http://www.newsweek.com/id/156981

Palin paid off in the ratings for McCain. She got 37.2 million viewers so now it's up to McCain to make his post NFL season opener spot on NBC really pay off.

I still haven't read why yet but apparently Obama got $8 million in contributions after her speech.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_.../cvn_fact_check

Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer

Wed Sep 3, 11:48 PM ET

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters held back little Wednesday as they issued dismissive attacks on Barack Obama and flattering praise on her credentials to be vice president. In some cases, the reproach and the praise stretched the truth.

Some examples:

PALIN: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."

PALIN: "There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state senate."

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

PALIN: "The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars."

THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama's plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain's plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.

MCCAIN: "She's been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America's energy supply ... She's responsible for 20 percent of the nation's energy supply. I'm entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America," he said in an interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson.

THE FACTS: McCain's phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she's no more "responsible" for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state — by population.

MCCAIN: "She's the commander of the Alaska National Guard. ... She has been in charge, and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities," he said on ABC.

THE FACTS: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. When guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, they assume those duties under "federal status," which means they report to the Defense Department, not their governors. Alaska's national guard units have a total of about 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of state guard organizations.

FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "We need change, all right — change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington — throw out the big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin."

THE FACTS: A Back-to-the-Future moment. George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, has been president for nearly eight years. And until last year, Republicans controlled Congress. Only since January 2007 have Democrats have been in charge of the House and Senate

Palin paid off in the ratings for McCain. She got 37.2 million viewers so now it's up to McCain to make his post NFL season opener spot on NBC really pay off.

I still haven't read why yet but apparently Obama got $8 million in contributions after her speech.

I'm looking forward to seeing Obama on Bill O'Reily's show tonight at 8:00 est. That should be very interesting. Obama is showing a lot of guts going on that show.

From TheHill.com

Westmoreland calls Obama 'uppity'

By Mike Soraghan Posted: 09/04/08 03:07 PM [ET]

Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the racially-tinged term "uppity" to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday.

Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama.

"Just from what little I've seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

Asked to clarify that he used the word "uppity," Westmoreland said, "Uppity, yeah."

Other Democrats have charged that the Republican campaign to paint the Illinois senator as an "elitist" is racially charged, and accused them of using code words for "uppity" without using the word itself.

In August, Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) told reporters, "When I hear the word 'elitist' linked with Barack Obama, to me, that is a code word for 'uppity.' I find it extremely offensive and John McCain should know better."

Political consultant David Gergen, who has worked in both Republican and Democratic White Houses, said on ABC's "This Week" that "As a native of the south, I can tell you, when you see this Charlton Heston ad, 'The One,' that's code for, 'He's uppity, he ought to stay in his place.' Everybody gets that who is from a Southern background."

The Obama campaign, asked about the quote, did not note any racial context.

"Sounds like Rep. Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from his candidate's eight glass houses," said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Campaigning against the first black major-party nominee has already created some problems for Republicans.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said that Obama's middle name – Hussein – is relevant to the public discourse surrounding his candidacy, saying in March that if Obama were elected, "Then the radical Islamists, the al Qaeda, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they will declare victory in this War on Terror."

At an April 12 event in his district, Kentucky Rep. Geoff Davis ® said of Obama: "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country."

Davis sent a letter of apology to Obama in which he described his remark as a "poor choice of words."

Westmoreland originally supported former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination. He now supports McCain, but missed an August fundraiser for the nominee because he was vacationing with his family.

Edited September 4, 200817 yr by Wales2004

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_.../cvn_fact_check

In respect to taxes it seems the facts actually outweigh what Palin pointed out. He is going to raise taxes on small business. I just dont get how that will help people with jobs as small businesses employ 80% of the nation's workforce.

From TheHill.com

He represents my district. (Westmoreland). I've meet him several times. He is a great man. I think the term uppity can be used to describe a person of any color. How is it racially tinged?

I wasn't offended by you calling Rudy a governor. That's not really the same as relating the party I belong to a group of people that killed millions.

Like I said before it's your prerogative to joke about whatever you like, but you lost my respect when you seemed to think it was cute or ok to joke about republicans being Nazis.

You made it clear that you do not need a lecture, but you still need to realize the impact of your comments.

I lost your respect. Oh darn! As if I give a [!@#$%^&*].

I lost your respect. Oh darn! As if I give a [!@#$%^&*].

Well said.

I think that's kind of a semantics problem. If you're doing something that Bush approves of, then you're "voting" with him.

EXACTLY!!

If semantics are the problem then an exact percentage (90%) cannot be used. There is no way of knowing how Bush would vote on each and every issue. He does not participate in the daily debates in congress. Is there a record somewhere of Bush's stances that would generate an exact numerical number compared with John McCain's votes? Is there public access to this information somewhere that I dont know about or does the Obama camp have exclusive access?

The fact is, this statement that is being used over and over again by the Obama campaign is not true.

I guess if Obama's campaign can draw this conclusion with Bush/McCain, then I could say Obama has voted with Rosie O'Donnell or Michael Moore 90% of the time.

The fact IS Casey that this statement that is being used over and over again by the Obama campaign IS TRUE. The Obama/Biden campaign's latest commercial about McCain and W being the same proves it with John McCain shown in a clip admitting to have voted 90% of the time with W's policies. So if you're saying Obama/Biden and their campaign and their supporters here on SON are lying, then you're calling John McCain a liar too, which is true, but not in this instance. LOL

Maybe not an outright lie, which I never said it was, but it is very misleading. I think it demeans the expected intelligence of the average American. It is in no way based on fact. If you can prove me wrong and provide me with documented examples that prove the accuracy of the 90% conclusion, please do so.

How can you attach a specific percentage to Bush's approval of a vote?

Ask McCain, he said it as well. See Above.

Thanks for that. Now I can further prove my point. McCain's votes are right there in black and white. Where is the Bush agenda documented to created the 90% correlation?

Again see above.

There is a lot left to be "assumed" from the statements coming out of Obama's campaign regarding the McCain/Bush connection. It sounds great to sum it up as McCain voting with Bush 90%, if only it were true.

Again see above!

You know the very first comment that came out of the Obama camp was to downplay Palin's role as Mayor of Wasilla. Is this not the same thing? I guess it's ok to put down small town America if you are promising the world to them out of the other side of your mouth.

The impression I got last night from the questioning of a community organizer is ..what exactly is a community organizer? I dont really know of a specific definition for what that even is.

So it's ok to fire city employees for not supporting you in an election and for wanting to ban books in a library and for

leaving the city that you were mayor of in a $20 million debt?!?!?!?!?

He represents my district. (Westmoreland). I've meet him several times. He is a great man. I think the term uppity can be used to describe a person of any color. How is it racially tinged?

Very racially tinged. "Uppity" has been used by racists for years to describe blacks or other minorities who are trying to make themselves better.

I lost your respect. Oh darn! As if I give a [!@#$%^&*].

Funny As Hell! Jess!

Edited September 6, 200817 yr by Mulder

The Morning After

Nora Ephron

It was a giddy five days, wasn't it? I remember it well. There were blogs, and jokes on the Internet, and bets were made about how long it would last, how soon there would be a resignation. I made one of those bets myself. I said, within the month. Gone within the month. But five days passed and the vice-president was still there.

I'm referring, of course, not to our short happy fling with Sarah Palin, which ended last night with her completely terrifying speech in Minnesota, but to the week that Dick Cheney shot a friend in the face, didn't even go to the hospital to see him, and somehow, after a week, was still standing, as powerful as ever. These Republicans don't go away, and they never admit a mistake, and sometimes, when I remember this, I wonder how I ever forgot it, much less how I ever bet against it.

I forget what I know about conventions too, until I'm reminded every four years. The Democrats are always messy, multi-colored, a civics lesson in democracy, at times a nightmare of what can happen when people find their voices and won't stop talking. This year they had an abbreviated roll call, and the states all went through their introductory paragraphs ... the great state of Whatever ... the home of the God-Knows-Where Water Gap ...the place where daffodils bloom all year long ... and it made me misty thinking of the first night I ever heard a roll call. It was 1956 and I was camping on the rim of the Grand Canyon, listening to the radio and writing down the numbers on a piece of cardboard as the states decided whether Estes Kefauver or John Kennedy would be the vice-president on a ticket headed by Adlai Stevenson, whom I loved with all my heart. It was a thrilling night, and alone in the dark with my portable radio, I felt as if I were part of absolutely everything that was great in the universe.

Then of course, there are the Republicans, and I always forget them too. I forget how white they are, and mean-spirited, and thin-lipped. I watch them and I think, is anyone buying this? Does anyone think we're better off today? That we're "winning" the war? That teaching creationism is simply a matter of exposing students to both sides of the question? That it's sexist to wonder whether a mother who just months ago committed to a Down syndrome child ought to be running for vice-president? Does anyone think that executive experience trumps wisdom and intellect? And who are these people who rise to their feet and cheer loudest when they hear the words "Off-shore drilling"?

But the Republicans do it better. They present a united front. They wait for the applause, they don't roll over it in the interests of keeping the speeches short and on time. They ride the news cycle, they twist the truth, they stick to their talking points, they blah into the wind, blah blah blah blah blah, and in the end, they're still standing.

Now what?

The fact IS Casey that this tatement that is being used over and over again by the Obama campaign IS TRUE. The Obama/Biden campaign's latest commercial about McCain and W being the same proves it with John McCain shown in a clip admitting to have voted 90% of the time with W's policies. So if you're saying Obama/Biden and their campaign and their supporters here on SON are lying, then you're calling John McCain a liar too, which is true, but not in this instance. LOL

Anyone know if this commericial is on youtube? I would like to see McCain saying this...

OBAMA VOTED WITH BUSH 90% OF THE TIME

August 29, 2008 by lucidpenny

Now that I have your attention…

If Barack Obama wants to claim that a McCain presidency is just another Bush term because McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time, I imagine that McCain might be able to spout similar percentages about Obama.

After all, how often did Obama vote with Bush? That’s something I think the public might be interested to know.

According to Dick Morris on Fox News tonight, he said that most of the votes taken on the floor are unanimous because, and I am paraphrasing, “they are often voting on things they are all in agreement about.”

It would be interesting if McCain would bring up this issue to put that whole “MORE OF THE SAME–ANOTHER BUSH TERM” bumper sticker to rest.

Then McCain should go one step further and “explain specifically” on which important issues of our time that he (McCain) and Barack DIFFERED and the reasoning process that went into his decision.

The mere fact that McCain or Obama voted with President Bush a certain percentage of the time means nothing unless we also consider which issues caused them to part ways and vote differently.

Most votes in the Senate are unanimous! So that would mean that for most of those votes where McCain was voting "with Bush" you would find every Democrat voting right along with McCain. Funny we don't see that in the mainstream media. Fact is, where there is an actual contested and meaningful vote in the Senate you'll find McCain voting "with Bush" only 45% of the time.

So it's ok to fire city employees for not supporting you in an election and for wanting to ban books in a library and for

leaving the city that you were mayor of in a $20 million debt?!?!?!?!?

She is known for firing the status quo and shaking up government. What is this $20 mil figure based on? I have not heard this from any other source besides you guys that keep throwing it out here.

Very racially tinged. "Uppity" has been used by racists for years to describe blacks or other minorities who are trying to make themselves better.

Not where I was born and raised. Which is GA right in the thick of "racist" country. Uppity here means "snobby". It seems every attack on Obama is some form or fashion racially motivated.

Funny As Hell! Jess!

Yeah, funny...not to mention beyond rude and sophmoric.

Edited September 4, 200817 yr by Casey008

Ya'll should watch Obama on O'Reily. It's coming on in about 3 minutes. I'm gonna go check it out.

He represents my district. (Westmoreland). I've meet him several times. He is a great man. I think the term uppity can be used to describe a person of any color. How is it racially tinged?

I am a black man who finds that term PATENTLY OFFENSIVE. And I haveNEVER heard anyone but someone of color refered to as uppity.

It's really too bad you don't see a problem with it.

Very racially tinged. "Uppity" has been used by racists for years to describe blacks or other minorities who are trying to make themselves better.

I think that often during the course of exchanging opnions because we're not constantly looking at the post that may have generated a specific reaction, some of the "meat" gets lost.

The word "uppity" can certainly be applied to anyone but it's been more commonly applied as you've noted above. If anyone wants to defend this idiotic statement then I'd love to hear what it really means:

"Just from what little I've seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

From seeing very little of this couple he can tell what their background is and that they're of an elite class that thinks they're uppity. Is anyone willing to agree with him that the Obamas actually think of themselves as uppity? It's a moronic statement period.

Unless he's saying the same thing about other people who have paid their dues and are now in a higher income bracket because of it and are striving to achieve higher goals in life, then the very least one can say about this is it is idiotic.