Barack Obama Elected President!

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

[JackPeyton]

Sarah Palin - Commissioner dismissal controversy

On July 11, 2008, Governor Palin dismissed Walter Monegan as Commissioner of Public Safety and instead offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he subsequently turned down.[44][45] Monegan alleged shortly after his dismissal that it may have been partly due to his reluctance to fire an Alaska State Trooper, Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann.[46] In 2006, before Palin was governor, Wooten was briefly suspended for ten days for threatening to kill McCann's (and Palin's) father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson (at the stepson's request), and violating game laws. After a union protest, the suspension was reduced to five days.[47]

Governor Palin asserts that her dismissal of Monegan was unrelated to the fact that he had not fired Wooten, and asserts that Monegan was instead dismissed for not adequately filling state trooper vacancies, and because he "did not turn out to be a team player on budgeting issues."[48] Palin acknowledges that a member of her administration, Frank Bailey, did contact the Department of Public Safety regarding Wooten, but both Palin and Bailey say that happened without her knowledge and was unrelated to her dismissal of Monegan.[48] Bailey was put on leave for two months for acting outside the scope of his authority as the Director of Boards and Commissions. Commissioner Monegan received no severance pay, though at the same time another dismissed Commissioner, Charles Kopp (who served only 11 days) received $10,000.[49]

In response to Palin's statement that she had nothing to hide, in August 2008 the Alaska Legislature hired Steve Branchflower to investigate Palin and her staff for possible abuse of power surrounding the dismissal, though lawmakers acknowledge that "Monegan and other commissioners serve at will, meaning they can be fired by Palin at any time."[50] The investigation is being overseen by Democratic State Senator Hollis French, who says that the Palin administration has been cooperating and thus subpoenas are unnecessary.[51] The Palin administration itself was the first to release an audiotape of Bailey making inquiries about the status of the Wooten investigation.[48][52]

[Southofnowhere]

That was the guy who refused to have the Bother In law fired. The Brother In law is a State Trooper! She didn't offer him anything but to be ruined by her sidekicks. By all accounts he was in fact a scumbag who was abusive so the Dems shouldn't use it.

[JackPeyton]

thank you... for that first part.

[Ryan]

Funniest.[!@#$%^&*].Ever.

[GoldenDogs]

God help me for weighing in on a political topic, but to offer some speculation on the answer to your question, Roman... I think the argument of no experience, pertaining to Obama versus Palin, may be that Obama is running for President while Palin is simply running as Vice-President. By in large in history (the past eight years notwithstanding), the President usually is the more experienced politician and statesman. While I don't necessarily subscribe to the theory, it is generally perceived that the President is the guy in charge of his administration. I know, arguments can be made to the contrary regarding the current administration.

For me, personally, it doesn't particularly matter who Obama had picked or who McCain had picked... Biden or Palan -- they certainly are more accomplished than any of us in the public arena so I don't feel comfortable judging their credentials or, in particular as I have already seen here, judging them as human beings. I really believe that, by in large, in doesn't really matter who wins the election because it is ultimately Congress that runs the show. The majority of power and the domestic direction we're going right now truly rests more with Nancy Pelosi than any other figure in Washington right now...

<<Hides while waiting for things to be thrown at him>>

Brian

[Roman]

Brian.....

Right on. I agree with what you said.

And see every point you made.

[Roman]

Assessing Sarah Palin

Saturday, August 30, 2008; Page

The Post asked political experts for their thoughts on John McCain's running mate. Below are thoughts from: Michael Feldman, Catharine A. (Kiki) McLean, Greg Mueller, Douglas E. Schoen, Lisa Schiffren and John Podesta

MICHAEL FELDMAN

Former senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore and founding partner of the Glover Park Group

The first rule in VP selection is do no harm. The second rule is that the only time you violate Rule No. 1 is if you think you have no choice.

This pick is the single best indication of where the race stands. John McCain knew that unless he made a dramatic choice and shook up the race, the underlying dynamic of this election would remain the same -- and result in a Democratic victory in November. The choice of Sarah Palin smacks of desperation and is fraught with peril for the Republican nominee.

It is also indicative of the quandary that has plagued McCain from the inception of his campaign: how to reach out to moderate and independent voters while keeping the far right wing of the Republican Party in check.

McCain wants and needs a game-changer -- someone who can transform the race and appeal to women who feel disenfranchised by the Democratic primary results. But he couldn't go with his first choice, Joe Lieberman, because it would have caused a revolt with his Republican base.

Instead, he has decided to put the former part-time mayor of a town of 9,000, with zero foreign policy experience, a heartbeat away from the presidency, undermining one of his central campaign messages -- experience.

Furthermore, he has chosen a staunchly pro-life running mate -- a clear non-starter for a large majority of the women who he so desperately needs to win in November.

CATHERINE A. (KIKI) MCLEAN

Senior adviser to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and a principal with the Dewey Square Group

Women don't vote for women because they are women. Women have high expectations -- and have always had to meet them. The McCain campaign should not assume that adding Sarah Palin to its ticket will attract female voters in margins large enough to turn the Obama tide. In fact, this choice might be yet another example that he is out of touch.

The dramatic increase in female voters this year wasn't just about a woman being on the ballot. It was driven by an intense debate on a broad agenda of bread-and-butter issues and national security.

Simply putting a woman on the ticket won't compensate for the McCain campaign's anemic policy positions. He has to argue a real agenda and vision for working-class women who are struggling. Many of these women oppose the war in Iraq not only because of the unnecessary loss of life but also because of its toll on the economy.

Our side can't dismiss the attributes of Palin that are attractive to all voters -- such as her efforts to reform a corrupt Republican organization and her oppositions to earmarks. But Republicans must work hard to demonstrate that she has a deep understanding of the issues key to female voters this year.

GREG MUELLER

A Republican strategist, former senior campaign aide to Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan and president of CRC Public Relations

Gov. Sarah Palin is the mother of five, the wife of an oil-field worker and a down-the-line populist conservative who has a strong record of government reform in Alaska. Her conservative credentials will inspire the conservative base of the GOP, crucial for getting out the vote.

National polls consistently show that almost one-fourth of female voters are undecided. John McCain has made a smart choice combining the interests of his party's conservative base with the opportunity to attract disaffected female voters and independents who have not yet embraced the type of change Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are trying to sell.

The Obama campaign and other Democrats were quick to attack Palin's experience. In fact, Gov. Palin has more executive experience than Obama. This is dangerous territory for the Democrats. If this is a campaign about experience and judgment, John McCain will be the next president of the United States.

Palin is a terrific contrast to the all-Washington ticket of Obama-Biden, and a truly outside-the-Beltway blue-collar pick. The Democrats and Hillary Clinton talked a lot this week about cracks in the glass ceiling, but that glass ceiling has now been shattered by McCain and the Republican Party.

DOUGLAS E. SCHOEN

Democratic pollster and author

The selection of Sarah Palin has created additional problems for the Republicans.

First, ideology. Palin, while a youthful, reform-oriented outsider, is from the conservative wing of the party. An ardently pro-life, anti-gay-rights woman is unlikely to appeal to whatever is left of Hillary Clinton's heretofore disaffected constituency after the Democrats' show of unity this week.

Second, McCain is 72 and the oldest non-incumbent ever to be nominated. A running mate with only two years of experience as a governor makes it much more difficult for the Republicans to argue their experience.

By passing up obviously qualified candidates such as Joe Lieberman and Tom Ridge, who offered at least the possibility of bipartisanship and a broader range of experience and background than Palin, McCain has missed a critical opportunity to expand the reach of a party whose base has been narrowing steadily since 2004. Even Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, a successful centrist who balanced the budget and built bipartisan coalitions in a state that is trending blue, would have offered a better opportunity to broaden McCain's appeal, as well as putting Minnesota, a potential swing state, into play.

Finally, Republican politics in Alaska has not been free of scandal recently. Further media exploration surrounding Palin's dealings with the state police could prove embarrassing.

LISA SCHIFFREN

Speechwriter to Vice President Dan Quayle and contributor to the National Review Online's "The Corner" blog

My first response to the Palin choice was to say "Yaaay!" -- and to call my daughters to the TV. The GOP rarely hits those emotional chords -- or makes the edgier choice -- but John McCain has done it big-time by partnering with a young woman who worked her way up to the governorship of Alaska while happily married and raising five (!) children.

It is hard to imagine a more compelling choice for this election. She brings sizzle and energy the GOP ticket would have lacked with another white guy. Palin also highlights McCain's substantive commitment to real political change; to small government; and to actually cutting spending.

Barack Obama says that change comes to Washington, not from it. But Palin has already changed the way things are done. She has vigorously cut pork. She personally stopped the "Bridge to Nowhere." She has been tough on ethical lapses. At a moment when energy issues are central, Palin has been a forceful advocate of drilling in ANWR; that she is a hunter, a conservationist and Alaskan gives her street cred on the environmental aspect of this issue. She is a serious athlete -- and we shouldn't underestimate her willingness to hit hard.

McCain, the presidential nominee, has plenty of foreign policy experience -- the preferred order for a ticket. Palin might not win a debate with Joe Biden, but GOP voters look for action and forgive a lack of rhetorical elegance.

Talk about a role model for our daughters: Annie Oakley in the halls of power! With a newborn . . . and a son serving in Iraq. I am giddy!

JOHN PODESTA

Chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and president of the Center for American Progress

A potential vice president with the ideology of Dick Cheney and fewer qualifications than Dan Quayle should send Arctic shivers up our spines.

Vice presidents matter. In our history, nine have become president when the sitting commander in chief unexpectedly died or resigned. McCain, a 72-year-old cancer survivor, may be rolling the dice to grab a chunk of Hillary's voters, but he is asking all of us to gamble on Sarah Palin if she were to become president at a time of national crisis.

McCain himself said this spring: "In all due respect he does not understand...the fundamental elements of national security and warfare." He could have been discussing his running mate. The former mayor of Wasilla, population 8,471, has no national security experience. She has been governor only two years. And her instincts on domestic and security policy are troubling.

While we sit on only 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, Palin thinks we can drill our way out of our oil addiction by exploiting the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge. When we should be protecting the climate, she is suing the United States to prevent protections for polar bears threatened by global warming. When we need to clean up Washington, she is vocally defending Sen. Ted Stevens.

From the Washington Post.

[JackPeyton]

THAT is what i liek to read.

Diff views, hilighting the good and bad.

[Roman]

This should help clear up that scandal going on:

McCain's VP Pick Palin Facing Ethics Investigation

For most of her tenure as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has enjoyed widespread popularity and a reputation as a maverick who refused to stand by fellow Alaska Republicans facing their own ethics scandals.

But the 44-year-old Palin, who was selected as Sen. John McCain's running mate today, is now the focus of her own state ethics investigation as part of the so-called "Troopergate" scandal, a bizarre controversy involving the firing of a state police chief and his reluctance to fire an Alaska state trooper, Palin's former brother-in-law who has been involved in a bitter custody fight with her younger sister.

Just two weeks ago, Palin revealed an audio recording of an aide pressuring the state's Public Safety Department to fire trooper Mike Wooten, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

A portion of Gov. Sarah Palin's (R-Alaska) July interview with CNBC:

Palin also acknowledged that her staff had contacted Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan about two dozen times about Wooten. Monegan himself was fired July 11 (the dismissal was "out of the blue," he told reporters) and he later said that he was pressured by Palin's staff and family to get rid of Wooten, a trooper based in Palmer, Alaska.

(To counter the "Troopergate" tag, the alternative-weekly Anchorage Press has dubbed the firing scandal "Wootengate")

The accusations first surfaced via the blog of former Alaska state rep. Andrew Halcro, who unsuccessfully ran against Palin in 2006.

(On Palin's selection as McCain's vice-presidential pick, Halcro wrote that "this shocking choice says more about McCain's desparation than it does about Palin's qualifications.")

In July, Palin came under a state ethics investigation and critics have said Palin's claim that she did not know of the political pressure being placed on Monegan was a "little too convenient." One fellow lawmaker, state Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat, told The Wall Street Journal that Palin could face impeachment. After French's comments, Palin ordered the investigation into Monegan's firing and told CNBC last month that lawmakers were unfairly targeting her.

"It's cool. I want them to ask me the questions. I don't have anything to hide," she said during the interview. "Didn't do anything wrong there."

The investigation is expected to cost about $100,000 and last at least three months, according to The Associated Press.

The governor has insisted that her decision to fire Monegan in July had nothing to do with former brother-in-law Wooten. Instead, she argued that Monegan "wasn't doing enough to fill state trooper vacancies and battle alcohol abuse issues," according to the Daily News.

The Daily News reports the Palins' fight with Wooten has been especially nasty and public, with the family accusing Wooen of drunken driving, illegal hunting and child abuse, among other charges, based on information culled from private investigators. Wooten and Palin's sister, Molly McCann, divorced in 2005.

The governor's husband, Todd Palin, told the Daily News that his family was also concerned about the governor's safety, saying Wooten threatened to kill the governor's father and made vague threats to her that he would bring Palin down.

From The Washington Post.

[JackPeyton]

^Thank you for that. It sure does clear it all up for me.

[DaytimeFan]

So...is Palin good or an albatross.

I just want a Democrat in the White House, I don't care how they have to rig the election, I just need it to happen, I can't stomach the idea of ANOTHER Republican regime.

[JackPeyton]

^Well, since Palin's ex-stepbrother tased his 11 yearold step son, if the stepson asked for it or not, i tend to side with her. but then again we dont know all the facts. so...

[Southofnowhere]

The Dems really can't use it but they can sure use the Ted Stevens stuff!

[Roman]

Ted Stevens endorsing her is what they need to really hammer on, plus her not having ANY foreign policy experience, and that she has taken on the Bush/McCain economic policies.

She appeals to the base, so social conservatives should be happy. But as far as getting moderates and independents....

I just don't know.