Why does a so called "maverick" like John McCain need to embrace the tactics of distortion, of outright lies in the current political race that looks as if it has become as down and dirty as any election in recent years? Doesn't a maverick refuse to join the herd, to march to a different drummer? If John McCain has already employed the tactics of the last eight years of the Bush administration (lies and deceit as in Iraq's WMD or that Iraq was responsible for 9/11), hasn't McCain already shown that his administration (should he win the election) will simply be a continuation of the untruths and distortions that are a hallmark of George Bush and Company?

The McCain campaign ... released e-mails suggesting that Monegan alienated the governor's office by seeking federal money to go after sexual assault cases, even though the governor hadn't agreed that the money should be sought.

That gives them a two-fer: an alternative reason for the firing, PLUS re-inforcement of the theme that Palin just couldn't stand taking any federal money for anything (being such a mavericky reformer type).

Will the mainstream press buy this? Will they even COVER this story, when there are so many simpler story lines to pursue?

-- ARG

Send Joe Biden to Alaska!

Get Senator Biden some serious media attention by sending him to a rally in Alaska.

Take the fight to Palin's home turf.

It seems that many Alaskans are becoming increasingly dubious and disenchanted with Palin/McCain. The Alaskan Obama supporters there deserve the encouragement, support and attention! A groundswell of vocal opposition to Palin in Alaska could significantly help undermine her national appeal and the McCain/Palin ticket.

This seems to me like the makings of a very big and grotesque problem for Palin. Obviously, one has to take the McCain campaign's new excuse for her firing of Monegan with a grain of salt. But consider the pattern developing here:

1. Palin has publicly boasted that she would deny her daughters (and indeed, everyones' daughters) the right to an abortion in the case of rape or incest.

2. As Mayor of Wasila, Palin presided over a policy of charging sexual assault victims for their rape kits that was so abhorent that the state government directly intervened to stop it, and did so over the vocal protests of the police chief Palin had hired (and where was Palin while her police chief was complaining to the press about this).

3. Now she claims, per the post above, that she fired the state's top cop because he was too proactive in seeking federal funds to pursue sexual assault cases, at a time when Alaska was No. 1 in the country for incidents of rape.

I think someone needs to ask Sarah Palin if she thinks that rape is wrong. She certainly hasn't given any indication that she does.

Pro rape. Pro slaughtering wolves from airplanes. Pro torture. Pro war because they say so.

Who are these people????

As a former police officer, I know hard to hear this must be, but understand: in Alaska, rape 'is sport' fueled by alcohol and driven by rage, isolation, fear, boredom, a hyper-engaged sense of rugged individualism, and strange light patterns which affect human behavior.

I would postulate that Alaska leads the nation in per-capita rape events for these and other readily identifiable reasons, and that the continued failure of the Governor to address these critical behavioral problems—or even understand them—is a demonstrated failure of leadership on her part. She is not fit to be Vice President. Indeed, she is not fit to be the Governor of Alaska. Or even, apparently, the Mayor of a small town.

And when teamed with 'Tailhook' McCain, this ticket is a disaster for women. How ironic that Republican women, many of whom who's spirit is suppressed by a strong religious belief that they are effectively second class citizens and should be 'protected' by and subordinate to the strong man to whom they are attached, would flock to her side and support her candidacy. All while loudly proclaiming her strength and independence as a woman, and her success as a mother.

Ironic indeed.

Insubordination is the reason for the firing. Case closed.

The republicans are already the party of torture, murder, and lies. So rape should not be that big a deal to add to their platform.

Taking a cue from Gary Hart's ill-fated presidential run, Palin came on the same with some big words that could come back to haunt her: "Hold me accountable."

Palin on Video.

From the CNBC interview ('What does a VP do?' video), Palin said Monegan was fired because Palin wanted "new direction" regarding "bootlegging and alcohol abuse problems in our rural villages.."

And she claimed she welcomed "any kind of investigation."

Watch it yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oro2Yh9HoEM&feature=related

Palin: "And it's cool. I want them to ask me the questions. I don’t have anything to hide. And um, didn't do anything wrong there. And it is a Governor's prerogative -- a right -- to fill that cabinet with members whom she or he feels will do best for the people whom we are serving. So I look forward to any kind of investigation or questions being asked, 'cause, got nothing to hide."

[Why did you fire him]: Palin: "I never tried to fire a former brother-in-law who's been divorced from my sister for quite some time. No, it was the Commissioner that we were seeking more results, more action to fill, uh, vacant trooper positions, to deal with bootlegging and alcohol abuse problems in our rural villages especially. Um, just needed some new direction, a lot of new energy in that position. That is why the replacement took place there of the Commissioner of public safety. It had nothing to do with an estranged brother-in-law -- a divorce that had happened some years ago."

"It shouldn't disqualify me from anything, including progressing the state's agenda here towards more energy production so we can contribute more to the US. Nor should it, uh, dissuade any kind of agenda progress in any arena because again, I haven’t done anything wrong, and, and, through an investigation of our lawmakers who are kinda, uh, lookin at me as a target, we invite those questions so that we can truthfully answer the questions. But as to the VP talk all the time, I tell ya, I still can’t answer that question until someone answers, for me, what is it exactly that the VP does, every day? . . ."

Oh, please stop would you? You may be well-served to read the "Motion for Determination of No Probable Cause" filed by the Governor's counsel. It's available on line you know. Unless, fo course, doing that would get in the way of your hysteria and, apparently, willful desire not to know anything like the facts. In that case, why not just precede your comments with something like "I don't know a d**n thing about this but here's a little demagoguery just because it's fun".

Well..... such is the level of discourse. Just a minor point here but it illustrates that facts are indeed stubborn things: Palin did not appoint the members of the personnel board, which, under Alaska law, has "jurisdiction" over ethical complaints against state officials. Mark Twain is said to have noted that naked people have little or no influence. Neither, in the end, do hysterics.