Max Blumenthal On The Scandal That Sunk Palin
There clearly is a story here and it is not that Palin can do more for Alaska NOT as governor.
Anyone who missed the announcement, check it out on TPM or wherever. It was incoherent, even scary. Obviously something is about to hit the fan and she is bailing.
She clearly is not running for President. A governor or senator who is running for President delivers some kind of policy address. Palin ignored policy, limiting herself to whining about media scrutiny.
She's done. My only hope is that she doesn't ruin Levi Johnston's career before it starts. I was so looking forward to his book. Actually, this craziness may increase interest in the book and the true story behind the Palin family follies.
What a fun 4th. Sanford, Ensign and now Palin gone. Three candidates, three scandals. Bring em on. The new GOP is delightful.
And check out this Alaska website which has done great work in uncovering the mystery called "Who Is Trig's Mom." Or dad.
Also, check out what the crazy right is saying. I love these automatons. Whatever they are fed, they swallow.
So Democrats can lie, cheat, and steal, with no accountability, but Sarah Palin gets crucified for how she decides to have a baby?
Oh yes, the left is truly warped.
July 3, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
And lovin' it!
July 3, 2009 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
So lovin' it, you're practically giddy. Knock yourself out, MJ, let that tabloid soul sitting inside you finally get out.
As for the crazy right and Trig, here's what your boy Erik Nelson of HuffPo said today:
"In Sarah Palin's resignation announcement she complained about the treatment of her son Trig who always teaches her life lessons. She said that the "world needs more Trigs, not fewer." That's a presidential campaign promise we can all get behind. She will be the first politician to actually try to increase the population of retarded people. To me, it's kinda like saying the world needs more cancer patients because they teach us such personal lessons.
Her first act as President: To introduce a Pre-K lunch buffet that includes lead paint chips. Sort of a Large HEAD-START Program.
She will then encourage women to hold off on pregnancies until their 40's just to mix up some chromosomes.
She now is in favor of abortion only in case of diploid birth.
Her policies will increase jobs because Wal-Mart is building new stores each day and someone has to be the greeter.
This will lead to smaller government because fewer Americans will have the cognitive ability to hold a government job".
July 3, 2009 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's the most revolting attempt at 'humor' I've seen in a long, long time.
The serious point, though: Which party does advocate contaminating our environment with all kinds of toxins? I realize it's a bipartisan thing, but Republicans positively revel in nonenforcement of environmental regulations, which causes the consequences the would-be 'humorist' thinks are so damn funny.
July 4, 2009 12:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
WHINE!
July 4, 2009 7:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
To both Lalo and Shooter:
Your loyalty is touching and yes the left has gone a bit over the top on poor Sarah of the North but it is like a joke when the punch line has long been told and everyone just can't stop giggling and adding to it. And Palin just keeps on feeding the joke.
The real joke (that we have all but forgotten) is that the GOP in their haste to put up a candidate that would appeal to the (shall we say) intellectually non-discriminating portion of the party, nominated the lady not realizing that she wasn't just a shill (who could know?) but in fact was one of the great unwashed, unthinkers herself. And so she crashed and burned taking the GOP down with her. Not that GWB didn't have the party in a tail spin already.
But seriously, it is important to keep pressing the truth: The GOP was foolish enough to run this bubble head for the second highest office in the government in control of the greatest military force in history. A lot of people say she isn't really stoopid but it seems she pulls off a surprisingly good imitation of it. The best that can be said in her defense is she is thoughtless and undisiplined.
And again the Republican party thought she would make a dandy VP! After all of the irresponsible pandereing and power grabs the GOP has benafited from in the last three decades they finally underestimated the intellegence of the American people a little too much.
You gotta laugh or you gotta cry. Either way we really dodged a bullet here don't you think? Don't you?
July 4, 2009 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
We can hope that by the time the Republican Presidential nomination comes around Palin remains as a spoiler to prevent anyone competent from getting the job.
I seriously doubt that her voting support will ever exceed that of Huckabee, though it might top that of Ron Paul. But if there are two other really viable candidates, neither is likely to get a majority with Palin in the race. It'll be a lot like last year.
Of course, if someone can actually take control of the Republican party between now and then, all bets are off. With the 2010 election yet to come and a more and more likely second downturn of the economy as reforms are stalled, there is no telling who else may appear out of nowhere.
But if Obama wins the health care fight with a significant plan, no prediction anyone makes today is operative. The total political map is changed radically.
July 4, 2009 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also, check out what the crazy left is saying. I love these automatons. Whatever they are fed, they swallow.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/03/sarah_palin_quits_this_alaskan_website_has_the_who/
July 4, 2009 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
My favorite quote from the tin-foil brigade over at Luciane.com:
"This is a total victory for the EVIL left of this country. They made fun of her precious baby, Trig. They hounded her pregnant daughter, hounded her with baseless ethics complaints.
Sarahcuda is a wife and mother first. She has to take care of her kids. The left won, they destroyed her chances. They're taking notes and they know what to do next time. Letterman, Sullivan, David Shuster, Kathleen parker, you.make.me.sick"
I had never heard of the "evil left" industrial complex that included David Letterman, Andrew Sullivan, and Kathleen Parker.
July 6, 2009 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
RE: "...Sarah Palin gets crucified for how she decides to have a baby..."
MY COMMENT: I did not realize that she was an 'Immaculate Conception'.
July 3, 2009 11:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes, but shooter's on to something.
Palin's been handling some serious snakes lately,and it will send the pure of heart into the desired frenzy.
July 4, 2009 12:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Noone's crucifying her for how she decides to have a baby. They're crucifying her for the political narrative she tries to wrap around it. And the hypocrisy as she discusses her "choice" to go ahead and have the baby, while she doesn't believe anyone else should have a choice, even in the case of rape and incest.
I hope she has a beautiful time with her baby. I've had the pleasure of having two people with Down's Syndrome in my life and, wow, they are a joy.
But, politically, she's a mess. She lacks the coherence and the basic integrity to ever attract more than a core base of believers.
July 4, 2009 1:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely.
Authentically committed pro-life people should get zero credit for going through with a pregnancy. If it is God's Word then you should get no more credit than you would in not killing your annoying neighbor. "Well I thought about it a little after he played 'Black and White' at full blast fifteen times in a row. But God Bless me for keeping my pistol in the drawer."
Crediting Palin for cherishing a Down's baby is one thing, but giving her cred for bearing it is like giving a huzzah to an observant Jew for not eating a ham and swiss sandwich.
July 4, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
great imitation of a barracuda. Or was that a weasel?
July 4, 2009 7:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're absolutely right and don't you listen to the others. They're crucifying a U.S. governor for having a baby. Do you realize that the Democrats stole our U.S. currency and illegally converted it all into Eurodollars? How come we don't hear more about that? And what about those black helicopters from the U.N.? They got away with that too!
July 4, 2009 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's because the Rothschilds and the Masons are running this country into the ground and making the good soon-to-be-ex governor hyperventilate and embezzle.
July 4, 2009 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
And she's damned either way: First they force her to embezzle and next they're going to indict her for their shenanigans! It's a winner for terrorists all around. No wonder Trig is so concerned!
July 4, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
it wouldnt be so bad if the Party platform wasnt so glaringly hypocritical.
July 3, 2009 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
In what respect Charlie?
July 3, 2009 10:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
CHOICE!
July 4, 2009 7:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
FAMILY VALUES!
July 4, 2009 7:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
ETHICS!
July 5, 2009 1:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I bet she decides to un-resign in the next few weeks, just like Brett Farve. It'll be a soap opera from hell.
July 3, 2009 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Look at MJ's link, though. Can she govern from jail? Wouldn't it be harder to campaign, even if they gave her weekend furlows?
July 4, 2009 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
If she did embezzle, that's a felony.
Presidents can't be felons- I mean, can't have been CONVICTED of felony prior to election.
July 4, 2009 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
With enough cash by the way she try to angle for a jury full of Joe-the-Plumbers!
What a strange lady. Seems to have gotten a free house in exchange for a juicy and probably wasteful public contract. If you'd done that, would you then run out and accept nomination for Vice-President?
July 4, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's made the State pay for her "investigations" before.
In fact that may be the crime here.
July 4, 2009 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
on another note, happy 4th of july!!!!
may everyone, without exception, be free!!!
July 3, 2009 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
July 3, 2009 10:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS. Viva la Schadenfreude!
July 3, 2009 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
How come none of the media reports about her speech mention how much fear is emanating from her?
This is not a calculated political move. The speech would have had more cohesiveness and she would have been sure to present herself as calm, cool and collected.
My gut was getting ripped to shreds by the fear she was shooting right through the camera and out my screen.
Thing is, whatever she's about to get nailed for, resigning isn't going to change the legal realities.
Wow. Will we all remember the national carnival ride that was Sarah Palin in 2008-2009 twenty years from now. Stunning absurdity. Just stunning.
July 4, 2009 1:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP is like Chernobyl in full meltdown.
Watching it happen makes you wonder where you put those iodine pills.
July 4, 2009 1:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
How come none of the media reports about her speech mention how much fear is emanating from her?
She was literally breathless. Or did no one but me notice the sharp intake of breath before every sentence in her announcement?Sarah's normal voice and delivery leave me somewhere between cold and annoyed but at least she normally projects some sort of self-assurance. This whole thing almost screamed panic.
None of this made any sense until I read Max's article. Ted Stevens dodged conviction because of a botched prosecution, but I don't think anyone doubted he knew that his back was being scratched when his house got an extra story inserted under it. But it looks like the Palins may have gotten their town to float a huge bond for an outsized sports facility/community center that happened to come with a big lakeside house for the mayor. If I had four kids including a special needs baby I would be a little nervous too if I knew the feds were sniffing around of a public corruption case that might land me and my spouse in jail.
July 4, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good observation about the no-policy speech, MJ. The fact that she spoke breathlessly and on the verge of tears was also a bit of a "tell." Delivery not as good as Sanford's BTW, not nearly.
On its own it makes no sense whatsoever. Every second term President is also a lame duck. Why don't they just run for the second term, and then quit as soon as they win? What would be the point of continuing when you know you're going to just leave? Come to think of it, they could do that upon winning the first time: why begin to serve when you know the most you've got is 8 years and maybe just 4? Better to just run for the office and immediately quit. Remember the title of Bush's jejune ghostwritten book? "A Charge to Keep." She don't see it that way.
BTW was it encouraging for you to know we need more Trigs, not fewer? Key point, that.
Hey, that's some link you posted, thanks!
July 4, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
The whole Palin phenomenon is so strange to begin with that I wouldn't count my Sarahs before they hatch.
July 4, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
you mean, don't count your trigs before they hatch
July 4, 2009 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Look, there are lots of people like Roubini who are predicting a double dip recession with huge unemployment for years to come, the United States is involved in two wars and not winning any of them; the dollar is sitting on the edge of a cliff wiggling its toes.... Who knows who people will be willing to vote for in 2012?
July 4, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
You've Overreached with this, Mr. Seaton? Two wars and not winning either? How's that?
Are you unAmerican or something?
If you include Pakistan, the U.S. may not be winning any but is fighting *three* wars! *THREE!* Is that tough or what?
So I take exception! ;)
July 4, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
You've got that right. Also, the Wall Street banks have successfully lobbied Congress to prevent any real banking regulation reform, so the likelihood of the second economic dip becomes much greater. Remember, Wall Street see about 15 minutes into the future and tries to collect its skimmed amount before that. They don't give a rat's ass after that, so they don't even look seriously. Which, of course, is how we got into the current economic crisis.
Meanwhile, if we are lucky we will only have about 100,000 U.S. troops tied down in Iraq out of the about 300,000 or so available for deployment as we fight in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Because of the danger that the Taliban crazies might get control of Pakistan's operational nukes, we are really tied there.
Then, of course, the angry right-wing Republicans are working and praying for Obama's failure in everything he does.
The next two to six years (at least) are going to be rather miserable. Somehow I see no political space for dealing with DADT until somethiing breaks.
July 4, 2009 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I only one who can't find evidence of the "left" attacking Trig?
But the Wingnuts keep saying the "left" attacked this child. This is becoming a modern-day Reichstag Fire.
July 6, 2009 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also, check out what the crazy right is saying.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp
Blumenthal, however, just can't help but credit his own Pravda-style reporting with affecting the course of human history. Just a month ago he was personally taking credit for the Israeli government's decision to demolish an illegal outpost in the West Bank -- coupled with other factors, of course. He wrote at the time, "Netanyahu had issued a list of 26 illegal outposts he planned to demolish -- an unsuccessful tactic to mollify the Obama administration -- but Hilltop 26 was not among them. Dana attributed the sudden demolition to intense coverage of the controversy, particularly my video for the Daily Beast and an editorial he authored for the Israeli daily Ha’aretz."
I would like to take this opportunity to take credit for President Obama's decision to continue the Bush administration policy of indefinite detention, to take a harder line on Iran, and to add additional troops to the war in Afghanistan. I've written some really awesome stuff on those issues, causing the president "deep personal distress." Even Continetti says so.
July 4, 2009 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
And check out this Alaska website which has done great work in uncovering the mystery called "Who Is Trig's Mom." Or dad.
So, is this the Dem version of the rightwing birthers?
July 4, 2009 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only M.J. Rosenberg can be dad of a retarded child. This is credible.
July 4, 2009 7:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup. It's The House That Todd Built.
See:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/the-house-that-todd-built/
SBS also sponsors Todd's snow machine racing team.
July 4, 2009 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice crib!! ;)
I need to get me one o' them kickbacks, too, as I see! With her leaving, can I be governor?
July 5, 2009 1:55 AM | Reply | Permalink