I propose we dub Palin "the Earmark Queen".

According to the Washington Post, she obtained $27 million in earmarks for a population of 6,700 while she was mayor of Wasilla.

  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090103148.html?nav=hcmodule

That's about $4,000 per person.

Wow. She's really good at that.

Last night, the top news story on abcnews.com was about Palin's membership in the Alaska Independence Party. "Did Palin Want Her State to Secede?" asked the headline. A very relevant question for someone who is running for national office.

By this morning, the story is no longer the top story, in fact it can no longer be seen on the online front page at all. The story is still there, it hasn't been taken down (it's under Politics -> Political Punch). But this story needs to be played up! It needs to be heard!

If Palin really was a member of the AIP, then that really needs to be known by the general public. It is very very relevant for somebody who would be expected to uphold the territorial integrity of the U.S.

Let's not go crazy with distraction over Palin. Attention on her is important, to be sure-- but we really want most of the attention on Obama vs. McCain.

Let's follow Obama's cue, keep our eyes on the ball, and not make this big election about small things. ("Waterbreakgate" -- are you kidding me? How could Palin's water breaking, a personal affair, compare to Watergate, a major consitutional issue? Wooten maybe, for abuse of power, but "waterbreakgate"? A distraction if I ever saw one.)

McCain is a Republican. 8 years of Republicans is enough. If you want more of the same, choose McCain. If you want change, choose Obama.

If we keep our eyes on the ball with that story line, we just can't lose.
 

I am watching John McCain on Fox News right now. In response to questions about how Palin's experience matches up to Obama, he answered that she has much more executive experience, and that she's stood up to leaders of her own party, whereas Obama hasn't.

But Obama *has* demonstrated enormous capacity and experience in a very major test.

That's what national primaries are: they are difficult, nation-sized, presidential-sized, tests. Obama passed that national test. In the process, he stood up, for many months in a grueling and difficult campaign, against leaders of his party. He passed with flying colors: by all reports, he managed an extremely efficient and well-run major organization. He won millions of votes-- he won about 30 more votes than there are inhabitants in Alaska. Ultimately, he won the nomination.

Palin has never faced anything remotely like that.
No one, I don't think even Palin herself, believes that if Sarah Palin had run for president she would have gotten anywhere.

I am watching John McCain on Fox News right now. In response to questions about how Palin's experience matches up to Obama, he answered that she has much more executive experience, and that she's stood up to leaders of her own party, whereas Obama hasn't.

But Obama *has* demonstrated enormous capacity and experience in a very major test.

That's what national primaries are: they are difficult, nation-sized, presidential-sized, tests. Obama passed that national test. In the process, he stood up, for many months in a grueling and difficult campaign, against leaders of his party. He passed with flying colors: by all reports, he managed an extremely efficient and well-run major organization. He won millions of votes-- he won about 30 more votes than there are inhabitants in Alaska. Ultimately, he won the nomination.

Palin has never faced anything remotely like that.
No one, I don't think even Palin herself, believes that if Sarah Palin had run for president she would have gotten anywhere.

I am watching John McCain on Fox News right now. In response to questions about how Palin's experience matches up to Obama, he answered that she has much more executive experience, and that she's stood up to leaders of her own party, whereas Obama hasn't.

But Obama *has* demonstrated enormous capacity and experience in a very major test.

That's what national primaries are: they are difficult, nation-sized, presidential-sized, tests. Obama passed that national test. In the process, he stood up, for many months in a grueling and difficult campaign, against leaders of his party. He passed with flying colors: by all reports, he managed an extremely efficient and well-run major organization. He won millions of votes-- he won about 30 more votes than there are inhabitants in Alaska. Ultimately, he won the nomination.

Palin has never faced anything remotely like that.
No one, I don't think even Palin herself, believes that if Sarah Palin had run for president she would have gotten anywhere.