Joe Biden, Coal, FIBS

Here's what he said:



Just in case that one gets pulled down like some of the others, here's another:



Try turning the sound off and just looking at the body language. Scary.

P.S.
Sarah Palin rocks! She did fabulous tonight.

Priceless! Obama Praises John McCain's Record Of Reform

The McCain-Palin team needs to make this a commercial!!!

"There is one person who's been consistent on reform issues, and that's been John McCain." -- Barack Obama

At today's speech in Green Bay, WI, Barack Obama spent much of his time attacking John McCain's reform credentials. Yet, two years ago before he was running for president, Barack Obama was saying something quite different when he praised John McCain's reform record:

Barack Obama: "There Is One Person Who's Been Consistent On Reform Issues, And That's Been John McCain." "I have asked them to prepare a list of additional proposals, additional reforms that they think will strengthen what we already have. And I will make a presentation to Democratic leadership and the caucus about some of those proposals, because I want -- and I know Joe Lieberman wants -- the strongest possible bill. And so they're in the process of doing that now. The second thing I want to mention is, you know, I know that, as I've said before, the Republicans seem to have found religion on this thing. And I'm glad about it. There is one person who's been consistent on reform issues, and that's been John McCain." (Barack Obama, Press Conference, 2/1/06)

Watch Barack Obama

Still laughing at comment

A brilliant mind (drip sarcasm) left a comment on one of my previous blogs (which I didn't post) saying Thank God Sarah Palin was there to save the banks, referred to her degree and the fact that she could see Russia from her "year". Yeah, they wrote from her year, whatever that means . Whacky weed, alchihole or public education, take your pick.

I'll take Sarah Palin's experience over Barack Obama's any day. Geez, talk about a light-weight when compared to Sarah!

Sarah is going to be VICE President and we have a sharp, experienced, intelligent, no-nonsense guy at the top of the ticket.

I love it that everyone on the Left is still comparing Barack Obama to Sarah Palin and getting all uptight about the support she's receiving.

I'd put a mother of five up against Ahmadinejad anytime!

I have to go to work, can't go into depth here, just wanted to respond since it was such a silly comment.

Also wanted to suggest that everyone on the Read My Lipstick Network list with a Blogger blog to go to "Settings", click the "Comment" tab and set your choices to "ALWAYS" on the comment moderation choice --- you put your email account in and it sends you an email for prior approval for comments. It will allow you to keep the trash talk out! I have my choice set to allow anonymous comments rather than just blogger members or other since I have comment moderation on. That allows you to get more comments than the other choices.

We're in a pickle.

No doubt about it, the United States finance system is the pits at the moment. I don't see anything positive about where we are and I don't see us digging our way out for years to come.

I listened to Secretary Henry Paulson on three programs this morning (yes, I skipped church, bad girl that I am today). I heard him speak on Fox News, Meet the Press and ABC. Three different questioners but he was consistent in his answers.

One moment I'd feel better when I heard his comments, then I'd hear the next and feel like we were flying by the seat of our pants. We are in a pickle and it seems based on all the various conversations this morning that no one has a good grasp of the best thing to do. They are hoping and making best guess choices. Scary.

I listened to Christopher Dodd (how can anyone give him ANY credibility given the amounts he's taken from Fannie May while supposedly regulating the failed agency???) and heard politics as usual. The Democrats are going to try and hold our future as hostage so they can get some pet projects through. Half the country is going to rally to their cause and enough Republicans will cave to give them what they want.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope it's the Republicans who hold strong and just get this thing through without any extra garbage attached. Work on the rest of it afterwards when we have cooler minds and can really look at what we're doing!

We are heading toward Socialism sure as I'm breathing if the Democrats take over in January. It's enough that they have the power at the moment but can you imagine what will happen if we have a Democratic Senate and White House?

1984, Animal Farm, Atlas Shrugged.

With politic and partisanship being what it is at the moment I'm not sure they're going to be able to come up with a plan that won't have us in a bigger mess in the future.

Does anyone think that Welfare was the right thing to give to politicians to handle many years back? Think about every program that started with good intentions. Once big government got hold of it they twisted it into something else to give themselves more power.

We need John McCain and Sarah Palin more than ever now. Whoever takes the helm over the next few years is going to struggle with huge problems and will be lambasted in the press no matter which way they go, but we need people who will not take us further down the road to socialism.

I hope people will put aside partisanship and their simplistic view of the Presidency and look at the long-term and the repercussions from their choice on November 4th (or tomorrow since in many states [all of them???] early voting starts September 22nd).

Nationalization of the United States, Barack Obama and Fidel Castro

It seems to me that people should be more scared of Obama than ever given all that is going on with our financial institutions, Wall Street, the housing industry and the overall economy.

We know Barack Obama's ultimate goal seems to be to turn the United States into a socialist country.

The current moves by our government will make it that much easier for Obama to reach his goals if he wins in November.

Once in office he'll decry the huge debt he has inherited and our taxes will go up to pay the government's bills. The result will be more businesses bankruptcies and fewer jobs. To help all those who are out of work or struggling, he'll nationalize health care to ensure we all have access. When talk radio and newspapers start yelling he'll shut them down for the public good. After all, times will be difficult enough and he'll say we don't need those right-wing "traitors" stirring up trouble.

He'll blame it all on George W. Bush and the Republicans.

I'm beginning to wonder on some level if this isn't a long-term plan. When I hear that moves that would have or could have stopped the current crisis were voted against by Barack Obama and other Democrats, when I hear some of the background behind the current crisis, I wonder if a more devious mind than mine could have engineered things to this point.

Will we someday look back at this year as a pivotal point in the loss of our freedoms and the country we love so much?

Here's a letter to the Editor I'd like you to read and share around the Internet if you would:

Dear Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate
my independence day, and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba, and a few months later, I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there.

In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in.

When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said, 'Praise the Lord.'

And when the young leader said, 'I will be for change and I'll bring you change,' everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away.
By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and
oppressed.
By the time everyone received their free education, it was worth nothing.
By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him.
By the time the change was finally implemented, Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status.

By the time the change was over, more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans.

And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?'

Manuel Alvarez, Jr.
Sandy Hook

"No Friend To Latinos On Immigration"

As they recall the failure of immigration reform in Congress, Democrats want to come off as the good guys. This means burying the fact that their patrons in organized labor instructed them to kill any compromise that included guest workers -- a concept AFL-CIO President John Sweeney termed 'a bad idea (that) harms all workers.' And it means trying to refute a new Spanish-language television ad from the McCain-Palin campaign that blames Barack Obama and other Senate Democrats for undermining immigration reform in 2007 with procedural delays and 'poison pill' amendments intended to make the legislation unpalatable to Republicans." -- San Diego Union Tribune's Ruben Navarette

"No Friend To Latinos On Immigration"San Diego Union TribuneRuben NavaretteSeptember 17, 2008

As they recall the failure of immigration reform in Congress, Democrats want to come off as the good guys.

This means burying the fact that their patrons in organized labor instructed them to kill any compromise that included guest workers -- a concept AFL-CIO President John Sweeney termed "a bad idea (that) harms all workers."

And it means trying to refute a new Spanish-language television ad from the McCain-Palin campaign that blames Barack Obama and other Senate Democrats for undermining immigration reform in 2007 with procedural delays and "poison pill" amendments intended to make the legislation unpalatable to Republicans.

Translated, the ad says: "Obama and his congressional allies say they are on the side of immigrants. But are they? The press reports that their efforts were 'poison pills' that made immigration reform fail. The result: No guest worker program. No path to citizenship. No secure borders. No reform. Is that being on our side? Obama and his congressional allies: Ready to block immigration reform, but not ready to lead."

That is exactly what happened. It was smart but cynical politics. Led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrats were able to please the unions and deny a Republican president a huge legislative victory, all the while making it look as if the opposing party was to blame for the debacle.

Luckily, some members of the media kept their eye on the ball and put the blame where it belonged: on Reid and the Democrats. The Washington Post's David Broder, in a column published in June 2007, blasted Reid for going "out of his way to rewrite (the immigration bill) to meet the demands of organized labor."

Now, in response to the McCain-Palin ad, Democrats are practicing revisionist history. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey said in a statement released by the Obama campaign: "To say that Barack Obama and Senate Democrats blocked the bill that Republicans filibustered is hypocritical and not true. John McCain has lost his credibility when it comes to the immigration issue. . . . (He) cannot attack Democrats on immigration in Spanish while pandering to the extreme right Tancredo wing of the Republican Party in English."

I understand that Menendez is trying to earn Obama's good graces after being a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton in the primaries. But did he really compare McCain to Tom Tancredo, the nativist congressman who also sought the GOP nomination in this year's primaries?

Senator, I know Tom Tancredo. I've written about Tom Tancredo. And John McCain is no Tom Tancredo. One of the few things that these men share is a strong dislike for one another. In one debate, McCain described Tancredo's explanation of what makes someone an American as "beyond my realm of thinking."

Others on the left are also lending a hand to Democratic efforts at damage control. They include groups dedicated to the admirable goal of achieving comprehensive immigration reform. What is not so admirable is the way that these groups have turned on McCain, whom not long ago they praised for fighting the good fight on the immigration issue. Now they claim that McCain has flip-flopped.

Baloney. They're the ones who flip-flopped, and for no grander reason than because we're in an election year.

"We are stunned," declared Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, a Washington-based liberal-leaning organization in a statement.

"A Spanish-language ad approved by Sen. John McCain accuses Sen. Obama and the Democrats of derailing immigration reform? He knows better. The whole political world knows better. Comprehensive immigration reform was blocked not by Democrats but by Republicans. . . . Immigrants and Latinos are intelligent. They know the difference between fact and fiction."

I always appreciate it when non-Latinos are patronizing and tell me what I should or shouldn't know. I know this much: Some folks inside the Beltway are so eager to put a Democrat in the White House that they're putting party before truth.

They include Latino groups such as the National Council of La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund who, as Sharry said, should know better.

During a conference call this week with reporters, NCLR Vice President Cecilia Munoz also criticized the ad and called immigration an issue that "tends to determine who the good guys are and the bad guys are for Latinos."

That implies that these advocacy groups can tell the difference. That's the point. Blinded by partisanship, they haven't a clue.

Read The Article

Barack Obama Fails To Take An AIG Position

"On the biggest financial issue of the day, Barack Obama would not say if he supported or opposed the government-backed rescue of insurance giant AIG." -- Fox News' Major Garrett

Fox News' "Special Report"September 17, 2008

Fox News' Brit Hume: "The Democrat is not coming down one way or another on the AIG rescue. Correspondent Major Garrett explains why."

Fox News' Major Garrett: "On the biggest financial issue of the day, Barack Obama would not say if he supported or opposed the government-backed rescue of insurance giant AIG."
Barack Obama: "We don't know all the details of the arrangement with AIG and the Federal Reserve must ensure that plans protect the families that count on insurance."

Garrett: "Obama also wants taxpayers protected but executives and shareholders exposed but on the central question to intervene or not, Obama sidestepped. Advisers said lack of details forced caution. The larger political truth: advisors believe anxiety alone is enough to lift Obama in the polls. That is why on the trail, Obama doesn't talk about specifics of the moment but the nation's overall direction."

Watch The Fox News Report

Welcome More Moms for McCain and We Love Sarah Palin

I didn't want to overlook saying welcome to two new members of the Read My Lipstick Network! Hi ladies and welcome aboard.

http://moremomsformccain.blogspot.com

http://welovesarahpalin.blogspot.com

Check out Wonkosphere

One of the Read My Lipstick Network members sent me an email about the McCain Victory '08 Blog Roll thing and an email with some resources that are well worth checking out if you have time. I'll add some more stuff as I get around to checking it out but the Wonkosphere was something I'm glad I found.

McCain is even beating Obama in the mentions in blogs! He's not winning by much and it doesn't differentiate between good mentions and bad but still it was nice to know he's on top in yet another area.

McCain, McCain, McCain, McCain, McCain. There, I did my part to help the cause.

If you have a John McCain or Sarah Palin blog you need to go add your blog to the Wonkosphere so your efforts get counted. Click on "contact" and there is a link so you can add your blog.

McCain on Finances

Saw in one of the other Read My Lipstick blogs that they'd tackled the financial market issue. I just rec'd the following from the McCain campaign so am going to beat the Barracuda Babes to the punch and post it! If you're tied into the network you may get it more than once!

Check out the newest member of the Read My Lipstick Network, http://welovesarahpalin.blogspot.com/ --- lots of cool stuff posted on there that I haven't found in other places.

Also, did you know that Meghan McCain has a blog? It's the McCain Blogette. Cute. I don't have a link at the moment, but I saw it on one of the other Lipstick blogs or I imagine you can do a search. I'll find it and post it on the sidebar sometime soon.

If I'm going to beat the Barracuda Babes I better post the official statement and quit chatting! By the way, don't you think it's reaching about as far as you can reach to try and paint John McCain and Sarah Palin as four more years of Bush? He has been blasted by the Republicans more than any other Republican I've ever heard about and yet they continue to try. Shows you how little substance they have to go on when trying to win the election! Now that Obama's star status is losing some of it's glow and people are paying attention, the real issues (along with the oomph provided by OUR Superwoman, Sarah Palin) are taking McCain to the top.

Here's the release:

U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery in Tampa, FL, today:

If Governor Palin and I are elected in 49 days, we are not going to waste a moment in changing the way Washington does business. And we're going to start where the need for reform is greatest. In short order, we are going put an end to the reckless conduct, corruption, and unbridled greed that have caused a crisis on Wall Street.

The working people of this state and this nation are the most innovative, the hardest working, the best skilled, most productive, most competitive in the world. This foundation of our economy, the American worker, is strong but it has been put at risk by the greed and mismanagement of Wall Street and Washington. The top of our economy is broken. We have seen self interest, greed, irresponsibility and corruption undermine the hard work of the American people. It is time to set things right, and I promise to get the job done as your president.

Americans put a lot of trust in the bankers and brokerage firms of Wall Street. They depend on the financial service sector to protect their savings, IRA's, 401k's, and pension accounts. But many leaders in finance have proven unworthy of that trust. Government has a clear responsibility to act in defense of the public interests, and that is exactly what I intend to do. We are going to make sure that American's accounts are protected. I pledge that FDIC and SPIC will have all the support they need to fully back the savings of the American people.

Too many people on Wall Street have been recklessly wagering instead of making the sound investments we expected of them. And when their companies collapse, only the CEO's seem to escape the consequences. While employees, shareholders, and other victims are left with nothing but trouble and debt, the people who helped cause the collapse make off with tens of millions in severance packages. I have spoken out against the excess of corporate executives, and I can assure you that if I am president, we're not going to tolerate that anymore. In my administration, we're going to hold people on Wall Street responsible. And we're going to enact and enforce reforms to make sure that these outrages never happen in the first place.

Too many people on Wall Street have forgotten or disregarded the basic rules of sound finance. In an endless quest for easy money, they dreamed up investment schemes that they themselves don't even understand. With their derivatives, credit default swaps, and mortgage backed securities they tried to make their own rules. But they could only avoid the basic rules of economics for so long. Now, as their schemes unravel in bankruptcies and collapse, it's once again the public who is left to bear the costs. And I promise you that on my watch, we are never going to let these kinds of abuses go uncorrected or unpunished.

Too many practices on Wall Street have been kept hidden from public view, to buy time and postpone the inevitable reckoning. Bad investments were made even worse, and risks allowed to multiply, by keeping them off the books. Derivatives, mortgage backed securities, and other complicated instruments often disguised foolish investments and were sold to insurance companies, pension funds, mutual funds, banks and individuals. When the housing markets collapsed and the value of these securities went way down, our banks couldn't pay their debts. We saw Bear Stearns collapse, followed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. More recently Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, and a troubled Merrill Lynch was sold to Bank of America in order to survive. And now we have other banks and insurance companies at risk.

So much of the loss and damage to our economy could have been avoided if these practices had been exposed to the light of day. People have a right to know when their jobs, pensions, investments, and our whole economy are being put at risked by the recklessness of Wall Street. And under my reforms for the financial sector, that fundamental right will be protected.
Too many firms on Wall Street have been able to count on casual oversight by regulatory agencies in Washington. And there are so many of those regulators that the responsibility for oversight is scattered, unfocussed and ineffective. Among others, we've got the SEC, the CFTC, the FDIC, the SPIC and the OCC. But for all their big and impressive sounding names, the fact is they haven't been doing their job right, or else we wouldn't have these massive problems on Wall Street. At their worse, they've been caught up in Washington turf wars instead of working together to protect investors and the public interests. And we don't need a dozen federal agencies doing the job badly -- we need the best federal agencies to do the job right.

Under my reforms, the American people will be protected by comprehensive regulations that will apply the rules and enforce them to the full. There will be constant access to the books and accounts of our banks and other financial institutions. By law, it will reduce the debt and risk that any bank can take on. And above all, I promise reforms to prevent the kind of wild speculation that can put our markets at risk, and has already inflicted such enormous damage across our economy.

Two years ago, I warned the administration and the Congress that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needed to be fixed, and it turns out the problem was even bigger. They waited too long and now we have a housing crisis, three bailouts with taxpayers' money, and a financial crisis. As for the Congress, members in both parties must accept a share of the responsibility. Some members seemed to measure the financial health of banks and lenders by the size of their political contributions, instead of the extent of their debt. They listened to the lobbyists, instead of to the accountants. I can promise you the days of dealing and special favors will soon be over, and in a McCain-Palin administration the public interest will always come first.

Honest people on Wall Street -- and there are many -- will have a friend in the White House when I am president. The financial services industry plays a vital and honorable role in our economy, and I will seek reforms to help them to serve their shareholders and employees. But when any Wall Street operator abuses the trust of the public, then they will face the consequences, and they will have a fight on their hands with the president of the United States.
I will fight to reform Wall Street and to protect the savings and pensions of the American people. I will make sure that Washington works for your interests, and not the special interests. I will fight to make it easier for small business owners everywhere to grow and hire. I will fight to make sure you can afford a home loan or a student loan or a small business loan. I will fight to make sure we create more jobs here at home and prosperity for all Americans.

New ad on Sarah Palin titled "Disrespectful"

Not sure I like this commercial (although all I've done is read, haven't watched it yet). I don't know that it's possible to convey all the nastiness that is being thrown in her direction by the so-called support women and minority liberals. As a woman I am doubly offended by what is being done to Sarah Palin. I am wondering how Democrats can hear one thing from their Party that espouses equality and support then see them in action and believe a thing that is said. When you compare facts, real hard data, the Republican Party has more minorities and women in positions of power in the White House than any Democrat ever has. I don't understand how people can be so easily led and ignore facts for rhetoric.

I'm off subject but it's related! I'll watch the commercial and see if they're able to convey all the background data that is listed below. If it's not, then the commercial doesn't really hit the mark for me because unless you're like me, and you listen and read a lot of political stuff, it doesn't connect the dots well enough. Here's the info on the commercial and a link so you can watch it:

Today, McCain-Palin 2008 released its latest television ad, entitled "Disrespectful." The ad highlights the Obama campaign's desperate efforts to attack and smear Governor Sarah Palin. Yet, despite all their tactics, Governor Palin is demonstrating time and again that she will be the strong vice president our country needs. The ad will air in key states.

VIEW THE AD HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b0pSXmT10I

Script For "Disrespectful" (TV :30)

ANNCR: He was the world's biggest celebrity, but his star's fading.

So they lashed out at Sarah Palin.

Dismissed her as "good looking."

That backfired, so they said she was doing, "what she was told."

Then desperately called Sarah Palin a liar.

How disrespectful.

And how Governor Sarah Palin proves them wrong, every day.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

AD FACTS: Script For "Disrespectful" (TV :30)

ANNCR: He was the world's biggest celebrity, but his star's fading. So they lashed out at Sarah Palin. Dismissed her as "good looking."

· Joe Biden Said One Of The Differences Between Him And Governor Palin Was "She's Good Looking." "In his introduction of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., just now on the rooftop of the Toledo Public Library, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., commented on the pulchritude of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain's newly-named running mate. ... 'From our perspective the whole deal is how does the government help you get back up without getting in the way?' Biden asked. 'There's a gigantic -- gigantic -- difference between John McCain and Barack Obama, and between me and I suspect my vice presidential opponent. And that is that -- ' The crowd laughed. 'Well there's obvious differences,' Biden said, beginning to ham it up. 'She's good looking,' he said, laughing. 'You know there's obvious differences. But there's a whole lot -- '" (Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe, "Oh, That Joe! (Number 4 in a Series) -- Biden on Difference Between Him And Palin: 'She's Good Looking'," ABC News' "Political Punch" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 8/31/08)

ANNCR: That backfired, so they said she was doing, "what she was told."
· Obama Chief Strategist David Axelrod: Governor Palin Did "What She Was Told." "My colleague Carrie Budoff Brown reports that David Axelrod spoke to reporters about Sarah Palin on the plane in Pennsylvania: Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said Gov. Sarah Palin is a 'skilled politician' who 'had an assignment and she went out and she discharged it.' ... 'Right down the line,' he said. 'She tried to attack Obama by saying he had no significant legislative accomplishments -- maybe that's what she was told -- but she should talk to Sen. Lugar, talk to Sen. Coburn, talk to people across the aisle in Illinois where he passed dozens of major laws to expand health care reform welfare, reduce taxes on working families. So I think she had an assignment and she went out and she discharged it.'" (Ben Smith, "Axelrod On Palin," Politico, 9/4/08)

ANNCR: Then desperately called Sarah Palin a liar. How disrespectful. And how Governor Sarah Palin proves them wrong, every day.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

· Obama Response Ad: Governor Palin "Lying" About Her Record. OBAMA AD: "They call themselves mavericks. Whoa. Truth is, they're anything but. John McCain is hardly a maverick, when seven of his top campaign advisers are Washington lobbyists. He's no maverick when he votes with Bush 90 percent of the time. And Sarah Palin's no maverick either. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it. Politicians lying about their records? You don't call that maverick. You call it more of the same." (Obama Response Ad, 9/8/08)

· Obama National Finance Committee Member Howard Gutman Questioned Whether Governor Palin Should Be Running Since She Has Five Children, Including A Child With Down Syndrome. "On the Laura Ingraham Radio show, Friday, attorney Howard Gutman -- an original member of the national finance committee for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- very directly criticized the parenting of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. ... Gutman said the issue wasn't one of gender, but one of parenting -- regardless of the gender of the parent. 'This has nothing to do with gender, whether Todd Palin was the nominee or Sarah Palin was the nominee,' Gutman said. 'If my daughter had just come home at 17 years old and said, 'Mom, Dad, I'm pregnant, we have a family problem,' I wouldn't say, "You know what we're going to do? We're going to take this private family problem...and you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go on the international stage and broadcast this to t he world."' Gutman continued, 'this wasn't a working mother issue, this was a parent issue... The proper attack is not that a woman shouldn't run for vice president with five kids, it's that a parent, when they have a family in need, a Down's baby who needs them -- mother or father.'" (Jake Tapper, "Obama Campaign National Finance Committee Member Criticizes Palin's Parenting," ABC News' "Political Punch" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 9/5/08)

· Carol Fowler, The South Carolina Democratic Chairwoman, Said Governor's Palin's "Primary Qualification Seems To Be That She Hasn't Had An Abortion." "South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler sharply attacked Sarah Palin today, saying John McCain had chosen a running mate 'whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn't had an abortion.'" (Jonathan Martin, "S.C. Dem Chair: Palin Primary Qualification Is She Hasn't Had An Abortion," Politico, http://www.politico.com, Posted 9/10/08)

· Obama Florida Co-Chair Representative Robert Wexler (D-FL) Said That Governor Palin Was A Supporter Of Pat Buchanan Who He Called A "Nazi Sympathizer." "Here's Rep. Robert Wexler of Florida: John McCain's decision to select a vice presidential running mate that endorsed Pat Buchanan for President in 2000 is a direct affront to all Jewish Americans. Pat Buchanan is a Nazi sympathizer with a uniquely atrocious record on Israel, even going as far as to denounce bringing former Nazi soldiers to justice and praising Adolf Hilter for his 'great courage.'" (Ben Smith, "Palin On Israel," Politico, http://www.politico.com, Posted 8/29/08)

· The Obama Campaign Linked Governor Palin As A Supporter Of Pat Buchanan Who They Called A "Nazi Sympathizer." "'Palin was a supporter of [MSNBC analyst] Pat Buchanan, a right-winger or as many Jews call him: a Nazi sympathizer,' Obama spokesman Mark Bubriski wrote in an email." (Marc Caputo, "Obama Camp Connects The Dots For Jews: McCain...Palin...Buchanan...Nazis," The Miami Herald's "Naked Politics" Blog, http://miamiherald.typepad.com, Posted 8/30/08)

· Obama Supporter Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) Said "Jesus Was A Community Organizer, Pontius Pilate A Governor." "Last seen in election 2008 comparing Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, to the villain played by Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, -- having survived an anti-Semitic primary challenge -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., feels liberated to come on the House floor and say that 'Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate a governor.' Prediction: the Democrats will soon put him in a sack and throw him in a basement." (Jake Tapper, "Obama-Backing Congressman: Jesus Was A Community Organizer, Pontius Pilate A Governor'," ABC News' "Political Punch" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 9/10/08)

· Announced Obama Supporter Former Sen. Lincoln Chafee Called Governor Palin A "Cocky Wacko." "Former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee has called vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a 'cocky wacko' and said her selection as John McCain's running mate has energized supporters of Democrat Barack Obama. Chafee left the Republican Party last year after losing his bid for re-election and now supports Obama. He told an audience Tuesday at the New America Foundation in Washington that the Alaska governor has revived a 'lackluster McCain candidacy.'" ("Former GOP Senator Calls Palin A 'Cocky Wacko'," The Associated Press, 9/11/08)

Yawn... Stayed up late to watch Sarah last night...

I didn't intend to stay up to watch as Sarah Palin landed and then spoke in Alaska last night, but just couldn't help myself. As I walked by to say goodnight to my husband they started talking about the crowds who had been waiting to greet her and I was hooked.

I'm so glad I stayed up to watch, although I did have to listen to reporters on CNN grousing about how no one would have ever figured we'd be watching a Vice Presidential candidate at that time of night... They were all complaining about having to stay up late it seems.

Sarah Palin is on-fire. She rocks and she IS the new superwoman!

Her talk was great last night. She knows just when to say, enough! She brings just the right touch of seriousness and humor to a talk. Obama has to be jealous as she DOES know how to excite and exhort and fire people up!

Obama's hesitating and hemming and hawing just about drives me nuts when I listen to him. I don't know why he's considered such a great speaker. But hey, he's not my guy anyway and I gather from talking to friends on the "other side" that it is not permissible to say anything negative about Obama. You have to think it in your head. I have friends who are Democrats who are SCARED to say they don't like Obama or that they disagree with something he says because they get vilified. Wow. That is seriously BAD.

I like Sarah Palin, but I'm not going to have a problem in the world saying I disagree with this or that when the time comes. I'm sure I won't like some of the things she says or does. I'd never shoot a moose or eat a mooseburger...

Gotta run, have a meeting... just wanted to say that I thought Sarah did a FANTASTIC job last night and I loved the enthusiasm of the crowd!

(How come mooseburger isn't in my spellcheck list of OK words yet???)

Bridge to Nowhere

Tidbit for you... The Alaskan senator who fought so hard for the Bridge says Sarah Palin was NEVER for the bridge... AND, both Joe Biden AND Barack Obama voted FOR the stupid bridge. Yah know, anything to help spend our tax dollars on things that aren't needed.

Democrats continue attacks... true colors showing

The Democrats continue to attack Sarah Palin, twisting her record. I understand from reading the Wall Street Journal that the Dems dispatched 30 operatives to Anchorage the day after McCain announced her as his running mate.

Shows how unprepared they were. I also heard they already had attack ads prepared featuring Romney. Shows how off-base they were with their data... Of course, can't fault them too much on that, McCain did a masterful job of surprising almost everyone!

Now the Democrats are going after Palin's religion. She's "too Christian" for them.

If I were still a Democrat I'd be running in the other direction. It is not the Party I once thought it was, which is one of the reasons I left it behind. Who needs all the negative in their life? I believe in taking care of myself, in peace, love and all the things that used to be the creed of the Democratic Party. Now it is a Party of power hungry old men and women who will do anything to attain more power, or keep their power.

The Party moved away from us. It changed. It is MEAN.

Why is it necessary to tear someone down to win? Aren't the merits of the people running enough for the American public? Why do we have to distort people, denigrate and ruin them?

What happened to raising up women? Embracing differences? Tolerance?

I understand why so many are leaving both Parties. I understand why so many are leaving politics in the dust, which may be the ultimate goal of both Parties. The fewer making choices, voting and participating, the stronger their hold will be on the fanatics who are left. The more control they will have.

I firmly believe Barack Obama is leading us to Socialism and that he is masterful in the way he is doing it. I don't for one minute believe our founders intended for America to be the country he wants it to be.

Well, I could go on about my concerns in regards to Obama, but even putting that one sentence in this blog will probably subject me to ridiculous attacks from fanatics. I am ashamed of the censorship being practiced by my once great Party and those who embrace it's negativism. I'm sorry the Democratic Party has changed so that it can only tolerate those who walk in lock-step.

The Democratic Party's true colors are showing clearly in the way they are going after Sarah Palin, her family and her religion.

FactCheck.org: "Sliming Palin"

"Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska ... In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years. ... She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. ... She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. ... Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. ... Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools." -- FactCheck.org

Sliming Palin
False Internet claims and rumors fly about McCain's running mate

FactCheck.org
September 8, 2008

SUMMARY

We've been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain's running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.

Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn't cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years.

She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin's first term.
She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She's been registered as a Republican since May 1982.

Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesy" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.

Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. She has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the evolution question, but she also said creationism "doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."

A few of these claims were included in a chain e-mail by a woman named Anne Kilkenny. We'll be looking into other charges in that e-mail for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points above, please read the Analysis.

ANALYSIS

Since Republican presidential nominee John McCain tapped Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate, information about Palin's past has been zipping around the Internet. Several claims are not true, and other rumors are misleading.

NO CUT FOR "SPECIAL NEEDS" KIDS

It's not true, as widely reported in mass e-mails, Web postings and at least one mainstream news source, that Palin slashed the special education budget in Alaska by 62 percent. CNN's Soledad O'Brien made the claim on Sept. 4 in an interview with Nicolle Wallace, a senior adviser to the McCain campaign:

O'Brien, Sept. 4: One are that has gotten certainly people sending to me a lot of e-mails is the question about as governor what she did with the special needs budget, which I'm sure you're aware, she cut significantly, 62 percent I think is the number from when she came into office. As a woman who is now a mother to a special needs child, and I think she actually has a nephew which is autistic as well. How much of a problem is this going to be as she tries to navigate both sides of that issue?

Such a move might have made Palin look heartless or hypocritical in view of her convention-speech pledge to be an advocate for special needs children and their families. But in fact, she increased special needs funding so dramatically that a representative of local school boards described the jump as "historic."According to an April 2008 article in Education Week, Palin signed legislation in March 2008 that would increase public school funding considerably, including special needs funding. It would increase spending on what Alaska calls "intensive needs" students (students with high-cost special requirements) from $26,900 per student in 2008 to $73,840 per student in 2011. That almost triples the per-student spending in three fiscal years. Palin's original proposal, according to the Anchorage Daily News, would have increased funds slightly more, giving intensive needs students a $77,740 allotment by 2011.

Education Week: A second part of the measure raises spending for students with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per student in fiscal 2008, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.Unlike many other states, Alaska has relatively flush budget coffers, thanks to a rise in oil and gas revenues. Funding for schools will remain fairly level next year, however. Overall per-pupil funding across the state will rise by $100, to $5,480, in fiscal 2009. ...Carl Rose, the executive director of the Association of Alaska School Boards, praised the changes in funding for rural schools and students with special needs as a "historic event," and said the finance overhaul would bring more stability to district budgets.

According to Eddy Jeans at the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, funding for special needs and intensive needs students has increased every year since Palin entered office, from a total of $203 million in 2006 to a projected $276 million in 2009.

Those who claim that Palin cut special needs funding by 62 percent are looking in the wrong place and misinterpreting what they find there. They point to an apparent drop in the Department of Education and Early Development budget for special schools. But the special schools budget, despite the similar name, isn't the special needs budget.

"I don't even consider the special schools component [part of] our special needs funding," Jeans told FactCheck.org. "The special needs funding is provided through our public school funding formula. The special schools is simply a budget component where we have funding set aside for special projects," such as the Alaska School for the Deaf and t he Alaska Military Youth Academy.

A different budget component, the Foundation Program, governs special needs programs in the public school system.And in any case, the decrease in funding for special schools is illusory. Palin moved the Alaska Military Youth Academy's ChalleNGe program, a residential military school program that teaches job and life skills to students under 20, out of the budget line for "special schools" and into its own line. This resulted in an apparent drop of more than $5 million in the special schools budget with no actual decrease in funding for the programs.

NOT A BOOK BURNER

One false rumor accuses then-Mayor Palin of threatening to fire Wasilla's librarian for refusing to ban books from the town library. Some versions of the rumor come complete with a list of the books that Palin allegedly attempted to ban. The story is false on several fronts: Palin never asked that books be banned; the librarian continued to serve in that position; no books were actually banned; and many of the books on the list that Palin supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that the list is a fabrication.

It's true that Palin did raise the issue with Mary Ellen Emmons, Wasilla's librarian, on at least two occasions. Emmons flatly stated her opposition both times. But, as the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman (Wasilla's local paper) reported at the time, Palin asked general ques tions about what Emmons would say if Palin requested that a book be banned. According to Emmons, Palin "was asking me how I would deal with her saying a book can't be in the library." Emmons reported that Palin pressed the issue, asking whether Emmons' position would change if residents were picketing the library. Wasilla resident Anne Kilkenny, who was at the meeting, corroborates Emmons' story, telling the Chicago Tribune that "Sarah said to Mary Ellen, 'What would your response be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?'"

Palin characterized the exchange differently, initially volunteering the episode as an example of discussions with city employees about following her administration's agenda. Palin described her questions to Emmons as "rhetorical," notin g that her questions "were asked in the context of professionalism regarding the library policy that is in place in our city."

Actually, true rhetorical questions have implied answers (e.g., "Who do you think you are?"), so Palin probably meant to describe her questions as hypothetical or theoretical. We can't read minds, so it is impossible for us to know whether or not Palin may actually have wanted to ban books from the library or whether she simply wanted to know how her new employees would respond to an instruction from their boss.

It is worth noting that, in an update, the Frontiersman points out that no book was ever banned from the library's shelves. Moreover, although Palin fired Emmons as part of a "loyalty" purge, she rehired Emmons the next day, and Emmons remained at her job for two-and-a-half more years. Actually, Palin initially requested Emmons' resignation in October 1996, four days before the public discussion of censorship. That was a t the same time she requested that all four of Wasilla's department heads resign. Palin described the requests as a loyalty test and allowed all four department heads to retain their positions. But on Jan. 30, 1997, three months after the censorship discussion, Palin informed Emmons and Wasilla's police chief, Irv Stambaugh, that they would be fired.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Palin did not list censorship as a reason for Emmons' firing. Palin rehired Emmons the following day. Emmons continued to serve as librarian until August 1999, when the Chicago Tribune reports that she resigned.So what about that list of books targeted for banning, which accordin g to one widely e-mailed version was taken "from the official minutes of the Wasilla Library Board"?

If it was, the library board should take up fortune telling. The list includes the first four Harry Potter books, none of which had been published at the time of the Palin-Emmons conversations. The first wasn't published until 1998. In fact, the list is a simple cut-and-paste job, snatched (complete with typos and the occasional incorrect title) from the Florida Institute of Technology library Web page, which presents the list as "Books banned at one time or another in the United States."

CLOSET SECESSIONIST?

Palin was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party -- which calls for a vote on whether Alaska should secede from the union or remain a state -- despite mistaken reports to the contrary. But her husband was a member for years, and she attended at least one party convention, as mayor of the town in which it was held.The party's chair originally told reporters that Palin had been a member, but the official later retracted that statement.

Chairwoman Lynette Clark told the New York Times that false information had been given to her by another member of the party after she first told the Times and others that Palin joined the AIP in 1994. Clark issued an apology on the AIP Web site.

The director of Alaska's Division of Elections, Gail Fenumiai, confirms that Palin registered to vote in the state for the first time in May 1982 as a Republican and hasn't changed her party affiliation since. She also told FactCheck.org that Palin's husband, Todd, was registered with AIP from October 1995 to July 2000, and again from September 2000 until July 2002. (He has since been registered as undeclared.) However, the AIP says Todd Palin "never participated in any party activities aside from attending a convention in Wasilla at one time."

There is still some dispute as to whether Sarah Palin also attended the AIP's 1994 convention, held in Wasilla. Clark and another AIP official told ABC News' Jake Tapper that both Palins were there. Palin was elected mayor of Wasilla two years later. The McCain campaign says Sarah Palin went to the 2000 AIP convention, also held in Wasilla, "as a courtesy since she was mayor." As governor, Palin sent a video message to the 2008 convention, which is available on YouTube, and the AIP says she attended in 2006 when she was campaigning.

DIDN'T ENDORSE PAT BUCHANAN

Claims that Palin endorsed conservative Republican Pat Buchanan for president in the 2000 campaign are false. She worked for conservative Republican Steve Forbes.

The incorrect reports stem from an Associated Press story on July 17, 1999, that said Palin was "among those sporting Buchanan buttons" at a lunch for Buchanan attended by about 85 people, during a swing he took through Fairbanks and Wasilla. Buchanan didn't help matters when he told a reporter for the liberal publication The Nation on Aug. 29: "I'm pretty sure she's a Buchananite." But in fact, she wasn't.

Soon after The AP story appeared, Palin wrote in a letter to the editor of the Anchorage Daily News that she had merely worn a Buchanan button as a courtesy to her visitor and was not endorsing him. The lette r, published July 26, 1999, said:

Palin, July 26, 1999: As mayor of Wasilla, I am proud to welcome all presidential candidates to our city. This is true regardless of their party, or the latest odds of their winning. When presidential candidates visit our community, I am always happy to meet them. I'll even put on their button when handed one as a polite gesture of respect.Though no reporter interviewed me for the Associated Press article on the recent visit by a presidential candidate (Metro, July 17), the article may have left your readers with the perception that I am endorsing this candidate, as opposed to welcoming his visit to Wasilla. As mayor, I will welcome all the candidates in Wasilla.

Palin actually worked for Forbes. Less than a month after being spotted wearing the "courtesy" button for Buchanan, she was named to the state leadership committee of the Forbes effort. The Associated Press reported on Aug. 7, 1999:

The Associated Press, Aug. 7 1999: State Sen. Mike Miller of Fairbanks will head the Alaska campaign chairman for Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes, campaign officials said. Joining the Fairbanks Republican on the leadership committee will be Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin, and former state GOP chairman Pete Hallgren, who will serve as co-chairs.

Still, after nine years, the truth has yet to catch up completely.

NO CREATIONISM IN SCHOOLS

On Aug. 29, the Boston Globe reported that Palin was open to teaching creationism in public schools. That's true. She supports teaching creationism alongside evolution, though she has not actively pursued such a policy as governor.

In an Oct. 25, 2006, debate, when asked about teaching alternatives to evolution, Palin replied:

Palin, Oct. 25, 2006: Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject -- creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides.

A couple of days later, Palin amended that statement in an interview with the Anchorage Daily News, saying:

Palin, Oct. 2006: I don't think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum.

After her election, Palin let the matter drop. The Associated Press reported Sept 3: "Palin's children attend public schools and Palin has made no push to have creationism taught in them. ... It reflects a hands-off attitude toward mixing government and religion by most Alaskans." The article was headlined, "Palin has not pushed creation science as governor." It was written by Dan Joling, who reports from Anchorage and has covered Alaska for 30 years.

THAT E-MAIL AUTHOR

Switching gears: Almost 100 readers have written to ask us if the many claims made about Palin in an e-mail written by someone named Anne Kilkenny are true. We can tell you that Kilkenny is a real person. (She was quoted by the Chicago Tribune, as we said above.) According to the New York Times, she's a Democrat. According to Kilkenny herself, Palin "has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship."We're still analyzing Kilkenny's claims, and we will be posting something on this soon.

--By Brooks Jackson, Jessica Henig, Emi Kolawole, Joe Miller and Lori Robertson

Sources

Sutton, Anne. "Governor signs revamped education package into law." Anchorage Daily News, 28 Mar. 2008.
Holland, Megan. "Intensive needs funding examined." Anchorage Daily News, 12 Jan. 2008.
Cavanagh, Sean. "Alaska Legislators Overhaul Funding." Education Week, 29 Apr. 2008.
Joling, Dan. "Palin has not pushed creation science as governor." The Associated Press, 3 Sept. 2008.
Hayes, Christopher. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite." The Nation "Capitolism" Web site, 29 Aug. 2008.
Palin, Sarah. "Letters from the People." Anchorage Daily News. 26 July 1999; 5B.
The Associated Press: "Forbes sets Alaska leadership team," 7 Aug 1999.
Kizzia, Tom. "'Creation science' enters the race." Anchorage Daily News, 27 Oct. 2006.
Paulson, Michael. "Sarah Palin on faith, life and creation." The Boston Globe, 29 Aug. 2008.
Tapper, Jake. "Another AIP Official Says Palin Was at 1994 Convention." ABCNews.com, 2 Sept. 2008.
Tapper, Jake. "Members of Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Incorrectly Say Palin Was a Member in 90s." ABCNews.Com, 1Sept. 2008.
Komarnitsky, S.J. "Wasilla Keeps Librarian, But Police Chief Is Out." 1 February 1997. The Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sept. 2008.
Stuart, Paul. "FROM THE ARCHIVE: Palin: Library Censorship Inquiries 'Rhetorical'." 18 December 1996. Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, 8 Sept. 2008.
White, Rindi. "Palin Asked City Librarian Whether She'd Ban Books." 7 September 2008. The Chicago Tribune, 8 Sept. 2008.

Read Entire FactCheck.org Report, "Sliming Palin"

Palin beats Obama on experience

September 8, 2008
(Chicago Tribune)
As someone who cast a vote for Hillary Clinton in this year's Illinois primary, I have something to say about McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential running mate.

Obama has been too quick, and too defensive in tone, to try and paint Gov. Palin as low on experience -- even while claiming that McCain now has no business questioning the credentials and experience of Obama.

With independent voters, Obama has two large risks in trying to push this point...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-080908experience_briefs,0,3474973.story

"Ms. Palin's Pipeline"

Sarah Palin's approval rating is up to 82% in Alaska. How in the world can the media want to trash such a fine lady? If the people who know you best think you're great who are these interlopers to try and throw garbage? Oh, wait, they have an agenda... they don't report the news any more, they make the news. They just have to take something good or great and make it horrible. What happened to good journalism? Why can't good be good anymore? If the Democrats lived what they preached wouldn't the world be a much better place? I bet if both parties walked the walk we'd have a love-fest going on.

Here's the latest release from McCain-Palin 2008:

"But it is also a sign that Ms. Palin's outflanking of the oil companies injected some competition and urgency into a process that was previously stalled. Perhaps her Democratic opponent for the governorship in 2006, who campaigned on similar ideas, would have achieved these results. Nevertheless, Ms. Palin actually did." -- The Washington Post

"Ms. Palin's Pipeline"
Editorial
The Washington Post
September 8, 2008

People are still buzzing about Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech. But while her style has been minutely analyzed, very little commentary has focused on one of the few substantive claims she made about her brief tenure as governor of Alaska: that she "fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history . . . a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence." Is Ms. Palin right about the importance of the pipeline and her role in moving it forward?

Ms. Palin is indeed correct about the need to tap the 35 trillion cubic feet of natural gas under Alaska's North Slope, the same region whose oil made the state wealthy but which has begun to run dry. Natural gas demand is growing rapidly in North America, and low-carbon natural gas is better for the environment than coal or petroleum. This means that the outlook for gas prices is relatively bullish, making the economics of an Alaska pipeline more favorable than ever before. Yet for decades the idea has been deadlocked by federal and state politics -- and unless the United States can install a pipeline to transport Alaska's gas soon, companies may commit to foreign sources of liquefied natural gas, thus locking in long-term dependency on imports.

Congress passed legislation to expedite a pipeline in 2004. Ms. Palin's predecessor as governor, Republican Frank H. Murkowski, attempted to negotiate a deal with the three oil companies that control the North Slope gas, Exxon Mobil, BP and Conoco Phillips. His plan would have awarded the companies a long-term tax freeze in return for relatively weak commitments to actually build the pipeline. But even though Vice President Cheney and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) lobbied hard for Mr. Murkowski's approach, Alaska's public and legislature balked, viewing the proposal as stacked in favor of the Big Three oil companies. Ms. Palin rode criticism of Mr. Murkowski's deal to victory over him in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary and then to the governor's office later that year. She reversed Mr. Murkowski's strategy, asking the legislature to pass a law setting criteria for a deal, then throwing the project open to companies other than the Big Three. The result was a commitment by an experienced pipeline company, TransCanada, to build the project, which may take 10 years, in return for $500 million in state seed money derived from Alaska's recent oil windfall.

The oil companies still control the gas. So, if TransCanada actually gets all the necessary permits, assembles financing and builds the pipeline, the Big Three will have to be persuaded, years from now, to ship their gas through it on reasonable terms. Meanwhile, BP and Conoco Phillips have announced plans to build a pipeline of their own without the state's backing -- a sign that the political and economic wrangling over this immense and risky project is far from over. But it is also a sign that Ms. Palin's outflanking of the oil companies injected some competition and urgency into a process that was previously stalled. Perhaps her Democratic opponent for the governorship in 2006, who campaigned on similar ideas, would have achieved these results. Nevertheless, Ms. Palin actually did.

Read The Editorial

Sarah Palin has a website?

Tried to find the website mentioned in the media that was set up by the McCain camp to combat the garbage being distributed about Sarah Palin. I searched on the main www.JohnMcCain.com website without any luck. Tried searching Google for Sarah Palin, no luck. Added the word "website" and voila, found the following part way down the page. I don't think I found the right one yet, but it is interesting and pro-Palin.

Here's the link: http://palinforamerica.com/ and here's a release from the site:

Task Force Palin Launches

Several pro-Palin websites and supporters, including this site Palin for America, have joined forces to create Task Force Palin:

Building on the continued success of the grassroots movement to draft Governor Sarah Palin as America’s next Vice President, a number of pro-Palin websites are pooling their resources into a new effort, “Task Force Palin” (TFP), which can be found online at tfp.palinforamerica.com. The founding members of TFP are “Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President” (palinforvp.blogspot.com), PalinForVP.com, “Palin for America” (palinforamerica.com), and “Students of America” (myspace.com/studentsofamerica); with more members expected to join after the launch.

While TFP will primarily work to convince McCain and his supporters that Sarah Palin would be the best choice for Vice President, it is also intended to look beyond the 2008 election. Regardless of the outcome this year, TFP will continue to coordinate an organized network of Palin supporters around the United States. "It is my strong opinion that Sarah Palin's independence, integrity, and natural leadership style personify America's founding values,” said the proprietor of Palin for America, “Palin's values, now more than ever, must have a strong presence in the office of the executive."

Michel Luciano of Students for America also weighed in on why he decided to back TFP, saying, "I believe that Governor Sarah Palin's conservative credentials, fight against corruption, and stance on energy security along with her leadership experience as Mayor of Wasilla and Governor of Alaska make her the best qualified candidate for Vice President of the United States."

“Task Force Palin takes the short-term VP effort and institutionalizes it as a more permanent presence,” said Adam Brickley, founder of Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President. “If Palin becomes the vice-presidential candidate, then we will have some of the best coverage of the VP race on the internet. If not, we have an organization which can continue to promote Palin as a national figure and, should the worst occur, a candidate to unseat Barack Obama in 2012. While it’s only in its embryonic stages right now, were hoping to evolve TFP into a centralized headquarters that combines the functions of all of our sites into an online one-stop-shop for all things Palin. TFP will be bigger, better, and more professional than anything we’ve done before”.

Learn more at: http://tfp.palinforamerica.com

Everywhere I go, everyone is talking about Sarah Palin!

It's fabulous listening to the talk about Sarah Palin! The more they attack, the more people love her and rally to her cause, and to her side! It is SO obvious they're scared of her! Go get 'em Sarah! Go get 'em McCain!

Reading polls today and yesterday--- McCain is gaining ground (not that the polls seem to be right anymore if they ever were). It was 50-50 on some polls and they don't expect the real numbers until Monday.

Exciting! Heard an update from a couple of people who were at the Convention last week. One had been to 3 or 4 others and said this was absolutely THE best ever when it came to enthusiasm. I think it's because it's not just typical politics, it's not the usual suspects... it's The MAVERICK showing them how it's done and he's got everything all up in the air in a positive way. We're READY for a change John McCain.

Here's the nightly update from the Southeast guys (is it the same in your region? imagine it might be):

Saturday, 9/6/08
59 Days to the Election of John McCain
McCain Nightly Memo
From: SE Regional Offices, Tallahassee
To: McCain Team Member
Topic: John McCain in Michigan and Wisconsin

John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin Hit the Campaign Trail

John McCain and his running mate Governor Sarah Palin hit the campaign trail in Colorado and New Mexico today. Yesterday, McCain and Governor Palin visited the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin. Thunderous crowds greeted the Republican ticket in Cedarburg, Wisconsin and Sterling Heights, Michigan respectively. The audience of more than 20,000 people in Cedarburg heard John McCain talk about reforming Washington and putting our economy back on track.

Listen here to a news segment covering John McCain's visit to Wisconsin: www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/27928609.html?video=YHI&t=a

As for the campaign stop today in Colorado, there is quite an interesting story surrounding the appearance of a large number of American flags. The story ties into the Democratic National Convention held in Denver last week.

This is a video you must watch to understand and truly appreciate: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_0mPmDnlvI

Democratic VP Candidate Senator Joe Biden Praises John McCain's Character
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, likes to tell crowds that he and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are friends. In a packed gymnasium at Maple Point Middle School in Langhorne, Pa., this aftern oon, before a receptive crowd, Biden explained just how close they are. "John McCain is my friend," said the loquacious Blue Hen. "I admire John McCain. I know of no man or woman I have ever met that has more personal courage than John McCain. We have been friends for over 33 years. We have traveled together. When John was Navy liaison he staffed me for three or four years everywhere I traveled in the world. "Jill and John are good friends," Biden said, referring to his wife Dr. Jill Biden, who had just introduced him...

"But he's a great guy," Biden said, "and if John called me today and said 'Joe -,' like when they went after John McCain, when Bush went after him in South Carolina with the scurrilous comments they made about his character, I called him and said, 'John, where do you want me? I'm an Al Gore man but where do you want me? I will show up anywhere in America to testify to the kind of man you are.' And he is a good man, he is a good man."
- Senator Joe Biden (September 5, 2008)

Must Clicks

John McCain's speech to the Republican National Convention on Thursday attracted a record number of viewers, besting Senator Obama's speech the week before in Denver. McCain gave an incredible narrative about his personal journey and offered an uplifting, positive vision on how to restore the American economic dream and change the overly partisan tone in Washington.

Click here to watch the speech: John McCain Addresses the Nation

Listen to the McCain's Campaign Weekly Radio Address: Delivered This Week by Governor Sarah Palin

In Case You Didn't Know

John McCain has a muscular economic plan that will restore American economic prosperity and ease the pain for struggling families across the nation.

America is being squeezed by skyrocketing energy prices. Senator Barack Obama remains opposed to offshore drilling and building nuclear power plants. John McCain has an "All of the Above" comprehensive energy plan that will tap all energy sources and promote new technologies to solve our energy crisis and bring down prices. John McCain also believes that is essential to reform our current unemployment insurance system to include high quality worker retraining programs. As workers receive training in their new fields of employment, John McCain's plan will provide them financial aid to help support their families in the interim.

The United States has the second highest corporate tax rate in the world. Businesses will continue to move out of the United States and cut well paying American jobs, unless we lower the corporate tax rate to a level commensurate with the rest of the world. John McCain supports this measure, while Barack Obama instead proposes raising income taxes, business taxes, and social security taxes.

Must Reads

GOP Fires Up Cedarburg
By Dave Umhoefer & Craig Gilbert
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
September 6, 2008

At a packed Cedarburg street rally Friday, the GOP ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin used their first post-convention campaign stop to promise a war on special-interest influence and excessive partisanship in Washington.

"We're going to start working for the people of this country," McCain shouted. "It's over for the special interests. It's over!"

To read more, click here: GOP Fires Up Cedarburg

McCain Makes Run at Michigan, A Wavering Democratic Stronghold
By Joel Millman
The Wall Street Journal
September 6, 2008

Sterling Heights, MI- If John McCain becomes the nation's 44th president, it may be thanks to Michigan -- a prize the Republicans think they can claim for the first time in nearly 20 years.
On Friday, Sen. McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, arrived in this auto-plant town in Detroit's suburbs to begin their final election sprint. The goal: Persuade disaffected voters like Howard Mitchell that Republicans still deserve their support.

To read more, click here: McCain Makes Run at Michigan , A Wavering Democratic Stronghold

The Maverick is Back
Washington Times
September 6, 2008

Once considered an unbranded calf, the term "maverick" has come to define a politician who takes an independent stand. It has been argued that, despite the "R" behind his name, John McCain can't be branded - or painted in a box. His record indicates that he has bucked the party brand to blaze an independent path - including legislation on tax cuts, embryonic stem-cell research and immigration.

To read more, click here: The Maverick is Back

Finally This Evening...

Would you like to share your excitement about John McCain and Governor Palin with your community? If so, John McCain and Governor Palin are calling you to action. We need p eople to write Letters to the Editor and submit them to their local newspaper.

Writing a Letter to the Editor on behalf of John McCain is a great way to make an important contribution to our grassroots campaign. A consistent stream of Letters to the Edtior across Georgia that are supportive of John McCain will demonstrate to your neighbors and undecided voters that momentum and enthusisam are building for our campaign.

This is a small, but crucial effort that you can undertake for the campaign. It will only require an hour of your time each week to write a Letter to the Editor, but it will make a difference in your community.

We strongly encourage you to write a Letter to the Editor. Click here to find the Email Address for Your Local Newspaper.

Reform, Prosperity and Peace

What they're saying about Governor Palin's Address to the Republican National Convention

Governor Palin Was "Simply Brilliant"

ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "She Gets An 'A.'"
ABC's CYNTHIA MCFADDEN: "Joining me now is ABC's chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos for the Nightline report card. So George, what about it, did she win them over?"
STEPHANOPOULOS: "She definitely gets an 'A' for this, especially when you look at that crowd tonight. They loved every minute of her speech, but also I think to the television audience, she was appealing, she was funny, she was warm at times, very, very tough at times as well. And she really did have an ability to bring these things down to earth, bring these issues down to earth, like when she talked about saving money in the state of Alaska." (ABC's "Nightline," 9/3/08)

· NBC's Tom Brokaw: "She Could Not Have Been More Winning Or Engaging." "Tonight makes a very auspicious debut as the vice presidential candidate before this hall and a national television audience. She could not have been more winning or engaging." (NBC's "Republican National Convention Coverage," 9/3/08)

· CNN's Anderson Cooper: Governor Palin "Is A Force To Be Reckoned With." "I mean as you said a star was born certainly for the Republican Party. Whether you agree with her or disagree with her, no one has any doubt, I think listening to that speech, that she is a force to be reckoned with." (CNN's, "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· CNN's Candy Crowley: "She Was, I Thought, Terrific." (CNN's "Republican National Convention," 9/3/08)

· CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "And She Not Only Hit A Home Run, It Might Have Been Even A Grand Slam." (CNN's "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· CNN's Jeffrey Toobin: "This Speech Was A Heck Of A Lot Better Than Joe Biden's Speech." "Well, let's just start with an obvious point that I don't think anyone has made yet. This speech was a heck of a lot better than Joe Biden's speech." (CNN's, "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· ABC's Robin Roberts: "Oh, What A Night!" "Oh, what a night! Can we say this place went nuts, erupted when John McCain's running-mate took the stage, a lengthy standing ovation for Sarah Palin, the self-professed average hockey mom. Such support she received from her family and the delegates here, even the Michigan delegates were dressed in matching hockey shirts and she did stir things up here last night." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 9/4/08)

· Former Clinton Adviser Howard Wolfson: "Quite Impressive." "And look, she did a very, very good job. I agree Democrats have reason to be concerned. Nobody should underestimate this woman's political ability. To go on stage in a hall like this, to give a speech like this for the first time ever, quite impressive." (Fox News' "American Election Headquarters," 9/3/08)

· The Financial Times' Chrystia Freeland: Governor Palin Was "Absolutely Dazzling." "Absolutely, she did not sound like she was from one of the coasts. She sounded like she was a really normal, down-to-earth person, and at the same time, clearly she is an extraordinary person, because she was absolutely dazzling." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/4/08)

· The Washington Post's Dan Balz: Governor Palin "Ready For A Fight." "On Wednesday night, she took the opportunity to answer back, and she put her critics -- Democrats, the media and the Washington political establishment -- on notice that she is ready for a fight." (Dan Balz, "Striking Back At Critics, One By One," The Washington Post, 9/4/08)

The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes: "She's A Natural." "She's a natural, gifted with the ability to connect with people in a way that few politicians can and to perform under extreme pressure. She has star quality." (Fred Barnes, "The Natural," The Weekly Standard, 9/4/08)

· Barnes: Governor Palin "Made It Look Like She'd Been Performing On The National Political Stage For Years." "Sarah Palin delivered what may have been the most important speech ever by a vice presidential candidate and made it look like she'd been performing on the national political stage for years." (Fred Barnes, "The Natural," The Weekly Standard, 9/4/08)

· The Associated Press: Governor Palin "Reminiscent Of Ronald Reagan." "Sarah Palin delivered. But the former TV sportscaster spoke in calm, TV-friendly tones reminiscent of Ronald Reagan. Like the former GOP president, Palin warmed the crowd with quips and jokes." (Tom Raum and Liz Sidoti, "Palin Delivers Star-Turning Performance For GOP," The Associated Press, 9/4/08)

· MSNBC's David Gregory: "I Think It Was A Very Strong Presentation." "I think this was a very strong presentation. I think it was well-received. I think what Sarah Palin achieved tonight, what Governor Palin achieved, is something that a lot of Republicans who are here and who are watching didn`t think was necessarily possible. And that is that there could be a very energized and enthusiastic base of the Republican Party." (MSNBC's "MSNBC Special," 9/3/08)

· Roll Call's Mort Kondracke: "Simply Brilliant." "Simply brilliant ... It was incredibly sophisticated and effective. You know, it was derisive of Barack Obama in a sort of funny way but a very poignant way, about his lack of experience and about, you know, her experience as a mayor." (Fox News' "American Election Headquarters," 9/3/08)

The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol: "A Star Was Born Last Night." "A star was born last night--but I won't belabor that fact, especially since it was the title of my New York Times column Monday." (Bill Kristol, "The Speech," The Weekly Standard, 9/4/08)

· Fox News' Chris Wallace: "A New Star In The Political Galaxy." "I don't think it's overstating it to say being right here on the floor that a star was born tonight -- a new star in the political galaxy." (FOX News' "On The Record," 9/4/08)

· The Washington Post's Jonathan Capehart: "Absolutely A Star Was Born In The Republican Party. There's No Question That She Delivered An Incredible Performance." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/4/08)

The Washington Post Editorial: "The Alaska Governor Proved Herself More Than Capable Of Making A Strong Case For Nominee John McCain." "Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech at the convention last night was an impressive debut on the national stage -- well-delivered, with an appealing combination of charm and bite befitting her description of a hockey mom as a pit bull in lipstick. The Alaska governor proved herself more than capable of making a strong case for nominee John McCain and landing some pretty good zingers, aimed at both the Democratic nominee and the 'Washington elite.'" (Editorial, "Ms. Palin's Introduction," The Washington Post, 9/4/08)

Democrat Strategist Steve McMahon: Governor Palin "Confident, Articulate And Strong." "'She was confident, articulate and strong. And she seemed folksy and real. So she's passed the style test. The next test will be on substance,' said Democratic analyst Steve McMahon." (David Brown, Salena Zito and Mike Wereschagin, "'Small-Town' VP Nominee Palin Stands Tall," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/4/08)

A Brilliant Speech That Electrified:

The New York Times: "Palin's Appearance Electrified A Convention." "Ms. Palin's appearance electrified a convention that has been consumed by questions of whether she was up to the job, as she launched slashing attacks on Mr. Obama's claims of experience." (Elisabeth Bumiller and Michael Cooper, "Palin Assails Critics And Electrifies Party," The New York Times, 9/4/08)

· The Washington Post: Governor Palin "Electrified The Republican Convention." "Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin electrified the Republican convention Wednesday night, pitching herself as a champion of government reform, mocking Democratic candidate Barack Obama as an elitist and belittling media criticism of her experience." (Michael D. Shear, "Palin Comes Out Fighting," The Washington Post, 9/4/08)

The Associated Press: Governor Palin "Energized Delegates With A Rousing Speech." "The Republican presidential nomination his at last, John McCain makes his case for the presidency to the GOP convention and the nation after his surprise choice for vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, energized delegates with a rousing speech." (Glen Johnson, "Palin Revs Up Republicans For McCain," The Associated Press, 9/4/08)

ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "There Were A Lot Beautiful And Effective Lines In This Speech." (ABC's "Republican National Convention Coverage," 9/3/08)

ABC's Diane Sawyer: "It Was Thunderous In This Room Last Night." "Right here at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul and it was thunderous in this room last night." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 9/4/08)

CBS' Maggie Rodriguez: "She Needed To Deliver Here Last Night, And Talk To Anybody, And They Say She Did Not Disappoint. They Just Ate It Up, Harry." (CBS' "The Early Show," 9/4/08)

CNN's Wolf Blitzer: Governor Palin "Delivered A Very, Very Passionate And Rousing Speech." "What a night it's been. History has been made. The Republicans going forward for the first time in their history with a woman who will be on the ticket. And we heard from the governor of Alaska. She delivered a very, very passionate and rousing speech." (CNN's "Larry King Live," 9/4/08)

FOX News' Juan Williams: Democrats Say Barack Obama "Is Terrific." "What I have been hearing from Democrats around the country as they've been watching is they say, 'She is terrific.'" (FOX News' "On The Record," 9/4/08)

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski: "She Sounded Good, She Was Good And She Connects With Women." "But here's your problem: she looked good, she sounded good, she was good and she connects with women. I'm telling you right now, I watched it from my perspective as a working mother and I can tell you there are probably many out there facing many different types of challenges in their lives, economic, and that woman spoke to women across America in a way any other candidate, male -- sorry -- could not have. She brings a new dimension to this race, you have to admit it." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/4/08)

NBC's Meredith Vieira: Governor Palin "Energized The Crowd." "She brought them to their feet. In the biggest speech of her lifetime, and her first ever to a national audience, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin energized the crowd and she showed that she could throw some pretty good punches of her own." (NBC's "Today," 9/4/08)

Politico: Governor Palin "Wowed The Republican Convention." "In her first national address, vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin wowed the Republican convention using wit, sarcasm, charm and ridicule in a full scale assault on a now familiar cast of GOP targets -- an elitist adversary, a biased media and high taxes." (Jeanne Cummings and Beth Frerking, "Palin Wows GOP, Puts Dems On Notice," Politico, 9/4/08)

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Governor Palin "Brought Thundering Ovations." "Unknown even to many Republicans a week ago, Palin wrapped a personal profile and philosophical pitch into a 40-minute talk that brought thundering ovations from delegates at the Republican National Convention." (David Brown, Salena Zito and Mike Wereschagin, "'Small-town' VP Nominee Palin Stands Tall," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 9/4/08)

A Hockey Mom To Be Reckoned With:

Politico: "Palin Will Not Flinch From The Fight." "When the nearly 40-minute address came to a close, however, all doubts were doused and Democrats were on notice that Palin will not flinch from the fight." (Jeanne Cummings and Beth Frerking, "Palin Wows GOP, Puts Dems On Notice," Politico, 9/4/08)

CBS' Jeff Glor: "This Was A Hockey Mom Not Afraid To Throw Body Checks, As She Slammed Barack Obama's Early Work In Chicago As A Community Organizer." (CBS' "The Early Show," 9/4/08)

The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol: "Palin Went Right For Obama's Fundamental Weakness." "The attack on Obama was very deft. Palin went right for Obama's fundamental weakness--that he's never done anything impressive. (And by giving such a good speech, she partly undermined his claim to be the only one who could speak impressively.)." (Bill Kristol, "The Speech," The Weekly Standard, 9/4/08)