Sarah Palin: Yeah, she's Alaskan. So what?
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Sarah Palin's Alaskan. What the fuck does that mean? It means a few things, as far as I can tell:
- She's very tolerant of cold weather
- She probably won't be bursting into tears on the campaign trail like Geraldine or Hillary. This is, of course, a total stereotype … but really, girls up here don't tend to be terribly thin-skinned. Perhaps it's a side effect of the weather?
- I am supposed to be a big expert on her, because I'm Alaskan too.
Here's roughly what my take on the last gubernatorial election here in Alaska was: "Please, dear god, let the Republicans pick ANYONE BUT FUCKING FRANK MURKOWSKI in the primaries, PLEASE!" Which they did. They picked Sarah. Which says a lot for how much beloved our long-time Senator-cum-one-term-Governor, good ol' Frank, really was. It also says a lot for Sarah's spinal resilience, because Frank Murkowski was an absolute fuck, and as much of an asshole as he could get away with through the entire primary. So yeah, I do give her a little respect for winning that race.
And then the primaries were over, and I thought to myself, "Fan-fucking-tastic, we have a pro-life, pro-oil drilling Republican on one side, and a pro-oil drilling corporate whore Democrat on the other," (That would be Tony Knowles, the former governor who managed to lose the previous US Senate race to Lisa "Daddy's Girl" Murkowski—who was appointed by Frank "Fuckface" Murkowski when he decided to run for governor—because you can't serve three consecutive terms as AK governor), and figuring that we'd be fucked either way, but at least Murkowski was out of the picture, I voted Green Party.
So, what about Sarah Palin? She's a typical Alaska Republican. Pro-oil industry, pro-mining industry, anti-abortion. She is atypical in that she's actually somewhat supportive of small business*, and she spends far too much time fixing her hair in the morning. Other than that? She's not as inclined to blatantly grovel at the feet of every corporate interest who wipes their feet on her doormat as Murkowski was (or any of our current Congressional delegation, for that matter).
*with the exception of Bristol Bay salmon fishermen, who are about to see their livelihoods poisoned by a giant mine development project at the headwaters of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. I was rather surprised, actually, by how utterly unconcerned she's turned out to be about environmental issues that affect the fishing industry and native subsistence rights, given that her husband is part native Alaskan, and worked in the fishing industry for years.
The only reason she's on McCain's ticket is to lure disgruntled Hillary voters who're so bitter about Obama winning the Dem nomination that they'll vote for anything with ovaries, actual political positions be damned. Which is what I've been predicting ever since I heard she'd made his "short list" of potential Veeps. The only way he could have played that particular card better is by tapping Condoleeza Rice … but she might be well-known enough neo-con demonspawn to counteract the intended effect. Sarah's a pretty blank card, on a national scale.
OK, so there we go. That's what I know about Sarah.
Now, for anyone who wants to use the "what the fuck, she's been the mayor of a town of ~6000 people, and a half-term governor of a state of ~600,000 people, what in the fuck does she know about being vice president?!" Um. Seriously? Have you been listening to the Republicans hammering on Obama for having "no experience"? If you're planning on voting for Obama in November, don't use that angle on Sarah. In fact, I think McCain picking Palin as his runningmate is one of the BEST things that's happened to Obama on that angle … look at it this way:
If Obama gets elected, and then assassinated (which, sorry to say, but I've been predicting for whoever was unlucky enough to be the US's first black president for as long as I can remember), we end up with Biden in the White House. Not bad. Certainly not someone you can accuse of not knowing what's going on in Washington.
If McCain gets elected, and then keels over of extreme old age (which, let's face it, isn't exactly unlikely, at his age), we end up with Palin in the White House. Who, for however "likeable" she may or may not be, is someone who's said—in multiuple interviews—she doesn't even know what the vice-president does on a day-to-day basis.
Democrats need to make note of these things, and make lots and lots of noise about them.
Somehow though, I don't think the Dems have what it takes to run a really relevant, effective attack campaign. Fuck, most of the time, they can't even defend themselves against one for shit.
On the "experience" front, I look at it this way:
Yes, both Obama and Palin are a little light on experience when compared to their counterparts, but there is a significant distinction here. Obama, in the four years he's been in the U.S. Senate, has serverd on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and worked to get legislation passed at a federal level. Palin's < 2 yeats of experience as governor of Alaska leaves her a a little wanting in the experience department as it relates to the operation of the federal government.
Prior to the IL legislature, Obama worked as a law professor, teaching constitutional law. Palin was a sports reporter and was runner-up in a beauty contest.
Obama has a law degree. Palin has a bachelor's degree in Communications-Journalism.
I will grant that the American people are generally too stupid to comprehend the substance of these differences, but I find the comparison of "experience" between the two to be more than a little lacking.
31st August 2008 at 9:22 pm | permalink |@Becca: I didn't really make my "experience" point thoroughly … I think the whole "experience" issue is a red herring. To my mind, the more experience someone has, the more time they've had to become a worthless, corrupt, bought-and-paid-for special interest stooge.
What a person needs is an understanding of the way government functions (Palin gets a self-admitted F on the veep spot there), a basic understanding of world political/economic issues (and a willingness to continue learning more about them), and the ability to debate, negotiate and compromise with others.
Now, it may be hard to judge someone's abilities/knowledge in all those areas as they relate to an elected position without seeing them in action in similar situations, but all in all "experience" is a pretty double edged sword and, IMNSHO, not necessary to do a good job in political office.
[Disclaimer: The preceding comment has been solely concerned with "experience" as an abstract concept/qualification for political office, and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any given individuals' experience or abilities in any way, shape or form. ;-) ]
31st August 2008 at 9:42 pm | permalink |Hmm. Not to stray away from the article, but because I live in the south I hear people constantly complaining that the first black president is as good as assassinated. I personally just don't see it happening like that. My opinion may be skewed of course, I only see over-all wearing gun toting old necks talking about it here. Perhaps it's just that I can't wrap my mind around what would happen in the south if our first black president got assassinated. I would literally have to board up my windows and head for the hills.
31st August 2008 at 11:05 pm | permalink |Yes, that was my first thought when I realized you guys might actually get a black president; "he will not live for long". I don't know why but the short period I have spent living in USA made me think you would have 10 women as president before a black guy. Time will tell I guess. I would love to see some broadening of minds in USA though.
31st August 2008 at 11:20 pm | permalink |@AC: Well, living in the northern half of the country for the last 25 years, nobody every says any such thing out loud. But when I say it, people agree, in hushed, horrified tones. And we're all thinking about the gun-toting old-school racist fucks y'all live with Down South. ;-)
@Yep: Y'know, I can always home it doesn't actually happen. I do really hope not. But I'm just cynical enough to have a sneaking suspicion otherwise. :-\
1st September 2008 at 12:11 am | permalink |Tend to agree about the assassination possibility but on the basis of him being only half black as is tiger woods and lewis hamilton he just may be more acceptable to all but the most rabid white supers. I also think that if you want to destroy the US starting a race war might be a good way to do it. Definitely interesting times ahead because the rest of the world figures McCain is only running as none of the real talent in the republicans want to be blamed for losing as they know Bush's policies are on the nose. Shoulda stuck with Hilary as a safer bet less likely to anger the southern natives.
1st September 2008 at 2:55 am | permalink |There is some story brewing that she was not really pregnant, that it was her daughter's actual child. Anything on this? Or what about her ethic investigation?
1st September 2008 at 5:52 am | permalink |I found myself almost screaming in sheer terror when I discovered Palin was AoG. While it's possible that a Christian denomination is less psycho motherfucking crazy in the US than it is in Australia, I doubt this somehow. Plus, I'd thought that at least as a matter of political expediency politicians had stopped being openly denialist re: climate change. Perhaps I've just been missing the fun?
1st September 2008 at 7:47 am | permalink |Oh, and http://www.divasblueoasis.blogspot.com/
^^
There's a decent amount of stuff there re: Palin. Though, much less biting that dear AB's coverage =p
1st September 2008 at 7:52 am | permalink |@ grimbles: Yeah, motherfuckingnutcasemoron.
She's also an advocate for intelligent design–also known as the "abandonment of science" movement which posits that some Invisible Voo-Doo Daddy in the Clouds™ wiggled his fingers, sneezed, coughed, flicked a booger, or some other divinely inspired activity and thus we all came into being about 6,000 years ago.
Basically, she's an honorific to the other motherfuckingnutcasemorons of the GOP emotional masturbation society.
1st September 2008 at 9:14 am | permalink |@ alphabitch: I concur on the validity of "experience" insofar as it is a qualification for office. Under the current incarnation, experience in U.S. Gov't equates to corruption, cronyism, political favoritism, etc., and I certainly would not want to be seen as codifying that kind of crap. And what scares me the most about Palin, besides her motherfuckingnutcasemoron-ness is the fact that she's already adopted the worst aspects of the GOP double-speak (she was for Ted Stevens' "Bridge to Nowhere" before she was against it) without having any of the experience.
1st September 2008 at 9:21 am | permalink |In order to prove it was she that gave birth the GOP announced today her 17 year old is 5 months preggers.
Thanks for the insight. I know it seems a silly request but at least you'd heard of her before.
1st September 2008 at 9:29 am | permalink |What I'm wondering is if the evangelist-extreme community, which for this election will no doubt be more organized than ever (has there ever been a team more 'perfect' for them than mccain/palin?), has grown large enough to single-handedly give mccain the election.
Then again I guess it's not just me waiting for that "unknown X" this coming election; be it fixing/rigging, assassinations, or a perfectly timed catastrophe in which following bush invokes a national emergency, etc.
1st September 2008 at 10:32 am | permalink |Zef, I've maintained for years that some ugly shit hits the fan in late October and Bush II declares marshall law and annoints hisself "King" Bush II. All this talk of assassination is pretty far fetched. It would take a government inside job, like blowing up the WTC on 9/11 did…Oh..maybe it is not so far fetched. Duck Obama! Duck!
1st September 2008 at 12:38 pm | permalink |"In order to prove it was she that gave birth the GOP announced today her 17 year old is 5 months preggers."
So much for that Family Values and love for abstinence-only sex education bullshit Republicans have been shoving in our faces (that is, when they aren't getting caught performing lewd acts in a public restroom)!
1st September 2008 at 1:08 pm | permalink |@Bob: I don't think Hillary stood a chance in hell in the general election … Obama has a better chance of winning the White House, IMO, regardless of his chances of surviving. ;)
@Larry: Yeah, I think if there was any rumors about the kid being her daughter's child, we would have heard about it by now. A 44 year old pro-lifer having a downs baby makes perfect sense … odds of downs syndrome start skyrocketing after a woman's mid-thirties, and a staunch pro-lifer would never think of aborting, while a lot of other women her age would, even before they found out about the disability, just because they didn't want to spend the rest of their life playing Mommy.
1st September 2008 at 2:49 pm | permalink |Re. random other points:
Bridge to "Nowhere": Ketchikan is a small town, and the population of Gravina island (where Ketchikan airport is located) is virtually nonexistent by national standards. However, Ketchikan International Airport is the third busiest airport in Alaska, particularly during the summer cruise season. Running hordes of tourists back and forth by ferry is, no doubt, a giant pain in the ass.
That said, NOTHING in Southeast Alaska is effectively connected by road. For fuck's sake, Juneau, our state capitol (and the 3rd largest city in Alaska), has no road access to the rest of the state. Hence why they have what they call the "marine highway" ferry system snaking through all the towns in the region. So, why anyone would think Ketchikan needed a bridge, when the tourists would have to hop on a ferry as soon as they drove across the bridge from the airport, is beyond me. If anything, I'd say they apparently need a better ferry service during the summer. And maybe they could get the cruise industry to subsidize it.
So, whatever about the bridge. Apparently nobody thinks it's worth the $$$ if they're the ones getting stuck with the bill. Palin didn't 'flip-flop' on the issue until Stevens' attempt to secure federal funding ended up with the state of Alaska having to pay a much higher percentage of the construction cost.
Congress said it wasn't worth the $$$ to the federal gov't, and Palin decided it wasn't worth the $$$ to the state gov't either, but either of them would be happy to pitch in on it, if the other side picked up the larger part of the bill.
Christianity, Family Values, etc.: Yeah, she's a bible-thumping wingnut. Is anyone really surprised the Repubs. tapped a bible-thumping wingnut to back up a candidate with questionable evangelical credentials?
When the gubernatorial election was going on, she talked a lot about small businesses, and the fishing industry (which necessitates environmental protection), and supporting state projects like the bridge, and generally making herself out to be someone who would stand up for Alaska, against "Outside" corporate interests. I didn't figure abortion or any of that crap was going to be a major state issue during her term, and if she'd actually stuck up for all the other shit she talked, she would have probably been a better governor than Knowles. That said, her fundie side really hasn't come into play during her term so far, and she hasn't destroyed the state financially, so she's at least been mostly neutral thus far.
1st September 2008 at 3:00 pm | permalink |Nice - totally side tracked the discussion from the Obama assination line.
Interestingly my father was discussing Obama with me the other night and described his acceptance speech as being reminscient of the speeches of Adolf Hitler - full of rhetoric but no real substance. (Given that he is old enough to have first hand experience of Hitler - I will take what he says with some gravitas.)
Now he is also an Obama will be assassinated man. Could we hope for a clean election this time or will it be a who shoots who scenario.
1st September 2008 at 3:40 pm | permalink |P.S. When I heard that McCain had announced an unknown Alaskan woman as his running mate - I thought you had a new job Alpha!!!
1st September 2008 at 3:44 pm | permalink |@Ian: One wonders how many other historical figures, beloved and infamous alike, could be associated with a "feel good, no substance" speech at some point in their careers? My bet would be: Every single one of them who were known for being able to rouse a crowd's enthusiasm. Realistically, from a strictly "effective crowd motivation" angle, I couldn't say being compared to the Nazis is a bad thing.
Oh, and yeah, I reeeeeaaaalllllly don't think I'd pass the Republican party's candidate vetting process. ;-) Even if they overlooked this website, and my Green Party voter registration, they'd never get past either the ex-stripper or ex-abortion patient thing. Yessiree … according to the fundie camp, I'm getting an express train ticket to the ol' lake of fire the moment I die.
1st September 2008 at 4:08 pm | permalink |For as long as I've been interested in politics, I've always wondered about Alaska. Most of what I've heard about Alaska involves Ted Stevens, which to me makes Alaska one of those states I've felt needs to write a letter of apology to the other 49 for keeping him in the Senate. But ever since Palin was picked, I guess the general corruption in Alaska is being found out. I always wondered why the Dems until this year never even considered opening up a campaign office there. Now I'm starting to understand.
If there is so much corruption in Alaska, I wonder what will be revealed eventually with Palin.
Bill Maher says afro-americans vote for afro-americans, but women don't vote for women. He's not always right, but it's been my experience that this is correct. This choice may not help McCain any.
1st September 2008 at 4:58 pm | permalink |As far as Obama getting assassinated, if the secret service can keep Dubya alive then I think Obama should be ok. The fact that bush hasn't been sniped yet is stunning to me.
1st September 2008 at 5:51 pm | permalink |People don't kill presidents, DavidGX, governments do. Bush is their golden goose, why would he get shot?
2nd September 2008 at 10:52 am | permalink |Ha! This is too much!
Palin has yet to teach her family message control:
(Sarah Palin’s mother in law) Faye Palin admitted she enjoys hearing Barack Obama speak, and still hasn’t decided which way she’ll vote. [..]
“I’m not sure what she brings to the ticket other than she’s a woman and a conservative. Well, she’s a better speaker than McCain,” Faye Palin said with a laugh.
Hat tip to Crooks and Liars
2nd September 2008 at 11:34 am | permalink |@Elie: Really, I don't think we're anything special on the corruption front … there are just a lot fewer people involved, and the shorter the grapevine, the faster & further the gossip travels. ;-)
The Dems, until this election, didn't bother opening a campaign office up here because national elections have gone overwhelmingly to the Republicans ever since the oil pipeline came through … and that's got a lot less to do with corruption than with the fact that a lot of people moved here to work for the oil companies, and they're voting in accordance with the best interests of the industry that signs their paychecks.
That's hardly unique to Alaska. ;-)
@Becca: We don't have the most polished political machine up here, no sirree we don't. hehehe
2nd September 2008 at 1:29 pm | permalink |"Oh, and yeah, I reeeeeaaaalllllly don't think I'd pass the Republican party's candidate vetting process."
I thought there might be one or two stumbling blocks in the way - however McCain maybe taking a leaf out of Silvio Berlusconi's political handbook :)
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/05/20/italy/index.html
2nd September 2008 at 2:05 pm | permalink |NEW YORK (Fortune) — Now the Democrats aren't the only ones who can try to capitalize on the negative buzz growing around Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the prospective Republican VP candidate.
Intrade, an online prediction market based in Dublin, created a contract Tuesday morning on the likelihood that John McCain will drop Palin as his running mate. After opening at a probability of just 3%, the odds on Palin being cut from the ticket climbed to 18% around 9 a.m. and have since settled at around 12%.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/02/technology/kimes_intrade.fortune/index.htm
2nd September 2008 at 2:07 pm | permalink |@Ian: Hmm … and Italy is the country where a former porn star got elected to parliament … you may have something there. lol
@Metis: I wonder if Ladbrokes (a chain of bookies all over Britain) has anything going on Palin yet? hehehe
@everyone: Salon did a rather snide, yet fairly thorough, round-up on Palin stories. ;-)
2nd September 2008 at 2:57 pm | permalink |And, even better, if I do say so myself:
VPILF.com
2nd September 2008 at 2:59 pm | permalink |Alpha, I think Ian's on to something… you'd make an excellent politician. It'd be nice for a change to have someone in office that didn't mince words, and especially, made decisions with a little integrity and thought as to what is really going to make this country stronger and our way of life better.
If it takes an ex-stripper who's had an abortion to whip some azz, I'm all for it.
As far as the assassination of Obama, let's remember that we granted black men the right to vote before we did women.
2nd September 2008 at 5:44 pm | permalink |Hey, there's a Ladbrokes right next door to my hotel. I'll check tonight to see if they have any action on Palin. :-)
2nd September 2008 at 10:38 pm | permalink |"… and Italy is the country where a former porn star got elected to parliament …"
Yes, surprisingly for a Catholic country they are rather enlightened when it comes to the pasts of their politicians. France seems to be the same - rather different to your Bible Bashers.
3rd September 2008 at 9:36 am | permalink |Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow
3rd September 2008 at 2:01 pm | permalink |Have you had another, baby, standing in the shadow?
I'm glad I opened your eyes, eeeyeyeeyeah…
Wow - grass roots American election fever!
I'll pay to watch
3rd September 2008 at 2:15 pm | permalink |@Sue: "…we granted black men the right to vote before we did women."
True enough, but OTOH there was never a widespread tradition of lynching women in this country…
@Becca: Do let us know! hehehe
@Ian: An Italian instructor I had in university said more Americans attended religious services regularly than did Italians … and Catholics know all you have to do is go to confession to cover your ass anyhow. ;-)
@bill: Y'know, I'm really disgusted with the hubbub about her 17 year old's pregnancy. How fucking irrelevant can we get?! Well, then again, I guess the whole Clinton/Lewinski affair years ago already answered that question.
@Pete: I don't know that Palin has any past experience with mud or jello wrestling, but if Obama had picked a female VP too I'm sure there'd've been a heck of a potential pay-per-view market there. heheh
3rd September 2008 at 4:01 pm | permalink |http://punditkitchen.com/2008/09/03/political-pictures-sarah-palin-photoshopped-bikini-photo/
ENJOY! :P
3rd September 2008 at 5:28 pm | permalink |@Alpha: True enough, but OTOH there was never a widespread tradition of lynching women in this country…
No, there hasn't been a widespread tradition of lynching women. Our forefathers preferred throwing them in jail and submitting them to the most horrendous of tortures, such as that suffered by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns under President Woodrow Wilson's term.
3rd September 2008 at 7:59 pm | permalink |As far as wingnuts go, I'd bet that more would be threatened enough by a powerful black man than a powerful woman. Aside from anything else your average bigot is more likely to think 'how quaint, a woman pretending to be a man' and sit safe in the 'knowledge' that she's just a pretty face while the 'real men' do the work. Black guys, well they're always a threat because they might rape your daughters if you let them too far from the servants quarters.
While I have exactly zero statistics, I would be very surprised if there were more cases of deliberate lethal violence against women than racially motivated. And by deliberately lethal I mean not just some redneck getting drunk and beating his wife to death. Not that that's cool, but it's also not the kind of intent that would be required to assassinate someone.
Violence against women is as important an issue as racial violence, but they're different 'flavours' of violence…
4th September 2008 at 8:18 pm | permalink |@Jen: The best part about that photo is when you click the link through to the flickr thread about the original "body" shot … great stuff!
@Sue: Well, that makes it less likely that a woman President would be assassinated, no? ;-) I'm sure she'd inspire a lot of wannabe rapists thinking she needed to be "put in her place," but I doubt the Secret Service would go for the idea.
@grimbles: I'm not sure about there being more racially motivated murders, really … for one thing, a LOT of abusive men deliberately kill their wives and girlfriends if/when the women work up the nerve to leave them (OJ Simpson, anyone?). Also, I can think of a lot of serial killers who go after women, but none who go after black men.
That said, to echo part of your comment, the kind of intent is different, IMO. Abusive men kill women they know, while racist murderers are after keeping blacks "in their place" as a group … and I can't imagine a black man being more "uppity" than living in the White House.
4th September 2008 at 8:49 pm | permalink |I found this pretty informative:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/04/politics/animal/main4414049.shtml
5th September 2008 at 7:03 pm | permalink |Point re the 'you can't leave me' fuckwits. That particular brand of sleaze slipped my mind momentarily. But, you got what I was trying to say, so that's the main thing =p
Perhaps, as you said, personal deliberate vs. impersonal deliberate.
5th September 2008 at 7:52 pm | permalink |@Dr. Atomix: Thanks! :-) Been working on a little piece about her speech, that'll be a handy reference.
@grimbles: Yeah, I think serial killers are the only people who kill women without personal, individual grudges against their victims … but even they have incredibly peculiar and particular ways of choosing them.
Racist violence usually has quite obvious "send a message to all black people" motives. It really is aimed at the entire group.
6th September 2008 at 6:38 pm | permalink |http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/09/09/palin_fundamentalist/
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