September 2008
Who Won the First Debate?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 | 10:02 AM
By Sarah Scully
The immediate buzz in the press tent was that McCain had won but that it wouldn't have much of an impact.
The numbers coming in from focus groups and straw polls of voters indicated a win for Obama. Both campaigns, of course stormed the Spin Room after the debate claiming victory.
In the intervening days, the majority of press has settled on calling it a draw.
There may not have been a knock-out punch from either side but polls (and Intrade) have moved in Obama's favor since Friday's debate. That said, his campaign is all too aware of the precarious nature of polling. When we asked him about a potential debate bounce, chief strategist, David Axelrod told us: " if I listened too closely to polls I would have jumped off a high building about a year ago when they said we were thirty points behind for the nomination."
Stay tuned for our highlights episode from the debate, including interviews with Tucker Bounds, Howard Dean and Politico bloggers Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin.
The Palin Affair?
Saturday, September 27, 2008 | 5:29 PM
By William Rabbe
Conservative columnist, Kathleen Parker, of the National Review has called for Sarah Palin to withdraw from the Republican ticket.
Nearly a month after the Sarah Palin's triumphant speech at the RNC, several rather embarrassing moments have called her qualifications into question -- big time. Most of this buzz can be attributed to her interview with Katie Couric of on September 25th, described in TIME as "downright looney" and, "pathetic" by CNN's Jack Cafferty. If you search "Palin Couric" and total the number views on Youtube of various excerpts of the interview it is over 3 million so far.
Maybe Palin is "out of her league," as Parker states, but does this really mean that she should withdraw or that McCain should dump her? Speaking in terms of presidential politics: absolutely not. 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern might have set the gold standard of bad political moves by doing just that in his race against Richard Nixon and it cost him dearly.
The late ex-vice presidential Candidate, Tom Eagleton, was dropped from the ticket after it was discovered that he has received electro-shock treatment for "fatigue" twice. Quite controversial at the time (although Geraldine Ferraro said in our interview that, "there have probably been a couple of Vice Presidents who have mental health problems and we just haven't found out about it..." -- who was she referring to?).
McGovern did not extensively vet his selection and the resulting "Eagleton Affair" was a disaster -- the move was seen by the public as overtly political, especially after he had publicly declared that he was behind Eagleton "1,000 percent."
For better or worse, McCain and Palin are stuck with eachother -- but if it's as bad as Kathleen Parker asserts, the campaign can take comfort that the Democrats probably won't attack Palin directly, just look at Michael Dukakis' 1988 campaign for President -- he ran ads against George H. W. Bush's "careless" choice of Dan Qualye, opening with narration stating that "the most powerful man in the world is mortal" (really?!?):
A lot of good that did him, Dukakis lost in a landslide. That ad was decidedly not a game changer, it was a distraction.
The truth is that people vote for the person on the top of the ticket. This conventional wisdom will probably hold true in 2008.
Nevertheless, what would it take for a "Palin Affair" to still happen? She would have to make a statement to exceed all bounds of absurdity, revealing herself to be an undeniable liability in the eyes of the American public. Like maybe if she said the moon was made of cheese...
This week will prove to be the ultimate test of Palin's cred -- the third and final part of the Katie Couric interview is set to air (perhaps they saved the best for last?) and the most anticipated vice presidential debate of all time will take place on Thursday. That means a lot of opportunity for gaffes. If Palin survives this week, Kathleen Parker can be assured that she's on the ticket for good.
Debating Debating
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 | 5:59 PM
[Updated]
The McCain campaign is now proposing that the Mississippi debate be canceled and instead the St. Louis VP debate be used in its place with Biden and Palin rescheduling for a later date... Hmmm. This is either a rather sensible solution or a really convenient way of giving Sarah Palin more prep time. That is not to say that she particularly needs more prep time but this is the cynical assumption made by many who, in lieu of any evidence to contradict it (or any interaction at all) assume that Palin is cramming like crazy for her first big national battle with a man who has shown that he is more than comfortable in the spotlight.
The real question is whether McCain and Obama can continue to run their very partisan campaigns while also negotiating legislation that will require a serious bipartisan effort.
Either way, I just got off the phone with some rather upset Mississippians. "Do you know how much money and time went into planning this debate?! They better not cancel."
____________________________________________________________________________________
McCain's call to postpone the debate has been rejected but the statement alone may be enough to change the conversation. Can McCain leverage Obama's response against him, showing he puts his ambition first versus putting Country First? Or, will Obama use this as an opportunity to persuade voters that McCain is playing politics and/or avoiding answering real questions?
Everyone seems to hold a slightly different opinion on this one- some say brilliant political move while others say desperate and still others say it is an act of simple leadership. A variety of takes may be found on
Politico's new forum, The Arena.
What is your opinion? C'mon, it'll take you only a few moments to post it on our site and we do not require that you be an elected official or fancy magazine editor!
McCain to suspend campaign & wants to postpone debate...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 | 1:59 PM
McCain takes the high ground and in the process, sets a trap for Obama:
r
McCain says will suspend campaign to return to Washingon Thursday to help with bailout negotiations, asks that Friday debate with Obama be postponed so bailout negotiations can continue
--Reuters 2:51pm EDT
If Obama agrees, he risks being out-shadowed by McCain in the Senate, who took the initiative to get back to DC. If Obama disagrees, he risks looking like a political opportunist, who would rather score points at the debate, than make a difference as a Senator.
The camp is already getting pushback on the blogosphere -- so, what motivates McCain? Genuine concern or is this a political stunt? Maybe there will be a compromise: proceed with the debate, but discuss economic issues, rather than foreign policy?
CNN's Campbell Brown Calls McCain's Treatment of Palin Chauvinistic
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 | 1:14 PM
Guilt by Association?
Friday, September 19, 2008 | 4:44 PM
By William Rabbe
Barack Obama may have stretched the truth in tying Rush Limbaugh to John McCain on immigration.
In truth, the two generally do not agree on the issue, but in this political climate, getting away with as much as you can seems to be the name of the game... (Limbaugh's explaination here)
Maybe Obama will next link McCain and the right wing of the Republican party to Ann Coulter, who advocated to take away a woman's right to vote:
If we took away women's right to vote, we'd never have to worry about another Democrat president. It's kind of a pipe dream, it's a personal fantasy of mine, but I don't think it's going to happen. And it is a good way of making the point that women are voting so stupidly, at least single women.
Pop quiz: who was the first first lady-to-be who got to vote for her husband for President?
Click here for the answer.
A Chicken in Every Pot
Thursday, September 18, 2008 | 11:25 AM
By William Rabbe
Herbert McCain? There's been a lot of chatter about John McCain's quote that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" and that, ironically, the very same sentence was uttered by Herbert Hoover just prior to the great depression. Harry Reid first made the comparison, to McCain's detriment -- Hoover, of course, was blamed for the largest economic downturn in history and was defeated overwhelmingly by Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.
McCain quickly corrected his statement, first saying that he was referring to "American workers" or the "spirit of innovation," then saying that the fundamentals are "strong" but "threatened."
His inadvertent historical reference is not helpful, but luckily, not many Americans: 1. remember Herbert Hoover, 2. study history that closely.
So, for anyone interested, here is a glimpse of the man -- clips from Herbert Hoover's campaigns in '28 and '32:
Also, this isn't the first time John McCain has been compared to Herbert Hoover -- Hillary Clinton criticized him in March for sounding "remarkably like Herbert Hoover" when he espoused his views against Government interference in the housing crisis, saying "it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers." Perhaps an equally regrettable statement in hindsight considering the necessity of AIG's bailout? This bailout was no "reward" to a financial institution that would have broken the economy's back had it been allowed to fail.
Look for McCain's position on the economy to further merge with Barack Obama's in the coming weeks. Economic populism is suddenly the trend in this election...
Behind The Scenes At The Democratic and Republican Conventions
Thursday, September 18, 2008 | 6:34 AM
2008 Uncut photographs captured at the conventions. Sometimes a picture is worth more than 1,000 words.
All Photos: ©Charlotte Rabbe
The Facts Attack Back
Saturday, September 13, 2008 | 10:20 PM
By Sarah Scully
Our friends at FactCheck.org are working overtime, disentangling the truth from the barrage of ruthless attack ads and caustic rumors circulating the blogosphere. So far, the McCain campaign seems to be racking up the most demerits for misleading ads, though Obama's camp has put out a couple of their own. McCain's attacks, part of a new strategy helmed by Steve Schmidt, have set a new bar for negativity. The "liberal blogosphere" is making up for Obama's dearth of deceptive ads by perpetuating (though sometimes retracting, to be fair) conspiracy theories about Palin's past. FactCheck has most recently debunked assertions that the Alaskan Governor cut aid for special needs children, fought for Alaskan succession and pushed for teaching creationism exclusively. Though advised not to take the Palin bait, the Obama campaign is positioning their latest Palin blast (see earlier post) as a critique of McCain's judgment and the integrity of his campaign. And this just in... A new Swift Boat revival group is preparing to release a series of anti-Obama TV spots.
Put on your flack jackets because there are no signs of a cease-fire!
FACT: The Race Is Getting Nasty
Saturday, September 13, 2008 | 6:16 PM
OBAMA CAMPAIGN MEMO: Unraveling the myth of the Straight Talk Express
To: Press Corps
From: Obama Campaign
Re: Unraveling the myth of the Straight Talk Express
Since naming Governor Palin as their Vice Presidential nominee, the McCain campaign has distorted, distracted, and outright lied to the American people about her record in a desperate attempt to hide the fact that a McCain/Palin Administration would be nothing more than a continuation of the failed Bush policies of the last eight years.
Indeed, today alone we learned that the McCain campaign's claim that Governor Palin traveled to Iraq is a lie. In fact, she didn't cross the Kuwait border. We learned that the McCain campaign is desperate enough to tell the press phony crowd numbers, which they falsely attributed to local elected officials and the United States Secret Service. And we learned that despite Senator McCain's claim that Governor Palin is a fiscal conservative, spending actually increased during her brief tenure as Governor.
Here are the facts. Governor Palin supported the Bridge to Nowhere, requested hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks, never visited Iraq, increased spending as governor, increased taxes as governor, and was about as successful selling that luxury jet on eBay as the McCain campaign has been selling her reputation as a reformer. Oh yeah, and the gas pipeline she touts won't be usable for at least a decade, if it's completed at all.
While the media is slowly starting to call the McCain campaign on their dishonest tactics, McCain's staff boasts that they don't care. As a McCain spokesman told the Politico, "We're running a campaign to win. And we're not too concerned about what the media filter tries to say about it."
To help you cut through their lies and spin, below are the facts you need to set the record straight.
McCain Myth: Palin Visited Troops In Iraq
FACT: Palin Did Not Venture Further Into Iraq Than It's Border With Kuwait
"In The Second Official Revision Of Her Only Trip Outside North America," Palin Aides Concede That Her 2007 Visit To Iraq "Consisted Of A Brief Stop At A Border Crossing." "Sarah Palin's visit to Iraq in 2007 consisted of a brief stop at a border crossing between Iraq and Kuwait, the vice presidential candidate's campaign said yesterday, in the second official revision of her only trip outside North America. Following her selection last month as John McCain's running mate, aides said Palin had traveled to Ireland, Germany, Kuwait, and Iraq to meet with members of the Alaska National Guard. During that trip she was said to have visited a 'military outpost' inside Iraq. The campaign has since repeated that Palin's foreign travel included an excursion into the Iraq battle zone. But in response to queries about the details of her trip, campaign aides and National Guard officials in Alaska said by telephone yesterday that she did not venture beyond the Kuwait-Iraq border when she visited Khabari Alawazem Crossing, also known as 'K-Crossing,' on July 25, 2007.It was the second such clarification in as many weeks of the itinerary of what Palin has called 'the trip of a lifetime.' Earlier, the campaign acknowledged that Palin made only a refueling stop in Ireland." [Boston Globe, 9/13/08
McCain Myth: McCain's Appearance Drew Crowd of 23,000 to Event
FACT: Crowd-Size Estimates Provided By Campaign Aides Not Backed By Officials.
Bloomberg: "McCain-Plain Crowd-Size Estimates Not Backed By Officials." "Senator John McCain has drawn some of the biggest crowds of his presidential campaign since adding Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to his ticket on Aug. 29. Now officials say they can't substantiate the figures McCain's aides are claiming. McCain aide Kimmie Lipscomb told reporters on Sept. 10 that an outdoor rally in Fairfax City, Virginia, drew 23,000 people, attributing the crowd estimate to a fire marshal. Fairfax City Fire Marshal Andrew Wilson said his office did not supply that number to the campaign and could not confirm it. Wilson, in an interview, said the fire department does not monitor attendance at outdoor events. . The McCain campaign said 10,000 people showed up at the Consol Energy Arena in Washington, Pennsylvania, home of the Washington Wild Things baseball team. The campaign attributed that estimate, and several that followed, to U.S. Secret Service figures, based on the number of people who passed through magnetometers. 'We didn't provide any numbers to the campaign,' said Malcolm Wiley, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service. Wiley said he would not 'confirm or dispute' the numbers the McCain campaign has given to reporters." [Bloomberg, 9/13/08
McCain Myth: Palin Is a Fiscal Conservative
FACT: Palin Has Grown Government in Her Time as Executive of Both Alaska And Wasilla
Boston Globe: "Fueled by Oil Taxes, Alaska Spending Soared Under Palin." "Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska has also presided over a dramatic increase in state spending in the last two years. Still, she can accurately claim that her state is in good fiscal health, thanks to an explosion of revenues from state taxes on oil industry profits. Indeed, in her 20 months in office, Palin's toughest financial decisions involved dickering with the Legislature on creative ways to spend and salt away the billions of dollars in oil revenues pouring into the state treasury." [Boston Globe, 9/13/08
· In Two Budget Cycles, Palin Only Vetoed $2.6 Million In Spending Requests For Alaska's $8.1 Billion Operating Budget - Which Has Increased 30 Percent In Two Years. ".in two budget cycles, Palin has vetoed a total of only $2.6 million in spending requests for the state's now $8.1 billion annual operating budget, which, according to an analysis by the legislative finance office, has increased about 30 percent in two years. The increase figure includes the one-time energy rebate checks but no increases in reserve accounts or any capital expenditures. It also doesn't include a supplemental appropriation for additional expenditures, which is routine. Last year, the supplemental budget was more than $4 billion, mostly deposits in reserve accounts when revenues continued to pour in at high levels." [Boston Globe, 9/13/08
Wasilla's Total Government Expenditures Increased 63 Percent Under Palin. In fiscal 2003-the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget-the total government expenditures of Wasilla, excluding capital outlays, were $7,046,325. In fiscal 1996-the year before Palin took control of the budget-the expenditures were $4,317,947. The increase was 63 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]
McCain Myth: Palin Has Succeeded in Signing a Deal to Build Alaska's Long-Stalled Gas Pipeline
FACTS: High Gas Prices Have Given Alaska a Huge Windfall, Passed on to Alaskans Like Sarah Palin in Huge Dividend Checks - And Palin Has Backed Shipping Alaskan Natural Gas to Asia
Palin Touts Her Pipeline Deal, But It Has Not been Started, Would Take Years to Complete and Could Never Happen, Costing Taxpayers $500 Million for Nothing. "When Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska took center stage at the Republican convention last week, she sought to burnish her executive credentials by telling how she had engineered the deal that jump-started a long-delayed gas pipeline project. But an examination of the pipeline project also found that Ms. Palin has overstated both the progress that has been made and the certainty of success. The pipeline exists only on paper. The first section has yet to be laid, federal approvals are years away and the pipeline will not be completed for at least a decade. In fact, although it is the centerpiece of Ms. Palin's relatively brief record as governor, the pipeline might never be built, and under a worst-case scenario, the state could lose up to $500 million it committed to defray regulatory and other costs." [New York Times, 9/13/08
· Republican Lawmaker Worried Alaska Bargained Away Too Much Leverage, Has No Agreement to "Lift One Shovel of Dirt or Lay Down One Inch of Steel." "As Ms. Palin takes to the road to campaign with Mr. McCain, invoking the pipeline as a major victory, some Alaska lawmakers who initially endorsed her plan now believe it was a mistake. State Senator Bert Stedman, a Republican who is co-chairman of the finance committee, said that in its contract with the chosen developer, TransCanada, the state bargained away too much leverage with little guarantee of success. 'There is no requirement to lift one shovel of dirt or lay down one inch of steel,' he said." [New York Times, 9/13/08
McCain Myth: Palin's Energy Experience Will Lower Gas Prices and Reduce Our Dependence on Foreign Oil
FACTS: High Gas Prices Have Given Alaska a Huge Windfall, Passed on to Alaskans Like Sarah Palin in Huge Dividend Checks - And Palin Has Backed Shipping Alaskan Natural Gas to Asia
Thanks To "Soaring Oil Prices And A Higher Windfall Oil Profits Tax," Alaska's State Coffers Are "Overflowing With Petrodollars." "Soaring oil prices and a higher windfall oil profits tax - an increase pushed through by Palin, now the Republican vice presidential nominee - have state coffers overflowing with petrodollars. The Alaska oil industry calculates that its annual payments to the state doubled in a single year to $10.2 billion." [Boston Globe, 9/13/08
· Every Alaskan Receiving $1,200 From The State, Along With Annual Check From The Permanent Fund, Which Is A Record $2,069 Per Resident This Year - Palin Family Eligible For $19,000. "And Alaska residents are getting their cut. Starting this week, every Alaskan who has lived in the state more than a year will receive $1,200 from the state, a total of about $756 million in rebates to offset high energy costs in the 49th state. That's on top of the perennial check each will receive from the state's oil revenue-endowed Permanent Fund, this year a record $2,069 per resident. The large Palin family is eligible to receive more than $19,000 from the combined payments." [Boston Globe, 9/13/08
Palin Backed A Two-Year Extension Of The Export License To Export Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) To Japan And Other Asian Countries-Criticized Because Alaska's Gas Reserves Are Declining. "Alaska producers can continue shipping gas to Asia after DOE last week approved an extension of the export license for the Kenai liquefied natural gas plant owned by ConocoPhillips and Marathon. The companies will be allowed to export up to 98.1 Bcf to Japan and other Pacific Rim countries over a two-year period through March 31, 2011. [.] The application came under fire from local end-users, including gas distribution companies Enstar and the Chugach Electric Association, as well as fertilizer maker Agrium, all of which claimed the exports would exacerbate the problem of declining gas reserves in south-central Alaska. Agrium permanently closed its plant near Kenai due to an inability to find enough local supply for the facility that used 53 Bcf/year. In January, ConocoPhillips and Marathon reached a deal in which they agreed to step up development in the Cook Inlet region in return for the state's support of the export license extension. The producers also agreed to divert gas from the LNG plant as needed to meet the peak winter supply needs of the local utilities. [.] Alaska Governor Sarah Palin welcomed the DOE approval. "In these times of economic uncertainty, this is great news for the state and its residents. This extension will secure a future for the LNG operation and is another step toward ensuring energy supplies and energy security for Alaska," the Republican governor said. [Platts Inside FERC, 6/9/08]
McCain Palin Myth: Sarah Palin Told Congress "Thanks But No Thanks" On That Bridge to Nowhere
FACT: Palin Was Before It Before She Was Against It - Kept the Money for Other Projects
Politifact: Palin's Stance On "The Bridge To Nowhere" Is "A Full Flop." Politfact, a service of CQ and the St. Petersburg Times wrote, "McCain said Palin has 'stopped government from wasting taxpayers' money on things they don't want or need. And when we in Congress decided to build a bridge in Alaska to nowhere for $233-million of yours, she said, we don't want it. If we need it, we'll build our own in Alaska. She's the one that stood up to them.' Nevermind that Alaska didn't give the money back. It spent the money on other transportation projects. The context of Palin's and McCain's recent statements suggest Palin flagged the so-called Bridge to Nowhere project as wasteful spending. But that's not the tune she was singing when she was running for governor, particularly not when she was standing before the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce asking for their vote. And so, we rate Palin's position a Full Flop." [Politifact
McCain Myth: Sarah Palin NEVER Sought Earmarks As Governor.
FACT: Palin Sought Nearly $200 Million Earmarks For The Coming Year.
AP Fact Check: McCain "Erroneously" Asserted That, As Governor, Palin Never Sought Earmarks. "John McCain continued to laud his running mate, Sarah Palin, as a budget cutter on Friday, this time erroneously asserting that as governor of Alaska she had not sought congressional earmarks for her state. In fact, while Palin has significantly reduced the state's earmark requests, she asked for nearly $200 million in targeted spending for the 2009 fiscal year. And in an interview with ABC News aired Friday, she defended her earmark requests, emphasizing that she opposed 'earmark abuse.' . Appearing on the ABC television show 'The View,' McCain was pressed on her record of seeking such targeted money for Alaska. 'Not as governor she didn't,' McCain said. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said that McCain's remark came 'in the middle of a conversation, the middle of a back and forth,' and the reference was to her record of cutting spending." [AP, 9/12/08
McCain Myth: Sarah Palin Has Taken a Tough Stance Against Earmarks
FACT: As Mayor, Palin Hired a Lobbyist Tied to Ted Stevens Who Got Wasilla $27 Million in Earmarks and as Governor, Alaska Has Sought and Received More Earmarked Spending Per Person than Any Other State
Lobbyist Hired By Palin Secured $27 Million In Federal Earmarks for 6,700-Person Town. "Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm to secure almost $27 million in federal earmarks for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, according to an analysis by an independent government watchdog group." [Washington Post
In 2008, Alaska Got More Earmarked Federal Funding Per Person Than Any Other State. "Arizona, the second fastest growing state in the nation, will receive just $18.70 per capita in federal earmarks this fiscal year. By comparison, Alaska - with roughly a tenth of Arizona's population - is set to receive $506.34 per capita, the highest in the nation, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group which tracks earmarks. The state of Alaska receives about three times as much as Arizona receives in actual dollars, $346 million to $119 million." [USA Today, 3/22/08
Palin's Requests - More Per Person Than Any Other State. "Just this year, she sent to Sen. Ted. Stevens, R-Alaska, a proposal for 31 earmarks totaling $197 million - more, per person, than any other state." [Seattle Times, 9/2/08
McCain Myth: Palin Cut Taxes
FACT: Palin Raised Wasilla's Sales Tax
Palin Supported First-Ever Wasilla Sales Tax to Pay for Police Department. In 1992 "Palin, a political newcomer, was one of two supporters of the police-sales tax plan elected to the city council in Wasilla, Alaska." [Anchorage Daily News (AK), 10/8/92]
Palin Supported Increasing Wasilla Sales Tax From 2 to 2.5 Percent to Build $14.7 Million Sports Center. "Wasilla residents have given the go ahead to building a new multiuse sports center in town and to raising the city sales tax to pay for it. With the final votes counted Friday, residents voted 306 to 286 in favor of a measure to raise the city sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent to pay the estimated $14.7 million cost of building the center.Mayor Sarah Palin, who supported the measure, said the tight vote will motivate city officials to keep a close eye on the budget for the center." [Anchorage Daily News, 3/9/02]
McCain Myth: Palin Is a Reformer Who Brought Ethics Back to Alaskan Politics
FACT: Palin Is Under Investigation, Faces a Separate Ethics Complaint and Signed a Weak Ethics Law
Joint Legislative Council of the Legislature Voted Unanimously to Appoint a Special Counsel to Investigate Palin Abuse of Power Claim. The Alaska State Legislature's Legislative Council voted 12-0 to approve $100,000 for a special investigator to begin an investigation into claims Palin fired a former state official because he would not fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody battle with Palin's sister. [KTVA 11, 07/28/08
Ethics Complaint Filed Against Gov. Palin Over Alleged Involvement in Hiring a Campaign Contributor. In August 2008, former state House member Andree McLeod" filed against Gov. Sarah Palin and her staff today with the Attorney General's Office. It accuses the governor's office of using its pull to get a Palin supporter hired to a [Department of Transportation] job in Fairbanks." McLeod said " 'Executive branch employee shouldn't be getting involved in the recruitment process unless it's based on merit,' said Andree McLeod, who wrote the complaint based on a series of e-mails between members of Palin's team.The complaint accuses Palin, her acting chief of staff and others of breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks." The complaint
McCain Myth: Palin Traveled Abroad to Ireland
FACT: Palin Stopped In Ireland To Refuel Plane.
Palin's Ireland Trip Was A Refueling Stop. Politico's Ben Smith reported, "I wrote the other day that a Palin spokeswoman said trips to Germany, Kuwait and Ireland made up her foreign travel. Two details worth clarifying: The Ireland trip was a refueling stop on her trip to military installations in Germany and Kuwait, spokeswoman Maria Comella said. And she's also visited Canada, another spokesman, Ben Porritt, says." [Politico
McCain Myth: Palin Has Experience in Foreign Affairs Because She Was Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard
FACT: Palin Has No Role in National Guard's National Defense Responsibilities or Overseas Deployments and Never Issued Any Orders to the Guard Since She Took Office
Adjutant General of Alaska National Guard Said Palin Plays No Role in National Defense Activities, Even When They Involve Alaska National Guard. "Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, considers Palin 'extremely responsive and smart' and says she is in charge when it comes to in-state services, such as emergencies and natural disasters where the National Guard is the first responder. But, in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, he said he and Palin play no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations." [AP, 8/31/08
· Palin Has Not Issued Any Orders for Guard Activity Since Becoming Their Commander in Chief. "Occasions in which Palin retains command authority over the 4,200-member Alaska National Guard are whenever the Guard responds to in-state natural disasters and civic emergencies, said Campbell, who also serves as the commissioner of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.Some examples? 'We've deployed individuals in state service all over the state under Sarah Palin,' he said. 'We had defense men down in Seward for the (Mount) Marathon run doing security. 'Out west and northwest we had erosion problems, and the National Guard was involved in some of the protection out there. About three days ago, the Army National Guard picked up a lady from Little Diomede (Island) . . . at the request of state troopers.' Did Palin directly approve each of those activities? No, Campbell said. The governor has granted him the authority to act on his own in most cases, including life-or-death emergencies - when a quick response is required - and minor day-to-day operations." [McClatchy, 9/3/08
McCain Myth: Palin Sold the State's Jet on eBay
FACT: Palin Sold the Jet to Campaign Contributor at a Loss of $600,000 for the State
Palin Did Not Sell Murkowski's Plane on eBay - Sold it to an Alaskan Entrepreneur at a Loss of $600,000. "One of the compelling anecdotes about Sarah Palin is that she auctioned off the Alaska governor's jet on eBay after taking office - a swift move made by a reformer hoping to clean up the excesses of her predecessor. But in fact, the jet did not sell on eBay. It was sold to a businessman from Valdez named Larry Reynolds, who paid $2.1 million for the jet, shy of the original $2.7 million purchase price, according to contemporaneous news reports, including a story in the New York Times. What happened? It appears that, as promised during her bid for governor in 2006, Palin did try to sell the plane on eBay, but that doing so was not as easy as it might have sounded. After putting it up to auction, there was one serious bid, in December of 2006, and it fell through. Still, the Westwind II was sold about eight months later, achieving Palin's goal of ridding the state of a luxury item." [Washington Post Blog, 9/5/08
· Larry Reynolds Made Campaign Contributions To Palin And State Rep. John Harris, Who Is Credited With Brokering The Sale, In 2006 And 2007. "Dan Spencer, the director of administrative services for Alaska's Public Safety Department, said that the Republican speaker of the Alaska House, John L. Harris, brokered the deal. Reynolds made campaign contributions to both Palin and Harris in 2006 and 2007." [Washington Post Blog, 9/5/08]
McCain Myth: Palin Fired the Governor's Chef
FACT: Palin Did Not Fire the Chef, Just Reassigned Her to a Different Job - She Now Cooks for the Legislature
Contrary to Palin's Claim, Governor's Chef Wasn't Fired, She Was Just Reassigned. "Remember the long-time executive chef who lost her job at the Mansion when Sarah decided to live mostly in Wasilla instead of Juneau? Stefani Marnon was first reassigned as a 'constituent relations assistant' in the governor's office and later to the state museum. Earwigs report she's finally landed where they really appreciate a good chef: the Legislative Lounge. Lawmakers were smacking their lips in anticipation, according to Sen. Kim Elton's newsletter." [Anchorage Daily News, 9/9/08
###
Not Good.
Friday, September 12, 2008 | 10:46 AM
This probably confirmed the suspicions of many that Gov. Palin is terminally naive when it comes to foreign affairs...
Disturbing. Palin obviously didn't know that the Bush doctrine refers to the right of our country to pre-emptively strike at another country for purposes of self-defense -- and when asked for a yes or no answer on invading Pakistan, she sounds like a broken record, just repeating the same talking point nearly three times.
It hurts to watch.
Slim Margins
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 | 9:52 AM
By William Rabbe
To the many who are wondering why Barack Obama isn't doing as well as he "should be" at this point in the election, consider this: no democrat since LBJ has won the presidency decisively when seeking a first term.
What about Jimmy Carter in 1976?
Well, despite Watergate, an uninspiring (and unelected) President and a 33-point lead at labor day, Carter barely eked out his victory. He only won by 2% in the popular vote and the electoral count was anything but a clear mandate.
But what about Bill Clinton? He certainly trounced George Bush in '92!
Not exactly. Remember Ross Perot? The effect of Perot's Reform Party candidacy was significant, winning 19% of the popular vote and large margins of swing states that would have gone to Bush had he not been in competition. In fact, if George Bush had received less than half of the total Perot vote in just a few states (including: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire and, yes, Ohio) he would have won handily.
Obviously the effect of a third party is not necessary to ensure victory for the dems, but the task is not to be underestimated -- even during times of republican failure.
Convention Chit Chat With Politico's James Kotecki
Monday, September 8, 2008 | 6:20 PM
Like Siskel & Ebert and later Ebert & Roeper, Sarah Scully & James Kotecki discuss the highlights and the low points of both conventions.
Eastern Media Elite
Saturday, September 6, 2008 | 9:31 PM
A hilarious video from our friend Dana Milbank:
Sarah Barracuda & The Red Meat Ramblers
Thursday, September 4, 2008 | 6:20 PM
By Sarah Scully
Given the amount of red meat dished out last night, it seemed best to let it digest overnight before attempting to blog about it. Last week, Barack Obama reinforced his bridge across the aisle by trotting out various Republican supporters and honoring McCain's military record. He tried to strike a balance by appealing to Independents and moderate Republicans with an attack that was less about party identity than singling out the bad apple that is the Bush administration. The GOP took the opposite tack on Wednesday night, with a line-up of Red Meat Ramblers who revived the dialect of the 1990s partisan wars. Given that the whole purpose of a convention is to rally the base, it is appropriate that the GOP draped the convention center in red and made the week a celebration of traditional Republican values, but could the partisan fervor turn off the voters in the middle who may be deciding the outcome of the race?
The roster of McCain's former competitors, Romney, Huckabee and Guiliani singing the praises of the Arizona Senator and sucker punching Democrats in the same spot in quick succession provided a powerful image of unity with a sincerity that was lacking in the Clinton appearances in Denver. Yes, the expectations were high, but the crowd was ready to carry Sarah Palin through the streets of Saint Paul all the way to DC before she even took the stage. Her assignment was written on the wall the day she was selected and repeated again and again by network pundits (who performed the same review session for Obama the previous week): 1. Introduce yourself with an inspiring explanation of your values and defense of your record. 2. Demonstrate that you are as confident and tough as Joe Biden, capable of whupping him in a debate. She got an Incomplete on the first half of the assignment and an A on the second.
The question that still needs answering is: Who is she and what kind of leader would she be? I've no doubt she could have answered this with sufficient gusto but she chose not to. We did hear a little about her disabled son, her enlisted son, her loyal husband and her middle class parents- but that provided an opening for critics to point out the hypocrisy in exploiting certain aspects of her personal life while reacting with outrage at discussion of her daughter's pregnancy (an issue she could have used to exemplify her compassionate conservatism). Palin spent the majority of the nearly 40-minutes oration on the attack. After likening herself to a pitbull in lipstick, she tore into the media, the Washington establishment, the Democratic party, Barack Obama (without mentioning his name specifically) and, oddly enough, community organizers. As in any compelling narrative, the protagonist needs to be developed before we witness their heroics, otherwise the actions have no context. John McCain is not an idiot nor has he given up, contrary to what some fringe lefties are blogging. He chose this woman with good reason and vetted her to the degree he felt necessary. To be sure, Sarah Palin is a talented, forthright speaker and a highly intelligent person but this is not a revelation nor is it a rare quality among elected officials. It should never have been a question of whether she was some backwoods neophyte who would embarrass the party. There has been a lot of talk of sexism, elitism and regionalism in the coverage of Palin but doesn't the fact that her own party was so bowled away merely by her ability to throw a punch betray a double standard? She was hailed as "Sarah Barracuda." Is it possible for a woman to succeed in political leadership without being compared to a violent animal? Why should it be so surprising that a rural mother of five from a working class family could deliver such a forceful blow? If we are to measure her on the same scale as a man, is it possible her speech would have been as well received, had it been delivered by Mitt Romney? Vice Presidential candidate's are traditionally supposed to do the dirty work or "play the attack dog" as the pundits say, but that is not their sole task. They must demonstrate the very same ability to lead as the President.
GOP Convention Day Two: Back in Black
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 | 11:43 PM
By Sarah Scully
Republicans spent the day getting their convention back on track, successfully mustering the party faithful into a red meat rally. The tone was strikingly serious compared to the joyous mood in Denver, not simply due to the potentially devastating hurricane. The evening's scheduled theme was "Service" with a focus on McCain's military record and those of his supporters. The GOP is putting forth a message of sober strength to counter the intoxicating hope of the Obama campaign. Patriotic prayers and low profile music provided a slow on-ramp to speakers who, one by one, lifted the mood with personal stories of struggle and sacrifice. By the time a recording of AC/DC's "Back in Black" came on, the crowd was primed. Thunderous applause greeted Barbara and George H. W. Bush as they entered the arena before a video tribute to the 41st President. Though many breathed a sigh of relief when our current President and his low approval ratings decided not to appear in person, he too was met with eager cheers when he appeared on the giant HD wall behind the stage. President Bush, Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman stayed on point, praising a stalwart McCain, a reinvigorating Palin and offering stern warnings against Obama. Adding a couple of whacks at the media and several invocations of the "USA" chant, the GOP was back in fighting form.
Day One of GOP Convention Hindered By Gustav, Protestors and Innuendo
Tuesday, September 2, 2008 | 9:07 AM
By Sarah Scully
The GOP scaled back several of the events planned for the first day of the convention. With hurricane Gustav looming, delegates arrived to minimal fanfare. Clumps of protestors and squadrons of police roamed the streets while journalists debated the significance of the latest revelation that Sarah Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant. The convention was called to order inside as demonstrators began to clash with the authorities outside. Cindy McCain and Laura Bush dispensed with partisan sentiment and instead called for cooperation in assisting storm victims. Party officials spent the evening monitoring current events in order to plan Tuesday's schedule. With the storms and several hundred arrests largely behind them, the GOP is looking to Day Two to boost morale. Look for more enthusiasm (and more protests) today. Tonight, President Bush via satellite, "Independent Democrat" Joe Lieberman and Fred Thompson.
Ongoing Coversations
- Are Reactions to Palin Pick Betraying Chauvinism? 0 comments
- Is Palin a Good Pick? 8 comments
- Is Biden a Good Pick? 0 comments
- Should Obama Accept McCain's Proposal for a Series of Joint Town Halls? 6 comments
- Who Won The Debate? 2 comments
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