I sincerely doubt that Palin uttered even one extemporaneous sentence last night. Virtually every word she spoke, including her folksy phrases and even her winks and her "shout out" to that 3rd grade class, were carefully scripted and thoroughly rehearsed. Not a spontaneous word.

Basically, she proved to all of us that she is a good study. Nothing more.

I do feel that either Glen Ifel or even Biden should have challenged Palen's unwillingness to answer questions, and her repeated steering the discussion back to her comfort zone.

I wouldn't say that Biden did great, but it was obvious that he was in his element, and that he displayed both a depth and breadth of knowledge in all areas covered during the debate.

Ifel didn't pitch any curve balls. All her questions covered legitimate areas that should have been answerable by both candidates. That Palin openly and purposely dodged several questions may have been a good debating tactic, but I must agree with Brad. Good debating technique does not serve the interests of the voting public. We deserve to know what she knows. If she doesn't know the answer, it would have been far more honest for her to say so. Of course, in effect, that's just what she did everytime she steered away from question after question.

B

Well, when you are a liberal Bush hater, not hard to see why you feel this way.

Don't hate! Congratulate!

Yes, I am a "liberal Bush hater," and with good reason.

That Palin lovers fail to recognize that all of her responses were from rote memorization is only testament to their own bias and selective blindness, not to mention a lack of discernment. For all of you Palin succeeded in faking sincerity. Yet another plus for Tundra Barbie.

B

I find it inconceivable that anyone could become governor of a state or even a mayor without having some basic ability to answer the kinds of questions Couric and Gibson threw at her. I think that what we were looking at in those two interviews was someone who was so nervous that she just totally lost it.

I saw a moment of that in the debate with Biden, but by providing her with a script and drilling it into her they managed to avoid what I would guess is near crippling stage fright.

I don't think Palin is stupid or doesn't read newspapers or doesn't know some basics on foreign affairs. I think that the evidence and the verbal nattering she falls into is a sign that she's just absolutely terrified and loses it when put on the spot.

It's something she can and probably will outgrow, but it takes time and experience and maybe some intense therapy and acting classes.

Dave

Damn they were just going to reveal what newspapers she reads on CNN and then the OJ verdict comes in!

Those Republicans are brilliant!

Dear God, would Americans be this interested if it was say, 535 members of Congress put on trial for the biggest bait and switch in American history? Would we be this interested if George W. Bush were charged with war crimes upon exit from office? Who cares if OJ got convicted? It didn't hurt Hertz Rent-A-Car stocks this time around!

ok jump on me but I have to say this ..when Palin refers to "Joe six pack" as middle America I laugh everytime because if you have a six pack of beer everyday ..YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC...with serious problems .

This is nothing new. All politicians are masters of the dodge. None of them can answer a question with a direct answer, and I'm talking both side of the aisle. That's the reason why I really have to limit my intake of "news" items featuring politicians. I might end up throwing something big and heavy at my husband's favorite flat screen, and then I'd be in big trouble.

I wish I could have learned those skills. Oh, wait... I couldn't have. I have a basic level of decency and integrity. That's why I'm not an attorney, or a politician.

Georgio:
ok jump on me but I have to say this ..when Palin refers to "Joe six pack" as middle America I laugh everytime because if you have a six pack of beer everyday ..YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC...with serious problems.

Not everyone who drinks six beers every night is an alcoholic, but it does tend to kill enough brain cells to make 'ol Joe amenable to any kind of silliness. There are those that think and then those that are told, and believe they are thiking.

Art Hoppe, who invented Joe Sixpak about 40 years ago as a figure of fun, would get a hoot out of knowing that old Joe has become a heroic figure in the world of 2008.

I guess "risk vs. reward" doesn't get much discussion on the streets of Wasilla.

I was amazed at Palin's opposition to the McCain campaign's concession of MI.

Palin says she "fired off and e-mail" (having read about the pull out in the news), asking, "Oh c'mon, do we have to?"

She would rather, "keep trying." Nevermind that your opponents have a 10-13 point lead.

You've got to admire that "never give up" no matter how hard reality knocks on your skull die-hard spirit.

I can only wonder how this would translate into her handling of the economy if the latest headlines were to read "Beauty and the Deceased".

Thinkprogress.org has a video showing Gov Palin reading off of her talking points notes.Now I know why at times she would drift into talking about something that had nothing to do with question asked.To think this women could be a heart beat from the presidency SCARY!!!

Although I agree that Palin is not ready to be president it would be refreshing if all of this criticism of her was coming from those who didn't have Barack Obama's nutsack in their mouths.

"May I call you Joe?"......."Say it ain't so Joe!"

what contrived horse shit

RE # 12

good point madinka.

What Palin says,

"Well, I may not answer your questions the way you'd like."

What Palin means,

"How do you expect me to recite the script I memorized if you keep asking all those different questions."

Arch,

You say, I agree that Palin is not ready to be president . . .. Compared to whom?

Either the Obama/Biden ticket or the McCain/Palin ticket will be elected. Those are the only alternates, and we are stuck with them. I find it all very depressing.

Leaving aside the minor fact that Governor Palin is not running for President, the two candidates who are, and Senator Biden as well, are members of that interesting club called the U.S. Senate which, along with the honorable members of the House, just brought us one of the silliest pieces of legislation in recent memory. Is any one of the three ready to be president? For that matter, is anybody?

As you also comment, it would be refreshing if all of this criticism of . . . [Governor Palin] was coming from those who didn't have Barack Obama's nutsack in their mouths. I agree, but were that the case the criticisms would probably be different and less vapid. There are certainly legitimate criticisms to be made, but most of those I have read have been juvenile and off base. Plucked from relatively obscurity only a few weeks ago, and considering how well she has done despite that, and despite a hostile press, I think she would grow into a better President more quickly than any of the other three.

Dan(Miller)

Plucked from relatively obscurity only a few weeks ago, and considering how well she has done despite that, and despite a hostile press, I think she would grow into a better President more quickly than any of the other three.

Hear! Hear!

You're kidding, boys (Clav and Dan), right? Plucked from obscurity? Why the hell WAS she plucked from obscurity in the first place? This woman is poised to become the veep, and perhaps, the President of the United States, should McCain fall ill or die. She should never have been plucked from obscurity in the first place. What bizarre logic from two supposedly intelligent men. If Arch can accuse us of having Obama's nutsack in our mouths (an ugly and stupid image) I can only say that you must be two of those men who have fallen for her "cute as a button looks" and have a serious hard on for that faded cheerleader thing.
Palin not only did not answer the questions, had notes in front of her, stuck to ridiculous talking points, mentioned energy when it wasn't to the point, and winked and appeared folksy to try and disarm, she got many may facts wrong... I could go into all of them here if I weren't recovering from surgery and just barely able to sit (Yeah, some excuse) but they are easy to find..including getting the information about the stategy in Afghanistan wrong, Obama's positions wrong, McCain's positions wrong (so that he had to correct her the next day), and the minor fact of the general's name wrong. In fact, they left her out of the loop and didn't even TELL her about Michigan, which stunned me because I was sitting there saying to myself: Why doesn't she know?

And you think she did well? Talk about setting the bar low.

I must assume that both your wives are far more intelligent that Little Miss Sunshine and that you wouldn't even begin to put up with such silliness from them.

But from a VP candidate it's okay?

Apparently, anything short of her falling on the floor and running in circles like Curly of the three stooges, is evidence for Palin's success in the debate.

Palin: "I'm sorry, I'll have to let Jesus answer that question..whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whooop."

Nyak, Nyak, Nyak...

Our responses were vapid. Perhaps we went wrong. We didn't once make any mention of anyone's "nutsack."

I'd actually argue that the Press was fairly in love with her after the convention. She was the one that dodged all the interviews and then when she sat down with the less than intimidating Katie Couric had a meltdown of epic proportions, they turned on her and well, rightly so.

Now we're going to be treated to Palin's every sentence beginning, "Well, I was reading my copy of today's New York Times ..."

When I was dusting off the ol' moose antlers with the latest copy of the Economist...

How stupid can people actually be? Is someone buying this shit?

"There are certainly legitimate criticisms to be made, but most of those I have read have been juvenile and off base. Plucked from relatively obscurity only a few weeks ago, and considering how well she has done despite that, and despite a hostile press, I think she would grow into a better President more quickly than any of the other three".

Excellent comment Dan.

Palin is anything but inexperienced in government and has already made her mark as an agent of change. A mark that stands right now as high as any mark on the walls in DC. "Busting up big oils hold on politices in Alaska".

She is smart as a whip, and makes no apologias while she looks you right in the eye which is exactly what she did as governor taking on and braking up big oil, and to boot she throw members of her own party in jail over it.

Ya right, she's only good when being scripted.

Biden has 36 years experience in both the front and back rooms in DC and in conducting debates on the national stage. Palin has 6 years working up through State government to governor with just 5 weeks in debates on the national stage. Biden should have been able to show her the door, and couldn't do it.

In fact, Biden was even a bit taken with her during the debate. But Biden did his job for his guy the best he could, even thought Biden once stated Obama did not have the experiance to be President. But Biden hammered away in the debate and he is no push over. Guess what...neither is Palin

#18 -- Lisa Solod Warren

"cute as a button looks"

She's got that too.

#20 -- Brad Laidman

"she sat down with the less than intimidating Katie Couric had a meltdown of epic proportions"

In their early life achievements, Couric and Palin both gained public attention. Couric was a petite peppy cheerleader on the side lines yelling for her team, while Palin got in the game kicking ass and taking names.

In their later carries, peppy Couric is still on the sidelines yelling for her team albit devoting her efforts to keeping her head above water from the never-ending nightmare of constantly displaying the definition of the Peter Principle. While Palin becomes govenor of the largest energy state in the union and kicks ass and takes names of big oil. Names she mentioned in the debate. A woman taking on big oil and braking them and to boot she throw members of her own party in jail over it. A job clearly not over her head.

Action speak louder then words.

Couric is the joke, not Palin. And as far as what news sources Palin reads, after finding out she can kick big oils ass, I'd like to subscribe to what ever it is she reads. But I am sure it is not anything Couric ever had to say that assisted in the actions Palin took.

Kicked big oils ass? Really? Doggone it, ya just otta show us just how she managed that, by golly.

Big oil is still big oil. Specifically, what Babe Sarah did was increase the windfall profit taxes that the oil companies pay to the state. This tax, or payment was originally established more than 20 years ago. She simply upped the ante.

Oh, and which candidate proposes that big oil pay a federal windfall tax, and which one opposes it?

Her big 40 million dollar natural gas pipeline project exists only on paper and stands no more than a 50/50 chance of actually being built, and is at least 10 years away, if it does.

All of you who were taken in by Palin's debate performance obviously are unable to discern extemporaneous speaking as Biden did throughout, and rote memorization as Tundra Barbie did. She did not voice an original thought the entire evening.

If all of us liberals have Obama's nutsack in our mouths - what a nice image, btw, all you Palin lovers would obviously eat a mile of her shit just to kiss her ass. You all sit watching her with a lump in your drawers imagining your face nuzzling those once perky breasts.

B

If all of us liberals have Obama's nutsack in our mouths - what a nice image,..

There's no room for the liberals to share in that nutsack since Olbermann and Matthews have crowded you all out with Maddow so far up Michelle's butt that it's a wonder she can breathe. MSNBC is now the equivalent of FOX only at the opposite side of the spectrum.

... btw, all you Palin lovers would obviously eat a mile of her shit just to kiss her ass. You all sit watching her with a lump in your drawers imagining your face nuzzling those once perky breasts.

Doggone it, that's an image I can stomach far more than being in the same room with Joe Biden. Why, I might even go straight for Sarah Palin! On second thought, probably not.

Sarah Shapeshifter Palin, rips off her wholesome "soccer-mom" face to reveal what she's really made of.

Wearing her, "Obama: A Terrorist's Best Friend T-Shirt" at least she now looks more like the base, clueless, intellectually bankrupt reptile that she is.

"There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't support other women," the Alaska Governor said, claiming she was quoting former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

No editorial needed.

clavos (and franco, although i don't know you as well)... you are (usually) pretty level-headed, but that comment about palin growing into the presidency is just laughable.

#1, she shouldn't be anywhere near this election.
#2, she hasn't done well.
#3, the office of the presidency is no place to do as much "growing" as palin needs to do.

come on, she looked like an idiot with that "team of mavericks" bullshit. and she couldn't stay on topic and rambled constantly. i'm sure some of that was strategy, but my god...

TEAM
of
MAVERICKS?

is that even rhetorically possible? what are they gonna do?

mccain: "stay the course in iraq!"
palin: "noo! we goo to iran! alaska!"
mccain: "wait, is that what i meant? iraq... iran... no, i was right, iran! ...iraq!"
palin: "oh for gad's saake, jooohn! alaska!"
mccain: "i say what goes!"
palin: "not in this alaskan administraation!"
mccain: "who's administration is this?"
palin: "yoours? (alaska)"
mccain: "oh, no you don't! it's mine!"
palin: "that's whaat i said! alaska yoours!"
mccain: "don't you play none of your "alaska yoour" shit with me! who is this "alaska yoour?""
palin: "oooh, for gad's saake. ALASKA!"
mccain: "this is my administration, and if you're going to be a part of it, you had better buckle up, cause i'm driving this fuckin' thing... you had bet--t-t-t... something doesn't feel--righ-t-t-t. is it cold in here?"
palin: "ooh, gad. oh, gad. alaska! maverick alaska! alaska! oh, gad. alaska! mavericks! team! alaska!"

zing, you left off "energy-producing" each time you wrote Alaska. In another thread, Dan also thought Gwen Ifill needed to be replaced so take his pronouncements with a grain of salt.

I heard that the "Can I call you Joe" comment was designed so she could say "there you go Joe", later.

I also heard that saying "you can call me Sara" was an attempt to make Biden seem condescending, which he didn't bite on. He kept referring to her as the governor.

#29 -- zingzing

Thank you for your comments. But with all due respect, Obama is the one who needs just as much growth or more then Palin and he IS running for President and she is not.

Yes both Palin and Obama are younger then McCain and Biden. But even Biden is on record as saying not long ago that Obama is not ready for the Presidency. Now that is fucking scary. So I guess Biden feels comfortable enough now that he will grow into it, with his help and a lot of others. Youthful energy running, and experience supporting. That is the Obama/Biden ticket.

McCain on the other hand has the full experience and he has shown himself to be positively bipartisan, something that our current congress has proven they can not be. Experience running, youthful energy supporting. That is that McCain/Palin ticket.

The chances of McCain living to 80 or 85 are pretty dame good. So that argument is not that strong. We can all play the "what if" game. If my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.

OK, let's say McCain gets into the Whitehorse and dies within 18 months. You know, that old "one heart beat away" argument by all the "if" arguments out there.

Palin will already know all of the presidential administration, be sensitive to the calendar, the hot spots, and the existing standoffs at that moment. That administrative team and all those advisers support the president, just like they do in ever administration. Palin is sharp enough and dedicated enough to lead those in that administration to give their very best, and there is every indication that she could do just that.

So when I say Palin is the better of the three at doing that, I mean it.

Now as for your "stay the course in Iraq"

McCain and Palin want that war to end ASAP. Biden saying he and Obama will end that war is a cone job in making you think McCain and Palin don't intend the same. Bullshit. If it was not for the surge we could not even begin to start to talk about how to end it. But now we can and can build our way out, not just leave on some publicly announced time table the terrorists can plan around.

Energy Independence.
I will just say this. We are going to need a lot of oil to develop and produce the alternative energies of tomorrow. I know it will take 7-10 years so see the old we set out to drill today, but over the next 7-10 years the chances of another world crisis threatening our import oil supply (money we spend overseas instead of paying ourselves) is really risky. Something a recovering economy would be set back sharply should such events occur.

I don't this it a matter of if, I think of it as a matter of when, and 7-10 years is a big widow of negative opportunity for people to fuck with us if they want to. Lets get the taps in the ground ASAP and at the same time work hard on alternative energy.

"...and there is every indication that she could do just that..."

What indication would that be?

Franco,

Don't you even mind that McCain/Palin think you're stupid?

The McCain campaign is becoming a real embarrassment at the moment. Or haven't you read about the latest stunts?

Even Karl Rove has to shake his head in wonder over the stupidity. If you're going to run an underhanded, last ditch smear fest, why prepare your opponent in advance?

Don't you mind that your candidates are steering your attention away from any discussion of issues at all? I mean unless the issue is whether they are "mavericks" or "Joe Blows" or whatever the fuck they are.

#34 (because it's so ripe I can't resist...)

Does it bother you that Obama/Biden think You're stupid? That they know that, no matter what indefensible things they do, you'll vote for them and their friends, that your wallet will open for their fundraisers, that you'll stump for them in your blog, that you'll parrot their talking points and not examine their records with any sort of eye at all?

These are the people who will feed your false hope, and leave you nothing but change to pay your bills with.

What indication would that be?

Cindy, if you don't already know, it is a long shot that anything anyone says about this will help you see the answer. I an not really sure you even want an answer. But here goes.

She is a governor Cindy, one of only 50. You can't get to that level of governent if you can't lead people and bring out the very bests in those around you and maintain there best all the way from city council, Mayor, and all the way to the goveners office.

Seeing that this fact dose not seem to impress you much, why don't you try to just get elected to city council somewhere.

If you can do that Cindy, then show us you can work at it is such a way as to earn the majority of support, then harness that support to run for Mayor and win.

I would say however that you would be able to start answering your own question just by getting elected into city council, let alone making it all the way to govener.

As govener, if she was just another pretty face, she would never have been able to take on big oil and won the benifits she has for every citizen of Alaska. Benifits the oil companies were taking out of the state. No other govener before here could or would do it. She did, and she even throw some of her own party members in jail over it.

That and everything it took to get to govener, is pure "indecation" in my book.

franco, i don't think palin will ever be ready to president. she just doesn't have it in her. as for obama, well, who knows. i never said he was particularly my top choice. in fact, i don't know anyone who would be a good president. certainly not a senator. it's just luck, in the end, and one half is going to say he/she was a terrible president anyway.

as for mccain wanting to get out of iraq, i dunno about that. if he really wants to do that, i haven't heard him say that. he says that he wants to "win" before leaving. what does that even mean in this case? it's hard to say. i think obama's "draw down the troops so that they (iraq) know they'll have to eventually take over" thing is the best idea on the table.

all that said, i was just commenting on you and clavos saying she is/would be qualified for the position, which i think is just hilarious. she's a fuckin loon, and a liar.

she's a fuckin loon, and a liar.

Which, if true, makes here ideally suited to lead the americans...

as for palin's governorship being enough qualification for you, franco, why is obama's senatorship not enough? (i don't think either absolutely qualifies you to be president.)

clavos, shouldn't we expect better from our leaders? (tongue firmly in cheek.)

Brother Laidman- As part of the loyal opposition, of course you're going to look for the most negative spin to put on things. Fair enough.

But you act like it's some kind of bad thing when a candidate exerts their will to answer questions the way they want in order to address the issues they think are important. Seems like the moderator gets to ask whatever question they want, and the candidates get to use their alloted time to say whatever they want. If the moderator or interviewer asks a dumb question, or isn't addressing the issues the candidate considers important, then why shouldn't they say whatever the hell they want?

For one thing, I think it was giving pretty good ground that Palin and the Republican party would agree to an overt leftwing Obama supporter from PBS as the moderator at all. That's cool. But if they're doing that, then they should have a second debate with Sean Hannity as moderator. He's no more biased than the PBS crowd.

Also, this sentence is highly suspect for truth value: The mortgage crisis appears to be a clear cut example of inadequate Government regulation More like, through overt and utterly financially disasterous federal regulation through the Community Redevelopment Act enforced under threat from Janet Reno in Bill Clinton's Justice Department, banks were pushed into making totally ill-advised loans. Then they were backed up in the foolishness by Freddie - utterly a creature of the federal government. This current crisis has only minimal to do with anything that might be described as an "unregulated free market."

Also, this sentence is highly suspect for truth value: The mortgage crisis appears to be a clear cut example of inadequate Government regulation More like, through overt and utterly financially disasterous federal regulation through the Community Redevelopment Act enforced under threat from Janet Reno in Bill Clinton's Justice Department, banks were pushed into making totally ill-advised loans. Then they were backed up in the foolishness by Freddie - utterly a creature of the federal government. This current crisis has only minimal to do with anything that might be described as an "unregulated free market."


Then she should have said that - and I would have been impressed.

If you look at the transcript of the debate Biden questions her about regulation at least 8 times and Ifill asks her to comment on it - and she blatantly refuses to go there

I'll give you that Miss Sarah was not very eloquent in some of her points. She and McCain should be hammering just such a point, cause they're getting hung over the economy when it was Democrats primarily who pushed the CRA and Fannie. Obama's goddam ACORN was right in the forefront of the mau-mauing with the CRA, and dirctly financially benefitting. Besides which, he's THE top recipient of Fannie money other than Democrat committee chairman Chris Dodd.

On some things, she's been very sharp and articulate, and on others she has fumbled some. But also, judging by the alternative candidate rather than perfection, she may fumble a bit in some parts of her speech, but she's not just constantly saying absolutely ridiculous nonsense, such as Biden's recent claim that during the 1929 stock market crash, FDR went on television to reassure the public - regardless of the fact that FDR wasn't president and we didn't have television.

Also, she's not going out and saying things that are just objectively, blatantly not true as both Obama and Biden do. For example, in the debate, Biden insists that Obama NEVER said that he'd have a personal meeting with Ahmadenijad without pre-conditions. That's just a goddam LIE. He said it in debate, on tape, and in so many words.

Seems like out and out lies would be a bigger knock than occassional inarticulateness.

Obama also said he would have meetings with lower diplomats first, over and over, as did Biden, which she and McCain keep choosing to ignore.

Clav, did you give up your citizenship?

Cindy,

I think the need for individuals to be right or save face is much stronger then we think.

This is insanity in it's most vivid form. The gaga attitude towards her is "nuttery", however she gives people a reason (however ill considered it may be) to still vote Republican. She says emotional things so they FEEL that there is a spirit that still remains. Off course Reagan got everyone started on this mad trip. After their first hit, they just had to keep coming back for more. The jolt is just not the same but they keep at it, looking for the next high and destroying the nation and perhaps the world along the way. Perhaps we need an idiot (or kook) intervention.

Al,

God help you. You seem to major in the miners. Whether someone made a mistake remembering what President was in office a hundred years ago or not on, one day, in one conversation, is not an issue to choose a leader over. It just isn't. I reeeeeeally isn't. Have you ever said something then walked away and thought "oh my goodness, did I just say that?" and didn't have an opportunity to correct your gaff? It happens every day all day. It's one of those uniting traits that humans, especially adults, chuckle about, because they recognize them so well. It is not a matter of importance. FOCUS.

On Ahmadenijad (I get the sense that some people (((sara)))) are simply proud of themselves for being able to remember his name, cause they keep saying it). Goodness gracious. Get over the boogieman of the week syndrome. These bad guys are created to make you and other who are simple minded rally. The cold war era got a lot of mileage for politicians ESPECIALLY Republicans. They know how you are ready and willing to hate. They have trained you to by tiny minded so they perpetually come up with a bad guy for you to hate and fear (muwahahahaah). Get off the train man. Pensez Monsieur!

Lisa, Clavos is only loosely a Yank. He dwelleth in Miami, one of the largest cities in Latin America.

Zedd's trying to practice pop psychology without a license again...

Clav, if you look past Zedd's fantasies of sitting next to a couch wearing a beard, a tweed suit and an Austrian accent (a curiously compelling mental picture, I must admit), she does have some pertinent points.

For example, Ahmadinejad does not possess the executive power that an American president does. He is largely a figurehead, especially when it comes to dealings with foreigners. He's also pissed off a lot of people in his own country, having failed to deliver on an array of populist campaign promises, and may well be out on his ear at the next election.

Point taken, Doc, but not really part of what lead to my observation about Zedd's alter ego.

No, Lisa, still have both, but the American one is often subsumed.

Indeed, Clav, on further reflection Zedd seems to be to be more of a Jungian than a Freudian...

;-)

RE #28

Palin's misquote that suggested women can go to hell if they don't support her.

Madeleine Albright strikes back and says, "The truth is, if you care about the status of women in our society and in our troubled economy, the best choice by far is Obama-Biden."

I am going off BC for a while. The ad hominem attacks, and the distortions by the various commentators are getting to be a bit too much. I will not engage in that sort of stuff, and am embarrassed by those who do. I shall "lurk," and if it seems that there is a comment which is rational and worthy of comment, I shall do so. Otherwise, I'm gone.

Let me, as a finale, provide a link about one of Governor Palins' remarks:

The Odd Lies of Sarah Palin MMIV

The Puffington Host catches Sarah Milhous Palin in another bald-faced lying Swiftboater of a lie:

The statement came after Palin had recounted a "providential" moment she experienced on Saturday: "I'm reading on my Starbucks mocha cup, okay? The quote of the day. . . . It was Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State [crowd boos] and UN ambassador. . . . Now she said it, I didn't. She said, 'There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't support other women.' "

Actually, Albright didn't say that. The accurate quote is, "There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't help other women.

#39 -- zingzing

as for palin's governorship being enough qualification for you, franco, why is obama's senatorship not enough? (i don't think either absolutely qualifies you to be president.

Because Obama is runing for President, and Palin is not.

Dan -

...I would have thee gone--
And yet no farther than a wan-ton's bird,
That lets it hop a little from his hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silken thread plucks it back again,
So loving-jealous of his liberty...

...Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

Thanks, Troll.

I shall be back, and may write an article or two. But the comments are getting to me.

Dan(Miller)

Dan(Miller): I've just re-read all the comments above and not found anything worth getting so upset about.

As the Comments Editor for Blogcritics, I'm always concerned to try and make sure all perspectives are embraced here.

If that has caused me to not act when I should have, please contact me directly with comment numbers and article URL and I shall happily reconsider. I might not do anything different but I will definitely reconsider.

I guess you didn't catch her live Dan. Her point was unmistakable.

oh, for fuck's sake, franco.

"Because Obama is runing for President, and Palin is not."

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING!

you use her rise to the governorship as proof of her political savvy and eventual ability to lead, and you go on to say that "Palin is sharp enough and dedicated enough to lead those in that [her] administration to give their very best, and there is every indication that she could do just that."

you may say that "palin isn't running for the presidency," and that's true. but, the vice presidency is--or should be--just a fail safe in case the president can't go to a funeral or, dear lord, croaks because he's an old fart. now, i'm not going around saying that obama is the most qualified guy, or that i would want biden as my president (i really don't know enough about biden)...

but! that's not what we were talking about. you know, and i know you know, that we were talking about palin's fitness to be president. so don't pull that nonsense.

if palin's two years as governor of one of the least thought-about states in the nation, she's got at least as much of lack of leadership experience as obama does. in fact, she's so obviously out of touch with the majority of the nation, other than her folksy backwater sucking sound of a voice, that she still thinks "there ya go, joe" is funny.

my god, doesn't she (really, in your heart of hearts,) just make you want to fucking sock her in the mouth? or pat her on the head and tuck her in... or something. she's an embarrassment. and she'll get mauled in washington.

Dan - Blogcritics is the worst site on the internet, except for all the others.

franco made this peculiarly obtuse statement:

Energy Independence.
I will just say this. We are going to need a lot of oil to develop and produce the alternative energies of tomorrow. I know it will take 7-10 years so see the old we set out to drill today, but over the next 7-10 years the chances of another world crisis threatening our import oil supply (money we spend overseas instead of paying ourselves) is really risky. Something a recovering economy would be set back sharply should such events occur.

I don't this it a matter of if, I think of it as a matter of when, and 7-10 years is a big widow of negative opportunity for people to fuck with us if they want to. Lets get the taps in the ground ASAP and at the same time work hard on alternative energy.


What you mean "we", fright man?

"we" don't drill any oil, because "we" don't own oil drilling rigs. they are owned by international consortiums which are mostly foreign owned. Thus, they will drill when they damn well please. And they will sell to whomever they please. At current world market conditions that means 70% of the oil pumped from USA oil tracts will go to foreign countries. But, probably, in the 10-20 years it will take to get that oil to market the balance will have shifted even more to developing nations like China and 80-90% will be exported.

Jeez, we'll only probably get 10-20% of the US oil pumped from US oil tracts. Anyway, it's only a drop in the bucket.

That seems like Bad Business, to me. And it seems like particularly stupid national strategy.

And why are we going to "need a lot of oil to develop and produce the alternative energies of tomorrow. "? We already have the alternate energies in the form of solar, geothermal and wind, in actual working plants, built by private enterprise. And they work. All we have to do is extend the tax credits for alternate energy and private enterprise will supply the plants. Without taxpayer investments.

Christopher Rose,

It is not that the rules of BC have been violated, or any one or even several comments in particular, on this thread or others. There is nothing that you can or should confront. It is just that so many have descended to the level that I don't feel that I can in good conscience participate substantively for a while. What bothers me is the unreasoned hatred and venom being spewed. That is hardly conducive to useful discussion. As noted, I shall "lurk," and, when I see something upon which I feel that I can usefully comment, I shall do so.

Baronius,

Yep. I agree. I hope that the discussion on BC gets back to the level I had come to respect and in which I had come to love participating. At the moment, it's simply too irrational and too silly to bother.

Dan(Miller)

check back after guy fawkes day then, dan(miller). things shall return to the usual snide remarks instead of the current outright hatred.

fuck you republicans. go back to your farms and jerk off yer cows. rapists.

Clav,

"Zedd's trying to practice pop psychology without a license again..."


I don't know where your information sources come from. What I stated is not simply my opinion, it is a well known political strategy. Now how do you feel?

Dan,

Don't go. I felt the way you did twice before. The discussion got too silly and I felt misunderstood and embarrassed for continuing the dialogue.

I personally enjoy your articles and posts. I agree with most of your analysis (not that you care) except for your recent assessments on the Rep ticket (shocking.... from such a mind). However I hope you enjoy the banter.

What I stated is not simply my opinion, it is a well known political strategy.

In Orwell's and Huxley's fine books only.

As for the rest, it springs entirely from your fevered, overwrought mind...

I am going off BC for a while. The ad hominem attacks, and the distortions by the various commentators are getting to be a bit too much. I will not engage in that sort of stuff, and am embarrassed by those who do. I shall "lurk," and if it seems that there is a comment which is rational and worthy of comment, I shall do so. Otherwise, I'm gone.

I know it gets frustrating to have to counter the same stupid misrepresentations and ad hominems and strawman arguments and blatant falsehoods again and again and again. Plus, the Obamabots and mindless socialists seem to be feeling their oats as the election approaches. But with you gone that means one less voice of reason on BC, so don't get discouraged and do come back soon.

Dave

Well, well, well, don't we have here a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black Davey.

You and your sidekick Clavarius are two of the biggest verbal attack dogs on here, with maybe the exception of Barger, who does not write as often.

I watch you in particular Davey, on almost a daily basis use character attack, belittlement, or outright lying in your commenting.

Let me illustrate a classic example. About six weeks ago I sourced an article written in the NY Times about which frankly I could give a shit. However the url that I used in the hypertext link, was from a site that was neo-nazi. I had no idea, since there were no swaztikas on the page, I had landed there from a google search about the particular subject matter. Also in point of FACT I have been throughout my life an avid anti nazi person, and quite vocal about it for the last 30 years. Now here comes Davey, and instantly says that ANYTHING that I say on this site should be disregarded because I am obviously a nazi.

Now in all of my 700 or so posts on this site, I have NEVER adovacted national socialism, racism, sexism, nor hatred towards any other group of human beings other than the ones that are now fleecing all of us throught the Department of Treasury.

What you do dave is character assassination, and I have called you out on it numerous times. It is one thing being an effete snob, or a lover of the ruling elite as Clavy is, but quite another to stoop down to the level of the gutter to try and make a political point, bucko.

So I got a great kick out of your above post #69 as you have no shame.

Of course I never got an apology from you for calling me a nazi, because that is not how you operate is it bubba?

It is not just me that I have seen you do this to, but many others too, on a constant basis denigrate various writers on here, that you happened to disagree with politically. If you would like Dave I can use google, and come up with hundreds of examples of YOU (the political editor of this blog) using character assassination, slur, and outright rudeness in how you have treated other writers on here.

So instead of coming across looking so ridiculous in your above comment, why not repent? Admit that you on many occasions treat others on here not as you would like to be treated yourself, bucko.

I again will remind you about my position versus yours on 9/11.

I maintain that it was a conspiracy

I have sought to show you, that you yourself believe in a conspiracy about 9/11 and who did it. However you are not man enough to admit that you too are a conspiracy theorist too. The main difference between us however, bubba, is that in your theory you say you know what happened (that 19 guys with Osama in charge did it), and in my theory, I do not know.

Thats really the long and short of it, and for that I get denigrated, belittled, and derided because I have the humility to say that I do not know what happened, and furthermore I do not believe my government, quite frankly about anything.

I have and will continue to, call a spade a spade Davey, so yeah I got a big kick out of the above comment. Smirk :)

Dan, I too will be sorry if you are in earnest about your desire to back away from BC. I don't see eye to eye with you on much, but you're easily one of the most even-handed and erudite commentators we have.

One thing I try to demonstrate on these threads is the value of a sense of humor. It can make a cutting point, can deflect or deflate the most egregious of the bottom-feeders, can keep you warm on cold nights and can be quickly converted into a handy umbrella stand.

That's not to say one can't be cranky if the occasion demands. I can give as good as I get and can be downright nasty, but I do try not to be the initiator of such silliness.

BTW, I flew over Panama a couple of weeks ago en route to Peru, and gave you a mental wave as I passed high overhead. It was one in the morning, so you were probably asleep, but it's the thought that counts.

I know it gets frustrating to have to counter the same stupid misrepresentations and ad hominems and strawman arguments and blatant falsehoods again and again and again. Plus, the Obamabots and mindless socialists seem to be feeling their oats as the election approaches. But with you gone that means one less voice of reason on BC, so don't get discouraged and do come back soon.

most ironic & chuckle-inducing comment posted here this year. maybe ever.

Thank you, Mark Saleski, for speaking the truth.

Sorry you think you have to leave, Dan. The conversation does descend to bizarre levels, as I said in my article, The Fine Art of Blogging, months ago, but it is also, sometimes, quite interesting, and I have found some lovely support, intelligent readers, and even fun new acquaintances. I suspect BC is a lot like real life:) if one doesn't stay locked in a bubble.

Clav,

How do you feel? Care to tell me about your nightmares?