DISQUS

Polygamy, actually,

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Chris Blask

Ms. Palin is polygamous with her party affiliations, which explains butting heads with "her" party. The Alaska Independence Party which she belonged to prior to becoming mayor states their intention of getting members to switch registrations and having them run for office.

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B

Specifically in this case, she's Polyandrous.

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Budger083

Obama calls this "CHANGE"!!!

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Peggy2

Hey, Neta, did you see the article on the Huffington Post about McCain's first wife?

She still "adores" him, proudly displays his bumper sticker on her car and says he's the most qualified candidate to be President.

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Stephanie

maybe that has something to do with her being disabled and needed the money he sends her

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Ed

Mrs. McCain #1 is also being well paid by Mr. McCain. Best not rock the boat!!! Be realistic - McC was never a liberal and doubt that he would ever marry or (go after) a liberal. Stands to reason she would support him. But don't kid yourself, that check every month to Mrs. #1 from McCain carries a lot of weight.

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Peggy2

If you think McCain's first wife has to put his bumper sticker on her car to collect alimony, you're an idiot.

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Ryan

Thats interesting, I don't see anything on Ed's post saying the bumper sticker on her car is a requirement for alimony...

I think he was just pointing out how much support #1 gets and then provides an opinion as to why she supports McCain. You can chose to believe it or not but it is a valid opinion nonetheless.

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john

And how much support would she get if displayed an Obama sticker? Let's face there is some credibility believing she is doing whatever she can to keep the goose that lays the golden eggs alive.

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Peggy2

And who really thinks McCain ever even SEES his ex's car?

How's about somebody from the Center for Independent Media do a follow-up to this?

Fat chance.

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Peggy2

And who really thinks McCain ever even SEES his ex's car?

How's about somebody from the Center for Independent Media do a follow-up to this?

Fat chance.

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unhipcat

You don't have to say it twice.

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unhipcat

You don't have to say it twice.

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TheEleventhDisraeli

Well, I would imagine if Johnny's first wife had an Obama sticka on her car, he'd find out mighty quickly via the media, don't you think, pookins? Then, let's say there might be a repurcussion ... or two!!

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jerry

It's not alimony she gets. He supports her voluntarily, because of the guilt he feels. Remember his "biggest moral failing"? Stick with us, Ed. We'll help you connect the dots.

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jerry

Ooh, sorry, Ed. I guess it's Peggy2 that's the doof here. It's true that McCain "takes financial care" of his ex wife because of his guilt. The guy has some semblance of a conscience, evidently.

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Paula

That's because he's still sgining the checks!

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Deb

Why would anyone think McCain should be qualified for president just because his ex-wife "adores" him?

In my opinion, he cheated on her, divorced her, married Cindy within a month. What other reason other than being paid off with ample alimony, could make an ex-wife "adore him"?

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Peggy2

Deb,

I think you should Google "John McCain's first wife", find the article on HuffPo and read the entire thing.

Where did I say that someone is qualified for POTUS "just because" his ex-wife adores him? If you can't be honest, I have no interest in exchanging ideas with you.

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dratster

What most people do not even know is that McCain met his first wife while she was STILL married!

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JerrySprigerLivesInTheGOP

Hi Laura, You might wanna dig into the following regarding Sarah as well:

Sarah Palin Endorsing Barack’s Theme/Campaign For Change.The New Yorker Magazine Article
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/09/08/080908...

VP pick Sarah Palin laughs at cancer surviving Senator-You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-2z2NAqpGI - 115k - 14 hours ago -

Sarah Palin boos heard while hailing Hillary Clinton at McCain Rally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVPvzYaiXQ4 - 110k - 17 hours ago -

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Ed

Good sites to list. Also see You Tube regarding Alaska Independent Party Convention Part 1 & 2 and Palin's welcoming to this group this year. There is alot to be learned about her connections with AIP. Check out what that party stands for!!!!! Saw American servicemen stationed in Alaska at time of vote for statehood as "occuping troops". Founder of party, Vogel made a horrendous statement against the U.S. AIP wants independence from U.S. to secede and be their own territory or join with a western Canadian state. Why??? They want the revenue from Alaska's resources. Palin was a member of the party - left to run as a Rep for Mayor. That's what AIP members do. Change party's to be elected but maintain their loyalty to the cause and against America!

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michael

That New Yorker article is interesting, considering it's dated in the future (SEPTEMBER 8, 2008) wtf?

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Billy D

Magazines print well in advance of the dates that they are ascribed to. Unlike newspapers.

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JerrySprigerLivesInTheGOP

PS-I think she has Nixonian qualites...kinda like Mccain,,,if you get on her badside she'll fire you or find other way's to make life miserable if she feels as if your not loyal to her...SCARY...especially with Mccain having a short fuse as well.

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Peggy2

It's Springer, actually.

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plooger

Same as Bush, actually. Loyalty over competence... you're with her or against her.

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chuck

While you're in Wasilla, evaluate her experience. Police Dept now has only 24 officers; what was it like back then. City doesn't have a fire department. How many employees overall? How big were her budgets. Seems she cut property taxes but imposed a sales tax "No new taxes?"" Forget that she fired the police chief, that's something nearly every new mayor does. But who did she appoint as her chief? How did that work out? I saw something where Wasilla is touted as a "progressive" community. How does that translate into policy? What did she DO while mayor? New social programs? Cut programs?

National Guard. Were there any major events during her term as Gov that required her to exercise any command and control functions? Does she even know the location of the EOC (emergency operations center). Did she make any executive decisions with regards to the national Guard?

What about her husband? He's a BIG OIL employee. How will that go down?

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plooger

Also, I'm hearing that she left the town of Wasilla with a $20 million debt. Is this true? What was the debt before she came to office? And, financially speaking, does the debt reflect negatively/neutrally/positively on her performance, based on the debt reduction plan in place when she left office?

— Mayoral performance. Palin, who portrays herself as a fiscal conservative, racked up nearly $20 million in long-term debt as mayor of the tiny town of Wasilla — that amounts to $3,000 per resident. She argues that the debt was needed to fund improvements.

See HP article, here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/31/wasill...

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Laura McGann

thanks for the link. interested in this too.

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spaceman

refering to a huffingtonpost article as a "proof" is just plain silly

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vicki

chuck and plooger, great questions!

I appreciate your bringing the discussion to real practical matter that can impact Palin's ability to be second to the presidency instead of continuing the unfortunate focus on her family.

I hope mainstream media can work on getting these kinds of questions answered and out there for the American people to consider when making their decisions for who will run this country next. I think it can speak volumes to McCain and his own thinking processes.

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Jennie

Palin's plan for Wasilla was to gut funding for public services like the library and museum (which she merged together)...while jacking up taxes. She was NOT well thought of as Mayor. In fact, she was the subject of a Recall effort at one point due to the massive firings which she conducted on day one of becoming Mayor. While Mayor, she was part of the 527 committee for Sen. Ted Stevens....which allowed her to accept millions from corporations on his behalf...and be paid to do it. In return, he arranged for millions in Earmarks (including the famous "bridge to nowhere...which she was for before she was against). The bridge was never built, but the money was put to use as a downpayment for a massive sports stadium ... the balance due being shifted to taxpayers (who now average oweing $3,000 each). As for the stadium, it earns a nice income for the corporations who own the teams that play there by sticking the locals for tickets, junk food and a variety of merchandise...all of which is imported.

Sarah Palin, of course, having done so much for the profit of big business, decided NOT to run for mayor...but instead to run for Governor. With the help of MASSIVE corporate donations and an endorsement by her good friend Senator Ted Stevens, she managed to squeek thru the election. I personally have no doubt that her "opponant" in the primary had been "asked" to give his efforts a "lip service" effort in exchange for a nice comfy retirement package.

What can we expect from a politician who has such a long history of demonstrating zero respect for people ? Can you say...4 more years of Bush...but in a dress ???

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Name

Then just the other day Senator Lindsay Graham one of McCains talking heads and Mc Cain himself was asked about her foreign policy experience. Both their replies were " If she can take on Ted Stevens, she can take on Putin", pretty much right in line with Cindy McCains comment about foreing policy, which was she lives real close to Russia.

I smell the possability of the Democrats picking up an Alaska senate seats. To me it sounds like McCain and Graham are throughing Stevens under the "STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS" bus. How many more Rebuplican will be tossing Ted Stevens under that same bus.

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Stephanie

the budget is around 12 million yearly except for the extra 40 million in earmarks she got. And the staff is around 50 compared with O's 2500 member staff and he's monthly budget of 54 million

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Ilona

I am sure that as recently as yesterday, I heard/read
that Sarah Palin left her little town where she was Mayor
in debt to the tune of $20 million plus, this in addition to
securing earmarks of some $27 million!

i think it is great that someone with an objective view
is looking into Palin's checkered past!

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Hope for Change

Shall we call Palin's husband the new Dick Cheney........Instead of Haliburton, it'll be something else which the Palin's will be able to take advantage of the good citizens of the USA and sell their oil to us to make themselves profit. GRRRRRRR - D@m# republicans anyway......it's always about "what's in it for me".

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Budger083

He works for BP. Do you know who that is??? Follow along with me now, It stands for British Petroleum. Ok, now for extra credit where is BP based out of??? AW times up! Great Britain Help us understand the connection between her husband and the oil business in America.

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furysmom

Is there any way to find out more about whether her daughter is really 5 months pregnant with her first child or maybe a few months pregnant with her second (Trig being her first)? Any guidance counselors, hospital workers, etc. willing to speak?

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Stephanie

not that I know of, but she was out of school for 5 months with "mono" or "pregnancy"

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Carolyn

I thought Trig was 4 months old (born in April). If she is 5 months pregnant now, she conceived in March, right?

Carolyn

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Gee

I saw Palin on the December cover of Vouge and she did not look pregnant. Has anyone seen photos of her pregnant? How did she get back into shape so fast?

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Allen

I SAW Palin in the lobby of the Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage last January (despite the name it's a nice restaurant) I wouldn't have guessed in a million years that she was pregnant at the time. Granted I didn't stop and gawk, but I would think someone ~7 months pregnant would be showing a little bit.

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elle

Whether or not she is really five months along is hard to verify. She covers up with trig whenever she can. I'd really like to know why there aren't documents about Trig's birth being released to put all of this to rest.

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Ilona

For that info to be reliable, you would have to go through the hospital where Sarah supposedly
gave birth to Trig. You can get the info about first or second birth, from Bristol's doctor, they CAN TELL WHETHER A WOMAN HAS GIVEN BIRTH BEFORE!

But don't get your hopes up, this info is personal and private, as such it is protected!

The most telling piece of info that makes me think that Trig is NOT SARAH'S is the fact that when her
water supposedly broke, she continued giving her speech, (thousands of miles away from home)
Then instead of heading to the nearest hospital she took a STOP OVER FLIGHT BACK TO WASSILA
to GIVE BIRTH IN HER HOME BASED HOSPITAL! I think it was reported that from the time of her
water supposedly breaking and her arrival home some 10 hours had elapsed!

Now you tell me, how many women in that situation WOULD NOT HEAD TO THE NEAREST BIRTHING FACILITY? ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING HER AGE AT THE TIME AND THE COMPLICATIONS THAT COULD OCCUR? Also remember, this was supposedly her fifth
pregnancy, these births usually occur over a very short time, as opposed to first time births!

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Nativegirl

AK blogger said that birth certificate was absent. None.

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aaror

um,
A woman who didn't want a Down Syndrome baby but couldn't get an abortion for political reasons, I'd guess?
Think about it, she gets on the plane, the baby is born on the plane, with complications, dies, and she can be "so upset," about it while no longer having to worry about the disabled child.
You have to try to think like a republican to understand their actions.

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yllac

Not so true - I was my mum's 9th and she said I took over 24 hours from the time her waters broke.

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lizinatl

the rumor is Trig is the "other" girl's baby - not Bristol - her younger sister .... does the governor really home school?

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MercyMercyMe

This actually makes sense because the story about Bristol being pregnant, IMO, is a distraction. It makes perfect sense for Palin to cover up the birth of a child to a 13 year old, but expose the pregnancy of a 17 year old. This is pure speculation: Willow (13) gets pregnant sometime around July 2007. Willow goes into labor while Gov. P. is in Texas. Gov. P. claims her water breaks and supposedly at 8 months pregnant boards a plane to Alaska. Ten hours later Willow gives birth to a baby that Gov. P. claims is hers. Now to distract the public's attention from Trig's real mother, Gov P. announces Bristol is 5 months pregnant. Speculating - I don't think Bristol is really pregant, which means she'll probably have a miscarriage sometime between now and December. Most pictures show Bristol mad as h*** and Willow caring for the baby. Piper (7) probably knows the real truth. It's hard for kids that young to keep secrets. I wouldn't be surprised if Piper lets it slip one of these days.

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Pat

Sarah Palin revealed Bristol's five month pregnancy as a rebuttal to internet buzz that Trig ws Bristol's daughter.

She could have furnished hospital records showing that Trig was hers. Instead, she sacrificed Bristol's privay and asks us to take her word tht Bristol is five months along.

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DorothyP

You drove around town and used Nexis and think you're reporting? Are you an intern? Are you a high school student?

Did you get out of the car? Did you speak to anyone? You "couldn't help but think" --based on what, precisely?

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Laura McGann

Hi DorothyP -- Working on it.

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Lynne in Alabama

Thanks for the update, I'll keep checking...

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plooger

On this theme, it fits with the firing of Monegan... plus the wholesale firing of the Creamery Board when it didn't vote her way. (Apparently, you're either with Saracuda, or against her. Sound familiar?)

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Stephanie

I know if people can't see through this, I'll be completely disgusted with America. I mean really is anyone's life better off now than 8 years ago- 95% of America is suffering from hardships men who have 500 dollars shoes and so many houses he can't count them. This is truly what it means to be out of touch. Jesus we need better leadership no the same ole crap- because personally I'm tired of eating spam LOL

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Moud Dib

What a Draconian nightmare!

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mojo3

Daily, we are learning more about McCain's VP pick. And...the news we are getting continues to be of a negative nature. If proven to be true. I ask: Do we wish to have someone like this to be Commander-in-Chief, should McCain win and be unable to continue to fulfill his duties as president? I really DON'T think so!

Obviously, this lady, was definitely NOT vetted. Or, McCain's gave a rat's a__, about her history, due to his desperation to win. Wow judgement that certainly scares me!!!!

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TBone

But I heard she was a reformer that stood up to big oil and fought corruptions. In fact, that is the story being pushed in papers all across America!

Who'd of thunk it'd come to this? Another hack republican't pol abusing the office and surrounding herself with cronies - even ones who sexually harass subordinates.

I tell ya, the standard bearers of this party!

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Budger083

Forgot about Bill, did ya???

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193army

Hey she and Bush must think a like they can only handle yes men/women

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jeanrenoir

Sure, fascists have always made "loyalty" to the leader the only virtue which really counts. Look at Bush-Cheney. Too bad the mob always goes for all that fascist "strength."

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8yearsoffear

Experience without Judgement is worthless!

Obama '08

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Budger083

And Obama has???? No experience and as far as good judgement, what about his pastor that he chose to listen to for TWENTY YEARS????? Only quit going to that church After his advisers TOLD him to!!!!

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Karina K

It actually sounds a little scary and dictator-like.

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andykopsa

The beauty of the McCain/Palin ticket is that simply presenting interesting, creepy truths about these two creates not only doubt, but peals of laughter. But, can't take anything for granted in these United States. Any news on Palin's potential ties to an Alaska succession group in the 80s? That would be a dream come true! A friend at the RNC said word among the reporters was "Eagleton"

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Budger083

And she would have been how old in the 80's???? What stupid stuff were you associated with in your early twenties???? You people crack me up, this stuff is not being covered by the main media because it is not NEWS!!!!

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Budger083

Oh and by the way, being from Texas, a state that has been it own country, we talk about seceding every other week.

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R. wildhorn

I just read the remarks that her NEW son in law to be made on his web site. It sounds more and more that trailer park people will move into the vice president"s house if the Mc Cain ticket wins.

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nativeson

This lady sounds alot like bush

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Ilona

Laura

Thank you so much for doing this research. Please keep the information flowing, Americansdeserve to know everything shady and corrupt abot their leaders, and an UNKNOWN SMALL CITY MAYOR/GOVERNOR IS DEFINITELY NO EXCEPTION!

AGAIN THANK YOU!

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piper1233

Just what the cancer doctor ordered, an inexperienced, rigid, tyranical egomaniac, who cant manage her own family; one step away from running the most powerful country in the world.

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Trevor

And we thought we were loosing Dick Cheney. Typical of the idiots who hijacked the GOP in the last 1/4 century. I feel so bad for the party of Lincoln, T. Roosevelt and Eisenhower, now brought down to this. Palin and McCain have redefined independent and maverick to some sort of narcissistic meaning of follow them or be an enemy (since when is the police chief or head librarian REQUIRED to be loyal to the mayor? Those are positions intended to have their own independent loyalty to the taxpayers).

I shudder at the idea of this kind of person being VP (even though one already is).

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Vee Shevchenko

"Tow the line"? Laura sounds like a moron- perhaps McSame should have picked her?

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GPS

A loyalty oath for the city librarian? This sounds like something they would do in a dictatorship to me.

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Nativegirl

What I heard was it had to do with banning books in the Library, and she got opposition so she fired the libraryian

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rwt1138

Tried to fire the librarian, for stocking books that were objectionable to her. The community rallied around the librarian and Palin backed off.

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drzoon

what's her problem with libraries?

she's not one of these loons that hates "catcher in the rye" is she?

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Lily

I have read reports that she asked the librarian about banning books. Will look for link

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Lily

Here is the link, at http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,183791...

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lizinatl

how about creationism vs. science in public schools?

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Gonzalo

The Bible and other Christian books is the only thing that needs to be in the library--and a science book explaining Creationism.

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miranda harris

Sarah Palin is as ruthless as McCain and that's what he heard in her voice
and called her his soul mate. the last we need is dissention in the White House
while we are trying to regroup. I don''t think she is prepared to govern anything
other than her little town, and I have questions about that.

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say_what

You left out:

-- 1996 Palin first decided to fire the librarian because the librarian would not “ban” books Palin deemed inappropriate. That's right, Palin wanted to BAN BOOKS that she deemed inappropriate. (she fits right in with Bush/McCain doctrine)

-- 1996 Gag-order-gate: 1996 Mayor Palin told the department heads they needed HER permission to talk to reporters. She put a gag order on those people. (she fits right in with Bush/McCain doctrine.)

-- -- 2008 John Bitney-gate: Palin fired her Gubernatorial Issues Coordinator - Legislative Liaison Bitney because Bitney was dating the ex-wife of Palin’s husband’s good friend. (Abuse of Power-Bush/McCain doctrine)

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Brad

I recommend that people contact Anne Kilkenny who can offer detailed information about Mayor Sarah Palin's tenure in office. (annekilkenny@hotmail.com) Wasilla, AK 907 376-6225

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central-florida-voter

Why are the major news networks not reporting on these facts? How will all of this information get out to the general public so that they know what kind of a person that this newcomer really is?

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ron grande

i've been emailing mort k., chris matthiews, campbell brown, euguen robinson, etc. over the last two days. i submitted several emails to msnbc today. we have to force the media to have guests answer questions rather than blindly smile and regurgitating talking points. the more that do this, the more responsibility the media has to take on. if more people spent ten minutes a day, think about what they would be forced to do.

i would also think that the media as well as the dems want to be sure of their facts and are awaiting reports. gustav is allowing the republicans to play catch up on their vetting as well. i heard mort k. on fox state that they didn't do an fbi check. not much will come of this, but she may have ommitted all of the small things that are the details that will come back to haunt her.

gustav has been a blessing for the republicans . . . in a way. if the media wants to and does catchup by thursday, then some more difficult questions may arrive. the new hurricane will help the republicans chose, possibly, to end the convention a day early -- or at least the big speeches. the republicans can do it with the cloak of country first but many, even in the media will question if they are trying to get their act and their talking points together.

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Budger083

Do you think maybe, just maybe, there are no truths in all these "facts".

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Budger083

Because it's not news!!!! Sounds like alot of people making this stuff up, nobody's posting links to news articles or anything concrete. More like National Equirer stuff. Meanwhile mainstream media is saying that her approval rating was in the 80's. Who to believe???? Media or a friend of a friend of a friend who used to live in a state near the state that she was Governer of???

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rwt1138

Saying her approval rating is in the 80's is a bit of a stretch, it once was but has been falling since she took office. It's like saying George Bush has an approval rating in the 80's because he did on Sept 12, 2001. It's truthy.
It is amusing to watch out-of-staters speak with authority about Alaska and its politics, probably the most entertaing aspect of this whole debacle. Alaska is its on world, and has its own rules. Why the Republicans would attach themselves to it on the national stage is both mystifying and humorous to Alaskans, but it's going to be a hell of a fun ride.
All this stuff that came out over the weekend is fluff. Wait until they start kicking over real rocks, like the Mat-Maid fiasco, or how someone goes from mayor of Wasilla to governor--a meteoric rise even by the crazy rules of Alaskan politics. Who picked up THAT check?

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Budger083

Because it is not news.

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Deen Warren

Hi Laura,
It's "toe the line", not "tow the line."
Love & Blessings,
Deen

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dratster

Well, if you trolling then it really is 'TOE the line'....

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dratster

whoops, too smart for my own britches.....

I meant TOW THE LINE...

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Gary

But the context wasn't about trolling, it was about staying in one's place, which would be "TOE the line."

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ron grande

she's a problem. she may well galvinize the more liberal segments of society. has anyone noticed that there is no trash on obama, nothing on biden, a little bit on mccain; but this lady is off like a rocket. mccain: maverick no. missing in action yes.

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Budger083

Come on now, missing in action? McCain has a history which is what everyone should be concentrating on. He is running for president not Palin. Debate should be about McCain vs Obama!!! Oh thats right, Obama has no history as far as government experience is concerned, he is all about CHANGE for America. How much change are we going to get with Biden, a career Politician. How much do you think he is going to LET Obama change???

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MissM

Your investigation and reporting are appreciated. With each new day, the facts appear to proove that this woman was not vetted at all, and that John McCain's judgement consists of snap decisions, rather than a well thought out process.

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Bob R

This just keeps getting better. As for "fighting big oil' that is bull. She would rather kill off the polar bears rather than protect them for the sake of drilling.

Sorry Sarah, keep your fingers off of those bears.

As for Todd Palin, who is called the shadow governor, sitting in on meetings that should be 1:1 with the governor, getting emails that are confidential in nature, he needs to go home and take care of the kids. How is he going to help with her debate? Seems to me this tag team is being exposed and let's keep the heat on.

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Budger083

What did HILLARY do when Bill was Governor, then President??? Do you honestly think she stayed at home with Chelsea??? Listen to what your are saying, think before you type.

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john martin

can you spell gonzalez? why does it surprise you that the republicans recognize her as one of their own?

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derbyshire62629

I have spent sometime in Alaska and most of the small towns are much like you describe - rough and ready. I think they need leaders that reflect the environment and temperment of the state.

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Phil

Spell-nazi's...To"w" and To"e" (the e and w are next to one another) is an easily misspelled word on a QWERTY keyboard because of their proximity. One would think all you "geniuses" that harp on this would've been "intelligent" enough to realize a punch-key error versus an actual spelling gaffe.

There has been a lot of "smoke" surrounding this potential fire by the way, how about we focus on the veracity of the claims and go from there? Why do people have to automatically assume the best/worse initially?

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Judas Gutenberg

Lovely! Is this really the way ALL republicans run a government? And does the fact that she's a serious contender to become VP mean that America's time on the world stage is coming to an end? She sounds like a tin pot dictator to me. Why doesn't she go back to 1970s Chile where she came from!

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BC

The expression is "Toe the line" (as in football) and not "Tow the line".

Very interesting stuff, though. Look forward to what else you find.

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Plubius

While you are there, check out the church she attends in Juneau, the Juneau Christian Center and the pastor, Mike Rose. Scary.

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Plubius

There was much media attention given to Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright. Days were spent analyzing and making conjectures about how their relationship would impact Obama’s ability to lead if he were to become president. Perhaps it is necessary to examine who influences the religious beliefs of candidates and who helps guide them on their spiritual journeys. In keeping with that philosophy of maintaining close scrutiny of our politicians’ devoutness and how their sacred testimony impacts their secular and political life, let’s take a look at Sarah Palin.
While in Juneau, Palin attends the Juneau Christian Center which is an Assembly of God Pentecostal church. The Pastor of the center is Mike Rose. Rose is connected to the “Third Wave Movement”, a religious belief that is sweeping through evangelical and Pentecostal churches. The movement is alleged to be the spiritual basis for Joel’s Army which, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), “casts itself as God’s avenging army.” In addition, the SPLC reports, “Joel’s Army believers are hard-core Christian dominionists, meaning they believe that America, along with the rest of the world, should be governed by conservative Christians and a conservative Christian interpretation of biblical law. There is no room in their doctrine for democracy or pluralism.” So, does this mean that the presumptive candidate for Vice-President of the Republican party is a stealth candidate representing a fundamentalist Christian takeover of the United States and eventually the world? Does this mean that John McCain anointed Sarah Palin merely in order to reap the benefits of the evangelical vote whether or not she has the credentials to be a heart- beat away from the presidency? Does this mean that Palin, once a member of the Alaska Independence Party, a separatist political fringe group that called for the secession of Alaska from the United States, is a political opportunist? Regardless, she does deserve equal treatment regarding the investigation of her religious mentors and her spiritual beliefs.
Certainly the press is going to give time to the scandal concerning her alleged involvement in firing the Alaska Public Service Commissioner who refused to fire Palin’s state trooper former brother-in-law and, they may even deal with her firing of the police chief and head librarian of the hamlet of Wasilla after her being elected mayor because they did not support her campaign. But, does not her affiliation with a church elder, her spiritual guide, who is deeply connected with a religious movement that calls for the end of democracy worth, at least, the same kind of investigation that befell Obama?

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Nativegirl

Of course it does. What they did, and continue to do, not only took away Obama's 'right to his religious faith' but his little girls, wife, all as a family had to take the focus off his dear friend and preacher Jeremiah Wright, in order to focus on his message. This man was, at that time, debating both Clinton's, McCain's swipes, the Fox network slime and his preacher's and his relationship. He focused, changed his family's church affiliation in order to keep the peace, and kept going.

What they did to Obama was spiritual destructive to themselves. It put the Christian right on the hotplate for 'exclusiveness' instead of 'inclusive'. Democracy demands that we are equal.......and apparently only the liberal and independant see this virtue and abide by it.

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booksnmore4you

This is OUTRAGEOUS.

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L.A.WD

McCain's wife: beauty queen
McCain's VP pick: beauty queen

John McCain is not a presidential hopeful...he's a pimp! You heard him trying to get Cindy in the Girls Gone Wild-type "beauty" contest at Sturgis. Maybe a wet T-shirt contest in St. Paul for Palin?

After Gustav, I bet mcCain is kicking himself for not choosing La. Governor Bobby Jindal. I'm not a fan of Republicans (except Chuck Hagel and maybe some of the more moderate Repubs), but this guy took care of business during the storm. Despite his Republican background, he showed leadership in a time of crisis that even our own President couldn't muster.

But, hey, Palin was a mayor (almost recalled) and a governor (who started her term around the same time Obama began his campaign for president), right?

I'm a little bitter right now. Just watched the HBO movie "Recount" and my blood is still boiling. If the Republicans end up stealing another election, especially with all of the historic ramifications surrounding this one, there's gonna be trouble in River City.

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jerry

About Jindal; he made it perfectly clear that he was NOT interested in the VP candidacy. Smart guy.

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Nativegirl

This is exactly what I've been seeing from the bloggers. The "Right to Privacy", "harrassment", "targeting opponants" and 'Human right's violation's". She targeted her brother in law with a vengence, allegedly. All he did was to do with custody in a feircely fought battle between the sister and brother in law and Sarah Palin stepped in with a story so bizarre, she hoped at the time she would be running against Hillary and this claim against Wooten would be a certain 'vote of sympathy' in NY, because of the illegality of the act, she was claiming he did...

Sarah Palin: How do you think his children feel with these manufactured charges you initiated out of spite, and tried to have him fired. His livelihood to support those very children, just for a vote. You knew last year the WH was connected with you as a V.P. choice, with the Cheney coaching calls to you last winter. You knew all of this was political for your ambitions and fame. You knew and McCain knew your daughter was with child....and you did nothing to protect her from the 'shock' of how the country could handle this, along with the shock of YOU as a running mate. Thoughtless, selfish and selling out your children for your own political and financial gain. This is not the ordinary American woman....this is greed and truthfully that $15 M that landed on your doorstep.

They wanted you to resign Sarah Palin. You knew that. You knew they went so far to discuss impeachment. Youre incompetence as a Governor and Mayor was what led up to this 'shock and awe' announcement. So, here we go with politics. The WH would lose maybe AK to a Dem., Cheney, Rove, Gingrich, all of them at the top (bottom really) knew McCain was a longshot with only his POW mantra...but the 'ever available', 'iron-fist' beauty from AK, could perform some 'special duties' for the Republican Party. After all she was with Ted Stevens as late as July 3rd /08 sitting on a bench talking, and the money from the Oil companies......whooooooooo!!! startling payoff's Sarah. No reform here, you are just very edept at the game of lying, conspiracy, violations of 'right to privacy', 'exploitation' ' human right's violations. You are not a reformer. You are an opportunist.

reply

jenni

Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks?
America a "nation of whiners" and we are in a "mental recession all driven by the mass media with drive by reporting.
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
This is what this nation needs, real people in office.
McCain said he's running "to fight for you, to make government stand on your side, not in your way." In Palin, he found "the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle, and put their interests before your needs."
McCain has enough money and power to just retire yet he wants to serve the people.
His record reflects true care and concern for all the people of this great nation. And fundamentally we are strong.
Palin would have had a whole lot more fun as Gov over VP yet she is willing to work with all other elected persons to serve WE THE PEOPLE.
Help here can be obtained from Hillary/Mitt, Nancy/Barney with Lou/Rush Wolf/Hannity, et al.
McCain is a real person, rich yes but more importantly honest, did he pick Sarah because she is also a real person? Young yes but more importantly she has worked her way to her current job, not by pushing the systems to work for her but working for the people and making the systems of government work for her constituents. ‘We suspect her record of fighting the status quo was uppermost in John McCain's decision.’ Wsj.com 2008. Her daughter is just as real as any one in Mississippi & 17 girls at Gloucester High School are real too. A child is a gift from GOD. Just ask Madonna and Angelina Jolie's children. And hello it’s a whole lot colder in Alaska than rural Mississippi and I would guess not as many Walgreen’s or clinics. We need more Glenn Beck type shows to just give us the person at face value.
CNN, C-SPAN, FOX/MSNBC, & PBS et al, must now show the playing field as even.
Obama: 7yrs state senator + 2yrs US senator (143 days) =9 years (lawyer to politician)
Palin: 4yrs city council + 6yrs Mayor + 2yrs (20 MOS.) Governor = 12 years (blue collar worker to governor)
Rush 8/2008 ~ “I think they've been rope-a-doped here. The Drive-By Media is not happy. “
One young enough to ask the hard questions and want answers & One old enough to know where to find the answers, and who can help with the real work ahead. Jobs for citizens and immigrants alike.
(595 arrested in ICE and Department of Justice joint immigration enforcement action initiated at Mississippi transformer manufacturing facility) Unemployment figures show only those who must have that taxpayer hand out to live.
WE the People need the work and the work done and done right. Roads, parks, bike lanes, green fields & levees.
WE the People of the USA are not the World’s police force but we will and do help all creatures on the earth.
Let’s get walking Mississippi, go for bike ride California, Love to run in Boston, Love to hunt in the USA.
We the People need Modern schools. Why does Mississippi have to have a battle over funding education? "The school system in this country – public and private – is designed for the industrial age," she said. "We're in a technological age. We don't want our kids to memorize. We want them to learn." Jada Pinkett Smith ~ wife of Will Smith
“Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler apologized Sunday for recently joking Hurricane Gustav's expected landfall on the same day as the opening of the Republican National Convention suggested God was on the Democrats' side” CNN – while RNC asked us to help out. And hello, the police are in the right to arrest Amy.
WE THE PEOPLE must make the best choice for the future. Power is in the VOTE. So go vote.
In knowledge-sharing communities and organizations, people often cite altruistic reasons for their participation, including contributing to a common good, a moral obligation to the group, mentorship or 'giving back'. Unknown 2005 ` We the people must earn while we learn. We are not entitled. Citizens who care will do all they can to help not hinder.
Bob, Ron, Ralph and Cindy/Rosa along with Barack/Joe, John/Sarah must be asked the tough questions; nice stages and good speeches don't get the job done. Rick Warren showed us that anyone who is willing to set it up can ask and get answers. Comments on air are great but We the people need Tim Russert style hard ball ‘no spin’ to the point answers from all candidates. We need real facts not opinions (I like Jack though) not last week’s talking points. All 360 degrees of each party’s candidates must be the shown. All interested parties. Small, large – North, South East & West!
Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks? We need more Glenn Beck type shows to just give us the person at face value. People that work for a living are not home to take a survey. Mass Drive by media networks do not get it, the voters are not at home when they call. Media do your job, report. The suppression of a free press is a sign of a drift towards dictatorship and has no place in a democracy. “Now, for the first time ever, more viewers - 8.1 million - turned on CNN for a major news event rather than watching any of the so-called "big three" networks - NBC, CBS and ABC. The latter newscast attracted the second-highest number of viewers, 6.6 million.” 2008 CNN Blitz by John McCaslin ~ In contrast, msnbc.com's online surveys — or Live Votes — may reflect the views of more individuals, but they are not necessarily representative of the general population. And they may be even less representative of those people who are registered to vote and who do in fact vote.” GOD BLESS the USA ~
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
Choice is freedom.

reply

MLB

tl;dr

Please learn how to write in paragraphs.

reply

Budger083

What's wrong too hard for you to read????

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Mickey Shell

It's "toe the line" not "tow the line."

reply

jenni

Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks?
America a "nation of whiners" and we are in a "mental recession all driven by the mass media with drive by reporting.
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
This is what this nation needs, real people in office.
McCain said he's running "to fight for you, to make government stand on your side, not in your way." In Palin, he found "the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle, and put their interests before your needs."
McCain has enough money and power to just retire yet he wants to serve the people.
His record reflects true care and concern for all the people of this great nation. And fundamentally we are strong.
Palin would have had a whole lot more fun as Gov over VP yet she is willing to work with all other elected persons to serve WE THE PEOPLE.
Help here can be obtained from Hillary/Mitt, Nancy/Barney with Lou/Rush Wolf/Hannity, et al.
McCain is a real person, rich yes but more importantly honest, did he pick Sarah because she is also a real person? Young yes but more importantly she has worked her way to her current job, not by pushing the systems to work for her but working for the people and making the systems of government work for her constituents. ‘We suspect her record of fighting the status quo was uppermost in John McCain's decision.’ Wsj.com 2008. Her daughter is just as real as any one in Mississippi & 17 girls at Gloucester High School are real too. A child is a gift from GOD. Just ask Madonna and Angelina Jolie's children. And hello it’s a whole lot colder in Alaska than rural Mississippi and I would guess not as many Walgreen’s or clinics. We need more Glenn Beck type shows to just give us the person at face value.
CNN, C-SPAN, FOX/MSNBC, & PBS et al, must now show the playing field as even.
Obama: 7yrs state senator + 2yrs US senator (143 days) =9 years (lawyer to politician)
Palin: 4yrs city council + 6yrs Mayor + 2yrs (20 MOS.) Governor = 12 years (blue collar worker to governor)
Rush 8/2008 ~ “I think they've been rope-a-doped here. The Drive-By Media is not happy. “
One young enough to ask the hard questions and want answers & One old enough to know where to find the answers, and who can help with the real work ahead. Jobs for citizens and immigrants alike.
(595 arrested in ICE and Department of Justice joint immigration enforcement action initiated at Mississippi transformer manufacturing facility) Unemployment figures show only those who must have that taxpayer hand out to live.
WE the People need the work and the work done and done right. Roads, parks, bike lanes, green fields & levees.
WE the People of the USA are not the World’s police force but we will and do help all creatures on the earth.
Let’s get walking Mississippi, go for bike ride California, Love to run in Boston, Love to hunt in the USA.
We the People need Modern schools. Why does Mississippi have to have a battle over funding education? "The school system in this country – public and private – is designed for the industrial age," she said. "We're in a technological age. We don't want our kids to memorize. We want them to learn." Jada Pinkett Smith ~ wife of Will Smith
“Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler apologized Sunday for recently joking Hurricane Gustav's expected landfall on the same day as the opening of the Republican National Convention suggested God was on the Democrats' side” CNN – while RNC asked us to help out. And hello, the police are in the right to arrest Amy.
WE THE PEOPLE must make the best choice for the future. Power is in the VOTE. So go vote.
In knowledge-sharing communities and organizations, people often cite altruistic reasons for their participation, including contributing to a common good, a moral obligation to the group, mentorship or 'giving back'. Unknown 2005 ` We the people must earn while we learn. We are not entitled. Citizens who care will do all they can to help not hinder.
Bob, Ron, Ralph and Cindy/Rosa along with Barack/Joe, John/Sarah must be asked the tough questions; nice stages and good speeches don't get the job done. Rick Warren showed us that anyone who is willing to set it up can ask and get answers. Comments on air are great but We the people need Tim Russert style hard ball ‘no spin’ to the point answers from all candidates. We need real facts not opinions (I like Jack though) not last week’s talking points. All 360 degrees of each party’s candidates must be the shown. All interested parties. Small, large – North, South East & West!
Why can't media just give us the facts for a few weeks? We need more Glenn Beck type shows to just give us the person at face value. People that work for a living are not home to take a survey. Mass Drive by media networks do not get it, the voters are not at home when they call. Media do your job, report. The suppression of a free press is a sign of a drift towards dictatorship and has no place in a democracy. “Now, for the first time ever, more viewers - 8.1 million - turned on CNN for a major news event rather than watching any of the so-called "big three" networks - NBC, CBS and ABC. The latter newscast attracted the second-highest number of viewers, 6.6 million.” 2008 CNN Blitz by John McCaslin ~ In contrast, msnbc.com's online surveys — or Live Votes — may reflect the views of more individuals, but they are not necessarily representative of the general population. And they may be even less representative of those people who are registered to vote and who do in fact vote.” GOD BLESS the USA ~
"It's a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
Choice is freedom.

reply

izzy3r

McCain is an "honest" person? What rock have you been sleeping under? He's a liar, then he lies about lying. Check out this video -- it shows him lying repeatedly and when caught in a lie, lying about lying.

http://adcash.org/reflink.aspx?mid=72658

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stephennnn

An on-site investigative reporter!!! Wow. perhaps MSM should take notice.

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KiwisCanFly

Palin obviously prefers folk around her whom first and foremost, will capitulate.

We have evidence, over the last 8 years, of this form of governing and we are reaping the consequences.

Her strategem reminds me of the Cheney's over-reaching of power and can be evidenced in her current ethics investigation concerning an abuse of power. That is messy, personal and perhaps vindictive.

She will be vetted at a national level, I doubt it will bode well.

McCain's reckless decision will reflect a man who lacks good judgement.

Obama and Biden 08, judgement and experience.

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Dogger

Since you are in Alaska (and I'm not), perhaps you could look for witnesses to Bristol's condition when she had a traffic accident in February. Whether or not she was pregnant could confirm or kill the rumors regarding Trig Palin's parentage. I just want to know the truth, and don't feel it's been told.

"On February 8, 2008, at 1737 hours, Wasilla Police responded to two vehicle collision at Seward Meridian Parkway and Fireweed Drive. Investigation revealed that Bristol Palin, age 17 of Wasilla, was driving a 4-door sedan and attempted to turn into a business when she struck a 2-door sedan driven by Joshua Moffet, age 19, of Wasilla. Palin was issued a citation for Failing to Use Due Care to Avoid a Collision. Moffet was issued a citation for an expired registration and no proof of insurance."

The article says it happened in front a Medical Family Center.
http://suzieqq.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/babygat...

Anywho puts "Family Medicine of Alaska" at that address.

If you are following up on this matter, you should talk to the other driver and the cops for details on Bristol's condition at the time. I don't know if she was pregnant then, but I've seen zero evidence that Sarah Palin was.

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Nativegirl

One AK blogger said Palin told her, Palin's daughter was in hospital with mono.....around the same time as the delivery of Trig Palin

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independent

Did the daughter get pregnant in the hospital? How do the timelines of her mono and her impregnation jive?
I think a lot of this can get salacious (and I don't like that), but if she's lying about something that seems to be a huge plank in her platform, then I think it's fair game . . .

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Nativegirl

Her apparent mono was the same time frame she was off school around Trig's birth

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usagePolice

It's "toe the line", dammit. Not tow. TOE THE LINE.

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Tom Swafford

Command and control of National Guard?? What a laugh. Check out who does what with state Guard units. The Governor of Alaska, like other states, along with the State Guard Commander, have NO COMMAND AND CONTROL responsibility for anything, except in cases of natural disasters. When a State of Emergency is declared, they have a voice in deploying Guard units. Otherwise, all decisions about the state Guard units, their activities, their budgets, their manpower, are made in Washington, D.C. Don't buy the hype without checking the facts. Sarah Palin has never made one decision about the Alaska Guard other than which parties to attend.

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nickdagreek

"after being convinced that she would tow the line."

The correct expression is "toe the line".

"Toe the line" is an idiomatic expression with disputed origins. It is often equated to "toe the mark," which has the same meaning: to conform to a rule or a standard. One documented origin of the phrase is as an athletics analogy that originated in the early 19th century. Other suggested origins are the center line in boxing which boxers were instructed to toe at the start of each round, or the lines created by deck planks on ships which naval crews used to “fall in line”. The longest-running use of the phrase, often mentioned by tourist guides, is from the British House of Commons where sword-strapped members were instructed to stand behind lines that were better than a sword’s length from their political rivals. Thus the cry to “toe the line!” was echoed to return order to the House and to quell a potential mortal conflict.
In modern usage, it appears often in the context of partisan or factional politics, as in, "He's toeing the party line." Wikipedia

and:

"Sometimes this phrase is written "tow the line." This misspelling changes the meaning of the phrase slightly: rather than implying conformance with a rule, "tow" suggests contribution to a cause, e.g. "the pundit is towing the administration's line" alluding to a metaphorical act of pulling something with a line, cord or rope. However, this variant is grammatically suspect, as the verb tow refers to the object being towed, e.g. a car or a boat, not the mechanism by which it is towed, such as a rope or chain."

Nick Soter

Nick Soter

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Leecalif

Ogre like Bush.
Can't wait for this publicity. Let's start now.

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stephen youhanaie

sieg heil

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Porter Dunn

This sounds an awful lot like the Bush/Rove/Cheney ground rules for their White House. Are we sure we want this person as Vice President and putative President of the United States should multiple cancer survivor John McCain be unable to fulfill a four-year term?

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Bridget

WOW!!!! This is beginning to get interesting. I think McCain did this on purpose. There was a big deal about him picking Liberman and so he picked the worst persron he could find and I believe he knew all of this mess and even more of what's to come out so that he could convince her to drop out make the Democrats look bad and he could get Liberman. So this pick is starting to make more and more sense. This lady is clearly not ready to be in the the number 2 spot. I remeber her during the primaries saying she supports Obama. I remember seeing that.

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xargaw

Monica Goodling? Same delusional mindset.

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jrsposter

Laura McGann wrote: She left the head of libraries a letter saying she was out — though Palin later decided to spare the librarian after being convinced that she would tow the line.

The expression is "toe the line."

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Emily Post

toe the line. it is from ballet.

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sbv

oh geez, can we say monica goodling one more time! this though, in the end, is not about gov. palin per se, but about john mccain and his judgment, decision making and leadership. he has insulted the office, should he be elected president, and the american people. his straight talk and country first now can be seen for what it is - pandering in the least, typical rove/schmidt/rnc shell game manipulate the american electorate one more time.

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Minnehaha

Sounds like a minnie Bush!

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AE Santi

In a town of 6,000 a mayor force people to resign as a test of loyalty... I think I saw that on the Twilightzone.

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HamletsMill

This post on Huffington Post TOTALLY nailed it Sunday night:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/31/mccain...

The poster wrote:

"Actually Palin is a predictable choice based on John McCain's residual PTSD behaviors. Which makes him totally unfit to serve as President. Here are the behaviors that I see that are consistent with long untreated PTSD. From Wikipedia/PTSD search:

1) Inappropriate rage (well documented).

2) Memory Loss. Many video examples. (Do you remember his Iraq trip and corrections by Lieberman?)

3) Social impairment. Unable to communicate and read communication of others.
Verified by his strange sense of humor and oblique statements like "Soulmate" for Palin.

4) Emotional isolation and poor social judgment- presented as a positive "Maverick" image by the "old" media making us all defacto co-dependents.

5) Addictive behaviors.- In McCain's case, sexual addiction. Validated by his broken sexual boundaries after his return from captivity. His destructive behaviors and denial with his wrecking of his first marriage. An extensive reliance on sexualized women as rescuers. i.e. Cindy and now Ms. Paltin.

6) Risk taking behaviors - Palin's choice is very risky on many levels and we are expected to approve of his risk taking and accept it as normal by the media again making us co-dependents. In essence a political shock doctrine depriving the electorate of "rational footings" to judge from. Thank you Naomi!

This is a sad day for the media. It has sold out America.

McCain is an obviously unstable personality that exhibits many of the traits of impairment from PTSD."

I would add further that John McCain is going to disintegrate now right in front of the Amican people on the national stage. He is going to break down. Look for major health impairment problems in three-four weeks. Deep in his psyche he does NOT REALLY WANT to be President of the United States. He is really crying out for help. This is the depth psychology meaning of putting Sarah Palin on the ticket.

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spaceman

any proof i didnt see any in the article

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lottobelle

You guys are so pathetic. As an elected executive official, your staff serves at your pleasure. Of course you want your staff to be loyal, otherwise your efforts will be undermined. Once again, what you are trying to spin is the basic core fundamental of politics. Go back to class.

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elrod

You don't go around firing everybody in a small town just to prove loyalty. She wanted to ban books at the local library and the librarian was (rightly) aghast. Sarah Palin needs to be sent back to her freak show in Juneau.

Sarah Stalin

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Toni

There's a fine line between loyalty and intimidation.

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Styve

Great job digging, Laura! Get some dirt on Bristol's boy-toy, and maybe a timeline for their relationship, perhaps thru friends. If you can get to the bottom of the Trig fiasco/cover-up, America will owe you!

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blahblahblah

Awesome. That kind of cut throat tactics and fierce loyalty is exactly what we need. No more of this "we are all friends" crap pandering to the masses of liberals. Not to mention the conservatives that are so worried with their own self image that they not dare stir the pot against liberal groups. As we all know, then you are racist or a homophobe.
A perfect example of this is the fact that no one is coming out and slamming the riots at the RNC.

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MitchCollins

Since neither Obama nor Biden has ever been an executive (other than to personal staff), what would they have done? Hmmmm. We don't know do we?

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MT

I think they would have let the people in their own city keep their hard working jobs, not fire them. Using your power to destroy jobs and families that need them is NOT American.

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Budger083

You THINK????? LOL

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David

It's "toe the line."

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Viper

This is unheard of even in a small town. It is akin to what happend to even civil service positions over an 8 Year period during the Bush Admin which led to incompetance and cronism on a scale not seen in moder times.

Also note that head of Public Safety she fired because he wopuld not fire her broher law.. well she replaced him with the former Police Chiif she replaced the police chief there with. Howver he had to be let go because of sexual harrasemnt. in short order.. she paid him 10 K to go quietly.

Regards

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Budger083

Where is your proof???? Newspapers, internet articles, anything!!! Just show me some proof. You people sound like your writing a soapopera. This incident is still under investigation. Nothing proven yet!!! Mayors clean house all the time. And God work on your typing skills.

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Bemused

Oh it's so fun to read the comments from the left wingers as they scramble to dig up any kind of dirt they can on Ms. Palin and her family. That is, it would be if it weren't so pathetic. If you want to dig dirt, talk about Joe Biden's ties to MNBA, how his son was a lobbyist for MNBA at the time Joe was busy passing a major piece of legislation to protect MNBA and other cc companies. We can talk Rezko, Ayers, Wright for Obama. What about Obama's mother? Was she pregnant with him before she was married? Don't get petty folks, stick to the issues. Obama/Biden run on change. What are they trying to change? They are both die hard liberals who have voted in lock step with the wishes of the Dem leadership. Neither shows any willingness to step away from their party mantra. How will Obama ever lead if he is unwilling to compromise or reach out to anyone that doesn't fit in with his narrow poitical ideals? Check out the facts on their voting records: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/. Truth is they are two of the most liberal Senators in the Senate. They talk change but love their special interests. Talk is cheap folks. Let their records speak for the truth.

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Andrea

Oh it's so fun to read the comments from the left wingers as they scramble to dig up any kind of dirt they can on Ms. Palin and her family.

Because that's exactly what the right wing do? Can't take your own medicine??

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rwt1138

". . .two of the most liberal senators in the Senate". You say that like it's a bad thing. After 8 years of total conservative rule, I think the stigma is wearing off on the term "liberal"--the conservative record has, as you suggested, spoken for itself, and it says: Epic Fail. I'm not sure I can handle another four years of the conservative record, it seems like all the good bridges are already occupied by veterans of it.

Say what you will about Clinton, but when he was president I didn't need the Wall Street Journal or talking heads on Fox News to tell me the economy was doing well, all I needed to look at was my pay stub--the one that's been shrinking since "the record" went conservative.

Liberal is looking pretty good, actually.

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Sue

Why is no one investigating nor reporting the fact that Sarah Palin tried successfully for 7 months to hide her own pregnancy with her last child? This isn't the behavior one would expect from a self proclaimed 'hockey mom',right winger who is totally against abortion in any circumstance. Neither does her behavior regarding her pregnancy from beginning to end. First she agrees to have a test for Down's Syndrome, which is dangerous to the fetus. Why would anyone have such a test that could be detrimental to a fetus if they truly believed that they would never have an abortion regardless of the result??? Then, Sarah brags about the fact that her water broke in Texas and she boarded a plane to Anchorage...That really raises the eyebrows once again. She totally endangered the health and welfare of her child by doing so. Not ONE obstetrician would EVER recommend such reckless behavior. First off, after a woman has mutliple births, the time she is in labor usually decreases significantly. Second, she went into labor nearly a month early with a fetus with already established healh issues. NONE of this behavior fits with her dedicated 'hockey Mom' claims.

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Linda

Do we really want more Bush style cronyism in the Executive branch? We have just been through 8 years of politicized appointments having nothing to do with competency, but only based upon loyalty to Bush and Cheney. Remember the justice department under Gonzalez and FEMA under Brownie? McCain is offering us more of the same by choosing Palin as his VP. This the same go with your gut cronyism that has plagued this country for the last 8 years. I have had enough! No more!

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MT

What a Great American she is, fire everybody that doesn't see eye to eye. I think Hitler also fired and murdered people for not being loyal.

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Bemused

Oh it's so fun to read the comments from the left wingers as they scramble to dig up any kind of dirt they can on Ms. Palin and her family. That is, it would be if it weren't so pathetic. If you want to dig dirt, talk about Joe Biden's ties to MNBA, how his son was a lobbyist for MNBA at the time Joe was busy passing a major piece of legislation to protect MNBA and other cc companies. We can talk Rezko, Ayers, Wright for Obama. What about Obama's mother? Was she pregnant with him before she was married? Don't get petty folks, stick to the issues. Obama/Biden run on change. What are they trying to change? They are both die hard liberals who have voted in lock step with the wishes of the Dem leadership. Neither shows any willingness to step away from their party mantra. How will Obama ever lead if he is unwilling to compromise or reach out to anyone that doesn't fit in with his narrow poitical ideals? Check out the facts on their voting records: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/. Truth is they are two of the most liberal Senators in the Senate. They talk change but love their special interests. Talk is cheap folks. Let their records speak for the truth.

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EagleFury

Please. People who support the most corrupt party/administration in US history have no place spewing any innuendos about the Democratic party and candidates. None.

In the interest of comity, I'll forgo posting links to 1) the site featuring a stunningly long list of cheney/bush's documented, impeachable offenses, 2) the site featuring a depressingly long list of republican party members and politicians involved in pedophelia, sexual perversions, infidelity and so forth, and 3) the site listing all of the neocon republicans who marched this country into an opportunistic war against the wrong country (hello? Bin Laden was in Pakistan, on the border with Afghanistan...EAST of Iraq) all of whom got deferments from Viet Nam.

Point made, I hope.

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jerry

It's "MBNA", doof.

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rwt1138

No he has it right; he's not talking about the credit card company that is the largest employer in Biden's home state, he's referring to the little known, fledgling Midget National Basketball Association, of which Biden is a big supporter. Since Biden's son was never a registered lobbyist for MBNA, I have to assume that's what he's talking about.

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Dave

I began to think this was the blog of the people in the street breaking windows and attacking trash cans. Most of these folks are the ones that can't identify any of the pictures they are shown when asked who they were protesting. These folks are reaching for anything at this point . I am sure these ignorant posters would do better going back to school to learn to spell . Maybe soom grammar lessons also would help. At least learn how to use Spell Check. More power to Sarah Palin.

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Jim Pryor

Do you people even read what you write?

1. Her daughter getting pregnant has nothing to do with her ability to "control" her family. It simply happened. Its no big deal.
2. Stop using the term "trailer trash" about any of this. It simply shows you to be liberal lemmings, incapable of original thought.
3. Every mayor of every city I've ever lived in has fired city employees who are not loyal to them.
4. Every city I've ever lived in has sold bonds to fund improvements. That's the "debt" you are talking about. And they do this while getting federal funding. Again, NOT NEWS.
5. The author of this article, Laura McGann, obviously had her mind made up about this story before she got on the airplane. She's obviously a liberal and Obama supporter, which automatically skews the story.

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EagleFury

So true.

1. BUT, her daughter getting pregnant puts the spotlight on gov. palin's public advocacy of sexual abstinence. What sort of parental oversight resulted in the daughter getting herself into a fix like this, challenging as it is?

2. The term "trailer trash" demeans ordinary human beings struggling with issues of poverty, low levels of education, poor health, etc. Knock it off--it's condescending. Now, if you're using it to refer to shrill nitwits like roseanne barr, have at it. What a piece of work.

3. Loyalty tests are examples of a little napoleon complex at work. Manage your staff, don't intimidate them. Firing them forces the city to expend valuable time and dollars on finding, hiring and training replacements. It's a behavior for which any "leader" should be held to account.

4. Self-evident. Though, speaking of budgetary mismanagement, don't you love the gop's spin of "her governorship" selling the state jet on eBay. Hello?! How much money do you suppose she lost in that ill-advised auction?

5. Self-evident loyalist defense of the H.M.S. Titanic, er McTaint campaign. Who can blame you?

Karl Rove is a horse's rear end. (Gratuitious truth-telling.)

5.

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izzy3r

It wasn't about "controlling" her family, in my opinion. She has always refused to support any kind of sex education except abstinence. She was wrong and her daughter is one of those teens who pays the price. Her extremist views may fit in with her church, but they just don't work in real life today.

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rwt1138

1. Well, I agree in prionciple but the fact is, Sarah advocates for "abstinence only" education, and the poster child for why it doesn't work lives with her.
2. You are correct, trailer trash is a lower 48 term. The proper term is "valley trash".
3. What godforsaken, iron curtain hellholes do you hail from, exactly? I've never heard of purging the entire existing staff.
4. The debt is 22 million, in a city with a 6 million budget that was funded and in the black when she took over. And it's actual debt, the kind they actually collect, not "debt" with quotes around it. The bonds wouldn't have been needed at all if she was half as "fiscally responsible" as the campaign paints her.
5. Just. . . wow. Uh, let me try one. The author of this post, Jim Pryor, obviously doesn't require facts or information to form an opinion. He's clearly a conservative and McCain supporter, which automatically reacts to criticism with ad hominem attacks and sophistry.

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Pat

Pretty much the way our Justice Department runs things isn't it? She'll be right at home in D.C.

A true believer, a true disciple of Dick Cheney and Karl Rove.

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Rick

It has not even been a week since the announcement. With this in mind, there is way too much baggage with this candidate. She should just bow out now.

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izzy3r

Oh, no, let her stay! Let McCain deal with the poor judgment he has shown, not have a second chance to choose. If he were to be elected, he won't have a second chance with decisions crucial to our foreign policy, economy and environment. LET HER STAY and let him face the loss in November.

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Shari Mattingly

Sounds like the Bush Administration. All loyalty and no experience, expertise, competence, or brains. More of the same. Do we need 4 more years of dummies in the White House?

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Mike

What a whack job! What is it with all these Republicans who apparently think they are psychic and can "look into people's souls" and "feel in their heart" who with them or against them? What a bunch of terrifyingly dangerous loony tunes!

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EagleFury

Just ap-Palin.

Washington Independent, an appendage of the corporate media's propaganda wing.

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tim Bartell

Wow. I know someone else who has very loyal subjects.... http://www.funwithwarcrimes.com

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elrod

Sounds like Sarah Stalin.

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Grammarphile

Does it bother anyone else that the expression is, "TOE the line" not "tow the line?"

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stsw531

What disturbs me most about this is that she obviously did not care about the economic impact of firing these people from their jobs.... Wasilla is a small town, and I seriously doubt if there are a lot of jobs available to displaced workers. She fired them NOT because they couldn't do their jobs effectively, nor because that they ever demonstrated disloyalty that would impede HER performance as Mayor, but because she "felt" they weren't 100% behind her election? That is just politics. Nothing high-minded or principled about it. I wonder if she considered the economic impact on those employees and their families when she fired them. I thought she was supposed to be a devout christian? It doesn't sound very "christian" to me to throw people under the bus for no reason.

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Johnny Springfield

Research performed into Palin’s election wins for mayor and governor reveal that in her second term run for mayor (Wasilla mayor’s are term-limited to two terms), while she garnered 73.4 percent of votes cast in 1999, that figure, for a so-called "popular" mayor was as little as 909 votes (24%) of a total vote of 1,238, a figure representing 32.7 percent of the 3,786 total registered voters at the time.

When she ran for governor in 2006, Palin’s win numbers were equally low for a race for governor. But for McCain or Republicans to put Palin on the same plane as other big state governors is far fetched and far flung.

Of the approximately 670,000 residents of Alaska, of which 466,258 were registered to vote in 2006, only 238,307 (51.11%) voters participated, and the Pain/Parnell ticket garnered less than half of them (48.33% or 114,697 votes), which in turn represented 24.5 percent of all registered voters.

An even more tantalizing story that runs contrary to Republican spin meisters is Palin's record as a tax hiker. According to one researcher, Palin pushed a wind-fall tax on oil companies as governor and hiked local taxes as mayor of Wasilla for a local project that involved the purchase of land that she seems to have messed up. She also seems to have a solid record of taking federal ear mark money as well, expenditures John McCain is building his campaign around.

How can McCain, who was once a prisoner of the North Vietnamese but who is now a slave to the Christian, pro-life evangelicals who he knuckled under to in picking Palin over his preferred choice of Joe Lieberman, think that a mayor of Dinky Town can really become president and have the country behind her when she's nothing more than a political animal who puts her personal interests first and everything else last?

This choice turns McCain the maverick into McCain the loose cannon. What other silly and stupid mistakes will he make if he's elected president -- a position he can't be removed from no matter what he does?
For a closer look at her, go here:
http://thejournal.epluribusmedia.net/index.php/...

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R

toe the line.

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Alan

Apparently when asked by a local news reporter if she had fired the police chief, Palin initially denied it. Then the reporter talked to the police chief again, got a copy of the termination letter she had sent, and only then did she admit it. There is maybe a pattern there...

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SoonerThought

Spooky.

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Rich Scott Salamack

Didn't Dick Nixon do something similar?

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JSG

Sounds like a drama queen.

Hardly surprising for a Gooper. I'm sure the Repukes are going to love their new socialist secessionist, especially since they are still trying to win the civil war and WW2 (WE won... their side didnt).

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Constance

Does anyone remember Twin Peaks? How prophetic.

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NJPaust

Great work Laura! I was going for the reformer spin big time but atleast I am reading your vetting of Palin now. Thanks for the reporting.

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BobW.

wow

Going after a librarian, wow.

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Jordynne Olivia Lobo

"tow the line": the expression is, actually, "toe the line" - meaning that all persons in a rank have their toes on the same line, that they're up to, and ostensibly in agreement with, the collective idea or discipline. First , O learned and presumably qualified reporter/pundit, take the mote from thine own eye?

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john

It's long, long past the time to pull the tax exempt status of organized religion. The money changers and their sycophants have taken over the place.

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Scott C.

Where have we heard "loyalty over common sense before." Maybe Katrina and the director of FEMA would be a good start.

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Iris

This fits with her intolerant religious views. Down here in the lower 48, we don't respond well to dictators, even if God is backing them.

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will

McCain did what any red blooded Navy pilot would have done; he married the heiress to a beer empire and picked the hottest woman qualified to attend state funerals and "check on the President's health daily".

You must admit that she's _so_ much easier on the eyes than Joe Lieberman..

He still has my vote!

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J,MI

Sounds like Palin lives a little too close to Russia and their governing philosophies.

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Andrea

Sounds like the Bush Administration doesn't it?

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hotspur

Hm, I think it's "toe the line," not "tow the line." I believe it refers to standing behind a designated boundary and not crossing it.

Also, thanks for an interesting read!

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Oomingmak

This smells bad.

Maybe this is related to Palin's "foreign policy experience" caused by Wasilla's proximity to Russia -- political loyalty tests sound a lot more like a authoritarian Russia than they do America...

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mary j cox

I I fail to understand this holier than thou holy roller who bore a downs syndrone baby . If she really practiced what she preaches she would be devoting all of her time and energies to help this child to develop the necessary skills so that he can survive in our world. This is what my friends .and acquaintances who have special needs children do.

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bill doc

dick cheney #2

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browneyedgirl

god I miss Bill!! Can anyone deliver a eloquent , intelligent speech anymore? When I saw the pic of McCain holding the microphone upside-down....*sigh* lord help us.

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mtobias

What a little feminine Bush she is.

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mtobias

Please look into allegations of fiscal irresponsibility, wherein she left office with the town of Wasilla 20 million bucks in debt. That should have some importance to the American VOter.

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David

I'm excited to see your ongoing posts on this subject!
Also, the correct phrase is "toe the line." Unless, of course, the librarian was actually dragging some sort of rope behind her.

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Mike

That's "toe" the line.

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HDV 18

We wouldn't be reading any of this if you morons had just voted Ron Paul in as the Republican nominee. He's the best candidate by far and is the only one of the two candidates that can really fix this country.

If you don't know about Dr. Ron Paul yet, check out some of his videos:

http:www.ronpaulvideos.net

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OH

Sounds a lot like how George Bush hired "his people" despite their qualifications in our highest offices. Look where THAT got us.

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Success Articles

We wouldn't be reading any of this if you morons had just voted Ron Paul in as the Republican nominee. He's the best candidate by far and is the only one of the two candidates that can really fix this country.

If you don't know about Dr. Ron Paul yet, check out some of his videos:

http://www.ronpaulvideos.net

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Kenta Sato

Instead, Sarah Palin is running for Anchorage mayor's election ticket once again?

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Chuckdsanders

Ok.... So you take Palin, put her in a skimpy out fit next to Mrs McCain in an equally small outfit, Then dress Mr McCain in a Robe with a pipe...And you got the new Hue Hefner.

Aren't american politics getting better by the minute?

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John A

Vladimer Palin?

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NObama

You win the mayorship, you get rid of the old guard! Welcome to politics, people! She hasn't done what EVERY politician does when they win office. You liberals will find anything to complain about.

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Joe Sidis

Gee...this sounds like....could it be? "Either you're with me or your are not!" George Bush! Obama's argument of 4 more years seams to be gaining steam....

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Hans

Keep up the good investigations... something isn't right about her. In some ways, she reminds me of a new Dick Cheney

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John

You know who else used tactics like these? Stalin. Palin/Stalin - Coincidence? I think not!

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Andy

"Can you say...4 more years of Bush...but in a dress ???"

I would define that as Giuliani

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RDW

She sounds like Bush, you better watch out or your name may show up on the "Terror Watch List."

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byte me

Funny, I don't remember the The Washington Independent reporting this when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom did the same thing exactly one year ago.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/...

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KELLY

First i want to say how sad it is to always try to find trash on another person. I wonder if it makes you feel good or are you just a naysayer. Or i caught you. whatever it is it is sick.

They say her husband got a DWI in 1984, ok, OBAMMA WAS DOING COCAINE DURING THOSE YEARS AND DRINKING. SEARCH THAT OUT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. YOU WILL PROBABLY TRY TO SMOTHER THAT ONE, BUT IT'S IN HIS BOOKS ALONG WITH A LOT OF LIES. RESEARCH PAPERS DISAPPEARING, CAN'T FIND HIS THESIS, HIS WIFE'S THESIS CAN'T BE RELEASED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. ALSO, ALL THE SHADY CHARACTERS WHO ARE OBAMMA'S FRIEND.

GIVE ME A BREAK.
PEOPLE ARE SICK TO LIVE OFF THE BACKS OF OTHER'S MISFORTUNES.

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Carolyn

Did you read this back to yourself. How sad you are naysayer!

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The Last Word

I predict Palin will drop out of the race within days, only to be replaced with a more serious, vetted candidate.

She will resign in tears, saying her family must come first, and will accuse liberal media of trying to destroy her family.

Democrats will recoil in horror, as they took the bait and the Public will blame them for being soulless vultures, cruel and unChristian.

This, my friends, is a Karl Rove masterpiece. All you puppets whose strings jangle even now are pathetic.

Rove has accounted for letting her stay, too, if it happens like that. As I do not think she is in on the scam. But she cannot handle the pressure, in fact, and she will drop out to care for her family with not a shred of deceit to be seen.

What is still undecided is: will they pick the old traitorous jew or the redi-whip cult leader?

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Moshe

“traitorous jew” what is that? There many well qualified Jews to do the job and many are not. It is not the ethnicity, it is the person. Your bigotry is not welcomed.

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Lamorial

U mean 2 say, Plain Sarah, committed a sin?

And its “tow” the line (smile); no surprise here, there is such a big line of BS coming from this admin and its getting heavier by the day.

I can just c Plain Sarah looking in Putins eyes to c his soul and he hands her a gold box filled with condoms.

Get a grip here somebody somewhere...

BTW,

Since the premise for the invasion of Iraq was to free Iraqis from the oppression of Saddam Hussein. I would like 2 know from either Sen. McCain; Sen. Obama; President Bush; or Prime Minister Gordon Brown; or just Plain Sarah:

How is it that the US wants to establish “fifty permanent US bases” in Iraq? Which is against all protocols of the UN or Geneva Conventions.

And, how is that they can insist that these military bases be de-facto fiefdoms - where they can overfly Iraq airspace at will and attack any nation without any encumbrances from Iraq whatsoever?

Lastly, how come this is not part of the electoral debate?

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Budger083

Against the protocols of what??? We have bases all over the world. Phillipines had a base or two then we were asked to leave and we left. You know what they want us back because of the jobs that we provide. I am currently in Iraq and we are training Iraqis to maintain these bases. It in turn helps with the economy and jobs. When the time comes they will not want us to leave here either.

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Connie

Scaaaaaaaaaaaaary.

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steve

Thanks for a very one-sided version of a story. You were able to cover one half of your job description.
As a former member of that podunk community I can tell you that she cleaned house where it was needed. People way to secure in their positions were moved on. Stambaugh was a perfect example. Ask someone around there that respects her and likes her and you will get a much better perspective...

More to come...Yeah right!

Steve in Juneau now

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Pottery

Telling folks there fired, being replaced is one thing. It indicates that you're doing a substandard job. But this is very Bushy. It indicates that she values loyalty above competency, much the way the Bush administration valued loyalty and rewarded it with positions people were not competent to execute. It also might indicate that she doesn't want opposition, and I usually read that as scrutiny of policy. She was entitled to have her way as Mayor, regardless, but policies should be scrutinized and pass muster. What's wrong with that? She wants people who rubber stamp her ideas.

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Pottery

My first thought was that it reminded me of something like a test for Politburo membership. This is interesting. Maybe Gov. Palin does know Russian politics, after all!

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Moshe

Slavery is outdated.

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DorothyP

@Gee The Vogue cover is a joke. Do they have PhotoShop where you're kept?

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midwst

I heard about the librarian part. It had to do with books being banned or removed from the library at the Mayor Palin's request. I wonder if the librainian kept her job by capitulating? Can you find out?

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Virginia

Loyalty to people and ideology is an earlier stage of moral development than loyalty to principle. We've had eight years of what it means to have someone who is obsessed with loyalty to his person and his ideology. Cronyism and incompetence have been rampant. Sarah Palin's management style is a big red flag.

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Bryan

"Toe" the line. Put your toes up on the line, like everyone else. A whole rank of people standing in uniform position, toes on a line. There is not a line that they are pulling. It's not very nice to criticize someone's qualifications when you're having trouble with basic English.

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JOHN

Its "toe the line".

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Budger083

Sounds like she wanted to make changes, thats her job as mayor, right???? Sounds like Obama wants to do the same thing to America, yet he has never even held a position with those responsibilities before. It is common in Texas when a new mayor is elected he puts people in positions around him/her who are loyal, Oh wait , the president of the United States does the same thing!!!!! Yet when she did it, It was wrong????? LOL

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JO JO

The revealing part of the firings are the purported reasons: the chief tried to move up the closing hours of local bars from 5 a.m. to two a.m. after a spurt of drunk driving accidents and arrests.

Odd coincidence: Palin's husband was charged with DUI back in 1986 interesting

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Judy Rael

great work...but just for your future reporting: you commented that the librarian would be reinstated if she would "tow the line." The accurate saying is "toe the line"...like standing at attention before your commander. A small thing, but you're a good and vivid writer, and I thought you might appreciate this small correction. Best, Judy Rael

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Budger083

What day was this information printed, all you have is a year. Surely if you were REPORTING then you could give the exact day and even the page and paragraph of this article. Just like the ENQUIRER!!!!

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remowill

Maybe she will do the same thing to congress. As she prevents the people from getting reasonably priced health insurance.

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AmericanWay

This is the Theocrat that the framers of the Constitution worked so hard to keep out of power. George W. Bush has finished the job of co-opting the powers of the other two branches. Now things are complete for the Pentecostal with fantasies of Holy War and God's will to bring her to power to wreak havoc on America and the world. Her pastor says Jesus, the one the Bible calls the Prince of Peace, is "operating from [a] war mode". Here's a quote from Pastor Kalnins, the false prophet:

"We need to develop as believers the instinct that we are at war, and that war is contending for your faith. ... Jesus called us to die. You're worried about getting hurt? He's called us to die. Listen, you know we can't even follow him unless you are willing to give up your life. ... I believe that Jesus himself operated from that position of war mode. Everyone say "war mode." Now you say, wait a minute Ed, he's like the good shepherd, he's loving all the time and he's kind all the time. Oh yes he is -- but I also believe that he had a part of his thoughts that knew that he was in a war."

Sound like a Jihadist to you?

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gffddgg

8 months ago

Yes.

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Carolyn

Don't have to concentrate on his history. He can't seem to get out of Hanoi yet. You hear about it on a daily basis. He is 72 years out, can not exercise because of his war wounds, and has to be on different meds. You better think hard about Palin; she will be the next president if McSame is elected.

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Lamorial

Budger - “Against the protocols of what??? We have bases all over the world. Phillipines had a base or two then we were asked to leave and we left. You know what they want us back because of the jobs that we provide. I am currently in Iraq and we are training Iraqis to maintain these bases. It in turn helps with the economy and jobs. When the time comes they will not want us to leave here either.”

What exactly is it that u don’t understand about American Imperialism - or the word footprint?
The Saudis kicked you out of Saudi Arabia. Now u have to install huge military bases - because u need the oil, and, u want to keep a close watch on Iran; not 2 mention Saudi Arabia as well.

By Tom Engelhardt:
The Greatest Story Never Told
Finally, the U.S. Mega-Bases in Iraq Make the News

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174944/why_we_c...

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Jana

WHY do you folks have your panties in such a bunch about this "small-town mayor"???

Aren't you convinced Biden will crush her like a bug in the debates?

Why the desperation to find ANY little morsal of impropriety...and about a small-town librarian, no less!

This site is SO much fun to read lately...

Funny...the more you dig up on her, the MORE I'm convinced what a great President she'll make someday when she has to stare down the likes of Putin or Ahmajinedad!

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CARREY

HEY JANA
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE BARACUDA STARES DOWN THE LIKES OF PUTIN AND AHMAJINEDAD??? TRY NUCLEAR BOMB, AND LETS HOPE ITS AIMED RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR.
THE CRAZEES LIVE IN ALASKA..!!

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Crandymandy

No offense, but you may want to go back and take a grammar refresher course. "I couldn’t help but think that being mayor of a place like this ....." should instead read "I couldn't help thinking that being mayor of a place like this...." And "tow the line" should be "toe the line." We don't need to give them any ammo for their "uneducated liberal" argument.

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nico

"tow the line" is correct. to tow the line is to pull one's weight. to toe the line is to test a boundary. palin was telling the librarian that she had to do as she would be told.

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Nancy Irving

"The whole saga is unusual — considering Palin prides herself on being independent and seems to enjoy butting heads with her own party. But, this sounds like she requires fierce loyalty of those who work for her."

Maverickyness, like loyalty (see Bush), is a one-way street, when you're a Republican.

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Joe Citizen

OBAMA/BIDEN 08'!!!

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Marcia Kirsh Kohler

Any way to mainstream your reports? PLEASE?

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Presidentless

Spoke to a man from Wasilla earlier tonight who said that Palin fired the entire city staff, which is within her power to do as executive however indiscriminately, and that the Library Director "refused" to go. He said she returned to graduate school, so there's another director there now. He also said that she had the new staff "swear loyalty oaths".

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kim

No one likes a angry man, a angry women isn't any prettier..........she said it best when she said she was a bit bull in lipstick......and that could be running the white house ....scary thought

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d. k. y.

Wasilla Hillbillies
let tell ya a story about a woman named palin
awash in oil money she kept alaska from failin
then one day while shootin wolves from a plane
who should appear but john mccain
he said sarah palin your exactly what i need
a conservative wacko with a set of ovaries
the campaign trail is where ya otta be
so they loaded up her brood and went to the R.N.C.
well the next thing ya know ole sarahs a star
the republicans appoint her the new morality czar
a book bannin mama, thinks global warming is a joke
those silly scientists must be smokin dope
karl rove who like to thank you folks for believing all his spin
hes sorry to inform you the bush regime is about to end
your all invited back in november to your polling locality
to have another helpin of disfunctionality

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Moshe

The problem is that there are too many lunatics that will vote for Bush’s litter. This is scary.

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IronJawAngel

You are down right stupid, Saul Alinsky would be sad, try reading a good book.

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Bridget McGann

Great Stuff Laura - Congrats................

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bipolar2

The locution is not "tow the line" ; it is "toe the line." A line is scratched in the dirt; bring boot toes to line up to it. Soldiers in line. OK?

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grobarr41

8 months ago

It really puzzles me that this person (Mrs Palin) was able to go from mayor to governor with no real skills and I hate to think of the intellingence level of the people who voted her in office. The state of Alaska do not have anyone who has an education above 9th grade because that is what and how she acts. It is scarry to think that her and McCain could be in the White House have an arguement over who will answer the phone and who will push the button to start WWIII.

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Hawaiianstyle

I puzzles me how anyone could have elected Bush to a second term not to mention a first.

Those are the people that you should worry about.

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IronJawAngel

Obama went from c.o. to President wow Saul Alinsky people are just stupid are you not?

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ObamaStinks

Obama has no real skills and he got voted in...but then again his voters dropped out before they reached high school...

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Porkchopicus_of_Borg

Huh. Guess that dual M.A. of mine must have come from a gumball machine.

Either that, or you haven't got anything substantive to say and you're simply falling back on fingerpointing, namecalling and mudslinging.

Shrug. Let's see you win with that platform in 2012, buckaroo.

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ImNotaWitch

8 months ago

Yeah I think she is a cool candidate, will make a great VP but ... I wouldn't want to work with her! I'll bet she's a micromanager ad nauseam and bitchy.

But as I said, a great candidate!

ImNotaWitch

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IronJawAngel

No you are just stupid.

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daliya robson

6 months ago

pass the word around that Palin had jewsih ancestors so the white trash skin heads and kkk dont vote for her next time

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IronJawAngel

How dare you say anything about the Jews, what are you a Nazi. Guess Alinsky cracks are up and running, what a bunch of loser's you are. You are hate mongers.

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Hawaiianstyle

Palin...? A female version of Dick Cheney

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IronJawAngel