Sarah Palin choice met with shock and bewilderment

August 29-31, 2008 -- UPDATE 1X. Sarah Palin choice met with shock and bewilderment
publication date: Aug 29, 2008
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August 29-31, 2008 -- UPDATE 1X. Sarah Palin choice met with shock and bewilderment

John McCain's surprise choice of Alaska Republican Governor Sarah Palin, who, just two years ago was mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Alaska, population of 5400, was met with shock and bewilderment by a former top Alaska office holder with whom WMR spoke this morning.

The source said that while Palin has a record of fighting corruption involving the Ted Stevens and Don Young oil bribery scandals -- she broke publicly with both and criticized them -- she is way too inexperienced for the vice presidency.

The veteran Alaska pol summed up McCain's choice of Palin with one word: "crazy."

McCain bypassed other, more experienced Republicans for the Veep slot, including Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Some pundits are suggesting that McCain is aiming to pick up disenchanted women who supported Hillary Clinton. However, Palin is extremely anti-choice, pro guns, and a major supporter of the anti-choice Feminists for Life, the counsel for which is Jane Sullivan Roberts, the wife of Chief Justice John Roberts. Palin's husband Todd, a native Yupik Eskimo, is an employee of British Petroleum and works on oil projects on Alaska's North Slope.

UPDATE 1X. It is not often that small town municipal politics become issues of national importance but McCain's presumptive vice presidential running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, has a bit of a track record while serving as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, a town of 5400 people. In 1997, Mayor Palin fired Wasilla police chief Irl Stambaugh, who had served as police chief since the town's founding in 1993.

Stambaugh sued Palin, McCain's "feminist for life," for, of all things, gender discrimination, in addition to violating his employment contract and wrongful termination. Palin's firing of Wasilla's police chief will not sit well with police unions across the nation. Palin fired Stambaugh because the chief supported her opponent, John Stein, in the election. Stein, a former mayor of Wasilla, guaranteed that Stambaugh could not be fired without just cause. Palin, in a case of judge shopping, found one in U.S. District Judge James Singleton, who, in 2000, dismissed Stambaugh's suit against Palin and the city of Wasilla. Singleton was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1990.

Palin could not run for re-election in 2002 due to term limits. However, an attempt by Palin's stepmother-in-law Faye Palin to keep a Mayor Palin in Wasilla was unsuccessful as Faye Palin was defeated by a vote of 402-256 by Dianne Keller, who had worked for Alaska's Division of Emergency Services.

Sarah Palin, who has a reputation as a "Mrs. Clean" in politics by taking on the GOP powerhouses of Senator Ted Stevens and Representative Don Young for pork barrel spending and back room deals has had her own experience with such politics. As Mayor, Palin attracted to Wasilla an airplane manufacturing plant for Kinetic Aviation of Livermore, California. The grants administrator for the cash-flush Alaska Science and Technology Foundation held a powerful carrot for investors in Alaska. And it just so happened that grants administrator Jim Palin was Sarah Palin's father-in-law.

In 2004, former Mayor Palin dismissed Alaska's anonymous political attacks in remark to the AP, saying that while mayor, a woman told Palin that the mayor had been seen having an affair on a train to Seward and that one of her two daughters, ages 5 and 2, had been seen smoking pot.






Comments

Marlys (Seattle)
She'll bring in the Alaska vote (yawn)

Bill Wade (Exeter)
Strange choice indeed. I suspect if he wins we'll get Lieberman as Sec of Def.

JM (Pine Ridge)
Instead of going with his gut instinct and choosing Ridge who was clearly the one who he had the longest, closest relationship with on his short list (as well as someone who brings vastly more experience), McCain miscalculated and overstepped his political decision. He may think that choosing a woman who doesn't carry much political baggage and shares the narrow-minded views of the Republicans may help him, but he will likely be surprised at the lackluster support he receives. I believe this will cinch the deal for Obama's presidency. And good riddance to the Republican siege on our Executive branch.

Chekas Gonna Getcha (WhoVille)
she is pretty though

liberty antigone (?)
It will make my own father think voting for McCain is "forward" thinking, since it has a woman in the ticket, something Obama didn't do.

Very smart, actually. Only one smarter would have been Powell.

jeanruss (pitts)
I think this is the Republican's way of throwing the election. We know that the economy is FAR worse than they are permitting to be told to most Americans. I don't think after the type of convention the Democrats had, serious politicians didn't want to be on this losing ticket. They want the Democrats to take the fall for what they have created. I don't think Georgia went the way Rove hoped. I am not sure that anyone can save this economy now. The upside is that when there is great suffering, deep change can happen.

Dupree (Columbus)
Only one smarter would have been Powell.

I cannot believe you said that.

But you may be right that a black Neo-Con would draw in more Bozo American votes than a Jewish one(Joe LIEberman).

bluedogs (olympia)
Chekas from (WhoVille): You really nailed it. Youth and beauty gets 'um everytime. McCain's campaign will be like American Idol only political. Kinda like those stupid adds compairing Obama to Brittany Spears.....maybe McCain and what's her face will do a dance around the podium.....I will take bets right here that What's her face will wear a very sexy dress for her speach...any takers?

Dupree (Columbus)


For those with short term memory loss:

bluedogs (olympia)
Jeanruss, you are right. The economy is in far worse shape than anybody knows. There isn't anyway this mess can be pinned on the Democratic party. oooopps I forgot Pelosi and others who have voted time and time again to enable the Criminal.

bluedogs (olympia)
Jeanruss, you are right. The economy is in far worse shape than anybody knows. There isn't anyway this mess can be pinned on the Democratic party. oooopps I forgot Pelosi and others who have voted time and time again to enable the Criminal.

JM (Pine Ridge)
Instead of going with his gut instinct and choosing Ridge who was clearly the one who he had the longest, closest relationship with on his short list (as well as someone who brings vastly more experience), McCain miscalculated and overstepped his political decision. He may think that choosing a woman who doesn't carry much political baggage and shares the narrow-minded views of the Republicans may help him, but he will likely be surprised at the lackluster support he receives. I believe this will cinch the deal for Obama's presidency. And good riddance to the Republican siege on our Executive branch.

uhClem (Keene)
This makes sense. Mc. figures on losing. Since he hates women, he can blame her!

Chemtrail breather (London,ON)
Truly, will there be any diff between DEM or GOP?
Your on about the sexy dress.
I'm thinking a backless number made in China with Muk Luks.

bluedogs (olympia)
Har, har, on the "made in China and the Muk Luks!

This also covers for the fact that Cindy will not speak at the convention (decision of her wonderful and loving husband, who called her a c--t in front of the press) so that no one will notice really that she is sidelined. You know, everyone will be looking at the pretty woman making speeches (Rush will really like her) and no one will listen to what she is saying. I love it. Could be made into a tv serial.

I think that this time there will be a difference between the two parties. Howard Dean has started a movement in building the party from the grassroots up, getting rid of the party boss mentality. It will take time though.

liberty antigone (?)
I only said that because my own father suggested Powell as "perfect" for McCain to get elected, and he is actually considering McCain, after Hillary Clinton wasn't elected. You can't change everyone, you know, even your own parents.


I, myself, am not happy with how "right" neocon even Obama is, let alone Wetstart Mademan Kiss McCain.

liberty antigone (?)
also, She is YOUNG. Remember, young means no baggage. And McCain has baggage. I predicted in April and again many times since then on this blog that Obama would pick Biden, to compensate for 'too inexperienced' comments about Obama ticket. Biden is owned by the crime families of fascism and those MIC who care about power and money and not the people or the Bill of Rights.

So YOUNG (Palin) + TOO OLD (McCain), MADE MAN (McCain) +BIMBO (Palin)= a Good old time politician in the new American Empire.


Think of it like a tv show, and then you see the sense of the RUIM casting team choice. Rove works for RUIM?