Palin is the ultimate expression of what you get from a party that doesn't actually believe in government.

Would people choose a surgeon or a financial advisor based on her back story, ignoring her competence, experience, education, etc.? But politics is just a beauty contest, nothing more -- there are no consequences!

With the takeover of FNMA and FHLMC that happened this morning, whoever wins this election just inherited a barn full of shit to shovel out. I almost hope McCain/Palin win in November and inherit this Augean stable that Bush and his ilk have created, because they deserve to take the blame for the looming economic catastrophe....

And note -- she'll come out and give a "great," informed interview on Fox, and everyone will start screaming again how she was unfairly mocked, elite liberal media, etc.

Pitbulls everywhere are wiping off their lipstick.

Davis added that he perceives the media environment as "hostile."

Translation: the media will ask her questions that will make her look either clueless or extreme, or both.

It'd be interesting to know what the McCain campaign thinks is the difference between a "hostile" question and a "tough" one.

Two weeks ago nobody south of Canada had ever heard of Sarah Palin. This morning on Face the Nation, McCain called her "the most popular governor in America".

While Stephanopolous chips away at Obama, interrupting him, contradicting him, trying to get some sort of misstatement on tape, McCain relaxes with his good buddy, Bob Schiefer to repeat his lies about Obama raising taxes on everybody and flip flop away regarding the Mortgage Banks bail out. Of course, no interruptions and no lies or flip flops were questioned, after all, John McCain was a POW so it would be unseemly for old Bob to question his word.

If this is how the next 58 or so days of campaign coverage is going to be, it's looking bad. Sarah Palin is nothing more than a cynical ploy to suck up all media attention until the election. So far it's working very well for McCain.

Whatever happened to, "If she can't stand up to the media, how can she protect us from the terrorists"? Didn't they say that about Hillary not three months ago?

I'd think Palin could at least give an interview centered on Russia -- she's an expert on it, you see -- seeing as she's spent the past two years courageously staring the Red Menace down from her command post in the Aleutian Islands. Couldn't she at least talk to us about that?

I believe if the situation were reversed, though unimaginable, and the Democratic VP pick was in need of protection from revealing his/her actual views or lack thereof, then we would be hearing nonstop snide rejoinders about sissy-pants liberal weenies who can't take the heat. It never ceases to entertain me - how quickly the kick-ass bad boys turn pitiful and take offense. Double standards are wonderful things.

Looks like it's going to be Charlie gibson on ABC!

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Palin.html

I thought America was based on the idea that 'respect and deference' have to be earned, because no one is automatically any better than anyone else. And, if I were to make a claim that I was fit to be elected Vice President of the United States, I'd expect to be asked to prove it, with some tough questions, and skepticism. It's a big claim.

It's America, I'm a citizen just like her, and I'll treat her with the same respect and deference she treats me with.

So far, she's been very insulting and rude, making snide comments and laughing at my beliefs. So she has some apologizing to do before we get back to neutral, much less her earning some 'respect and deference.'

"McCain campaign manager Rick Davis... says Palin won't give any interviews until she feels 'comfortable' giving one. And this morning he added that she wouldn't give any 'until the point in time when she'll be treated with respect and deference.'"

Is this still the United States of America? Are we still talking about the Presidency of the United States?

Is this the way John McCain is going to respond to that 3:00 A.M. phone call? And, by the way, does Hillary Clinton still think that everybody's friend and former POW John McCain has passed the Commander-in-Chief test?

Do McCain and Palin embody the knowledge and logic and judgment that the American people want in their President?

It is, after all, their choice. Never have the VP selections, taken together, been so revealing. The choice, therefore, has never been easier or clearer.

Also, this idea keeps getting repeated on all the news networks that Palin was forced to reveal her pregnant daughter by the horrible things said on "liberal blogs". No blog has been mentioned by name that I have heard, and no quote of derogatory nature has surfaced that I have heard.

As a reader of several "liberal blogs" I am wondering if this is just another McCain falsehood getting the free airplay from networks.

regarding pailin being prepared for the press and debates
I vaguely remember some talk about george bush having a prompter during the debates in 2004 - will pailin have one too?

the conservative deflator said: I almost hope McCain/Palin win in November and inherit this Augean stable that Bush and his ilk have created, because they deserve to take the blame for the looming economic catastrophe....

I said something similar, after Bush won in 2004. Probably more to justify my dissatisfaction more than anything else.

Looking at what happened since 2004, it has gotten much worse. It seems to me that being petty and allowing the Republicans to do it another 4 years, is not going to be the solution. Worse.. It's going to be detrimental to the survival of America as we knew it a mere 8 years ago. The country simply can't handle another Republican administration.

It's one of those ... Dig in... Educate more of your friends and neighbors... Talk to anybody on the fence in a respectful way, offering them information they can double check... Avoid the rabid republican partisans; they're a lost cause.. There are way too many low-information voters we need to get to before the lying republicans do, with their bumper sticker solutions...

Let's get to work...

I am just an average voter without political sophistication but I am not stupid.

"Deference"? When did the United States institute the crime of lese majeste? Yes, M'lady, right this way m'lady.

And didn't we just have several months of attacks on Obama as "arrogant"?

Questions that I'd ask her:

1. If you subscribe to the belief that the world was created some 6+ thousand years ago, how old is the oil off the coast of the great state of Alaska that you so desperately want to drill for?

2. (follow-up) ....so oil underground is a fossil fuel. Can you define fossil for the audience?

3. If it's god's will to be fighting in Iraq, which god are you talking about? For example, Allah?

4. Is climate change causing the thawing of permafrost in Alaska?

5. What do you think is the most serious threat facing our country today?

Thank you for your time governor, oh...one more question:

6. I understand you've spent time in Moscow. Can you tell me more?......... Oops... you thought I was referring to Moscow, Idaho. It's great that you know so much about that college town.

imagine if the roles were reversed, the Republicans would be all over this, dominating the talk shows and news cycles with this: I thought this Obama campaign was going to do things differently ... not stupidly

I feel so sorry for all of the "on-air personalities" and "pundits" of the corporate media. The poor folks are so upset at being openly humiliated by the McCain campaign's refusal to let them anywhere near Palin until they will show proper "deference". They are approaching the limits of their capacity for self-abasement as they subserviently enable the McCain campaign's brazen lies.

They may even feel some twinge of self-loathing at the McCain campaign's sneering, smug certainty that when all is said and done, the overpaid hacks of the media will abandon whatever shreds of "journalistic integrity" they like to imagine they still have, and bend over and take it.

I hope they will find some small comfort in the huge paychecks that they collect from their ultra-rich corporate bosses for their betrayal of the American people.

And by the way, if you think this stuff is bad, just wait until the debates -- each and every one will be "moderated" by one of the corporate media's obsequious, fawning courtiers to right-wing Republican power.

Again I doubt logical analysis reveals the truth here. It's simply a game. It may seem arrogant, outrageous, insulting, flouting the rules of democracy, etc. but the bottom line is they don't give a toss about any of that. They will play whatever game they think will win them the prize.

Grudgingly, one has to acknowledge that McRove appears to have some insight into the weaknesses found among the American electorate: their prejudices, fears, fanaticisms, credulities, laziness, combativeness and, yes, basic conservatism - and relentlessly exploits and builds on them. It's unseemly, undignified and malevolent - but you think they care? Not a bit.

This Palin-RNC soap opera provides the cheap, easy, spoon-fed entertainment millions of gullible Americans want for passive, round-the-telly nourishment. They have not the slightest interest in facts or scrutiny. Anything that provokes a gut rumbling, beer in hand, gotcha belly laugh wins their vote. That's what Rove-McPalin are angling for.

They'll gather up a lot of that support, as well as the shrewed, secretive, fundamentalist vote with their Pain-with-an-L gimmick; but it won't win them the election.

What I keep wondering is how the McCain campaign imagines all this stuff is going to play out in the debates. I'm not talking about the vice presidential debates, either, but McCain vs. Obama. Do they really think Obama isn't going to pound McCain with all this idiocy? Do they think he isn't going to mention Palin's lies, or use the pick to question McCain's judgment? Do they think Obama isn't going to go on the attack and give McCain an opportunity to display his famous temper for everyone to see?

Or do they just not think that far ahead? Because it seems to me that the best they can hope for now is that everyone will feel sorry for McCain after that mean ol' Obama slaughters him in the debates. Either that or McCain's going to spray squid ink all over Obama and then make his escape.

"until the point in time when she'll be treated with respect and deference."

Is primadonna sexist? Sounds like the Republicans are trying to mold her in the form of a cult stat. Wouldn't want too much exposure. If this were the Wizard of Oz, she would be the curtain.

"liberal blogs" and "the angry left" have become the new conservative strawmen. A generic "they" to point to to distract the MSM from the absence of policy and substance from the right.

Let people sreech "sexism" all they want, Joe Biden better grind her into hamburger at their debate. He can't and shouldn't hold back.

If Sarah Palin can't stand up to a free press, how is she supposed to stand up to Putin?

Bruno:

You are right - I am not giving up on Obama. I plan to continue to work like hell to see that he gets elected. I have already given almost $500 to his campaign - in $50 increments. I just think that whoever wins in November, has a godawful mess to clean up after eight years of the reptilian Bush/Cheney regime.

TCD

This just in:

SP to let ABC TV interview her next week.

The inner ear radio transmitter should work fine as she answers the many questions that will come her way.

She expects to be fully prepared.

She is a quick study and her attendance at several colleges proves it.

But, but, but shes ready to lead from day one!

Snarkety

Btuno,
Yesterday I discovered a terrible truth about myself: I am incapable of talking to my "undecided" friends in a respectful manner. I suppose I've known this for some time; I never bring up politics to any of my friends who are not already in agreement that the Republicans have forfeited any consideration for the presidency this time around. But, my "centrist" friends often cannot help themselves bringing it up to me. Lately, some very good friends hasve taken to bragging that Obama and McCain are going to have to "come to them" to win the election. This line of discussion has been very emotional and frustrating to me. So, I demanded to know what this meant. Immediately, they said "I'm just not going to talk about this with you." I tried very hard to be respectful and draw out the meaning of a candidate "coming to them." What I got - in my opinion - was a repeat of CW memes. I was pretty disgusted, and realized that this "centrist" person was really searching for a reason to support John McCain despite mountains of empirical evidence that the Republicans have trashed this country. My friend do not view McCain as "of a piece" with Republicans. If he "comes to them," he is golden. I realized, I cannot speak to them without my utter disdain for their line of thinking oozing out of me. I better just sent money to Barack and not alienate my small circle of fence sitters.

Sarah Palin opened the door to a wide variety of possible conversations.

Her explicit testimony about the difference of a pit-bull, and a hockey mom is lipstick, advances the characterization to no rules, and opens the field so wide.

This is gravitas par excellence to actually exhibit such an announcement during a serious, most important, long awaited decision. Here, serious electorates have to wonder what is deduces as clowning around. So, what does America get? Something similar to a load of buck shot in the face. The Republican’s don’t need a Reverend Wright, but here, Sarah is big screen in your face cutesy Calamity Jane.

Sarah, sweet, beauty queen, look out or she will run over type pretty face, pit bull and all.

All anyone has to do is discuss how Palin paints the picture, not just democrats, anyone. Here, right away a Pit bull comes to mind. Yes Sarah is hot siren that carries hockey stick ready to slap that puck up yours.

Actually pit bulls are a very dangerous animal, especially if regarded as a Maverick pit bull. Here, the Republican Party parades around crying foul ball those left wing critics are unfair. Sheesh, did America forget after one primary everyone of the first line Journalist lined in hostile, harsh, and deliberately committed open suggestions like Hannity to do what ever he can to prevent Hillary from being elected. More over across the spectrum many suggested that Hillary should quit.

Mainstream Media in the whole Democratic Primary was loaded against Hillary and the Republicans knew Obama would pick a serious experience long time Vice Presidential candidate. Here, the Republicans choosing an absolutely unknown pit-bull has turned the election into a sporting event, here, Sarah Palin, walking with a wiggle flexing a hockey stick. Reminds me of the phrase walk softly and carry a big stick. Very Democratic. Sheesh. Actually, for me thats what Republicas are going to do, they have to do is act like Democrats. Talk about an inverted Reverend Wright…in your face.

Conservative Englishwoman slams McCain’s choice of Palin. An interesting take on the Alaskan bimbo from across the pond.

While the excuse is the media isnt respectful, many conservative men are saying they got a piece of ass on the ticket, a hottie. Hardly respectful.

While shes not giving interviews the reason for that most likely is that shes busy trying to derail the ethics investigation, by Republicans no less, in Alyeska.

Is this a joke? They're worried about MSM reporters? They're worried about LIBERALS? And this is someone that could be President?

Right!

A pit bull with lip stick? Looks more like another all bark, no bite, all hat, no cattle, under qualified, over hyped Governor.

No thanks, I'm still living hip deep in the last one.

And just wondering - where is Osama Bin Laden?

Palin isn't meant to be answering any questions---softball or otherwise. She is "the Anointed One;" the true representative of the Pentecostal fundamentalism that now drives this new theological hybrid of fascism. McCain is just a false front for the "real" GOP agenda.

Consider the convention speeches. Palin's was universally hyped as "perfection," while McCain's was tattered, incoherent at times, and hardly covered by any of the WingNuttia blogs once the convention was over.

Consider the coverage excreted by those far-right blogs---and the right-leaning media, for that matter. "Palin" appears at least ten times as often as "McCain." They don't even care if we smear him to pieces any more, but watch the foaming-at-the-mouth, knee-jerk hysteria when someone so much as asks a question about her.

Good grief, people, Palin wasn't vetted because she wasn't MEANT to be vetted. That's the whole point here---none of the other GOP primary candidates would have kowtowed to a Palin VP nomination; that's why they all fell short. added to that is the fact that it'll be a whole lot easier to 'explain away" any conceivable reason as to why McCain has to relinquish the Presidency---death, critical illness, or even mental infirmity all are optional probabilities for putting Palin in the Oval Office.

Palin becomes the Pentecostal Profiteer; the "new-model rollout" for a theocratic-centric, All-American form of fascism that will make Hitler's Nazis look like a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving Dinner issue of the Saturday Evening Post....

Charles Gibson huh?

I am taking bets...will he ask her about her pastors..unethical dealing in government, associations with organizations with shady backgrounds, and her love of America...

Nope - save those questions for Obama during debates...can't have that with a Republican now can we...

I predict you will see just how big of a shill Charles Gibson is later this week...

Who the fuck do you think picked that asshole Gibson. The fix is in. He is no more a journalist than Palin is presidential material. Those two douche bags are on the same team. I give up America will get what it deserves.

[trolling deleted]

the "new-model rollout" for a theocratic-centric, All-American form of fascism

The Revolution lives! All power to the Soviets of preachers and brokers!

The phrase "political malpractice" has been pinging around in my head all morning. It's beyond imagining how many different ways the democrats would be completely annihilated if Obama had selected the mayor of San Diego (pop 1,200,000) as his running mate. I have no idea who the mayor is; though san diego has a population twice that of the state of Alaska and borders Mexico (foreign policy/immigration)

And then flew him/her off to Catalina Island to hide from everybody while getting a crash course in how to run the world.

Really I just am unable to visualize the rightwing meltdown which would be underway if any democrat exhibited such arrogance and disdain for the office, the process and the voters.

The longer I live with McCain's decision, the more appalling it becomes.

When it comes to appalling decisions, there are more than enough to go around.

One set of such decisions -- labyrinthine and executed over a
long period of time -- allowed our major news outlets to be
owned by a few wealthy men and/or corporations.
As the campaigns near the half billion mark in fund raising,
Zell, Newhouse, and Murdoch must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Those not laughing include all those with stories of critical import that have been left on the backroom floor, lest they might have offended some power brokers. The silent censorship of the media is alive and well.

The solution: have the hard hitting interview, all right, but have
it done by one of the tens of thousands of articulate, informed
citizens who do not belong to a think tank, and are beholden
to no one but God.

Second solution: have the daily newspapers in this country stop
downloading most of their commentary from the New York Times and/or The Washington Post, et al, so that we return to a true marketplace of ideas at newspapers' op ed pages.

That way, when the citizen beholden only to God does a searing interview of Sarah Palin, we will have more than the usual 3-4 dozen 'anointed' pundits comment on it.

With these two solutions for starters (and there are others), we
might actually get to that most elusive of journalistic goals: the
sheer, unvarnished truth.

When it comes to appalling decisions, there are more than enough to go around.

One set of such decisions -- labyrinthine and executed over a
long period of time -- allowed our major news outlets to be
owned by a few wealthy men and/or corporations.
As the campaigns near the half billion mark in fund raising,
Zell, Newhouse, and Murdoch must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Those not laughing include all those with stories of critical import that have been left on the backroom floor, lest they might have offended some power brokers. The silent censorship of the media is alive and well.

The solution: have the hard hitting interview, all right, but have
it done by one of the tens of thousands of articulate, informed
citizens who do not belong to a think tank, and are beholden
to no one but God.

Second solution: have the daily newspapers in this country stop
downloading most of their commentary from the New York Times and/or The Washington Post, et al, so that we return to a true marketplace of ideas at newspapers' op ed pages.

That way, when the citizen beholden only to God does a searing interview of Sarah Palin, we will have more than the usual 3-4 dozen 'anointed' pundits comment on it.

With these two solutions for starters (and there are others), we
might actually get to that most elusive of journalistic goals: the
sheer, unvarnished truth.

This attack on the press is completely dishonest and cynical. Republicans know it would be a disaster to let the public get a closeup view of Palin through the press at this point. Not because the press is hostile or out to get her -- Republican pros don't believe that. But because she would simply make a fool of herself.

There is no way she could answer all, or most, of the questions that the press has been throwing at Obama and Biden and McCain over the past two years without looking like what she is -- a complete novice on foreign and most federal issues.

Therefore, the only way they can justify keeping her out of the public spotlight without looking like complete cowards is to blame it all on the press who they say won't give her a fair hearing.

The press aren't some lynch mob out to get Palin. They are simply doing their job to vet someone who just might become president someday. And from the Republican point of view, that's the problem.

Putin and Osama bin Ladin have promised to be respectful and deferential. Whew! Glad that's all fixed up!

So media interviews have to be respectful, but candidates' speeches and campaign advertising can be as hostile, unpleasant, lying and ugly as you like?

What a load of Schmidt.

Its easy to see why the leftist liberal media is so prolific. They have millions of morons to suck up their crap! Proud to be an elitist!

She is a coward and a liar.

It's just that simple.

Steve, Hoyt's explanation wasn't for his readers. They know what a journalist is supposed to do. He's trying to convince himself to do what he never thought he'd have to do: ask a Republican a tough question, and follow it up until he gets an answer. He's also warning the McCain camp that he'll have to look like a real journalist for awhile, and they shouldn't take it personally.

Sarah Palin, the gift that keeps on giving.

Today I heard two good stories from acquaintances in a position to know what they're talking about.

First, from a Democrat in Achorage who says that the National Enquirer is in town with a multi-million dollar budget (remember, these are the folks who nailed Edwards):

The reason that Palin's mother-in-law wouldn't endorse her for governor in 2006 and is supporting Obama now is because Sarah Palin had an affair with Todd Palin's best friend for more than a year, which - when Todd found out - she told him he could go back to "being a nobody" if he wanted to say anything in public, and which led to a breakup of a friendship stretching back to high school.

Also, Track Palin is in the Army and headed to Iraq as the alternative to 10-15 years in jail for "attempted murder." Track and two other "sons of the local leadership" vandalized 110 school buses last August, just before school opened - not just breaking out all the windows, but cutting the brake lines (thus the "attempted murder"). Since none of them had any prior record, the judge allowed them to volunteer for the Army in return for the charges being dismissed, and as a way of keeping things quiet (which the Palins wanted).

From a Democrat in Colorado who just returned yesterday from Ireland:

Sarah Palin has listed her "foreign travel" as being trips to Kuwait and Germany to see the Alaska NG troops, and a visit to Ireland. Turns out the "visit" was a 90-minute layover in Shannon Airport. When the Irish Press got hold of this this past week, it was a sensation (like the rest of Europe, the Irish want to see the Republican Party "pushing up daisies"). The Irish government contacted the GOP campaign and asked if a 90-minute layover in an international airport constituted "a visit to our country?" As of Friday night, the McCain/Palin website no longer lists that in her "foreign travel." BTW - she only got a passport in 2007 - lots of "foreign policy experience" there, eh?.

And we don't have to do a thing with these. America is going to be reading this stuff in the supermarket checkout line, soon. As another donor (a woman) said to me, "It's embarassing that a national political party would nominate people like this to a position of responsibility."

Is there anything about this woman that isn't a lie????

Barracuda? She is supposedly more qualified than any other republican and she can't answer the tough questions that need to be asked of her? This was a cynical and unqualified choice by McCain that is ending up too cute by half! Aparently Maverick means lack of due diligence and no more.

She won't tolerate being questioned?? Who the hell does she think she is. If she is going to throw herself out there as the tough one who can throw a punch, she needs to be able to take the same punch... She is no barracuda if she insist on acting like a minnow

Barracuda? She is supposedly more qualified than any other republican and she can't answer the tough questions that need to be asked of her? This was a cynical and unqualified choice by McCain that is ending up too cute by half! Aparently Maverick means lack of due diligence and no more.

She won't tolerate being questioned?? Who the hell does she think she is. If she is going to throw herself out there as the tough one who can throw a punch, she needs to be able to take the same punch... She is no barracuda if she insist on acting like a minnow

Palin is the ultimate expression of what you get from a party that doesn't actually believe in government.

Correction:

Palin is the ultimate expression of what you get from a party that blows smoke to secure cronyism because they don't believe in a democratic government.

During the primaries, America now know it knew more about Obama than it now know about Sarah Palin. But, the hostile media wouldn't let up. Today, the media is answering the same questions of Sarah Palin. Who is Sarah Palin? The nation's out cry should be:
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?

During the primaries, America now know it knew more about Obama than it now know about Sarah Palin. But, the hostile media wouldn't let up. The media should not let up on Palin. The nation's out cry should be:
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?
"Who is Sarah Palin?

This is exactly how we have been treated for the last 8 years. Mr McCain/Mrs Palin are taking a play right out of the Bush playbook. WE don't have to talk to anybody and we don't have to justify what we do. We will do what we want and to hell with the people.

I wonder how she can be ready for the VP office when she isn't ready to talk to reporters? It's not like world events will sit back and wait for the leader of the Free World to feel comfortable.

One begins to wonder if the reason Republicans have so little respect for the qualifications necessary in actually governing a complicated country like this is because they do not believe in governance. Let's face it, on most matters of public policy conservatives believe that either the private sector of the market does it better than government.

It is well know that conservatives would like to do nothing more than privatize most of the public sector. Soldiers don't peel potatoes anymore or do KP. Haliburton and its no-bid contracts do it for them. But the more ominous truth is that the real aim of conservatives is to privatize power itself. That, of course, hands our democracy over to the rich and powerful. But so what, say conservatives? When it comes to the economy, conservatives say let the market police itself. Republicans don't care much for qualifications in public office because in their view of things there isn't much for government to do.