January 13, 2009

Meghan McCain: "Sarah Palin is the only part of the campaign that I won’t comment on publicly."

Oh, my.

160 comments:

Michael Haz said...

Let's assume the best and believe that because Ms. McCain has witnessed the media abuse and anger heaped on the Palin family, she doesn't want to say anything that could be twisted to fit the media template. Or the Palin hater template.

Sprezzatura said...

I've been thinking that the back story of the HRC was the most interesting campaign story yet to be fully written.

But, maybe the McCain stuff is even better. There seem to be many unspoken grievances. Are there more JTP-level rebukes, from all sides, that remain unexplored?

And, now that HRC is killing (in a good way) with her Q & A today, her internal campaign fireworks seem like yesterday's news. She's moved on, but the McCain folks may not be ready to let go of losing w/o taking shots at each other, as JTP has already done.

Bissage said...

(1) That’s a nice red “O” thing they’ve got going over there.

Noted!

(2) Is Meghan the lesbian or is that the other one?

(3) There is no number three.

traditionalguy said...

Wow! My once high regard for the heroic John McCain just gets lower and lower. His only known virtue, besides arrogance, was his supposed loyalty to his people under fire. Where is that virtue now? The world awaits Admiral McCain's Task Force to return to the battle.

Darcy said...

I'm regrettably feeling the same way, traditionalguy. There are gracious ways to say things. This doesn't hit that note for me, and I'm beginning to think that the McCains are petty people. Sadly.

Peter Hoh said...

Why does she hate America?

knox said...

My Theory: Palin came on board, ready to rumble. Was flabbergasted to realize McCain didn't have the stomach for it, that he wanted to be The Maverick, the media darling again, more than anything else-- even the presidency. Conflict ensued.

Just a guess.

Darcy said...

knox, I think you nailed it.

Sprezzatura said...

I too agree w/ knox. McCain was weak, the Rs should boldly turn right, with pride and gusto!

The Rs need more palling w/ terrorists, good Americans, war on Christmas, and reverse classism stuff.

The marching orders and path are clear, Rush/Hannity provide the keys to success, they must be imitated and followed.

Get rid of the RINOs. Make the Magic song the theme song for the RNC.

Palin* 2012!!!!!!!


*who is still (to Esquire) defending the stuff about being able to see Russia: apparently the mean, evil media is to blame for her using this geographical proximity as foriegn policy experience.

reader_iam said...

Remarkably ungracious--though I don't doubt that the writer wrote that bit for a particular effect.

Is a "no comment" "curt" if it goes beyond "no comment"? Just wondering.

AllenS said...

Sometimes a no comment is just a no comment.

Kinda like sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Unless it's used as a sex toy.

traditionalguy said...

All the repubs need is a visionary leader whose courage shows such that the American people will be proud to follow. So far Palin has earned that mantle. The Enemymedia, who spotted her long before we did, has gone after her as an unqualified, Dumb, uneducated and mean woman. That's just the way the repubs, and then the Friends of Obama in the Media, went after poor helpless Hillary Rodham Clinton in her first try to win a contested election. I will bet Megham McCain 2 of her Momma's houses that Caribou Barbie will stand up to them all and win it.

knox said...

1jpb,

you're not hurting my feelings by saying bad things about the republican party. By all means, carry on.

knox said...

AllenS

LOL

ricpic said...

I was struck by the coolness that John McCain exhibited toward Sarah Palin and her husband when they were all on stage together after the election loss.

Just speculating here but maybe he was put off by a much more vibrant and unapologetically conservative running mate than he thought he would be getting when he selected her. The vibrancy I'm sure he appreciated. But the conservatism...to McCain, whose malice toward conservatives is legendary, well, Palin was a little too much of a good thing.

Despite Mister-I-wanna-be-a-Democrat-too, we've got a real conservative standard bearer at last. So there's something to thank the vindictive two-face for.

garage mahal said...

The media was out to get William Hung from American Idol trying to destroy his potential singing career.

Daryl said...

John McCain chose Sarah Palin.

If he thinks that was a bad choice, well, that's his own damn fault.

Certainly, all of the reasons people now give for hating her were just as evident from Day 1 as they are today.

Sprezzatura said...

I will bet Megham McCain 2 of her Momma's houses that Caribou Barbie will stand up to them all and win it.

This makes perfect sense. We already had an election and real numbers to look at. And, nobody would doubt that the reason Palin didn't end up as VP is because she wasn't in the P position on the ticket. But, in four years there will be a lot of 2008 BHO voters who will flock to Palin in the P position, even though they turned away from the possibility of having her in the VP position.

Everybody know this, it's simple math.

Palin 2012!!!

sg said...

I don't read anything bad into her "no comment."

Meghan's campaign blog postings were non-ideological, as she seems to be. Also, she posted some very complimentary things about the Palin family while traveling with them on the bus. It was also reported that Cindy McCain was a very big advocate of Sarah.

Still, Meghan is probably also close to the McCain campaign staffers who were dumping on Sarah Palin after the election (Steve Schmidt? Nicole Wallace?). That might cause some tension.

"No comment" seems like a wise course for her in this situation.

Anthony said...

I think both knox and rippic are both correct. Palin clearly upstaged him with actual conservatives.

I wonder if the McCain people are trying to scapegoat his difficulties with the press this time on her? He always seemed to be at a loss as to how to deal with a hostile press, something he's never really dealt with before. He certainly seemed to handle her initially as if he thought his (former) buddies in the press would cozy up to her.

He/they probably just have trouble dealing with the fact that he blew it himself with that stupid "suspending of the campaign" business. Better to just blame the New Kid.

kjbe said...

If he thinks that was a bad choice, well, that's his own damn fault.

Agreed, and would add, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of love lost going either way.

Unknown said...

I have this theory that McCain wanted to lose. I can't prove this theory, but I don't seem to be able to disprove it either, which seems a bit damning.

He was not surprised, and expected the way the press responded to and attacked Palin. He was surprised by the way the public responded to the Governor, and loved her.
He want to have lost the election because he was forced by party politics to pick a right wing running mate. Instead he lost because he ran as McCain

knox said...

The media was out to get William Hung from American Idol trying to destroy his potential singing career.


garage: do you think the media was unfair to Hillary once Obama started to gain some momentum? Because I think it's clear they were, and I'm no fan of Hillary.

I'm genuinely curious here, and would appreciate an honest answer. It's not a trick question or anything.

Hoosier Daddy said...

who is still (to Esquire) defending the stuff about being able to see Russia: apparently the mean, evil media is to blame for her using this geographical proximity as foriegn policy experience.

Only a complete idiot still buys into this. I guess you hear what you want. Kind of like Hope and Change.

Hoosier Daddy said...

The media was out to get William Hung from American Idol trying to destroy his potential singing career.

I agree. He sings almost as good as Bob Dylan.

Harsh Pencil said...

Palin had her chance and she blew it. Her first real exposure to the American people was her first speech when introduced in Ohio. She hit the ball out the park. Her second exposure, with a huge audience, was her speech at the Republican convention. She again hit it out the park. Then she blew it. Her interviews were terrible. Yes they were hostile, yes they were out to get her and make her look bad, but she let them win at it. I don't see her coming back from it.

Anonymous said...

sarah palin,

if you read ann althouse's blog, i thought i might get closer to you here than sending a letter to alaska. I saw the closeup picture of you on the cover of newsweek or time last year? Your eyebrows match your hair. Closeup you look marvelous. Too bad the women with brains and no brawn or no waist left criticize you. Women are more divided than men when it comes to body types. Well, I would say healthy mind, healthy body. This is all that matters.

Next election I know the media would have you please address the problem of American women bleaching their hair? do the mccains? what is it with this tendency? I mean hair on the top of our head, under our arms and in the netherregions is the only bit of fur we have left and the only thing that keeps us in touch with our animal instincts. Why or why do American women abuse this (insert scientific reasoning or diety of your choice) ___ given feature so much?

If you can't address this maybe ann can.

signed,

not a furry, for fear of stupid frat boys coming to my door again in costume making propositions.

signed also,

not a republican either, but a women with kids who wears glasses. I think that's what we have in common.

signed also plus'

i'd rather be bpdisordered than bddisordered.

Roberto said...

I love the way many here jump off the bandwagon as soon as it's evident you're choice for President is a fool...especially for selecting Sarah Palin, an absolute joke as a candidate. All of a sudden everybody is just "horrified" that anyone would criticize the Princess or her trailer-trash family. (I'd LOVE to hear what most here would have to say about Chelsea Clinton having a baby out of wedlock...now THAT would really be something to behold.)

She was the kiss of death for his campaign and he knows it, too. He already had the conservative votes, needed the moderates...yet he decided to call on this fanatical right wing dolt who doesn't know what she reads, has no idea what the Bush Doctrine is, thinks Russia might invade Alaska, etc, etc., etc., and has the intellectual background of a crack dealer.

ANYBODY who thinks this woman is the future of the Republican Party (and that the long-term leaders of the party would ever allow it to even be considered) is delusional at best...which fits the bill for most here.

She had her day in the sun and will represent nothing more than a fund raising loud mouth from this point on.

Roberto said...

"Next election I know the media would have you please address the problem of American women bleaching their hair?"

This is such an intellectual site.

*As if Palin doesn't "color" her hair.

DUH.

Anonymous said...

traditionalguy said...Wow! My once high regard for the heroic John McCain just gets lower and lower.

McCain graduated at the bottom of his class from Annapolis despite Admirals in the family.

Crashed every jet he put his arrogant little peacock ass into.

knox said...My Theory: Palin came on board, ready to rumble. Was flabbergasted to realize McCain didn't have the stomach for it, that he wanted to be The Maverick, the media darling again, more than anything else-- even the presidency. Conflict ensued.

Beautiful. I'd love to think that was the case. It sure seemed that way.

McCain was/is a loser and a masochist.

Romney/Palin 2012!

Roberto said...

"Her interviews were terrible. Yes they were hostile, yes they were out to get her and make her look bad, but she let them win at it."

They were "hostile"..."out to get her"..."make her look bad"???

With questions like: What do you read? Do you know what the Bush Doctrine is? Any Supreme Court cases or decisions you're familiar with?

She looked "bad" because she could answer the damn questions...and was running for Vice President of the United States.

Roberto said...

"McCain was/is a loser and a masochist."

See bandwagon - jump off bandwagon.

Expose self as fool.

Zachary Sire said...

What an idiot. It if weren't for her dear old dad, no one would have had to ever deal with Palin in the first place. They only have themselves to blame. Oh, and get a job, Meghan.

Roberto said...

Hoosier: "Only a complete idiot still buys into this. I guess you hear what you want."

"Hear what you want"???

Are you saying she didn't say it?

Or that you didn't hear it??

Mark said...

I don't think McCain resented Palin's unabashedly Conservative/Libertarian view nearly as much as he resented being upstaged by his second fiddle.

My respect for McCain (whom I never really liked much in the first place, but did respect) is asymptotically approaching zero.

(And I'm sure his daughter didn't appreciate seeing Daddy outshone either; that bad woman makes Daddy look bad! And Mommy and I didn't getting the camera time we deserved! Boo-f***ing-hoo, bimbo. Just thought I should mention that because, well, this is really a story about a story about her, after all.)

Hoosier Daddy said...

ZPS said Oh, and get a job, Meghan.

Pot meet kettle.

Mark said...

Michael said:

"I love the way many here jump off the bandwagon as soon as it's evident you're choice for President is a fool...especially for selecting Sarah Palin, an absolute joke as a candidate."

What I'm going to find amusing over the next four years will be that, as Obama's policies regarding Iraq, Afghanistan, the War on Drugs, "torture", Extraordinary Rendition, Gitmo, etc. prove to be no different from Bushes, folks like Michael will become ever more obsessed with Palin, because criticism of the previous Administration will start to look a whole lot like criticism of The One.

Palin has been, since her nomination, the anti-Obama. Those who drank the Obama Kool-Aid have no choice but to burn Palin at the stake any time they start feeling queasy. It's a knee jerk kind of thing. (Welcome to cognitive dissonance, Hope-and-Change addicts.)

Which, if I were Palin, would be making me randomly exclaim "Cha-ching!"

Hoosier Daddy said...

Remember folks, the current VP believed that FDR was on TV edumacting the American people about the Great Depression.

Oh and you can't walk into a 7/11 in Delaware without tripping over a Gupta or Patel.

I mean with intellect like that, how can we possibly lose.

dhagood said...

Hoosier: "Only a complete idiot still buys into this. I guess you hear what you want."

"Hear what you want"???

Are you saying she didn't say it?


yep. she didn't say it. tina fey said it during a skit on saturday night live:

1. “I can see Russia from my house!” — Comedian Tina Fey, while impersonating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live,” broadcast Sept. 13

as noted here.

Peter Hoh said...

Michael wonders how people would have reacted had Chelsea Clinton had a baby out of wedlock.

Remember this delightful tidbit from the right-wing noise machine:

“On the pinhead front, 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. The sister of Britney says she is shocked. I bet.

“Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her . . . ."


Of course, Bill O'Reilly saw no parallel with the Palins. As Cynthia Tucker put it, "Of course, the Palins reside inside the magic circle of ultra-conservative approval, so, naturally, they are judged less harshly."

Peter Hoh said...

traditional guy wrote: The Enemymedia, who spotted her long before we did,

What!!! Unless you consider Kristol to be part of the Enemymedia.

Anonymous said...

Mark:
"..Palin has been, since her nomination, the anti-Obama. Those who drank the Obama Kool-Aid have no choice but to burn Palin at the stake any time they start feeling queasy. It's a knee jerk kind of thing."

I'd say it's more of a jerk-off kind of thing. Just say 'Palin' and watch 'em start rhetorically rubbing themselves

Paul said...

McCain's relationship with the media and liberals smacks of some form of Stockholm Syndrome.

I agree Palin was likely disgusted by McCain's upside down fighting instincts and was the victim of either gross incompetence or outright sabotage at the hands of her "advisers".

Peter Hoh said...

I think McCain's problem with Palin was that she was more popular than he.

He drew smaller crowds when he appeared without her. He could not have helped but notice that.

Peter Hoh said...

I second what sg wrote about Meghan's blog showing great warmth for the Palin family.

Sprezzatura said...

Hey, folks arguing that Palin didn't use Alaska's proximity to Russia as an answer to her foriegn policy background.

Even Palin herself admits that she said it. She recently reiterated (to Esquire) that it is true that Russia can be seen from some parts of Alaska, though she implied the media said otherwise. As if, the correctness of this claim was ever in question.

Seems like the real question was "what does this proximity have to do w/ foriegn policy credentials?" This question was not addressed by Palin.

And don't forget that, Cindy McCain and a campaign spokesperson have also used the Russia/Alaska proximity argument supporting Palin's foriegn policy experience.

And, the only thing Fey changed was that she made it seem as if Palin claimed to have seen Russia herself. In fact Palin only claimed that others can see Russia. Presumably, based on the Palin-proximity thesis, these others would have even more foriegn policy experience than Palin.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Joe Biden still thinks Obama is a clean and articulate black man. And a damn good looking guy too.

Roberto said...

Hoosier Daddy said..."Joe Biden still thinks Obama is a clean and articulate black man. And a damn good looking guy too."

And he is, too.

Roberto said...

Mark: "What I'm going to find amusing over the next four years will be that, as Obama's policies regarding Iraq, Afghanistan, the War on Drugs, "torture", Extraordinary Rendition, Gitmo, etc. prove to be no different from Bushes..."

Want to bet?

He'll close Gitmo, pull us out of the fiasco in Iraq, prosecute those who torture, disallow renditions, and as for the "war on drugs"...I have no idea what you're talking about.

Bush didn't wage any such war and the drug laws in this country are so out of whack...why NOT change things? (700,000 in jail related to pot??)

*Read about prohibition and how things changed after it repeal.

Ralph L said...

bottom of his class from Annapolis
His father was also near the bottom of his class, and was only a Captain when JSM III was there.

I suppose it's easier for the McCain family to blame Palin than the Mav.

knox said...

peter hoh said: Michael wonders how people would have reacted had Chelsea Clinton had a baby out of wedlock.

Don't know what you mean by "people" but I believe the media would have gone after Chelsea -- or anyone else in the Clinton family, if necessary -- to help destroy Hillary and make way for Obama. I believe they would have destroyed anybody to make way for Obama.

Just a guess.

If you're restricting your answer only to address how the right-wing noise machine handles the issue, well, duh. Of course they'll give the Palins a pass. Just as much as the mainstream media gave her grief. : )


as for this

I think McCain's problem with Palin was that she was more popular than he.

... entirely possible.

Peter Hoh said...

The media was out to destroy Clinton? I guess I didn't notice. I must be looking at the wrong media.

I noticed that the media kept treating Clinton as a viable candidate long after it became clear that she had no chance of winning the nomination.

Hoosier Daddy said...

He'll close Gitmo,

As soon as he can figure out what to do with them. Funny he hasn't figured it out yet with that steel intellect of his.

pull us out of the fiasco in Iraq,

Heh, you must have missed where he'd still have 70K troops over there well after 2011.

prosecute those who torture,

Hahahahahaha..oh sorry.

disallow renditions,

You mean that policy the Great Bill Clinton enacted? What is Hillary going to say?

Although I am sure a loophole will be in place to ensure rendition for any future Cuban kids whose parents are unfortunate enough to perish trying to escape a totalitarian nightmare.

Michael Haz said...

Yo, conservatives! Stop telling the lib commenters what we think will happen in 2012. They are so insecure about Barry's re-election chances (already) that discussions about who we think should run just gets their undies in a knot.

Besides, we all know that Al Franken will be the Dem nominee in 2012.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I think McCain's problem with Palin was that she was more popular than he.

... entirely possible.


Considering McCain could barely bring a baker's dozen to a rally prior to her on the ticket, I'd say most likely.

Mark said...

Michael:

"He'll close Gitmo, pull us out of the fiasco in Iraq, prosecute those who torture, disallow renditions, and as for the "war on drugs"...I have no idea what you're talking about."

Are we talking about line item bets or the whole shmear? Either way, yeah, I'd take it. (Haven't you been watching who he's bringing onto his team? Hillary ran to the right of McCain. For crying out loud, he's keeping Gates!)

As for rendition:

"One transition official said the new administration expected that it would take several months to transfer some of the remaining 248 prisoners to other countries, decide how to try suspects and deal with the many other legal challenges posed by closing the camp." (Emphasis added.)

I'm guessing we're not talking about sending those swell guys to Belgium, although maybe we should. And considering how Obama's moved the goalposts on every other promise he's made, I would bet a fair amount Gitmo is still holding a fair number of those misunderstood Boy Scouts come this time next year.

But hey, at least neither of Obama's daughters has gotten knocked up.

garage mahal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
garage mahal said...

I noticed that the media kept treating Clinton as a viable candidate long after it became clear that she had no chance of winning the nomination.

And when was that? Remember, the superdelegates picked Obama after he lost 7 straight primaries. I have to say this was one of the most annoying fucking myths by the inability to do elementary basic math by experts paid to know better .

Shanna said...

Meghan's campaign blog postings were non-ideological, as she seems to be. Also, she posted some very complimentary things about the Palin family while traveling with them on the bus. It was also reported that Cindy McCain was a very big advocate of Sarah.

Indeed. I would take it as a sort of “lord, I don’t even want to get into all that sh** in public. No comment”. Not a dig on Palin.

Peter Hoh said...

Garage, before Obama lost those 7 primaries, it was clear that Clinton would have needed to win them by huge margins, and it was clear that it was unlikely she would do so.

The Clinton campaign didn't look past Super Tuesday, and according to one insider, their calculations were made on the assumption of winner-take-all rules. Either way, it was an epic fail.

knox said...

It seemed to me that once higher-ups in the party like the Kennedys and, of course, Hollywood made their choice clear, the media and eventually the delegates got in line.

Bob said...

Judging from the comments here young Meghan made the right response, Basically no response. Because apparently almost everyone seems to "know" what really happened. Even though I'd be willing to bet my month's salary that not a single person posting here was inside the campaign. And from both sides of the aisle. Young Meghan learned some lessons on the trail.

Cedarford said...

Michael H said...
Let's assume the best and believe that because Ms. McCain has witnessed the media abuse and anger heaped on the Palin family, she doesn't want to say anything that could be twisted to fit the media template. Or the Palin hater template.


Generally, when a women like Meghan McCain comments in glowing terms of other women, even in the opposition (Michelle & Hillary) and then says "no discussion of That Other Woman" you can be generally pretty sure it isn't because she is afraid she will be seen weeping with fawning adulation for that Other Woman.

I have never had a doubt about how my wife felt about Women She Cared Not to Discuss or The Women That She did not want to hear me talk about...(Past household bans on mentioning Brittiney Spears, Heidi Fleiss, Pam Anderson)

*****************
Hoosier Daddy - Although I am sure a loophole will be in place to ensure rendition for any future Cuban kids whose parents are unfortunate enough to perish trying to escape a totalitarian nightmare.

There better be, because it is a sick country that has ideologues so convinced that their ideas are right that they seek to bar a child being returned to a good parent. That's something so lowly the main practitioners are Muslims that refuse to return a child taken to Ummah-Land against the wishes and without the knowledge of one parent in the West.
By all accounts, the father of Elian Gonsalez was a good man and would never have allowed the boy's mother to risk his life in an overloaded boat where 12 died when it capsized and the child and two others barely lived - hours away from dying of hypothermia clinging to an innertube - saved only because fishermen spotted debris and went to it because fish are attracted to floatsam.

Even if his US relatives on his Mom's side did not have histories of criminality and mental health issues - the kid should still be returned to his good parent. It should be international law.

We need that consistency, as we fight to get American kids stolen away to Muslim countries back to their good, natural parent in the USA - despite claims of Muslim ideologues that the children's souls are at stake if they are allowed to be returned to the USA.
************
We don't know what Meghan McCain thinks, we do know that Republicans inside the campaign willing to talk had certain beefs about the woman the Religious Right claimed as their Goddess.

1. Ill-informed on the issues.
2. A Diva who as a sports telecaster, know how to milk her audience and the TVs as long as she was safe reading off a script.
3. Complaints about her and her family spending like a trailer park family that just won a million in the lottery.
4. Not doing some things McCain wanted her to do. Stubborn, thought of as "The Alaskan knothead". Going off the reservation, doing her own thing, much as John Edwards, the last telegenic VP candidate, had done.
5.Towards the end of the campaign, the only time she was allowed to take questions was if a Handler was sitting with her, or John McCain was at her side, ready to step in if she screwed the response up.

Mark said...

Cedarford, besides for your moral relativism regarding the societal norms of Castro's Cuba, Jihadic Fundamentalism, and America (which is one of those "taking-it-on-faith-all-purpose-response" Lefties find so handy) I love how succinctly summarized the unattributed smears and innuendos which have become the litany for Obama True Believers when confronted with Sarah the Unholy Icon.

I'm amused by the passion displayed by those most taken by BDS (which, as I said above, I expect to morph cleanly into PDS as Obama's America becomes clearly a continuation of Bush's America, at least to those who don't much like America.) The passion has so little to do with an understanding of history or application of reason, and so much to do with affirming one's own righteousness within the peer group.

It's going to be fun to watch the gyrations of the Left over the next four years.

Stephanie said...

know how to milk her audience and the TVs as long as she was safe reading off a script

I don't think you want to advance that as a theory to support your claims... Just sayin.

David said...

What the hell?

Palin was inexperienced. That does not make her an idiot.

The idiot is John McCain, who picked someone he hardly knew, without a proper vetting, and then had a bunch of second string handlers sit on her.

Maybe Meghan McCain does not want to comment on the Palin candidacy because she does not want to speak a larger truth--that her father made a foolish mistake in selecting her.

Mitt Romney was out there--a proven campaigner who actually knew something about the financial system.

This pick was politically bad, which does not make Sarah Palin a fool or an idiot, just a woman who was placed in a spot she was not prepared for (and then left to twist in the wind by the man who put her there.)

I'm a Republican but I voted for Obama. There were so many reasons why John McCain was an inferior candidate to Obama. This is just one of them.

Anonymous said...

It's been a while since a good ole 200 comment post. Let's see if Sarah still has the magic.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Remember this delightful tidbit from the right-wing noise machine:

“On the pinhead front, 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. The sister of Britney says she is shocked. I bet.

“Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her . . . ."


Well considering how Britney turned out, hard to argue with the point. I suppose if the rest of the Palin kids turn out to be knocked up losers you may have something.

Palladian said...

"I suppose if the rest of the Palin kids turn out to be knocked up losers you may have something."

I'll volunteer to try and knock up Track.

Palladian said...

"I'm a Republican but I voted for Obama."

You're not a Republican then. There is no valid reason for a Republican to have voted for Obama.

JohnnyRussia said...

This country's funny bone needs all the professional dumbasses it can find. Palin in 2012!

Anonymous said...

Blogger David said...What the hell?

Palin was inexperienced. That does not make her an idiot.


Sarah Palin is not experienced enough to do what Joe Biden is doing right now?

JohnnyRussia said...

Biden isn't in office yet. Easy, Tiger; you'll have plenty of time to launch partisan attacks based on talk radio talking points in one week.

Anonymous said...

He'll close Gitmo

And transfer the prisoners to third world hell holes, or ship them to remotely-located, don't-appear-on-any-map, military-run prisons in a Middle Eastern desert.

Closing Gitmo will be symbolic, nothing more.


pull us out of the fiasco in Iraq

War's over, we won. We'll stay for awhile, though, to provide security and training.


prosecute those who torture

Nope, can't afford to bog down his administration with a political grudge match. Congressional leaders, Dems & Repubs, knew about the waterboarding before it was used, and they didn't object then.

And if we are ever attacked again, their moral qualms with such activities will vanish along with the smoke from the burning bodies and buildings.


disallow renditions

Doubt it. Obama is now responsible for protecting and defending the American people, an issue that is no longer an abstract campaign topic. He will use every tool he can to prevent future attacks, including rendition.

Just think how useful it would have been to grab bin Laden off the streets during the Clinton years.

No president will allow those opportunities to pass again.

Anonymous said...

I have this theory that McCain wanted to lose

Hey joe,

I had that very same opinion. If you watch McCains concession speech, it's all there in black and white when he speaks about family. Sarah's eyes glass over at about that point (sarah, we have that glassing over eyes quality in common, too) when the camera is full spot on her face. I wasn't in the country and it's the only part of the election that i watched over the 11 months this year. So others can tell me i don't have a worthy opinion or that i have the intelligence of Palin herself (and they wouldn't be insulting me either.)


That's all I know is that i gotta survive three days of frigid weather coming up without my pipes freeezing. And sometimes that's all that i have to worry about. I may not be a genius, but i'm not plumb dumb either.

Darcy said...

Dogwood said...War's over, we won.

Dead on with everything else too, but thank you for writing this.

Sprezzatura said...

Just think how useful it would have been to grab bin Laden off the streets during the Clinton years.

Good thing Bush took care of that early on...or at least post 9-11...or...or...well, there's still a week left.

P.S.

So, according to the victory declaring folks we can now roll out the 'mission accomplished' sign...and, our troops can leave because the war is over. Uh-oh, but nobody believes that Iraq wouldn't fall apart if we quickly cleared out, so it's not exactly endgame victory, is it?

Best to leave the 'mission accomplished' sign under wraps, until we can get out of Iraq.

Darcy said...

So, according to the victory declaring folks we can now roll out the 'mission accomplished' sign...and, our troops can leave because the war is over.

I don't care one bit about any 'mission accomplished' sign. I don't need to see that, or score any political points over the war. I'd like our military men and women to get the credit they deserve for their hard sacrifice.

We did win, thanks to them.

Sprezzatura said...

Darcy,

How can the war be over if we can't leave w/o the place blowing up and turning into a haven for genocidal nuts and/or terrorists?

I'm sort of picking up from your comments that you think it would be an insult to the troops to not say we've won. I think it's 100% possible to be immeasurably grateful to and complimentary of the troops w/o manufacturing a phony, not yet realized conclusion.

But, different strokes for different folks.

Michael McNeil said...

1jpb sez:
Hey, folks arguing that Palin didn't use Alaska's proximity to Russia as an answer to her foriegn policy background.

Even Palin herself admits that she said it.


Wrong — not Palin, you. Alaska's proximity to Russia wasn't the (Sarah Palin's) answer — it was the (Charlie Gibson's) question.

In his (unexpurgated) interview with Palin, Gibson first brought up the special position of Alaska vis-a-vis Russia (mentioning the situatioin twice), then asked her (twice more) specifically what insight Palin thought that proximity gives her with regard to the (last summer's) then recent Russian invasion of the small Caucasus nation of Georgia.

Thus it's apparent that the subject of Alaska's close juxtaposition with Russia was invented as a topic of conversation by ABC interviewer Charlie Gibson himself.

Afterwards the video of the Gibson-Palin get together was grossly, partisanly cut by the network prior to broadcast, presenting an eviscerated mess designed to make Palin look dim.

As to how close Russia and America get at the Alaskan-Russian frontier, this image (hat tip) well reveals the gap (Russia is to the right, Alaska-America on the left).

JohnnyRussia said...

Darcy:

If you think we won, then you'll agree our troops should now finally come home.

Right?

JohnnyRussia said...

No, Michael--you have conflated the Alaska/Russia reference. What Palin was attempting to do was use proximity instead of actual foreign policy experience. Gibson wasn't playing "gotcha"--Palin is simply too much of a bonehead to play in the big leagues.

It's as simple as that.

chickelit said...

1jpb wrote :
So, according to the victory declaring folks we can now roll out the 'mission accomplished' sign.

I never got why people got so upset over that sign. It was put up to acknowledge the conclusion of a particular vessel's role in one phase of the overall conflict.
Suppose somebody started getting on Omaba's case because he had a victory party after the election--how dare he--doesn't he know that problems still face the nation? How dare they acknowledge the conclusion of one aspect of change.

Automatic_Wing said...

If you think we won, then you'll agree our troops should now finally come home.

If that's the standard, we haven't quite won WWII yet either. Are you declaring Germany a quagmire?

Anonymous said...

so it's not exactly endgame victory, is it?

Europe wasn't an end game victory until the collapse of the Soviet Union, so not sure why everyone is in such a hurry to get out of Iraq.

Yes, pulling our troops out "quickly" could and would have negative consequences, that's why it won't happen in Iraq, just like it didn't happen in Europe, Japan, Korea, etc., etc.

I suspect we will always have a military presence in Iraq, it will just be a different type of presence than the one we have now. And I'm okay with that.

But to interpret our continued military presence as "we're still fighting a war" is simplistic, given our history of keeping troops stationed in countries where they have fought and won a war.

The war is over, we won, now the really hard work of building a fully-functional society that can provide peace, security and prosperity to its people is underway.

It will take decades, of course, but I believe the Iraqis have a better chance at developing a modern nation than do the Afghanis.

Someday we'll be able to leave Iraq, not so sure about Afghanistan.

David said...

Palladian sez to me:

"'I'm a Republican but I voted for Obama.'"

You're not a Republican then. There is no valid reason for a Republican to have voted for Obama.


Well, Palladian, this is why Republicans may go the way of the Whigs. It's a purity thing. Unless you are pure on (to name a few) immigration, abortion, "govmint intervention," etc., you can't possibly be a Republican in the minds of the purists.

Ok, you're right, I'm no longer a Republican. Now that kind of thing is a huge help to the Grand Old Party.

Darcy said...

1jpb, I do think the war has been won, so we disagree on that and I would just (gratefully) point to Dogwood's last comments for the reasons why we wouldn't pull the troops out immediately at this result.

You are wrong about my sensitivity. I do think that we can honor and appreciate our troops without declaring a phony victory. This isn't the case, in my opinion.

If there is one thing I am touchy about it is the denial of this victory for political reasons. I believe that is the agenda in most of our media and from the left, and it is repulsive to me. I'll admit to that.

I'd love to go into detail as to what I believe our military men and women accomplished over there, and why I would call it a victory, but I do apologize for being too tired tonight to do that.

I'd love to discuss it with you off blog anytime, though.

DaLawGiver said...

If you think we won, then you'll agree our troops should now finally come home.

Hey, I'm on that bandwagon but let's bring them home in reverse order. First let's get them out of Europe and the Far East, them we'll get them out of the Middle East.

reader_iam said...

Exceeding sharp, Lawgiver.

Sprezzatura said...

Michael,

Please provide the original complete transcript. Please, please, please. This will be fun.

First we can clear up your confusion about seeing Russia. And then we can cover how Palin was ready to protect us from Putin's head. After that we can look at her comments (not shown on TV) where she said we can't let Russia control the flow of Russia's oil. Not that this is a bad idea, but we should probably use more diplomatic language to keep our true oil domination motivations on the DL.

I eagerly await the complete transcript.

Victory folks,

Iraq could still fall apart, e.g. they still don't have a representative government and the country contains deep, never (in history) settled fissures between different groups who are currently separated because of 1) millions of folks physically moving, 2) concrete and checkpoint barriers, 3) payoffs and grants of autonomy, and 4) the most powerful military (by a lot) in the world.

Acknowledging reality is really not that difficult. And, please don't you dare diminish the heroic and exceptionally effective accomplishments of our military by saying the only way we can express full gratitude is by pretending Iraq is concluded, when the place doesn't even have a representative government and there continue to be very high hurdles that make a functional and accepted coalition government difficult--as, at this point, should be obvious to anyone.

And, anyone who needs to invent phony conclusions before they can fully express gratitude to our military is a piece of shit. Our troops' brilliance and accomplishments are in no way reduced because Iraq is populated by folks that suck at living together.

Anonymous said...

JohnnyRussia said...Biden isn't in office yet.

Biden is doing nothing now and will do nothing in office. Sarah Palin is at least as qualified as Biden to do that.

But unlike Biden I don't think she would be satisfied with that kind of job.

JohnnyRussia said...

jdeeripper said...
Biden is doing nothing now and will do nothing in office. Sarah Palin is at least as qualified as Biden to do that.
But unlike Biden I don't think she would be satisfied with that kind of job.

Gee, jdeeripper, the cliches have started before the administration has!

Comparing an ignorant dunce like Sarah Palin with the experienced, respected Joe Biden--yup, gaffes and all--is akin to comparing Greg Gutfeld to Johnny Carson.

Mark said...

"...the experienced, respected Joe Biden..."

Well, JR, one out of two ain't bad.

Sprezzatura said...

For the record, I know the victory declarers mean well and they earnestly want to support our troops. But, fairly or not, they remind me of the folks who say Bush kept America safe for "eight years," forgetting that almost 3000 folks were murdered by terrorists. Not that Bush is to blame for the actions of the terrorists, but it did happen, we must honor those lost lives in the last eight years.

That Iraq still has a long way to go before they have a functional government that is accepted by Iraqis (a bare minimum for declaring a victorious conclusion to the Saddam expulsion) is completely unrelated to our troops' accomplishments. That's my only point.

Aside:
Palin & McCain & JTP & the Iraq war and we still can't break triple digits for comments!

Shocking.

DaLawGiver said...

Comparing an ignorant dunce like Sarah Palin with the experienced, respected Joe Biden--yup, gaffes and all--is akin to comparing Greg Gutfeld to Johnny Carson.

But here's the neat part. Being smart, experienced and respected don't really mean squat in politics. Jimmy Carter, an experienced and respected governor graduated 10th in his class at the USNA and sucked as president. The supremely intelligent Al Gore couldn't win against a so-called idiot and Harry Truman was loathed by pretty much everyone as a country bumpkin.

What you really mean is the people who voted for Bush and Palin are idiots for not seeing things the way you do. Palin is an educated sitting governor and nothing you can say will change that. Why do you people get such a woody whenever Palin is mentioned?

JohnnyRussia said...

Mark said...
"...the experienced, respected Joe Biden..."

Well, JR, one out of two ain't bad.


Joe Biden will be the VP in a week. Probably a sign of respect, eh?

The next four years are gonna be fun; and so will the four after that.

But--please, for the sake of comedy--Palin in 2012! We need some crazies to balance out the serious stuff!

chickelit said...

You know something 1jpb? I'm going to get with plan to some extent this 1/20/09. But I'm going to any channel any nascent ODS I might have towards insufferable little pricks like you from now on.

Unknown said...

"Joe Biden will be the VP in a week. Probably a sign of respect, eh?"

Right up there with a warm bucket of piss, I believe.

JohnnyRussia said...

Joe said...
"Joe Biden will be the VP in a week. Probably a sign of respect, eh?"

Right up there with a warm bucket of piss, I believe.


Joe, your eloquence is stunning.

Have a nice 4 years.

reader_iam said...

Aside:
Palin & McCain & JTP & the Iraq war and we still can't break triple digits for comments!


Aside: Helluva benchmark. But whatever.

Unknown said...

Don't blame me, blame Mr Garner.

Palladian said...

"Joe Biden will be the VP in a week. Probably a sign of respect, eh?"

Yes! The same sign of respect shown by douchebags such as yourself to the current occupant of that office, Richard Cheney.

Palladian said...

"The next four years are gonna be fun; and so will the four after that."

Probably will be for douchebag lefties with the word "Russia" in their handle who probably don't have a dollar invested in anything.

For the rest of us, not so much.

JohnnyRussia said...

Ah, Palladian. I see the intelligentsia is here...

But Obama didn't need the Supreme Court or voting irregularities now, did he?

Have a nice four years. Might be a good time to work on your anger management issues.

JohnnyRussia said...

Palladian: my, what a varied vocabulary you exhibit!

Still fighting the Cold War, too, I see...

Palladian said...

Doesn't it denature your contrarian credentials to be talking about the "respect and experience" of professional Washington leech Joe Biden? I mean, will you ever wake up one morning and weep tears of shame over suddenly becoming so eye-rollingly, embarrassingly uncool? Beneath your imitation Ray-Ban Baloramas and your Photobooth-generated Ben-day dots, you're just another balding, aging boot-licker, aren't you JohnnyRussia?

Sad, really.

Palladian said...

"But Obama didn't need the Supreme Court or voting irregularities now, did he?"

HAHAHAHA. Round on the ends and high in the middle. Just like you!

JohnnyRussia said...

Palladian, don't forget your meds.

Enjoy the next four years, you bitter fool.

Cedarford said...

Lawgiver -

Being smart, experienced and respected don't really mean squat in politics.

Actually it does. We may have had 4 truly intellectually gifted Presidents: Jefferson, Lincoln, Nixon, and Bill Clinton. All had consequential Presidencies..We have also had very smart Presidents with mixed results, even dumb ones that excelled because they at least knew their limits and surrounded themselves with top people.

Your examples dont cut it:

1. Jimmy Carter, an experienced and respected governor graduated 10th in his class at the USNA and sucked as president. He was a one-term governor who wasn't liked much by conservative Georgian Democrats. He graduated near the top of an Academy class, but only 1/3rd of points come from academic performance, a fair deal of the remainder are a function of being a rules-abiding suckup. Nor was he ever a "nuclear engineer" or stationed on a nuke vessel.

2. The supremely intelligent Al Gore couldn't win against a so-called idiot...
Oh, that's good. Gore, a guy with lower grades than Bush who failed out of Divinity and Law school - supremely intelligent. Not close. Best you could say was he was smarter than the average person.

3. And Harry Truman was loathed by pretty much everyone as a country bumpkin.....
Yet historians think he was a shrewd, smart man.

What you really mean is the people who voted for Bush and Palin are idiots for not seeing things the way you do.....

Not idiots. No one knew Bush would turn out so badly in 2000. The general public, outside the Religious Right that made her a sort of Goddess DID have a strong belief that Palin was not well educated, and poorly prepared on the issues past her photogenically reading off a teleprompter as she once did as a TV sports "personality" .

Palin is an educated sitting governor and nothing you can say will change that. If you mean bouncing around 5 colleges for 5 years to get a degree in sports journalism is "educated".

Why do you people get such a woody whenever Palin is mentioned?

Normal Americans don't. The Religious Right, who sort of made her into their personal Lady Di to worship, are the ones with the woodies...

11:25 PM

LoafingOaf said...

If my recollection is correct, Meghan McCain couldn't support Bush in 2000 because of all the horrendously obscene smears the Bush campaign (the campaign itself, not people who merely supported Bush) threw at McCain and his family, which the right-wingers always whining about attacks on Palin were cool with.

The Obama campaign went easy on Palin. They didn't attack her family or get partiularly personal, even though they had much ammo in those areas.

Some will say he didn't have to because others would do the dirty work for him. But that's true on all sides. Lots of Republicans were trying to make Obama out as a terrorist-lover who was even born in America. Hmm, Palin herself portrayed Obama as a "pal" of terrorists, not just people outside the campiagn looking to get dirty.

I lost a lot of respect for McCain when he let himself be pressured into selected a completely unqualified candidate for VP in order to please the Religious Right.

Obama hasn't even been sworn in yet, and he's already showing him to be a class above the last few presidents. There's quite a mess on his plate from his predecessors, but it looks like we have the right man for the moment.

LoafingOaf said...

JhonnyRussia: Palladian has some sort of Diva Worship thing going on in his head over Palin, and he trolls anyone who says a bad word about her. Althouse often front-pages his immature trolling of people who simply notice Palin isn't wearing any clothes, and this encourages him. She even front-paged a comment from Palladian to me calling ME "bitter", but anyone can see that Palladian is the most bitter poster on this blog.

I guess he'll never understand that it's not our fault Sarah Palin was a pathetic trainwreck of a candidate. We notice, while Palladian decided he just wanted to blindly worship her. (Andrew Sullivan has blogged about how some gay men have diva worship for women like Palin.)

And what Palladian doesn't seem to get about our judgments on VP Cheney is we are judging his 8 years as VP, where the only question left is whether or not he should be prosecuted as a criminal. No one outside of the most partisan Republicans are sad to see Cheney go.

Peter Hoh said...

Loafing Oaf, I think you mean Cindy McCain, not Meghan, in your comment about the 2000 election. And I don't recall Sullivan ever saying that the "diva worship" deal applied to Palin. According to him, it explained why some gay men liked Clinton.

The Vice-Presidential pick is a tricky one. Can't be a lousy campaigner (see Stockdale), but can't be too good, either.

From the President's perspective, the veep's most important job is to serve as a disincentive to those who would impeach him.

LoafingOaf said...

In my message above, I meant they were saying he was NOT American-born.

Peter: Loafing Oaf, I think you mean Cindy McCain, not Meghan, in your comment about the 2000 election. And I don't recall Sullivan ever saying that the "diva worship" deal applied to Palin. According to him, it explained why some gay men liked Clinton.

Meghan McCain says here (youtube included at the link) that she couldn't support Bush because of what he did to her little sister.

As for Andrew Sullivan's comments about "diva-worshipping gay men", now that I've googled it, he was primarily talking about why lesbians and gay dudes who liked Hillary but were indifferent or hostile to Obama.

But, he said: Maybe there was a particular lesbian bond with Clinton, which may have led some lesbians to pick McCain (they're susceptible to a little Alaskan boobage as well). Maybe that goes for some diva-worshipping gay men as well, men who so identified with Hillary that they couldn't reconcile themselves to Obama.

Can't the parenthetical about Palin be applied to the diva-worshipping gay men?

Hoosier Daddy said...

I guess he'll never understand that it's not our fault Sarah Palin was a pathetic trainwreck of a candidate.

Well one would have thought that a repeat of the third Bush term would have had Obama winning a Reaganesque landslide yet he beat McCain/Palin by a small margin that Bush beat Dukakis.

The reason the left hates Palin is that she galvanized McCain's campaign when it was barely hanging on life support and saw her as a legitimate threat. Oh and a woman who brings home the bacon and eschews the victim mentality must not be tolerated in much the same way a Thomas Sowell or Clarence Thomas destroys the myth of the powerless African American.

The fact that lefties view Palin as dumb and Biden as some kind of resepect intellectual pretty much shows the logic train running off the tracks.

Hoosier Daddy said...

I meant to say he [Obama] beat McCain/Palin by a smaller margin than Bush beat Dukakis.

Michael McNeil said...

1jpb:
You mean in the age of Google you can't in mere seconds find a a complete transcript of Gibson's Palin interview? Particularly since I included a link to the unexpurgated transcript in my posting. Thanks for the great instance you've provided of your observational and research capabilities!

As for “where she said we can't let Russia control the flow of Russia's oil,” this is what Palin said in that regard: “His [Putin's] mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.”

Just awful isn't it! As the week's headlines reveal, Russia's attempted control of Europe's energy supplies is an extremely pertinent topic today as millions in Europe shiver in unheated cold while Russia and the Ukraine duke it out in an energy dispute.

knox said...

And, anyone who needs to invent phony conclusions before they can fully express gratitude to our military is a piece of shit. Our troops' brilliance and accomplishments are in no way reduced because Iraq is populated by folks that suck at living together.

1jpb, this whole thread is full of comments by you, where I can't figure out who you're arguing with. Is this a response to Darcy?

There's no dearth of people here who genuinely respect the troops. Who are you talking at?

Ann Althouse said...

JohnnyRussia said..."Palladian, don't forget your meds."

I hate "meds" insults.

1. It's a cliché. Think up something new. Be interesting.

2. A lot of people take drugs for mental disorders. In trying to hit your target, you are needlessly harassing these people, implying they lack worth.

Michael McNeil said...

Ann Althouse said:
I hate “meds” insults.

How about Plagiarizing Michael's fave: “Suck my dick!” — followed by his second favorite: “What [illegal] drugs did you consume to arrive at that insight?”

JohnnyRussia said...

Ann Althouse said...
JohnnyRussia said..."Palladian, don't forget your meds."

I hate "meds" insults.

1. It's a cliché. Think up something new. Be interesting.

2. A lot of people take drugs for mental disorders. In trying to hit your target, you are needlessly harassing these people, implying they lack worth.

#1: I am epileptic and take meds everyday. I find nothing "harassing" about the comment, and I responded to a cliché with a cliché.
#2: Don't bother telling me how to write and I won't tell you how to run your blog.

Palladian said...

I see that Sarah Palin's Pussy still has a firm hold on PinchingLoaf's leg.

"(Andrew Sullivan has blogged about how some gay men have diva worship for women like Palin.)"

LOL. Yes, Andrew Sullivan, that sensible man who never irrationally worships anyone!

Well, at least he never irrationally worships a nasty woman! Women are so... icky!

MTfromCC said...

Hoosier Daddy - Love the name -- hilarious! -- but your statement that Obama defeated McCain by "a smaller margin" than Bush Sr. had in defeating Dukakis requires correction and clarification.

The official 2008 results have Obama defeating McCain by more than 9.5 Million votes -- 69,456,897 to 59,934,786 (with the percentage margin being 52.9% to 45.7%, or 7.2%).

In 1988, George H.W. Bush beat Dukakis by just over 7 million votes -- 48,886,597 to 41,809,476 (with the percentage margin being 53.4% - 45.6%, or 7.8%).

So while Poppy Bush had a slightly larger percentage differential, Obama's actual "margin of victory" was substantially larger (more than 25%) than Bush's -- 9.5 Million votes compared to 7.5 Million votes. And Bush was an incumbent, with all the power that the incumbency brings to a national candidacy. Of course, Bush, Jr. defeated Albert Gore by [-500,000] votes, or some might say by a 5-4 vote of the SCOTUS, and then governed the country like was president of only one party, who had just had won a huge landslide victory. So far, Obama is showing far more respect for the GOP and conservatives than Bush-Cheney ever showed to the Democrats and progressives.

As for the left "hating" Palin, you are wrong about the presumption, and also about the explanation. Progressives do not "hate" Palin -- we don't respect her, we thought she was a terrible choice as VP, and we continue to be dissatisfied by her failure to explain actions and positions that she has taken, but I have no feelings towards her that would be described using the word "hatred." The reason why progressives -- actually, many people on both sides of the aisle (including several close friends of mine who are lifelong, devoted republicans and conservatives) -- were so negative on her candidacy was because she was grossly unqualified for the oval office. And I mean that literally (and without regard to how she compares to other presidential and vice-presidential candidates over the last 200 years). She was unqualified in the sense that, prior to her selection by McCain, she was utterly lacking in any exposure at all (or apparent interest, for that matter) in the world or the lower 48 states. Outside of Alaskan politics, which is a very insular world, she had never shown even the slightest interest in national or international affairs. Nobody with that little exposure to the lower 48 and the rest of the world has any business being in the oval office.

Whatever else you can say about Biden, he has had a lifelong career in government, and is well versed (and deeply interested) in matters of foreign policy and domestic policy. You can't dispute that, by virtue of experience and exposure, he would be well prepared to take over the job of President if Obama were killed or incapactitated (even if you disagree with everything he stands for, and think his intellect is overrated). By contrast, the thought of Palin taking over for McCain was unthinkable for a majority of Americans.

If Palin had been running for Senator, I would never have questioned her experience in the same way -- people with lesser of different experiences can actually add a different dimension to a place like the Senate, and lord knows there have been plenty of buffoons in the Senate (and, of course, a Senator does not have the power by himself or herself to screw up the world). But as VP under a man who has had recurrent melanoma (four epsiodes so far), the potential of her becoming President in short order was fairly substantial, and the thought of someone with no experience or interest to speak of being placed in that position, by one man's politically motivated decision, was pretty appalling, and more than anything reflected a real lapse in judgment by McCain that people picked up on -- placing politics over nation, which was the diametric opposite of what McCain supposedly stood for. Bad politics, bad substance . . . just bad.

I think Palin's current media tour is fairly pathetic. She comes across as whiney (as the Daily Show graphic said just last night: "Blamey Whinehouse") and she is way off base in comparing the scutiny she received as a VP candidate to the scutiny, such as it is, that Caroline Kennedy has received sionce throwing her hat in the ring for the NY senate seat. I would be just as appalled if Obama had selected someone like Caroline Kenndy to be his VP as I was when McCain chose Palin. And there is no doubt that Palin, notwithstanding her inexperience in foreign affairs and domestic policy outside of the energy arena, is clearly qualified to sit in the Senate. But she has no business being in the White House until she has enough national and international experience under her belt to be a credible chief executive of the nation. That said, I hope she continues to play a prominent role in the GOP -- she is a pretty good reflection of at least half of her party, and her continued presence in the national political scene (and the voting public's reaction to it) will help answer the question of whether this is a left, center-left, center-right or right wing nation.

Synova said...

Ya'know...

It would be easier to claim that the left, or progressives, didn't "hate" Palin if there weren't so many examples of "progressives" saying that they hate her, that she doesn't count as a real woman, that she makes them sick, or the various published hysteria by feminists recounting conversations that include the words "I hate her."

Ann Althouse said...

".. I won't tell you how to run your blog.'

Duh! You just did!

JohnnyRussia said...

Ann Althouse said...
".. I won't tell you how to run your blog.'

Duh! You just did!


Only in the context of your original, unwanted attempt at editing and over-reactive, judgmental lecturing.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have the slightest reason to address you.

knox said...

JohnnyRussia, worst new commenter ever. We need ye olde Johnny Nucleo back.

JohnnyRussia said...

Gee, Knox, do you think you'll be able to work through your grief and longing?

Grow up.

Nichevo said...

Ann, to paraphrase Hawkeye Pierce, why don't you avoid the rush and start banning JohnnyRussia now?

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo: why ban me? Because I have a different view than you?

traditionalguy said...

As a long time holder to religious right traditions, my view of Governor Palin has not been lowered by the accusations that she is intellectually deficient. You see those areas are easily correctable with a little help from loyal support staff. Her Star Quality comes from a personal story many admire coupled with a leader,s courage in spades. Sure, you and I may know hundreds of smart people. But how many leaders have shown us any True Grit? these leaders are one in 10,000, and the Repubs don't have another 10, much less another 10,000, from which to hope they can find another one. That is what I meant when I said the Enemedia spotted her before we did. I was focusing on McCain, but the Enemedia guru's had been stunned by her appearance and were brainstorming ways to sideline her, not McCain, by midnight of day one. I predict that we will see more True Grit from Gov. Palin.

traditionalguy said...

As a long time holder to religious right traditions, my view of Governor Palin has not been lowered by the accusations that she is intellectually deficient. You see those areas are easily correctable with a little help from loyal support staff. Her Star Quality comes from a personal story many admire coupled with a leader,s courage in spades. Sure, you and I may know hundreds of smart people. But how many leaders have shown us any True Grit? these leaders are one in 10,000, and the Repubs don't have another 10, much less another 10,000, from which to hope they can find another one. That is what I meant when I said the Enemedia spotted her before we did. I was focusing on McCain, but the Enemedia guru's had been stunned by her appearance and were brainstorming ways to sideline her, not McCain, by midnight of day one. I predict that we will see more True Grit from Gov. Palin.

JohnnyRussia said...

http://www.themudflats.net/2009/01/14/a-cry-for-help-from-rural-alaska-is-anyone-listening/

Nichevo said...

No, JR, I don't even call for banning Cedarford or montana urban legend. Yer free to believe whatever wrong-headed notions you like.

You, however, are not only (to all appearances thus far) an ass, but have exhibited no compensatory virtues in any form. IOW the next clever thing you say will be the first. Just IMHO of course, but as a debater I was trained to appreciate both sides of a question, so it's not just ideological distaste.

But hey - it ain't my blog. Point being, it is La Althouse's, and she can be cruel and capricious, and if you can't roll with it you won't be happy here. She is the diva-in-residence.

Not that you can't step to her - for instance I often tell her she needs a good shtupping, which I will graciously provide - but she is La Belle Dame Sans Souci Du Blog and you are going to have to treat her as not-just-any-old-blogger if you want to be happy and longevous here.

What brought you here anyway, if I may ask? Perhaps this just ain't your kind of place. E.g., nobody will kick you out of a gay bar if you wander into one, but sooner or later you'll find there's nothing for you there (unless there is) and you'll move on to somewhere you can pick up chicks and get manly drinks.

But you know, you do just as you like. However I want you to believe me when I tell you that you are getting off on the wrong foot. Take a deep breath, lurk a little maybe.

I actually mean this as kindly as my doubtless-deficient, conservatively-oriented (but I repeat myself, eh?) nature allows. So flame away; here endeth the lesson.

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo: feel free to save your "lesson" for someone who may ask you for one.

I didn't and I won't.

The proprietor of this blog seems just fine to me. It's hers, she can do as she pleases. She probably also doesn't need you to explain her ways.

One doesn't need to camp out only on blogs with which one may share a point of view.

reader_iam said...

Putting every other thing aside for moment, JohnnyRussia: Have you considered whether your approach and attitude since your recent appearance here has significantly reduced the likelihood that people would follow your link(s) (much less do some research)? Given the situation in Emmonak, is this what you want? Is it the best thing you can do? The best way to advocate? The best way to help and inspire help?

Are they people, or points, to you?

Nichevo said...

Oh no, you certainly did ask. If you don't like it, don't pay. Or - hey! If you don't like what I have to say, why don't you get me banned!

And please don't confuse yourself with some brave iconoclast here. You've no doubt plenty of brain-brothers on Althouse.

Meanwhile, La Serenissima deigned to address you directly, and you told her to shove it. This indeed suggests that you do need some form of translation, or perhaps simply the dirt to be dug out of your ears.

Nichevo said...

reader: the question answers itself, don't it?

reader_iam said...

Are you more inspired by people freezing and starving, or by warming and feeding people?

Nichevo said...

Tell ya what, I have less than zero interest in following any blind link of this guy's - or of most people's who indulge themselves in this way, but JR? African-American, please.

I don't like to click off the current page without a reason, and I already have 136 tabs open. Why punish myself following his lead?

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo, do you just post any random thought that pops into your head? Who cares how many tabs you have open? Who cares if you follow links? If you want to play hall monitor, go back to school.

Anonymous said...

JR, do you just post insults because they pop into your head? Who cares what you think of Knox? Who cares what sort of blogs you camp out on? In fact, who cares what you think at all, if you're going to act the way you have? If you want to play troll, go to Hell.

JohnnyRussia said...

Is "hell" capitalized?

Anonymous said...

In my usage it is. But I tend to follow older rules of orthography, and capitalize place names and titular offices, e.g., 'President.' To be consistent, I suppose I should capitalize 'Troll,' but 'asshole' would require no such dignity.

Nichevo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nichevo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nichevo said...

See, JR, there you go again. You speak when not spoken to; and you ask questions that, going by past practice, you don't want the answers to.

Oh, I'll tell you, Johnny-commie (and no, I do not capitalize "communist"), but save the whining about how you didn't ask and didn't want to know, mmm'kay? I count 3 question marks, which means you asked 3 questions. I'll take your order directly to make it easier to for you to follow:

Nichevo, do you just post any random thought that pops into your head?

No, I am strictly on point. I'm afraid the blame for any incoherence falls to you. I will always be happy to make myself clear, upon request, to even the meanest understanding. And so far you seem pretty mean.

Who cares how many tabs you have open?

Evidently not you, little solipsist; but if you knew anything about Internet browsers, you would know that while Firefox will evidently create unlimited tabs, stability suffers as you rise.

I only have 3GB RAM in this donkey, so when FF takes over 1GB all by its lonesome and my total RAM commit charge is well over 2GB - peak over 2.7 - I take such concerns into account while browsing. Therefore, adding one more open tab is a real decision.

Who cares if you follow links?

You seriously mean to tell me that you, the poster/author of the link, do not care if people follow it? You should think about what this says about you.

If you want to play hall monitor, go back to school.

Why, Johnny-cakes, I do seem to remember that you resent being instructed let alone ordered about by others. Therefore you will understand when I decline that suggestion. As I said before, you might not like it here, in which case you may go away.

BTW, the score on "Intelligent things JohnnyRussia has said on Althouse" is still ZERO.

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo: so by your score-keeping, that means we're tied, huh?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JohnnyRussia said...

Theo Boehm has left a new comment on the post "Meghan McCain: "Sarah Palin is the only part of th...":

Dear Nichevo, It may be that your very understandable reaction is precisely what Mr. Russia wishes to evoke. No one would pay such people the slightest mind because of either their style or ideas if they did not play the Troll and hurl insults instead of well-put arguments.

Because Mr. Russia has already gotten his needful dose of attention, I feel safe in saying one thing further. It could be argued that 'Troll' is not a titular office. Given the assiduity with which the ill-bred and deranged pursue it, I say it ought to be. What better way of indicating its rank and dignity than by capitalization? And, when that which is appointed to each of us at last arrives, will it not look fine upon a gravestone to say, 'Blog Troll?'


"Troll?" Gee, my original post showed my SUPPORT of Palin in 2012, Isn't that what you and your ilk want, too? You, because you're desperate for a right-wing demagogue and me, because I'm desperate for Palin's (albeit unintentional) comedic value.

No wonder the right-wing can't be taken seriously!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Russia shows himself to be the very model of a Troll by hanging on every word written in a thread, obsessively copying or using the RSS feed. I had decided that Mr. Russia was not worth one more word from me, yet he is so greedy for attention that he must grasp from the ether what I had tossed away in disgust.

Mr. Russia thinks that all who find him intolerable must be of some certain political opinion, to justify in his own mind his ill-breeding. As far as I am concerned, Sarah Palin is indifferently ignorant, and not worthy of further attention or higher office until she can prover herself more worthy. My opinions may be more aligned with Mr. Russia's putative political leanings than he imagines.

No, my objection to Mr. Russia is to Mr. Russia himself. He is an ill-mannered, ignorant Troll, as surely as any internet Troll ever existed. He is not worthy of one further electron or second of any person's time.

JohnnyRussia said...

You go, Theo! It only took you 3 paragraphs to express your highly strident didacticism.

Being compared to "any internet Troll" who ever existed is not an honor that I campaigned for, yet I will gladly acknowledge---with appropriate mocking humor---your hyper-sensitive blog posse mentality and ask only that you continue on high patrol until all divergent opinions are I.D.'d and similarly chastised by your water-off-a-duck's-ass, easily-forgotten words.

Nichevo said...

JR,

Pretty much looks like you are -

1) a troll

2) a low-endurance troll:

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/alevy/2009/01/15/if-i-wrote-for-the-huffington-post-give-geese-a-chance/

demonstrates how you like to hit and run.


But by all means, prove me wrong. Say something worth replying to. Forgive me, though, if I don't hold my breath waiting for it. (Lies and unintentional exposure of your own buffoonery don't count. I wouldn't have to wait long for some of that from you.)

BTW Theo is leftish I think, but he isn't your type of people because he is actually a somewhat normal human being. He has enough history on this blog that you can make an estimation of his work with searches, but more to the point, has people here who know and like him.

He also calls 'em like he sees 'em. So it's clear why you two won't get along.

JR, at this point it is probably best for you to leave town, change your name, and start a new life. (You might try that for your Internet persona, too.)

Nichevo said...

BTW, Theo, you may be right and we should all give JR the silent treatment; I seem to suffer fools, if not gladly, to excess. But either way I think he'll get bored and move on. Nothing here for him.

I wonder if anyone is writing academic papers on troll-ism lately? I have recently been minded to write some analysis of the pattern of Russian Internet disinformation efforts (go to ANY site treating, say, the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, or the recent Georgia crisis, and observe what crawls out of the woodwork), but analysis of trolls has far wider application.

What makes a JohnnyRussia tick? To ask the question is to answer it ("who cares"), and yet perhaps a systematic approach can have some effect on the larger problem.

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo, are you stalking me?

Nichevo said...

Blogger JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo, are you stalking me?

9:47 PM


No, you seem to be everywhere I go. And everywhere you go, people have your number:


(again from http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/alevy/2009/01/15/if-i-wrote-for-the-huffington-post-give-geese-a-chance/ , where you seem to have made quite the impression)

-----
spiro - January 15th, 2009 at 5:58 pm

JohhnyRussia,

You have every right to come here for discussion, but that’s not what you did now, is it?

quoting you:
“Andy, your “performance” on that insipid FOX piece of crap with the decidedly-unfunny Greg Gutfeld is laughless, and this stab at—what, humor?–is equally bad.
Can’t find real work, eh?”

No discussion there, you just came in the room, both hands balled into fists and swinging with insults and mean-spirited attacks.
Then, when someone stepped in your face, you curled up in the corner, whimpered, and pulled the “unwelcome victim” card.

That’s how we knew you were a leftist. It’s the “go to” play in your playbook.


----------

I thought there might be another JohnnyRussia out there, but the "whimper" characterization pretty much nails you.

I wouldn't stalk you if you were a hot randy bitch with money and no STDs. Go away from here and you won't likely see me again. Go now, without further reply, and maybe, just maybe, I'll even ignore you if I see you crapping on some other blog.

Nichevo said...

Oh and, again quoting you,

Blogger JohnnyRussia said...

Theo Boehm has left a new comment on the post "Meghan McCain: "Sarah Palin is the only part of th...":


I see what Theo meant about RSS feeds. Stalking? Go in for Freudian projection much? It's just a little bit far gone of you to be posting to a post that was deleted by author.

"Blogger JohnnyRussia said...

Nichevo, are you stalking me?

9:47 PM"

Me? Stalking you?

MmmmuaHAhahahahahahhahaa...!

OH NOES! LOL.ROFL.LMAO.LTIWMP.IGTDL.

(Sorry, I forgot to laugh at you before. Fixed. You deserve it.)

JohnnyRussia said...

Nichebo, this reminder: I do as I wish. Your petulant demands--"Go now, without any further reply"--will, alas, be left unmet.

Rest assured I don't take advice from your type, so save your latent anger for the guy in the cubicle next to yours.

But by all means, keep maniacally searching the blogosphere for JohnnyRussia's everywhere. You never know when it will actually be THIS one!

Nichevo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JohnnyRussia said...

I'm not goin' anywhere, Nichebo--er, Nichevo.

BTW: my spelling is fine, thank you.

But this original post was about the REAL font of comedy, Sarah Palin. So, Junior, I'm done with playing Romper Room with you.

Frankly, you bore me.

Nichevo said...

JR:

1) Your score is still zero

2) Can you effing read? (It's already clear you can't spell.)

3) In the words of a local talk show host: You couldn't be more hopelessly wrong.

4) I was wrong, though, I admit it. Stick around. JR = Comedy gold! Pure fascination, in a 2 girls 1 cup kind of way. Oh no, Theo, now I see that we gotta keep old Johnny Fever around! Think of the lulz!

5) Junior? Sure, you do seem pretty old, at least in the sense of stale/rancid as opposed to wise/mature.

But, wow, you meant that as an insult to me! I was supposed to be wounded by this epithet! Junior? DMMMM, please! No, man, really, you are too much.