September 2, 2008
Pork-Barrel Palin, The Earmark Champ (Brent Budowsky)
Now John McCain learns, as we do, that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) sent a 70-page memo to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) in February seeking $200 million for new Alaska earmarks, and as mayor of the village of Wasilla she lobbied hard for and won more than $26 million of earmarks.
If you believe Sarah Palin is a reformer, you will believe that the College of Cardinals will summon me to Rome as successor to the pope. Palin long ago hired the prime pork lobbying firm in Alaska, which features Ted Stevens's son, and Ted Stevens's former chief of staff, who serviced her pork lobbying account.
The regular junkets of Palin and her staff to Washington, hustling earmark dough, are legendary in Alaska. Someone will soon add up the airfare, hotel and fine dining tabs to push for the pork, plus the lobbying fees, all at taxpayer expense, starting with Wasilla, continuing as governor.
It's good Palin was only the mayor of the small village of Wasilla with only 6,700 people. Just think what bacon "pork-barrel Palin" would have brought home as mayor of a real city with hundreds of thousands, or millions, of people. Do the math. Give her credit — a town of 6,700 people, more than $26 million pieces of pork. When feeding time at the trough arrives, Palin is the real barracuda!!!
This is what happens when an impulsive presidential candidate picks a person he literally does not know, did not vet, and plays roulette with the future of America.
Who knows what we will learn next? For now I dub her "pork-barrel Palin,” the Super Bowl champ of the earmarks, the Olympic gold medal winner for pork, the World Series star of hiring insider lobbying firms, now part of one of the great false advertising campaigns in presidential campaign history.
Who knows what the 10 McCain vetters who are now beginning their work will find out next?
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Spot On Brent! NOw we'll see what our resident neocons will say about this new revelation.
Comment by Mike Coleman — September 2, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Brent,
So Palin asks for $200 million in earmarks for Alaska and Obama requests $740 million in 3 years. Will wait for your post on Porky Obama…..
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 11:50 am
It would be interesting to review the associated expenditures (public information) for these junkets to DC and determine which lobbying firms were used, and how much they were paid. For that matter, how they were paid. What roll did Ted Stevens and Don Young play?
The Alaska GOP is simply corrupt and rotten to the core, and most objective observers recognize that fact. Does Grandpa McSame?
Comment by Jesse Templeton — September 2, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Brent: Here's an interesting little scandal about how Barack helped secure earmarks for Biden's son. Will the national news leap on it? I doubt it. It lets Biden claim he's not into earmarks while his political allies make sure he and his family get their share. It's too funny. I suggest you read it before you spout off about earmarks again. It's a battle filled with corruption for Obama and Biden.
http://goodtimepolitics.com/2008/08/27/obama-sought-34-million-earmarks-for-clients-of-joe-bidens-son/
en. Barack Obama sought more than $3.4 million in congressional earmarks for clients of the lobbyist son of his Democratic running mate, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, records show. Obama succeeded in getting $192,000 for one of the clients, St. Xavier University in suburban Chicago.
Obama’s campaign has taken a hard stance against the world of lobbying in the nation’s capital.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/27/politics/washingtonpost/main4388540.shtml
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
Joe, the difference is that, unlike McCain, Obama didn't hypocritically build his campaign around bashing earmarks or their appropriators.
And for McCain to pick such a hypocrite as Palin on this issue shows just how much he's playing his anti-earmark supporters for fools and lackeys, as McCain obviously doesn't match his words to his deeds.
Comment by KingCranky — September 2, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
But but but…she is a reformer Brent. Ms Secessionist (ALASKA FIRST!) is finally being vetted.
She was also the head of Stevens' 527…
Comment by Theard — September 2, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Tuesday, Septemeber 2, 2008…
Sarah who?
The hits just keep on comin! Perhaps “vetting” might have made sense here, but nothing McSame does makes sense.
Leave aside how many truly qualified Republicans McSame had to choose from, i.e. Governor Jodi Rell or Senators Olym…
Trackback by Anonymous — September 2, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
Republicans crack me up with their phony
conservatism. They say we are in a hundred
year war with mushroom clouds then make
pathetic excuses for a totally unqualified
VP. Then they say everyone else has moral
failures but make excuses when their VP who
adamantly opposes sex education and they have
the gall to claim teenage pregnancy is a moral
plus. I would never raise the issue in a
hundred year, leave the kid alone, but the
moral phoniness from the right is a farce.
Now their VP is the gold medal winner of
earmarks and earmark lobby firms and these
phony fiscal conservatives cant even find it
within themselves to criticize this. These
guys are drowning in their own spin.
Comment by Brent — September 2, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Brent,
You are as pathetic as Olbermann
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
The liberals can complain about earmarks all they want. If they make it an issue they will drown in it, Hillary alone getting over 500 million. Anyway, the real story is that the Democratic Convention has come and gone and the race is a dead heat. That will soon change as Obama bites the dust.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/13068
A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll and a Zogby Interactive flash poll, both completed over the weekend, have found the presidential race is in a dead heat. According to both polls, Obama attained no statistically significant convention bounce.
Whether Obama is ahead or tied with McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee will now come into the Republican convention with his best opportunity yet to break through his own ceiling and take a lead in the presidential race.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
Earlier this year, President Bush and the congressional leadership announced that the total number and dollar amount of earmarks must be reduced significantly.
The Palin administration has responded to this message by requesting 31 earmarks, down from 54 last year. Of these, 27 involve continuing or previous appropriations and four are new. The total dollar amount of these requests has been reduced from about $550 million in the previous year to just less than $200 million.
Bottom line - Palin heeded the call to reduce earmarks hardly the "gold standard" that Brent suggests.
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
BTW dont believe a word you hear from the
Republicans at the convention and on cable
television. Behind the scenes there is near
panic about Palin and I am hearing this from
Republicans privately, today. What will the
news bring tomorrow?
Comment by Brent — September 2, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
Spot on again Brent. Keep it up. The GOP is full of phonies and is rotten to the very core. To be clear, I give no free passes to democrats. GOP, on the other hand, is totally hypocritical.
"Abstinence Only" anybody?
Comment by Jesse Templeton — September 2, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
Sen. Barack Obama sought more than $3.4 million in congressional earmarks for clients of the lobbyist son of his Democratic running mate, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, records show. Obama succeeded in getting $192,000 for one of the clients, St. Xavier University in suburban Chicago.
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
Now that Alaska is front and center in the news again, it is a good time to catch up on a favorite story, The Bridge to Nowhere, using the Washington Post US Congress Votes Database.
Though Gov. Palin originally supported the earmark spending on the Ketchikan bridge (“to nowhere), she eventually killed the project, chosing to spend Federal money on other infrasturcture programs.
However, Sen. Biden and Sen. Obama voted for funding the Bridge, even when given a second chance by Sen. Tom Coburn, who proposed shifting earmark funds to Katrina relief.
Sen. McCain did not vote on the Coburn Amendment, though he is on record as opposing the Ketchikan bridge earmark.
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
my two previous posts lionks
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2072979/posts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR2008082603894_pf.html
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
the AK republican party is as infamous as the Chicago Dem party. the one OBAMA-rama comes from…
Comment by bulkyboxer — September 2, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
#8 bitches about being called phony and then calls the otherside phony.
honestly folks, alaska is a huge state w/ natural resources aplenty. the people of america have, do, and will continue to benefit from these resources as well as AK's strategic position physically
Certainly there is greed and corruption on BOTH sides. people have free will and are corruptable.
but i ask Dems:
do you really wanna get into a VP scandal/vetting debate?
Biden has been around Forever. that fact alone makes him far more vulnerable than palin.
Comment by j — September 2, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
The things we find when the media and public have to do John McCain's job of vetting his VP choice! Here's a January 2008 audio of Palin, laughing while a shock jock refers to her opponent as a "bitch" and a "cancer". It's all the more despicable because the locals knew that Palin's opponent was a cancer survivor.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/31/palin-laughs-as-opponent_n_122776.html
Her local newspaper had this to say about her on-air behavior:
"The governor's appearance on KWHL's "The Bob and Mark Show" last week is plain and simple one of the most unprofessional, childish and inexcusable performances I've ever seen from a politician."
"It was conduct unbecoming a human being, never mind a governor."
http://www.adn.com/opinion/comment/story/295464.html
Comment by Melissa — September 2, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
palin is on the ticket to solidify the conservative base.
she provides political cover for mccain to occupy the middle, where he truly comes from…eg. he's come to the middle on issue after issue already.
BTW, the middle has been left vacant by the Dems w/ their nomination of the utopian- marx1st, barack hussein obama.
if mccain pisses-off the right and the left, then must be a centrist.
mccain/palin is pure rovian genius…
BTW, palin will hold up fine in a debate against biden. biden is half-bright and uninspiring. PALIN IS PURE AMERICAN.
Comment by ha ha dems — September 2, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
aww, couldn't handle those other posts brent? have to EDIT the site?
shame on you LIBS
not wanting your sheeple to hear the truth about Palin
Comment by getreal — September 2, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
Guys please–lay off a bit UNTIL she officially becomes the VEEP nominee..at this rate, she may not last the night.
You too Brent…only 24-48 hours left, depending on their new wacky schedule.
Comment by Theard — September 2, 2008 @ 3:34 pm
Melissa as usual you nailed it. Remember
the sick comment McCain made about Chelsea
Clinton and Janet Reno in the 1990's. He
was no spring chicken when he made those
comments, demeaning and pretty weird. Imagine
attacking the daughter of the president with
a sick dirty joke. Something in the Republican
genes these days. Look at the Republicans
here today. They cant even try to defend
Pork-barrel Palin. Wont even try and cant
with a straight face.
Comment by Brent — September 2, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
Is there even one Republican here who will
specifically defend Pork-barrel Palin's
various earmarks? What a bunch of wimps,
haha!! Call me names, I will survive the
blow, but isn't there even one of you who
will give it the old college try?
Comment by Brent — September 2, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
Pork Barrell Palin is not qualified to be VP. Everyone knows it.
For God's sake Katheryn Harris served as congresswoman for Florida but that does not qualify her for VP.
The fact is, many republicans are unhappy and for now choose not to disrupt the convention. It's like McCain is driving the GOP in to a brickwall intentionally. Unbelievable!
Maybe McCain is unhappy that the GOP is based upon neocon rhetoric and must be gutted. Check out the comments above from the neocons. These lunatic fringe repukes really believe what they're listening to on the AM Radio (PigBoy Rush, Closeted-homo Hannity)
Comment by Jesse Templeton — September 2, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
Brent: This is ridiculous. You left out one little fact. Any citizen has a right to petition the U.S. Congress for anything they want. If the U.S. Congress approves it and gives it to them, whose fault is that? In the meantime I suggest everyone go to The Pork Book, set up by Citizens Against Government Waste. There's plenty of blame to smear both parties.
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/CAGW-Pig_Book_08.pdf
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Pemberton and Rosie, come a little closer so I can share a secret with you. No one reads in its entirety the tripe you two post hear. We just chuckle shake our heads and wonder what went wrong.
Rosie and Pemberton (hell, throw Igor in there too) are two lunatics on-board the USS Ship of Fools, sailing in circles in the Artic Ocean, searching about for the Ilse of Neocons.
Comment by Lester — September 2, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Robert Rosencrans, there is one thing YOU left out of YOUR post. The fact that she hired the law firm that hired Ted Stevens son, in order to get that pork, speaks of the corruption and insider dealing that McCain supposedly is so strongly against. THAT is the corruption. Oh, and the peabrain that pointed out that Obama secured more funding for the state of Illinois than Palin did for the town of Wasilla Alaska, so what's your point? Should Illinois get no more federal funds that Wasilla, even though it has several thousand times more taxpayers? Are you really that dumb as to think Wasilla Alaska should receive the same federal spending as the entire state of Illinois? Classic idiocy from the repukes.
Comment by Pete — September 2, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Pete, whether you hire someone or not, the U.S. Congress doesn't have to give it to you. Since you can read and write surely you have enough intelligence to acknowledge that.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
Lester: You're just another Cicada like troll who shows up every four years to display your hatred and arrogance and then, after your alleged candidate goes down in flames you disappear for another four years. You really don't believe in anything, you're just here to flame other posters because you're a loser.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
No, wrong again Rosie. Remember, I used to be in the GOP, 37 years, until neocon, fundamentalist, self righteous people, like you, took over the GOP. Now we want it back Rosie. That being said, you and your ilk have set the course for the country to be completely democratically controled. One party rule is bad either way as we've seen. The GOP will not only lose in November, they will also rid themselves of the Flat Earth Creationists Crusaders like you.
Comment by Lester — September 2, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
Why thank you, Brent.
McCain's camp can spin all they like, but there is absolutely no way that a full vetting of this woman took place. They don't want word to leak out that McCain had yet another poor judgment, trigger-happy moment when his bosses said no to Lieberman.
Comment by Melissa — September 2, 2008 @ 6:28 pm
Pete,
That was $200 million for the STATE OF ALASKA this year compared to Obama's $740 million in three years. So I'll do the math since you and Lestor the Molestor and Melissa the liar are challenged…
740/3 = $246.66 Million per year average. shall we just call it even? Idiots
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 2, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
Figures don't lie but liars can figure, as the saying goes.
How about these numbers?
Alaska population 626,932.
Illinois population 12,419,293
200,000,000 / 626,932 = $319 per Alaska resident.
246,660,000 / 12,419,293 =$19.86 per Illinois resident.
Looks like Alaskans received 16 times more pork than did Illinis.
Not to mention the $1200 in oil revenues that Palin sent to each Alaskan. No wonder she has the best approval rating that money can buy.
Pork-Barrel Palin seems to fit….
Comment by smilinjack — September 2, 2008 @ 7:39 pm
Addendum:
26 million for Wasalia comes out to a whopping $2888.00 for each of Wasalia's 9000 (?) residents.
Comment by smilinjack — September 2, 2008 @ 7:45 pm
#33 Jon,
I don't know why you're including my name in your petty drivel, but I haven't been wasting my time arguing with whatever nonsense you're sputtering.
When I'm ready to fill my Jon-squelching quota for this month, I'll be in touch.
Comment by Melissa — September 2, 2008 @ 8:51 pm
Robert do I understand you are making the
argument in favor of Palin and pork based
on the right to petition? So you are now
endorsing earmarks and pork? Funny what being
a Republican can do to the soul, haha. Why
dont you write a letter to McCain and talk
about the right to petition as a justification
for earmarks? Is there anything Republicans
can do that you find wrong? Some of you resort
to name calling, others just agree with what
Republicans do, and if they totally change
their position, you just totally change yours!!
It is truly amazing, but mark my words, the
hoax that Palin is a reformer on earmarks
will be exposed with her lobbying for earmarks
and it will be a bad day at black rock when
it is. I give 20% odds Palin is dropped as
VP before the election.
Comment by Brent — September 2, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
If there's too much pork, tell Congress. That's where it all starts.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 2, 2008 @ 9:35 pm
"If there's too much pork, tell Congress. That's where it all starts."
But wait, isn't that where John McCain's been for the past 30 years? LOL
Comment by Melissa — September 2, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
I don't recall Bush or any other Republicans whining about pork until the Democrats gained a slim majority. Before that it was feeding time at the trough. Correct me if I'm wrong, with linkage please.
Comment by M. Richard — September 2, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
Palin is the perfect VP choice. Her values epitomize the Right way. Let us encourage her VP bid. 'Nuff said.
Comment by Bertoray — September 2, 2008 @ 10:59 pm
Brent,
I agree with Jon Pemberton that you are like Olbermann- the two of you seem to be pre occupied with relying on facts.
Comment by doug king — September 2, 2008 @ 11:47 pm
We need to get behind Gov. Palin. There is a petition to keep her on the ticket here:
http://www.bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2008/09/petition_keep_g.html
Comment by doug king — September 2, 2008 @ 11:51 pm
Rosie @ 10 bloviates:
"The liberals can complain about earmarks all they want. If they make it an issue they will drown in it, Hillary alone getting over 500 million. Anyway, the real story is that the Democratic Convention has come and gone and the race is a dead heat. That will soon change as Obama bites the dust."
Wrong again — not that I'm surprised.
Mark Blumenthal at pollster.com:
"Many, however, are taking note of the fact that both the Gallup Daily and Rasmussen Reports surveys reported Barack Obama gaining slightly to new highs today: 50% and 51%, respectively. Moreover, our national trend chart — partly reflecting the daily tracking surveys and party the other national surveys released this week — now shows the Obama number climbing to a new high (48.8%) and McCain steady at 43.6%."
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/bounce_update_part_ii.php
Oops.
Blumenthal cautions us not to read too much into these numbers, especially not until after the close of the GOP convention. He does note that there is (contrary to Rosie) a post-convention bounce for Obama. What I CAN read into these numbers, though, is that Rosie is selectively reading single polls in an attempt to make a point. And again, I'm not surprised. Par for the course for Rosie.
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:03 am
David Frum, of the National Review and American Enterprise Institute, on Palin:
"Ms. Palin's experience in government makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues.
All this would matter less, but for this fact: The day that John McCain announced his selection of Sarah Palin was his birthday. His 72nd birthday. Seventy-two is not as old as it used to be, but Mr. McCain had a bout with melanoma seven years ago, and his experience in prison camp has uncertain implications for his future health.
If anything were to happen to a President McCain, the destiny of the free world would be placed in the hands of a woman who until recently was a small-town mayor.
Mr. McCain's supporters argue that he is more serious about national security than Barack Obama. But the selection of Sarah Palin invites the question: How serious can he be if he would place such a neophyte second in line to the presidency? Barack Obama at least balanced his inexperience with Mr. Biden's experience. What is Mr. McCain doing?"
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:29 am
Just to make it clear, this is DAVID FRUM — former speechwriter to GWB, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, columnist/diarist for National Review, contributing editor to the Weekly Standard, Canada's right-wing National Post and UK's Daily Telegraph, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and assistant editor for the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page.
I'm lovin' it! Great pick, Johnny boy!
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:34 am
More on the polls:
"
It's starting to look like John McCain's historic selection of Sarah Palin hasn't done him any favors in the polls.
Here's this morning's Rasmussen tracking poll: Obama 51%, McCain 45%, outside of the ±2% margin of error. Obama was up 49%-46% yesterday, suggesting that Palin's scandals may have helped him to double his lead in just one day of sampling.
And the new Hotline/Diageo poll has Obama up 48%-39%, compared to a 44%-40% lead from just one week ago.
Late Update: Three more polls all show Obama leading by a substantial margin. The daily Gallup tracking poll has Obama up 50%-42% — the first time ever that he's reached the 50% threshold in their poll. The USA Today/Gallup poll has Obama up 50%-43%, and ARG has Obama up 49%-43%.
There is also yesterday's CBS poll, which gave Obama a 48%-40% lead."
tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com slash 2008 slash 09 slash two_more_polls_show_obamas_lea.php
Boy, am I lovin' this.
Hey Rosie, sure you don't need to take a dump about now? Cause you're pretty much overflowin'….
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:39 am
Oh, and still more…
Greg Sargent at Talking Points Memo:
"The founder of the Alaska Independence Party — a group that has been courted over the years by Sarah Palin, and one her husband was a member of for roughly seven years — once professed his 'hatred for the American government' and cursed the American flag as a 'damn flag.'
The AIP founder, Joe Vogler, made the comments in 1991, in an interview that's now housed at the Oral History Program in the Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
'The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government,' Vogler said in the interview, in which he talked extensively about his desire for Alaskan secession, the key goal of the AIP.'"
Greg's post also has the record of Palin's courtship of the AIP over the years — including attending their convention in 2000, and addressing the convention THIS YEAR — "as an incumbent governor whose oath of office includes upholding the Constitution of the United States."
And then there's the time when her church welcomed David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus.
Can you say, "There goes Florida"? Anything to say about that, Holy Joe Lieberman?
Sarah Palin — the gift that keeps on giving.
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 2:42 am
Brent: No, I am against pork. If you are against pork let's see some links to articles you've written condemning pork. I have written several. If you don't condemn pork then what's your point? You're just condemning someone else for something you support at that point and it makes you a two bit phony. Let's see those articles or admit you're guilty of precisely what you accused me of. Let's see those links to articles you've written condemning pork or you are really going to look ridiculous. In the meantime read the pork book. It's a disease that has infected the entire U.S. Congress and members of Congress who try to stop it are ignored or reduced in stature. Just look at Cong. Jeff Flake. The Republican Party has changed his assignments based on his stand on eliminating pork. If Sarah Palin got some money for her hometown, fine. I don't know whether you realize this or not, but the fact that she did makes Obama's claims of experience look even more ridiculous. Obama never tried to interact at the federal level until he became a U.S. Senator. Sarah Palin saw the big picture and seized the opportunity. You're just making the Republican case that she has more experience and is a better manager.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 3, 2008 @ 7:55 am
Hopefully, what with the fascists now gloating over their newest "prima-virtuous" candidate, we can talk about marital infidelities.
Isn't that where the fruitcake right has it all over us Democrats?
Comment by rightistrash — September 3, 2008 @ 10:46 am
Robert Rosencrans:
1) Can't answer the fact that he selectively quoted ONE poll to falsely suggest that Obama didn't even get a post-convention bounce, when in fact several polls show him pulling FURTHER ahead of McCain as well as breaking the 50% mark for the first time (Gallup 50%, Rasmussen 51%);
2) Can't answer David Frum's devastating comments on Palin's lack of experience — in his own words, she makes Obama "look like George C. Marshall".
3) Can't deal with Todd and Sarah Palin's activities with the America-hating Alaska Independence Party;
4) Has nothing to say about Palin's church and the Jews for Jesus.
Not a word from Rosencrans on any of these issues.
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
At Palin's church, Wasilla Bible Church, guest David Brinkner on 17 August described a recent bulldozer attack by a Palestinian on Jews in Jerusalem as part of God's judgment:
"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It’s very real.
When Isaac was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment—you can’t miss it."
http://www.wasillabible.org slash sermon_files slash 2008_Transcripts slash The%20Jerusalem%20Dilemma.doc
Palin: The gift that keeps on giving.
Comment by Jim — September 3, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
[...] Brent Bowdowsky over at TheHill.com yesterday wrote a blog titled "Pork-Barrel Palin, The Earmark Champ" that details some of the humongous amounts of money that Palin has secured for her constituents, thanks in large measure to her indicted Senator mentor, Ted Stevens : Now John McCain learns, as we do, that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) sent a 70-page memo to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) in February seeking $200 million for new Alaska earmarks, and as mayor of the village of Wasilla she lobbied hard for and won more than $26 million of earmarks.[...] [...]
Pingback by May The Pork Be With You, Sarah Palin — Urantian Sojourn — September 3, 2008 @ 2:48 pm
There are a number of prominent national
security conservatives who are deeply upset
at Palin's choice, but so far only a few
have gone public. For the last three days
Palin has been held incommunicado as a virtual
political prison while the McCain people teach
her the name of the chancellor of Germany and
the names of the three largest cities in Iraq.
Just wait until she has to give the interviews
they are not allowing her to give, where she
has to answer questions in real time without
crib sheets and the little summary yellow
books they give college students who dont
want to read the whole novel!
Comment by Brent — September 3, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
Dear POPE BUDOWSKI:
I have to give you credit for not going all sexist on Gov Palin. It shows class.
I am not saying I agree with you on your complaint of pork barreling… I wont pretend I have checked your story out yet.
I will do so. I will also be watching for some info in Gov Palins speech tonight.
Question: Have you ever met a person with her accomplishiments and ambition… and she is younger that Obama … who has a comparatively scant resume of delivered action items and little track record to speak of… If you wanna count his Ivy league degrees… well then I c/b Prez as well. Ha!
Comment by JFK-HRC — September 3, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
Jim: Here's your answer. On Tuesday there were several articles that Obama received no bounce. By Wednesday somehow everything had been turned around. I don't believe it. But let's look at some facts.
Coming out of the Conventions here are some numbers to ponder:
Dukakis led by 27
Gore by 14
Kerry by 15
If Obama has a bounce it's lower then his previous political incarnations and that shows he's more likely to lose. Now do you get it?
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 3, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
Brent,
You are crazy. First you had "inside" information about the Republicans behind the funding of PUMA and it would come out real soon.. still waiting..
The you were hearing privately about "panic" at the convention , what would tomorrow bring. Answer=nothing
Now a few "prominent" national security Republicans that are speaking out… and they are?
Hey Brent,
I just spoke with some Democrat insiders and they admitted to: hiding $90K in freezer, letting their siginificant other run a gay prostitute ring out of their home, drove a woman of a bridge and left her to die, lying to a Grand Jury, cheating on a cancer stricken wife while running for President, chairing a board with a know non-repentent terroist, have a son of a Senator who is a lobbyist that got money from another Senator, and then they said there would be more tomorrow.
Can't wait for all that to get out…
Comment by Jon Pemberton — September 3, 2008 @ 5:17 pm
JFK-HRC thanks for that (rare) compliment.
In fact I am adamently against raising any
of these issues involving her family and in
particular her kids in terms of the campaign,
and in private advice I have offered to some
high level Dems in the last few days. Leave
the kid alone, treat her as though she is
your daughter, my daughter. It is a tough
time in her life and let her be. I've been
suggesting raising economic issues of import
to women targeting both McCain and Palin,
from bread and butter to earmarks. And yes
the national security issues etc. But I am
very offended by much of the media coverage
about her. I think Barack has shown class on
this, almost all of the media is over the top
about her family issues and I do find it very
offensive. No doubt about it.
Comment by Brent — September 3, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
Brent
Enjoy the RNC tonight.
Comment by JFK-HRC — September 3, 2008 @ 7:09 pm
[...] Unfortunately, Palin's support of earmarks doesn't end there. How is this reform? [...]
Pingback by Bob Barr 2008 Blog » Blog Archive » Bob on Sarah Palin — September 3, 2008 @ 7:43 pm
#57 Hello Jon,
You stated: "The you were hearing privately about "panic" at the convention , what would tomorrow bring. Answer=nothing"
Maybe what he heard went a little something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrG8w4bb3kg
Comment by Melissa — September 3, 2008 @ 8:50 pm
Palin's pork even caught McCain's eye.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/la-na-earmarks3-2008sep03,0,5932587.story
WASILLA, ALASKA - For much of his long career in Washington, John McCain has been throwing darts at the special spending system known as earmarking, through which powerful members of Congress can deliver federal cash for pet projects back home with little or no public scrutiny. He's even gone so far as to publish "pork lists" detailing these financial favors.
Three times in recent years, McCain's catalogs of "objectionable" spending have included earmarks for this small Alaska town, requested by its mayor at the time — Sarah Palin….."
Comment by Melissa — September 3, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
If I understand correctly approximately 632,000+ people, the number of residents in Alaska, can now be regarded as experts in foreign affairs because they live up there and could be VP material in one of the two major political parties?
Do I have that right?
Comment by rightistrash — September 3, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
Melissa, great catch, this is hilarious.
McCain himself condemned Palin earmarks
for Wasilla. I will make good use of this.
This is funny. I would love to hear our
Republicans squirm their way out of this
one, LOL>
Comment by Brent — September 3, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
Robert @ 56 :
"Jim: Here's your answer. On Tuesday there were several articles that Obama received no bounce. By Wednesday somehow everything had been turned around. I don't believe it."
I'm really sorry you don't believe it, Robert. Clearly you only believe polls you want to believe.
The Gallup poll in question was out on Tuesday.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx
Rasmussen's history is available here:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/general_election_match_up_history
Meanwhile, you still:
1) Can't answer David Frum's devastating comments on Palin's lack of experience — in his own words, she makes Obama "look like George C. Marshall".
2) Can't deal with Todd and Sarah Palin's activities with the America-hating Alaska Independence Party;
3) Have nothing to say about Palin's church and the Jews for Jesus.
Not to mention Melissa's catch on those little earmarks for Wasilla that Palin got, and McCain at the time labeled "objectionable" — three separate times. Guess he was against them before he was for them!
Comment by Jim — September 4, 2008 @ 1:57 am
More from that Trib article (thanks Melissa!) on those pesky little earmarks, that McSame suddenly doesn't seem to mind so much any more:
"Palin, [McCain spokesliar Taylor Griffin] said, was "disgusted" that small towns like hers were dependent on earmarks.
Public records paint a different picture:
Wasilla had received few if any earmarks before Palin became mayor. She actively sought federal funds — a campaign that began to pay off only after she hired a lobbyist with close ties to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who long controlled federal spending as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He made funneling money to Alaska his hallmark.
Steven Silver was a former chief of staff for Stevens. After he was hired, Wasilla obtained funding for several projects in 2002, including an additional $600,000 in transportation funding."
Ah, yes, the smell of Reform….
Comment by Jim — September 4, 2008 @ 1:59 am
There's nothing to squirm out of Brent. Almost 90% of the pork in Alaska is institutionalized and has been in effect for decades. As far as Sarah Palin getting money for her small town, I don't think the American public will hold that against her. It's less then a drop in the bucket. The real proof will be if the public believes her and I think they will. At least she never believed her citizens are bitter. I'm surprised you are glossing over the Iraq War. McCain is once again gambling everything on that. We will certainly see if the public rejects it, proving that all the pundits are once again wrong.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 4, 2008 @ 7:20 am
Jim: Those polls are meaningless at this point. Dukakis, Kerry, Gore all had double Obama's lead at this point and they all lost. As far as comments made by anyone I don't have to defend or respond. If you are so captivated by them respond to them yourself. If you're an adult.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 4, 2008 @ 11:36 am
Check it out and you will find that Joe Biden's son is a big time Washington lobbylist.
Comment by Goodtimepolitics — September 4, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
http://goodtimepolitics.com/2008/09/02/mbna-paid-biden%e2%80%99s-son-as-joe-biden-backed-bill/
Comment by Goodtimepolitics — September 4, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Robert Rosencrans @ 68, translated:
1) Polls are meaningless unless I cite them, in which case they are meaningful. Polls are meaningless unless they show Obama losing, in which case they are meaningful.
2) I have absolutely no answer to the fact that Sarah and Todd Palin have been involved with the America-hating Alaska Independence Party.
3) I have nothing to say when a former speechwriter to GWB, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, columnist/diarist for National Review, contributing editor to the Weekly Standard, Canada's right-wing National Post and UK's Daily Telegraph, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and assistant editor for the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, says that Palin's experience " makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues…. Mr. McCain's supporters argue that he is more serious about national security than Barack Obama. But the selection of Sarah Palin invites the question: How serious can he be if he would place such a neophyte second in line to the presidency?" This is true even though I have posted numerous times on this blog about the importance of national security.
4) And there's nothing I can possibly say about Palin and the Jews for Jesus, or the "reformer" Palin being heavily involved in indicted Senator Ted Stevens's 527 or her title as Earmark Queen.
Shorter Robert (with apologies to Monty Python):
Brave Sir Robert ran away
Bravely ran away, away
When reason reared its ugly head
Sir Robert bravely turned and fled…
Comment by Jim — September 5, 2008 @ 4:26 am
Jim: Translation: Just because you say it it's true. Megalomania?
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 8, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
Obama cannot be taken as a serious candidate. In his own words "you will see the light shine upon you.. and you will tell yourself.. I have to vote for Obama." Ridiculous!.. Only light seen was the Chicago Police Helicopter landing on his neighbor's Resko land deal (of which Obama benefitted)! and light shining on his Pastor Wright… and on the Detroit Mayor.. all of Obama's great and close friends! Obama is without substance and can't do without "canned" speech. Everytime he opens his mouth without a script he sticks a pig's foot in it "Lipstick on a Pig" to quote a Obama. Oh, Yeah, that "Pork" in a Barrell Obama hauled to his State to the tune of $1 Billion since Obama has been a Senator ($1 million average per working day!) That's Cha-Ching You Can Believe In! Probably got a lot of kisses bringing that piggy bank back home! I wonder who taught him the ropes, held his hand, and gave him the know how, and Obama just went along! And that's the Leader(sic) we want? you have got to be kidding me! Even while the country's deficit is rising, Obama taking it to the peak without regret or remorse! He has yet to speak out against it! I am sure glad McCain does not take pork barrell.. and that's no lie!
Comment by Daniel G Garcia — September 10, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
"72. Jim: Translation: Just because you say it it's true. Megalomania?
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — September 8, 2008 @ 7:50 pm"
Oooh, Robbie boy, you really, really, really need to come up with better material.
This one's transparent. Everything I've said is documented, with links, right here in this very thread. You don't really expect people to believe your feeble attempts to wish that away, do you?
Comment by Jim — September 13, 2008 @ 11:43 pm