Why is Tueday's mini-report on Wednesday?

TPM has the tape and transcript of a live mic conversation between Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy in which PM says that due to the Palin pick "It's over" for McCain. Murphy agrees.

MY question: does anyone have the transcript of what they had just said before the break or what they said after they came back?

Are they critical of Palin as VP nominee? Do they softpedal it? Any ideas? Was any one watching>?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/212920.php

Fun Fact:

Jeremiah Wright has more executive experience than Sarah Palin.

His congregation of at least 8500 is larger than the town she was mayor of.

quote from Noonan, who when she thinks she's off mic believes that it is over and that Palin is a terrible choice:

"The choice of Sarah Palin IS a Hail Mary pass, the pass the guy who thinks he has a good arm makes to the receiver he hopes is gifted. Most Hail Mary passes don't work.
But when they do they're a thing of beauty and a joy forever."

OV VEY!

ah, yes - commenting on the facts (underage, unmarried pregnancy) of a 17 yr old is awful, but joking about how ugly a younger teenager is was a McCain Greatest Hit.

its the hypocrisy, stupid.

McCain's vetting process of Palin sounds about as professional as the Palin's vetting of their soon-to-be son-in-law.

In other words: shoot first, ask questions later.

nice piece on dailykos about Palin as a creation of GoPac

And the expectation that she will do really well tonight -- which I concur with.

SHe's been reading a Teleprompther longer than Mccain.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/3/143127/5794

All I want to know is...WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE??

Fuck you, President Bush for injecting The Angry Left into last night's speech. Very partisan of you, Mr. President!

And why does this blog still say "by Kevin Drum"? Those librul bloggers are always deceiving the poor Murican people.

That Gonzales story is priceless.

In a statement that doesn't pass the laugh test, Gonzales told IG investigators he didn't know the documents were secret.

The envelope containing documents related to the NSA surveillance program bore the handwritten markings, "TOP SECRET - EYES ONLY - ARG" [the attorney general's initials] followed by an abbreviation for the SCI codeword for the program.

This guy's scum, but he's such an idiot that I really have a hard time hating him. It's like hating Elmer Fudd.

just want to say how much i enjoy these mini-reports, quick hits.
makes the news of the day a little more manageable.
thanks.

just want to say how much i enjoy these mini-reports, quick hits.
makes the news of the day a little more manageable.
thanks.

This whole report on Gonzalez has me so angry. So many questions that need to be answered - who was at his house during these times that his paperwork was not secure? who had access to his office? have those people been completely investigated to make sure they didn't see these documents or perhaps steal them and sell them to our enemies? is he being treated for any medical conditions that would account for this forgetfulness or inability to follow simple procedures? why not? how is that investigation into the leak of these programs going?

Hi MsJoanne! I kinda embrace the "angry left" mantle.

Hey, Memekiller...you forgot to use your other moniker.

Were the anarchists arrested today for plotting to kill people in St.Paul connected in any way with known terrorist William Ayers? The press should devote some time to investigating the relationship between Ayers and the Democrat presidential nominee. Out of simple curiosity if nothing else.

I think that should have been from Michael Savage not some clown called mhr.

How interesting that the swaggering, bomb-em-first-negotiate-later GOP is crying crocodile tears because they're finally getting some of that media attention they so coveted when it was directed at Clinton/Obama.

Perhaps that POW trust fund has finally run out.

Say it aint soooooo bubby, no mas Friedman units?

Say it aint soooooo bubby, no mas Friedman units? -- Jet

Give him six months.

Hey BlueGirl...did you catch my question in a prior thread? I can't even find the right thread to see if you responded. :-D

The query was posted here and I found it...intriguing. What's your take?

And I don't mind being considered angry left, for I am...but I do not expect our fucking idiot of a president to espouse that! That's why I my post. THAT freaking pissed me off!

I really don't see why the Eagle Forum (not to be confused with Penthouse Forum) would scrub Palin's answers. Surely they aren't bothered by a little detail like her flub over who wrote the PoA.

Mr. O'Handjob is the same species of idiot who praises cops who conduct no knock raids on the wrong house and wind up bagging someone's granny as she's reaching for her glasses. Sure it's criminally reckless, but there might have been dangerous criminals in the house, so ... um, now we know there aren't any.

Also: The formatting here still stinks on ice.

I wonder why the AP would be lobbying the McCain campaign as hard as it is. Do they really want to have a Democratic Congress and President looking a media consolidation, and considering breaking up this monopoly? Clearly, we need to. The AP has too much power to risk having them this transparently partisan.

They're like Joe Leiberman. Everything rests on a McCain win.

Shouldn't the AP piece read: "Some say many liberals are belittling the choice..."? Isn't that proper Fox/AP style???

For years we have been subject to a "dumbing" down of political discourse.

How many politicians in office are rabid creationists/global warming is a hoax-types?

How many believe that Iraq's WMD were actually hidden under the President's desk in the Oval Office (probably the most pathetic attempt at humour over a very serious war that has cost countless lives and ...perhaps 2 trillion dollars)?

How many believe ID should be taught alongside evolution nationwide?

How many believe oil drilling offshore will LOWER the price of gas (ignoring the fact that any such drilling would take decades to reach the pumps)?

How many believe that playing games with our civil liberties is "for our own good."?

How many believe that life begins at conception and that abstinence only is the ONLY form of birth control that should be taught?

How many believe that "the US Constitution is just a go--am piece of paper."?

We are not doing ourselves any favors by thinking that mendacity trumps veracity. But then again, we see our world reward, all too frequently, the former at the expense of the latter.

McCain's afraid of the truth on so many issues, that's why he threatens the press.

Obama gets villified for speaking so many truths to us all.

McCain's camp wants to IGNORE the issues and focus on narratives, while lying about anything they choose to spew.

That's the truth, so help me god.

* McCain has lost Thomas Friedman. —Steve Benen

Interesting.

The Mustache of Understanding wouldn't know dog shit if he stepped in it unless someone else pointed it out to him. He's been a great one the last decade or so for trying to catch up with the current train of wisdom well after it's left the station. Though not actually a Beltway pundit, he certainly sits at the "Kool Kids" table. Maybe they've all decided to jump ship. If so, not a good sign for McCain.

If he [McCain] cant stand up to CNN how will he stand up to the terrorists?

As for Bushes remark I recall that his brain [Rove] smeared the POW.

Steve:

When did McCain ever have Friedman on his side?

Was in 2003? 2004?

If you are just waking up to the fact that Friedman is supporting Obama then you should resign from the Washington Monthly and let someone who has actually been paying attention take your job.

joe klein has grown a pair?!?

As if the Palin controversy didn't have enough layers of icing on the cake, the National Enquirer unleashes this little tidbit, as reported by CBS News:

"John McCain’s campaign threatened legal action against the National Enquirer today for running a story about McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, allegedly having an affair with her husband’s business partner."

I know, it's the National Enquirer, but they are known for doing a better job of fact-checking their stories than the regular press due to their higher incidence of being sued. Evidence of an affair definitely would put Palin in Bill Clinton territory for the fundies. And nobody labels the Enquirer as the liberal media.

This guy's scum, but he's such an idiot that I really have a hard time hating him. It's like hating Elmer Fudd. Posted by: EarBucket

There was a similar insulting comment last night on the NPR report where he claims he didn't put the material that was not supposed to leave his office in his safe at home "because he couldn't remember the combination."

He truly was the Fredo of the Bush crime syndicate.

Well, it's ok for the Enquirer to take on John Edwards, a no longer running for POTUS, but take on a current runner for VPOTUS? Not on your life!

The chickens are indeed coming home to roost!

Popcorn all around and on me! Party at my house! Woot!

God, it's weird having Joe Klein make sense. I don't think I'll ever get used to it.

I'm sure he'll stop one of these days.

The hits keep on coming... this one from Jon Soltz...

When Sarah Palin was announced as John McCain's Vice Presidential pick, I found it a little disturbing that she told the public that her oldest son, Track, would be deploying to Iraq on September 11. Generally, disclosing the date of deployment is against Operational Security (OPSEC) and illegal.

A leak from the McCain campaign revealed that they originally wanted to pick Terry Schiavo for the VP nominee but belatedly discovered that she was unavailable, hence the hasty selection of Sarah Palin.

Well, quite the day today. One wonders how Noonan keeps her job with the WSJ now that she's on record as being off the reservation. One also wonders just how bad it can be for McSame's campaign that McSame's confidant is joining in as an eager participant. Oy vey doesn't begin to describe it.

Some other interesting things, such as how every day more bad news comes out on Palin, who so far appears to be Bu$h lite, with 35% less knowledge. For those who lurk over at KOS there are some interesting diaries on what could be a fundie problem IF the Enquirer's story is true. Even though men can stray in Fundieland, women are chattel and are not permitted to stray. Between Nooner and Friedman and raging crickets on the RSR side, the fundie support is what she could actually bring to the ticket, since they really don't like McSame.

I was also interested in letting Bristol and Levi off the hook...until McSame made a POINT of dragging Levi out, on a photo op at the RNC. It was a crass bit of distraction for someone who is probably supposed to be in school. So, McSame [not the kids] needs to be called on that BS as well as revealing Track's deployment to Iraq which clearly violated operational security and puts his unit at risk. KOS has this as well by Jon Soltz of VoteVets.

So, what does this all mean for the ticket? Well, I'm still sayin' Palin drops out as well as McSame, the questions are only about when and who replaces them. Palin's been a busy girl in AK [POLITICALLY, you naughty minded people... well at least for now...] and there's lots more to talk about there. She doesn't survive Obama's oppo team for sure, and if Biden pounds the snot out of her in the VP debate, so what? It's the office, not the gender, and if she can't handle the rhetorical whipping in store for her in a debate she cannot handle the VP job, much less POTUS. If she cries (and the RSR blowhards will flog Biden for making her cry, even Mr Weepy Boehner himself), she will set women's political fortunes back about, oh, 44 years.

The other items of interest are Fredo's new problem with the handling of classified info. Anyone remember the frying of Sandy Berger for a lot less? So, while Berger deserved the criticism [and, yes, he did], there is no room for the level of hypocrisy on the intentional actions of Gonzo, which involved worse levels of breach and continued for longer, and then he clearly lied about it. Of course, Mukasey won't prosecute Gonzo. One wonders how Libby's taking this with his conviction still on the record. And, one wonders how many of those docs are shall we say, responsive, to the various subpoenas and investigations being stonewalled. The memory defense failed the laugh test, and he will need a lawyer. I think Biden will actually follow through on his comment.

Why is Tuesday's mini-report on Wednesday?

How do you know when you've been working too hard? When you're confused about what day it is.

It's fixed.

Steve, you've been on fire with great, fast posts these last few days. Excellent job! And thanks.

Were the anarchists arrested today for plotting to kill people in St.Paul connected in any way with known terrorist William Ayers? The press should devote some time to investigating the relationship between Ayers and the Democrat presidential nominee.

(This really fits better under the piece on the Palin family, but I know how easily Steve's threads die -- because he's incapable of writing dull ones and everybody gets involved in the latest one.)

As someone whose 'hobby reading' for fifty years has been 'classic' detective stories of the Golden and Silver Era, I've learned to watch out for 'misdirection.' And I've noticed something.

With all the attention on the kids, the babies, the questions, etc. NOBODY seems to be looking at the father of the family. All we know about him is that he, not his wife, was the member of the AIP. Other than that, zero.

Now maybe there is simply nothing to be seen, that he's no more than the guy bowling in the next lane from you, but I wish someone would take a look.

Good point Prup, it's been in the back of my mind as well since it has been reported that he's sat in on official State of Alaska meetings, and I don't sense he's a type that will not get involved.

I always knew there was a plan in Iraq, and now Palin's cleared it up.

"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

LATimes...

Three times in recent years, McCain's catalogs of "objectionable" spending have included earmarks for this small Alaska town, requested by its mayor at the time -- Sarah Palin.

Bernard HP Gilroy:
You will be interested to know that the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS -- which has become a much better newspaper than it was when Phil Ochs wrote the song about it, but which still leans center-right, or did until McCain and Obama came along -- had the full story of the Amy Goodman bust on the television page, with her picture. It is a solid piece of reporting, not editorializing, but the point is made fully. And, for those who don't know the paper, for those who read a paper 'back to front' to start with the sports, the television page is the FIRST thing you get to, before you reach the sports. It probably got more notice than if it had been on page 7 of the front.

In fact, the NEWS has been one of the harshest critics of Palin -- and it does boast of 2.5 million readers, a lot more than the 'quality press' or any of the news networks. The editorial cartoon today shows a frazzle-haired Palin at a desk with a VP seal reading 'VP Palin' with a stork in the middle of the seal, a rifle and moosehead on the wall, a pile of sacks of Huggies in the corner, toys and bottles all over the desk, and her on the phone going "Can you babysit, hon? I have to learn the launch codes."

Steve,

Thanks for your daily mini-reports. I love 'em!
I always find info that I haven't seen elsewhere.

petorado quoted: "John McCain’s campaign threatened legal action against the National Enquirer today for running a story about McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, allegedly having an affair with her husband’s business partner."

Well, Todd works the North Slope. He is gone all the time. A dynamic woman like Sarah needs her exercise. At least she's keeping it close...

You know, I've never understood these complaints about Chelsea. Yes, she should be careful not to smile with her gums, but she's not ugly.

And I suspect she's smarter than Jenna or Barbara, who were teenage drunkards.

Sorry if this sounds like a whine or a worthless rant, but does anyone feel as utterly exhausted by the mendacity surrounding the choice of Palin as I do? I feel like this choice is the political equivalent of dumping 50 gallon drums of marbles onto the dance floor of the election. No one will be able to dance effectively because of the distraction of all the marbles. All sorts of false equivalencies are being granted because there is a limit to any one person's ability to sort through the gallons of BS that Palin's supporters are willing to vomit up during any particular interview. One has to attempt to sieze upon the most egregious assertion and deconstruct it. Meanwhile, many more "lesser" lies work their way into the conventional wisdom.

Forget about whether Sarah Palin is qualified to step in should McCain buy the farm. Forget about the truth about whether she cares or understands national issues. Forget that she likely holds extremist views that are anathma to the majority of her fellow citizens. Forget that she has never earned more than 115,000 votes in any one election. For her new best friends, her supporters since Thursday, the election is simply a game and a gambit for power. Long-term consequences are not a concern - only smash-mouth tactics and shameless lying to achieve the goal of remaining in power.

I will say again that I think this woman has bizarre values. I will admit that what little I have learned about her leads me to suspect that she is a flaming narcissist (maybe most politicians are but hers seems more like Dubya's - with the potential for vindictive use of power - than the more garden variety egotism). Those who not so long ago slammed Obama's ambition do not blink in the bright lights of Palin's ambition. As bizarre as I find her views and values, I think she is not a politician to be taken lightly - if for no other reason than she has leveraged her way into the warm embrace of the power brokers of the Religious Right and their toadies in the Republican power structure at large.

After less than a week, I am tapped out. Drinking from the fire hydrant of McCain's gambit, I find I have spent too much time reading and feeling appalled. For my own sanity, I am going to have to go away from it, because it feels toxic. The "through-the-looking glass" spin of the ruling and pundit classes has vanquished me for the time being. I have to take a break to regain my perspective.

Very well said, TuiMel. I am dumbfounded, appalled, and shaken by the surreal quality the Republicans have brought to this election cycle. But what else can be expected after the Bush administration's journey into the surreal? The mendacity, the total absence of logic, the intellectual mediocrity is literally mindblowing. It takes my breath away.

I love this little Palin faux pas from the Eagle Forum Questionnaire piece...

Q: Are you offended by the phrase “Under God� in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

Palin's Answer: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.

The woman doesn't even know the phrase "Under God" wasn't around until the 1950s.
Yet she's prepared to invoke the name of the Founding Fathers in her "fight".

Really, the vapidity that has been hauled within shouting distance of the Veep's audience with this nomination is stunning to consider.
Next time up I imagine one of the major parties nominating an empty suit for the back-end of the ticket.

The Klein piece was good, except for this:

"...her admirable decision to have a Down Syndrome baby..."

Everybody seems to be in agreement on this, but why? When this baby is forty, his parents will be in their mid-eighties, if they live so long.

Many people with Down syndrome will never be able to live independently. What if Trig lives a long life? His parents will predecease him, and his siblings may not be willing or able to care for him.

There is a significant chance that Trig will be institutionalized, perhaps for decades of his life. Is this fair to him?

Anyone who has seen such institutions may well ask whether knowingly giving birth to a Down baby is everywhere and always an admirable thing.

Yes, it is a sacrifice on the Palins' part; but are all parental sacrifices guarantees that "the right thing" was done?

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