RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Sarah Palin for VP

Fishing permit violations. A blue-collar husband who racked up a DUI citation as a 22-year-old. An unmarried teenage daughter who is pregnant and a nasty child custody battle involving a family member.

All of this, to one degree or another, has surfaced in recent days as a result of efforts to discredit or undermine Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. But these revelations may have the opposite effect: In one sense, they could reinforce how remarkably unremarkable she is.

etc...

Fair point.

However...Palin is being presented as a stauch proponent of family values. She supports abstinance only education and her teenage daughter pops up pregnant. That's pretty inconvenient.

She's supposed to be a reformer that opposed "the Bridge to Nowhere" and is against pork barrel earmarks yet this article tells a different story. Looks like another "for it before I was against it" deal.

The Trooper-gate scandal may be a rallying point for some people but, she originally said that her office had nothing to do with the firing of the Public Safety Commissioner nor did it try to pressure him into firing her former brother in law. She had to walk back on that one after an investigation revealed that half dozen members of her staff had made more than 2 dozen calls trying to get the guy fired. Not to mention that a tape came out with one of her aides talking to the commissioner saying that she wanted the guy gone.

The brother-in-law seems like a scumbag and nobody is really going to hold it against her if she tried to use her clout to fuck with him. The problem is it looks like she fired an innocent guy just because he didn't do what she wanted AND she lied about being even peripherally involved. That's two different ethical issues she looks to be on the wrong side of.

It is what it is. Could be that all the stuff that's coming out about her will just serve to energize the Right even more and make them rally around her.

But, it would seem to me that even supporters of McCain have got to wonder about his vetting process if his campaign didn't know about all this stuff before he picked her.

And if he did know about all of it, then seems like you'd have to seriously question his judgement for picking her when there were better, more qualified candidates out there without all the baggage.

Betcha Ridge or Leiberman are looking a lot better to some of McCain's senior aides right now...

Hell, McCain would probably take Rudy right now.

Seems like you would at least ask yourself the question...Why would McCain choose a running mate that is virtually unknown by most of the country and carries around a lot of baggage that may have a negative effect within his own party?

I think Obama will win regardless.

Is it over exageration to say that before last Friday Gov. Palin was unknown to a majority of Americans?

Prolly not.

Is it whomodian to note that her closet contains several skeletons that might not be particularly helpful in the next few months before the election?

Nope.

My so-called analysis of Gov. Palin amounts to posting facts about her that have been widely reported.

THIS is analysis of the Palin pick. You may not agree with it but, it is a distinct possibility.

And before you get it twisted, make note: I just posted it and allowed for the possibility. Once again, I think Obama will win regardless.

Your "facts" are, in reality, an examination of controversies that allege certain things about Palin. And this examination is complemented by deceitful terms like "skeletons" and "baggage" that serve as figurative intensifiers which end up inflating the citations.

Without going over every point of your article of choice, it's easy enough for me to point out that it's a congealment of half-assed predictions based on what you and the author feel qualifies as "baggage."

The only real concrete development the author and you grab onto is the teen-pregnancy. And certainly it won't be helpful for Palin or McCain, but the way you're trying to manipulate the situation, it's being made out to be a major impediment rather than a minor nuisance. The most that its scrutiny by the leftist blog-o-sphere does is make the democrats look bad--Which is why Obama told them to shut their mouths.

There are any number of reasons why McCain would pick an unknown. They could be just as easily positive as they are negative. In which case, I can easily see the choice of Palin being used to combat Obama's attempt to maintain a monopoly on ticket variety. But I also see that she is more conservative than McCain and that directly addresses right-wing concerns that the ticket is too left of center.

ah the Bastard reads the Huffington post, now it makes sense,,,,,

Speaking of Obama, he takes the high road in most of these debates but it doesn't stop the McCain sympathizers from constantly refering to all the falsehoods spread about him.

the article is your source. you dont realize that? i wouldnt quote a liberal or conservative site for an argument, let alone base my political views off of one. if youre reading crap like that, no wonder you are so skewed.


i'll just pick apart one example, in the story you quoted they acted as if it was a secret that Palin first supported the bridge project, but the day she was nominated I read a story where she said she initially supported the project. really, if you wanna play with the big boys, you gotta do some research....

Just think what would have happened had Obama picked John Edwards to be on the ticket before the whole affair/possible baby daddy scandal had come out. You so-called conservatives/moderates/independants/psuedo-neocons would be shatting all over yourselves in your zeal to eviscerate Obama for his poor choice.

By David Harsanyi

The potential political consequences of Sarah Palin have been chewed over from every imaginable angle.

Though there is plenty to ponder, one thing is certain: libertarian-inclined voters should be encouraged. No, I'm not suggesting that your little Molly will be bringing home "The Road to Serfdom" from her (distinctly non-public) elementary school. But in contrast to any national candidate in recent memory, Palin is the one that exudes the economic and cultural sensibilities of a geniune Western-style libertarian.

Now, Palin's lack of experience has been framed as an impenetrable negative. One wire story helpfully noted that Palin had never ever appeared on "Meet the Press." Shocking! But as Barack Obama often notes, it's not about experience, it's about judgment. And Palin's penchant for reform-minded conservatism is certainly at odds with the racket Washington Republicans have offered up the past 8 years.

Palin, for example, vetoed 300 pork projects in Alaska in her first year in office. She made a habit of knocking out big-government Republicans in her brief political career. For this, the 44-year-old mother of five enjoys a sterling approval rating in a state with arguably the nation's most libertarian-minded populace.

When it comes to healthcare, Palin says she wants to "allow free-market competition and reduce onerous government regulation." These days, any mention of the "free market" that's not framed as a crass pejorative is a sign of progress.

Culturally, there is little for the Heartland to dislike. By now, you've probably seen picture or two of Palin sporting a rifle. Apparently, she's left carcasses strewn across the Alaskan wilderness. In some places -- areas where the nation is growing -- owning a gun is not yet a sin. And unlike Obama, Palin seems to believe that the Second Amendment means the exact same thing in rural Alaska as it does in the streets of Chicago.

Yes, Palin is without argument a staunch social conservative. She is fervently opposed to abortion - even in cases of rape and incest, which will raise eyebrows, but is certainly more philosophically consistent than the namby pambyism of your average politician. The choice issue, after all, is complicated, even for many libertarians. And, as I was recently reminded, Ron Paul, the Libertarian champion of the 21st century, also opposes abortion.

Even when advocating for "moral" issues, Palin's approach is a soft sell. Palin does not support gay marriage (neither does Obama, it should be noted). Yet, in 2006, Palin's first veto as Governor was a bill that sought to block state employee benefits and health insurance for same-sex couples.

We cannot bore into Palin's soul to see her true feelings about gay couples, but, at the time, she noted that signing "this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office" because it was unconstitutional. For most libertarians, the thought of politician following any constitution, rather than their own predilections, morality or the "common good," is a nice change of pace.

On the counterproductive War on Drugs, Palin is no warrior. Her Republican opponent in 2006 primary, incumbent Republican governor Frank Murkowski, made recriminalizing the possession of small amounts of pot a priority. Palin, though she does not support legalization, believes enforcement should be a high priority.

"I can't claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled," Palin once said. This sort of honesty is a welcome change from the standard hand-wringing about marijuana's supposed disastrous consequences.

On education, Palin supports school-choice programs. There have already been smears that she backed "creationist" teaching in "public" schools, when in fact, Palin's comment regarding intelligent design should hold some appeal to libertarians. Even if you find the idea inane, in essence, Palin pushed the idea that parents, rather than the state, should decide what children are learning.

When asked about this commotion, Palin said, "I won't have religion as a litmus test, or anybody's personal opinion on evolution or creationism." If lockstep left-wing union-run school boards in urban districts would follow this sound advice on ideological litmus tests, our educational system would be a lot more productive.

Then there is a question of authenticity. And it matters. Those who will do anything for power, will say anything and support any position that is convenient. From John McCain to Joe Biden to Obama, one gets the sense that political office is their life's work. All of them have made attempts to create the perception that, hey, they're ordinary Americans just like you. Palin won't have to work at genuineness. With Palin, you get the impression she can take politics or leave it. Her life certainly hasn't been saturated with policy, favor trading and back scratching.

Of course, Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags. But, from the little we know about Palin, such a transformation doesn't seem likely. And for libertarians - in the broadest sense of the small "l" word -- she's the best candidate they can expect.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's husband, Todd, twice registered as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a fierce states' rights group that wants to turn all federal lands in Alaska back to the state. Sarah Palin herself was never a member of the party, according to state officials.

Questions about a third-party link to John McCain's new running mate emerged Tuesday as the latest issue facing the McCain campaign in the midst of the Republican National Convention.

Questions had swirled about Sarah Palin's affiliation with the Independence Party and with former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. Voter registration records and past news reports, however, show Palin never registered as a member of the Independence Party, and backed Steve Forbes' presidential campaign in 2000, not Buchanan.

"Supporters of Barack Obama are engaged in an unfortunate and nasty smear campaign," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said, specifically citing issues related to Palin's politics.

Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, said Todd Palin twice registered under the Alaskan Independence Party — in 1995 and 2000. Some members of the party have advocated secession from the United States, though that is not a goal listed in the party's platform.

Voter registration records show Sarah Palin registered in May 1982 as a member of the Republican Party and has not changed her affiliation. Todd Palin has been registered undeclared since 2002, Fenumiai said.

Palin did address the Alaskan Independence Party's state convention by video earlier this year, welcoming the party to Fairbanks.

"Your party plays an important role in our state's politics," she said in the video, which is posted on the party's Web site. "I've always said that competition is so good, and that applies to political parties as well."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton objected to Rogers's accusation of a smear. He pointed to comments by Lynette Clark, the chairman of the AIP, who told ABC News that Palin and her husband, Todd, belonged to the party in 1994.

Obama advisers and surrogates have linked Palin to conservative former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. An Associated Press story from Alaska, dated July 17, 1999, stated that Palin, then the mayor of the small town of Wasilla, was wearing a Buchanan button during a Buchanan visit to Alaska.

But in a letter to the Anchorage Daily News a week later, Palin wrote: "When presidential candidates visit our community, I am always happy to meet them. I'll even put on their button when handed one as a polite gesture of respect. ... The article may have left your readers with the perception that I am endorsing this candidate, as opposed to welcoming his visit to Wasilla."

A week after that, the Associated Press reported that Palin would serve as a co-chair of Forbes' campaign.

Still, the Miami Herald this week quoted an e-mail from Obama Florida spokesman Mark Bubriski that stated: "Palin was a supporter of Pat Buchanan, a right-winger or as many Jews call him: a Nazi sympathizer."

The Republican backlash against coverage of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s family came on full display Tuesday, as the audience at a breakfast panel discussion groaned loudly in reaction to a question about 17-year-old Bristol Palin’s pregnancy.

“Lay off the kid,” said former Republican strategist and NBC news analyst Mike Murphy, responding to an audience member who asked how conservatives would respond if similar information arose about a Democratic candidate’s child.

Idaho Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, another panelist, dismissed the subject, tersely saying: “Next question.”

Panelists defended Palin at a discussion hosted by Politico, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Yahoo News. Joining Murphy and Risch at the event were California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce and Michigan Rep. Candace Miller.

Pryce suggested that Bristol Palin’s pregnancy could help her mother’s political prospects.

“It just makes her more real,” she said.

But even as panelists swatted down speculation about the Palin family’s personal lives, they acknowledged there were risks in tapping the Alaska governor to be the Republican vice presidential candidate.

Murphy argued that the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether Palin would be an appealing figure to swing voters, or whether she would ultimately be “only a base pick” who appeals mostly to conservative Republicans.

“Will she be someone who helps us grow the pie or only helps us reinforce the pie we have?” Murphy asked. “We don’t know yet.”

While the shock factor in Palin’s nomination has drawn attention to the Republican ticket, Republicans said there’s still a lot for the public to learn about the 44-year-old Alaska governor.

“She’s unknown,” Miller conceded. “So the risk really is: Is there something out there that might not play particularly well?”

When McCain announced Palin as his running mate Friday, the pick drew almost universal applause from conservatives. Over the weekend and on Monday, questions began to arise about the thoroughness of the McCain campaign’s vice presidential vetting process as new information surfaced about Palin’s term as governor and past political affiliations.

“If there are a few more things [that] pop up,” Murphy predicted, “the question won’t be her, it’ll be the McCain vetting process.”

Palin, who on Friday presented herself as an opponent of the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” earmark, turns out to have originally supported that project. On Monday, the public learned that Palin had hired an attorney to help her navigate a state ethics probe related to the firing of Alaska’s public safety commissioner.

“It’ll be about McCain’s judgment” if more damaging information emerges, Murphy said. “That’s a story McCain’s ultimately got to fight through and win, otherwise it’ll be a problem.”

And in addition to whatever currently unknown information might arise, Palin’s short time in the national spotlight could also be a problem, according to the panelists.

“I think the greatest risk is going to be experience on national and foreign policy,” McCarthy said.

Several panelists even suggested McCain might not have selected Palin if not for her gender.

“I think probably not,” McCarthy said. “There would’ve been other people that would’ve met the criteria.”

“I don’t think she would’ve been picked if she’d been Sam instead of Sarah,” Risch said. “But then, Sam wouldn’t bring to the ticket what Sarah brings to the ticket.”

Still, despite the rocky start to Palin’s first week as her party’s vice presidential candidate, Republicans are as charged up as ever about McCain’s running mate.

“I’m a pro-choice, Republican, moderate woman. Sarah Palin and I probably have very different opinions on many issues,” said Pryce, “but I have never been more excited in my entire political career than the day she was announced.”

Miller was similarly enthusiastic, predicting Palin would win support from women in her Macomb County congressional district, long considered a bellweather of national political sentiment.

“I did not really plan on coming to this convention,” she said. “I came because of her pick.”

McCarthy, who is chairing the Republican platform committee in St. Paul, emphasized Palin’s background as a reform-minded politician in Alaska.

“She took out an incumbent governor and she did it in Alaska, which is the biggest good old boy system you could ever have.” he said. “She’s not going to be weak in the face of aggression from somebody else.”

Recalling a meeting with Palin during a recent trip to Alaska, McCarthy praised her authenticity: “You walk away just liking her, she’s just a genuine, genuine person.”

“She doesn’t have to be perfect, she doesn’t have to be glitzy,” Miller agreed. “She has to be real.”