Sarah Palin speaks to Katie Couric on the relationship between Alaska and Russia..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhjxZGdr06I
...And to Charlie Gibson about the Bush Doctrine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z75QSExE0jU
Remember, she is ONE HEARTBEAT away if she becomes Vice President
Showing posts with label Sarah Palin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah Palin. Show all posts
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Alaska lawmakers: McCain campaign interfering in Palin probe
from www.cnn.com
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Lawmakers investigating Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner accused the McCain-Palin campaign on Thursday of stonewalling the probe by helping witnesses refuse to comply with subpoenas.
A state Senate committee subpoenaed Palin's husband, several top aides and other advisers earlier this month, but none of those served with demands for testimony appeared before the panel when it met last week.
The panel is scheduled to meet again Friday. A member of the committee said Thursday that he expects more no-shows.
In court filings, lawyers for Hollis French, the Democratic state senator overseeing the probe, and Stephen Branchflower, the attorney hired to conduct it, say Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign has moved "on many fronts" to kill the investigation since Palin became the Republican vice presidential nominee.
"Indeed, recent events demonstrate that witnesses or participants who want to stonewall Mr. Branchflower's fact-finding inquiry can count on plenty of assistance from lawyers and McCain campaign operatives," the filings state.
The filings came in response to lawsuits that Palin's allies filed last week seeking to stop the probe. The suits name as defendants the Alaska Legislative Council, the Republican-dominated committee that authorized the investigation in July, and its chairman, Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton.
The response calls the suits "clearly meritless" and "political, not legal" documents.
The McCain campaign has said that Palin will cooperate with a state Personnel Board investigation instead of the legislative probe, which the campaign has described as being "tainted" with partisan politics.
"Since Gov. Palin was named the Republican [vice] presidential nominee, it comes as little surprise that the Obama supporters leading the legislative investigation would attempt to use the proceedings to the political advantage of their candidate," said Taylor Griffin, a McCain-Palin campaign spokesman.
"All Gov. Palin is asking for is a fair and impartial review of the facts outside of the taint of partisan politics," Griffin said. "That's why she's cooperating with the Personnel Board."
Earlier this week, Democratic state Rep. Les Gara asked the state police to investigate whether state laws against witness tampering have been violated. Gara did not level allegations against a specific person, but said Republican operatives had been sent to Alaska to undermine the legislative probe.
"I think probably the McCain folks think this was just politics," Gara said Thursday. But he added, "All we know is they want to stop the investigation and suddenly the witnesses aren't talking. That's indisputable."
Ex-Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan says he was sacked in July after he refused to fire the governor's ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper who was involved in an acrimonious divorce from Palin's sister.
Palin has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that Monegan was fired for insubordination after he continued to press for funding for projects the governor opposed.
Palin initially agreed to cooperate with the legislative probe and have her staff testify. But since she became McCain's running mate, she and her advisers have argued that the state Personnel Board is the proper agency to investigate.
Campaign aides have repeatedly attacked French for a September 2 interview in which he said the investigation could lead to an "October surprise" for the GOP ticket. The aides have called the probe "a politicized kangaroo court."
French's committee issued the subpoenas September 12. State Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said none of the seven people ordered to testify since last week have filed requests to quash the subpoenas with a state court -- but he did not expect them to show for Friday's hearing.
"They should all be there, or they're breaking the law," Wielechowski, a Democrat, said.
The full Senate would have to vote on any sanctions against witnesses who refuse to appear. It does not convene again until January.
Palin's husband, Todd, was among the people who refused to appear last week. The couple's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, filed papers arguing the Legislature had no authority to investigate Monegan's firing, and that state law prevents ethics investigations of candidates for state office. The vice presidency is a federal office, however.
The legislative inquiry is scheduled to be completed by October 10. There is no deadline for the investigator hired by the Personnel Board to look into Monegan's firing.
On Tuesday, a Palin spokeswoman said the Personnel Board's investigator has requested confidentiality. The spokeswoman indicated the campaign would no longer answer questions about the probe.
Monegan has vehemently denied charges of insubordination and has told CNN he was a "team player" who never did anything without approval.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Lawmakers investigating Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner accused the McCain-Palin campaign on Thursday of stonewalling the probe by helping witnesses refuse to comply with subpoenas.
A state Senate committee subpoenaed Palin's husband, several top aides and other advisers earlier this month, but none of those served with demands for testimony appeared before the panel when it met last week.
The panel is scheduled to meet again Friday. A member of the committee said Thursday that he expects more no-shows.
In court filings, lawyers for Hollis French, the Democratic state senator overseeing the probe, and Stephen Branchflower, the attorney hired to conduct it, say Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign has moved "on many fronts" to kill the investigation since Palin became the Republican vice presidential nominee.
"Indeed, recent events demonstrate that witnesses or participants who want to stonewall Mr. Branchflower's fact-finding inquiry can count on plenty of assistance from lawyers and McCain campaign operatives," the filings state.
The filings came in response to lawsuits that Palin's allies filed last week seeking to stop the probe. The suits name as defendants the Alaska Legislative Council, the Republican-dominated committee that authorized the investigation in July, and its chairman, Democratic state Sen. Kim Elton.
The response calls the suits "clearly meritless" and "political, not legal" documents.
The McCain campaign has said that Palin will cooperate with a state Personnel Board investigation instead of the legislative probe, which the campaign has described as being "tainted" with partisan politics.
"Since Gov. Palin was named the Republican [vice] presidential nominee, it comes as little surprise that the Obama supporters leading the legislative investigation would attempt to use the proceedings to the political advantage of their candidate," said Taylor Griffin, a McCain-Palin campaign spokesman.
"All Gov. Palin is asking for is a fair and impartial review of the facts outside of the taint of partisan politics," Griffin said. "That's why she's cooperating with the Personnel Board."
Earlier this week, Democratic state Rep. Les Gara asked the state police to investigate whether state laws against witness tampering have been violated. Gara did not level allegations against a specific person, but said Republican operatives had been sent to Alaska to undermine the legislative probe.
"I think probably the McCain folks think this was just politics," Gara said Thursday. But he added, "All we know is they want to stop the investigation and suddenly the witnesses aren't talking. That's indisputable."
Ex-Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan says he was sacked in July after he refused to fire the governor's ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper who was involved in an acrimonious divorce from Palin's sister.
Palin has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that Monegan was fired for insubordination after he continued to press for funding for projects the governor opposed.
Palin initially agreed to cooperate with the legislative probe and have her staff testify. But since she became McCain's running mate, she and her advisers have argued that the state Personnel Board is the proper agency to investigate.
Campaign aides have repeatedly attacked French for a September 2 interview in which he said the investigation could lead to an "October surprise" for the GOP ticket. The aides have called the probe "a politicized kangaroo court."
French's committee issued the subpoenas September 12. State Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said none of the seven people ordered to testify since last week have filed requests to quash the subpoenas with a state court -- but he did not expect them to show for Friday's hearing.
"They should all be there, or they're breaking the law," Wielechowski, a Democrat, said.
The full Senate would have to vote on any sanctions against witnesses who refuse to appear. It does not convene again until January.
Palin's husband, Todd, was among the people who refused to appear last week. The couple's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, filed papers arguing the Legislature had no authority to investigate Monegan's firing, and that state law prevents ethics investigations of candidates for state office. The vice presidency is a federal office, however.
The legislative inquiry is scheduled to be completed by October 10. There is no deadline for the investigator hired by the Personnel Board to look into Monegan's firing.
On Tuesday, a Palin spokeswoman said the Personnel Board's investigator has requested confidentiality. The spokeswoman indicated the campaign would no longer answer questions about the probe.
Monegan has vehemently denied charges of insubordination and has told CNN he was a "team player" who never did anything without approval.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
FREE SARAH PALIN
Campbell Brown
(c) www.cnn.com
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Frankly I have had it, and I know a lot of other women out there who are with me on this. I have had enough of the sexist treatment of Sarah Palin. It has to end.
She was in New York on Tuesday meeting with world leaders at the U.N. And what did the McCain campaign do?
They tried to ban reporters from covering those meetings. And they did ban reporters from asking Gov. Palin any questions.
I call upon the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment.
This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong, she is tough, she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff.
Allow her to face down those pesky reporters just like Barack Obama did today, just like John McCain did today. Just like Joe Biden has done on numerous occasions. Let her have a real news conference with real questions.
"No bias, no bull"
By treating Sarah Palin differently from other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves.
Free Sarah Palin.
Free her from the chauvinistic chains you are binding her with.
Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do.
So let her act like one.
(c) www.cnn.com
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Frankly I have had it, and I know a lot of other women out there who are with me on this. I have had enough of the sexist treatment of Sarah Palin. It has to end.
She was in New York on Tuesday meeting with world leaders at the U.N. And what did the McCain campaign do?
They tried to ban reporters from covering those meetings. And they did ban reporters from asking Gov. Palin any questions.
I call upon the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment.
This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong, she is tough, she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff.
Allow her to face down those pesky reporters just like Barack Obama did today, just like John McCain did today. Just like Joe Biden has done on numerous occasions. Let her have a real news conference with real questions.
"No bias, no bull"
By treating Sarah Palin differently from other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves.
Free Sarah Palin.
Free her from the chauvinistic chains you are binding her with.
Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do.
So let her act like one.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Spin...
THE SPIN:
Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American
story.'
Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the
individual you're 'reckless.' A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a
'maverick.'
If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from
a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter registration
drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a
Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State
Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman
of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly
4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13
million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are
woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town
with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state
with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on
either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are
well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because
your state is the closest state to Russia.
If you are a Democratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people
you are an 'arrogant celebrity'. If you are a popular Republican female
candidate you are 'energizing the base'.
If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own
decisions you are 'presumptuous'. if you are an older male candidate who
makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the
hip' maverick.
If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of
touch' with the real America. if you are a legacy (dad and granddad were
admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you
are a hero.
If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty
suit'.If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an
'experienced executive'.
If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe global warming is man made,
you are 'strongly principled'.
If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are
raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.
If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water
breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent,
endangering the life of your unborn child.
But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American
story.'
Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the
individual you're 'reckless.' A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a
'maverick.'
If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from
a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter registration
drive that registers 150,000 new African American voters, spend 12 years as a
Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State
Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman
of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly
4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13
million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are
woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town
with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state
with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on
either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are
well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because
your state is the closest state to Russia.
If you are a Democratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people
you are an 'arrogant celebrity'. If you are a popular Republican female
candidate you are 'energizing the base'.
If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own
decisions you are 'presumptuous'. if you are an older male candidate who
makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the
hip' maverick.
If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of
touch' with the real America. if you are a legacy (dad and granddad were
admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you
are a hero.
If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty
suit'.If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an
'experienced executive'.
If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe global warming is man made,
you are 'strongly principled'.
If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your
disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are
raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.
If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water
breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent,
endangering the life of your unborn child.
But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
The man who said "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should, and "I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong," cries "economy!"
The man whose running mate denies manmade global warming cries "environment!"
The man with ZERO executive experience cries "executive experience!"
The man who chaired the committee that set a record for unauthorized appropriations cries "I'll make them famous!"
The man who voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time cries "change!"
The man who knowingly spreads malicious lies cries "honor!"
The man whose campaign is run by lobbyists cries "no more lobbyists!"
The man whose running mate has a pregnant, unmarried 17-year-old daughter cries "abstinence!"
The man who cheated on his ailing wife cries "family values!"
The man who can't tell Sunni and Shia apart cries "judgment!"
The man who picked the least experienced VP candidate in history cries "country first!"
The man who got caught in the Keating Five scandal cries "integrity!"
The man who joked about Chelsea Clinton being "ugly" cries "offensive!"
The man whose party mocks service cries "service!"
The man who supported abolishing the Department of Education cries "education!"
The man whose family was targeted by Karl Rove in 2000 cries "get me Karl Rove!"
The man who fought against the Bush tax cuts cries "permanent Bush tax cuts!"
The man who called Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance" cries "I love evangelicals!"
The man who cried "no Iraq timetables" STILL cries "no Iraq timetables!"
A man who touts his running mate as a "reformer" cries "get me more Bush veterans for her staff!"
A man who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade cries "I'm the candidate for women!"
...and America eats it up.
