It seems to me that even if Palin had absolutely no personal involvement in this mess, she will never be completely exonerated. Why in the world would McCain put his campaign at risk by picking her?

"I was just your average hockey mom in Alaska," she said today.
Hmmm, probably not so average.
The base loves her and there are no recordings of her dissing McPain. And she was Miss Congeniality so that's a contrast with McGrump. And best of all she can pander to disaffected "Democratic" women with a grudge against the DNC.
So what if Palin has opposed everything Senator Clinton has stood for throughout her career.

The window is now - while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist. = Before Young and Stevens go to prison.

Did McWar thought of vetting her?

Yes - McCain is in love with Obama.

Here is a great parody of McCain celebrating his birthday and commiserating about Obama's acceptance speech last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jFW14t8Pio

McCain should have done a simple web search and he would have found this local news report on the Palin TrooperGate Scandle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UojMnCgqVA

Wouldn't you think McCain's people would have vetted Palin nine ways from Sunday? Maybe all the dirt is out.

the WaPo blog on her is absolutely dripping with glad tidings. They don't miss a beat those bad boyz. Check it out.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/08/29/palin_pick_leaves_bruised_feel.html

Hey, you don[t think that maybe it's a John Edwards thing---that maybe McCain and she--ya know. We never expected it from Edwards, and you've gotta say this impromptu "selection" without vetting is totally bizarre. Looks to me like she's got a lot of #hit on her shoes. Should be fun.

Hey, you don[t think that maybe it's a John Edwards thing---that maybe McCain and she--ya know. We never expected it from Edwards, and you've gotta say this impromptu "selection" without vetting is totally bizarre. Looks to me like she's got a lot of sh7t on her shoes. Should be fun.

**Was the trooper arrested for tasering the ten year old or was that an allegation made after they divorce papers were filed?

"McCain should have done a simple web search and he would have found this local news report on the Palin TrooperGate Scandle."

If you can't use a computer, you can't do a web search.

This might be a good opportunity for Obama to put up an ad in response to McCain's "Congratulations Barak" ad of yesterday. In this case Obama should smile and say, congratulations on your Veep pick, John. An excellent choice."

Frankly, if McCain was going to go the bimbo route, he should have held out for Harriet Miers.

I love the photo that the crew picked to illustrate the teaser on the main page of TPM. I knew I had seen her before. That photo reminds me. It was in a movie I hate to admit I actually paid to see, but the scenes that followed almost made it worth the ticket price. I'm sure UTube will have bits of the film available soon - no, wait - UTube doesn't allow porn do they?

Election eve trouble? Any bets on whether she'll last through next week?

Is it just me or does Palin look like Tina Fey trying to act like a VP Candidate? It just goes to show you how much of a joke the McBush campaign is. What a horrible pick. Kay Bailey Hutchinson would have been formidable, not Ms. Alaska.

Daw you have it backwards. This is a case of a vice presidential candidate trying to look and act like Tina Fey.

Any thoughts that this could be a devious head-fake by McCain & Co.?

McCain selects Palin and then, after a fire-storm of controversy, throws her under the bus, and makes a new selection.

Far-fetched, yes.

But 1) His second pick will look stellar by comparison and the "change" will boost his campaign, 2) If he can bait the Democrats into attacking Palin, he can blame her failure on the Dems (who robbed Hillary and now destroyed Palin), 3) While Palin might be a terrible choice for VP, the announcement sure drew attention away from Obama and the Democratic Convention, 4) McCain shows the Right-wing Republicans that he wants to cater to their demands for a true conservative, but "unfortunately" she doesn't work out and he has to pick his second favorite.

"the announcement sure drew attention away from Obama and the
Democratic Convention" -- I don't know, Mishima. I've heard that comment on the air three times tonight. But each time I hear it, it occurs to me that the speaker is referencing the Dem Convention, AND suggesting that McSame's primary justification is to steal a few days of attention from Obama-Biden. Seems like John might be calling attention to the convention by this transparently calculated political move.

Here's an interesting perspective on Governor Palin from an Alaska resident: Mudflats Blog

I thought it was a very interesting and concise view on her governorship.

On CNN tonight it was pointed out that McCain had met his new VP candidate exactly once before picking her. Could it be that he just forgot what he was picking her for? She does have a degree of attractiveness, especially to old codgers like John and me. We are the same age, by the way.

Much more probable is that McCain had nothing to do with picking her. This looks a lot more like a complicated Rove move to me. And, I agree with Mishima that this is most likely a "head fake". The real candidate is likely to be so obnoxious, so flawed, so unpopular, but so amenable to being manipulated, that Rove didn't dare put that candidate's name out there cold.

man, McCain shoulda gone with Michele Bachmann. She's cute and a fundie nutcase too! MN has more EVs. Her "husband" is a gay "fixer." what the hell happened??
oh, wait, she's psychotic, tho. nevermind

This is disturbingly messy and has to make voters think twice before pulling the lever for the McCain / Palin ticket.

Assuming the allegations are correct Palin and her husband assuredly tried to improperly influence Monegan to fire Wooten. That the husband wife duo didn't recognize the personal conflict, appreciate the circumvention of due process or the clear abuse of public office should make people wary.

It's interesting how this has a tone similar to the politics as practiced by the Bush clan both in Texas and in Washington. Everything is personal and has little to do with ethical conduct or the rule of law. It's about an ideological point of view and a distorted sense of justice that isolates things from each other that are obviously associated which can't logically be disconnected. Bush has never recognized this conflict and Palin seems to be a carbon copy who actually may raise the dissonance a notch or two.

Frankly it is more than a little scary to have someone with these traits holding such high office. We have ample evidence with Bush that having such a temperament creates havoc within a democratic system. In our system there is a definite workable range relative to an ideological midpoint within which government must conduct itself. I think Bush is outside that range and Palin is likely more so. Along those same lines McCain is somewhat schizophrenic. Cheney is less so in this regard. He is more a pure product of paranoia, the cold war era and corporatism.

All of the above operate with too many distorted perceptions to be effective leaders. They collectively lack the ideological, philosophical and objective temperament necessary for leadership under the democratic form.

The more I think about it, the clearer it becomes that Palin is John McCain's Harriett Miers, patently -- even scarily -- inexperienced, and chosen by a man who really has no idea how misguided his decision was.

Knowing the media theme of "everything is good for McCain", an election eve judgement on Palin would be wicked good news for McCain/Palin.

Why?

Fundamentalists already feel like they're discriminated against by not being allowed to rewrite the constitution. Anything handed down on Palin that has the wafting odor of liberal media feeding frenzy will whip these people up in mass victimage to storm the polls and vote heartily.

And this is how Karl Rove works.

Rereading my post, it becomes clear.

Palin is McCain's armour. Any attack on Palin, valid or otherwise, is an attack on Fundamentalism. Any wisecracks on her womanhood is misogyny.

Even though she completely undermines McCain's most effective arguments against Obama, this lays out McCain's plans: drive the fundies to the polls.

It will be interesting to watch the GOP convention, and see if they lean on the "Obama-Untested", or "Voting for Palin will make Liberals insane" theme.

The "insane Liberals" seem to guide most of their arguments.

Palin appear not to know the meaning of third party review or conflict on interest. Any public official should know this type of stuff need be avoided; if her sister's case was as been suggested civil or criminal court action was a remedy.
On the matter of judgment, the fact that she is implicated in this matter is problematic.

Republicans have pulled stunts as the nomination of Palin for the past forty years. This is another Rove caper; it is habitual, the call to their base combined with a call to the wider electorate with a range deceptive themes. She has had a day of fame; she is best left to the devices of her handlers.

Hey waitaminute -- what about all the good "Bushies" that have now filled the judiciary? Will negative results actually see the light of day?

why did john mccains staff investigate palin more thourghly before choosing her as his running mate.
mitt romney was the guy for the job;hopefully she will come out of this investigation unscathed.i will still support the mccain,palin ticket;no matter the outcome;she has morals!!!
shalom
glenna hill
valdez, alaska

The traders and speculators don't like the Palin pick.

McCain's stock dropped 2 points overnight, and inTrade has him down into the 39th percentile so far as his chances of winning the election.

There are a couple of important items that appear to be a bit hazy on the edges.

First, mush has been made of the whole concept that this issue revolves around an allegation that trooper Wooten had engaged in violence directed at his wife. Further, in some the reports I have heard Governor Palin was concerned about her sister, the professional conduct of this trooper, the allegations of domestic violence and the direct threat she perceived her sister to be under.
This forms the moral outrage that is the basis of Palin's public shield for her and her staff's conduct in these matters.

Here is the deal, it is a federal offense for any person who has been convicted of any level of offense of domestic violence or of violence directed against a spouse or domestic partner (live in girl/boy friend) to own or posses any firearm or ammunition.

Therefore, IF Trooper Wooten had been convicted of any such charge, to include a minor non traffic citation or the lowest level of misdemeanor, punishable with a small fine the State of Alaska would be REQUIRED to relieve Wooten of all duties that involve contact with firearms. Most often in law enforcement the only option available is termination because the nature of the issue is moral qualification for continued employment.

So, if Governor Palin's argument held water there should be zero drama because Wooten would have been fired without the need for a call or personal contact from anyone in the Governors office due to the nature of the situation.

By raising the issue in this way the potential exists that Governor Palin or her staff were attempting to use the power of the office, or just to muddy the waters surrounding a family court action, not only to effect the basis and outcome in a "messy divorce and custody case", but in the ability of Trooper Wooten to provide proper support and enjoy custody or visitation with his children by destroying his career in law enforcement, for cause.

Additionaly, I can attest to another dynamic here. In NRA/second amendment circles taking part in actions specifically designed to deprive a citizen of the lawfully protected right to possess firearms based upon unproven allegations is as low, low, low a deed as one can be involved in without violating the law themselves.
In other words, these are fightin' words in NRA land and for someone who is a life member of the NRA and basses much of her political appeal upon the moral principles espoused by her membership and lifestyle the taint of involvement in activities designed to deprive a fellow citizen of their 2d amendment rights would be cause for their support to evaporate..

So, it would be good if it can be determined through FOIA what exactly Trooper Wooten has ever been charged/convicted of, the time lines for these events, contacts and legal filings. Most of this falls within the public domain and should be readily available.

I hope if I am off track here someone will set me straight and if I am providing illumination my desire is that someone with the capacity to track these basic points down will be able to do so..

peace

"however which Presidential Candidate do you think the enemies of the U.S. want as President? "

They want McCain. He will borrow more from China to fund his wars, further alienating other nations, and bankrupting the U.S.

This is a link worth reading. See what her AK colleagues think of her readiness:

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510249.html

My favorite is "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"

The photograph of that woman sticking her tongue out is the most repellent thing on this blog other since the profile shot of that vile pig Rove that shows up whenever he's featured here...

Mark My Word: She will not last beyond the end of next week. John McCain will be forced to ask her to "leave the ticket" in the interest of the party and the nation. He then will be able to select Mitt Romney or Joe Liebermann to the spot, without incurring the wrath of right wing evangelicals. This was the plan all along, as he looked for some "nuclear waste material" to basically nullify Barack Obama's speech last Thursday. So, once again, if you weren't reading right, Sarah Palin will be history by the end of next week...! You can take that to the bank...!

That ain't the half of it. batten down the hatches cause here comes BABYMOMMAGATE!

McCain doesn't know how to use a computer, this is by his own admission. I think someone framed the old man. I have always said that there was someone from the inside of his campaign that did not want him to be president. He has been screwed.

...buh bye, sarah!

You know, at this point I am just excited for the next week to unfurl. I literally have no idea what the state of this race will be in a week (on the GOP side I mean).

Don't get me wrong, they are a bunch of scum bags, but the lengths they'll go to to keep their money hungry hands on power is really, really, REALLY remarkable.

The life of a seemingly nice 44 year old mother of 5? Political expediency. The integrity of a 72 year old POW? Just the same. As long as power remains static, there is no end to the treacherous wiles of the GOP.

I love it, this is better than the movies. (!!!)

Also, excuse my cynicism, but at this point (my voting life has consisted of the elections of 200 and 2004) what is right seems to be what is impossible.

Actually, this won't work. This tasering happened nearly 5 years ago. The whole family knew this happened 5 years ago and did nothing because at the time, the parents were happily married.

This attempt to get this guy fired happened just recently.

There is only one way to explain this delay. The firing was NOT about child abuse. It was about revenge for a bitter divorce.

There is no other explanation that can explain the delay.

This kid is 17 now. He was 11 when it happened.

If the fake pregnancy story is true she will be gone. I don't think it will hurt McCain though. There will be a lot of sympathy for her.

The biggest problems I see for this story to have any true impact are these:

1. That "under-informed" swing vote population that may well decide this race rely on the MSM as their main source of [dis] information. For it to be a real issue, with real impact to them, the MSM would have to acknowledg its existence as a story. That under-informed population isn't reading posts here, or probably most anywhere near the Internet. Most any person here knows the character and nature of the MSM already, otherwise we wouldn't be here. (As Helen Thomas replied to a question of whether there is a liberal bias in the (MS) media, she laughed and said "no!" "I'd love to see another liberal voice speaking out. Where are they? Show me one."
   
   Okay, so there is Keith or Bill Maher — but they are almost drowned under the weight of the others who spend 60% of their reporting time focused on Obama, but 75% of which is looking at his negatives (recent Pew media research results). You know, think of Obama's "trouble" with working-class white voters — but forget the polls that show O 20 points in front of McC with that same demographic.


2. If prosecution of the charges require action from the Dept. of (neocon) Justice, we already know how far that will go. I daresay it's already dead.

On other matters concerning Palin:

• The baby is hers. Let's not waste time going there.
• Let's not waste time working the angles that could be interpreted in the least way as misogynistic (even though former Hillary supporter Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she was personally offended by the choice because it appears McC believes that just "because she [Palin] has the same parts as me" I would overlook her policy beliefs and vote for her).
• I feel moderately confident that Biden will effectively expose Palin as being nowhere near ready to do anything but visit the Whitehouse after they debate — though the MSM will likely charge him with something like beating puppies just by doing his job there.

I listened to the taped phone call posted a DKos this morning and Palin's associate tells the guy there is no proof the tasering ever happened. He clearly does not know if its a fact or not.

One things for sure, she has 19% Cheney approval rating written all over her. She runs things like Cheney, but on a Monica Goodling scale.

Tape:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/audio/FrankBaileyCDaudio.mp3

diary:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/31/104617/671/991/580751

According to one thing I read Palin is a runner. But even a marathon runner we knew peraonally who ran through her 7th month of pregnancy did show at that point, small but still obviously pregnant. I have to say I was discounting this story until I saw the video of Palin linked above. Her daughter out of school for 4-5 months due to mono is a whopper, and a poor excuse to give. Mono would put someone in bed for awhile but not 4-5 months out of school. It looks pretty bad.

Seems someone pulled a Bree trick without using a tummy form. Another photo of her daughter was taken at 6 weeks before the birthdate. Looks about right.

It's not a HUGE point...
but I haven't seen mention of Palin's little
flip flop on whether she'd accept a VP nod.

In June '08 , she told Glenn Beck "No"
(with the usual, politician qualification comments).
Too much good she needed to do in Alaska, y'know?

Now of course, she has the right to pull a total 180,
but shouldn't someone ask what was SIGNIFICANTLY
different in the U.S. (or Alaska?!?) that dramatically
changed a solid "No" into an unqualified "Yes"
in just a couple months?

Admittedly, I was on vacation...but if America changed
dramatically in that time, I missed it.

oh, and don't give me the shit about her running the state while having the baby. Alaska is smaller than Cincinnati. And when we talk about size of states, we mean population, not land mass--so don't even give me that "biggest state" shit.

Curious....with the announcement of Palin as McCain's running mate, this investigation by the Alaskan state legislature has not only become much more important, but has also become much more important to a lot of very powerful people who have a vested interest in the "right" outcome.
I'm guessing the original investigation was not designed to be of such national interest. Have the members of the investigative team taken any measures to counter this potential, additional interference?
(I can see the nightmare unfolding: the initial results of the investigation decide the presidential election a few days later. Months later (after a new administration has been inaugurated) we come to find out that the investigation itself was corrupted for political purposes and the initial results were tainted. To counter public outrage, the new administration will then quickly throw a few chosen staff members under the bus, and claim it had no direct knowledge of this terrible corruption. The administration will then launch a new investigation into the first corrupted investigation. This new investigation will lead to the prosecution of one dispensable staff member, who will then be pardoned by the President if found guilty.)

I'm not trying to put out preemptive conspiracy theories here, I'm just trying to learn from the past.

And it's only been what..3 days? I can't wait to see what will come out in a week. Nice that 'we the people' have to vet the Vice Presidential nominee. More outsourcing I guess.

Where is Obama? The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs has convened no policy hearings since Obama took over as its chairman last January. Now, if Governor Palin is unqualified because she doesn't have any international experience what does Obama have if he has never showed up? Hummmmm........?

"...we will act as Americans, not as Republicans."

John McCain 31 August, 2008.

Said without a trace of irony...

As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's. Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units. She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans. Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska's proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don't even know about. She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.
Biden's seat on the Foreign Relations committee would expose him to information on a very wide array of topics. But her experience in keeping the homeland safe fits perfectly with her image as the competent American woman. It's not the same as having your finger on the button, but it a heckuva lot closer than Biden or Obama has ever been.
It will be tremendous fun to watch a couple of complete political tools like the Hope&Change duo attempt to attack a record of substance not words, to attack a record of action not bloviation.

Perhaps Obama's supporters are taking a stance between old and new. Maybe they don't care about McCain's service or his strength of character and unblemished qualifications to be President. Maybe 'likeability' is a higher priority for them than 'trust'. Being a prisoner of war is not what qualifies John McCain to be President of the United States of America - but his demonstrated leadership certainly does.

The problem with many Americans is they don't want to know the truth about Obama and won't even open their minds to it. I guess reading is too much of a chore for them, it’s easer to let the bias mainstream and network new media tell them what to believe.