What are the issues in evaluating Palin?

 My take on the pick was he really wanted Liberman and they said no way pick a Rebulican or have a fight on your hands.  So he picked a republican and now they have to deal.  Watching women like Hutchinson defend her with a straight face is good for a lot of comic relief.  But all told this is just a mess! Becuse there is a good chance they may win!

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

Watching her struggle in these interviews, ( http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5... ) I find myself feeling sorry for her.

Not enough to vote for her, because I will be damned if anyone can argue that I should elect someone to a VP office who is a heartbeat away from the Presidency and has no idea what the Bush Doctrine is.  She is way over her head, but she put herself there.

I defended her right to be a mother and run for VP.  But I can't defend her ignorance of national issues.

Charlie Gibson Interviews Sarah Palin ( http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=5... )

GIBSON: Let me ask you about some specific national security situations.

PALIN: Sure.

GIBSON: Let's start, because we are near Russia, let's start with Russia and Georgia.

The administration has said we've got to maintain the territorial integrity of Georgia. Do you believe the United States should try to restore Georgian sovereignty over South Ossetia and Abkhazia?

PALIN: First off, we're going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I was able to speak with him the other day and giving him my commitment, as John McCain's running mate, that we will be committed to Georgia. And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable and we have to keep...

GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals.That's why we have to keep an eye on Russia.

And Charlie, you're in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They're very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.

GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

Here's my only guess.  That the Republicans want to shut down John McCain for good.  They are tired of him bucking the party line.  It surprised them when he was nominated over Romney.  They pushed back on his choice of VP and strong-armed him into taking Palin, who is a very nice woman for all I know, but is so clearly being thrust out on the national stage far too early in her career that they seem to be willing to sacrifice her to get rid of McCain.

What a mess.

This election is going to be a wild ride.   I for one do not have a home phone.  My brother who works for ATT says he is trying everything to get into the wireless div because their sales have declined so much.  He says staying in the landline div is just a job because the market is shrinking.  Even those who have home phones but have a service like vonage will not show up on many lists.  So yes it is hard to really get  accurate data.  I know I need to get prpared for Nov. 4th because I don't know that I will get any sleep that night.

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

It is scaring me to think that at a timne when we have so many things to deal with a post on lipstick can get so many responses but one on issues is sadly lacking a decent disscussion.  Beyond that I was just appalled at all of the outright lies and the repeating the same thing over and over.  Even after the tape shows she said out of her mouth that she did support the bridge when she was running for office. Maybe the people at the rallies did not watch the convention but I heard all of that in her speech.  Tell me what are your plans for this economy, education and the likes.  Oh and by the way why does she get a pass on answering questions even those from the audience?  Is this now the no-talk express?

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

Palin's Pipeline Exists...but Only on Paper ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26550336/ )

The vice presidential hopeful, in her speech Wednesday to the Republican National Convention, said she fought to bring about "the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history" to bolster America's energy security.

"And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence," Palin said.

But plans for the pipeline that would ship gas from Alaska's North Slope — a project envisioned since the 1970s — remain on the drawing board.

"No, it hasn't been started, and that's on the record," said Paul Laird, executive director of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, an oil field service trade group.

No question, Palin has been a strong pipeline advocate.

Last month, the state legislature endorsed her recommendation to award TransCanada Corp a license to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to Western Canada from Prudhoe Bay. In Alberta, the gas could be diverted to the United States on TransCanada's existing lines.

But there is no commitment to actually build it. The Canadian firm must still convince the state's major gas producers that its project is
their best bet. 

Here's the link:

Palin versus Reality ( http://www.samefacts.com/archives/campaign_2008_/2... )

A point by point examination of what Sarah said in her speech versus reality.

Including the very interesting:

UNDER PALIN, WASILLA GOVERNMENT SPENDING & DEBT SKYROCKETED.

Total Government Expenditures Increased 63 Percent Under Palin. In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin approved the budget—the total government expenditures of Wasilla, excluding capital outlays, were $7,046,325. In fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the budget—the expenditures were $4,317,947. The increase was 63 percent. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 1]

Palin Supported Increasing Wasilla Sales Tax From 2 to 2.5 Percent to Build $14.7 Million Sports Center. “Wasilla residents have given the go ahead to building a new multiuse sports center in town and to raising the city sales tax to pay for it. With the final votes counted Friday, residents voted 306 to 286 in favor of a measure to raise the city sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent to pay the estimated $14.7 million cost of building the center…Mayor Sarah Palin, who supported the measure, said the tight vote will motivate city officials to keep a close eye on the budget for the center.” [Anchorage Daily News, 3/9/02]

Palin Left Behind Almost $19 Million In Long-Term Debt, Compared to None Before She Was Mayor. In fiscal 2003—the last fiscal year Palin
approved the budget—the bonded long-term debt was $18,635,000. In fiscal 1996—the year before Palin took control of the budget—there was no general obligation debt. [Wasilla Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 2003, Table 10]

...opportunities to see how unsophisticated she is. Happy Palin-watching.

http://nakedanarchists.wordpress.com ( http://nakedanarchists.wordpress.com/ )

More from Eagle Forum Alaska:

In 2006, the Eagle Forum Alaska sent a questionnaire to all the state’s
gubernatorial candidates, including Sarah Palin (R). From Palin’s response ( http://eagleforumalaska.blogspot.com/2006/07/2006-... ) about the Pledge of Allegiance:

11. Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?
Sarah Palin: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.

However, as Hunter points out, the words “Under God” didn’t appear in the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 ( http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/1/13152/1... ); the founding fathers had nothing to do with them. The Pledge itself, in fact, wasn’t even written until 1892 ( http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm ).

Sigh.  I'm thinking that this VP pick may have been pushed too quickly.

This just gets worse and worse. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKkydrUnBZE&eur... )

Palin has repeatedly feuded with the state's Senate president, Lyda
Green, over a wide range of legislation. Last January, Palin appeared on "The Bob and Mark Show," whose host Bob Lester despises Green.  That's when the trouble started.

Early on in the conversation before Palin started to crack up, Lester referred to Sen. Green as a jealous woman and a cancer. Palin, who knows full well Lyda Green is a cancer survivor, didn't do what any decent person would do, say, "Bob, that's going too far."

But as the conversation moved on, Lester intensified his attack on Green.

Lester questioned Green's motherhood, asking Palin if the senator cares about her own kids. Palin laughs.

Then Lester clearly sets the stage for what he is about to say by warning his large audience and Palin. He says, "Governor you can't say this but I will, Lyda Green is a cancer and a b----." Palin laughs for the second time.

This isn't opinion or conjecture or part of a smear campaign.  It's an audio that is publicly available.

Mmm.  I don't know Michelle.  I have never seen SO many new people signing up to campaign and volunteering to register new voters.  And a huge percentage of the electorate is still undecided (the polls don't report on undecideds).  This the strangest election that I have ever seen in that the experts can't seem to get their heads around accounting for younger people who only use cell phones or being in dorms (and not being included in the polls) and a surge in newly registered voters (who also don't show up on any lists because they haven't participated in past elections.)

I couldn't go to a swing state myself, so I just gave a gas card to a friend of a friend as a reward for signing up with the Obama campaign, filling his car with volunteers, and going to work in the swing states. He was so inspired, he went a step further and signed up to be a team leader.

it's going to be a wild ride :)