Sarah Palin, Gun-Toting Slayer of the Bridge to Nowhere

It's Sarah Palin for McCain VP, and she has at least two things going for her in my eyes:

1) Lifetime membership in the NRA

2) About a year ago, she dealt the final blow to the Bridge to Nowhere, the handywork of fellow Alaskan Sen. Ted Stevens. According to the Anchorage Daily News:

She directed the state transportation department to find the most "fiscally responsible" alternative for access to the airport.

And yes, as far as I can tell, that really is a photo of Palin with a deer some kind of Alaskan wildlife that she shot.

Comments

travman67 | August 29, 2008, 11:26am | #

Not a deer, I think its an elk...

BTS | August 29, 2008, 11:27am | #

Goddamn, now I'm gonna have to vote for McCain AND take up praying so that he might kicked out of office somehow.

BTS | August 29, 2008, 11:28am | #

And travman's right. It's an elk or a caribou or some big ruminant.

Billy Beck | August 29, 2008, 11:29am | #

Trophy VP.

Big deal. {yawn}

Roger Maltz | August 29, 2008, 11:29am | #

Could be a reindeer.

Other Matt | August 29, 2008, 11:30am | #

BTS-Good strategy by McCain.."I'm old, I'll probably die in office and she'll be in charge, so vote for me"

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:31am | #

Desperate effort to steal the spotlight with a novelty pick. The McCain campaign clearly thought they needed something to change the subject from last night's speech.

Maybe next time, Mittens.

| August 29, 2008, 11:31am | #

Beats any of the white guys he could have chosen.

robc | August 29, 2008, 11:32am | #

Beats any of the white guys he could have chosen.

Except Ron Paul.

ClubMedSux | August 29, 2008, 11:33am | #

Desperate effort to steal the spotlight with a novelty pick.

So a novelty pick for vp is desperate, but a novelty pick for the actual president is hope we can believe in?

ClubMedSux | August 29, 2008, 11:33am | #

Or is it change we can believe in? I have a hard time keeping all that drivel straight.

The Extispicator | August 29, 2008, 11:34am | #

Am I wrong to be a little turned on when I look at that picture?

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 11:36am | #

Desperate effort to steal the spotlight with a novelty pick. The McCain campaign clearly thought they needed something to change the subject from last night's speech.

Jesus fucking tapdancing Christ, joe, stop spinning for like, maybe 3 seconds. It was basically the best pick he could make. I know your rampaging hard-on for Obama won't allow you to acknowledge that, but for fuck's sake, try.

Steven Horwitz | August 29, 2008, 11:37am | #

ClubMedSux might have won the thread with this:

So a novelty pick for vp is desperate, but a novelty pick for the actual president is hope we can believe in?

I won't be voting GOP, but it is worth noting that Palin has more executive experience than Obama and Biden combined.

And if Joe thought last night's speech was anything but more of the same, I've got a bridge to nowhere to sell him.

| August 29, 2008, 11:37am | #

Beats any of the white guys he could have chosen.

Except Ron Paul.

Well, yeah, that's a given, but I doubt Paul would have acepted the offer from McCain.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:37am | #

It's funny: whenever I comment about the political implications of something in this race, people change the subject to substance. Whenever I comment on something substantive, people change the subjec to horse-race politics.

Funny, that.

anon | August 29, 2008, 11:38am | #

Calling Pain a "novelty pick" is a weak and desperate attack that only shows the lack of any substantive criticism.

Morat20 | August 29, 2008, 11:39am | #

Joe has a point in that it's an unusual pick for McCain.

First, let me say that of the Republicans both able and WILLING to take on the VP job (I suspect there are a number who would not take it -- Colin Powell springs to mind), she was probably the best pick politically.

However, she undercuts one of McCain's primary attack lines ("Obama lacks experience") since he's chosen chosen someone with less experience than Obama, and stuffed her a heartbeat away from the Presidency -- and McCain is, to be blunt, old enough that the VP isn't just a "Whoops, giant scandal or assasination" backup.

Secondly, while her pro-life record will shore up his base -- which has concerns over McCain's new stance on abortion, that'll bring both the abortion issue (to which the GOP's current plank and McCain's current stance are considerably more pro-life than among independents and even the population as a whole) and risk highlighting another massive issue shift by McCain.

Which plays into the Democratic attack line of Senator McCain Versus Candidate McCain.

I do not know how her gender, or her limited history in Alaskan government, will play amoung the GOP base, which is shakey enough. Possibly well, possibly poorly.

But as I said -- probably the best pick of a bad lot.

Sarah Palin | August 29, 2008, 11:39am | #

Boys... that's a caribou I shot. Sheesh, I thought you guys knew everything about guns.

Now, I have to go fire the public safety commissioner. He's totally not doing a good job.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 11:40am | #

joe, take your fucking mouth off Obama's cock for a few minutes. You get real old REAL fucking fast.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:41am | #

Episiarch, I now you really, really want to believe that America is just desperate for a hawt, gun toting conservative governor in 2008, but is it beyond the realm of possiblity that you might be able to consider the political implications of the election from something other than your own likes and dislikes?

The guy whose entire campaign is based around foreign policy experience and manly-man toughness just picked Sarah Palin to be his Vice President. It really doesn't matter that she has libertarianish traits you like - you are a fringe of a fringe in the American political scene, and if you're going to comment on the horse race, you need to try to look at events through a lens other than your own reaction.

If Barack Obama had picked John Kerry as his running mate, I personally would have thought it was a great pick, but I'm objective enough to be able to recognize that it would be bad from a political point of view.

Sheesh.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 11:44am | #

Wow, joe, once again you can read minds. I like Palin? Where do you invent this shit? Can I visit, because it sounds like a real trip.

You are the hackiest hackster since Mr. Hack went to Hacktown. If you had the fucking stones to admit it I might respect you. But you don't.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:46am | #

anon | August 29, 2008, 11:38am | #

Calling Pain a "novelty pick" is a weak and desperate attack that only shows the lack of any substantive criticism.

Actually, it shows that I was commenting on the politics of the pick.

Episiarch,

You certainly do like imagery involving gay sex, don't you? We get it: you're a very emotional sort, but observing that I'm a Democrat in colorful language doesn't actually rebut my comment.

smacky | August 29, 2008, 11:46am | #

The Extispicator,


It depends. Are you looking at Palin or are you looking at the dead reindeer?

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:47am | #

Oh, look, Epsiarch has called me a Democrat again.

I guess that means that Sarah Palin really does bolster the McCain campaign's message about foreign policy experience.

Kip | August 29, 2008, 11:47am | #

Obama must be shitting his pants!

Voros McCracken | August 29, 2008, 11:48am | #

Well if the list knocked around was:

Mitt Romney
Tim Pawlenty
Mike Huckabee
Tom Ridge
Joe Lieberman
Sarah Palin

She's clearly the best of that motley lot. I won't be voting for them, but it's a surprisingly competent pick.

smacky | August 29, 2008, 11:49am | #

Don't you guys get it? A novelty pick is a good thing when it's your own team selecting it, but it's a bad thing when it's the other team is selecting it.


Democrats aren't the only ones willing to play identity politics anymore, apparently. Good on the Repubs for that reason. At least they've updated their strategy, if nothing else.

Kip | August 29, 2008, 11:50am | #

She'll be running against Hillary in 2012

Old timer | August 29, 2008, 11:50am | #

Ex POW McCain had a dream about Gov Palin while he was a guest of North Viet Nam for 5 1/2 years, in a tiger cage being beaten by gooks. Looks like he's made it full circle.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:52am | #

smacky,

Barack Obama spent a year and a half on the hustings, making his case to the public, before being chosen as the nominee. As an unknown novelty pick like Palin is now, he was polling under 20%, and was eventually chosen becasue of how well he performed during a very long, tough campaign against the premier political machine in the Democratic Party, if not the country.

Marcvs | August 29, 2008, 11:53am | #

A novelty pick as VP is a lot better than one as President. I happen to think that she actually has some useful experience and a decent stand on things that I agree with. She's no libertarian, but she's decent ideologically.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:53am | #

Voros,

Mike Huckabee is an extremely talented, charismatic, likeable speaker and debater. Is Palin?

J sub D | August 29, 2008, 11:54am | #

Desperate effort to steal the spotlight with a novelty pick. The McCain campaign clearly thought they needed something to change the subject from last night's speech.

joe,

Was Hillary a novelty candidate? Or Obama? Your partisan stripes are bleeding through your suit of objective analysis.

joe | August 29, 2008, 11:54am | #

It's interesting that, even after Obama has been in this election campaign this long, so many people still only see him as the black candidate.

DADIODADDY | August 29, 2008, 11:54am | #

ClubMedSux
Oh hell, I thought I was supposed to be hoping for change or was it believing in change I could hope for? Now I hopelessly non believing...in Obama

robc | August 29, 2008, 11:55am | #

She'll be running against Hillary in 2012

Probably the most accurate comment in this thread.

I declare Kip the thread winner.

Marcvs | August 29, 2008, 11:56am | #

It's interesting that, even after Obama has been in this election campaign this long, so many people still only see him as the black candidate.

Ok, he's the charismatic black candidate. Other than that, I know that he's for "change."

DADIODADDY | August 29, 2008, 11:57am | #

Joe
I don't see Obama as the "black" candidate, I see him as the pre-fabricated insubstantial inexperienced ignorant candidate...sorry to rain on your racist parade...for my money if he was orange, he'd still be a bonehead.

t. j. | August 29, 2008, 11:58am | #

there was no way in hell mccain would pick ron paul much less would he accept.

i'm not voting for mccain (or obama) but this was a decent suprise pick as opposed to inevitable "oh...him" reaction to any of the of the guys people were saying mccain might pick.

John | August 29, 2008, 12:01pm | #

Clearly, this couldn't be too bad of a choice because Joe is having kittens and throwing out obscenities.

I honestly don't know much about this woman and don't know that she is a good pick. But Joe hates and that is a damn nice elk. I have never gotten an elk and two hunting trips, although they are easier to get in Alaska than Wyoming where I went. I would definitely like to have dinner with her. That is more than I can say about Mitt Romney or a lot of other politicians.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:02pm | #

J sub D,

Hillary Clinton, and her politics, were known nationally for a decade and a half before she ran for president. Then, she ran a lengthy national political campaign across the country. So, I'd have to say no.

As for Obama, even he had a higher profile than Palin, from his 2004 convention speech and the extensive press his Senate campaign got. Even given that, he could have been considered somewdhat of a novelty candidate when he started his run, but now he's run a national campaign for two years. As opposed to Palin, who has neither experience nor a large base of support built across the country during a presidential campaign.

Look, if McCain had picked Kay Bailey Hutchinson, nobody would be calling her a novelty. If he'd picked Elizabeth Dole, nobody would be calling her a novelty.

But, hey, I'm a know Democrat, so there can't possibly be anything to what I'm saying. Of course the unknown, one-term governor of Alaska who just happens to be a woman was picked to be vice president for reasons other than swinging women voters and looking attractive for male ones. It's probably a combination of Alaska's key status as a swing state and the McCain/Biden/Cheney/Byrd-level of foreign policy experience she brings to the ticket.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 12:04pm | #

Spin, joe! It's hacktastic!

tim | August 29, 2008, 12:05pm | #

I've gotten tired of the experience argument. No amount of experience in any sector (public or private) prepares you to be president. Less "experienced" people have been president (notably another individual from Ill). Its how you manage and who you choose for cabinet and advisers. And an MBA doesn't work - Bush proved that.

Voros McCracken | August 29, 2008, 12:06pm | #

"Mike Huckabee is an extremely talented, charismatic, likeable speaker and debater. Is Palin?"

I have no idea. She did some broadcasting so I assume she's not terrible.

And of course as soon as she says she wants to rule the country by "God's law" or whatever the hell Huckabee said to finish himself off once and for all, she'll probably suffer the same fate.

I think there's a danger in conflating anti-abortion views with a support of a coming American theocracy. I'm opposed to the former, I'm really opposed to the latter. And it's on that score that Huckabee scares the bejeezus out of me (and others).

This is a party whose best talents are busy waging war with their own party more than the Democrats and so all of those people are simply unavailable. McCain was faced with a bunch of lousy choices and picked the one that was actually okay.

We all know the Republican party isn't going to win the Presidential election, McCain has to do it on his own and this seems like the best way to do so. There aren't enough Republican voters to win, but he can't lose any of the ones he's already got at the same time. She's about the only way to cover those two bases with a VP pick.

John | August 29, 2008, 12:07pm | #

Episiarch,

One of the commenters over at althouse said that she named her kids after guns. If that is true, I may be in love.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:07pm | #

Clearly, this couldn't be too bad of a choice because Joe is having kittens and throwing out obscenities.

Obscenties? John, you're throwing out pre-packaged talking points again. I haven't used any obscenities.

Kittens? What does that even mean? I said she was a bad pick that undermines the campaign's message.

But Joe hates (her) Where did I say I hated her? Must be in the same place as those obscentities.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:08pm | #

Say I'm a partisan again, Episiarch!

It's vapid-riffic!

Kip | August 29, 2008, 12:09pm | #

And I shall make for him a helpmate.

ClubMedSux | August 29, 2008, 12:10pm | #

As an unknown novelty pick like Palin is now, he was polling under 20%, and was eventually chosen becasue of how well he performed during a very long, tough campaign against the premier political machine in the Democratic Party, if not the country.

Joe, honestly, I usually appreciate your contrarian views, but you're simply off the mark here. Obama was counseled by David Axelrod, co-opted Harold Washington in his ads and received the endorsement of Paul Simon's daughter. To say that Obama beat the Democratic machine is to stretch the truth beyond recognition.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:10pm | #

Voros,

I didn't know about the broadcasting bit. If she can bring some style and charisma to the ticket, with sub-Romney levels of jerkishness, that would be a real boon for the campaign.

It's a Quayle/Edwards pick, not a Cheney/Biden pick. Oh, wait, I'm a Democrat; no, it's not.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 12:11pm | #

So joe, in your dreams of Obama whisking you away to a dream life, are you a dude or a chick? I just want to know if I should call you Princess.

John | August 29, 2008, 12:11pm | #

Joe,

You are spinning so fast on this woman being a bad pick your head is about to explode. My guess is you probably don't know much more about her than I do. You are trying a little too hard. Make that a lot too hard. If she were a bad pick, you would just say "oh well".

KipEsquire | August 29, 2008, 12:11pm | #

Don Young was the Bridge to Nowhere, not Ted Stevens.

brotherben | August 29, 2008, 12:12pm | #

Kids are named; Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig, the youngest one that is afflicted with down's syndrome.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:12pm | #

Club Med Sux,

I was talking about his presidential campaign against the Clinton machine, not his Senate run.

guy in the back row | August 29, 2008, 12:14pm | #

I would definitely like to have dinner with her. That is more than I can say about Mitt Romney or a lot of other politicians.

Good point! Everyone was saying in 2000 that W was elected because people wanted to drink a beer with him.

I'd love to split a six pack with Gov. Palin!!!

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:15pm | #

Episiarch, you have achieved sub-John levels of substance. Congratulations.

John, My guess is you probably don't know much more about her than I do. Wow, how'd you figure that out? Oh, right, it was one of the points I keep making.

At some point, somebody is going to muster up the stones to put forward an argument that I'm wrong, rather than observing that I gotta be because I'm a Democrat.

Wait. No they're not, because as usual, there is not plausible case to be made that contradicts what I've written.

And also, buk buk buk buk buh-cawk!

There, let's see if that can get something more meaningful than "nuh-huh."

robc | August 29, 2008, 12:15pm | #

I think its more of a Calvin Coolidge pick than Quayle/Edwards. Niether of them had been governor. I agree it is nothing like Cheney/Biden.

Ethan | August 29, 2008, 12:17pm | #

it is worth noting that Palin has more executive experience than Obama and Biden combined.

More than Lincoln as well.

Ok, he's the charismatic black candidate. Other than that, I know that he's for "change."

Well, that's your fault. Obama's proposals for just about everything are widely available. Of the two candidates, Obama is currently way ahead in the details-providing department.

novelty pick

I don't know if I would have chosen the term "novelty pick" (to easily misconstrued by those who like to engage in novelty nit-picking), but I find sound the notion that part of McCain's motivation in picking Palin was to create a news buzz to drown out talk of Obama's speech. Media types are very surprised today, and when they are suprised they write and talk. Obama's speech is officially old news.

robc | August 29, 2008, 12:18pm | #

More executive experience that Obama, Biden, and McCain combined.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:18pm | #

Whoa, there's one!

robc, I think that you might be right about gubenatorial experience vs. legislative experience, in terms of how much weight the public gives one vs. the other, but when we're in the low-single-digits in terms of years, the differential probably isn't very significant.

smithers | August 29, 2008, 12:19pm | #

wait, is episiarch gay? I thought he was a shaggy quadroped.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 12:19pm | #

Episiarch, you have achieved sub-John levels of substance. Congratulations.

Thanks, Princess.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:21pm | #

Ethan,

Obama's speech is officially old news.

I don't know if we can say that yet, and I don't expect that discussion of the speech will disappear entirely, but at least the VP pick provides competition for the Obama-speech storyline. The Sunday shows won't be an Obamathon, anyway.

robc | August 29, 2008, 12:21pm | #

joe,

Its rare for a governor to not be in the low single digits.

Bill Clinton was a huge exception.

robc | August 29, 2008, 12:22pm | #

And Bill was running for prez not veep.

D.A. Ridgely | August 29, 2008, 12:22pm | #

Both VEEP picks undercut the putative theme of the presidential candidates, which is just another reason why one should never pay attention to what candidates say. Whatever Joe Biden is (which, in turn, depends I suppose on what someone else was previously), he’s no agent of change / Washington outsider. Whatever Palin is, she’s no seasoned pro ready to hit the ground running when McCain just hits the ground.

Anyway, who’d a thunk the Libertarian Party ticket would be the only one with a traditional offering of two middle-aged white guys?

Joshua Corning | August 29, 2008, 12:23pm | #

I wish she was running for president....I might have actually voted for a republican.

Curious | August 29, 2008, 12:26pm | #

I wish she was running for president....I might have actually voted for a republican.

What happens if McCain passes away before the election but after the convention? Would she be running as president? Would the party pick someone else for the top of the ticket?

joshua corning | August 29, 2008, 12:26pm | #

but when we're in the low-single-digits in terms of years

lol

Who is desperate again joe?

moman | August 29, 2008, 12:27pm | #

A lot of great insight posted here. My favorite statement of the day whether true or not "You are the hackiest hackster since Mr. Hack went to Hacktown".

Ha! Killer line.

It'll give me something to laugh at as I ponder the Republicans getting, at least, 8 more years.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:28pm | #

robc (Now the go-to guy for presidential history),

I meant, governors chosen to run on a national ticket. Bush had two terms, Clinton as you say, Regan had a couple terms, didn't he? IDK about Carter.

smacky | August 29, 2008, 12:28pm | #

What happens if McCain passes away before the election but after the convention? Would she be running as president? Would the party pick someone else for the top of the ticket?


If there were a Palin/Paul ticket, I think I would wet my pants.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:29pm | #

Who is desperate again joe?

The guy's who's ten points behind?

libertreee | August 29, 2008, 12:29pm | #

I guess I have a different demographical sense
than Joe does about how fringe libs are.

Maybe it is just "Hope I can believe in" but I think that soft core libs make up a significant voting block these days.

Because foreign policy is very important to me, I would never ever vote for McCain.

However, this pick is obviously meant to please gun owners, pro lifers, and the libertarian Western states that Bob Barr is threatening to take away from him.

It might, just might help him in the
South as well, where Native Son Barr is strongest.

We can only see. VP choices may or may not matter. But if you stack up Biden vs Palin for the soft libertarian vote, the winner is clear.

Biden is the anti libertarian. Palin is the almost maybe libertarian mythical woman. Others on the thread above have admited to serious fantasies over her already.

Is Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Washington State, Michigan, Minnesota, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Colorado now a bit more in McCains pocket than in Barr/Obamas? Will there actually be PUMA votes in November?

Kip | August 29, 2008, 12:31pm | #

Episiarch, Joe,

Please get a room. Thanks in advance of your efforts.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:33pm | #

libertree,

I actually agree with you that "soft core libertarians" are a double-digit section of the electorate, but I was being specific about Pro Libertate, who is nobody's soft-core anything.

I hadn't thought of the Bob Barr angle. Picking a VP that will stop people from going third party - I bet Al Gore wished he'd done that.

Associated Press | August 29, 2008, 12:35pm | #

Obama Won't Run For President In 2008
The Illinois Senator Is Focused On His Current Job


Rockford (AP) ― U.S. Senator Barack Obama says there's zero chance he'll run for president in 2008.



Obama's name has come up in speculation about the upcoming presidential race.



But the Chicago Democrat today said that's not the job he's concerned with right now.



Obama says the people of Illinois sent him to Washington to do a job, not to start doing it and then switch to something else.



Obama rose to national prominence after his speech at the Democratic National Convention last year. He'll be up for re-election in the Senate in 2010.



(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Curious | August 29, 2008, 12:44pm | #

Smacky: Me too!

Lee Cruz | August 29, 2008, 12:46pm | #

Mike Huckabee was good in the debates? What color is the sky in your world? Flashbacks of Hucklebee in California during the January Debate saying he'd fix the economy by building a new highway up n down the west coast. Every looked at him like he was fucking retarded.

Seward | August 29, 2008, 12:48pm | #

If I am not mistaken, in 2004 the Veep choice was an important issue to roughly 1% of voters (according to the polls I've heard about on the matter). I don't see why this election will be any different.

Quack | August 29, 2008, 12:48pm | #

Just watched the speech,

Included a tribute to HRC and Ferraro. That was just a hardcore pitch for Hillary supporters.

Good speech - not Obama-riffic - a good speech, a good start for her.

joe | August 29, 2008, 12:49pm | #

Lee Cruz,

It's best not to judge people's political performance based on your own policy preferences.

I don't like what Huckabee had to say, either, but that's not the point I was making.

Marcvs | August 29, 2008, 1:01pm | #

I actually agree with you that "soft core libertarians" are a double-digit section of the electorate, but I was being specific about Pro Libertate, who is nobody's soft-core anything.

Ok, that made me laugh.

Lee Cruz | August 29, 2008, 1:01pm | #

Name one debate where Huckle-bee handed everyone their asses? The only reason that guy had any following is because he was the only candidate pandering the Traditionalist Wing of the Republican Party. You're saying he's a good speaker or debator or whatever, give us an example. And line about his "Proposed" policy was so absurd that even McCain was puzzled. Wrap your shallow mind around how dumbfounded everyone on planet fucking earth was when he said that.


L

PS

Palin makes McCain's Campaign look hypocritical and shallow. Everyone will care for the national attention span of oh about 1.5 seconds. By the time November comes around, all the ugly parrots will be repeating new lines. McCain takes a net gain in my unsolicited opinion

joe | August 29, 2008, 1:05pm | #

Lee,

Towards the end, when he hit McCain with the "No executive experience" card.

I'll also point out that Bill Clinton, who knows a bit about these things, was quoted saying that he's not surprised Mike Huckabee ran so strongly, because he's "the only one who can give a speech or tell a joke."

joe | August 29, 2008, 1:05pm | #

Also, you swear too much over nothing.

Naga Sadow | August 29, 2008, 1:13pm | #

Joe,

Wow! How do you do it? It's like you intentionally try to battle multiple opponents at the same time. It's like a retarded samurai taking on a handful of ninjas.

joe | August 29, 2008, 1:17pm | #

Two hours, zero refutations.

joez dumb.

joez a Democrat.

I'm right, and nobody can even think of a meaningful rebuttal.

Episiarch | August 29, 2008, 1:19pm | #

No, no, no, joe. You're a dickhead, not dumb.

Soda | August 29, 2008, 1:23pm | #

Let me add an item to the con column.

Sarah Palin believes creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public schools.

http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8347904p-8243554c.html

"Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important, and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both."
-Sarah Palin

Ugh.

brotherben | August 29, 2008, 1:23pm | #

joe, it isn't, IMHO, that they can't rebutt you. It is their opinion, I think, that your position is so silly that it isn't worth their amazing mental powers to refute. See also; athiest having discourse with christian.

troy | August 29, 2008, 1:25pm | #

I don't know if we can say that yet, and I don't expect that discussion of the speech will disappear entirely, but at least the VP pick provides competition for the Obama-speech storyline.

Obama gave a speech? when?

At least McCain is going to get a bounce out of his convention. So ha haha haaaa haaaaa, Joe.

On Palin, There are things about her I don't like: Creationism in science classes. Anti-abortion, Stem cells are bad evil things.
But at least she has been doing things and accomplishing things while in office instead on nothing but fucking running for president.

Lee Cruz | August 29, 2008, 1:26pm | #

1st point ehh I give you a 5 out of 10. Bill Clinton remark... I give you 11 out of 10.

Flyover Country | August 29, 2008, 1:28pm | #

joe,

You've been rebutted (is that a word?). That you disregard the rebuttals is your problem.

Brandybuck | August 29, 2008, 1:45pm | #

Reading her bio... OMFG! She's younger than I am! I feel sooooo old now. I wonder if Amazon sells walkers online.

Brandybuck | August 29, 2008, 1:52pm | #

Okay, I give up. Someone help me out here. What makes Palin a "novelty" pick?

Tom | August 29, 2008, 1:55pm | #

I have seen a pic of her holding and pointing a military assault rifle. Anyone find that pic on the web? If so could you give me a URL please?

Old timer | August 29, 2008, 1:57pm | #

You can fool some of the people....but you can fool Democrats and Republicans all of the time.

joe | August 29, 2008, 2:00pm | #

She needs to be fucked hard.

joe | August 29, 2008, 2:05pm | #

Uh, troy?

At least McCain is going to get a bounce out of his convention. So ha haha haaaa haaaaa, Joe.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/109933/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Stretches-Lead-Points.aspx

www.rasmussenreports.com

www.realclearpolitics.com

Tell the truth, did you do any research on whether there was a bounce, or did you just take somebody's word for it?

joe | August 29, 2008, 2:11pm | #

You've been rebutted (is that a word?). That you disregard the rebuttals is your problem.

A rebuttal is an argument which disproves a previous argument. No one has even put forward a plausible argument whey I'm wrong, just "joez an idiot," "joez mean," and of course, "joez a Democrat."

joe | August 29, 2008, 2:16pm | #

Brandybuck | August 29, 2008, 1:52pm | #

Okay, I give up. Someone help me out here. What makes Palin a "novelty" pick?

She was picked purely for media image, mainly her gender and looks. She's all about optics - how she makes the ticket look. They're obviously trying to attract Hillary voters - with the shoutouts to Hillary and Geraldine - but unlike Hillary, she doesn't have any sort of profile on the issues that Hillary voters like, just her gender. She's also cute and young.

Novelty pick - she was picked purely for the effect thak such a person has on the campaign's image.

Troy | August 29, 2008, 2:19pm | #

After leading by just one or two points for most of August, the Democratic hopeful opened a three-point advantage over McCain last Friday

Holy shit joe. A whole fucking point. I mean wow!

Stevo Darkly | August 29, 2008, 2:19pm | #

Very interesting move by McCain. A day ago, I would have rather killed myself than vote for McCain. Now it's almost a tie.

By the way, I'm pretty sure the animal in the photo (the dead one, I mean) is a caribou. The antlers and the muzzle are pretty distinctive to that species.

Trivia: The reindeer is the domesticated form of the caribou.

SIV | August 29, 2008, 2:26pm | #

The only way I could be happier is if she was at the top of the ticket.I can now root for(but not vote) the Republican team with a good conscience.A big Fuck You to the Animal Rightists and gun grabbers.

Franklin Harris | August 29, 2008, 2:27pm | #

Novelty pick - she was picked purely for the effect thak such a person has on the campaign's image.

Kinda like how Obama got the Democratic nomination.

Brandybuck | August 29, 2008, 3:02pm | #

She was picked purely for media image, mainly her gender and looks. She's all about optics - how she makes the ticket look. They're obviously trying to attract Hillary voters

Obviously? I just don't see. Diehard PUMAs may switch to McCain just for that, but they only managed to attract 60 or so people to their national meeting, so we can safely discount them. I've met some dumb Hillary supporters during the past year and a half, but it's still a huge stretch to say they're only voting on gender.

If there's any novelty here in my mind, it's the age. I'm guessing she was picked for her relative youth and "small government" reputation.

Seamus | August 29, 2008, 3:46pm | #

Let me add an item to the con column.

Sarah Palin believes creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public schools.

Yeah, you're right; the fact that she believes public schools ought to be in business at all *is* a mark against her.

joe | August 29, 2008, 5:58pm | #

Quite the reader, aren't you, Troy?

Obama swing ten points in Gallup, and those results were from BEFORE the Clinton/Biden speeches, nevermind last night. Ten points on Hillary's speech alone.

Keep up that wishful thinking.

James Ard | August 29, 2008, 6:08pm | #

Palin's time in office has been spent serving Alaska. Obama's has been spent serving himself. Bring on that experience bullshit. Let's talk about actual accomplishments. Scoring cheap housing and eliminating opponents from ballots ain't close to what Palin's done.

joe | August 29, 2008, 6:15pm | #

Uh, yeah, you know those selfish community organizers.

When did you start describing a high-paying government job with lots of power as selfless, James?

James Ard | August 29, 2008, 6:32pm | #

I never said selfless. And by community organizers don't you mean ballot signature protesters?

James Ard | August 29, 2008, 6:34pm | #

And jesus joe, are you admitting the gov of AK has lots of power?

James Ard | August 29, 2008, 6:41pm | #

Finally, it's one thing to desire public office, it's another thing entirely to actually believe that I'm the one we've been waiting for.

RogerX | August 29, 2008, 8:09pm | #

So shooting animals for sport is fine, but sucking out a cluster of cells that might someday become a human being is immoral and should be illegal?

You stay classy, Sarah Palin.

Pro Libertate | August 29, 2008, 8:26pm | #

So I'm a radical, doctrinaire libertarian? Wow.

IntelligentIndividual | August 30, 2008, 12:53pm | #

It's not a matter of LOVING OBAMA. It's simply being able to see that McBush is going to be 4 more years of pointless war and a worse off economy. If you're not rich with money in the same companies as Cheney, Bush sr & jr, the Bin Laden family, and Palin then you're an idiot to vote for them. They will use your retarded religious values against you to get your vote then screw you with the economy.....sound familiar?

IntelligentIndividual | August 30, 2008, 12:54pm | #

the lady has screwed polar bears and sister's ex's other than that she has NOT done much but push out babies look it up and read something

Anon | August 31, 2008, 1:31am | #

That is not an Elk. It is a caribu

Stevo Darkly | September 1, 2008, 12:12am | #

"So shooting animals for sport is fine, but sucking out a cluster of cells that might someday become is already a human being (in its earliest stages) is immoral and should be illegal?"

In the interest of clarifying a particular point of view ... "fixed."