J's Cafe Nette

Archive for the ‘Sarah Palin’ Category

Just watch. You can tell it’s all rehearsed and in good fun.

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I’d pay my own way to Alaska if necessary or wherever, but I wish I had a chance to share in this dinner. I’d even give some money for the charity this dinner supports.

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No doubt one private citizen Barack Obama intends to “call out” (what a phrase for the leader of the free world to use), is Sarah Palin.

She’s having none of it and responded quickly to the campaign speech of last evening:

In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters. He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” — so much for civility. After all the name-calling, though, what he did not do is respond to the arguments we’ve made, arguments even some of his own supporters have agreed have merit.

In fact, after promising to “make sure that no government bureaucrat …. gets between you and the health care you need,” the President repeated his call for an Independent Medicare Advisory Council — an unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats charged with containing Medicare costs. He did not disavow his own statement that such a group, working outside of “normal political channels,” should guide decisions regarding that “huge driver of cost … the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives….” He did not disavow the statements of his health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, and continuing to pay his salary with taxpayer dollars proves a commitment to his beliefs. The President can keep making unsupported assertions, but until he directly responds to the arguments I’ve made, I’m going to call him out too.

You go Sarah. Obviously she has the democrats worried. Their idea of debate in order to silence critics is to attack, and Ms. Palin has shown repeatedly she has no fear of their tactics.

Palin’s conclusion:

Remember, Mr. President, elected officials work for the people. Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country. We hear you say government isn’t always the answer; now hear us — that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

[ all emphasis-mine-admin]

Here, here!

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Let’s not get into a guessing/gossiping game of what she really means. Take it at face value and see what develops.

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Freedom of Speech. Those in America believe in it. We fight hard against those who challenge that right.

However, there are times when a line is crossed.

Such is the case in David Letterman’s remarks the other evening regarding Sarah Palin and her daughters.

David Letterman attacked Sarah Palin on his show last night in his Top 10 List.
Real Clear Politics reported: While reading his top ten list Monday night, “Late Show” host David Letterman said Gov. Sarah Palin bought makeup from Bloomingdale’s to update her “slutty flight attendant” look.

The list included Palin buying crack and keying cars.

While you may consider this “old news” already (after all, we live in an age where news travels at the speed of light), it might be worth your while to take a gander at this post by The Anchoress and follow her link to James Lileks.

The Anchoress:

If you have missed it, the old rule that you don’t go after a politicians kids (which has been strongly, and correctly, in place under all Democrat presidents, and was even sometimes practiced about the Bush-twins) does not apply to Sarah Palin, and has never applied to Sarah Palin.

Here is the ultimate question.

If Sarah Palin and her daughters were prominent Democrats, would this treatment by Letterman be deemed acceptable? No doubt he would have been ridiculed by others in the media and forced to apologize at the very least if history tells a correct story.

Double standards remain hard at work.

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Common sense.

“You’ve got to quit digging that hole.”

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Via Ed Morrissey:

Sarah Palin did nothing wrong in firing Walt Monegan, the Alaskan State Personnel Board has concluded. Their independent investigator criticized the legislature’s investigator for applying the wrong law. They also said that Todd Palin did nothing wrong in pressing for action against the governor’s former brother-in-law:

[emphasis: mine]

Also Breitbart:

A report has cleared Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of ethics violations in the firing of her public safety commissioner.

Released Monday, the report says there is no probable cause to believe Palin or any other state official violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with the firing. The report was prepared by Timothy Petumenos, an independent counsel for the Alaska Personnel Board.

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Governor Palin on the effects the media has had on the Presidential election:

“If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations then I don’t know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.”

Sad, but true.

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This This was taken from an email I received. (Click the arrow to listen)

Are you as dumbstruck as I was?

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Watch and enjoy:

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Do you suppose they’re getting some backlash from people not on the far-left loony fringes and decided to do a good story on Palin? Could be.

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Governor Palin drops the puck at the opening of the season for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Her daughters must have been thrilled to be there to shake hands with both Mike Richards and Scott Gomez the respective team Captains.

Bet little Piper will not forget this night any time soon!

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My admittedly biased opinion of the VP debate tonight.

Sarah Palin did an excellent job in showing she’s not the idiot portrayed in her interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric.

In fact, one of the first things she said was she was happy to address the American people without the filter of an editor.

She talked about small town America, where she grew up. She said Wall Street and greedy bankers should be punished for their actions. She stuck up for flyover country and said she didn’t know the ins and outs of politics in Washington very proudly, saying this was one reason she was chosen. This would guarantee change in Washington along with McCain’s maverick streak.

She talked about the time in her family’s life when they didn’t have insurance and had to sit at the kitchen table to figure out what to do. She said the No Child Left Behind Act has not succeeded, and Joe Biden replied that it hasn’t been funded.

Palin is for excellent teachers with pay commensurate with their jobs. She jokingly said her brother’s third grade class would get extra credit for watching the debate.

She held her own on foreign policy, even asking at one point if she could go back to the discussion of Afghanistan. She believes in a two-state policy in Israel, as does Joe Biden. Palin said she wants the US Embassy to be located in Jerusalem.

From a biblical standpoint I disagree with a two state agreement because it is the only land given to someone by God Himself, and I believe any nation that tries to persuade Israel to split the country with Palestinians or anyone else is going against God’s wishes and will lose at least part of His blessing on our country.

While Joe Biden was very senatorial in his speaking style, we got to see the Sarah Palin we saw at the convention and some of the campaign rallies. She briskly walked onstage, was completely at ease, was in a good mood and could be heard asking Sen. Biden if she could call him Joe.

After the umpteenth time of trying to tie McCain to the Bush presidency Palin said the line that will stay in my mind for a long time: “Say it isn’t so, Joe. There you go again talking about the past.” Biden’s response was that the past is prologue to the future and a McCain presidency would be another Bush presidency.

Palin responded that McCain will benefit from the mistakes of the Bush and other administrations in the past and not make the same mistakes.

Biden told some fibs about McCain not wanting to go to Bosnia, which former Senator Fred Thompson refuted later, saying it was McCain who convinced him to vote to go into Bosnia. When reminded by Palin that he had said on a rope line there would be no coal mining in America (something Obama had to refute) Joe Biden claimed he was taken out of context. How do you take out of context a question and answer you heard with your own ears?

Biden insisted all the billions of dollars Obama wants to spend won’t cost the taxpayers and was forced to defend his patriotism remark about paying higher taxes. I don’t recall what he said, so it must not have been memorable to me at least.

Biden insisted Article One of the Constitution talks about Executive Branch powers while addressing what a Vice President would do. Being a senator for so long he should know that article addresses the legislative branch.

This is a synopsis. I admit to pulling for Sarah Palin, so take what I say with a shaker of salt if you wish, but my opinion is it was game, set and match for Palin tonight.

It is now up to John McCain to stop being so senatorially polite and take off the gloves to show what he has done to protect the American public. It’s his to win or lose as the polls are still close, but if he continues playing by the Marquis de Queensbury rules he will be another also ran come Nov. 5.

Video of the debate:

Thanks to CNN.com for the video.

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I’ve heard so many times Gov. Palin has cut funding for the Special Olympics that I did a little digging around about the charge. It seems it’s just an urban legend.

While the Special Olympics did not want to make any comments about budget cuts, Channel 2 News looked into the governor’s funding of the program.

Records show Palin actually increased their funding by $25,000. However, that amount is only half of what the program asked for.

“This governor from the very start has a very clear record of her support for children with special needs,” said Palin’s campaign spokesperson Meghan Stapleton. “Since taking office she has nearly tripled funding for those with special needs in the public school system.”

The Department of Education in Early Development says funding for special needs and intensive needs has gone up $73 million since Palin took office.

Source

Cutting what they asked for and still giving a $25,000 increase sounds like an increase to me.

We can quibble over whether she cut funding or just the proposed increase, but the fact remains they have $25,000 more in their budget than they had last year. They wanted $50,000, but the fact is also she did not cut any funding, but increased it although by not as much as they wanted.

So many seem to be so upset about her cut of funds to the Special Olympics that I wonder how they feel about infanticide? I’m talking about those who would have aborted a special needs child.

Barack Obama is in favor of letting an aborted baby die if it is born alive and yet we get all upset about funding for those same children he would have die in a utility room. It’s because it’s the mother’s right to choose, except for the problem if the child is born alive it is no longer the mother’s body we are talking about or some group of cells. It’s a real, living human being who is forced to die with no comfort or medical care whatsoever.

So, what’s more important to you? Increasing the Special Olympics budget by half of what they requested or letting one of those special needs or normal babies die after being born alive?

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Palin holds giant tube of lipstick given to her by a supporter.

Sarah Palin was in the Orlando, FL, area Sunday, and estimates of the crowd range from 25,000 to 60,000, with most major news outlets reporting 60,000.

I’ll let some of the people who were there speak about the event: (Notice I included the bad comments as well as the good.)

A real soccer mom indeed!

Posted by: Bassist | September 21, 2008 at 09:03 PM

I waited in line 1.5 hours to get on a bus, then 2 hours to get into the area Sarah Palin was going to speak in, then she spoke and we had to wait another hour to get on the bus to take us to our cars. It was 90 degree heat and I’ve never stood so long in such hot weather. I had an umbrella, lots of water, comfortable shoes and iced towels for my neck and IT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE OF ALL OF THAT, she was wonderful, she was in a long sleeve suit and after her speech, she signed autographs for about an hour and then we saw five helicopter take off and figured she was on her way to her next stop, I got to scream loudly when she said she was for helping special needs kids families and I felt like she really can make a difference because she was such a natural person. I liked her comment (because I was there in the heat) to the person with the poster “sweatin for Sarah” and she said she would sweat for them too. (or something along those lines, it was GREAT and I feel like I have participated in a little piece of my own history. My mom went to Dallas and met Ronald Reagan even though he wasn’t nominated that year and I brought her a Palin pin, to add to her collection of political pins from years and years of politics. anyway it was worth it and I’ll never forget it.

Posted by: Marianne bryant | September 21, 2008 at 09:28 PM

What a waste of time and effort! Her talk was so short and did not have any new information on the party platform. I liked the picture of Sarah with the tube of lipstick!

Posted by: oldseminole | September 21, 2008 at 09:41 PM

You had to be a tough person to bear the heat out there today and let me tell you- I have to hand it to some of the older folks out there. We all waited long hours in the hot sun but it was worth every minute of it!! It was a great day!

Posted by: Ann Dean | September 21, 2008 at 09:43 PM

This looks like one of the best stops of the entire campaign.

Vice-President Palin will do our country proud.

Posted by: joe | September 21, 2008 at 09:43 PM

This looks like one of the best stops of the entire campaign.

Vice-President Palin will do our country proud.

Posted by: joe | September 21, 2008 at 09:43 PM

VIVA LA PALIN!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: bella | September 21, 2008 at 09:44 PM

How refreshing it is to finally have a real person going to washington

Posted by: Greg | September 21, 2008 at 09:54 PM

sounds and looks like a real celebrity! it’s funny to see all the conservatives swoon. Her lack of qualifications is sickening and scary!

Posted by: wait for it | September 21, 2008 at 10:01 PM

I wonder how these adoring people will feel when she has us in war with Russia. They have nuclear weapons AND missiles that could drop them on Florida.

Posted by: enough | September 21, 2008 at 10:07 PM

Yeah-it was a long wait-yes-it was hot as hell-yes-there were a gazillion people there-and yes it was worth it. Sarah Palin is awesome. I agree-it will be nice to have a real person serve us in Washington. The most touching thing she said was that we want a country where every child will be cherished-even unborn ones. Let’s send an angel to the White House on Nov. 4th!

Posted by: Jamie | September 21, 2008 at 10:08 PM

My husband and I drove over 2 hours today, walked and waited in the very hot sun ! I would do it again ! Everyone Loves Sarah Palin except the Democrats ! The crowd was equally mixed both men and women and they all went wild when she was speaking! There was at least 30,000 people there. The local fire marshall estimated 60,000. By the way I am an independent and voting McCain/Palin ! Seeing her live today sealed my vote !

Posted by: Susan – proud of Sarah Palin our next Vice President | September 21, 2008 at 10:24 PM

Comments and photo source.

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I have finally found a place that shows the full transcript of the Palin/Gibson interview. Go to the link and see how heavily and selectively this interview was edited. It will make your eyes pop open.

Thanks to Mark Levin for providing the transcript. I’m only sorry there is no place for us to track back to his work.

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If I had to choose one ad and one only which I could view this political season, the following from Citizens United would be it.

Sarah Palin should be proud to be in such fine company.

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At the demand of CBS, this ad has been removed by YouTube because Katie Couric was in it.

Go here to view the ad.

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Joe Biden has never been known for being the most diplomatic of speakers and today he had a lulu:

This is the first woman with a real chance to become Vice President of the United States and he thinks that would be a backward step. =)) By the way, I think the link between McCain and Bush is weak and has lost its power.

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I think this McCain/Palin ad shows who will really bring change in the way government is run in Washington.

Feel free to discuss and agree or disagree.

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There is another purpose to this post which I will address in short order. First though, while Drudge and other outlets are showing recorded viewership of Governor Palin’s speech last evening to be in the ball park of 37.2 million, the AP has produced a report which shows these numbers to be even higher.

More than 40 million people tuned in to the Republican convention Wednesday to hear vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin introduce herself to voters.

That audience rivaled the one for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama last week. Nielsen Media Research estimated 37.2 million people watched Palin on either ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel or MSNBC. PBS estimated it had four million viewers for the speech.

Last week Obama had 38.4 million viewers on the commercial networks, topping 40 million with PBS and C-SPAN added in.

It’s wonderful to see such interest in this election coming from all corners of the country. Governor Palin’s numbers should adjust again when C-Span is included. Both of these totals show people are now beginning to sit up and take notice of the candidates and their platforms.

Now to the reason for this post.

I spent a good bit of the afternoon attempting to contact the Fox News Network. It was my desire to express my disappointment with their choice to air this evening a “taped” interview Bill O’Reilly concluded today with Barack Obama.

John McCain was careful to not step on the Democratic Convention in Denver. He showed ultimate class in a taped congratulatory message to their presidential nominee at the conclusion of their festivities and Senator Obama’s acceptance speech. Did he announce his Vice Presidential decision the following day..yes, but he never intruded on the convention. Both parties, their officials, candidates, delegates and grassroot workers earn their few days of pomp and circumstance.

In return is the same courtesy being shown the Republican nominee for President? No. Barack Obama signs on to an “exclusive” interview with O’Reilly and it is being viewed as I write this post.

No, I am not watching. I am appalled by the decision on the part of Fox to air this piece this evening. Will the discussion following Senator McCain’s speech be of its substance or will it be of another change of heart exhibited by Barack Oabama?

My hope is that most will ignore this blatant attempt to alter the subject which should be at hand but alas, this is the press we are talking about. To open this door is a disgrace on the part of Fox and speaks volumes to me as to the character of Senator Obama.

Obama may well congratulate Senator McCain tomorrow but it will be hollow praise. O’Reilly may have gained a few rating points this evening but at what price? He claims to be “fair and balanced.” This one interview aired on this particular evening debunks that theme.

I have quoted and linked to many Fox News stories and embedded more than one of their videos on the site. Today I informed them I would no longer do either. Their response, “We are sorry to hear that but programming is designed in advance.”

Funny, this interview was originally scheduled to appear next week, not on the final night of the Republican convention. Advance, my eye. Ratings and controversy are the name of the game.

Senator Obama is not blameless either as he could have stepped up and refused to have this Q & A session shown this evening.

A basic sense of decency is something we lack in the media and this decision by both Fox and the Obama campaign speaks volumes.

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By now, you have probably seen the cover of US Weekly magazine with Sarah Palin’s picture accompanied by the caption, “Babies, Lies & Scandal.” For those who may not have had the pleasure, here it is:

Now let’s contrast it to this one of Barack and Michelle Obama:

No lack of objectivity here right?

Megyn Kelly takes a gentleman from US Weekly to task in no uncertain terms:

You need look no further than the above examples to understand the media in our country today.
Their agenda is becoming more than just a bit obvious. Journalists are well aware articles don’t sell magazines or newspapers, headlines do and if you are hedging your bets on one side or the other winning an election, well why not thrown them a bone once in a while?

If rumors (substantiated or unsubstantiated) are the basis of your story, why not then a picture of Senator Obama with Reverend Wright or William Ayers? Instead, a striking picture of him and his wife explaining their affection for one another?

It appears Sarah and Todd Palin also love each other so why not afford that same courtesy to them?

Fairness? The press has divorced themselves from that word.

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It is expected that Gov. Palin will not bring up the attacks on her since last week in tonight’s speech. That’s a shame, because I’d like to see her let loose to attack those who attack hers, but the decision has been made by the McCain campaign and Palin will be a good trooper.

Perhaps ignoring the attacks is the best way to stop them.

Here’s McCain’s latest ad showing why she is qualified to be president if necessary.

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Joe Lieberman on why McCain and Palin are the best choices for our country.

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Fred Thompson spoke yesterday evening at the Republican National Convention.

Many may have missed this either in choosing not to watch or due to the fact that two major networks decided to not extend the same courtesy to the Republicans as they did the Democrats. That’s for another day.

Watching pundits and news anchors detail a speech in its aftermath has never been my thing and frankly I don’t care what they think..I’m a big girl and capable of forming my own opinions so I have no way of passing along their temperature of the electorate following the former Senator’s speech.

Frankly, the personal attacks which have been levied against the family of Governor Palin and the vile remarks being hurled from website to website and in the media have left me very disillusioned.

If this is “politics as usual”, then I must be well out of the loop.

Then along came this speech. Guess it’s what I have been waiting for as for the first time in months I am at total peace with my decision to vote for John McCain.

The characteristics I have admired most in President Bush are humility, character and steadfastness.
No poll watcher in this man. He governed as he felt was best for America regardless of the relentless insults hurled his way.

Maybe it was early nostalgia for a man I admire, I don’t know. But somehow I dismissed the fact that many of those same traits define Senator McCain.

Thanks, Senator Thompson, for reminding me.

There was a sincerity in this speech which transcended politics.

It was one mans admiration of another and his accomplishments.

Yes, Thompson is an actor, but there was no acting on this night, in this speech. When a man chokes a bit as he describes the values which define his friend (not fellow politician) it causes me to sit up and listen.

He did, I did, and now it’s McCain/Palin all the way.

The electorate may not agree, I have no way of predicting the future and frankly don’t think there is much to be said which will sway the voters who have already come to a conclusion one way or the other.

I respect everyones right to vote their conscience without qualification and hope that no matter what the outcome we can move back in the direction of one America rather than a nation divided by partisan politics.

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With all the nasty rumors that Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol is actually the mother of four month old Trig, Gov. Palin and her husband have just announced their seventeen year old unmarried daughter is pregnant and will be marrying the father.

The McCain campaign says she told McCain and he’s not concerned about the reaction.

It’s too bad a teen-ager has made this mistake, but it’s even worse that people have said she has given birth before when photos show Palin was definitely pregnant with her fifth child.

Here is the official statement by Gov. Palin:

“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.
“Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi’s privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates.”

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Earlier in the year, Sarah Palin speaks on topic of energy independence:

Is this part of the reason some in the Washington establishment may be a little fearful of the Governor?

Would she push Congress with the facts at her side to come up with a better argument than they have offered (in rejection) to tap the natural resources we have available in our own country?

And yes, I know, she said she would stay in Alaska rather than come to Washington but I consider that no different than Joe Biden’s “I’m not the guy” a mere few days prior to being selected. Guess you could say it’s the nature of the beast of politics.

I discovered this video in following the links available in this post at RedState. Lot’s more there.

*Update: More from Sarah Palin on Domestic Energy Recovery. The VP debate should be very interesting:

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While reading some of the comments on Politico last night I noticed someone referred to Todd Palin, husband of Republican VP nominee-in-waiting, as being an oil company executive. This immediately struck me because I remembered Sarah Palin stating both she and her husband were union members. She said he was a member of the United Steel Workers union.

Having been a union member and officer once myself I know management is not qualified to be members of the union.

So, this morning, after reading the negative story in Politico that the Palin pick was an act of desperation, I clicked over to a Yahoo News story that tells us Todd Palin is

a veteran oil-field worker and commercial fisherman affectionately dubbed Alaska’s “first dude.” He’s a man who took college courses but does not have a degree, yet can hold his own in sophisticated circles, even hosting a reception for five former Alaska first ladies earlier this month.

The article goes on to say he is an ardent snowmobile racer and commercial fisherman. He’s also part Yup’kik Eskimo.

In addition to his work duties he has taken on extra responsibilities of caring for the children when needed and caring for the family finances.

If you’ve ever watched the “Deadliest Catch”, a show about commercial crab fisherman, you realize what a hard job being a commercial fisherman can be. These guys pull their weight or they’re gone.

It’s beginning already to look like, just as the media were unfair to Hillary Clinton once the Obama was deemed to be the One, it’s going to be just as rough on this governor from Alaska.

She has cleaned up corruption in her own party in Alaska. She is under investigation for firing the head of the transportation department, supposedly because he wouldn’t fire her ex-brother in law, a state trooper who reportedly tasered his step-son. I can’t remember where I read that but if I run across it again I’ll provide the link.

Palin’s husband did speak to the man from the transportation department but says he did not ask for anyone to be fired.

Mrs. Palin welcomes the investigation because she says she was not aware of what was happening behind the scenes and is not guilty of anything.

We hear of her inexperience, but must remember that unless John McCain drops dead the first couple of months of his presidency, should he be elected, she will have plenty of time to learn the ropes. After all, the vice president only presides over the Senate and waits for the president to become incapacited or dead. Otherwise, they attend funerals of important figures. Hopefully, if he wins, McCain will give her more responsibility and the opportunity to learn should she ever have to take over from him.

On the other hand, a senator who has spent a total of 143 days in the Senate since his election is hardly qualified to be president and I worry about the top of the ticket more than the bottom of the ticket.

As my philosophy has always been with everyone, I will trust her until or unless she proves to be not worthy of that trust.

In the meantime, let’s all stop the mud-slinging and hope for a clean election this fall. I know that’s a tall order, but it’s time to put the adults in charge.

*Update (Sue): ~J~: Sorry for the intrusion on your post but as you addressed the media problem, thought I would add this video of Palin addressing the issue:

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