Palin On Auto-Pummel

Ann Althouse holds her coat while Sarah Palin pummels herself.

Ms. Palin is a great American but I don't think she would be much of  President.

Comments

[PaulL]

I voted for her once and I'll vote for her again.

[bad]

Has she confessed to being a druggy in her younger years?

Oh wait....

[Rick Ballard]

An Obama voter (and well credentialed moron to boot) thumps on Sarah. Goodness, what a shock.

[Mustang0302]

Althouse fell for BHO. Disregard her political instincts and opinions.

[AA is bad in all forms]

Normally, when one makes a claim like "By her own words, Sarah Palin is dumb," one would back it up by actually quoting Sarah Palin's own words saying she was dumb.

But here, Ann Althouse supports the claim that "By her own words, Sarah Palin is dumb," not by quoting any of Sarah Palin's own words expressing that sentiment, but by quoting Sarah Palin saying other things and then pronouncing her "dumb."

In that same tradition I feel comfortable pronouncing:

By her own words, Ann Althouse is a lying scrunt.

[boris]

Having a great American for president would be a dramatic improvement.

[peter]

Having a dumb President would be a great improvement over having a President who hates his country, and is trying to destroy it, and succeeding in part.

[Dave (in MA)]

I can summarize my response with one 4-letter word: B-I-D-E-N.

[Pagar]

Compared to the other choices available, I believe she would have been the best choice.

[bad]

Pagar!! Good to see you again.

[clarice]

I agree with Rick.
She was a Vp candidate and new to national campaigning. Under those circumstances most people would at first defer to the presidential candidate's staff. Those folks from all I've read should be drummed out.

I once tried to offer assistance to people like that managing another candidate's presidentia campaign. They would not listen to me about what I knew they needed to do to win a critical state--I'd even lined up the volunteers who could do it. They, Knew. Better. When their Plan A started falling apart they came to me for speechwriting and never bothered to thank me for the speeches which in fact they needed and used and had paid nothing for while paying themselves and their idiot staffs well;
A week before the primary in that state they called me frantically because their plan failed and they'd no back up--I had to tell them that since they'd let months pass, the folks they needed had signed up as volunteers for another campaign.
It is my experience that for the most part campaign consultants are way overpaid and way over rated, especially by themselves.

[jazz & cocktails]

she was subjected to a (undeserved) media savaging unlike anything previously seen in American politics. had obama faced the same scrutiny, at any time in the 4 years of his campaign, he would not now be president.

at a minimum, the country owes her another, and fair, shot. she will get it from me, and i suspect from a lot of other republicans as well. i look forward to hearing her speak with her own voice, and not that of the idiots in the mccain campaign (who did us all a grave disservice).

[Dave in OC]

I'm not certain that the "2 pages" are actually quoted from the actual book. Ditto to the last line of AA is bad in all forms...

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Althouse is lame. We just heard how difficult it was for the President of the US in 1987, Ronald Reagan, to keep four little word--'tear down this wall'--in a speech. Palin didn't have anything like the clout a sitting President had.

The naivete is all on Althouse.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Ann's issue seems to be that Palin was too subordinate to McCain, but as Ace correctly pointed out, Palin was subordinate to McCain.

As to what Palin is said by AP to have said, this showed up on Facebook today:

As you probably have heard, the AP snagged a copy of my memoir, Going Rogue, before its Tuesday release. And as is expected, the AP and a number of subsequent media outlets are erroneously reporting the contents of the book. Keep your powder dry, read the book, and enjoy it! Lots of great stories about my family, Alaska, and the incredible honor it was to run alongside Senator John McCain.

Considering the legacy media's history of just making shit up, I'd guess it's about four days too early to make any conclusions about what Palin actually said.

[Sue]

Who is Ann Althouse and why should I care what she says?

[mockmook]

She certainly has the right ideological instincts (and beliefs) to make a great President.

But, she might not have the political guile (and ruthlessness) necessary to defeat the enemies of freedom who now run Washington.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Ms. Palin is a great American but I don't think she would be much of President.

Like she'd dither for months responding to her generals in the field who wanted more troops? Give jovial shout-outs to her buddies before talking about the 13 dead soldiers she'd just lost a few hours ago? Bring jihadists from Gitmo to NYC for civilian trials....?

[Terry Gain]

Althouse pooh poohs Palin's complaints about having to do the Couric interview and stupidly suggests she could have avoided it.

Palin was thrown into the cauldron of a national election campaign run by people with infinitely more experience at that game than she will ever have. She had no choice but to trust the people who set up the Couric interview.

Althouse's suggestion that Palin could have chosen her own itinerary is dumber than anything Palin said in these passages.

I do agree however that the prose is not quite up to the standard demonstrated by Billy Boy in Dreams.

[centralcal]

I would rather have Sarah Palin sitting in the White House than anyone else I can think of. The country would be so much better off than it currently is.

[Terry Gain]

Having a great American for president would be a dramatic improvement.

On either count.

[Pagar]

Thanks, Bad! It feels great to be back.

[Ann Althouse is dumb]

Ms. Palin is a great American but I don't think she would be much of President.

As opposed to an Anti American Obama would be much of a President? Ann voted for this President, how dumb must you be not to see his ties to the radicals of our society. Hope and change trumped common sense and Ann is an epic fail in that regard. What is it about the Elite that thinks they "know" better? You would be better qualified than I to answer that question.
Rant over.

[srp]

Althouse contradicts herself anyway. First she complains that Palin was too passive and trusting in letting the McCain handler talk her into doing Couric. Then she complains that Palin was too insubordinate by sneaking around and contacting conservative media figures on her own.

[centralcal]

Exactly - Ann Althouse is hardly a good judge of character or what it takes to make a good President, CIC, etc.

[Sue]

Susan Estrich said today that Palin will talk about the past for about 3 weeks then will pivot and when she does she will pivot hard right. I want to know what in Palin's background makes her say that? Do any of these pundits ever look up Palin's record in Alaska? She did nothing legislatively (is that a word) to upset the social liberals in that state. Is it merely because she is personally pro-life and had a special needs child instead of aborting it that she is labeled hard right?

[Jim Ryan]

Is it merely because she is personally pro-life and had a special needs child instead of aborting it that she is labeled hard right?

Nope. There's also the fact that she's beautiful and loves God.

[bad]

Estrich and Althouse would both like Palin better if she were less attractive and more abortive.

[Jane]

Estrich and Althouse would both like Palin better if she were less attractive and more abortive.

Truer words were never spoken. I find their entire projection nothing short of breathtaking. I am constantly shocked over how anti-women liberal women are.

[Sue]

I do think some of these women are hit with the jealousy stick, but that doesn't explain Tom's opinion of her. Why does he think she would not make a good president? Maybe he said it somewhere and I missed it, but so far, the only thing I get from NE republicans and elitist republicans (maybe they are the same thing?) is she wouldn't be much of a president. Is it because she didn't graduate from an ivy league school? Is it because she doesn't have foreign policy experience (neither does Obama, neither did Clinton, neither did Bush, neither did Carter, neither did Reagan, etc.). She governed in Alaska to the right of middle. Her approval rating in Alaska, before the national media got hold of her, was astronomical. I don't know if she is who I would want to be our next president, I haven't seen her without the chains of McCain strung around her neck. But I'm willing to give her a shot. She certainly couldn't do any worse than the fool who currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

[Rick Ballard]

Toss in the fact that she wasn't lobotomized in an approved Ivy League institution as well. That's a biggie among the folks primarily responsible for the state of the US economy and political situation. It's just boogeyman creation (vide Cheney, Rove et al).

Now, if she'd just taken a HLS degree and backed it up with low cunning and complete amorality - she'd be an Alaskan Barack Obama. She wouldn't necessarily have had the wit to go toe to toe with XOM on the pipeline though - that takes a type of intelligence and toughness that is stripped right out of the bien pissant class.

[centralcal]

Plus (cover your eyes Jane) she is a conservative and a brunette. Althouse and Estrich are both blonds. I think brunettes are discriminated against. There ya go - another victim in our society. Oh, and don't go telling me about all the blond jokes - yadda, yadda, yadda. /snark

[MayBee]

Here's dopey Anita Dunn today, talking about something else:

DUNN: Well, you know, Al, I am not exactly one known for going rogue, to use a popular phrase these days.

[Porchlight]

Do any of these pundits ever look up Palin's record in Alaska? She did nothing legislatively (is that a word) to upset the social liberals in that state.

Sue,

For the last 14 months there has been a very concerted effort on the left *not* to find out what made Palin so popular even among Democrats in her state. Most Americans have no idea that she did not govern Alaska as a social conservative.

If she'd gotten a remotely honest treatment by the press (let alone the white glove, puffball treatment Obama got), she'd be in Biden's office right now. The impressive, even inspiring stories write themselves - but nobody picked up the pen.

I wonder why.

[centralcal]

"She certainly couldn't do any worse than the fool who currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave."

You could pretty much say that about ANYONE.
::great big grin:: Plus, he is not a fool. He is evil.

[Sue]

c-cal,

He is the worst kind of a fool. An evil one.

[Captain Hate]

There are few things less attractive than when ostensibly intelligent salad tossers like Estrich and Althouse get catty and temporarily insane with a woman who is their superior in, well, everything.

[centralcal]

Amen, Captain. An astute observation.

[Terry Gain]

Susan Estrich said today that Palin will talk about the past for about 3 weeks then will pivot and when she does she will pivot hard right. I want to know what in Palin's background makes her say that?

Hard right to liberals is anything right of themselves. The criticisms of Palin are rarely, if ever, substantive. They never point to what policies she has adopted which are demonstrably wrong.

[Captain Hate]

that doesn't explain Tom's opinion of her. Why does he think she would not make a good president?

Maybe he's been paying attention to those Connecticut crones that have paid oodles of money to fall way short of looking as good as Sarah does naturally. There is no explanation of why somebody who is a "great American" wouldn't make an excellent President. Except for maybe McCain....

[jazz & cocktails]

I am constantly shocked over how anti-women liberal women are.

indeed jane, the abortion issue has corrupted an entire generation of "feminists." it shocks me how abortion is spun as a women's issue, and not as an issue of protecting someone who can't speak for themselves.

[Rick Ballard]

Palin should set up a three day meeting with Rove - at Cheney's place in Wyoming. No aides, no press and just a single paragraph "to formalize plans for the future" announcement. It would be fun to watch progs heads explode.

[Sue]

When Palin first burst onto the scene, she was billed as a "maverick" ala John McCain. To me, that wasn't a plus. John McCain as a maverick meant attacking republicans not democrats. McCain meant crossing the aisle for bad legislation. McCain meant doing whatever was necessary to remain the darling of the NYTs op-eds. I was pleasantly surprised when I researched her record. She wasn't anti-republican, she was anti-corruption, whichever party you were in. She was anti go-along to get-along, no matter the party.

I still don't know how she will do on her own, without the chains of John McCain's stupidity around her neck. She may be just what the elitists say she is. I might not support her bid for president. But I will certainly give her the opportunity to win my support. And I don't hate her because she is beautiful. ::grin::

[centralcal]

O/T - Besides Jane and I, did anyone watch Glenn Beck today? Now, first caveat I only get to see the GB show on Fridays and I am not a groupie of his.

However, today his audience wall all black "conservatives." Yes, the quotation marks are on purpose. It was very interesting and, I think, informative about where the black community is and how far it will have to travel to leave the stranglehold of liberalism.

Some had made and completed the full journey to conservatism. A few were just starting out on their first baby steps. A bunch in the middle were at various stages of the journey.

The discussion, limited severely by time constraints as it was, was extremely interesting and informative. Not only about political viewpoints, but racial ones also. Black Americans DO have voices crying out in the wilderness to them. I found it a very positive show overall.

Jane (if you're not made at me for the blond snark), I would be curious about your take on the show today. Frankly, I would like to see, hear more of this kind of open, free form discussion.

[Captain Hate]

Rick, that would be the greatest thing ever.

[centralcal]

oops - made=mad

[centralcal]

Good points, Sue.

Rick, I am with Captain Hate - what a fabulous idea.

[Ann Althouse is dumb]

I heard Rush say today that he had an advance copy of Sarah book and it will rock you with the intelligence of policy making.
Will Tom read it and apologize, inquiring minds would like to know.

More seriously, I like Tom and his humor here, he is no Obot to be sure.I just feel he is so F'ing wrong on this.

[Extraneus]

Is Ann from Connecticut?

[Sue]

c-cal,

I didn't see it, but listened to a segment where the black republican mayor voted for Obama not McCain, but not because Obama was a black man. Yeah. Right. He didn't impress me.

[Sue]

Our Ann? Or Ann Althouse? I still don't know who she is.

[Jane]

Harummph! I am a NE republican so watch yourselves.

Centralcal, I thought it was a fascinating show. I really didn't get enough of it. I loved the whole discussion of people buying into the govt shtick that enslaves people. I thought it was great that all were not completely sure and many had voted for Obama. It was very real. I guess that is the best way I can describe it. My favorite part was when someone talked about being brought up to believe they could be whatever they wanted as long as they were willing to work for it, because that is how I was brought up.

[Extraneus]

I guess someone has made a better political speech than she did at her announcement, or at the convention, but I don't think I've ever heard it if they did.

And, as Dave suggested, Palin cleaned Biden's clock, in a foreign policy dominated debate. Which wasn't her forté, as we all know.

Yeah, she's dumb. Just keep saying it, Ann.

[bad]

Althouse is from Madison, Wisconsin.

[centralcal]

Oh, Sue - he was one of the worst speakers, actually and came later in the hour. The audience was not very happy with his views. If you get a chance to see a replay of this particular show, I would urge you to do so.

Also, Beck changed his 3 person "panel" with each break, and allowed his audience to participate (I say allow, he really didn't have much control over their vehemence - but, in a good way, I think).

We have heard so much about a conversation on race - this one wasn't perfect, and it was tilted toward conservative viewpoints (albeit not fully defined for some of them), but I think even Beck was surprised at some of the passion that was coming out of them.

Anyway, I really hope he continues with this. I see it as a positive step - for all of us. Until we get the minority voters away from reflexively voting Democrat, we will always have an uphill battle. This group gave me hope that their are some big leaks in the dam.

[Porchlight]

centralcal, I didn't see it, but that does sound really interesting.

[Sue]

I am a NE republican so watch yourselves.

I know that. But you have done something others haven't. You have actually looked up Palin's record instead of listening to the talking points.

[Jane]

Where did my post go?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Hard right to liberals is anything right of themselves.

I think you've hit the nail on the flat end there, Terry. I'd even go a bit further, and suggest that whatever Sarah says, it will be denounced as "going hard Right."

The truth is that she's generally governed as a bit more libertarian than Ron Paul.

[Jane]

nevermind....

[centralcal]

Porch - just remember, it was only an hour show and at times I thought Glenn was the least articulate of the speakers. There was an interesting mix. Absolutely fascinating, to quote Jane.

I know Beck replays on weekends. I hope they choose this show to replay. I would definitely watch it again (I missed the first 15 minutes or so).

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Where did my post go?

It's probably hiding in there, Jane. TP has developed a caching issue; it isn't updating the content of the page it serves until some time has passed after the content changes in the database.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Don't forget that Beck runs again just before Red Eye, so 0200 Eastern Time, midnight Mountain, 2300 Pacific.

[Sue]

Charlie,

I was about to post that. I actually think Palin is more libertarian than republican. She might turn off some of her base when they figure that out.

[Jane]

I was one of the people here who wanted Sarah as VP before anyone heard of her. I knew very little about her then, but had heard some people talk about her and latched on. A few weeks before the nomination some people at Rotary asked me who I wanted and I said Palin. They all thought I was a bloody guru after she was nominated. Dumb luck on my part.

I really like her style. I love her work ethic. I love the fact that she lives her life by doing what is right for her, not politically expedient. To me she is the dream politician and I am always shocked that others don't see that.

[centralcal]

In plain English, Charlie, you are saying that Typepad sucks (to quote the great "bad").

[Jane]

Sorry to be so prolific - but do you guys remember that Sat morning here - we were all unenthusiastic about McCain and then got so excited, all together that morning. I loved it.

[centralcal]

Also, Charlie, I find the problem is much worse if I am using IE, rather than Firefox.

[Sue]

To play off the libertarian angle a little, who was it that recently admitted Palin was a political choice to pull those Barr voters to McCain? I think he was polling about 5% at the time she was chosen.

[centralcal]

Jane: I will never forget it. I was particularly despondent because Danube of Thought had foretold the McCain candidacy much to my utter dismay.

I spent many days (not all of them here) cringing at what I would do come election day, And, then, voila - Sarah Palin, who I knew diddlesquat about was announced as VP candidate.

After her brief introductory speech, I was feeling so much better for the first time in weeks.

Later, in September, on beach vacation with my Hillary supporting daughter, I watched the RNC convention and heard her acceptance speech. I have been a fan ever since.

[sbw]

Ms. Palin is a great American but I don't think she would be much of President.

What yardstick are you using to measure. By the yardstick of the dipstick in office today Palin would be a great president.

[Captain Hate]

O/T: Next week, for the first time since I've been commenting @ JOM, I will temporarily rejoin the ranks of the employed. I've been out of work for almost a year and a half, mainly because NE Ohio is an employment wasteland for IT in particular and everything in general. I never said anything here for a variety of reasons, primarily because I didn't want anybody feeling sorry for me, which would've been inappropriate because we really haven't been hurting and in a lot of ways I feel like the luckiest person in the world. But this week, from out of nowhere, my ship came in regarding a short-term assignment on some ancient software that I happen to be pretty good with. The bad news: I'll have to drive 50+ miles each way. The good news: I keep my record alive of always being more highly compensated at each successive stop along the way.

[bgates]

OT bleg, but this thread is about a good woman who got screwed, so:

My little sister-in-law is a veterinary student at Minnesota. She was going through a self-checkout line at a supermarket, absentmindedly put a printer ink cartridge on top of the thing, forgot to pay for it, and got stopped by a cop outside of the store (as she stopped to put a donation in the Salvation Army tin). The cop decided to write her up (because he was convinced she was "lying" because she insisted it was an honest mistake, because it was).

As a good Lutheran girl who's never had a misdemeanor before, she's freaking out, esp. because she has applied for a military scholarship.

We have a lot of legal beagles on the board, don't know if any are Minnesota-based - any advice on what she should do?

[centralcal]

WooHoo! Captain Hate, I am extremely happy for you (sorry, though, about the long commute - bummer)!

Hey, bud, does this mean we won't be seeing much of you? That is sad for us! You will continue to check in . . . I just know it.

[centralcal]

bgates: I guess Friday the 13th jokes wouldn't be appropriate. Golly - poor girl. Clarice, Jane - sending an SOS for legal help.

[Thomas Collins]

Althouse and TM will become comfortable with having a Jacksonian with common sense on finances, national defense and energy in the White House. Palin did a tremendous job as Alaska Governor and Veep candidate with Dems, MSM and many in the blogosphere viciously attacking her in a way no other politician would have been attacked. Jacksonians make folks who rely too much on formal education at times, such as TM and Althouse (I make that criticism in full recognition that I often fall prey to the same vice), uncomfortable. In her political and personal life, Palin has achieved under often difficult circumstances (McCain, Obama or Biden never could have governed a state as ably as Palin did with folks constantly filing trumped up ethics charges). Palin will govern starting in 2013, when I believe the benefits of being governed by Ivy League and other pseudo elite types will have been thoroughly discredited. The Best and the Brightest, whether in war or finance, haven't measured up. By 2012, I think more and more folks are going to recognize this reality.

By the way, for anyone who hasn't read Althouse's truly cheap shot at Palin, I encourage you to do so. If that's the best Althouse can come up with (I almost doubled over laughing thinking about how a typical law professor would have dealt with the vicious attacks heaped upon Palin), I suspect that Palin acquitted herself well in the book.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks, cc; I probably won't be posting during the day but I'll check in at night. Also when I say "short term" it could be as short as a week, so we'll see. Although I've noticed recently that the employment situation around here seems to be picking up somewhat so we'll see how that shakes out.

[Gregory Koster]

Let's stipulate that Althouse is a neurotic, prone to fits of temper, in love with perversity. In brief, a swell Democrat. Let's also stipulate that SP would be a better Prez than The Once, a condition that is true of approximately 54% of the population of this nation.

The questions AA raises deserve better answers than they've gotten. Terry Gain:

"Palin was thrown into the cauldron of a national election campaign run by people with infinitely more experience at that game than she will ever have. She had no choice but to trust the people who set up the Couric interview."

Or Chaco: "Ann's issue seems to be that Palin was too subordinate to McCain, but as Ace correctly pointed out, Palin was subordinate to McCain."

SP had a choice: accept McC's offer or not. On one hand is the wise counsel of Lord Stockton:

"My belief is, when you get a chance, take it."

The Veepacy nomination is a great chance no question. But against that are:

a) SP is relatively inexperienced. She looks good compared to The Once, but who doesn't?
b) 2008 was never going to be a GOP year.
c) She scarcely knows McC, and more importantly, the snakes surrounding him.
d) She has a family, a family that the press would attack without mercy.

With hindsight, the better choice would have been for SP to decline with thanks, and campaign like hell for McC. It's true, the chance might never come back.

Palin did not need to be subordinate to McC. Once she was on the ticket, how could he discipline her without blowing himself up in the manner of George McGovern and Tom Eagleton? Why was SP on the ticket? To help McC win? Or to promote herself? If it was to help McC win, paying attention to him is in order. But Clarice's point about campaign advisers being self-inflating windbags is in order here. SP had been in politics for a decade. She had faced Murkowski down, a great feat that outstrips anything The Once has ever done, or anything McC has done in his poltical career. Althouse's point (assuming she is quoting SP correctly) is on target: why on earth should SP trust a McC staffer, formerly with CBS, who sez that SP MUST do an interview with Couric? This isn't difficult to reason out. Why didn't SP do so and refuse? What would McC have done? Remember 2008 wasn't a GOP year. It wasn't a time for caution, but boldness.

Go back to Terry's point. If campaigns are to be run by "infinitely" more experienced consultants, candidates don't matter. See: The Once. What made SP a great asset to McC? Her experience was a help, but a small one. The gender card helped some. But SP's big strength was her phenomenal capacity to connect with many middle class voters. To use Thatcher's phrase, she was One of Us. She spoke plainly, had a great deal of common sense, and didn't appear to be afraid. What is Terry saying, that SP can wow the rubes on the trail, but she'd better knuckle under and do what we say? What sort of leader is that? Patrick Sullivan makes a similar point about Reagan's Berline wall speech. Reagan didn't have to threaten his staff to get the line in. He just had to stick to his convictions, to the point of being obstinate. Reagan stuck in 1987; SP did not do nearly enough sticking in 2008. A leader does not need that sort of permission in such a high stakes game. Leaders who fail at such stakes are blamed. Are you saying that SP hasn't been blamed by McC's snakes for the result in 2008?

Let me close with a question for centralcal, who wrote:

" I would rather have Sarah Palin sitting in the White House than anyone else I can think of."

CC, I hope you'll believe me that I'm not mocking you when I say I believe you mean this, that's it's heartfelt. What I want you to tell me is, Why? What about SP makes you feel this way? What has she done, or perhaps more importantly, what has she done that gives you faith that she would be a great leader in the future? If you can't articulate it, I'll accept the sincerity of your belief, but belief is all it will be.

I do not share your view, as you know. I think TM has it almost right: potentially a great American as a fighter for conservatism, likely not a good Prez. I think her taking the 2008 nomination was a mistake. I also think that her resignation as gov of AK makes this mistake irretrievable. She faced a terrible situation in AK. So did Winston Churchill from February 1931 to September 1939. WC took a beating that dwarfs what happened to SP. He stuck it out. She did not. I feel sympathy for SP's situation, but it's part of the very high price of the ticket to the top levels of politics.

Thanks to TM for springing for all these electrons I've used, and to JOMers for reading this minority JOM view.

[Extraneus]

You go, Captain!

[Captain Hate]

bgates, I'd have to think that a reasonably competent lawyer could get that removed in small claims court or mayor's court (not sure which would apply in the location). Being apprehended while donating to Salvation Army shouldn't look to anybody like she was trying to amscray with ill-begotten swag; in fact it pretty much screams "inadvertent mistake".

[hit and run]

Terry:
Hard right to liberals is anything right of themselves. The criticisms of Palin are rarely, if ever, substantive. They never point to what policies she has adopted which are demonstrably wrong.

Charlie:
I'd even go a bit further, and suggest that whatever Sarah says, it will be denounced as "going hard Right."

I'd go further than that. The liberals will point to invented policies and positions she will implement at some point in the indeterminate future if she is elected.

She'll ban teaching of evolution and push intelligent design only curriculum,she'll force abstinence-only-only sex education,she'll overturn Roe v Wade,she'll hunt and kill all the wolves in Alaska and the lower 56 by clubbing them with the femur bone of slaughtered polar bears,she'll flatten Mount McKinley in the belief that there is at least a half a barrel of oil to be recovered,she won't just remove the ban for prayer in schools,she'll make prayer compulsory with all prayers ending with "In Jesus's name Amen",she'll outlaw hybrid vehicles and mandate minimum allowable fuel economy standards to 8 mpg.

And then she'll start her second day in office.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

bgates, IANAL but I know the answer: hire a lawyer. As I learned when I was dating one, there's a sort hidden assumption that if you don't hire a lawyer, you're fair game, but once you've hired one they have to pay attention.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I'd go further than that. The liberals will point to invented policies and positions she will implement at some point in the indeterminate future if she is elected.

Put that in past tense: all of those are in the Palin Rumors list now.

[Jane]

WOW CAP'n Congrats to you!

That's just great!

[Jim Ryan]

the lower 56

Oh no you di'n't!

[Porchlight]

Congrats Cap'n! That is great news. Something more to celebrate this Thanksgiving!

[hit and run]

Captain Hate:
Next week, for the first time since I've been commenting @ JOM, I will temporarily rejoin the ranks of the employed.

Awesome awesome awesome!

[Jane]

Bgates,

Well I would certainly contest it. If it were me I'd find out everything about the judge and how they lean (and what works with them) which means finding a lawyer that does a lot of local work in that Court - not a big city type. I can't tell you how many cases I've seen go a certain way because the lawyer has a reputation for telling the truth and the judge knows they can trust the guy not to screw him. IOW - if Joe tells me it was an honest mistake I believe him, because when Joe is covering for a client he talks more in the 3rd person - or whatever. It happens every day in every court.

Now how you find that lawyer is a different thing. The best way is to know a lawyer in that town who doesn't do that kind of work but knows someone who does. Or maybe a cop, but I would go with the lawyer if I could.

[bad]

Way to go Captain Hate. Once they get you, they won't let you go.

[hit and run]

Charlie:
Put that in past tense: all of those are in the Palin Rumors list now.

But that's the point. The past is prologue.

They're not going to stop now and go by what she says and does when inventing stuff has worked so well to date.

[Captain Hate]

I think you're wrong, GK. I don't see how she could've gotten enough exposure in Alaska even in four years; it's a moot point now in any case. I like her instinctive feel for things and I think she's positioned very well just where she is. Il Douche's negatives are reaching an unrecoverable area and how better placed could a person be than the only person that strongly criticized him during the last campaign? Time will tell in any case.

[Gregory Koster]

Cap'n, just saw your good news. I've been in those waters myself until recently. Good work. Hope it turns to something more steady, to your liking.

Bgates, why not get in touch with the Powerline gang? I think they may know you by your rep here, and I know they are in MN. Even if they can't take the case, they might know who could.

[bgates]

Thanks for all the responses, and congrats to CH. I'll pass it along.

[clarice]

bgates..hire a lawyer but one with lots of criminal law experience..maybe a former US Atty or DA.
Congrats, Capt Hate.

[Thomas Collins]

Gregory Koster, a war President or Prime Minister faces life and death decisons every day. However, because of the very fact that they are at war and are the country's leader, bogus ethics complaint filings wouldn't have to be answered. Palin had to deal with each bogus filing. Thus, I don't think Palin's resignation indicates weakness or incapacity to be Prez. I think it indicates a recognition that she needed to make some money and gain chits on the national scene to deal with what will be more vicious attacks in 2012.

I think that if enough people act in concert, just about anyone without substantial wealth could be forced from a Governorship.

I am going to consider carefully all the arguments that have been made against Palin here by my friends. I would hope that they in turn consider the possibility that, on cultural and stylistic grounds, they may be giving short shrift to a great leader. I hope we haven't become a country in which conservatives and liberals alike view degrees and speech patterns derived from supposedly elite institutions as a substantial factor in being a fine leader.

[bad]

Palin needed to deal with her financial issues honorably, which she is doing. Being financially vulnerable makes a person more apt to behave like a typical DC politician.

[jimmyk]

In case it hasn't been mentioned, the AP has already come up with a "fact check" hatchet job on Sarah's book (LUN). I'm still looking for the fact check they did on Obama's books--in fact on anything he or wacky Joe has said or written.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks guys; while being off I got certified by Oracle as a professional database administrator for version 10g so hopefully that will reap rewards down the road. Like I said I think things are looking up in this area; if not my son-in-law told me there are tons of opportunities in NYC so if need be down the road I could stay with them and work. We'll see....

[Jane]

BTW BGates, the trick will be to get the DA to dismiss the charges with no record without going to trial. The problem is at this level (minor minor minor) the DA may be too inexperienced to dare. Another reason to have the right lawyer.

The Powerline guys don't do this kind of work I'm pretty sure. They may know someone but they may be too far up on the chain. What you don't want IMO is a big gun.

[bad]

Congratulations on the certification, Captain Hate.

I'm often referred to as certifiable....