Iowa Liberal

1. After a CNN anchor conducts an objective inquiry into Sarah Palin’s experience and a McCain hack can’t defend her, McCain relies on the fact that the right will take any complaint about the librul media seriously. A Larry King interview is scrapped and the McCamp sends a strong message: they only play tee ball.

2. After Barack Obama comments that Palin was mayor of a tiny town and Biden makes a self-deprecating joke that Palin is better looking than him, McCain’s camp screams sexism. World scratches head.

3. Another McCain hack admits, “This election is not about issues.” You’d better hope so, buddy.

4. The McCain camp is trying to push back investigations into Sarah Palin’s abuse of power. She fired Alaska’s top cop for following procedure instead of being sucked into her family drama.

5. Phil Gramm is trying the new improved version of calling Americans whiners. See, you’re not a whiner if you’re a McCain supporter!

6. McCain hires the political hit man who took him out for Bush in 2000. McCain blamed Eskew for vicious smears that derailed his campaign in South Carolina, including the whisper campaign that Bridgett McCain was John McCain’s illegitimate black daughter.

As Eric Kleefeld just quipped, what is he gonna do? Accuse Barack Obama of fathering two black children?

7. The McCain camp decided that, while it would deny that it hadn’t thoroughly vetted Sarah Palin, it would send a team of investigative folks to Alaska…to vet her.

8. The GOP is sweating anvils over talk of Palin withdrawing from the nomination.

The Republican ‘Omerta’ strategy is, as one lonely GOP source noted to the Huffington Post, not credible. “Of course people talk about it [pulling Palin off the ticket] over a drink or at breakfast. Everyone agrees that it’s not in the cards now, but it’s crazy to tell you animals [reporters] that there is a total vacuum of thought.”

That note of realism does not, however, prevent the cadre of strategists and operatives here from toeing the line. “There has not been any talk that I’ve heard,” one well-connected player here contended. “Everyone is locking in on her.” This source did not declare that a change in the number two spot is forever off the table, however. “He [McCain] is not going to do it unless something that is completely off the radar now comes up.”

Off the radar? Obama’s opened up a significant lead on McCain in the polls. The persistence of low poll numbers had ought be on McCain’s radar, as well as the principle that it’s better to chop off the gangrenous leg before you end up six feet under.

-jb

There are always exceptions.

COLUMBIA, SC—In a nationally televised speech Friday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama altered his vision of a unified America to exclude Dayton, OH loser Nate Walsh.

According to Obama, the 32-year-old Walsh, who has lived with his parents intermittently since receiving his associate’s degree in 2001 and still does not have a credit card in his own name, no longer figures into the senator’s long-term plan of rallying Americans from all walks of life around a common, higher purpose.

“People of South Carolina, people of the world, this is our time, this is our moment,” Obama said before 72,000 supporters at the University of South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium. “That is, unless you live in apartment 3L at 1254 Holden St., you watched Money Train on TBS last night at 3 a.m., and your name is Nate Walsh.”

I could think of a few more names.

-jb

Did you tune in to see how much they still love him? They were rapt, hanging on every word and laughing at his jokes. George W. advises, and they will surely follow: Vote McCain!

So much for distancing themselves from Bush. You see, it was over satellite feed…they weren’t able to directly feel the light of God radiating from his smile. Country first, yo.

-jb

That’s the new one. I’ve read it at least a dozen times so far this week. So where did it come from? And do the wingers ever ask permission to reprint verbatim arguments lifted wholesale from other sources?

http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=scared+of+palin

Bill Kristol. Behold, the right-wing echo chamber.

-mg

According to ABC News, via Daily Kos, Palin belonged to the party for Alaska’s secessionists, the Alaskan Independence Party. She attended one of their conventions in 1994, and addressed them warmly in 2008. Members talk about infiltrating major parties to get the agenda done.

“I’m an Alaskan, not an American. I’ve got no use for America or her damned institutions.” – Joe Vogler, founder of the Alaskan Independence Party

Jake “Ass” Tapper notes:

And while McCain’s motto — as seen in a new TV ad — is “Country First,” the AIP’s motto is the exact opposite — “Alaska First — Alaska Always.”

Gosh, talk about hating America…isn’t this kind of a dealbreaker for a Vice-President to have a long history of being a possible secessionist? (supposedly some in the party just advocate a “fuller statehood,” whatever that means, but Palin’s views are unclear) It was bad enough that she doesn’t seem to have ever paid attention to the world outside Alaska, but now it seems she never had the desire.

-jb