The Blame Game Begins

As wacko as Sarah Palin is, McCain's defeat does not lay at her feet. His defeat was caused by his dramatic transformation from funny, outspoken, bipartisan hater of corruption, to GOP extrem-o base-panderer. Srsly. Obama was inclusive, and McCain followed that Republican strategy of the last 20 years: divide and conquer. FUCK THAT. Divided we fail. Which thankfully, many, many Americans realized.
So anyway, this shit is not Palin's fault. Sure she is totally backwards. But picking her did not sink that campaign.
Watch the clip to see some post-election McCain camp finger-pointing.

Chris Matthews Doesn't Pfuck around with Pfotenhauer on the Subject of VP Responsibility

"I guess despite her trip through Neiman's and Sak's she still didn't pick up a copy of the Constitution".

I guess Chris Matthews has finally had it with the BS he keeps getting served by Nancy Pfotenhauer among other McCain camp reps---he actually calls her out when she tries to avoid answering him by changing the subject---and Bill Burton from the Obama camp doesn't really know what to do, so he just kind of sits silently and occasionally starts laughing....if I were you I'd skip the first 3:30, which is just more dumb talk about Palin's wardrobe (can I get a WHO CARES?)

I Just Realized: Sarah Palin is a Mean Girl

Joe Biden said recently that an Obama Administration would face an international crisis the first 6 months in office.

Palin made note of that comment at a rally in Reno, NV today:

Gov. Sarah Palin suggested today that Barack Obama is unprepared to serve as commander in chief, laying out scenarios she said made the country vulnerable to an international crisis under his leadership.

Palin fed off the words of Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, who said Sunday that Obama would be challenged by an international crisis in his first six months of office. During a rally at the Reno Convention Center, Palin listed four scenarios "that would place our country at risk in an Obama administration," including sitting down with dictators and sending American troops to Pakistan over the objections of the country's leader.

"But I guess the looming crisis that most worries the Obama campaign right now is Joe Biden's next speaking engagement," Palin said. "Let's call that crisis scenario number five."

Seriously, did McCain Campaign advisors come up with this schtick for her to ignore issues and spend her time thinking of nasty things to say at rallies? Or is that just her own brilliance?

Jezebel.com put a nice perspective on it thanks to CNN:

Oh, and while she's running around mocking Joe Biden's statement that the Obama Administration might face an international crisis, CNN pointed out that the Cuban Missile Crisis started off Kennedy's Administration; the fall of Saigon, Ford's; the first World Trade Center bombing, Clinton's; and 9/11, Bush's. Silly facts.

I'm starting to think that, because Sarah Palin is clearly a Mean Girl, and since Tina Fey wrote Mean Girls, Palin is actually just Tina Fey spewing her own brilliant parody of the worst kind of bigoted, inexperienced, woman-hating GOP candidate that could possibly exist. Anybody with me?

(hotline), (jezebel)

Daily Show Rage: "What the Pfuck?"

Last night's episode of the Daily Show was even better than usual, thanks to Jon Stewart's rage over the separate comments by Palin and McCain advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer about small town America being the "real America". I read various reports over the weekend of Stewart giving a speech to a college audience in Boston and reacting to the Palin statement with a very clear, "Fuck you", so I was wondering how censored his reaction to the statement would be on Comedy Central. Well, thankfully for us, his rage didn't seem to subside before Monday's show, as proven by his repeated conclusion that Palin's statement would mean that September 11th happened in "fake America" (and that bin Laden was going to be mad when he realized that he bombed the wrong America!)

Rage on, Jon! We're right there with ya!

Click here to watch the full episode.

Amy Poehler rocks my world.

I'm glad that Sarah came off as mostly stiff on SNL last night---she left most of the funny stuff to tina fey and amy poehler. The opening skit was actually so stiff that it made me uncomfortable for the most part, but this amy poehler rap is pretty much the funniest thing ever:

Rachel Maddow calls Palin a liar face.

As far as pundits go, Maddow is pretty much the bomb.

See here the unabashed lying of Sarah Palin:

Sarah Palin Flute Magic

If you ever watch a video on this blog, please click on this one to watch Sarah Palin playing the flute in the 1983 Miss Alaska competition. I couldn't watch it all the way through, but I'll give you a dollar if you can

Hasselbeck vs. Walters 10.01.08

Babs calls Hasselcrack's ass out on defending Sarah Palin, asking her the fair question of why she thinks Palin would make a good president. Hasselcrack's response:

"Well, since I've been studying for this pop quiz forever, I — tell me why Barack Obama is qualified. I mean, give me three tangible things he has done."

Mmm, I like my fallacious arguments short and sweet and delivered by conservative women. Which is good, considering that there seems to be a surplus of such arguments in the current world. The View certainly does the Republican side a disservice by having the insanely ill-reasoned Hasselbeck defending their side in opposition to the fairly articulate and issue-educated Goldberg, Behar, and Walters. It's all part of Babs secret plan to take over the world. Clip below.

SNL, round two: "Katie, I'd like to use one of my life-lines."

Tina Fey reprises her brilliant role as Sarah Palin. Stick with it to the half way mark, when it starts to get amazing. I totally LOL'd.

National Review calls for Palin to pull out

Even the National Review is calling Palin out as an inappropriate possible-president.

Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

obviously I have never felt the same way about Palin as this republican journalist has. but i would have no objection to her pulling out of the race:

McCain can’t repudiate his choice for running mate. He not only risks the wrath of the GOP’s unforgiving base, but he invites others to second-guess his executive decision-making ability....

...Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.

Do it for your country.

full article

UUUhhhhh, MCCAIN-FEINGOLD, MAYBE???

so, Katie Couric, the soft-ball lobbing tv journalist if ever there was one, asks Sarah Palin to provide a specific example of when McCain has pushed for more regulation in the last 26 years. and she says,

"I'll try to find some and bring them to you".

as opposed to mentioning that one bill that had a bigger impact than any other single thing that mccain has done in his entire career, and also happened to be one of the biggest reforms of campaign financing (via REGULATION) ever.

The best part about watching this video for me was, thinking back to 2002, the year that McCain-Feingold was made into a law, when I was but a sophomore in high school, working for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) on her student advisory board, writing a report on the bill. I knew more about McCain-Feingold in the year when I still wasn't allowed to have a boy in my room with the door closed, than Sarah Palin knows NOW. And I think my cat may have actually been to more states/countries than her. Okay that last part was an exaggeration, but it comes pretty close.

click HERE for the clip.

Why donating to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name isn't a good idea.

"Okay, guys, we've been getting a lot of emails about a campaign to "fight back against the McCain Campaign's hateful policies toward women" by donating to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. Megan has this to say: "The problem with this idea is that Obama forewent public financing on the basis of relying on donors — big and small — to continue giving him money. If people give the $5 or $10 to PPFA instead and send cards to McCain's office, you're just notifying him how much money Obama is losing. Heck, I wouldn't put it past a Republican operative for starting the chain, especially since it doesn't encourage donations to PPFA's PAC, which can spend the money to run ads about the candidates/reproductive rights, but to the organization itself, which cannot. Please be careful about forwarding this along. If something like this really went viral, it could do a lot of damage." Maybe we should save the donations/cards in case the GOP gets elected?"

(Jezebel)

What Would Judge Judy Do?

Man I love Judge Judy. This is a clip from her on the View last week, explaining her thoughts on Sarah Palin, among other things. It's especially good because she and Bawbawa are actually friends, so Babs actually seems genuine throughout.

The best part is when JJ is saying that whether or not Palin personally supports embryonic stem cell research should be irrelevant, because it's not her job to enforce that belief on the American people, it's the job of the elected legislators. At which point Hasselcrack kind of mumbles, "well she has a duty to the American people". I don't think JJ heard her, because Babs abruptly changes the subject to avoid JJ laying down the ultimate smackdown on Hasselcrack's dumb Republican ass.






(Jezebel)

The McCain Campaign's Sacrificial Lamb

Tucker Bounds, the sacrificial aide from the McCain campaign, continued to take beatings from various network anchors. It is such a pleasure to watch journalists do their jobs.


OMG!!! Fox News called out the McCain campaign's lying-ass ads that say, (erroneously) that (1) Obama plans to raise taxes for the middle class, and (2) Obama supported a bill for sex ed for kindergardeners (um, hello! it was a bill about sexual predator education so that kids know not to get in the strange man's car for candy! UGH!). Something is wrong when it takes Fox to call you out on your effing lies.




Campbell Brown goes to town. This one's my favorite. Her mocking smile when he blatantly dodges her questions makes me love her.

Uhhhhhh, SamRo and LiLo are more logical and articulate than the Republican VP Nominee....

Our favorite Gayelles took to Ronson's official blog to write their thoughts on Palin. And most of it is intelligent. WTF?









"I really cannot bite my tongue anymore when it comes to Sarah Palin.

I couldn't be more supportive of a woman in office, but let's face it, it comes down to the person, and their beliefs, male or female.

Is it a sin to be gay? Should it be a sin to be straight? Or to use birth control? Or to have sex before marriage? Or even to have a child out of wedlock?

I find it quite interesting that a woman who now is running to be second in command of the United States, only 4 years ago had aspirations to be a television anchor. Which is probably all she is qualified to be... Also interesting that she got her passport in 2006.. And that she is not fond of environmental protection considering she's FOR drilling for oil in some of our protected land.... Well hey, if she wants to drill for oil, she should DO IT IN HER OWN backyard. This really shows me her complete lack of real preparation to become the second most powerful person in this country."



Jump to the full blog here

Bob Herbert of the NY Times rips S.P. a new one

“Do you believe in the Bush doctrine?” Mr. Gibson asked during the interview. Ms. Palin looked like an unprepared student who wanted nothing so much as to escape this encounter with the school principal.

Clueless, she asked, “In what respect, Charlie?”

“Well, what do you interpret it to be?” said Mr. Gibson.

“His worldview?” asked Ms. Palin.

Later, in the spin zones of cable TV, commentators repeatedly made the point that there are probably very few voters — some specifically mentioned “hockey moms” — who could explain the Bush doctrine. But that’s exactly the reason we have such long and intense campaigns. You want to find the individuals who best understand these issues, who will address them in sophisticated and creative ways that enhance the well-being of the nation.

The Bush doctrine, which flung open the doors to the catastrophe in Iraq, was such a fundamental aspect of the administration’s foreign policy that it staggers the imagination that we could have someone no further than a whisper away from the White House who doesn’t even know what it is.

You can’t imagine that John McCain or Barack Obama or Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton or Joe Lieberman would not know what the Bush doctrine is. But Sarah Palin? Absolutely clueless.

Ms. Palin’s problem is not that she was mayor of a small town or has only been in the Alaska governor’s office a short while. Her problem (and now ours) is that she is not well versed on the critical matters confronting the country at one of the most crucial turning points in its history.

Full article after the jump

Gov. Palin: not so good at reporting all her income on her tax return

The Washington Post wrote last week:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.

The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.

Jack Bog interprets exactly why this is not okay, in his blog post last Wednesday, entitled, Governor Palin, your tax return, please

Whether these charges were legitimate under Alaska rules and regulations, I haven't a clue. Certainly there are questions about their propriety. (Perhaps we could track down Emilie Boyles and see what she thinks.) But I do know something about the federal income tax consequences of fringe benefits, and it certainly appears to me based on the published reports that some, if not most, of these "per diems" should have been included as income on the Palins' federal income tax return. If they weren't, something's wrong.
"Per diem" allowances received by an employee can legally be omitted from her gross income if they constitute reimbursements for amounts that the employee could have deducted as business expenses had the employee paid for them out-of-pocket and not been reimbursed. Thus, for Palin, the tax question would appear to boil down to whether, had she not been reimbursed for the $60,441 of travel, meals, and lodging expenses, she could have legitimately taken business deductions for them.

It does not appear that such deductions would have been allowable for any amounts attributable to travel by her husband and children. Section 274(m)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code strictly forbids deductions for bringing spouses and dependents along on business travel unless the spouses and dependents (a) are employees of the taxpayer (here, the taxpayer is the governor), (b) are travelling for a bona fide business purpose, and (c) would otherwise be entitled to deduct the travel on their own tax returns. Unless Palin's spouse and kids are also her employees and she can show that they were away on their own businesses, their expenses would not be deductible by the governor. And therefore she cannot exclude from income any per diems attributable to any of them. (By the way, since she's the employee, the income would be required to be reported on her own return, not her kids'.)

As for her own travel, Palin could also run into tax problems. Only travel "away from home" qualifies for tax exclusion (or deduction), and for this purpose, one's "home" is generally the principal place of one's business. In this case, the governor reportedly works out of offices in both Anchorage and Juneau, but since she has only one state job, she can declare only one of those as her tax "home." If Juneau is her tax "home" (which would seem to be the case, since that's the capital), she cannot exclude or deduct meals and lodging expenses incurred in Juneau, and if Anchorage is her tax "home," she cannot exclude or deduct such expenses incurred in Anchorage or Wasilla. If she got per diem reimbursements for stays in both places, stays in only one place would appear to be excludible or deductible. And perhaps more importantly, the cost of regular commuting between one's residence and one's tax "home" is not deductible at all, no matter how long the distance between them; it is certainly possible that Palin's treks between the two locales are simply long-distance commuting for tax purposes.

In case you missed the Palin/Clinton opener to SNL last night

Because who wouldn't want a Sarah Palin wig?

buh. wigsalon.com announced their new line of wigs & hair pieces reflecting the style of Sarah Palin. my birthday is on october 10th folks.

(Gawker)

Sara Benincasa as Sarah Palin

"ya just kidnapped some dogs, I think, is whatcha did."

it almost captures the idiocy.