Hard News: Weekend Warriors
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Perhaps not, but you have to agree there is a strong correlation.
That there is, but it's hardly an absolute correlation.
[My mum goes to church....but now I think about it, not that often anymore....]
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__I might not agree with the core belief but going to church regularly does not = wacko.__
Perhaps not, but you have to agree there is a strong correlation.Perhaps not, but you have to agree there is a strong correlation.
I've got a bridge to sell you if you're going to keep trolling like that...
I mean, if I say "there's a real famine of good books at the moment", am I insulting starving Africans?
I'd certainly hope your taste is literature is slightly better than your prose, but I've been severely underwhelmed by Margaret Atwood's last four books. Equating that to a "gang rape" by a "coward"
upon my literary sensibilities is an analogy so utterly disproportionate to my actual reaction to Oryx and Crake or The Blind Assassin, it's symptomatic of lazy writing born of bad thinking. One mark of a bad writer is when you try and disguise a bad argument by over-heated rhetoric. Don't you think? -
But if we judge her by the content of her character ... She is proud of sending her son to a war zone to fight a war many Americans consider unjust or unwise. Fighting for his country???
Cecelia: Could I make the point that Track Palin and Beau Biden are over the ages of eighteen, and do not require the permission of their parents to volunteer for the armed forces. While Sarah Palin may be quite happy to use her eldest and youngest sons as a campaign tool (as far as I'm aware Joe Biden has not done the same), I'm not going to use two young men as cudgels to beat their parents over the head with.
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I'm not going to use two young men as cudgels to beat their parents over the head with.
*cough* I should point out that Beau Biden is thirty-nine, and the incumbent Attorney General of Delaware. Not exactly a wee bairn. :)
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In overnight:
The Troopergate documentation, which, as the article says, indicates a degree of obsessiveness on the governor's behalf.
And Palin makes a really dumb economic gaffe.
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Going back to an earlier page, I think that Sarah Palin is pretty. She looks really good, an unusual thing in a politician?
...sarcasm, yes? Or are we actually scraping the bottom of the barrel and judging female politicians on their looks?
Then again, judging by comments in the American media that have gone something like "I'd vote for Palin because she's hot and would do my dishes", um, maybe not. We've also had a number of mainstream outlets announcing that she's the new face of feminism. *sigh* Nothing like a bunch of old white men decreeing the bounds of "feminism", is there?
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Meanwhile, it looks like the McCain-Palin machine have found a journo who will show Palin 'proper deference': Come on down ABC's Charlie Gibson.
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Then again, judging by comments in the American media that have gone something like "I'd vote for Palin because she's hot and would do my dishes", um, maybe not.
Well, I don't think Palin is particularly hot - which is neither here nor there. Australian deputy PM Julia Gillard and British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith aren't exactly visually offensive, but that doesn't shorten the (astronomical) odds against me ever voting for any iteration of the Labour Party. John Key certainly doesn't have rushing for a cold shower.
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Back to Coddington, I'm delighted to see Tze Ming back briefly to deliver the gracious skewering that the snivelling coward deserved.
Coddington unrepentently rubs it in by "apologising" to those Asians "who are not engaged in criminal activity". Wonder if she was a little bitch in the schoolyard or if she's grown into it? Me angry too, and not so gracious.
Have to agree with Russell's recent observation about the preponderance of right-wing bullies who cry victim when they're confronted - in this case with outright lying about her central topic. Lying which was proved to the satisfaction of the Press Council at the time.
Maybe her editor needs reminding of that, as I wonder if there is any comeback for repeating falsehoods after a judgement has been delivered.
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Meanwhile, it looks like the McCain-Palin machine have found a journo who will show Palin 'proper deference': Come on down ABC's Charlie Gibson.
Josh Marshall had a useful comment on why the multiple interview format is a bad idea for journalists:
Political interviews are never done like this. Because it makes the questioning entirely at the discretion of the person being interviewed and their handlers. The interviewer has to be on their best behavior, at least until the last of the 'multiple interviews' because otherwise the subsequent sittings just won't happen. For a political journalist to agree to such terms amounts to a form of self-gelding. The only interviews that are done this way are lifestyle and celebrity interviews. And it's pretty clear that that is what this will be.
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And she believes in teaching creationism!
Yeh, this is what does me in (not that I needed much encouragement). And sadly, it seems you have to be of the high-5'ing fundamentalist variety to get a look in with the GOP nowadays. Could a fiscally conservative, socially less conservative agnostic get the nod nowadays? I doubt it.
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Josh Marshall had a useful comment on why the multiple interview format is a bad idea for journalists:
And as far as I'm aware, Palin is still being kept away from the live Sunday shows that are not exactly known for being particularly "deferential" to their guests -- even on Fox, where one might surmise Palin woud hardly be facing unfriendly fire.
Meanwhile, is the the media scandal de jour that Palin is dodging interviews with actual journalists? Don't be silly!:
Oprah Winfrey, America's favourite daytime television star, has refused to have Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin as a guest on her talk show.
Winfrey, a prominent supporter of Democratic nominee Barack Obama, has faced pressure from conservative commentators and pundits who say Palin would be a perfect interview for her female-heavy audience. Such an appearance would be a huge coup for the John McCain campaign.
Palin, the party's first female vice-presidential choice, is making a play to women voters.
But Winfrey, responding to rumours on conservative websites such as the Drudge Report that her staff were divided on the issue, squashed the idea of an interview.
"When I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates," she said.
First: Who gives a shit? Second: Nice case of the lead not actually supporting the story, isn't it?
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Could a fiscally conservative, socially less conservative agnostic get the nod nowadays? I doubt it.
You doubt someone like John McCain has a chance of securing the GOP nomination? Interesting.
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About Palin's pride in her soldier son ...
I know she didn't "send" him but her status as a loving "Mom" conflicts in my bigoted left wing NZ mind with her stated pride in his willingness to fight in Vietnam ... oops Iraq.
When I had my three sons - potential cannon fodder to someone of my generation - I prayed to God (whom I don't believe in) that I would never see them enlisted to fight in a war. (These days girls go too, so ...) But Palin is positively gleeful about her Track going to war. A pretty damn pointless war. He could die.
sorry about the syntax, Russell - I'm home on sick leave - brain not in gear - running on instinct ...
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You doubt someone like John McCain has a chance of securing the GOP nomination? Interesting.
It's why he failed in 2000 (plus he couldn't compete dollars-wise) and why he is pandering to them this time.
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You doubt someone like John McCain has a chance of securing the GOP nomination? Interesting.
Well, I certainly think someone like moderate Maine Senator Olympia Snowe (who anywhere else in the world would be considered firmly on the center-right) would have been totally unacceptable to the theo-con base as a veep nominee. Even Kay Bailey Hutchinson, whose conservative bona fides are impeccable except on abortion, wasn't.
I know she didn't "send" him but her status as a loving "Mom" conflicts in my bigoted left wing NZ mind with her stated pride in his willingness to fight in Vietnam ... oops Iraq.
Well, Cecelia, as I said perhaps we could criticise the candidate -- and leave her oldest son (and Joe Biden's and John McCain's) -- out of it. I prefer not to play Palin's game by her rules. I certainly prefer Joe Biden's attitude, that whatever his views on Iraq he respects his son's choices, and that he has to honour the commitments he makes in life.
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Nothing like a bunch of old white men decreeing the bounds of "feminism", is there?
There are few things, maybe a bunch of feminist leaders praising the virtues of old white men over young working mothers.
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Well, I certainly think someone like moderate Maine Senator Olympia Snowe (who anywhere else in the world would be considered firmly on the center-right) would have been totally unacceptable to the theo-con base as a veep nominee. Even Kay Bailey Hutchinson, whose conservative bona fides are impeccable except on abortion, wasn't.
Yeah. I also understand why McCain has had to go socially conservative, so that between the two positions he's bridging the republican divide, energising the base etc.
It's very season 6/7 of the West Wing, except Alan Alda made a much more appealing Republican candidate.
Why he chose this social conservative however... who knows.
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Why he chose this social conservative however
So did Alda.
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Well, I certainly think someone like moderate Maine Senator Olympia Snowe (who anywhere else in the world would be considered firmly on the center-right) would have been totally unacceptable to the theo-con base as a veep nominee.
If by some chance Huckabee had been selected to run for president Snowe would have been amoung the VP favorites and your going off the deep end against the GOP would have been justified. But instead they pick McCain who hits most all the boxes you proclaim to support (by GOP standards socially moderate/fiscally conservative) and the world is not going to end if Palin (social conservative/fiscal conservative) lands the most prestigious non-job in America.
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There are few things, maybe a bunch of feminist leaders praising the virtues of old white men over young working mothers.
Well, unless Kim Gandy has multiple personality disorder I don't think one column by one woman constitutes a "bunch"; nor are 'feminists' some Borg Collective-ette who think the same way about everything.
Nice try, Angus. But no tobacco phallic substitute. Back on planet Earth, I'll take the same attitude towards Palin I took towards Hillary Clinton. I've no problem with women in the White House -- but not them.
And I look forward to the day the Republican Party decides to take competent, experienced and credible women in their own ranks -- like Snowe and Hutchinson -- seriously. Palin is, by any serious measure a cynical sop to the theo-con far right, and an equally cynical expression of the belief that centerist women will just vote for anything with a vagina, and don't really care about substantive policy questions or a candidate's record. As, in effect, the first insight we get into the kind of decision-making that would come from President McCain I can't say I'm impressed.
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I just received a notification from FactCheck.org re "Sliming Palin"
We've been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain's running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.
* Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska
by 62 percent. She didn't cut it at all. In fact, she tripled
per-pupil funding over just three years.* She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla
library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even
in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?"
question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of
Palin's first term.* She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a
group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She’s been registered as a Republican since May 1982.* Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president.
She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesty" when he visited
Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the
campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.* Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's
schools. She has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the evolution question, but she also said creationism
"doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."A few of these claims were included in a chain e-mail by a woman named Anne Kilkenny. We'll be looking into other charges in that e-mail for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points above, please read the Analysis.
Note: This is a summary only. The full article with analysis, images
and citations may be viewed on our Web site:FactCheck is usually pretty impartial, so I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, we all know that a lot of the stuff on the nets and quoted here is bullshit.
THe stuff that isn't bullshit is enough to give one pause though. I'm hapfway through the inquiry note on Wooten that Russ linked to earlier. Talk about muddying the waters and hearsay! Palin hired a PI to go round and question people before the assigned investigator got to them. Rehearsing witnesses, anyone?
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And Palin makes a really dumb economic gaffe.
Oh good god. You could put that down to not reading the brief well enough and being confused over timing/sequence but I agree with the commentator; it suggests a lack of any real knowledge. And given the interconnectedness of the finance industry, we should all be a little more wary.
Did anyone click through to the Alec Baldwin piece that was sidebar on the original link - it's great. McCain's not the Bush-like character, Palin is; no record, no knowledge of foriegn affairs, just pretty and plain-spoken.
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If by some chance Huckabee had been selected to run for president Snowe would have been amoung the VP favorites
Want to source that, Angus? Because anyone who really wants to argue that Snowe's positions on gays, abortion, the prosecution of the War on Terror and the Iraq War would have been acceptable to the base is either ignorant, or making shit up.
and the world is not going to end if Palin (social conservative/fiscal conservative) lands the most prestigious non-job in America.
Angus: Please go read the Constitution of the United States, and try and be a little more informed on what the Vice President actually does than Palin was.
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I've read through the transcripts of interviews re Troopergate, and the report, and I've got to say that, while Wooten seems to be a big noter with anger issues, the "evidence" against him is preposterous. What's really interesting is how inarticulate Palin is most of the time when responding to questions that she hasn't prepared for. Where she finds her voice is for stuff she's rehashed or for political sidelines. I'm surprised Sgt Wall didn't mark her down as an unreliable witness.
And, if you're looking for poor judgement, how about that glowing reference she wrote in 2000 for someone she obviously had little knowledge of?
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