since Palin has a reputation for making friends who can help her and then screwing them over.

Totally anecdotal, but that's what I've read in the Anchorage Daily News (my newest "must read" in the morning) in several different stories.

Evita! Evita! Evita!

Don't cry for me, Anchorage......

Actually the list of mentors she has screwed (MSHS)is all public record. Tapper has pulled it together and put it into a chronological order but he is someone who is aware of all internet traditions so he might have just read the tubes. Of course the McCain campaign staffers she has urinated off might have served it to him but why assume malice when incompetence will serve.

I am extremely uncomfortable with the phrase rapid ascendance to power in reference to Sarah Palin.

Her campaign slogan will be: "Let the End Times roll!"

It's breathtaking how stupid this choice has become. McAce must be a died-in-the-wool gambler who really must be lousy at that practice. Not that I'm complaining mind you...

This comes from rival Republicans looking to the future who realize that -- while she may now be inexperienced and unqualified -- those are not permanent factors. She's going to get more experience and learn more about public policy.

The ultimate problem with the "stabbing mentors and allies in the back" plan for success is that there will be no one to cover your six when the "figurative" knives are out for you.

And the knives are out and they're very sharp. Simple Sarah might have some friends among the religious nuts, but not among the money bags who are the real power in the Repub party.

while she may now be inexperienced and unqualified -- those are not permanent factors. She's going to get more experience and learn more about public policy.

Just like George W. Bush did.

Wow. Does anyone ever wonder what this woman's family life must be like? I'm seriously wondering about borderline personality disorder here, though clearly she has more control than that. Maybe just straight sociopath?

But if insiders are dishing to Tapper and others about Palin's habit of "screwing over" Republican allies to advance her career, that's more damaging, isn't it?

It also suggests that McCain's vetting people considered all her Republican enemies in Alaska as "corrupt", just as Palin asserts. But then who am I to argue with that?

Palin's habit of "screwing over" Republican allies to advance her career

Actually, that will win her admiration in GOP circles.

Stabbing her republican party mentors in the back is why McCain keeps calling her a 'marverick' and someone who 'stands up to her own party'.

In other words, yesterday this was her main selling point. Now its being called a cynical ploy to gain power.

She's a maverick pitbull. What did McCain expect? I'm shocked, shocked I tells ya, that this didn't come out during the laborious and intense vetting process.

Palin = McCain's Scapegoat

Never forget who picked Palin.

Palin's no "Evita"! She's freakin' Madonna! The Dominatrix Tour!

"In 1992, Madonna founded her own entertainment company, Maverick, consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and also music publishing, television, merchandising and book-publishing divisions."

Dumb question:

What do they think the word "maverick" means?

Isn't she doing just what she says she would do--go against the expectations of party leaders?

I can't stand her, but at least there's a little truth in advertising here.

Now that the Republicans have tired of attacking Democrats (they're too easy to beat up), they've now moved on to fighting with each other. The viciousness of this will be quite entertaining; they've practiced for years, so their skills will be handy and nothing has the unequaled violence of a family fight.

>that's more damaging, isn't it?
Yep, 'cause it's all about loyalty to these freaks, isn't it. See: Bush, George W.

Shouldn't they admire her more for this? This type of behavior is in line with the best of republican ideals, the strongest and the most cunning win. Sarah Palin should be an admired gop figure for doing so much with so little.

Wow. Does anyone ever wonder what this woman's family life must be like? I'm seriously wondering about borderline personality disorder here, though clearly she has more control than that. Maybe just straight sociopath?

She shows the characteristics of a narcissist. She reminds me alot of my mom. It's hard to describe what it's like growing up in that kind of household, effort is made to appear perfect to outsiders but little attention is actually paid to the kids. Actually, it's the kids who frequently turn out borderline.

"The intra-party pie fight"

We want pie! We want pie! We want pie!

This information is *not* coming from inside the McCain campaign. There was an article a few weeks back (can't remember where I saw it) that laid out Palin's rise to power in Alaska that had as its theme the idea that she used people to advance her career and then turned on them. I am surprised you haven't seen that article. (Was it in the New Yorker? Can't remember. Crap!)

The stories Tapper is getting are coming from the same incompetent jerks who bought the clothes, then hid when the s**t hit the fan. She has a great future in the party whether or not they win the election. The jerks do not.

This comes from rival Republicans looking to the future who realize that -- while she may now be inexperienced and unqualified -- those are not permanent factors. She's going to get more experience and learn more about public policy.Posted by: pa

She's in her 40s. If you don't know these things by that age, you're not going to learn them. She's not even qualified to be governor of Alaska, and she apparently made nothing but bad choices when she was mayor of a one horse town.

She a female Dubya - incurious and proud of it. All artifice and no substance, but thinks that because she has Jesus in her life that makes everything OK.

We first started seeing little bits and pieces of this several weeks ago; specifically, I remember seeing stuff about John Stein and Lyda Green. IIRC, the context might have been the story coming out of her laughing during the shock-jock's attack on Green. So a lot of this stuff has been out there, available to any reasonably diligent reporter.

Doesn't mean, of course, that the McCain camp within the McCain campaign didn't tie it all together nicely for Tapper.

She has a great future in the party whether or not they win the election. The jerks do not.
Posted by: Mike K

Simpleton. On November 5, Mitt Romney becomes the frontrunner for 2012. He'll carve Palin up like a field-dressed moose. The First Dude's secessionist history and friends should be a very useful tool in that regard.

Those insinuations, innuendoes and rumors may well have come from McCain insiders who have contacted CNN, for example--it is widely reported by CNN and MSNBC that senior campaign persons specifically told news organizations that not only is Sarah Palin a diva taking none
of their advice, loyal to or trusting no one, and acting in a rogue manner
BUT ALSO that she is a "whack-job."
WHAAAAACK JOB!!!
It has not been denied or retracted or redacted!
That seems significant.
Home, alert and on it,
I have consistently watched the news or listened to internet radio for two full days now.
Had to turn off her speech on energy today, however, as a post traumatic stress syndrome
of some kind arises in me when I hear her grating voice...

I'm with Shalimar. Sarah Palin shows signs of classic narcissism. She uses people when it's convenient, everything is about her, and then she disposes those who are no longer useful. And if she is as much of a narcissist as I suspect, the disposal of McCain will be vicious and nasty.

ALL of this material has been readily available in a series of articles on Salon.com dealing with Palin, most particularly one entitled "Mean Girl."

The tip-off that this is probably one of Tapper's sources is the title, because I believe it is only there that the explanation for the "Sarah Barracuda" name is given. It wasn't because of her 'fierce playing' in her basketball years, it came from her undermining her fellow teammates with the coach so she could get more court time.

I know that if you check out any article about Palin on Salon they'll direct you to their complete coverage of her, and it is truly devastating. All these stories are there.

(And, as I've pointed out, the net in general and particularly Salon had most of the facts on Palin in about a week, without traveling to Alaska to 'vet her.' "Mean Girl" came out on Sep 23, but there are tons of earlier Palin pieces on Salon.)

Cindy and Shalimar - I grew up in a family with a mother who is still at the age of 84 a classic narcissist. She's still wreaking havoc with her nasty mouth, but, thanks god, the four children escaped - through years of therapy - with no personality problems.

Palin does seem to have the same disregard and disconnect with her five children - "Where's Trig?" - that my mother had with her four, and with society at large.

Not that I'm a fan of Palin's in any way, shape or form, but isn't this the way ambituous women are traditionally disparaged and dismissed? She's a manipulative, back-stabbing bitch! If McCain's VP pick had been male, would the attack against him be coached in the same terms? I doubt it.

Serriously, people, there are just sooo many reasons to dislike Sarah Palin that I find it amazing that people prefer sexist stereotypes that hurt all women, rather than the truths that apply to this specific politician.

Up until now, the whispers from GOP insiders have focused on Palin being incompetent, inexperienced, and unqualified. Republicans, though, generally don't care about competence, experience, and qualifications.

But if insiders are dishing to Tapper and others about Palin's habit of "screwing over" Republican allies to advance her career, that's more damaging, isn't it?

The GOP, unlike Democrats have had little use for experience, competence and qualifications. What has mattered a lot to them is group solidariy, loyalty. Palin is failing all tests.

I'm with those who think she is a novelty and will fade into the night after McCain loses next Tuesday.

Not sure how much of a fight it will be when most of the pies are half baked.

:-)

The GOP has a choice after next Tuesday (assuming the machines don't do something fishy, as is the case in West Virginia):

1. Take a deep, hard look in the collective mirror and start making changes to appeal to more people, rather than the 20% or so of certifiable religious nutcases that seem to make up their base.

2. Double down on the Neocon crazy with the hopes of coming up with a few more wedge issues not so prone to turbulence -- some solid stuff that works in good and bad times.

Actually, the second is probably the only option they'll even consider. These clowns aren't into introspection.

It's a shame, really. A working democracy needs multiple viewpoints -- even those on the margins, left and right -- so that some sort of compromise and consensus is reached. The GOP never got that, instead wanting to rule everything forever. They just didn't realize that doing so leads to corruption, extremism and a lust for power that often overrides logic (and even sanity).

I just hope Democrats don't make the same mistake.

The savants over at RedState are pointing the finger at Romney.

This has all been hashed out for weeks now online; you need to start reading blogs, Steven. :)

Trig? Trak? Nack? Ack? Aren't those the ducklings of "Make Way for ..." fame?
Seriously, the Dudemeister is on the road, too, so who's watching the kids?
Ahh, yes, Joan the nanny, of course!

Serriously, people, there are just sooo many reasons to dislike Sarah Palin that I find it amazing that people prefer sexist stereotypes that hurt all women, rather than the truths that apply to this specific politician. Posted by: Chesire11

What's sexist about saying she uses people?

Steven Colbert had a guest on shortly after the Palin pick was confirmed. That guest was a young conservative blogger who was credited with first calling for Sarah Palin for VP (while living with his mom and going to college. He joked about living out of his mom's basement while on the show. I guess the GOP should start thinking about where they get their ideas from before implementing them.

I said this yesterday: she is more like Joe the Stalin than W. Bush. She is a genius at ruthlessness and manipulation. It is the ONLY way someone with zero policy acumen or desire to serve the public interest rises to become a power player. I think McCain and his staff would rather lose the election than enable the next Stalin. At least I hope so.

Look at Palin objectively. Her oldest children are a mess. Her relationships are tenuous and designed to further her political interests only. In fact, I doubt she is all that religious. She seems to have discovered the moral and intellectual weakness of the GOP and exploited it. They read scripts, they don't believe them. What they believe concerns their inflated egos. Flattery and looks will get you everywhere in the party of corrupt clergy and Fox News. Then comes the inevitable purge. McCain best not ever travel to Mexico City if Palin takes power!

Sparko wrote: "... she is more like Joe the Stalin than W. Bush."

She reminds me of Greg Stillson.

It is kinda interesting, if you're wondering about the splits in the nasty R. party.

But her rapid ascendance to power?

Please. Writers make up any bullshit just to fit the angle for their story. Gotta fill that white space.

She's totally Tracy Flick from Election, and anyone who didn't pick up on that right away is an idiot. Like John McCain and Steve Schmidt.

She is Nicole Kidman in "To Die For". She's exactly like that character. Palin is so blinded by her own vicious ambition and willing to do anything to promote herself that she doesn't realize her little world is slowly crashing around her. I'm hoping that the state of Alaska is slowly coming out of their hibernation and will do something to pull her down off her high horse.

You seem to have been unaware of Palin's history of backstabbing people she climbed over in order to advance her own career. Yet all of this information, EVERY NAME DATE AND INCIDENT has been a matter of public record and was known to me and many bloggers, readers and just plain folk, within DAYS of the Palin nomination.

Not really news at all, could have easily been found out had McCain vetted the silly bitch.

This post and comment thread could serve as the script for a season's worth of Daily Shows, SNL and the Colbert Report combined.

I haven't laughed this hard in many a year. Thanks, all you fellow unpatriotic socialist, communist,liberal, elite, intellectual traitors who don't support the troops!

Finally, it's the wits against the half-wits, and the wits are winning. W00T!

There may be something to this. Palin didn't have any problem associating herself with Pat Buchanan in the 1990s and now pretends she never knew him.

Hey, what if the Antichrist is a WOMAN? Huh?

Given all the misogyny in God's Holy Word, I wouldn't be at all surprised.

The problem with Palin is that she believed what McCain told her: that he wanted a maverick (dictionary definition: dissident) on his ticket and that the PROBLEM with Obama is that he didn't buck his party enough.

She made a mistake a lot of people on the right make -- she believed McCain was telling the truth.

First, I don't see how making McCain look like a foolish old man who's now getting beat up by the foolish choice he made (by some reports in a pique because he couldn't have his mourning Joe) helps him; second, I thought, and may have written here weeks ago, that she would turn on him, as I had read she has on past "mentors," asap if not in office (if they were elected) then in the book she's about to write win or lose.

I'd tumble Sarah Palin in a California minute if I could find my peepee under my big old gut. Since I can't, I'll just make excuses for the inexcusable in between Ace of Spades visits.

Sarah Palin is finished politically. I don't think she's consciously dishonest, but she lacks an ethical gyroscope, and she's not bright enough to compensate with guile when she's in the national spotlight. She may think she hit a triple, but she was carried to third base. The intra-party GOP recriminations even before the election show the hostility she has engendered. If she lays claim to leadership of the GOP after the coming tidal wave, she will split what is left of the Republican coalition. Dems can only hope that she tries. I doubt she'll be re-elected governor of Alaska.She has demonstrated her opportunism, and her ethical problems compound the widespread perception of her insincerity in the service of self-promotion.

P.S. For a great old movie on this theme: Elia Kazan's "Face in the Crowd." Very much to this point.