Steele are just some of the Republicans who believe they have been touched by the hand of God.

Angle's revelation came in an interview with Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition hatchet man turned Jack Abramoff crony. As Huffington Post recounted the exchange:

"How do you explain all this? You're now a national story, are you kind of overwhelmed by it all?" asked Reed.

"I believe that God has been in this from the beginning and because of that when he has a plan and a purpose for your life and you fit into that, what he calls you to he always equipped you for," Angle replied.

As Americans learned last month, if nothing else Sharron Angle is equipped with a heart of stone. Given the 2008 Republican platform and John McCain's prime-time mockery of the "health of the mother," Sharron Angle's extreme position on abortion sadly is not unusual among hard-line conservatives. But what is unique is her frankness in claiming the suffering of rape and incest victims is divinely mandated:

MANDERS: Is there any reason at all for an abortion?

ANGLE: Not in my book.

MANDERS: So, in other words, rape and incest would not be something?

ANGLE: You know, I'm a Christian, and I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for each one of our lives and that he can intercede in all kinds of situations and we need to have a little faith in many things.

For Sarah Palin, one of those things can be found in her mirror.

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The first Republican, Abraham Lincoln, famously proclaimed, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side." Sadly, as Sarah Palin and RNC Chairman Michael Steele revealed again this week, Honest Abe's successors believe the GOP truly is God's Own Party. As it turns out, Palin and Steele joined George W. Bush, Mike Huckabee, Michele Bachmann, Mark Sanford and others on the long and growing list of Republican leaders who claim they have been chosen by God.

On 60 Minutes Sunday, McCain-Palin campaign chief Steve Schmitt disclosed to Anderson Cooper that the Quitta from Wasilla viewed her selection as John McCain's running mate as part of God's plan:

COOPER: After Senator McCain asked her to be his vice president, how did she respond?

SCHMITT: She was very calm, nonplussed. I said, "You don't seem nervous at all about this," and she said, "No, it's God's plan."

(For more on Palin's belief in the "natural progression" of a grand divine plan for her, continue reading below.)

Echoing Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's announcement in September that "God has placed me in this powerful position," Michael Steele claimed he, too, was tapped by the Almighty in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Under siege by fellow Republicans for his endless series of gaffes and shameless self-promotion, Steele announced:

"I'm not defined by this job. When this job is over I will go back to doing something else. But God, I really believe, has placed me here for a reason because who else and why else would you do this unless there's something inside of you that says right now you need to be here to do this?"

Of course, Steele is far from alone among God's chosen Republicans, as George W. Bush and his amen corner long ago made clear.

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Well, well, well, it looks like Shanna Moakler is proved right after she quit the USA Pageant and called Carrie Prejean a liar. Prejean wasn't fulfilling her contract with the pageant and after The Donald went to bat for her and saved Prejean from being fired a few weeks ago---he finally had enough and dumped her. I guess the wingnut circuit and FOX News will be her new home now.

TMZ:

Sources connected with the pageant tell us even Donald Trump has now had it with Carrie, because she's violating her contract by not getting clearance to do her extracurricular stuff.

We're also told Carrie has been a no-show for appearances she was supposed to make for the pageant organization.

The firing, we're told, is strictly based on Carrie breaching her contract. It's not based on her political and moral views.

Olbermann grabbed audio of her being interviewed on a radio show and she didn't even know that she was fired. Her initial response to the news was a jumbled mash up of words that made no sense.

Olbermann: They said they didn't tell her, she found out doing an interview with Bill Bush.

Prejean: Hmmm, that's the first that I've heard of it Billy. It's just because of my answer I think, ha. None of this would be happening right now if I just said yea, gays should get married. You're right Perez Hilton. The only one that likes me is Donald Trump, hahaha.

Bush: And he gave his blessing to terminate you, you gonna call him?

Prejean: Well I think that he definitely is a business man and I know that he's looking out for my best interests and right now and I think that maybe he thinks that's my best interests right now.

Let's see. Trump saved her job so that has nothing to do with her anti-gay marriage answer, and he just fired her, so... I still don't understand her Trump answer ... Oh, well....

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I meant to post this when it broke but the news has been furious the last few days. I guess like the fact that Shanna didn't bow down to another conservative whiner. Shanna joined Norah on MSNBC the other day and told us why she quit.

Moakler: I don't get paid to do this pageant because I love it and I enjoy it and after I lost control of my pageant, my title holder and instead of getting the help that I really needed my titleholder basically got rewarded for her actions and I can't stand by that.

Norah asked her why she didn't say this during the presser and she said that everything happened very quickly, it was a whirlwind and she thought maybe it could work, but when she say her on the Today show lying abut what happened she had enough.

Norah: What was it Shanna that she wasn't complying with in her contract? The nude photos?

Moakler: The fact that you can't go and work for organizations. She became a spokesperson for NOM organization by doing PSA's, by doing telemarketing for them, appearances, she was neglecting her Miss California responsibilities. She breached her contract by numerous levels and plus continuing to lie, but to answer your original question, I went back to my hotel, I really thought about everything that was taking place and I was upset that in the press conference it wasn't addressed and she needed to take responsibility for those actions and then the next day I saw her on the TODAY Show and she was continuing to lie about some of the photographs and for me it just got petty. It's very difficult for me when someone is lying. I would respect her if she just said I was modeling, I was young, I should have brought it to your attention, I didn't, I'm sorry, but she's pointing fingers to everybody but herself and I cannot take that.

Shanna Moakler didn't buy into Donald Trumps garbage and resigned her post from the pageant. Good for her. The Donald's presser was ridiculous, but Carrie's whining, blame everybody first follow up to him was even worse.

Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant Wednesday after her boss Donald Trump allowed Miss California Carrie Prejean to keep her crown.

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Part 1: Yesterday Keith Lewis, co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant, was furious over NOM's use of Prejean, and attacked them throughout his presser. The pageant also helped pay for her new body. What would Jesus say?

He also said that she breached her contract by being involved with the special interest group. He already had to use the runner-up to fill some of her duties because she's being used as a pawn by the anti-gay lobby, but it's a choice she's quite happy with, I assume. I imagine they'll keep the money flowing to her.

Lewis said that 42% of NOM's fundraising cash made its way to Gallagher personally and that NOM exploited Prejean to put her contract at risk. Prejean also lied about the saucy pictures to them, but judging by her released statements, she is a perfect conservative.

"I am a Christian, and I am a model. Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos. Recently, photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid website that openly mocks me for my Christian faith. "I am not perfect, and I will never claim to be. But these attacks on me and others who speak in defense of traditional marriage are intolerant and offensive. While we may not agree on every issue, we should show respect for others' opinions and not try to silence them through vicious and mean-spirited attacks."

You see, we're all trying to silence her. Typical conservative talking points. She'll fit right in at her new digs until they lose interest in her.

Part 2: Donald Trump says he got all of them in a room and worked it out and she keeps her crown. He put the hammer down it looks like. She was crying and saying nobody should be silenced, (ugh) and how her grandfather fought in WWII. She said she wasn't an activist only a person of beliefs. Working with NOM makes her an activist, doesn't it? She says she won't speak out against Gay Marriage anymore. I guess that was the trade off she made. She also says that some of the pictures were photo-shopped, but the one released today was the photographer releasing some that weren't made public. She forgives everybody including P. Hilton and the Donald said Hilton was just doing his thing even if he scored her very low.

Keith Lewis said he's putting it behind him. They just weren't all on the same page. One question was asked about her involvement with NOM and she said she's not working for them. A question was asked in the beginning about NOM, but that wasn't answered. David Shuster said it was a ridiculous presser with the Donald. I wrote Part 1 yesterday. Prejean being involved in NOM kinda caught my interest so that's why I made the video from the Lewis presser.

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Some conservative ideologues play the Victim Card like a master Tex Hold Em player reads their opponents' cards in Vegas and tosses out a Joker. Sarah Palin has mastered the art of "the liberal is attacking poor little ME!"

Conservatives use this technique more as a rallying cry to their base. A way to squeeze money out of the fringes and make themselves a hero to their cause. Carrie Prejean has been trying to do just that, but her efforts are really weak.

The playbook is pretty standard. Say something racist, misogynist or homophobic which the public doesn't like and claim that you're just voicing your views and the dirty hippie liberals want to silence you from speaking your mind. It doesn't hurt to have the looks Carrie does, but it appears like she'll need some extra media training in the Conservative Whiner schtick.

She's trying to be the new star on the far right conservative circuit, but she's had a very controversial start to her run at it.

As you know, she was running for the Miss USA title, got asked about gay marriage, said she was against it and then got into a very public fight with Perez Hilton over it. She was immediately embraced by the religious right, and as she was acting as Miss California started to film commercials against gay marriage. This is a violation of her contract as Miss California, because you cannot take positions on religion and politics, but she does what most conservatives do, she played by her own rules.

In the middle of it all, topless pictures were released about her, which is no biggie, except when you want to be a leading figure in the morally superior evangelical set. Donald Trump came to her rescue and didn't fire her for breach of contract when she failed to show up for scheduled events. A firestorm erupted between the pageant people in California and Prejean, and it so infuriated Shanna Moakler she resigned.

She was finally fired by "The Donald" while she was doing a radio interview because she failed to live up to the terms of her contract.

You can see why Sarah Palin is her hero. They both love to quit. Then she brought a lawsuit against the pageant.

Now the fun really begins because she made a sex tape for her boyfriend and TMZ reported that it was this tape that got her to back down and the suit was settled.

In the above video, Hannity tries to whitewash it for her, first saying that the ex betrayed her, at which Prejean naturally smiles and says, "Yes, he did. I loved him." Her book is called "Still Standing," which is of course an attack on the media, and her thesis is that everybody wanted her to not express her views. And that, as you can see by this, video is a joke. She has never been silenced at all. She's on every TV show possible.

Her ex told TMZ that Carrie tried to get him to lie about her age so she could say it was a youthful mistake to appease the right wing Christians.

Listen, Carrie, nobody cares about your sex tape (except in a voyeuristic way) or the money you spent on fixing up your body to win beauty contests, or how many nekked pictures you took, because it's your life. Bravo, I say! Will there be Late Night on Cinemax?

She has to concentrate on her religious base because that's where her money is going to come from. If she cons them into thinking she's another "conservative victim," she'll succeed mightly in that arena.

Watching her on Larry King was also pretty funny. Larry King is the King of the softball interviews, and she picks his show to try and pull the old, "Storm off the set routine," but can't even find her microphone to rip off herself. King was trying to find out why she settled her court case -- because as we know, it looks like the sex tape made her capitulate.

In the above video, we have her then trying to pull what appears to be a preplanned stunt on Larry King for more attention.

If it wasn't planned, then, well... she's just nuts.

Transcript below:

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