Sarah Palin: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

[TheMadHatter]

For your viewing pleasure

http://wonkette.com/403042/couricpalin-sexterview-part-iii-omg-you-are-so-awful-we-want-to-die

I'm going to preface this by saying I probably couldn't script a worse answer than this if I tried.

[hitmanyr2k]

For your viewing pleasure

http://wonkette.com/403042/couricpalin-sexterview-part-iii-omg-you-are-so-awful-we-want-to-die


"That answer was like being raped in a gas station bathroom"

- Dan Oster

[sook]

OMFG can so much bull come out of someone and mean absolutely nothing!!! That was almost as bad as Ms South Carolina!
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sch/cn/v/v3/w838/1333443_400_300.jpeg



Biden will tear dat azz up fer shure

[ggoose25]

Wow. I can't wait to see the vice presidential debates. Biden making huge gaffe after gaffe and Palin babbling as the moderators blink in disbelief, much like Katie Couric did in that video.

I fully expect her to pull out an AK-47 (an obvious gift from her close ties with Russia, with it being so close and all) and waste Gwen Ifill because there is no blinking allowed when you're around Sarah Palin.

[sook]

btw , was i the only one that thought Katie was incredibly sexy in that video?

[balli]

The reason this woman is so scary is that 40 some odd percent of our nation watches that and goes :tu. This bitch couldn't be more of an incoherent moron and these neo-con scumbags are just eating it up like she was the second coming of Christ, delivered on a silver platter. It's fucking frightening that after Bush, a know-nothing, schill of a prop for the neo-con movement could garner praise even from one person much less half the country.

[Jeff Probst]

The Bush lovers are sure quite.

[baseline bum]

The reason this woman is so scary is that 40 some odd percent of our nation watches that and goes :tu. This bitch couldn't be more of an incoherent moron and these neo-con scumbags are just eating it up like she was the second coming of Christ, delivered on a silver platter. It's fucking frightening that after Bush, a know-nothing, schill of a prop for the neo-con movement could garner praise even from one person much less half the country.

'Eh, anti-intellectualism is huge in this country. :depressed

[anakha]

'Eh, anti-intellectualism is huge in this country. :depressed

That's because it's touted as another form of elitism.

Not just here, but in other countries as well.

[bobbyjoe]

This can not be for real.

There's just no way. This is like a bad movie.

[boutons_]

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/ssi/globalnav/wpdotcom_190x30.gif (http://www.washingtonpost.com/?nav=pf)

Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show

By James V. Grimaldi and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 26, 2008; A08

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Sarah+Palin?tid=informline), who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of state records shows.

The 41 gifts Palin accepted during her 20 months as governor include honorific tributes, expensive artwork and free travel for a family member. They also include more than $2,500 in personal items from Calista, a large Alaska native corporation with a variety of pending state regulatory and budgetary issues, and a gold-nugget pin valued at $1,200 from the city of Nome, which lobbies on municipal, local and capital budget matters, documents show.

...

On forms disclosing the gifts, Palin, who is the Republican vice presidential nominee, routinely checked "no" when asked whether she was in a position to "take official action that may affect the person who gave me the gift,"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503988_pf.html

==============

Another huge lie about pitbull bitch: she's not a reformer, she's just another lipstickless pig dining in the influence-peddling trough.

Pitbull bitch, the gift-receiver who keeps on receiving.

http://pix01.revsci.net/J05531/a3/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/noscript.gif

[MaNuMaNiAc]

man that shit was painful to watch...

I don't think she's stupid though, I think she's in way over her head is all.

[boutons_]

No, she really is stupid.

Her style is pure con job, all confidence with no substance, bullying, vindictive, empty polemics.

Incoherent, self-contradictory, rote, robotic drivel spewed in complete confidence is still drivel.

She was stupid to accept gimmick VP offer. She is in way over head, but that doesn't take much depth. Result? She's now an object of ridicule, and an embarrassment for Alaska.

The Repugs like their politicians incompetent. Loyalty and ideological compatibility, including extreme right religious freakiness, trumps knowledge, competence, experience, none of which are required by the Repugs.

[Clandestino]

No, she really is stupid.

Her style is pure con job, all confidence with no substance, bullying, vindictive, empty polemics.

Incoherent, self-contradictory, rote, robotic drivel spewed in complete confidence is still drivel.

She was stupid to accept gimmick VP offer. She is in way over head, but that doesn't take much depth. Result? She's now an object of ridicule, and an embarrassment for Alaska.

The Repugs like their politicians incompetent. Loyalty and ideological compatibility, including extreme right religious freakiness, trumps knowledge, competence, experience, none of which are required by the Repugs.

:lmao

douchetons, you crack me up when you call other people stupid and say they spew drivel!

:lmao

[boutons_]

Come on, Clanny, when I bitch slap your beloved pitbull bitch, and bitch-slap you, all you can come back with is a couple of :lmao ? Weak shit, Clanny, GFY.

[101A]

At 2:06 of the video II at this link (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml), you can see CBS's ACTUAL edit of the video. The answer is certainly laced with talking points, but doesn't have the condescending glances from Couric. The link on this thread is edited. Watch both videos. You guys wouldn't want to only get your information from biased sites, right?

I like her in these interviews, frankly.

Watch them, then flame me.

[florige]

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/ssi/globalnav/wpdotcom_190x30.gif (http://www.washingtonpost.com/?nav=pf)

Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show

By James V. Grimaldi and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 26, 2008; A08

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Sarah+Palin?tid=informline), who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of state records shows.

The 41 gifts Palin accepted during her 20 months as governor include honorific tributes, expensive artwork and free travel for a family member. They also include more than $2,500 in personal items from Calista, a large Alaska native corporation with a variety of pending state regulatory and budgetary issues, and a gold-nugget pin valued at $1,200 from the city of Nome, which lobbies on municipal, local and capital budget matters, documents show.

...

On forms disclosing the gifts, Palin, who is the Republican vice presidential nominee, routinely checked "no" when asked whether she was in a position to "take official action that may affect the person who gave me the gift,"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503988_pf.html

==============

Another huge lie about pitbull bitch: she's not a reformer, she's just another lipstickless pig dining in the influence-peddling trough.

Pitbull bitch, the gift-receiver who keeps on receiving.

http://pix01.revsci.net/J05531/a3/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/noscript.gif



Geeezus I REALLY hope that this story is fake.....:lol

[Findog]

I like her in these interviews, frankly.


Why? She's not qualified for the position she seeks.

[Mr. Peabody]

Wow. That was a bad answer. I was almost expecting her to say "uh, I believe that our education like such as South Africa and, uh, the Iraq " somewhere in that incoherent response.

[101A]

Why? She's not qualified for the position she seeks.

She is 35 and born in the U.S.

If Obama is qualified, so is she. Of course he would never be asked a completely hypothetical question about supporting corporations over the American people, would he? He's gonna vote for the bailout, too.

[101A]

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/ssi/globalnav/wpdotcom_190x30.gif (http://www.washingtonpost.com/?nav=pf)

On forms disclosing the gifts, Palin, who is the Republican vice presidential nominee, routinely checked "no" when asked whether she was in a position to "take official action that may affect the person who gave me the gift,"


http://pix01.revsci.net/J05531/a3/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/noscript.gif

And is anyone other than this reporter and Boutons suggesting she did so illegally?

Shall we look at Biden and McCain's list of gifts? I'm betting they are each a whole hell of a lot longer than that. How about Hillary's when she was 1st lady. Governor's get gifts, a fucking gold nugget pin for the Alaskan governor from gold-rush town? What the fuck else should they give her?

[Bartleby]

At 2:06 of the video II at this link (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml), you can see CBS's ACTUAL edit of the video. The answer is certainly laced with talking points, but doesn't have the condescending glances from Couric. The link on this thread is edited. Watch both videos. You guys wouldn't want to only get your information from biased sites, right?

I like her in these interviews, frankly.

Watch them, then flame me.

One reason I really hope she doesn't get to flake out of the debate is that her stupidity will be unmediated, putting to rest these bullshit excuses about unfair editing and Palin interview media conspiracies.

[101A]

One reason I really hope she doesn't get to flake out of the debate is that her stupidity will be unmediated, putting to rest these bullshit excuses about unfair editing and Palin interview media conspiracies.

The CBS video I linked is unedited. Have you watched it?

[Bartleby]

The CBS video I linked is unedited. Have you watched it?

Yep, both versions are total jabberwocky. Edited or not, it's still a word salad of talking points.

We'll really see what Palin is made of during the debate (if there is one).

[MaNuMaNiAc]

The CBS video I linked is unedited. Have you watched it?

I have, and its not the condescending looks by Couric that were the problem 101. Unedited or not, I don't see how you can like the way the interview went

[Oh, Gee!!]

did I mention that McCain is a maverick, Katie?

[Thunder Dan]

Palin is a Maverick for refusing to answer questions!!

[101A]

I have, and its not the condescending looks by Couric that were the problem 101. Unedited or not, I don't see how you can like the way the interview went

It was a useless political interview; nothing more, nothing less. Palin stuck to talking points, and deflected questions? Really, a politician in the U.S. who didn't simply answer yes no, and was completey forthright in their responses? Say it isn't so!!!

Somebody post the interview with a politician that WASN'T full of talking points.

[Bartleby]

It was a useless political interview; nothing more, nothing less. Palin stuck to talking points, and deflected questions? Really, a politician in the U.S. who didn't simply answer yes no, and was completey forthright in their responses? Say it isn't so!!!

Somebody post the interview with a politician that WASN'T full of talking points.

It's not a question of whether or not Palin used talking points, but how she used them. It's the difference between gracefully diving into the water and falling in and drowning. She doesn't look like much of a swimmer to me.

[101A]

It's not a question of whether or not Palin used talking points, but how she used them. It's the difference between gracefully diving into the water and falling in and drowning. She doesn't look like much of a swimmer to me.

"Slickness" and oratory skils are commonplace, and not exceptional. We have come to expect it in our political leaders (the current President notwithstanding), but they are overrated. She is obviously not polished, or as rehearsed as other candidates. But if you could take off your blue sunglasses, you would see that she is certainly more fluent than GW, and answered the questions is a reasonably substantive, if somewhat pedestrian way. She is certainly not as skilled as Obama, but few are. Biden's gaffe's, on the other hand, are at least as telling.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

It was a useless political interview; nothing more, nothing less. Palin stuck to talking points, and deflected questions? Really, a politician in the U.S. who didn't simply answer yes no, and was completey forthright in their responses? Say it isn't so!!!

Somebody post the interview with a politician that WASN'T full of talking points.


are you choosing to ignore Palin's meltdown in that interview completely? Its not that she used talking points 101, its that she doesn't know what the hell those talking points mean and how to use them! Her answer to Courics question about the better use of the $700 billion bailout was completely non sensical. I mean, I'm not saying completely write her off because of one answer, but you have to admit this interview does not look well on her.

[Bartleby]

"Slickness" and oratory skils are commonplace, and not exceptional. We have come to expect it in our political leaders (the current President notwithstanding), but they are overrated. She is obviously not polished, or as rehearsed as other candidates. But if you could take off your blue sunglasses, you would see that she is certainly more fluent than GW, and answered the questions is a reasonably substantive, if somewhat pedestrian way. She is certainly not as skilled as Obama, but few are. Biden's gaffe's, on the other hand, are at least as telling.

If you take off your red sunglasses you will see that she is often lost. And saying she is more fluent than GW--wow, that's really setting the bar high.

I suspect Biden's gaffes are indicative of his love of hearing himself speak and a tendency to speak before really thinking about what he is actually saying, rather than the sort of cluelessness we see in Palin.

[101A]

are you choosing to ignore Palin's meltdown in that interview completely? Its not that she used talking points 101, its that she doesn't know what the hell those talking points mean and how to use them! Her answer to Courics question about the better use of the $700 billion bailout was completely non sensical. I mean, I'm not saying completely write her off because of one answer, but you have to admit this interview does not look well on her.

That's 30 seconds of an 11 minute interview, and a response to an absolutely ridiculous hypothetical question. Has ANY politician actually proposed giving the $700 billion back to average Americans? What is Couric talking about? Why did she ask the question in the first place. It's out of fucking left field, and Palin didn't call her on it, as she should have. She should have shot back at Couric that it was a B.S. question, but she didn't. She talked about the bailout helping the healthcare and import/export portions of our economy. She's obviously been told to bring up healthcare and jobs when all else fails. Not a big deal. It's not like she contradicted her campaign's position on coal plants.

[101A]

I suspect Biden's gaffes are indicative of his love of hearing himself speak and a tendency to speak before really thinking about what he is actually saying, rather than the sort of cluelessness we see in Palin.

And I suspect you're seeing what you want to see.

[Ocotillo]

Hmmm, let's see what the folks over at the National Review On-Line are saying. How about Palin lover, Kathleen Parker?


Palin Problem
She’s out of her league.

By Kathleen Parker


Oops, that's not a good start. :rollin


As we’ve seen and heard more from John McCain’s running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn’t know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion.



She goes on the call on Palin to gracefully drop out for the good of the ticket.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

[101A]

Hmmm, let's see what the folks over at the National Review On-Line are saying. How about Palin lover, Kathleen Parker?



Oops, that's not a good start. :rollin



She goes on the call on Palin to gracefully drop out for the good of the ticket.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

Yeah, but Paker is a left wing....er National Reveiw....errrr. pulling the rip chord on this thread.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

That's 30 seconds of an 11 minute interview, and a response to an absolutely ridiculous hypothetical question. Has ANY politician actually proposed giving the $700 billion back to average Americans? What is Couric talking about? Why did she ask the question in the first place. It's out of fucking left field, and Palin didn't call her on it, as she should have. She should have shot back at Couric that it was a B.S. question, but she didn't. She talked about the bailout helping the healthcare and import/export portions of our economy. She's obviously been told to bring up healthcare and jobs when all else fails. Not a big deal. It's not like she contradicted her campaign's position on coal plants.

That's 30 seconds of 11 minutes that were, as you've pointed out as well, riddled with "talking points", a lot of which she didn't have the knowledge to back up.

She claimed that American people right now are looking at McCain rather than Obama, to see what he's going to do about the economic collapse. To which Couric asked her why she made such a claim when polls say otherwise. Palin's answer changed to "at the end of the day" and "look at track records"...

When asked about specific examples about McCain pushing for more regulations in the past, the best she could come up with was "He's known as the Maverick" and "I'll get back to you"...

When asked to clarify her statement that because Alaska was close to Russia she has foreign policy experience, she was all over the place as well. Talkin about Putin rearing his head into American air space and that its Alaska the place from where they "send those out" to make sure an eye is being kept on Russia. If someone could explain to me that statement please, I didn't quite get it.

Point is there are a lot of times when she's going to be asked questions that are out of left field and if she's going to react like she did in this interview... well, all I'm saying is she probably needs more coaching.

[Oh, Gee!!]

what if we actually took her advice word for word? what would that look like?

[101A]

That's 30 seconds of 11 minutes that were, as you've pointed out as well, riddled with "talking points", a lot of which she didn't have the knowledge to back up.

She claimed that American people right now are looking at McCain rather than Obama, to see what he's going to do about the economic collapse. To which Couric asked her why she made such a claim when polls say otherwise. Palin's answer changed to "at the end of the day" and "look at track records"...

When asked about specific examples about McCain pushing for more regulations in the past, the best she could come up with was "He's known as the Maverick" and "I'll get back to you"...

When asked to clarify her statement that because Alaska was close to Russia she has foreign policy experience, she was all over the place as well. Talkin about Putin rearing his head into American air space and that its Alaska the place from where they "send those out" to make sure an eye is being kept on Russia. If someone could explain to me that statement please, I didn't quite get it.

Point is there are a lot of times when she's going to be asked questions that are out of left field and if she's going to react like she did in this interview... well, all I'm saying is she probably needs more coaching.


errrr. pulling the rip chord on this thread.

I already ceded. Palin is going to either have to prove her growing detractors wrong, or realize that by accepting McCain's invitation to join the ticket, she might have put in jeopardy a good thing she had going in Alaska.

[Mr. Peabody]

what if we actually took her advice word for word? what would that look like?

http://tasmania.globat.com/~archibase.net/dl/articles/thrown-city/6.jpg

[Oh, Gee!!]

lolz, peabody is on a roll today.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I already ceded. Palin is going to either have to prove her growing detractors wrong, or realize that by accepting McCain's invitation to join the ticket, she might have put in jeopardy a good thing she had going in Alaska.

Personally, I don't think she's stupid and I don't think she's mean spirited as some people on this board would like to make her out to be. I think she's unprepared for the scrutiny inherent to modern politics, and she seems terrified about it.

[Ya Vez]

then we have biden saying..

In Castlewood, Virginia , at an annual fishfry, Joe Biden told the United Mine Workers that if Barack Obama tried to take Biden's guns away, then Obama's "got a problem."

Neither Barack Obama nor Joe Biden have a gun control record that will soothe gun owners across America, with Biden himself receiving an F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record, not a gun advocacy record.

[TheMadHatter]

It's a myth that Obama is going to take away your guns, perpetrated by the Right Wing and believed by idiot gun owners.

It's impressive that Republicons are still trying to defend Sarah Palin. She's so bad it just hurts.

[Bartleby]

It's also amazing that republicans are so obsessed about gun rights when there are clearly much bigger concerns that deserve our immediate attention.

[Shastafarian]

It's also amazing that republicans are so obsessed about gun rights when there are clearly much bigger concerns that deserve our immediate attention.

What could possibly be a bigger concern than them taking away our m60's?!?!?


Between 9/15 and 9/24, WaMu experienced an outflow of deposits totaling close to $17 billion. Because agencies had downgraded WaMu so severely, they were incapable of producing additional capital. The OTS (Office of Thrift Supervision) shut down WaMu, and handed them over to the FDIC. WaMu had deposit obligations (customer's money) of over $188 billion. The FDIC had only $45 billion available to insure depositors. That means over $140 billion in customer cash would have just been gone...kaput...vanished into nowhere. That could have been as early as this morning...we were THAT close to a financial meltdown in this country.

oh....

[hater]

It's also amazing that republicans are so obsessed about gun rights when there are clearly much bigger concerns that deserve our immediate attention.

well, you know what rednecks like to do every weekend:

http://uncleclan.com/images/uncle2.jpg

[romad_20]

It's also amazing that republicans are so obsessed about gun rights when there are clearly much bigger concerns that deserve our immediate attention.

Well, we're going to need those guns for the revolution, so they're pretty important. :lol

BTW 2nd amendment rights are extremely important but I don't think anyone in this election is for taking away people's guns

[Bartleby]

BTW 2nd amendment rights are extremely important but I don't think anyone in this election is for taking away people's guns

Exactly. It's pretty much a non-issue, especially when compared to the bigger problems we're facing.

[DarkReign]

I would discount the importance of our 2nd amendment, but when there is no threat to your 2nd amendment, its stupid to bring it up at a time like this.

[CubanMustGo]

I would discount the importance of our 2nd amendment, but when there is no threat to your 2nd amendment, its stupid to bring it up at a time like this.

It's called "shit, nothing else is working, let's switch topics and hope nobody notices."

[Ya Vez]

but it was biden who brought up.... sheesh...

[boutons_]

consortiumnews.com

Alaskan Officials Allege Palin Cover-up

By Jason Leopold

September 26, 2008

An attorney for Alaska’s legislative investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin says John McCain’s presidential campaign is seeking to derail the inquiry because its findings could “cause serious damage to the Republican ticket.”

Attorney Peter Maassen, representing Alaska’s Legislative Council, defended the investigation in a 17-page court filing in response to last week’s lawsuit by five Republican lawmakers trying to stop the probe into whether Palin improperly fired Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan in July.

Monegan has said he was pressured by Gov. Palin, several of her aides, and her husband, Todd Palin, to fire Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, who was embroiled in a bitter divorce and child custody dispute with Palin’s sister. The investigation centers on whether Palin fired Monegan because he refused to fire Wooten.

Palin initially welcomed the investigation, which was approved unanimously in July by the state’s Legislative Council, which has a Republican majority. Former federal prosecutor Steven Branchflower was picked to head the probe under the supervision of Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat who chairs the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee.

However, after McCain picked Palin in late August to be his vice presidential running mate, national and state Republicans began suggesting that the investigation was a partisan witch hunt against Palin.

( well, those witch-hunters are well qualified to recognize a witch hunt! :lol )

Palin sought to shift the inquiry to the state personnel board whose members are appointed by the governor. Then, last week, five Republican lawmakers sued Branchflower and French as well as the Alaska Legislative Council and its Democratic chair, Sen. Kim Elton.

The Republican lawmakers complained that the Palin investigation was an unconstitutional interference in the hiring-and-firing prerogatives of the governor. They also claimed that Branchflower previously worked with Monegan and thus should be removed.

Maassen – the lawyer representing French, Elton and Branchflower – said the GOP lawmakers’ claims were “meritless” and threatened the concept of legislative oversight of the executive.

“It is hard to find a lawsuit more dangerous” to Alaska’s constitutional checks and balances than “one that asks the courts to instruct the Legislature that there are certain executive actions off-limits to legislative inquiry, certain legislators who are ‘too partisan’ to be assigned responsibility in legislative investigations, and certain people whom the Legislature cannot employ as investigators,” Maassen said.

‘Serious Damage’

The “McCain campaign and its supporters, having apparently convinced themselves that the facts would cause serious damage to the Republican ticket if publicly known before the national election, are now moving on many fronts — including this one — to slow and stop Mr. Branchflower’s fact-finding inquiry and to prevent his issuance of the report authorized by the Legislative Council,” Maassen added.

In his court motion, Maassen referenced high-profile, historic examples – on the national level – of Congress examining abuses by the Executive Branch.

The lawyer said the notion that the legislature doesn’t have the authority to examine abuses of power by the executive “should come as an unsettling surprise to generations of Americans who have watched congressional hearings into CIA abuse (the Church hearings), Iran-Contra, the U.S. Attorney firings, and countless other executive ‘decisions and actions’ that the people’s elected representatives believed should be investigated, whether or not the executive agreed with them.”

Despite pressure from the McCain-Palin campaign – and the refusal of Todd Palin and some Palin aides to honor subpoenas seeking their depositions – senior Alaskan legislators said Branchflower still intended to finish his report on the controversy by Oct. 10.
There is also the prospect that contempt proceedings could be initiated against Palin’s husband and Palin’s aides early next year when the Alaska legislature returns to session.

The McCain-Palin campaign’s attacks on the investigation have prompted other protests in Alaska, including a request to the state police from state Rep. Les Gara, a Democrat, for an investigation into possible witness tampering by people associated with the McCain-Palin campaign.

"Starting after Aug. 29, certain staff for the McCain campaign came to Alaska in an effort to block this investigation," Gara wrote in a letter to Audie Holloway, director of the Alaska state troopers.

"There are rumors that upwards of 30 staffers have come to the state since that date," Gara said. "Campaign representatives Ed O'Callaghan and Meghan Stapleton have held numerous press conferences in Anchorage to block the investigation. Since then three witnesses have failed to comply with legislative subpoenas, and up to seven more may do the same …

"Something has caused, or in the words of the statute, may have ‘induced’ these witnesses to change their position. … It seems a witness would not risk possible jail time that comes with the violations of a subpoena without advice of others."

The five Republican lawmakers, who filed suit to stop the Palin investigation, argue that the legislative inquiry should be put on hold until after the November presidential election and at that point be taken up by the state’s personnel board.

Their attorney, Kevin Clarkson, said "the only reason to complete this investigation before Nov. 4 is to try to impact the outcome of the election."

Doug Pope, an attorney who pursued a similar case three decades ago, predicted that the courts would not intervene to block the investigation.

"If there's an issue about who should be in charge, the court's not going to get involved,” said Pope in an interview with Reuters. “It's a political question. It's not a legal question."

Pope said the legislature has the inherent right to probe the executive branch at any time. He called the argument that the Alaska legislature lacks authority "a red herring."

http://www.consortiumnews.com/Print/2008/092608a.html

[balli]

Couric: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don’t know, you know … reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.

Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…

Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

Yeah. On second thought. I thought she did great too. Once I got rid of Katie Couric and her biased glances everything made so much more sense. :rolleyes.

It's sickening that you republican assholes actually watch literal nonsense like that, and your first impulse is to blame Couric. America's in big, big trouble if politicians like Palin are managing to find even meager support.

[Purple & Gold]

I don't see how anybody can think she did OK. I guess if the repubs put in an idiot that only tows the party line is OK. She was horrible and look completely flustered. It wasn't that hard of a question to answer and yet she went into talking points survival mode. She's probably smarter than how she looked in that interview, but probably not by much.

[Ya Vez]

I am still trying to figure out how much foreign policy experience obama has...

[Ya Vez]

I can't even imagine obama as commander in chief... thats scary enough...

[DarkReign]

I am still trying to figure out how much foreign policy experience obama has...


I can't even imagine obama as commander in chief... thats scary enough...

See, I dont necessarily rate "foreign policy" all that high on my give-a-shit meter.

Dont get me wrong, its very important. But its waaaaaay down the slide of say 1. Economy and 2. Domestic policy/governing.

Bush made foreign policy look harder than it is. Thats his legacy.

The real problems and difficult hoops to jump thru are in between the Atlantic and the Pacific.

I completely understand if foreign policy is your sticking point as a voter, you are certainly entitled to that and I would never belittle it. I wrote this just to juxtaposition your point, nothing more.

[boutons_]

but dubya as CiC is unscary? even 4000+ dead, wasted miltary lives later?

[Ya Vez]

well I just don't get how all of sudden the VP is suppose to be the foreign policy expert.. when she isn't even at the top of the ticket.. the top of the ticket decides foreign policy not the VP.. well unless your Darth Vader Cheney... lol

[Ya Vez]

EXHIBIT A. These are the people that she is reaching. And the question was???

I guess some still can't figure out what a VP actually does...

[Mr. Peabody]

I guess some still can't figure out what a VP actually does...

.....including the candidate for vice-president.

loUHRv3ipLE

[Ya Vez]

well mr. all knowing peabody... what is the role of the VP... please inform us..

[Shastafarian]

well mr. all knowing peabody... what is the role of the VP... please inform us..

Besides casting a tie-breaking vote in the Senate?

[Mr. Peabody]

well mr. all knowing peabody... what is the role of the VP... please inform us..

Well, that depends. The role of the vice-president has evolved over the past few decades. It used to be the case that the job was merely a titular position. That changed in 1976 with the Carter-Mondale administration. That administration gave us the first modern vice-president, Walter Mondale. Mondale was the first, I believe, to have his own staff, similar to the President. Since that time, the position has evolved into almost a deputy-President position - where the vice-President has an agenda he's responsible for and that agenda may include international relations, domestic issues, etc.

Disclosure - I just listened to an hour-long program on the position and role of the vice-President on NPR on Tuesday and am merely parroting what I heard on that program.

See. Sarah Palin should listen to more NPR.