September 9, 2008

"Like Kafka's 'Metamorphosis' in reverse, the giant, hideous beetle that was the GOP has suddenly been reborn as a vigorous youth...."

Gary Kamiya riffs on Sarah Palin, calling her a "dominatrix" and saying things like:
For the die-hard Republicans who lusted over Palin at the convention, her whip-wielding persona was a turn-on. You could practically feel the crowd getting a collective woody as Palin bent Obama and the Democrats over, shoved a leather gag in their mouths and flogged them as un-American wimps, appeasers and losers. "Drill, baby, drill!" the chant ecstatically repeated by the GOP faithful during Rudy Giuliani's speech, acquired a distinctly Freudian subtext after Palin spoke. The more Palin drilled the Democrats, the more hotly the base yearned to drill her. (We will leave it to shrinks to determine whether the GOP hardcore has the hots for Palin because she's reaming the Democrats, or because authority-worshippers tend to have secret fantasies of being reamed themselves.)
Yes, yes, everybody wants to be Camille Paglia.

But I just wanted to post that so I could use that one line about the beetle in my title and link to this Japanese Bug Fight that someone pointed out in yesterday's insect post. Remember the beetle is the GOP. The Democratic Party is the scorpion.

***

Speaking of sex-and-insects, did you see they made an opera out of the movie "The Fly" -- the great David Cronenberg version -- which you know I love.
"Have you ever heard of insect politics? Neither have I! Insects don't have politics.... they're very brutal. No compassion.... no compromise. We can't trust the insect. I'd like to become the first insect politician. I'd like to, but.... I'm an insect.... who dreamed he was a man, and loved it. But now the dream is over, and the insect is awake."

145 comments:

Peter V. Bella said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Peter V. Bella said...

It is amazing. These people are realy full of hatred and immaturity; of the type practiced by teenage boys in the locker room. They are doing McCain and Palin a very big favor by keeping the smear campaign of last week alive. Only the true haters will vote for Obama and Biden.

BTW, Reading this stuff, especially the earlier post, reminds me of the racist and anti-Semitic literature put out by the far right wing lunatic bark chewers. it is vile, evil, and has no redeeming value; except that people get paid to write it.

Steve M. Galbraith said...

Boy (ahem), I though the Right's attack on Hillary were immature.

This is something....

Meade said...

Yeah, yeah, bugs are bad.

But toads totally reign supreme.

Ron said...

What's next, bug musicals?

TMink said...

They certainly are immature. It is neurological, they cannot help it. Liberals, most liberals, have difficulty remaining calm when they are challenged or even disagreed with. Their amygdala takes over and they turn into children.

Without a secure childhood, they continue to be escalated over situations that they should deal with in stride. It is sad until it turns ugly, like the press going all Middle School on Governor Palin.

Trey

Simon said...

"Palin comes across not as a fantasy pinup, but as a dominatrix."

Kamiya thinks that there's a difference, then? Methinks that his article tells us more about Kamiya than Palin.

And in any event - when did liberals decide that assertive women are a bad thing?! I had thought - call me crazy - that meekly blushing virgin brides who kowtow to their husbands were not considered the epitome of the feminist ideal. Feminism -- does the left remember feminism? It sure hasn't seemed that way lately -- lauds women who are assertive and beat men on their own terms, does it not?

So upside down, this election!

Automatic_Wing said...

Reminds me of those Orkin ads where a human-sized cockroach knocks on the front door and claims to be delivering a pizza. The giant bug then escapes at the wheel of a beat-up domestic car when the Orkin guy comes around. Creepy but droll.

Zekarias said...

Ann,

I just hooked, I guess, to visiting your blog at least once a day to see what you have for the day. Whatever has happened to WPR, Madison, not having you in their morning show these days? I missed your comments there.

Anonymous said...

This guy is ready for a spot as a 'commentator' on an MSNBC panel.

Henry said...

This is like listening to the drunk guy at the cocktail party. Sort of entertaining, but you don't want to make eye contact.

Forget the beetle image -- how about this metaphor:

Palin is a weird political novelty cocktail. Her bitter reactionary taste is disguised by tasty female flavoring, but after the first few sips, you know exactly what you're drinking.

Tasty female flavoring?

I think we should leave it to the shrinks to determine whether Gary Kamiya is projecting or paranoid.

Roger J. said...

I thought BDS was bad, but PDS seems to be even more acute!

The Gallup poll had some bad news for Obama with independents breaking McCain's way big time. It remains to be seen how much of this is convention bounce or not. That should drive the dems even more nuts! Can't wait until updated state polls come out to see where the electoral vote might be going.

garage mahal said...

Sounds like there's been a little too much drilling going on up there in Alaska.

Peter V. Bella said...

…that meekly blushing virgin brides who kowtow to their husbands were not considered the epitome of the feminist ideal.

Hillary Clinton , the feminist bride who kowtowed to her husband, destroyed the myth.

Pastafarian said...

Garage -- was drilling sexualized by its opponents as often as it is now, after the emergence of Palin?

That says as much about the left as Kamiya's article actually says about his own fetishes and obsessions. It's becoming a little embarrassing -- can you folks at least try to maintain that veneer of elite liberal sophistication? Please, put the mask back in place.

I always suspected that liberals were actually more sexist and racist (and perhaps even more homophobic) than conservatives; but I never thought that having those suspicions so thoroughly and publicly confirmed would be such an ugly and unpleasant thing to witness.

George M. Spencer said...

Cronenberg is okay, if you like seeing a scrawny guy peel his ear off and Geena Davis in one of them big shoulder power suits, but nothing beats the ending of the original with Vincent Price and David Hedison.

That last scene which is so shocking actually had Price in hysterics because he and his co-actor had to ham it up while looking at an empty spot on the floor (or something).

Anyway, here is a devastating essay from The American Spectator that totally disassembles Sally Quinn. Did you know that she couldn't type or write when Bradlee hired her? And that he left his wife for her? And that his sister-in-law had an affair with JFK in the White House, meeting for 20 or 30 occasions, and smoking joints a couple times? And that Bradlee caught the CIA's Angleton breaking into her place, after her murder, twice trying to find her diary?

Of course, none of that was in the Post.

Help me! Help me, pleassseeeee!

garage mahal said...

Garage -- was drilling sexualized by its opponents as often as it is now, after the emergence of Palin?

Are Republican's sex lives off limits? As we all know Democrat's sure aren't. As a matter of fact it comes up on this blog quite frequently.

Update See, George is on it!

Sloanasaurus said...

The smear campaign goes on and on. Now they are attempting to attack her using psuedo-intellectualism. "Look how well I can write and speak - I am going to call Palin the devil using large complex and little used words."

An attack on Sarah Palin is an attack on the average American. That is going to be the brutal honest lesson for all the elites in this country.

Sarah Palin is a bright and shining star who has been plucked out from the masses of ordinary citizens. People love and respect her because she is like them, except she is a leader and we all know it. She uses words we all understand. Her background is something we can all relate to. Her beliefs are standard beliefs to middle america. The elites hate and dispise middle America.

Unknown said...

It is sad until it turns ugly, like the press going all Middle School on Governor Palin.

going all Middle School

So appropriate! Immaturity Deluxe!

I'm going to take that metaphor out for a drive. My new phrase for the Democrats/MSM!

Thanks Trey!

Anonymous said...

Don't we all wonder when sarah and michelle will reach menopause and metamorphize... as in "the change" so they all can become old crones like Hillary.

hi Althouse,

Haven't been here in a while. No art lately? I was talking to someone at the bank yesterday about indiana football, which i don't even follow at all. I did see they are playing wisconsin on Nov 8. You can overnight by me if you want to go to the game and see hoosier daddy's team play. I live minutes from the stadium. Bauwesen in progress.

I was up in your lake over the weekend. Swimming was chilly because of gusstoff.

Anonymous said...

If liberal Democrats keep up these ringing vindications of feminism, they're going to turn Amanda Marcotte into a Republican by November.

El Presidente said...

Call Freud, Gary's slip is showing.

David Foster said...

Keep writing, Gary. There are still a lot of Americans who don't realize how bizarre the "progressive" Left actually *is*, and rants like yours will help them to understand.

William said...

George: Thanks very much for posting the Spectator article. The scandal is that none of Bradlee's malfeasances were scandals.....Clarence Thomas by all accounts is a decent man who has lived an honorable life. Compare and contrast the coverage of Clarence Thomas with that of Kwame Kilpatrick....The son of Sarah Palin will go to Iraq as a grunt. The children of Biden and Clinton work for hedge funds. Compare and contrast the coverage of the children of Palin and Biden.

Robert said...

@ Roger at 8:52

It's not PDS, it's more like Palin Mental Syndrome :-)

William said...

The subtext of all attractive women is sexuality, but there are, nonetheless, different types of sexual attraction. It is well to remember that romantic love began with the devotion of medieval knights to the Virgen Mary. The sexual unavailability of the Virgen made her more accessible to adulation....Something like that seems to be going on with Sarah. She appeals more to the superego than to the id. She is the nice lady whose good qualities you wish to cherish and protect, not defile. She gives the impression of someone who would be fun to share a life with. The hot, sweaty sex is just a bonus feature..... Still I would advise caution to all her cavaliers. When you set a woman upon a pedestal, you oft reveal their feet of clay. But this attack is the work of a groundling who does not understand the turns and counter stands of romantic love. He should go fuck himself.

Alex said...

Just ignore the troll.

Ben (The Tiger in Exile) said...

Of course, Paglia herself thinks that Palin will be the first female president...

Unknown said...

What they really hate is that Palin finds inspiration and even joy in her American life. Not one whiff of postmodern irony or despair. She is the articulation of all the arguments against the left, and people love it. The left is slowly being driven bonkers!

Chip Ahoy said...

Woot! Welcome to the mind of Gary Kamiya, executive editor at Salon. Take a bow, Gary. Elevated the national discussion to even greater depths for that political party to which he's hopelessly beholden.

Now that he's exercised his inner juvenile we can expect an abrupt reversal once he realizes the damage this does. Either that, or until he bothers to read the memo.

Must add, I am enjoying the show. Squirm, Bitch, squirm.

Alex said...

I have to say that I'm one of those post-modern, nihilistic intellectual types. But I love Palin and her down-home style. Maybe she can cure me if my nihilism.

Icepick said...

Forget the politics, let's talk about Japanese Bug Fights. I noticed something in the video that I've also noted elsewhere: When describing the scorpion the Japanese commentator uses the English word "poisonous". I have noticed from watching Ninja Warrior that the Japanese commentator on that show often uses English words. Does Japanese lack words for such common items as "pipe", "walk", "slide", "spider" and "poisonous", or is there some other reason for using English? Perhaps after bombing their country flat in WWII the Japanese find English words intimidating....

garage mahal said...

Must add, I am enjoying the show. Squirm, Bitch, squirm.

This is the modern conservative movement in a nutshell. Only requirement? Talk shit about liberals. They know McCain and Palin are lying their asses off, even when called out by everyone including the WSJ, and they also know she doesn't have a clue about much of anything. But she's hot, and she talks trash. Yay!

Larry J said...

The smear campaign goes on and on. Now they are attempting to attack her using psuedo-intellectualism. "Look how well I can write and speak - I am going to call Palin the devil using large complex and little used words."

An attack on Sarah Palin is an attack on the average American. That is going to be the brutal honest lesson for all the elites in this country.


That's what makes this situation so funny - with their dangerous combination of ignorance only exceeded by their arrogance - they're turning off the very people they're trying to reach.

The Left pretends to stick up for "the little people" (what a condescending term!) except when one of them dares to disagree with their benevolence. Sarah Palin's father was a teacher with 4 children - the very kind of family the liberals like to champion as victims. However, Palin refuses to be a victim of her circumstances. Since her parents were unable to afford her college tuition and athletic scholarships for women were pretty rare back then, she found that beauty pageants were a way to attend college. Since she actually chooses to give birth to her children and doesn't act the victim, she must be destroyed like they tried with Clarence Thomas. If some people refuse to accept victim hood, others might do the same and undermine the need for vast government social programs. That will not do.

The funny part is that despite (or perhaps because of) their attacks, the polls keep swinging towards McCain and Palin. In a few years, she may actually be the first truly viable female presidential contender. The Left is freaking (often very entertaining). Their attacks are failing, so what do they do but go with ever more outrageous attacks.

It's said that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome. Hmmmm.

John Stodder said...

What I don't get is the horrified reaction by some commentators to the mere fact that Palin is a sexy woman. This makes her so unusual? Maybe in politics, but not in life.

I've worked with, worked for, or supervised at least a dozen sexy women in my career. As a man, you experience this in a kind of double-vision. You can't ignore that they are attractive. You might even fantasize about them. You might even be so bold as to ask them out if the chemistry seems right and you're both free. Once in a great while you might end up in bed with them. But you have to set all that aside when you're doing business, and it's a sign of weakness and immaturity if you can't.

There are sexy woman who are idiots, and sexy women who are brilliant. Sexy women who are mean, and sexy women who are saints. They don't come to work to show off their attractiveness; it's part of their private life. It's obviously a form of discrimination to allow oneself to dwell on the meta-meaning of their sexiness, as if their physical appearance or sexual nature makes them different from everyone else or is the entirety of their character. Like Little Richard said, sometimes "the girl can't help it."

The cure for all this fevered nonsense is to watch the many clips available of Sarah Palin on C-SPAN from her years as Alaska's governor, or as a candidate for that job. She comes off as pleasantly wonky person of high intelligence who speaks in crisp, clear sentences but dares to bore us with the details if the details matter. She's still hot, but you get over it pretty quickly when she starts talking about Medicaid formulae.

Those C-SPAN clips also help dispel other notions about Palin. It's amazing how out of kilter what these folks are writing about her.

vbspurs said...

I say they'll make an opera about the Presidential Election of 2008.

"Madama Moose"
"La Hillariata"
"Don Obama"

And for a little Gilbert & Sullivan light interlude:

"The McKaino"

Anthony said...

"What I don't get is the horrified reaction by some commentators to the mere fact that Palin is a sexy woman."

If she were unattractive, they'd be going after that, too. Whatever stick is handy. What we're seeing now is what conservative females get all the time from the Left: rampant sexism and racism that would make a KKKer blush.

Wasn't Kamiya the guy who wrote an article admitting that he was hoping for lots of American deaths in Iraq just to "show" Bush?

chickelit said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

@vbspurs: How about the "The Flight of The Palin-Drone"?

A swarm of palin-drones!

vbspurs said...

If she were unattractive, they'd be going after that, too. Whatever stick is handy.

Ain't that the truth.

I told a friend of mine, who was complaining that he was made fun of because he was Hispanic, that "don't you see? That's just what they could get you on. It doesn't matter what it is, big nose, poor, too tall, black, fat. It's all the same."

Okay, it's not all the same, and we were talking of him when young. Hopefully mature adults don't do that.

Except we do.

vbspurs said...

The Flight of The Palin-Drone

*claps*

Except there's only one problem. Drone Todd would've fallen to his death after sex, that first time.

Methadras said...

Oh yes, leave it to another moronic lefty to sexualize/immoralize even a political convention. Given the nature of the commentary, I'm wondering who got the woody first or was meekly asking, yes mistress, no mistress. Thanks for the insight into your depraved mind Gary. It's always good to know that your debauched nature has become predictable. Yeah, I can definitely see where Kamiya was going with this.

Peter V. Bella said...

garage mahal said...
This is the modern conservative movement in a nutshell. Only requirement? Talk shit about liberals.

What has the modern liberal movement contributed to the political discussion? Since Reagan, they have done nothing but ”talk shit, period”.

Look what you begat; juvenile delinquents running around as political pundits, using foul language or the intellectual equivalent of it, a presidential candidate that has no qualifications who beat a less qualified candidate. Then you have a politically corrupt VP candidate to boot. BTW, where has he been lately? Out of sight, out of mind, and out of harm’s way.

The modern liberal movement has produced nothing but shit for the last twenty eight years. That is called the status quo.

vbspurs said...

Out of sight, out of mind, and out of harm’s way.

I saw him campaigning via CNN yesterday.

But honestly, I think they're getting the public ready to let down the boom.

rhhardin said...

Long ago, John and Ken (KFI) interviewed a maker of insect snuff films, which for some reason were being banned in California and for some other reason were a sexual turn-on to their consumers.

I don't remember the details, but they made sense at the time. I wish I had saved the interview.

I think the scenerio was a young boy sees his mother at the sink or something, wearing for example heels, accidentally step on a bug, simultaneously with being attracted by her stockinged legs, and the association of sexual thrill with bug crushing is established. (Hand-waving here, it made more sense at the time.)

Anyway now we have insect death pics.

Whatever happened to wanton boys just pulling wings off flies.

garage mahal said...

Middle Class Guy
Where's Biden? LOL. You are one funny cat.

Roger J. said...

Very classy william what with the faux freudianism and fuck at the end. Class indeed: the best of modern liberalism.

RebeccaH said...

Althouse, as much as I enjoy your posts, this BDSM/insect thing was a bit over the top. Human beings engaged in politics (even when it gets nasty, as it so often does, and will this election year), are not insects or animals, and everything is done from human compunction. Please keep that in mind.

JBlog said...

Poor Gary Kamiya -- scared to death of a girl who can beat him up.

It's like junior high all over again.

tim maguire said...

"Drill, baby, drill!" the chant ecstatically repeated by the GOP faithful during Rudy Giuliani's speech, acquired a distinctly Freudian subtext after Palin spoke.

My disappointment with all the crabgrass in my lawn made no sense six months later when the grass was lush and healthy.

Peter V. Bella said...

I hear the bus a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen Obama,
Since, I don't know when,
Hillary is driving
And she keeps dogging me,
But that bus keeps on a-rollin',
bearing down on me…


Authorities have identified the body of a politician eliminated by a mysterious black bus that vanished in the night. Though the politician was not recognizable, an identification was made through hair plug records from Hair Club For Men.

In other news, Barak Obama picked Hillary Clinton as his VP running mate. In a released statement he asked “What bus?”

Beth said...

In case you never saw anything about this - Isabella Rossellini did a series of short films for Sundance about the sex life of bugs where she dresses up in different bug costumes.


Sundance

Twitch

Beth

Dewave said...

Are insecure democrats projecting again?

BJM said...

Actually the situation is much more dire for the online left than PDS. Their vile smear campaign against Palin has attracted the attention of Herb and Mabel from Buttefucque Junction, USA and they're mad as hell.

I'm getting a constant stream of emails from relatives and friends who couldn't tell you what a comments section was ten days ago, now they're commenting and emailing links.

A good thing for the future of the internets and civilization at large.

Pauli said...

Pure projection.

rhhardin said...

My disappointment with all the crabgrass in my lawn made no sense six months later when the grass was lush and healthy.

Crabgrass is extremely hard to cut with a scythe. The blade gets sucked down into the roots, and starts cutting dirt, which dulls the edge in only a couple of stokes and you start getting rings of uncut grass where stuff has clotted at a dull spot on the edge.

For cutting grass you need an insanely thin edge. For cutting against anything more resistant than grass you need a thicker edge. For crabgrass you need both at once, thick to tolerate the resistance of the dirt and thin to cut the grass.

So it's very slow going, against crabgrass. Much time is spent peening and honing.

The chickens like it because it turns up bugs.

IFG said...

"Yes, yes, everybody wants to be Camille Paglia."

Yes, but some just aren't, um, up to it.

BJM said...

>That's what makes this situation so funny - with their dangerous combination of ignorance only exceeded by their arrogance - they're turning off the very people they're trying to reach.

Here's the thing Larry, I don't think they are trying to reach middle America; they're simply spewing what passes for wit and talking points into the left wing echo chamber

They haven't a clue how the rest of America lives; what they think, their struggles, dreams or aspirations. The last ten days, as you say, is proof enough of a callous indifference and arrogance from the left that may have finally reached implosion velocity.

Synova said...

What's this thing about portraying conservatives as authority worshipers?

I seriously wonder how some people function when they have a world view so divorced from reality.

I realize that the whole progressive 60's thing was questioning authority and it has a lot to do with the self-image of liberals today... but *do* they question authority?

It seems to me that in an argument with a liberal on a blog or where-ever, the person most likely to *appeal* to authority is the liberal. The person most likely to think it's really *important* that the person giving an opinion has a string of letters after their name or is an "expert" is the liberal.

If we're talking "secret fantasies" about authority, how about the fantasy that government can solve our problems?

Jum said...

You know, I gotta say that in the past week or so I've not drawn the first connection between Sarah Palin and some kinked up leather and discipline fantasy run amok. And I bet I'm far from the only one so unburdened.

So, at the risk of belaboring the obvious, is this not one of those situations in which the analogy drawn by Mr. Kamiya (and those who think it apt) truly says more about him than those he meant to mock?

Synova said...

Though it's true that the appeal of Sarah has a lot to do with her perceived toughness. Kamiya misses the essential mythos involved, of course. Probably part of that is the mistake of the politics of victimhood going on for so very long about how "conservatives" want women to be weak, and meek, and subordinate. Which was never true, either.

There's a reason that a picture of Sarah Palin with an M-16 is sexy to men and women both. And yes, power is sexy. So?

What's not at all sexy is a practiced metrosexual trying to sound tough. It comes across as contrived. (Particularly when it includes a dangerously brain-dead statement about Pakistan.)

I suppose partly it's from growing up on a farm... but it's from having kids, too... Being female is being elbow deep in the worst of the gore life sends us. It's like the TV show Dirty Jobs. Human sh*t. Blood and guts. And maybe we don't *have* to field dress a moose or wring the neck of a chicken and gut it for dinner but by golly we sure as anything CAN if we had to.

It's not getting all hot and bothered at the notion of getting drilled. It's really *liking* the idea of not being considered a victim... of not needing government to take care of me because I'm helpless.

And sure, it's a recognition of violence as a *good* thing, and the ability to commit violence in the defense of yourself or others as a very good thing. That's the mythos. Not of dominance or submission! It's the mythos of rugged individualism. Of self-sufficiency.

Worship authority? Bah. I don't NEED no stinking authority.

vbspurs said...

Am I the only one who didn't click on the insect photo, now mentioned twice in threads?

Not gunna, either.

The Counterfactualist said...

The last ten days, as you say, is proof enough of a callous indifference and arrogance from the left that may have finally reached implosion velocity.

Doubtful. White women are giving McCain another look and considering whether divided government would be so bad under McCain if Palin is there to occupy the space between First Lady and Vice President. They are not thinking deeply about the issues at this point in time because Palin is novel and they are enthralled by her narrative. As the McCain camp's narrative about Palin disintegrates, the focus will return to the issues, especially as more voters tune in for the debates, which may well decide the election. Lost in all this transient exuberance is the recognition that Bob Barr will be on the ballot and may be in the debates, Obama is under-polling because polling turnout models exclude young voters, voters using cell phones instead of land-lines, and newly registered voters, and national polls can mislead. On the last point, a bump in the national polls may reflect only an increase in intensity of base support in states already in your column. According to Chuck Todd and Stu Rothenberg, even now Obama still has a fallback position of a tie and can win by snatching only one of the four ultimate toss-up states.

I agree, though, that Sullivan's attacks have been outlandish and garishly personal. Troopergate and the Bridge to Nowhere and creationism and censoring library books and criminalizing all abortions and opposition to stem cell research and membership in a secessionist political party should be enough. The election is not about her celebrity status, and it should remain that way.

Also, the debate is now about change. Experience is dead. So Obama can make this an all-issues election and the most important thing right now, in my opinion, should be debate preparation.

nick said...

Accusing Hillary of sleeping wiht and offing Vince Foster was worse thatn anything Palin is accused of.

noon accused Palin of any crime.

you are pathetic

The Counterfactualist said...

noon accused Palin of any crime.

Abusing her power as governor to terminate employment may be criminal.

vbspurs said...

noon accused Palin of any crime.

Ah, but did evening sing her a song?

The Counterfactualist said...

noon accused Palin of any crime.

Ah, but did evening sing her a song?


Morning knocked up her daughter.

blake said...

She doesn't really give off a dominatrix vibe.

I'm trying to think of a public figure who does, and really can't.

That's not the same, of course, as figuring into a submissive's fantasy, which any leader-type figure can.

Larry J said...

Here's the thing Larry, I don't think they are trying to reach middle America; they're simply spewing what passes for wit and talking points into the left wing echo chamber

They haven't a clue how the rest of America lives; what they think, their struggles, dreams or aspirations. The last ten days, as you say, is proof enough of a callous indifference and arrogance from the left that may have finally reached implosion velocity.


Time to break out the popcorn and enjoy the show. Overall, I think you're probably right. These are the same people who ask questions like "What's Wrong with Kansas?" because they can't understand how anyone could possibly reject Democrat ideas of what's in ordinary peoples' best interest.

Doubtful. White women are giving McCain another look and considering whether divided government would be so bad under McCain if Palin is there to occupy the space between First Lady and Vice President. They are not thinking deeply about the issues at this point in time because Palin is novel and they are enthralled by her narrative. As the McCain camp's narrative about Palin disintegrates, the focus will return to the issues, especially as more voters tune in for the debates, which may well decide the election.

I find it amusing to hear some feminists argue that Palin doesn't speak to women's issues, as if all women had the same issues. Palin speaks to different issues than the feminists and that's what they can't stand.

Troopergate and the Bridge to Nowhere and creationism and censoring library books and criminalizing all abortions and opposition to stem cell research and membership in a secessionist political party should be enough. The election is not about her celebrity status, and it should remain that way.

Factcheck.org has done a pretty good job showing those claims against Palin are lies. Do try to keep up.

Simon said...

Anonymous Blogger said...
"Abusing her power as governor to terminate employment may be criminal."

Where's the "abus[e]" in so-called Troopergate?

The Counterfactualist said...

I find it amusing to hear some feminists argue that Palin doesn't speak to women's issues, as if all women had the same issues. Palin speaks to different issues than the feminists and that's what they can't stand.

I find it amusing that you confuse me for a feminist. My comment is unrelated to feminism. My comment was dry, sober analysis. Palin is new. Novelty wears off. My take is that, ultimately, the issues, not personal narratives, will decide this election. As for the issues, I disagree about fact-checking.

Factcheck has confirmed that Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it. Very few independent women -- feminists or not -- will be enthralled with creationism or a belief that abortion should be banned in cases of rape or incest. Palin opposes stem cell research; the American public supports it overwhemingly, women more so than men. Palin's husband was a registered member in the Alaska Independence Party before she ran for public office and the leader of that party recanted (right after McCain's vetting team finally arrived in Alaska) his claim that Sarah had been at a few meetings. Palin "inquired" as to whether books on evolution could be censored, but the librarian, whom Palin tried to have ousted, says Palin was trying to censor books from the public library. I do not think these facts reflect well on Sarah Palin. Neither will most women, whether they call themselves feminists or not.

Where's the "abus[e]" in so-called Troopergate?

Why don't we ask Sarah Palin, since the investigation has yet to conclude, over 80% of Alaskans think she is lying in connection with the investigation, lies which are on video tape and tapes of phone calls she denied existed, and she hired a private lawyer to obstruct the investigation so as to avoid being deposed? The final report drops on October 10th. Let us withhold judgment on Sarah Palin's possible abuses of Alaskan law until then.

Synova said...

"I find it amusing to hear some feminists argue that Palin doesn't speak to women's issues, as if all women had the same issues. Palin speaks to different issues than the feminists and that's what they can't stand."

This is one of my major peeves. The Million Mom March annoyed me to no end, too.

I'm tired of my vagina being co-opted for someone elses political gain.

Particularly when their politics and my politics have little to nothing in common.

Simon said...

Another gossamer accusation of scandal - this one debunked before it even made it out of the gate.

Synova said...

"Very few independent women -- feminists or not -- will be enthralled with creationism or a belief that abortion should be banned in cases of rape or incest."

So what's a non-independent woman look like?

Hm?

Or is this just the same-old same-old, if you disagree with me you must not have your own thoughts arm-pit deep BS I'm accustomed to hearing from people who pretend to respect women but don't?

Simon said...

Anonymous Blogger, it's pretty f*cking rich for someone on your side to be saying we should wait on the official report before rushing to judgment on Palin's conduct! My God, can you even hear yourself?

William said...

The thought of this evil little man defiling our pure chaste lady with his vile fantasies fills me with rage. I wish we lived in a different age. I would have been proud to wear Sarah's silk on the hustings and drive my lance into the black heart of this villain....There used to be a huge glamour gap for the GOP. Dems went to the senior prom in a stretch limo. Repubs had to use a rusty pickup with busted springs. But Repubs had the coolest status symbol after all--the cool girl. Barry had to take Hillary and they didn't even like each other enough to share the first dance. Have a good time at the after prom party y'all.

The Counterfactualist said...

So what's a non-independent woman look like?

Hm?


My comment indicated only that most women -- indeed most Americans -- support abortion in cases of incest or rape. Likewise, most Americans -- and most women -- support stem cell research. Likewise, most Americans -- and most women who are independents -- are not creationists. A candidate who is against abortion in cases of rape or incest, against stem cell research, and a creationist, is out of step with the American people and American women. Perhaps she is your dream candidate. I doubt that many independent women will agree with you come election day.

Anonymous Blogger, it's pretty f*cking rich for someone on your side to be saying we should wait on the official report before rushing to judgment on Palin's conduct!

I have no idea what this even means, or what side you're referring to, but the only comment I intended to make related to Palin's novelty wearing off and voters looking at what she actually supports and her actual record.

Synova said...

"My comment indicated only that most women..."

No, no. You said independent women, not just feminists... and that means that women who disagree aren't just not feminists but aren't independent. That's what you said. Feminists agree with you and independent women do too... logically those who disagree aren't independent.

..."I doubt that many independent women will agree with you come election day."

And since the percentage of women who *do* and *will* agree with me on election day is just a few percents less than half... they don't count as independent?

I'm freaking sick and tired of being marginalized.

The Counterfactualist said...

No, no. You said independent women, not just feminists... and that means that women who disagree aren't just not feminists but aren't independent. That's what you said. Feminists agree with you and independent women do too... logically those who disagree aren't independent.

I quite honestly do not understand what you are saying, but I am reading polls straighforwardly based on recollection, not playing word games or attempting to marginalize you. I just don't understand your reaction. I think that on election day most women, particularly independents, will disagree with you. I have made no comments about feminists or feminism.

nick said...

abusing office

it is Unethical but not criminal.

nick said...

too many lies to respond to in one post

Factcheck has confirmed that Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.

yes an echo - of the truth.

nick said...

They haven't a clue how the rest of America lives;

That is BS - the waitress at Denny, the CNA , the bus driver, the contstruction worker, the nurse, the DOCTOR, etc
that support Obama are America as you racists.

nick said...

They haven't a clue how the rest of America lives;

That is BS - the waitress at Denny, the CNA , the bus driver, the contstruction worker, the nurse, the DOCTOR, etc
that support Obama are America as you racists.

nick said...

They haven't a clue how the rest of America lives;

That is BS - the waitress at Denny, the CNA , the bus driver, the contstruction worker, the nurse, the DOCTOR, etc
that support Obama are America as you racists.

nick said...

fact check is not Unbiased

Snopes has better info

Trooper gate is ongoing ,
there are NO facts yet.

A fact -> Palin supported BTN.

Mortimer Brezny said...

I must say, Anonymous Blogger, I agree with everything you've written here today.

1. Creationism
2. Antiabortion extremist
3. Stem cells

Do seem to be the strongest lines of attack on Palin.

Revenant said...

most Americans -- support abortion in cases of incest or rape.

Most women oppose (a) allowing the abortion of unwanted but healthy babies, (b) allowing partial birth abortion, and (c) allowing the abortion of fetuses after the age of six months. Barack Obama supports all of these things, so Barack Obama is also "out of step" with American women.

The only way to be "in step" with the views of the majority of American women is to support banning abortion in all cases except rape, incest, or medical necessity -- which, collectively, represent a tiny percentage of abortions. Another way of saying this would be that if you looked at each individual abortion in the United States and asked Obama, Palin, and "American women" if it was acceptable, Palin's opinion would match the women's in almost all cases, and Obama's in very few.

Likewise, most Americans -- and most women -- support stem cell research.

So do Palin and McCain.

Likewise, most Americans -- and most women who are independents -- are not creationists

44% of Americans believe God created humans as we are now. 36% believe God guided the development of humanity to its present form. 14% accept the theory of evolution. So around 80% of Americans are creationists, and believers in direct creation outnumber believers in the theory of evolution by three to one.

Synova said...

"I just don't understand your reaction."

No kidding.

"White women [...] are not thinking deeply about the issues..."

"Very few independent women -- feminists or not -- will be enthralled with creationism ... abortion ... stem cell research..."

Not "very few women" but "very few independent women."

You don't think that it's significant that you felt the descriptive term "independent" was necessary?

Since only a few percent less than half of *all* women (if we simply assume historic behavior in elections) will vote for McCain/Palin I'm wondering how you think this divides to "most independent" women, somehow. I can't imagine why you don't see the logical necessities of your own statements.

Because it's entirely true that had you simply said "most women" you would have still been wrong in anything but the most literal sense. A few more percent than half is and always will be "more" but it doesn't imply some overwhelming appeal to or agreement among "women."

So of course there has to be a qualifier. Most independent women will be turned off by the issues presented by Sarah Palin... so how to explain the ones who are not?

I'm not surprised that you don't realize that your marginalization of women who *are* represented by Sarah Palin is implicit in how you express yourself.

I'm going to react badly to any statement with "most" and "women" in it. I'm going to react badly to any statement that women aren't thinking deeply because they don't appear to have the correct opinions about an issue.

I'm going to react particularly badly to the suggestion that the women who *do* have the incorrect opinions haven't come by those opinions independently. That's one you're decidedly not responsible for. For that one you've had decades of help.

nick said...

troopergate

Palin denied that there had been any pressure on Monegan to fire Wooten

that was a LIE.

her defense - she didnt know what her staff was doing. GOP always says its Obama's failure when he doesnt know what his staff does on his behalf.

Synova said...

Nick needs a hug.

Mortimer Brezny said...

"White women [...] are not thinking deeply about the issues..."

Anonymous Blogger did not actually write that. Nor was his/her comment racial in any way. You should be ashamed for playing the race card. For all you know, Anonymous Blogger is a white, female, independent voter herself. Is your support of Sarah Palin directly correlated to her race?

I'm going to react badly to any statement with "most" and "women" in it.

Then you react badly to any accurate ststement of polling. Anonymous Blogger, which I suspect is a woman, is simply reporting her opinions about polling data. There's nothing to get upset about.

I'm going to react badly to any statement that women aren't thinking deeply because they don't appear to have the correct opinions about an issue.

I didn't see that, either, but I do see you distorting perfectly reasonable commentary. Aonymous Blogger wrote about movement as measured in polls. Some of the women who are attracted to Palin now will change their minds later, is her prediction. They do not have incorrect opinions about Palin, nor are they represdented by her in any sense. They don't know her yet, but they like what they see. When they realize what she's about, they won't like her as much anymore. That's all that's being said. Seems rather uncontroversial to me. Every politician's negatives go up the more well known they become.

Lastly, I second Aonymous Blogger in finding your pointless sophistry with categories to be incomprehensible.

Synova said...

I appreciate Rev because he disagrees with me on nearly everything but he at least understands that the people who don't agree with him exist and aren't stupid.

Mortimer Brezny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mortimer Brezny said...

The only way to be "in step" with the views of the majority of American women is to support banning abortion in all cases except rape, incest, or medical necessity -- which, collectively, represent a tiny percentage of abortions.

True. But Obama is closer to American values than Palin, as you realize.

So around 80% of Americans are creationists, and believers in direct creation outnumber believers in the theory of evolution by three to one.

Oh, no, that's not right. Most of those people believe in evolution and that God directed it. They also don't support teaching creationism in science class in schools, and they object to censoring public libraries. Not to mention the hardcore creationists are in deep red states. Creationism is still a hard hit, as you know.

As is stem cells. Let me rephrase:

1. Stem cells.
2. Abortion in cases of rape and incest.
3. Banning the teaching of evolution in science class.

Synova said...

Mort?

What the heck does Anonymous' gender have to do with how I should react to HER statements?

For what it's worth it has NEVER been men who have suggested to me that my having the wrong opinions mean that they are not my own opinions.

Mortimer Brezny said...

For what it's worth it has NEVER been men who have suggested to me that my having the wrong opinions mean that they are not my own opinions.

No one said you can't have your own opinions. People are saying most women disagree with you and will continue to disagree with you on election day.

Simon said...

Mortimer Brezny said...
"Banning the teaching of evolution in science class."

I'm not sure from the phrasing here if you're insinuating that Palin supports banning the teaching of evolution in science class, but on the off-chance that you are it should be pointed out that that's one of the more easily-debunked lies about Palin.

Mortimer Brezny said...

I'm not sure from the phrasing here if you're insinuating that Palin supports banning the teaching of evolution in science class,

No. My point was only that Rev is misreading the polling data, not that Palin proposed banning evolution being taught. The point is her belief in creationism, rejection of scientific evidence of global climate change, etc., could alienate even evangelicals. Many evangelicals, as you know, care about global warming because God's green earth must be protected by mankind. The rhetorical purpose was only to show how the reaction could be much more negative than Rev was saying it would be, depending on how intense or extreme her beliefs are perceived to be. It's still a good hit, the creationism issue.

Synova said...

When it comes to stem-cell research most people support it. That's why it's entirely legal in the US and aggressively pursued and funded.

I don't know what McCain or Palin think about stem-cell research. But I figure that of the people (pretty much anyone alive) who disagree with me on the issue that I'm more likely to favor their side of it.

Because I'm for human experimentation, genetic engineering, creation of chimera and cloning. In order to have a sensible and moral bedrock on which to build that research it is vital that we absolutely do NOT define human research material as non-human.

The creation of distinct human and viable material for the sake of killing it is the wrong direction to take if one cares about advancing human research.

Those crying wolf and lying about opposition to creating human embryos for the sake of destroying them will hold back more advanced research involving humans by preventing us from figuring out how to actually deal with the human subjects of laboratory research.

Revenant said...

True. But Obama is closer to American values than Palin, as you realize.

Apparently you skipped the bit where I pointed out that Palin is more in agreement with American women than Obama is, on the subject of abortion.

Oh, no, that's not right. Most of those people believe in evolution and that God directed it.

You can't believe in the theory of evolution and believe that God directed it, because the theory of evolution holds that the guiding force is natural selection. The belief in "divine guidance" is creationism under the sole determining criteria for whether a belief is creationist -- namely, whether or not there was a divine intelligence behind the life we see around us.

A simpler way of putting it is that only the 14% actually accept the scientific theory. The rest believe God did it, with disagreement as to exactly HOW he did it and how long it took.

They also don't support teaching creationism in science class in schools and they object to censoring public libraries.

FactCheck already debunked those two anti-Palin slanders, so there's no need for me to waste time doing so. You're also mistaken about American beliefs, since a solid majority of Americans favor replacing current evolution instruction with either creationism, or combined evolution/creationism instruction.

So I guess you're right. Palin's refusal to support teaching creationism in school DOES place her out of step with mainstream America. :)

Synova said...

I suppose, Mort, that you've never tried to talk to someone who said you couldn't have your own opinions, that if your opinions weren't in line then they must have been given you by men.

Just a hunch.

Mortimer Brezny said...

I don't know what McCain or Palin think about stem-cell research.

McCain supports it. Palin opposes it.

You are a perfect example of someone enamored with Palin who knows little about her positions on hot button topics she's on the wrong side of.

Point proven.

1. Stem cell research
2. Abortion involving rape and incest
3. Kooky Fundamentalism = Creationism/Anti-Global Warming

Mortimer Brezny said...

I suppose, Mort, that you've never tried to talk to someone who said you couldn't have your own opinions, that if your opinions weren't in line then they must have been given you by men.

Actually, yes, I have. Feminists have said that to me. They have said that I am just recapitulating patriarchal beliefs that the television and Rambo movies brainwashed into me.

Mortimer Brezny said...

The belief in "divine guidance" is creationism under the sole determining criteria for whether a belief is creationist -- namely, whether or not there was a divine intelligence behind the life we see around us.

That's not creationism, that's intelligent design. This is what I mean by you playing definitional/deductive games to misread the polls. You are inaccurately defining creationism in an overinclusive manner.

A simpler way of putting it is that only the 14% actually accept the scientific theory. The rest believe God did it, with disagreement as to exactly HOW he did it and how long it took.

This a perfect proof of the misreading. The disagreemt over how it was done and how long it took is the difference between beliving in evolution and believing in creationism as properly defined.

They also don't support teaching creationism in science class in schools and they object to censoring public libraries.

FactCheck already debunked those two anti-Palin slanders,


What people believe is a different topic than what Palin proposes. I noted this with Simon. I understood his confusion, but I already clarified this sufficiently.

where I pointed out that Palin is more in agreement with American women than Obama is, on the subject of abortion

But she's not, when you focus on rape and incest. And that's what the focus should be.

1. Stem cells
2. Abortion involving rape and incest
3. Kooky fundamentalism/extremism (creationism/anti-global warming)

Synova said...

McCain supports what stem-cell research? Palin opposes which stem-cell research?

I don't know what they think about it because the entire narrative is smoke and mirrors.

Someone opposes creating a unique living human organism just in order to chop it up into teeny tiny pieces of replicating cells and they're portrayed as opposing stem-cell research. As if that's the only sort there is.

Are you REALLY telling me that Palin opposes research on the use of stem-cells from cord blood? Or, for that matter, the sources of adult stem-cells?

Synova said...

So Mort...

You support the teaching of Intelligent Design in public schools?

nick said...

Most women oppose (a) allowing the abortion of unwanted but healthy babies, (b) allowing partial birth abortion, and (c) allowing the abortion of fetuses after the age of six months. Barack Obama supports all of these things, so Barack Obama is also "out of step" with American women.

that is a Lie, so we can ignore that poster.

Mortimer Brezny said...

You support the teaching of Intelligent Design in public schools?

Given that Hume made a famous argument in favor of intelligent design, I would say that any philosophy course that taught Hume and ignored his argument for intelligent design would be a rather shoddy philosophy course. I certainly support the teaching of philosophy in public schools.

Synova said...

Rev: "Palin is more in agreement with American women than Obama is, on the subject of abortion..."

Mort: "But she's not, when you focus on rape and incest. And that's what the focus should be."

Why is that where the focus should be?

Why should all of the people who think that post-birth abortions, late term abortions, abortions for convenience, and all of those other non-rape, non-incest, abortions look at the issue and go, "Oh my freaking GAWD, she thinks that the fetus is valuable even when the mother was raped or if it has parents too closely related! We'd better just live with the 3rd semester healthy babies being aborted because OH MY GAWD."

Sure. That makes sense.

They're going to do that for sure.

Synova said...

But why not in science class, Mort?

Intelligent Design isn't Creationism after all.

Mortimer Brezny said...

Are you REALLY telling me that Palin opposes research on the use of stem-cells from cord blood? Or, for that matter, the sources of adult stem-cells?

I am really telling you that you should find out more about Sarah Palin before you decide to vote for her, and I am really telling you that other women will want to know more and will find out more and that some of them won't like her after they are better informed.

nick said...

Factcheck did not DEBUNK book banning report.

Snopes gives the real scoop on what Palin asked.

Palin might as well asked what would your response be if I asked you to club baby seals.

Mortimer Brezny said...

Why is that where the focus should be?

Because, unlike you, the American people are opposed to incest and rape.

But why not [teach Intelligent Design] in science class, Mort?

I think your question only shows how out-of-step you are with most American women.

nick said...

philosophy is rarely even an elective in HS.

ID is theology it is not Science.

Revenant said...

That's not creationism, that's intelligent design.

Intelligent design is a form of creationism. Still, if you prefer to be pigheaded about this I won't belabor the point. Suffice it to say that direct creationists (44%) outnumber people who accept the theory of evolution (14%) by three to one, with the remainder of the population falling into the mushy middle. Support for teaching creationism, either with or without evolution being taught as well, exceeds 60%. So the notion that Americans might find creationism as turn-off is particularly silly.

But she's not, when you focus on rape and incest. And that's what the focus should be.

If you want to drop about Palin being out of step with women on abortion and replace it with a claim that Palin is out of step with women on the specific topic of abortion of children resulting from rape or incest then, yes, that's where the focus should be. But in terms of what women believe about abortion in general, 3% of abortions fall into categories Palin thinks should be legal, 7% into categories most women think should be legal, and 100% into categories Obama thinks should be legal. Painting that as *Palin* being the one out of step is obviously silly.

Mortimer Brezny said...

Intelligent design is a form of creationism.

No. It is not. David Hume was not a creationist, but made a cogent argument for intelligent design that should be taught in schools.

Palin is out of step with women on the specific topic of abortion of children resulting from rape or incest then, yes, that's where the focus should be. But in terms of what women believe about abortion in general

Why focus on her views in general when what matters are her view in specific that are out-of-step with the American people? It seems you just want to overlook or sugar-coat how extreme Sarah Palin is. That's not straight talk. That's straight-up lying.

Synova said...

Pro-life people with less extreme views that Sarah Palin (supposedly) has will most certainly expect that they might be able to make some progress if she and McCain are elected.

Why should they be concerned by being told she opposes abortion in cases of rape or incest? She hasn't made it a policy goal and even if she did it wouldn't happen.

Those who already think that abortion rights will go like a puff of smoke if any limitation whatsoever is put on the abortion of full term babies or the preservation of a baby accidentally born alive, such as Obama, are already voting for Obama.

nick said...

50% believe in theory of evolution.

My take is that the left half of the gausssian distribution
doesnt.

Mortimer Brezny said...

Why should they be concerned by being told she opposes abortion in cases of rape or incest?

We're talking about middle-of-the-road independents who simply like Palin's image and novelty right now. That's all. The women who flipped after the convention. Many will flip back.

Revenant said...

Why focus on her views in general when what matters are her view in specific that are out-of-step with the American people?

If you want to get specific, Obama's specific view that abortion of healthy babies from consensual sex should be legal is out of step with the American people -- and, of course, that form of abortion is around a hundred times as common as the rape/incest form. Also out of step are Obama's beliefs that (a) partial-birth abortion should be legal and (b) the infanticide of infants born alive during an abortion should be legal.

So sure, get specific. But either at the specific level or the general level, this isn't a winning fight for Obama. For every abortion Palin opposes and women support there are over twenty abortions Obama supports and women don't.

It seems you just want to overlook or sugar-coat how extreme Sarah Palin is.

I'm bright enough to realize that "disagrees with me" is not the same thing as "extreme" or "out of step with most people". You're not, and that's the source of your trouble here.

If you want to trumpet Palin's actual beliefs in the hopes of Americans reacting in horror then by all means, go for it. But I know, and have demonstrated, that her apparent beliefs on the subjects of abortion and creationism are closer to the mainstream than Obama's are. So I urge you to pick that fight; really, go ahead.

Synova said...

"Because, unlike you, the American people are opposed to incest and rape."

Keep it up.

Now, in order to say that a fetus resulting from rape or incest is anything less than guilty of committing the rape or incest is failing to oppose rape and incest?

Most people who agree that rape and incest are cases where abortion should remain legal can *comprehend* the argument that the baby is an innocent party.

What is so incredibly frightening about that?

Peter V. Bella said...

nick said...
Accusing Hillary of sleeping wiht and offing Vince Foster was worse thatn anything Palin is accused of.

As to the first, it was never disproven. They did have a very close relationship and Bill had been straying since day one. As to the second, she brought that on herself by destroying evidence and injecting herself into an investigation she had no business in.

The accusations were based on behavior.

too many lies to respond to in one post

Factcheck has confirmed that Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.

yes an echo - of the truth.


Biden and Obama voted for it even though they knew it was a bridge to nowhere. That is a fact. Checked.

nick said...
troopergate

Palin denied that there had been any pressure on Monegan to fire Wooten

that was a LIE.


Yep, it is a lie. He was never fired. He was offered another executive job in her administration. He did not want it and he quit. Speaking of the so called investigation, it is a total conflict of interest. The people doing the investigating are close professional or personal friends of Monegan. Fact Checked.

Any more wild eyed stupid fucking things you want to say tonight?

Roberto said...

John McCain's attack ad released Tuesday evening is perhaps the most outlandish yet this election cycle -- not simply because the spot claims that Obama lacks any substantive record on education policy, and not because McCain charges that Obama's lone feat is "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners (a hysterical description of efforts aimed at protecting children from predators).

What sets this ad apart is that every article save one that the McCain camp cites as being critical of Obama's education policies either has far more derogatory things to say about McCain himself or goes on to praise the Illinois Democrat.

In the spot, the McCain campaign references a June 2008 Washington Post editorial that called Obama "elusive" on school accountability.

That same editorial, however, stated that McCain "has not been forthcoming with any detailed plan." Moreover, when the Post editorial board revisited the subject of education last month, it found that "Obama has given the issue more attention" than McCain, whose plan was "both late in coming and still a work in progress."

Moreover, the specific "elusive" claim is in reference to a David Brooks op-ed in the New York Times that was noted by the Post. But in that piece, Brooks was far more critical of McCain. "Obama endorses many good ideas and is more specific than the McCain campaign, which hasn't even reported for duty on education," the Times columnist wrote.

Additionally, during the heat of the Republican primary, Education Week ran a withering story on the lack of McCain accomplishments in the field, titled "John McCain on Education: Where Art Thou?"

"McCain is a campaign-finance, foreign-relations, anti-abortion, tax-cut candidate. Education is not his thing."

Roberto said...

peter says this about Hillary and Vince Foster's death: "As to the second, she brought that on herself by destroying evidence and injecting herself into an investigation she had no business in."

You're a lying sack of shit.

Provide one shred of objective evidence of this claim.

Roberto said...

The McCain campaign has a new ad out that says (among other things):

"Obama's one accomplishment?

Legislation to teach "comprehensive sex education" to kindergartners.

Learning about sex before learning to read?

Barack Obama.

Wrong on education. Wrong for your family. "

John McCain: wrong on the facts. For starters, the bill is not a "legislative accomplishment": it never came up for a vote. If it had, and if it had passed, it would not have been Sen. Obama's "legislative accomplishment": he wasn't among its sponsors. It was passed out of his committee, and I believe he supported it, but as far as I can tell, that's the extent of his involvement with it.

More to the point, the bill in question requires that sex ed courses use medically accurate information. That is: any sex ed courses that are currently being taught have to be accurate. It requires that they be age-appropriate, which I think rules out explicit discussions of sex in kindergarten. It starts with an explicit opt-out clause:

"(a) No pupil shall be required to take or participate in any class or course in comprehensive sex education if the pupil's parent or guardian submits written objection thereto, and refusal to take or participate in such course or program shall not be reason for suspension or expulsion of such pupil."

So why, you might ask, did kindergarten even come up in the bill? Well:

"Barack Obama supports sensible, community-driven education for children because, among other things, he believes it could help protect them from pedophiles. A child's knowledge of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching is crucial to keeping them safe from predators."

Roberto said...

The sex ed ad is literally worse than the Willie Horton ad, because at least the Horton story was true. But the bill Obama supported actually did the reverse of what McCain claims - it didn't mandate more sex ed for anybody, it tried to toughen up existing classes by teaching the risks of STDs.

The bill didn't glorify sex, it highlighted the dangers of sex. It's the most old fashioned sex ed there is: scaring kids straight. So now even THAT is anti-family?

Calling this "perverse" is a good first step, but the lie here deserves much, much more. It's the disgusting act of a candidate who cares more about scaring people with lies than warning kids about the dangers of early sexual activity. Anyone who would oppose such
warnings is an objective supporter of unprotected, unsafe underage sex.

Roberto said...

With the selection of Sarah Palin, McCain completes the job of defusing the enmity (and forgoing the honor) he earned in 2000, when he condemned Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell as “agents of intolerance.”

His motives in choosing her were entirely tactical and mostly—the mot juste is that of Mike Murphy, once McCain’s top political aide, overheard by an errant microphone—cynical. Besides placating the right, those motives included the short-term goal of preëmpting the weekend news cycles that might otherwise have been devoted to reviewing Obama’s triumphant Democratic Convention.

The price that McCain paid, and that could sooner or later be exacted from the nation, was the abandonment of what he had repeatedly called his overriding requirement for a Vice-President: someone who would be ready to take his place at a moment’s notice—“you know, immediately.”

Roberto said...

ABC's Charlie Gibson posed no challenge to several false, contradictory, or dubious assertions made by Sen. John McCain during a September 3 interview. Gibson is scheduled to interview McCain's running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, later this week.

Roberto said...

During her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last week, Palin told parents of children with disabilities that she would be "a friend and advocate in the White House."

But the Alaska governor's support for the disabled has come under scrutiny since McCain chose Palin to be his running mate nearly two weeks ago.

Before her run for the vice presidency, advocacy for special needs programs had not been a central part of her political campaigns or during her administration, despite her sister's autistic son. Video Watch more on Palin's budget priorities »

Palin signed a bill this year increasing special needs funding but frustrated some of the bill's co-sponsors by stepping in only at the last minute.
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Sonya Kerr, an Anchorage attorney specializing in disability rights, filed a lawsuit against the state and Palin, alleging that there are not enough services for kids with special needs, specifically a child with autism.

"I would say, welcome, Gov. Palin, to our reality and what we've been trying to deal with for a long time," Kerr said. "I hope that it means that there will be support on a bipartisan basis for what people with disabilities need so we are not a bargaining chip in the political

blogging cockroach said...

i'm in shock

i haven't been able to get to the computer lately
because tommy--he's the boy whose computer i use--
is now back in school big time
and he wants to play runescape
er--do his homework half the night
so if i want to comment i'm missing
my french-style late dinner of food
dropped behind the stove french-style
mom here at the house is french you see

anyway after finally getting to the computer
and looking at this and yesterday's horrible
horrible excuse for a blog post
with all that insect necroporn
i'm not eating dinner
--i'm having nightmares of becoming dinner myself--
no i'm hiding under tommy's bed tonight
or maybe under the fridge but i'm not eating anything

yecch

how dare you put up those obscene pictures as 'art'
i mean how would you like it if i put up hi-res pix
showing all that that beauty in chopped up heads
and body parts blown all over the place
from the latest car bomb or machete attack etc
in darfur or semi-peaceful iraq or someplace

how would you like it

yes, how would you like it....

i can't do live links and tommy was grossed out
by the pix from that fine artistic site
--rotten.com--
with the brains hanging out etc
so he wouldn't help me
--hey i only have 960 brain cells
and even i know how to put up live links, btw
unlike some of you who are too dumb--
i just can't jump on enough keys
at the same time dammit
so tommy has to help
but he has scruples

anyway if you go to
--rotten.com--
you do get to see humans whacked up
about like you saw the insects here lately

serves you right

you know there is such a thing as the transmigration of souls
yes there is
i was a professor in my last life
yes i was
i was a cynical turd and this cockroach thing
is my karmic comeuppance
oh if i had only the soul of a vers libre poet
alas i had the soul of a tenured departmental politician
i guess it was the insect politics that got me here
i was brutal
i had no compasssion
i brooked no compromise
i filled the department with mediocrities who had hot wives
you can fill in the blanks
yes it's hard being a cockroach but i suppose i deserved it

i put my insect politics to good use though
by becoming chair of the cambridge branch
of cockroaches for hillary
i thought she would be our first insect politician
i thought she was brutal
i thought she had no compassion
i thought she wouldn't compromise
then she gets rolled by a guy who looks like an earwig

this has been a really bad summer, now topped off
by this insect-themed horror on althouse
it's terrible i tell you

plus i did have a nightmare last night
i was turning into a beetle
except i was running for vice president
and as i was turning into a beetle
i couldn't stop talking
and my opponent was this perky little ladybug
who eats beetles for lunch
and no matter what i said
i couldn't get her to fly away home

nick said...

I like Michael's style

he does not use lipstick to cover up crap.


nwerle at yahoo

nick said...

nick said...
Accusing Hillary of sleeping with and offing Vince Foster was worse than anything Palin is accused of.


"As to the first, it was never disproven. "

Never disproven? the Onus is on you MORON to PROVE


"The accusations were based on behavior."

what behavior? agian you are a lying sack of shit


too many lies to respond to in one post

Factcheck has confirmed that Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.

yes an echo - of the truth.

Biden and Obama voted for it even though they knew it was a bridge to nowhere. That is a fact. Checked.

troopergate

He was fired. He was offered another executive job in her administration that had nothing to do with police work

He did not want it and he quit.


lying sack of shit

On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Monegan


he did NOT quit or resign

if palin is innocent she shuodl mind who investigates only guilty try procedureal games

you lying sack of shit

nick said...

ervenant is a lying sack of shit

50% believe in TOE, not 14%
and its the right half of the bell curve not his relatives from Deliverance on the left hand side!

Revenant said...

50% believe in TOE, not 14%
and its the right half of the bell curve not his relatives from Deliverance on the left hand side!


That sound you hear is the regular posters snickering at the idea that I'm even remotely sympathetic to creationism. :)

nick said...

not one word said you supported C,

it said your numbers were FALSE

Anonymous said...

I didn't notice that Michael had a style. Just straight-out cut-and-paste from the Obama campaign.

You'll see a lot more of that crap, with or without lipstick, from both sides for the next 60 days: Campaign bots spewing talking points.

Seeing as it's to be a steady flow of stinking crap, I'll take mine with a little objectivity sprinkled on to cover up the smell. That goes equally for Palin cheerleaders waving pom-poms as well as those who are shoveling away furiously in the manure pile.

Now, if you want style, our cockroach friend has plenty to spare. I mind following his skitterings around the kitchen floor a lot less than trying to step over another cow pie of anti-Palin attack prose. Palin at least had the good grace to be funny.

You really should try to return the favor.

Revenant said...

not one word said you supported C,

Um, ok.

it said your numbers were FALSE

If you want to think half of Americans believe in the theory of evolution, go right ahead. The less grasp of reality you have, the less likely you are to actually help any of your preferred candidates get elected. :)

nick said...

this is not a comedy, it is a tragedy when millions are out of work, wages down, jobs gone, American Taliban trying to seize power

and GOP onjly worries about
lipstick jokes.

of which the dems made 2 today!

nick said...

51 percent of Americans say God created humans in their present form.
ie ceratist theory.

100 -51 does not = 14 except for morons like you.


and of the 51 % some of them are roman catholic and other faiths who too stupid to know their own churches stand by T.O.E.

1charlie2 said...

I agree, though, that Sullivan's attacks have been outlandish and garishly personal. Troopergate and the Bridge to Nowhere . . .

Not having researched thouroughly, I will not comment (yet)

and creationism . . .

False assumption: Like many people, what she believes in is vastly different than what she has pushed as Governor are not connected. Creating bogey-men by trying to connect the two is specious.

and censoring library books

Now that one I did research as well. Absolute lie. Please identify and source one time she did any such thing. She did ask a hypothetical question of a librarian, but inferring anything from that -- pro or con -- is simply projecting. She could just as easily been asking for the opposite reason.

and criminalizing all abortions and opposition to stem cell research . . .

Again, what is your source ?

and membership in a secessionist political party

again, absolute lie. Check the voter records -- she's been a registered republican since 1982. This is an error made based on the fact that her husband -- who is not run

So far, on those items I have had the time for a fact-check, you're running a big ZERO percent. I eagerly await sourcing on the rest.

As a lifelong democrat, I have no interest in promoting Palin. But promoting truth -- and trying to preserve any shreds of integrity my party may have left compels me to try to set the record straight.

Revenant said...

50% believe in theory of evolution.

51 percent of Americans say God created humans in their present form.

Apparently at least 1% of Americans are extremely confused. :)

nick said...

population 300 million

avg iq 100

means ~150 million are not even of average intelligence.

Mccain goes after those confused souls.

nick said...

here is hypothetical question

can you go fuck yourself.

of course I meant it hypothetically,

yeah sure!


you fuckin lyin morons

nick said...

and again you posit a false areguemnt

We are not saying she pushed creationism as governor

she just wanted it taught.

Sign of a MORON

and a LIAR, telling Feds no on BTN 1 because it was killed by feds BEFORE she was GOV

and because she pushed BTN when running for GOv.

nick said...

and all they can do rebut on Lies about earmarks is say Obama pushed 300 million in Illinois.

HE DID and he does NOT deny it he may be profligate but he is not LIAR like Mccain and Palin