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* Before we begin today’s discussion of my latest Sun-Times column, I want to lay down one big rule: This myth promulgated by some of her supporters that Gov. Palin had to stay at home and collect her per diem because she had a difficult pregnancy is not believable on at least a couple of fronts.
First, she was in Texas a month before her baby was due giving a speech…
The governor’s water broke during the energy conference but she stayed and gave a 30-minute speech before boarding an Alaska Airlines plane home to deliver the baby.
Second, these per diem payments go back at least to March of 2007, long before she was pregnant.
* Also, I’m not the only one who apparently saw the connection between Blagojevich and Palin. The AP ran this story after I submitted my column to the paper yesterday…
A governor who spends a lot of time away from the Capitol, whose family travels at state expense, who is criticized for not showing up at crucial legislative moments — the scrutiny of the travel and work habits of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sounds familiar in Illinois, where Gov. Rod Blagojevich has faced similar criticism.
* OK, onto the column, with added hyperlinks…
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is now exactly where our own governor wanted to be four years ago.
Before the 2002 gubernatorial election results were even counted, Rod Blagojevich’s friends were touting him as a potential vice presidential nominee in 2004. He was a young, refreshing, telegenic change agent who had ended 26 years of Republican rule. A Midwest populist whose father was a working-class, first-generation American, Blagojevich, like Palin, had a great story to tell and the ability to tell it.
Then, everything fell apart. An obscure African-American state senator got himself nominated for the U.S. Senate in the 2004 Democratic primary, and all of a sudden nobody wanted to talk about Rod Blagojevich.
It’s probably a good thing for the Democrats that Blagojevich’s star faded so fast. The shoddy, even shady, way he ran his office and his numerous character flaws weren’t fully appreciated back then.
Those character flaws and governing style have been on my mind a lot as I’ve watched the spectacular unveiling of Gov. Palin as John McCain’s running mate.
Palin has that same uncanny ability as Blagojevich to cheerily repeat a blatant falsehood over and over. All politicians do this to some degree or another, but these two seem to truly believe their own untruths.
For instance, Palin’s repeated claims to have stopped the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” are just false. Congress stopped that bridge a year before Palin was elected governor. Congress allowed Alaska to keep the $459 million earmarked for the bridge and another, lesser known bridge, and Palin eventually abandoned her campaign pledge to continue the fight. By the way, your tax dollars are still building a $25 million road to that infamous and nonexistent bridge. Why? Because if Palin didn’t build the road she’d have to give the money back to the U.S. taxpayers.
Governors Palin and Blagojevich appear to have the same hypocritical bullying attitude toward their respective Legislatures. Like Blagojevich, Palin has called numerous, rancorous special legislative sessions and often hasn’t bothered to show up for them.
Last fall, Palin’s absence during a special session provoked legislators to don “Where’s Sarah?” buttons. Rod Blagojevich called one of his umpteen special sessions last year and then attended a hockey game in Chicago.
Like Blagojevich, Palin chooses not to live in her state’s governor’s mansion. Both governors fly back and forth to the capital at taxpayers’ expense. But Palin one-ups Blagojevich because she also charges taxpayers thousands of dollars to work from her home.
Palin claimed to have fired the governor’s mansion chef, but the governor kept the woman on the state payroll as a “constituent relations assistant.” Blagojevich claims to have reduced the governor’s office budget, but he really just moved most of those employee payrolls to other state agencies.
Palin’s wars with her Legislature have produced the same horrible relationship with Alaska’s Senate president, a fellow Republican, as Blagojevich has with House Speaker Michael Madigan, a fellow Democrat. Senate President Lyda Green has pronounced Palin unprepared for the vice presidency. Madigan is Blagojevich’s chief critic.
As a result, Gov. Palin is now attempting to sidetrack a legislative investigation into her alleged attempts to have her ex-brother-in-law fired from the state police. Speaker Madigan distributed pro-impeachment talking points earlier this year.
Palin has many strengths that Blagojevich does not possess. But her shocking relish for repeating blatant lies, her eerily familiar battles with her Legislature and political party leaders, and her refusal to spend time at the statehouse while demanding others do so are all giving me an uneasy case of deja vu.
* Further reading: Zorn Webliography: `The Bridge to Nowhere’
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:30 am
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I thought Rich wasn’t going to Washington?
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:39 am
Excellent comparative writing. Wish the whole U.S. could read it.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:39 am
One more:
She hunts moose
He’s Gov. Bullwinkle
Comment by Frank Booth Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:41 am
Did you compare their popularity ratings?
Comment by GOP Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:43 am
They both have interesting hair!!
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:44 am
===Did you compare their popularity ratings?
Actually, if you remember, Blagojevich was weirdly popular at the beginning. Rich wrote a column comparing his teflon to that of Edgar who was popular statewide, but reviled in the Legislature. As I remember, the question being would his teflon last–it didn’t, but for a couple years he was quite liked.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:49 am
Don’t you just love the barely repressed fear.
It appears McCain/Palin are not only going to breeze in but also possibly help the Republicans take over the House.
OK, back to Palin.
The following are undisputed:
1. She ran against a corrupt mayor and defeated him and when he ran against her for reelction, she defeated him with 75%.
2. When she did well running for Lt. Governor, they tried to buy her by giving her a spot on the energy commission where she found corruption and resigned in protest.
3. Running on a platform of reform, she defeated the incumbent Republican Governor in the primary and a former Democratic Governor in the general.
Is there any politician alive who has done half this much?
Of course, Obama did win his elections too.
And, why get techical about challenging petitions so you can run unopposed?
And, why get technical about the biased media helping their candidate by filing lawsuits to get at his opponents’ divorce records.
Comment by True Observer Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:52 am
I hear that Alaska kids often confuse Palin and the mayor of Anchorage.
Comment by Greg Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:52 am
Rich, your Obamania is becoming more evident by the day!
Comment by BigDog Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:53 am
==I hear that Alaska kids often confuse Palin and the mayor of Anchorage.
Inupiat though, not African Americans
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:54 am
Rich,
I wish you Democrats would stop calling Palin a liar over the bridge issue. She’s the one that stopped the bridge. If it wasn’t for her that bridge would be under construction by now.
There’s another difference between Rod and Sarah in their fight with the legislature. With Sarah she got in fighting a corrupt machine in her own party. With Rod, he is the corrupt machine, and has somehow made Madigan look like a saint.
Comment by From the Sidelines Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:55 am
Wasn’t Blago a beauty queen too? Delete-Delete-Delete.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 9:57 am
===I wish you Democrats would stop calling Palin a liar over the bridge issue. She’s the one that stopped the bridge. If it wasn’t for her that bridge would be under construction by now.===
A total lie.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:00 am
So the point is Palin’s water broke and she kept working - and Madagin hugged guv and he passed water?
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:04 am
Sometimes we wish to see a pattern and sometimes we do not. When we strongly wish to see one we will ignor any facts that threaten it. Artists deliberately portrait elements within a composition so that observers can see these patterns.
Politics is a lot like that. Partisans can easily point to facts that prove that their pattern and interpretation are the correct ones. We all know of eyewitnesses to crimes that disagree on the correct interpretation of what they witnessed. In politics this is even easier to observe.
If we wish to paint Palin as another Blagojevich, we can find the patters between them that match and make that case. If we wish to paint Palin as another Obama, we can do that too. There are more journalists and pundits writing this morning that portray Palin as another Obama, than as another Blagojevich. Whether they do this in a positive light, or in a negative light depends on the bias of the person doing the writing.
Obama has been portrayed as another Kennedy. He has been portrayed as another Wendell Willkie, another William Jennings Bryan, another Martin Luther King, and even another community organizer - Jesus. Observed patterns allow us to do this.
Palin has been portrayed as another Margaret Thatcher. She has also been portrayed as another Roseanne Barr, Warrior Princess, John McCain, a threatening mother polar bear, and Granny of the Beverly Hillbillies. Observed patterns allow us to do this.
Now she is Blagojevich? OK - if you say so. We have 49 governors we can compare Sarah Palin to, so why not Blagojevich? You make the case, and do so quite convincingly, using your set of patterns.
The problem is that Rod Blagojevich is no Sarah Palin. He is no Barack Obama, but I bet we can also come up with a huge list of similarities between these two Chicago Democrats, can’t we?
When someone new bursts into our living rooms and attempts to grab national power, journalists, pundits and bloggers like me scramble to assimilate them into their biases, compare them to similar players from today and yesterday, and find those patterns. Instead of listening to these new players, we are talking, writing and telling people what to think. Instead of being open minded, we race to find the doors to slam in their faces.
It is 2008. We want to make an intelligent choice this November. Everyone is trying to figure out who these people are. We all want success. We owe each candidate their moment to be heard, as unbiased as possible without grabbing our prejudices and jamming our fingers in our ears.
It has been two weeks. Give the Alaskan governor a freakin’ break!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:06 am
At least this bias is honest,and can be considered when reading other works
Comment by red dog Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:08 am
I am not going to defend or dispute the points made in the article. As I mentioned yesterday, and as VM and Wordslinger have pointed out, the article only continues to breathe life into McCain’s campaign, while shifting focus off the two perennial presidential candidates. The hyperbole, generated by the media (and now CF), surrounding Palin’s experience and gaffes as Mayor, and now Governor, is spinning out of control. The argument that she is a “heartbeat” from the presidency, and thus is not equipped to be Commander-in-Chief because of per-diem use, confrontations with her legislative branch, and use of federal funds is, to me, a stretch. If anyone thinks John McCain is going to weigh heavily Palin’s advice on foreign affairs, or any affair for that matter, then they are drinking the press’ kool-aid.
Once in politics, in this day or in times past, you will find there is no perfection with a leader. As leader of the this free country, the President surrounds himself (and this is point I don’t even need to make) with people well-versed in every area of expertise. The knowledge base is there.
Someone made a comment once that Palin, because of her inexperience in world and domestic affairs, will be on a learning curve if she is elected with John McCain. Her mis-steps, as Rich points out in his article, are a pimple on John McCain’s face right now. Quite rankly, it is possible that is one of the very reasons the McCain camp picked her – she doesn’t have as much baggage nor as many skeletons as other possible running mates. They can ward off debate on her inexperience by saying, “give a girl a chance.”
For us to judge her decision making ability for events that haven’t even occurred yet is ludicrous.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:11 am
actually Mr. Lucky learned of your column from wiretaps and leaked the topic to AP — the Always Puppet — news network.
BTW the Alasaka governor’s numbers have dropped about 20 points in less than two years… She could get to Blagoof level by year four.
Comment by 2ConfusedCrew Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:14 am
Here is a recent poll on favorability for Sarah Palin.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:21 am
Rich, this is a really facinating article. Good work.
As for the Bridge to Nowhere, as all level-headed people have pointed out, she did indeed not stop it. Her hired lobbyists helped secure that ridiculous pork funding, and when it became unpopular, she backed off the project but KEPT the pork. She didn’t reject anything when it came to this issue, and certainly nothing to do with reform.
Comment by WonderBoy Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:22 am
So does this give Rod hope? If Sarah can do it, so can Rod? Hope that maybe he can backdoor his way to the White House?
Hip hip hoorah.
Comment by Macbeth Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:22 am
I think what is bothering the dems the most is that for all their liberal out pouring the Repubs will be the party to get the first woman vice president.Then in 4 years it will be Hillary against Sarah.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:24 am
Rich, you need to stop drinking the obama kool-aid.
Comment by nomoretax Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:32 am
nomoretax, bite me. I call them as I see them, as I did earlier this week.
The habit that extreme partisans have of claiming that anyone who disagrees with their candidate is working for the other side is utter crud.
You show your small-mindedness with comments like that.
Again, bite me, jerk.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:33 am
Nice column Rich. Blago or Palin as Prez? What a question.
If the McCainiac does manage to get elected, and I hope his cynical butt loses, I will pray that his health stays good and I don’t even believe in prayer.
May God Save the Republic because the politicians won’t and the voters don’t pay attention.
To those of you who claim Palin killed the Bridge to nowhere I have a bridge to nowhere to sell you. Just because Limbaugh says it doesn’t make it true. If you watched her interview on ABC you will see that Sarah Barracuda is completely lost regarding foreign policy. Didn’t even know what the Bush Doctrine is or was.
There are a number of potential Presidents who are truly scary. Cheney, Giuliani, HRC and to that sordid list I would add Palin. Senator “Country First” should be ashamed of himself.
Comment by IrishPirate Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:35 am
I’ve been most baffled by people who know virtually nothing about her or her experience in Alaska, are defending her with their life. It’s like thousands of Bills if you want to carry the Blagojevich comparison further. No matter what she does, she must be great!
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:37 am
Rich, with your article I am afraid you may have put at risk your aspirations for that coveted Fox News Contributor spot. By the way, yesterday I heard Biden state that he thought Hillary would be a better choice for vp than he - what are the odds that switch might happen?
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:41 am
This blind partisanship that makes people believe anything critical of “their side” is automatically wrong leads me to beleive society is doomed.
Candidates (all candidates) have flaws.
News flash — politicians lie. All of them.
Get over yourselves.
The ability to have honest debate and constructive criticism that leads to intellectual growth and resolution has been lost, replaced by a shallow, neener-neener mindsets in which everything I believe is right and therefore anything you think to the contrary is 100 percent wrong and purely evil in its motivations.
Has the world always been First grade?
Think for yourselves people.
Maybe all the candidates are bad, even yours.
Comment by Karen Silkwood Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:42 am
Why are we even comparing Rod to Sarah?
There is no comparison.
Also how manying federal investigations are dogging Ms. Palin?
How many federal investigations dog Mr. No-Ethics Rod?
Comment by Northside Bunker Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:42 am
Sorry Rich if I offended you.
Comment by nomoretax Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:45 am
To sum up the Palin craze, I’ll try by bastardizing a speech from the great conservative republican, Barry Goldwater — Extremism in the defense of nonsense is no vice.
Plainly alarming to think that two people who are so short circuited (they call it being wired differently) could rise to such levels of admiration on a mirage of image making aided by a press corp who cannot call a lie a lie without prefacing the charge with “democrats say it”. McCain/Palin are not agents of change. They are quick change artists.
Comment by vole Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:45 am
I said this before and I’ll say it again, if we elect McCain/Palin this country will wake up with a post election Wednesday morning hangover that makes Gore/Bush look like mild indigestion. There is not enough Alka Seltzer in the world to cure this 6 month bender.
I guess middle class white people won’t decide our economy is in trouble until the county sheriff is carrying their TV to the street.
I’d like to say we get what we deserve, except many of us don’t deserve it.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:47 am
Rich, you missed another comparison with regards to Troopergate.
The first major whiff of corruption in Gov. Palin’s administration came when she used her authority as Governor to take care of things within her family.
Same with Rod and the landfill.
Comment by Juice Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:47 am
Left out of the column is this IMPORTANT fact…Obama and Biden voted YES on the bill to build that bridge. Obama supporters continuing to slam Palin over that are clear cut hyprocrites.
Comment by Crimefighter Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:48 am
Obama / Blagojevich Ticket - Now there’s s winner.
Comment by Quartzsize Trip Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:48 am
PJW if you elect Obama/Biden you’ll be begging for a new president within six months. It’s sad some people have to learn their lessons the HARD way instead of educate themselves.
Comment by Crimefighter Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:50 am
No matter how politicians are compared, contrasted or slam-dunked, there is one constant -
none of them can be trusted with the public pocketbook or the public’s faith.
Comment by Disgusted Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:50 am
Phineas, those extreme views are part of what’s wrong with our country today. Too many people have that “half-empty” and very partisan point of view. I’m not sure yet who I’m voting for, but I will tell you this, whoever wins will get my fair attention. You, nor does anyone (except Merlin,) have a crystal ball to predict how the person elected is going to lead our nation.
You don’t have to agree with everything someone says, but try to be objective when looking to the future.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:53 am
I’m amazed at the interest in Palin. Obama has to start whaling on his economic program in comparison to McCain’s — without lipstick references.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:54 am
Wordslinger, why are you surprised? She’s a MILF! Joe Biden isn’t. She’s an easy target. Pretty people get more attention…that’s the way the world works.
Argue if you can
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:57 am
Rich,
Were Blagos poll numbers ever at the 72% Palin has now or even the 64% she had in July?
Comment by GOP Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:57 am
Aren’t Rod Blagojevich and Barack Obama protégés of Emil Jones?
Now there’s a comforting feeling.
Comment by Misc. Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:58 am
===Obama and Biden voted YES on the bill to build that bridge. Obama supporters continuing to slam Palin over that are clear cut hyprocrites.
Which is the point of why earmarks are a problem. You don’t vote on each individually, you vote on them as part of a larger spending bill thus not allowing individual votes on each project.
The reason it’s really an issue is she has said she was against it–she wasn’t. She gave up after Alaska lost the battle in Congress. The campaign is portraying her as taking a principled stand on the issue and other earmarks. She hasn’t. She pursued earmarks with gusto and promised to work with the Alaskan delegation to get more. She did.
There’s a somewhat credible defense of pursuing earmarks while still seeking them–you work in the context you are stuck in, but work to reform it. That’s Obama’s position in fact. I wouldn’t begrudge her for that claim.
She’s not saying that. She’s saying she fought against earmarks and refused to seek them. That’s false.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 10:59 am
===Were Blagos poll numbers ever at the 72% Palin has now or even the 64% she had in July?===
That’s Cub Fan talk. “We get more fans in our stadium than you get in yours.”
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:00 am
BandCamp, I don’t know what MILF means. Pretty?
But it’s more than that. The outrage on the Dem side is perplexing.
Put it this way, the country just met her. They’ve barely heard from her. Many people think it’s poor manners, at best, to attack a mother with five kids who’s got one at home with Down syndrome and one with a bun in the oven.
I know she’s fair game because she’s a politician. Let her and her record speak for itself, without the anger. That should do the trick.
Meanwhile, it’s the economy, — everybody. Obama has to get back on offense.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:06 am
MILF= Mother I’d Like to Get Friendly With.
Or something like that.
I prefer RILF for Palin. The “R” standing for GOP.
As for the perfect place to find the definitions of slang terms try UrbanDictionary dot com.
Comment by IrishPirate Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:09 am
Rich,
Your opening points could be equally directed against Obama, except he got where HE wanted to be a bit earlier than initially planned by him and his staff. He was already planning a move on the presidency when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. I find using an analogy to Blago against Palin (at least on this front) to be a bit disingenuous, if not hypocritical or conveniently forgetful.
Comment by Snidely Whiplash Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:12 am
Wordslinger is right! Who cares whether Palin thinks Israel should blow up Iran or whether Georgia should be in NATO. It’s the economy-dummies.
McCain really pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this one. I just hope the country realizes it is only a trick before the election-not after.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:14 am
Also, your closing paragraph seems designed to steer the reader away from wondering why the heck Obama didn’t fight Emil Jones and Rich Daley on ethical issues. I don’t understand how one can criticize someone for standing up to his or her own party leadership when they see activity that is flat-out wrong. Isn’t that one of the biggest criticisms most seem to have against the current crop of Illinois pols? Can’t have it both ways, but in politics, that is often tried.
Comment by Snidely Whiplash Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:16 am
The vicious, trivial attacks on Palin just telegraph the Obama camp’s real worry about her impact on the race. As a mayor, she had a duty to pursue “earmarks” for her city. Juneau, the Alaska capitol, is accessible only by costly air. Anchorage is the main city, and that’s where any Alaska Governor should work most of the time. Comparisons to Illinois and Blago just don’t wash.
Comment by Legal Eagle Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:17 am
=== Anchorage is the main city, and that’s where any Alaska Governor should work most of the time.===
Change “Anchorage” to “Chicago” and you get my drift.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:19 am
===I don’t understand how one can criticize someone for standing up to his or her own party leadership when they see activity that is flat-out wrong.===
Rod does that at least once a day.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:21 am
Is it just me, or is everyone a little bit out of control on this Palin topic.
Comment by Speaking At Will Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:29 am
Does she also take $25,000 checks and use them for legal defense of her MULTIPLE federal investigations?
Comment by BIG R.PH. Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:43 am
There is so much anger at her right now b/c Dems don’t know what else to focus on. Yes, thay can focus on issues, credentials, blatant lies about one’s own record, etc etc etc, but….SHE co-opted the “change” message AND the celebrity factor, thereby dimming Obama’s star (and chances.) He now looks pretty run-of-the-mill and just might lose in a can’t-lose year. I think it is still a center-right country not yet ready for a non-white Prez….yet. It’ll be close, but I think McCain/Palin will be our next admin. and she’s why. It is giving a lot more people (mostly women) an excuse to NOT vote for a NON-WHITE candidate. Race is the elephant in the corner of the room and Palin has given cause to avert attention. A lot of people will throw up their arms, despairing “what will the world think of us?” but I don’t think most Americans care. It’ll be McCain/Palin and wow will she be a reviled figure, but good SNL fodder. I think many people actually think that issues drive elections—but really I think people generally don’t much care about them as much as personality, and what candidate reminds one most of himself (or herself). Obama is the one who passed over Hillary when he thought he couldn’t lose & now it looks as if it is going to cost him. It was a roll of the dice and I’m not blaming him–it didn’t LOOK wise. It’s personal, man, and getting more personal every day. Come on, November 5th. We need to get over this, big-time.
Comment by anon24 Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:48 am
Phineas J. Whoopee, I think people should care. I also think right now she’s getting a pass on her viewpoints because she’d perceived as being under attack.
I think it’s wise to shift the debate to the economy. Nixon, one of the shrewdest politicians of his time, believed that in hard economic times, the GOP can’t beat the Dems unless they change the subject.
The subject has been changed.
By the way, your handle is the best. Brings me back to many afternoons on the farm adjusting the rabbit ears trying to pick up Channel 44 out of Chicago.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:50 am
- Speaking At Will -
It would appear that folks are shocked, Shocked to discover that Vice President Nominee Sarah Palin is a politician. Sexist? Probably part of it as you rarely if ever see this degree of fever against male politicians. I think our great experiment in democracy is going to be refreshed when McCain Palin win and we have our first high level elected female VP in office.
Comment by A Citizen Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:54 am
I don’t care how much she is like or unlike Gov. B. The conversation should be about whether she should be the VP and what this pick says about McCain.
Go to the National Governor’s Association page at http://www.nga.org. Follow the link to “Current Governors” and download the “Governors Bio Book” Of all the Governors, she has the least experience. Period.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 11:54 am
Rich,
I won’t even go into your generous volunteer flacking for the Obama campaign.
But, if a fraction of the platoons of lawyers the Obama campaign has sent into Alaska in the last two weeks to dig of dirt on gov. Palin (joining the hoard of left-wing media there doing the same) had gone into Chicago to look into Barry’s background 18 months ago or so, he may well not be on the ballot today.
He has gotten an almost COMPLETE pass from the lib media on his ties to Chicago politics.
Comment by BehindTheScenes Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:11 pm
Palin = 67% approval to Blago’s = 13% approval….she is doing something right in Alaska..he is doing everything wrong in Illinois.
With 50 Govs in the country you can draw similarities between most of them…not living in the mansion is no big deal, and it’s actually financially smart to “rent” it out to those who would to like to pay the money. Several Gov’s fly around on taxpayer dime..Alaska is a larger state.
A politician lies!? no way. Lies in the national media on Palin for 2 weeks…no way!!?? Barack Obama was a reformer in Illinois!? no waay
Lipstick on a pig..no way
Comment by scoot Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:13 pm
To the person I keep deleting: I do not allow commenters to use the names of Illinois political figures as screen names.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:15 pm
Let’s face it, the bottom is falling out of the Obama campaign. All the nasty flailing around is only making it worse.
Rock on.
Comment by GOP'er Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:16 pm
===But, if a fraction of the platoons of lawyers the Obama campaign has sent into Alaska in the last two weeks to dig of dirt on gov. Palin
Fund is the only one claiming there were platoons and he cannot tell anyone who those platoons are so perhaps you could enlighten us?
More to the point–if you are watching TV you might notice that the McCain camp has been running negative ads based on opposition research. No one made a big deal of that because most people understand campaigns do opposition research.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:17 pm
Rich,
You actually sounded like a politician trying to dodge the question with your ‘Cubs fans’ non answer. That is so not like you. Oh and by the way…Go Cubs!
Comment by GOP Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:17 pm
Compare Sarah Palin to “Public Official A”?
My, My, My, what testicular virility you have Rich!
Comment by Larry "Bud" Mellman Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:20 pm
It’s Cub Fan, not Cubs fan.
And it was an answer that went right to your point. RRB had pretty good poll numbers in 03 and 04. It’s not logical to compare his numbers today with hers today because they’re at different places in the cycle.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:20 pm
One caveat here-small state Governors tend to do better on approval polls in general than big state Governors:
January 12, 2004
On the first anniversary of his inauguration, Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Enhanced Coverage Linking
Rod Blagojevich -Search using:
is making the grade with Illinois voters, according to a poll conducted by Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV. Complete poll results appear in the Tuesday, January 13 edition of the Chicago Tribune and online at chicagotribune.com.
Approval ratings remained strong through January 2004, with 50 percent of Illinois voters having a favorable opinion of Blagojevich, 21 percent unfavorable and 28 percent have no opinion.
A further measure of the governor’s popularity: 55 percent of Illinois voters approve of the job he is doing, only 22 percent do not and 24 percent have no opinion.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:26 pm
Rich, it’s really been a pleasure to watch you trip up all the quick-change flip-floppers who are behind Palin. The extent of their mental and verbal gymnastics trying to justify Palin “popularity and experience” has been the comedy highlight of my day.
Comment by WonderBoy Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:31 pm
AP, you know, while his rating was okay, because of the uber-corruptness of Ryan, RB’s ratings should have been similar to Palin’s after election. Maybe people in Illinois are just way more cynical about politics than they are in Alaska.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:33 pm
===AP, you know, while his rating was okay, because of the uber-corruptness of Ryan, RB’s ratings should have been similar to Palin’s
No, that’s missing my point above–small states have higher approval ratings–I even posted the graph on this page the other day:
http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=09&year=2008&base_name=your_world_in_charts_small_sta
There are some good reasons listed in the link as to why this is the case, but it’s pretty commonly understood.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:35 pm
I agree with Archpundit on this point. There are exceptions, and there are exceptional historic moments, but that analysis is generally correct.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:36 pm
Rich,
It is Cubs fan, as in fan of the Chicago Cubs. Please don’t tell me that you’re using the term like the GOP blowhards who call it the Democrat Party.
You’re better than that.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:38 pm
Blagojevich would have been a fine VP pick for Hillary Clinton this year if he did what he promised to do, or what Governor Palin has done.
Blagojevich could have been Palin. He could have pursued reform. He could have cut Illinois’ budget. He could have effectively fought against his party’s aged leaders. He could have worked with the legislature on Illinois’ biggest infastructure challenges.
Palin did. That is why she is the VP pick of her party and he’s dodging the press.
Blagojevich would have been a great pick. Clinton would have gotten the nomination and rewarded Illinois’ love of Obama by selecting their governor.
Do you really think that if Clinton won the nomination, she wouldn’t have picked Obama for her VP? Imagine how differently this race would be right now if McCain/Palin faced Clinton/Obama?
Washington state has been moved from the “leans Obama” row to the “toss-up” row. That is how poorly the Democrats chose this year - their year to win the White House.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:38 pm
===You’re better than that.===
There’s nothing better than being a White Sox fan. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:39 pm
With that Cub/Cubs thing you’re starting to sound a little bit like Zorn: EWWWWWWWWWWW, she says “EYE-RACK” & “EYE-RAN”—we can’t have her! She doesn’t pronounce words the same way I do!” Zorn is just spinning his little fanny off (oh, but they’re FACTS!)but it will be all for naught—–at this point, I don’t think most voters even care about lies, half-truths, prevarications, records, accomplishments or issues. The culture war is on, and yeah, many voters out there DO NOT pronounce words the same way Zorn does. Nor do they share his world view, or that of the liberal snob media. And they will cast their ballots on election day just like everyone else.
Comment by anon24 Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:46 pm
===With that Cub/Cubs thing you’re starting to sound a little bit like Zorn===
I don’t understand your point.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:49 pm
Reason she isn’t going away.
Man of La Mancha tilted at windmills with his sidekick Pancho.
Palin tilted at the powers that be in a major natural resource rich state with 4 and now 5 kids in tow.
Man of La Mancha only tried, but Palin toppled them.
Man of La Mancha has been talked about for 500 years.
Ms. Palin ain’t going anywhere except to the White House.
Only people with blinders, just like Man of La Mancha’s horse, can’t see it.
Comment by True Observer Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:50 pm
Also, I often say EYE-RACK. And I’m married to an EYE-RACK-EE
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 12:51 pm
“I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn’t a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn’t a governor for a short period of time.”
- John McCain. October 21, 2007
lol
…Adding… I posted this to illustrate a point I made in my syndicated column this week. Partisan heroes flip-flop and their super-partisan supporters think it’s just so wonderful. I despise super-partisans.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:04 pm
McCain the maverick did it again. Who would have thought Obama would be on the defensive by now? McCain blindsided the press, and they aren’t taking it stylishly…
Pundits and policy wonks are agast, but mainstream voters see it differently. Her shoe brand is backordered, her glasses model is unobtainable… she has invigorated a female population that 30 days ago, wasn’t too charged.
Pro lifers, special needs parents, and second amendment types among others will not miss Nov 4, the election is a horserace, and if the liberal press doesn’t stop enabling her ‘victim of the media’ crap, she’s headed for work in the lower 48…
Comment by countryboy Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:04 pm
AP and Rich, I generally agree with your observation. What I am getting at is this: as we are making comparisons between governors and ratings and other items, one similarity between Palin and Rod is their taking office on the heels of a corrupt predecessor. Ryan/Rod. Markowski/Palin.
That chart on the site you gave is always going to be in flux. Alaska isn’t always going to have such high approval ratings, and IL isn’t always going to be in the dumps (even though many here would argue that point).
It’s all relative.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:05 pm
Sigh. All this talk of snobs and elitists and the “unfairness” directed at Palin is utterly ridiculous.
This isn’t “slobs vs. snobs” Animal House, it’s a presidential election.
Comment by WonderBoy Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:06 pm
I see your point, but it is generally true that small states tend to have higher approval ratings. There are exceptions, of course. Murkowski being a perfect exception. But the political and media environments are very different.
In a larger state your population isn’t nearly as homogenous for one. So yes, there is always flux, but the tendency is for smaller states to have higher approval.
So the point to me is that in Illinois you are far less likely to see high ratings (over 60%) even for a relatively popular Governor. In smaller, more homogenous states, that isn’t uncommon.
Comment by ArchPundit Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:10 pm
Last week we were asking whether Miller was ready for the big time in DC…well, I guess he has made it sooner than we all thought. Evidently, he got the same talking points from the Obama PR campaing office as did Miller’s counterparts in the Beltway! Hey, let’s got on the same page, let all people of good will get together and destroy this crazy hockey mom from Alaska! But, do leave Obama alone; he’s something special.
Comment by ChicagoDem Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:13 pm
===So the point to me is that in Illinois you are far less likely to see high ratings (over 60%) even for a relatively popular Governor. In smaller, more homogenous states, that isn’t uncommon. ===
I will absolutely agree on that point. And to that point, folks shouldn’t trumpet 80 percent plus approval ratings for their fav pols as making them out to be superheros in those states with smaller populations.
Comment by BandCamp Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:13 pm
Chicago Dem, AA finds it highly unlikely that the Obama HQ Spin Machine is distributing “Compare Palin to Blagojevich” as one of the talkers of the week.
I am wondering, though..Rich, did you have drinks with Bill last night and was he buying?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:31 pm
===Rich, did you have drinks with Bill last night and was he buying?===
lol. No and no.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:32 pm
Palin seems like a intelligent, engaging personality to me, but she is defintely completely ignorant about natiionl security. Hence Palin is clearly completely unqualiified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, particularly if the President is a septugenarian. Palin had no idea what the Bush doctrine is when being interviewed by Charles Gibson last night. Secondly Palin thinks it might be necessary (”perhaps”) to get involved in a war with Russia over their recent incursions into Georgia. Palin is a veritable Governor Strangelove.
Palin’s ideological positions on culture war issues are over the top. Independent and swing voters are going to take a second look at Palin the next month or so, and I think they aren’t going to like what they see or hear on the issues, when they get beyond her winning personality,
But I think Governor Palin is much smarter than Pinocchio. I think she’s more of a loose cannnon, like former Mayor Jane Byrne than a corrupt Governor or a real political reformer. Palin has had the problems getting along with her party’s legislative leadership, just like Pinnochio. So there are some interesting parallels, as noted in Rich’s column..
Those of you who seem to think the McCain-Palin ticket is going to win on the strength of Palin’s enagaging personality and hcckey mom status are in for a rude awakening on November 4th. The change mantra adopted by McCain-Palin isn’t credible.
Obama has begun and will continue to strike back agaisnt the “big lies” being perpetrated by the McCain- Palin.
I honestly belive McCain-Palin ticket has peaked and it will will a steady slide downwards in the polls after the debates in October. McCain–Palin they appear to be a on a “slow boat to nowhere.” Maybe I’m wrong, but I doubt it.
Comment by Captain America Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 1:35 pm
I am surprised your article was so one sided. You forgot a few things like Alaska has a budget that was balanced and passed on time; the surplus revenue was rebated to the citizens; the investigation of her doesn’t compare to that of Blago which is being conducted by the Feds and has already landed a protege of not only the Blago, but Obama as well, in jail and others awaiting trial. And you forgot to mention her approval rating is at least 65%–what is Blago’s? A little more balance would have made this a legitimate comparison but as written it is a good example for a journalism class of how not to let your personal opinion completely slant a story.
Comment by Missedfacts Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 2:06 pm
===how not to let your personal opinion completely slant a story.===
It’s a COLUMN. It is supposed to be an opinion.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 2:09 pm
Rich, your in good company. Chris Britt always takes a beating from the right. They don’t seem to get opinion pieces if it is not their opinion. Anyway, facts are facts and dollar amounts, quotes, etc can be checked.
Comment by Shallow Pharnyx Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 2:53 pm
MF–journalism class covers the difference between a news story and an op-ed piece (that stands for opinion-editorial, BTW). I guess the internet has blurred the lines…
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 3:10 pm
Rich
Some would think even trying to attach Palin to Blago is, in itself, super-partisan on your part. She never used her powerful father in law to win her election. Remember Blago won because he had millions of dollars in his campaign fund, millions more than any candidate in either party, that his father in law who is and was a powerful ward boss, helped him raise. Sarah Palin ran and won with NO money.
Blago was never much above 50% in 04 and was never in the 60’s our 70’s at any time.
Dumping your Democratic losers onto the GOP is a stretch, but very funny.
Comment by RAI Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 3:14 pm
I, for one, appreciated Governor Blagojevich’s defense of the role of governor of a state - any state. Executive, decision-making authority is far more plausible experience that a year or two of legislative leadership.
Just my thoughts~
Comment by Black Ivy Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 3:18 pm
and the person Rod always reminds me of most is…President Bush…
Comment by jerry 101 Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:04 pm
The Governor and I do agree that executive experience at the state level is a better indicator of the executive ability at the national level. Not foolproof, but look at the number of governors who were elected presidents just in past 40 years. Are we better off, I don’t know, but the electorate seems to think we could be.
Comment by Captain Flume Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:12 pm
The rational for McCain picking Palin is a fabrication, a lie. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere, until it was already cut by Congress. And even then she insisted Alaska get all the money for other earmarks.
McCain continues to lie as well as claim the non-sensical. According to the ignorant, senile or mendacious John McCain Palin opposed all federal earmarks as governor. Simply. Not. True. She requested and received a large number of earmarks.
Yet, the Republican partisans reliably spout things over-and-over that are demonstratively not true.
It’s disconcerting that non-Republicans have to participate in a process where the Republican Party lies about big issues. And sometimes these lies are used to justify unnecessary wars.
And the people who say, “All politicians lie,” are often part of the problem. There’s a big difference between, “Of course, I remember your auntie,” and, “Iraq is an imminent threat to the United States and therefore we must invade.”
Unfortunately, it seems Republicans lack the judgment and honor to tell the truth on the big issues. John McCain and Sarah Palin reinforce my concerns that the modern Republican Party is completely without integrity and a threat to the well-being of the republic.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:17 pm
lotta anger from dem Dems dese days.
Comment by anon24 Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:23 pm
Four of the last five presidents were governors. Many voters probably think that, to fix the federal government’s problems, candidates should show that they don’t cause the problems. The last republican presidential nominee who was a U.S. senator, during the election, was Harding, in 1920. His running-mate was Calvin Coolidge, who was the governor of Massachusetts. That ticket won, and Palin has been a governor longer than Coolidge was a governor.
Comment by PhilCollins Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:29 pm
===Rich, your in good company. Chris Britt always takes a beating from the right. They don’t seem to get opinion pieces if it is not their opinion. Anyway, facts are facts and dollar amounts, quotes, etc can be checked.===
Chris Britt takes a beating from the right because his cartoons typically don’t have a scintilla of basis in fact and typically seem to be little better than Obama campaign ads. He is, of course, entitled to his opinion but he is almost totally one-sided on the presidential campaign AND he grossly exaggerates what he draws. This, in my opinion, seems to be emblematic of what SJ-R has become since Gatehouse took control.
Comment by Clown College Observer Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:35 pm
===Unfortunately, it seems Republicans lack the judgment and honor to tell the truth on the big issues. John McCain and Sarah Palin reinforce my concerns that the modern Republican Party is completely without integrity and a threat to the well-being of the republic.===
This seems closer to Democratic talking points. My side says the exact same thing about liberals.
In the end, it really doesn’t make a lot of difference. The 40% of the electorate that will actually decide this election don’t spend time on sites like this one. They are going to vote their perception of who they feel is the better leader and are not going to be concerned with partisan minutia such as whether Palin supported the bridge or Obama has a valid birth certificate. We, as hard-core political observers can (and do) argue these points with one another all the time; in truth, the vast majority of Americans simply don’t care and will vote who whomever they relate to more.
Comment by Clown College Observer Friday, Sep 12, 08 @ 4:46 pm