Michelle Malkin » STUNNER: A Palin announcement: Resigning in weeks; “It hurts to make this choice. But I’m doing what’s best for Alaska”

STUNNER: A Palin announcement: Resigning in weeks; “It hurts to make this choice. But I’m doing what’s best for Alaska”

By Michelle Malkin • July 3, 2009 03:04 PM

Scroll down for updates…

Lots of heavy media anticipation over a Sarah Palin announcement expected any minute from Wasilla.

Here’s CBS:

There was no indication as to the topic of the announcement.

CBSNews.com producer Scott Conroy, who covered Palin’s vice presidential campaign last year, said it is rare that Palin sends a press release out nationally.

Feel free to speculate.

Allahpundit has a developing round-up; multiple sources reporting that Palin will say she’s not going to run for governor again in 2010.

Here comes 2012?

***

A contrary take: FNC’s Chris Wallace take the announcement as a sign that Palin is not interested in pursuing national politics.

Palin supporters take cable news anchors to task for puzzling over announcement on “slow holiday news day” and missing Independence Day timing.

Latest from BNO on Twitter: Palin resigning in weeks????

From KTUU TV in Alaska:

Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office in a few weeks, she said during a news conference at her Wasilla home Friday morning.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the Governor’s Picnic at the end of the month, Palin said.

There was no immediate word as to why she will resign, though speculation has been rampant that the former vice presidential candidate is gearing up for a run at the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Palin made the announcement flanked by Parnell and most, if not all, of her cabinet.

***

CNN showing the press conference video:

Palin: “I love my job. I love Alaska. It hurts to make this choice. But I’m doing what’s best for Alaska.” Tears in her eyes.

Says she will be able “to effect change from the outside.” America needs protectors of individual rights now more than ever. Promises to always be there for Alaska. Wants to work not just for Alaska, for the rest of the country. Taking a fight for Alaska in a new direction. Quotes MacArthur: “We are not retreating, just advancing in a different direction.”

Lt Gov. Sean Parnell says he receives announcement with a “heavy heart.” Thanks Sarah for inspiring so many.

More from press conference: After touting Alaska’s accomplishments, Palin laments “politics of personal destruction.” Notes attacks. $500,000 in legal bills. “Life is about choices. I choose a path of fruitfulness and productivity. Life is too short to compromise time and resources…I will work very hard for others…I will support others…”
***

Chuck Heath, Palin’s brother, on FNC talking about incessant attacks. Very emotional. “It’s weighed on her a long time.” Couldn’t effectively govern when having to defend herself against attacks.

The Anchoress is wondering what’s really going on:

Either she or someone in her family is ill, and she wants to keep it private and not subject it to the vulgarity of the Palin-hating beasts in the press, who savaged her last year, or…she and Todd are on the rocks, and she doesn’t want to subject her children and her marriage to the same vulgarity.

Can’t say I blame her in either case. And I hope I’m wrong on both counts.

But nothing else makes sense, does it?

Sarah Palin Tweets:

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#737549

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm, Ragspierre said:

Rags: I don’t put bumper stickers on my car, that’s for limousine liberals. I go out and do something constructive like go to Tea Party rallies, write letters, send faxes, make phone calls, vote.

But, dear lad, I have been doing that for several decades. It AIN’T WORKING!

Oh, and did you notice… We are in a paradigm shift!

Good luck with your foolish and childish bumper sticker stunt.

Otherwise known as “a grass-roots movement”. Or a-d-v-e-r-t-i-s-i-n-g. You know, marketing. It’s the process one uses to reach others with an idea. Provided one has an idea…

You must be a Texas RINO stooge working for the next Bush (Gov Perry?

You mean the guy I call “Gov. Goodhair” on these boards? Please…

The idiot who thinks the Texas has language in its constitution giving it an explicit right to secede from the Union?

All states have a right to secede. Or don’t you believe that part in the Declaration where it talks about, “When in the course of human events…”????

Do you “Har, har, har” at Mr. Jefferson, then?

When the States formed their attempt at a “…more perfect Union…” did they give up their sovereignty? Where do you find that in the text?
#737553

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:26 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

I guess we’ll have to re-write history to eliminate that 3rd party president Abe Lincoln. No point attempting anything that is difficult. Easier to the easy things like hold your nose and vote for “the lesser of two liberals”. Let’s not waste our time fighting for specific things, better to stand for nothing and try to be everything to everybody.

Man, are you guys in the wrong place. This is a CONSERVATIVE website, not Republican. Have you RINIs not learned anything at all from Michelle?
#737554

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:28 pm, sonofdy said:

Pasadena Phil: It must be lonely having the only valid conservative view. People of good will can disagree without being labeled a rino.
#737555

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm, Ragspierre said:

BTW, those of you who strongly support Palin, do you now see what is wrong with phony conservatives like Rags? They are not conservatives, they are GOP plants who try to steer the discussion on these conservative websites into philosophical and tactical dead-ends. Only a dedicated dyed-in-the-wool RINO would argue at this site that the only path to conservative victory is through the GOP. I’ll let everyone decide for themselves who the “whacko” is between me and Raggy.

Son, I never made any such argument. My three options are right there, and you didn’t deal with any of them.

Do you see another option?

BTW, I made my contribution to Gov. Palin. How ’bout you?

I also voted for her in the last election, pup.

The best way currently available for us to take over the party…wage a separate campaign and then reshape the party on her own terms when the GOP collapses for lack of a viable alternative.

Hmmmm….

Sounds like a Republican Party option to me…

‘Splan to me how that jibes with your first paragraph…
#737557

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, atheling said:

This is the best analysis of Sarah’s move I’ve read so far.

And be sure to read his link to his letter to Jonah Goldberg. It was SPOT ON.
#737558

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:38 pm, atheling said:

Ooops, the link to the letter to Goldberg is by Joshua Livestro, not the author of the article.
#737561

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:44 pm, Ragspierre said:

Let’s not waste our time fighting for specific things, better to stand for nothing and try to be everything to everybody.

Eww…I gotta an idea….!!!

How about we take our nation back from the political class…!!!

How about we FORCE a Constitutional Renaissance…!!!

or, we could try Civics 101 again…

No risk in that…

And patriots like PP won’t loose their rice bowl if we don’t take any risks…

And the Progressive ratchet will just keep clicking…

Always in the same direction.

RINO? Not this little gray duck. I am a radical, and I’ve been one for a long, long time. Radis, in Latin means “root”. I go to the root of our problem, and I have suggested a means…a tool…to effect change on that level.

Moral, peaceful, and proven effective…

if supported by people who really believe in what they say.
#737569

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:00 pm, Ragspierre said:

atheling said:

Let me relate a story my Mom told me about Reagan.

Mom and Dad were both in the movies, and both belonged to the Screen Actor’s Guild during the time Reagan was its President.

Mom once told me she was on a set with Reagan. Every spare minute, she said, he would have his nose in a book. She was impressed by that.

I didn’t read Krauthammer or Goldberg as attacking Palin so much as offering constructive criticism, which a lot of people simply cannot abide.

If she is doing what I hope she is doing, she came to the same conclusions as they. She has a lot of learning to do, and an image that has to be made. Just like Reagan did during his wilderness years.

We forget how Reagan was excoriated by the Republican power elite in his early years. He did EXACTLY what he needed to do in response, and quietly, patiently BUILT his image, his resume’, and his own power-base.

I VERY much hope that Gov. Palin is on that path.

Just as I HOPE Gov. Jindal is doing…
#737571

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:09 pm, Ragspierre said:

H

ave you RINIs not learned anything at all from Michelle?

That would be the lady who you accuse me of “sucking up to”…

Isn’t she one of those RINOs over at Townhall that you love to hate…???
#737575

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pm, atheling said:

Ragspierre:

I have a beef with Goldberg’s open letter:

His tone was so condescending, so arrogant, so angry, that it is less advice as he claims, and more of an open declaration of war. “You’re blowing it”, “you won’t win the nomination, more important, you won’t deserve to”,“Stay home and do your job and your homework”…

Are these appropriate words and phrases to a sitting governor and vice presidential nominee? Do you think Goldberg would have publicly spoken like that to Romney or McCain? No, what I see is an arrogant country club Republican talking down to a woman he disdains.

He broke Reagan’s 11th Commandment: Speak no ill of fellow Republicans, advice that many other Republicans should heed. If he wanted to be this savage to Gov. Palin, he should have done it privately.

I’ve had it with the Republican party, and if they continue to beat up on Sarah Palin, they should expect no support from me, and many others who are fed up with their elitism. If Sarah Palin formed a 3rd Party, I would leave the GOP, and I know others would as well. That break would spell the end of the GOP, so they better watch their step.

Bill Kristol kept on braying about Sarah needing to hang around “intellectuals” in order to become a serious contender. Well, I’ve got news for that little man: we’ve had enough of the “intellectual” class running this country. Since Woodrow Wilson, this class of people have contributed to the destruction of this country, and I’d rather have a rube from Iowa or Alaska in the White House than any Poison Ivy League graduate.
#737576

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:25 pm, Roland said:

I don’t understand all of the talk about whether or not resigning was good for Palin’s political future.

1) She decided not to run for re-election in 2010. There could be many different reasons for that, none of them ‘bad’ for her.

2) Given that she was going to announce she wasn’t going to run for re-election, does ANYONE on either the left or right really believe it would have been better for the PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA (you know, the people Palin swore to serve when she took office) for her to ‘finish the job’ instead of turning it over to her Lieutenant Governor, whose character and competence she trusts, to serve the rest of the term???

Seriously. Given the bombardment Palin was under, couldn’t she have figured Parnell could do a better job? Wouldn’t any sane person think so?

There’s something seriously disconnected from reality in just about everything we read in the news today, and it doesn’t get much better even here on conservative sites on the internet.

It IS NOT COMPLICATED. She did the right thing. Was it a good thing for HER? Obviously. If the people hold it against her, they don’t deserve her in the future. If they don’t hold it against her, then it was obviously good for everyone ….. except for the forces of darkness, of course.
#737577

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:29 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

We forget how Reagan was excoriated by the Republican power elite in his early years.

And some of them still are–afraid of backlash they try to couch it in “in this era” language but they still resent his going directly to the American people. Much of this Republican power elite is all too much like BroBama–internationalist first, Americans second if at all–McCain, Bush 1 and to a lesser extant Bush 2 being sub-prime examples.

And now that I know Ragspierre is a little gray duck I shall have to be careful during duck season
#737579

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:37 pm, vickisoup said:

Reagan didn’t have it as hard. Praying for her family…..and for our country. Look at what we’ve become, because of the likes of Sanford, Stevens and Craig, to name only a few. The GOP has absolutely no credibility anymore, and it keeps costing us election after election. That the world would even give a glance toward the depravity of the Democrats, all the while excoriating this upstanding woman and her family, signals the imminent return of the One who will make all things new. God bless America.
#737580

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:39 pm, love2rumba said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, atheling said:
This is the best analysis of Sarah’s move I’ve read so far.

I agree, Atheling. The visible benefit to her of her staying on as Alaska Governor isn’t really going to outweigh the governorship’s costs imposed by the new political reality of how successful campaigns are had as compared to the past.

Right now there is no serious, credible conservative leadership within the GOP other than ourselves, and we need better from those politicians who would claim to represent us. Palin could provide that leadership and invigoration.
#737584

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:52 pm, Ragspierre said:

Since Woodrow Wilson, this class of people have contributed to the destruction of this country, and I’d rather have a rube from Iowa or Alaska in the White House than any Poison Ivy League graduate.

There we are certainly in agreement.

Sarahcuda was the SOLE reason the election was not a complete blow-out. Her selection as VP candidate was, IMNHO, genius, and I said it at the time. True to form, however, McAnus did everything he could to muffle her great affect.

I do, however, disagree with some other points. Goldberg was one of the first in the pundit class to laud Gov. Palin. I think you’ll find him on record as decidedly AGAINST McAnus.

I also think Reagan had it right with respect to listening to any voice that might have something to contribute.

I think Ron Paul is a loon, but I still take what he says that has any merit and put it in the hopper. A good idea is gold, wherever you find it, and I think we turn people off at our own peril.

I also think that we can allow prejudice to work against us. William F. Buckley was certainly an intellectual. So was Reagan, in my estimation, though a lot of Collectivist elites would say otherwise. Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, V.D. Hanson, and John Bolton are all squarely in that category, too. You could name several others, I’m sure.

Lady Thatcher, whose father was a grocer, has said pretty much the same things about Gov. Palin’s need to do some building. She speaks from experience.

Would it not be wonderful if, in the fullness of time, Palin could be a force in our own country as great as Thatcher?
#737585

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm, love2rumba said:

Reagan didn’t have it as hard….

That is because the dems/libs back then were extremely supercilious…they could not mentally contemplate the idea that a conservative politican like Goldwater, etc. could possibly be elected as President after FDR and the New Deal. This belief was something I noticed back in the 1970s when I was between 12-15 years old, and that belief was overwhelming in their minds and in those minds of independents.

The dems /libs now are simply nuts and/or evil.
#737587

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:57 pm, rightisright said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pm, atheling:

well said atheling, I’m in total agreement.

Goldberg is another so called republican conservative that just bit the dust imho.
the present day repubs are a pile lyin’, elitist bastards interested in one thing, themselves.

I’d like to see her be independent if that’s what it takes, but once again using Ross Perot as an example, that may be mountain to high to climb. I realize Mr.Perot was a little quirky at times, even at he garnered a respectful showing, knocking the incumbent out of office. In the end he was spoiler not the answer.
The better approach may be to convince the voting public to wake up the GOP to reality and get back to traditional values.
#737588

On July 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm, atheling said:

Ragspierre:

Don’t you have any comment on the tone of Goldberg’s open letter? Don’t you think it shows disrespect to Governor Palin?

I think we are seeing a pattern of condescension towards women in the GOP. I recall that Michelle Bachman was mocked by Ed Morrissey at Hotair, and further attacks by him on Gov. Palin. Both are solid conservative women, but why are the GOP talking heads attacking them?

Because they are Male Country Club First Elites, that’s why.
#737593

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:12 pm, rightisright said:

anyone see the so called “fair and balanced” foxnews sunday coffee clutch headed by the left leaning Cris Wallace? The panel is made up of 4, 1 semi-conservative the other 3 left wingers and the left calls fox news right wing. The left didn’t get it when they had a liberal the previous 8 years as president…not far enough left I presume. Just can’t satisfy a liberal. They have to be the most unhappy people in America.

That was the 1st time I’ve watched fox in weeks, and it will be a lot more weeks before tuning in again. “Fair n’ Balanced” my butt.
#737596

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:20 pm, America1st said:

“How about we FORCE a Constitutional Renaissance…!!!”

Great Idea but lets take it even further. How about an American Renaissance. Lets focus on our Country and it’s people and our needs to the exclusion of the world that we bootstrap and support despite their hate and scorn and treachery.

Lets cap all foreign aid (especially to the UN) and put all that money into our infrastructure and schools and factories. It would be so simple to harness our productivity for our greater good.

Let the world see what it is like for a while without the great satan picking up the tab. Let the world see how far we could rise and how wonderful it would be to be privileged enough to live here.

Unfortunately, that will never happen with a president who hates America and wants to harness it’s productivity for the rest of the world.

Anyone who would run on an American Renaissance for ALL Americans Platform would win in a landslide. Anyone who could deliver and start making it happen would ensure party dominance for terms and terms.
#737599

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:28 pm, Ragspierre said:

atheling said: Don’t you have any comment on the tone of Goldberg’s open letter? Don’t you think it shows disrespect to Governor Palin?

I went back and re-read Goldberg.

I might have put things differently, but a lot of what he said was on point.

Was he disrespectful? Aren’t we saying many times here that our politicians don’t need to be respected as much as told what we need them to hear?

I guess perhaps some of what he said was disrespectful. A lot of what he said was laudatory, too. My read is that he clearly likes her, and wants her to succeed.

I don’t agree that Palin always whines about press coverage. I think that was simply wrong.

But I DO remember Reagan very well. I remember that he seldom…if ever…complained. W was possessed of the same strength, for good or ill.

In the net, I have to say that I stand by what I said earlier. I didn’t see Goldberg savaging Palin at all. I saw him saying things he thought needed said. Some of those things I think are solid, others are not. But in the main, he supports her, and wants to support her more still.

My friends…and I use that term much more exclusively than do most…tell me things I don’t want to hear when they need to. I return that act of trust and loyalty, because they are my friends. That, to me, is an expression of the Golden Rule.
#737607

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:39 pm, rambler said:

rightisright said…

I watched it and had to send an email. I thought they all missed the point. They are still viewing things within the context of what is acceptable to the political machines. The rise of the Tea Parties should be some indication that the American public is fed up with the “next in line”, play by party rules structures. Sarah can do the most damage by separating her self from party control. The GOP would just jerk her around and have her campaigning for the next party loser. She shouldn’t have to waste her time. I think the GOP elites fear her as much if not more than the Dems. So while all with PDS are still doing the happy dance and the parties think she is toast, the rest of us know that something different will emerge. Sarah speaks from the heart without a teleprompter. I’d like to see the elites try to do that. None of the elites seem to have a heart or care about the people they were elected to serve.
#737617

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:48 pm, atheling said:

Ragspierre:

Reagan had nothing to complain about compared to what has been levelled against Palin.

NOTHING.

I was an adult during the Reagan years, and I don’t recall his children being attacked, speculations made on the parentage of his children, cartoons published of some thug punching Reagan in the face, jokes made about raping him or his family members, etc…

Tell me, did all that happen to President Reagan? After the bullying done against President Bush, whose silence was maddening, you expect Sarah Palin to sit back and take it? She was NOT whining! Every bloody interview would bring up Letterman, and she had to answer!

You’re making lame excuses for the RINO Elite Wing of the GOP, even defending their unfair attacks on her! What of Reagan’s 11th Commandment? Nothing to say about that?

Have you heard Sarah beat up on Romney? Or McCain? She is the one adhering to Reagan, not them or their sleazy staff!

How you can sit here and defend Goldberg’s snark is beyond me. You need to take a good look at the big picture, because from where I sit, you are smack dab in the middle of that Country Club, mister.
#737620

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:53 pm, atheling said:

BTW, Ragspierre:

Do your “friends” give you condescending advice in public?

Do they tell you you deserve to lose? Do they publicly humiliate you and call you a quitter, or that you need to do your homework? Do they publish advice to you for the world to see? Or do they take you aside privately and tell you?

Don’t give me that rubbish.
#737623

On July 5th, 2009 at 3:56 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

That is because the dems/libs back then were extremely supercilious…

You said that nicer than I would love2rumba-good for you.

The dems /libs were pretty much simply nuts and/or evil then-just not as bold. Remember how they tried to be all patriotic and such at Cut and Run Kerry’s nomination speech but just could not hold their inner evil hidden long.
#737628

On July 5th, 2009 at 4:16 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

Whatever Palin does whether it’s in public or private life, there will always be a media storm around her.

I have not figured out what the deal is, but I have some ideas…

That’s why I started a new Twitter page/site…

http://twitter.com/fightthesmears

Yes, that’s the same thing Odumbo did when he thought he was being smeared (please let’s be serious, who “smeared” the guy, the media?), so he started a website called fightthesmears dot com. The person who really deserves that is Sarah Palin.

After the vile stuff today on the Internet and listening to everyone speculate about her, I decided I had enough and had to do something.

I figure every little bit helps.
#737635

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:41 pm, Ragspierre said:

“There is absolutely no truth to those rumors that we’re investigating her or getting ready to indict her [Gov. Palin],” Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. “It’s just not true.” He added that there was “no wiggle room” in his comments for any kind of inquiry.

LA Times

Just a note from the Country Club Cou Rouge…
#737638

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:52 pm, chapoutier said:

“There is absolutely no truth to those rumors that we’re investigating her or getting ready to indict her [Gov. Palin],” Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. “It’s just not true.”

Ahhh…they are not investigating and not getting ready to indict, but he very cleverly avoided saying they they were not getting ready to investigate her.

Well played, Special Agent Eric Gonzalez.
#737640

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:55 pm, atheling said:

Just a note from the Country Club Cou Rouge…

Aww, is someone whining?
#737641

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:56 pm, Ragspierre said:

Ahhh…they are not investigating and not getting ready to indict, but he very cleverly avoided saying they they were not getting ready to investigate her.

Well played, Special Agent Eric Gonzalez.

And nice innuendo, there, Chaps.

It would be fair to say that the FBI was getting ready to investigate THE ONE, by that standard.
#737642

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:52 pm, chapoutier said: he very cleverly avoided saying they they were not getting ready to investigate her.

Snort. You’re a pathetic crappy lawyer.

Let us know when you find out anything of substance, lightweight.
#737643

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm, Ragspierre said:

Aww, is someone whining?

Only if you include poking you in the eye in the definition of “whining”….
#737644

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm, purplepeep said:

atheling said:

Ragspierre:

I have a beef with Goldberg’s open letter:

His tone was so condescending, so arrogant, so angry, that it is less advice as he claims, and more of an open declaration of war. “You’re blowing it”, “you won’t win the nomination, more important, you won’t deserve to”,“Stay home and do your job and your homework”…

I don’t usually have a beef with Jonah, but I do agree he was totally condescending here. That’s not too becoming of someone who only got a pundit gig because of “who his Mom is” in the first place. Condescendence goes both ways, heh.
#737645

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:59 pm, chapoutier said:

And nice innuendo, there, Chaps.

Jeez. Have you lost all sense of humor?

Chillax, dude. It was only a joke about his “wiggle room” comment.
#737647

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm, chapoutier said:

Snort. You’re a pathetic crappy lawyer.

Yeah, my clients think so little of me that I continue to work for my two biggest after I left my firm.

I’d say you were a pathetic, crappy “whatever” but the only thing I know you do is post comments….HEY! That works!
#737648

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:05 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 5:52 pm, chapoutier said

Here you go, a**wipe:

On July 3rd, 2009, Governor Sarah Palin announced her intent to resign her gubernatorial duties and transfer the powers of Governor to Lt. Governor Sean Parnell.

Almost immediately afterwards, several unscrupulous people have asserted false and defamatory allegations that the “real” reasons for Governor Palin’s resignation stem from an alleged criminal investigation pertaining to the construction of the Wasilla Sports Complex. This canard was first floated by Democrat operatives in September 2008 during the national campaign and followed up by sympathetic Democratic writers.1. It was easily rebutted then as one of many fabrications about Sarah Palin. Just as power abhors a vacuum, modern journalism apparently abhors any type of due diligence and fact checking before scurrilous allegations are repeated as fact…

…We are aware of no subpoenas on SBS regarding the Palins. We are aware that the Federal Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation have been helpful, responsive and diligent in prosecuting the email hacker and in cleaning up Alaska’s corrupt legislators. To be blunt—this “story” was alleged during the campaign, evaluated then by national media and deemed meritless. Nothing has changed.

To the extent several websites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as “fact” that Governor Palin resigned because she is “under federal investigation” for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation. This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law. The Alaska Constitution protects the right of free speech, while simultaneously holding those “responsible for the abuse of that right.” Alaska Constitution Art. I, Sec. 5. http://ltgov.state.ak.us/constitution.php?section=1. These falsehoods abuse the right to free speech; continuing to publish these falsehoods of criminal activity is reckless, done without any regard for the truth, and is actionable.

Thomas Van Flein, for
Governor Sarah Palin
#737654

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:15 pm, Ragspierre said:

“How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it’s about country. And though it’s honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make.”

While I agree TOTALLY with the substance of that statement, it should have been made by one her many surrogates.

From her, in her position, it can easily be depicted as whiny.

Do I blame her for pushing back? HELL no! But she’s a politician, and she has to build a perception of who she is.

It can be a cardinal mistake to show your opposition…especially these depraved haters on the Left…that they are drawing blood.
#737655

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:16 pm, atheling said:

So thanks, Chapoutier the A**wipe, for proving what an “unscrupulous” and “reckless” person you are.

Keep on posting lies, I’ll be sure to send them to Mr. Van Flein, you slimeball lawyer. Maybe you should lose your license for libel and defamation of character.
#737656

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:16 pm, chapoutier said:

Thanks atheling. But I already read that like months ago.
#737657

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:17 pm, purplepeep said:

chapoutier said:

“Snort. You’re a pathetic crappy lawyer.”

Yeah, my clients think so little of me that I continue to work for my two biggest after I left my firm.

Truth be told, Chappy, we don’t know if you’ve ever even attended a law school or passed a bar exam, much less be a practicing attorney. It’s not uncommon for people to use such claims in an attempt to add a bit o’ “gravitas” to their IMHOs.

Not calling you a liar, it’s a “just sayin’” thing.
#737658

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:19 pm, atheling said:

Ragspierre:

She will no longer be a politican, so she can fight back and act as kingmaker in 2010.

You never responded to my question as to whether your “friends” post advice to you in public forums in terms that are humiliating and insulting.

Do they?
#737659

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:20 pm, chapoutier said:

Keep on posting lies, I’ll be sure to send them to Mr. Van Flein, you slimeball lawyer.

You are a trip. Pray tell, what lie? My claim that Gonzalez did not say the words “getting ready to investigate”? That is easily provable since his quote is right there in plain sight.

You might have a bit better luck making up some Palin hate fantasy you claim I have if this wasn’t a thread where I had specifically defended her not once, but twice.
#737660

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:23 pm, atheling said:

If he is one, he’s a crappy lawyer because he is no deep thinker, nor is he capable of logical thought.

He is Slick Willy, only capable of making quick sound bytes, and quips that signify nothing.

A mental lightweight, whose intellectual achievements consist of one line zingers without substance, and reflect no character.

He takes cheap shots, because he is incapable of anything more.

Cheap, slick, superficial.
#737661

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:23 pm, Ragspierre said:

That’s not too becoming of someone who only got a pundit gig because of “who his Mom is” in the first place. Condescendence goes both ways, heh.

I dunno…

To me, Goldberg earned his chops with pieces like this…

http://nrd.nationalreview.com/article/?q=NTRjNzA4NDZmNTc3OTk1ZmNmNzM4ZDEwMzEwNjBkYjg

However he got his foot in the door.

As for that Eleventh Commandment thing…

I think Reagan was speaking of REPUBLICAN office holders.

I think he was wrong as he could be if he meant anyone else.

It doesn’t much apply to me, being a NOT Republican.

And how many times has our host violated it (without a demurrer from anyone here)?
#737662

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:24 pm, atheling said:

Oh, I’m just joking, Cha*sswipe!

Where’s your sense of humor?
#737663

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:27 pm, Ragspierre said:

You never responded to my question as to whether your “friends” post advice to you in public forums in terms that are humiliating and insulting.

No. My friends don’t. But I am not a public person. Quite the opposite.

Were I a public person, I think I could tell friend from foe, as I trust Gov. Palin can.
#737664

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:27 pm, chapoutier said:

Not calling you a liar, it’s a “just sayin’” thing.

In Georgetown Law, I was in 1st section. My small section Torts teacher was Mari Matsuda and the absolute worst Evidence professor is Tague, whose nickname is “Vague Tague.” I had Marty Ginsburg for two tax classes. He is husband to Justice Ginsburg, and always jokes that he left his NYC job whan his wife go a “really good job offer.” The best Contracts Professor is Goldberg, who famously always opens his class with an homage to the Houseman character from the Paper Chase (the “Hairy Hand” case).

I passed MD easily, waived into DC and passed the RI bar as well since they have no reciprocity.

Feel free to take me at my word…or not.
#737666

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:28 pm, purplepeep said:

Ragspierre said:

“How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it’s about country. And though it’s honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make.”

While I agree TOTALLY with the substance of that statement, it should have been made by one her many surrogates.

I’m on the flipside of that, Rags. I’m hoping her plans for the future including putting the media up for a “public trial”. It’s about time someone did and she’s just the one with the required chutzpah to do it.
#737667

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:28 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:27 pm, Ragspierre said:

Oh, so since Sarah Palin is a public person, Goldberg is incapable of sending her private advice?

Yup, cuz that never happens to public officials, right? Karl Rove never privately advised President Bush, right?
#737668

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm, chapoutier said:

Where’s your sense of humor?

Oh believe me, it’s intact. I need it to get through your posts without feeling the need to introduce my brains to the business end of a gun.
#737669

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:32 pm, atheling said:

I need it to get through your posts without feeling the need to introduce my brains to the business end of a gun.

Don’t tempt me. I’ve got a Ruger .357 magnum you could suck the business end with.

Just kidding! Stop whining, little man!
#737670

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:34 pm, atheling said:

Question, Ragspierre:

Since you think Sarah Palin the public official should not fight back the media lies and harassment, do you think she is allowed to do so as a private citizen, which she will be at the end of the month?
#737671

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, atheling said:

Since my posts makes Chapoutier suicidal, I’m going to post as often as I can, just for his edification.

This will be fun.
#737672

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, chapoutier said:

Karl Rove never privately advised President Bush, right?

Karl Rove also got a paycheck from Bush and has zero issue criticizing Palin himself.

“I’m a fan of Sarah Palin’s, but effective strategies in politics are ones that are so clear and obvious that people can grasp it . It is not clear what her strategy here is by exiting the governorship 2-1/2 years through the term and putting herself on the national stage that she may not yet be prepared to operate in.”
#737674

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:36 pm, purplepeep said:

chapoutier said:
Feel free to take me at my word…or not.

Fair enough, Chappy. I was just pointing out this is the internet, afterall. Anybody can be anything – and Google just makes it all the easier. As I sez, it’s a “just sayin” heads up.

who famously always opens his class with an homage to the Houseman character from the Paper Chase (the “Hairy Hand” case).

Somehow I get the feeling you were “shrouded”.
#737675

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:37 pm, Ragspierre said:

I’m on the flipside of that, Rags. I’m hoping her plans for the future including putting the media up for a “public trial”. It’s about time someone did and she’s just the one with the required chutzpah to do it.

That would be wonderful, but a terrible loss to the future leadership pool of the country.

She could do one or the other. Not both.

It would be red meat to you and I, but the death knell of her political future on the national level.
#737678

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:43 pm, atheling said:

It would be red meat to you and I, but the death knell of her political future on the national level.

I think Sarah Palin cares more for her country than her “political future”. She’s the one who said, “If I die politically, I die”.

I respect that more than anything else in an American.
#737680

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:35 pm, chapoutier said:

How’s the end of the barrel taste?
#737681

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm, atheling said:

Just joking, Chapoutier! Keep on smiling!
#737682

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm, atheling said:

Did anyone besides love2rumba actually read the link I provided earlier, which is a very good analysis of why Sarah Palin resigned, and what her future holds?

She is now free to fly the lower 48 and act as kingmaker in 2010. She can draw crowds that only Romney and Pawlenty dream of.

What the media and the RINOs think is irrelevant – the conservative base only matters – and she owns it.
#737683

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm, Ragspierre said:

Since you think Sarah Palin the public official should not fight back the media lies and harassment, do you think she is allowed to do so as a private citizen, which she will be at the end of the month?

I hoped I was clear in my previous posts, but…

IF Gov. Palin wants to have a political career in the future, she CANNOT get down and dirty with the crazies on the Left.

They will only be energized by it, and she will have fallen into the Tar Baby.

She HAS a very capable cadre of people who can do the knife-fighting for her, while she floats in dignity and serenity over the nutters.

If she fails to do this, the ignorant, complacent middle of American opinion will only see a brawler. I value her brawler instincts, but I understand she has to learn to point them at people and issues MUCH higher up the food-chain.

Believe me, I have had to learn to NOT take some of my “learned opposing counsel” out the courthouse door and beat the dog-spit out of them. What works to instill civility in the oil field (a place where you are not called a liar with impunity) does not go in the courthouse. More’s the pity…
#737684

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:50 pm, chapoutier said:

How’s the end of the barrel taste?

Kind of woody. Wait…the “barrel” is the business end? The round hollow thingy?
#737685

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:55 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

It would be fair to say that the FBI was getting ready to investigate THE ONE, by that standard.

Saturday Night Massacre writ large.

Sad to say but the FBI is as dirty as any other Fedzilla agency-they have sniffed the wind, moved Left and let Rule of Law fall by the wayside. There will be no new investigations of BroBama’s friends–until the winds change anyway–New Black Panthers Party/Philadelphia is their template-maybe Ruby Ridge.

They will do what they can to destroy the Governor; her family has had to spend several hundreds of thousands already to fend off phony ethics charges. Litigation by annihilation is definitely a favored Justice Department/DNC tactic.
#737686

On July 5th, 2009 at 6:57 pm, purplepeep said:

Ragspierre said:

“I’m on the flipside of that, Rags. I’m hoping her plans for the future including putting the media up for a “public trial”. It’s about time someone did and she’s just the one with the required chutzpah to do it.”

That would be wonderful, but a terrible loss to the future leadership pool of the country.

She could do one or the other. Not both.

It would be red meat to you and I, but the death knell of her political future on the national level.

Again, I’m the flipside of your thinkin’, Rags. I believe part of the reason for recent GOP losses is the candidate’s coziness and kissing up to the media instead of taking it to task.

It’s not the “red meat” factor at all – it’s coldly calculating. The American populace has an underlying general disgust of the media. Polls regularly show the majority (quite correctly) see it as too liberal.

So it would be more like the proverbial “cake icing” personal satisfaction-wise.

Looks like a “we’ll have to agree to disagree” thingee, Rags.
#737687

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:00 pm, purplepeep said:

chapoutier said:

“How’s the end of the barrel taste?”

Kind of woody.

I always blame a bad distillation process for that and just open another barrel.
#737690

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:09 pm, Ragspierre said:

Again, I’m the flipside of your thinkin’, Rags. I believe part of the reason for recent GOP losses is the candidate’s coziness and kissing up to the media instead of taking it to task.

And that is a reductio ad absurdum misstatement of my position.

NOBODY here said get cozy or kiss up to the media.

I hope we agree that there is a WIDE margin that one can occupy without being Ann Coulter (who I love) on one end of the scale, and John McAnus on the other.

Again, I evoke Mr. Reagan. He used humor as both his shield and sword, and he used them both carefully and economically.

He NEVER had anything but an unflaggingly hostile MSM to deal with, and that was in the day of MSM monopoly. He just floated above them, and took his optimistic message to the people.

W had the strength, but never the capacity with words. I think Palin can have both.
#737691

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:16 pm, atheling said:

Rags:

You know, you are asking Palin to fight clean while the media fights dirty.

That’s like asking our troops to play according to Geneva while the Islamofascists play every dirty trick in the book.

I’m fed up with playing nice to those bastards in Big Media; they need a kick in the pants big time.
#737692

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:17 pm, rambler said:

No matter what Palin did it was going to be wrong. We’ve heard it all before. She’s to much this and not enough that. No matter what her experience, it was not going to be what she needed. She is in the middle of the biggest no win situation, so she might as well do what her gut tells her to do. All these pundits and talking heads have nothing really to offer. She’ll do just fine ignoring their advise. She’s self-made; no fancy affirmative action programs helped her. What she has, she earned and now the political elites want to diminish her achievements. A pox on all their houses. Let’s see just how foolish the elites are in 6 months.
#737693

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:20 pm, lgm said:

If elected, would she resign the Presidency for the good of the nation to show she’s not a quitter?
#737696

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:28 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:20 pm, lgm said:

Obama’s Little Jew Lapdog, Kapo lgm rears his shaggy little head.

Dear Leader feeding you any treats, oh loyal friend of Israel?

Do you wag your tail when you hear Dear Leader interfering by telling your fellow Jews that they aren’t allowed to build more settlements while he refuses to “interfere” with other nations?

Kinda makes one wonder if he hates Jews or something, doesn’t it?

Loser.
#737697

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:30 pm, atheling said:

Rags:

You again avoid my question about the treatment Sarah Palin endured compared to Reagan’s.

Do you actually believe that they were treated equally?
#737702

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:46 pm, Ragspierre said:

I’m fed up with playing nice to those bastards in Big Media; they need a kick in the pants big time.

YES!!! And their market is giving it to them.

Maybe part of our problem here is referring to the “media” as a coherent whole (hole???).

The MSM NEWS media is what they have pretty much always been in my memory; Collectivists. Cheerleaders for the Statists of both Parties. They HATE real conservatives, but will feign civility.

The MSM chattering class has not really gotten too much worse. I remember Molly Ivins and others. Dowd and her ilk are, if anything, less talented and less persuasive.

The only new thing under the Sun is the blogosphere, and that is a truly vicious and untethered pack of pigs…or not, depending solely on the constraints of the individual writer. Andrew Sullivan is a brilliant fruitcake (in every possible sense), and it only goes downhill from there on the Statist side on the subject of Palin. I include in this group Mahr and Uberman, plus Letterman.

So, maybe we should define WHICH media segment we are discussing here.

Should Palin lay down for Perky Katie? No. And I think, with some seasoning, the Sarahcuda can roll Katie like a bald log in the river. While smiling…a la Reagan.

Should Palin try to give tit-for-tat to the MSM. I think it would be a fatal mistake to try. That does NOT mean her camp cannot get a rebuttal out that will serve the purpose quite effectively. (One HUGH mistake that I think W made was not letting Cheney out of the house more often. Others, too…). Use surrogates freely.

Should Palin even appear to respond to the bomb-throwers in the blogosphere? Absolutely not! Most Americans don’t even know they exist, much less care what they say. We do, and the stuff they write drives us ape-spit crazy (which is more than they deserve, really).

Look, I know something about shaping people’s perceptions, and that is what winning a political contest is really about. We can WISH it to be otherwise, but that won’t carry our candidate into office. There is an old, but still very powerful icon in American politics; the statesman…stateswoman.
#737711

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:56 pm, love2rumba said:

YES!!! And their market is giving it to them.

I’ve always wondered why the media keep spewing lib hate garbage the way they do, watch their readership/viewership decline, and still keep doing this, and the only answer that seems logical to me is that the media people don’t care because in the end they hope to receive taxpayer money ala GM, Chrysler for their “critical” industry.
#737712

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:59 pm, love2rumba said:

Don’t tempt me. I’ve got a Ruger .357 magnum you could suck the business end with…

Atheling, you’ve good taste in handguns. Rugers definmitely rock (in competition and durability over Smith and Wesson)IMHO.

Just don’t mistake me for Chapoutier, ok?
#737714

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:06 pm, Ragspierre said:

I’ve always wondered why the media keep spewing lib hate garbage the way they do, watch their readership/viewership decline, and still keep doing this

Your thinking could be right, but there’s more to it.

They are ideologues, for one thing. Statism is a world-view. We are the bad people. They are the good people. It is really that stark.

They live in an echo-chamber. Group-think is a powerful…and powerfully dangerous…thing. There is nothing I’ve seen that is more conformist than these people who think they are such “free-thinkers”. To depart, in the least degree, from the party line is to die.

M. Medved wrote a book about the same phenomenon in Hollywood. The cold, hard black and white accounting shows that good family-oriented movies make money. The crap that Hollywood loves looses money. They still make crap movies at 10:1. Why? See above.
#737715

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:08 pm, Ragspierre said:

Rugers definmitely rock (in competition and durability over Smith and Wesson)IMHO.

True, true. Way better design. Taurus is a great value, though.

It is hard to beat a Python with gold plated moving parts, though. Low co-efficient of drag…
#737716

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:11 pm, Ragspierre said:

Sorry, low co-efficient of friction…gold is sort of slick naturally.
#737719

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:14 pm, purplepeep said:

Ragspierre said:

“Again, I’m the flipside of your thinkin’, Rags. I believe part of the reason for recent GOP losses is the candidate’s coziness and kissing up to the media instead of taking it to task.”

And that is a reductio ad absurdum misstatement of my position.

I didn’t say it was your position, Rags – it’s my take on one reason for recent GOP losses. (Along with running “Tweedledees” against the Dem “Tweedledums”). My observations entirely, you shouldn’t take it as a recounting of your own.

Again, I evoke Mr. Reagan. He used humor as both his shield and sword, and he used them both carefully and economically.

He NEVER had anything but an unflaggingly hostile MSM to deal with, and that was in the day of MSM monopoly.

In think you’re getting into apple v. oranges chronological territory there, Rags. i.e. that was (the media) then, this is the (media) now. Entirely different animal. And as you pointed out it was a total monopoly, so “playing nice” was the only option even though they portrayed him as an insane warmonger who wanted WWIII.

I was reading some comments elsewhere pointing out the stark differences. One being that the frothed-mouth, psychotic ranting Keith Olbermann would not have been a network news anchor assigned to political coverage. It’s a whole new ballgame. Back in the day, the press (as it was called then) had a “gentleman’s understanding” about JFKs womanizing – it wasn’t reported, much less fodder for the front page. Different times, different rules.

As I sez, we’ll just have to agree to disagee.

But I do believe the media is fair game and Sarah is one helluva hunter. Besides that, regular folks love her for straight-forward, plainspoken way. She has her learnin’ to do, but I hope that wouldnt include turning into the prepackaged, generic politician.
#737721

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:22 pm, atheling said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:59 pm, love2rumba said:
Atheling, you’ve good taste in handguns. Rugers definmitely rock (in competition and durability over Smith and Wesson)IMHO.

Ruger is much more affordable and made in the USA, like S&W. Don’t get me wrong, I like S&W too, but Ruger is a good value, I think.

Just don’t mistake me for Chapoutier, ok?

Would be impossible to do!
#737725

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:26 pm, Ragspierre said:

Besides that, regular folks love her for straight-forward, plainspoken way. She has her learnin’ to do, but I hope that wouldnt include turning into the prepackaged, generic politician.

There is another point of agreement. To over-polish her would be another fatal mistake. She HAS a gift, and it is manifold.

One minor point…Uberman is not a news anchor, and is fast becoming a joke, as is his cable channel. He is strictly commentary, and even a lot of KosSacks are tuning out.

A good example of what I am trying to get across is Rush. He has people taking the most vile shots at him all the stinking time. He won’t even dream of responding, because he knows he has better uses of his time and talent, it will give his critics more exposure than they could EVER get on their own, and that ignoring them will KILL them.

He just cruises above all the nutters, making money hand over fist, saying stuff that needs to be said, driving his opponents into a frothing fit, and doing God’s work.

Not a bad set of hopes for Sarahcuda.
#737726

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:26 pm, atheling said:

Rags:

Peeps is right. The media is a whole different animal now.

And a much more feral one, too. They are going for Palin’s jugular, and they NEVER did that to Reagan.

If they go for the jugular, you have to destroy them if you want to live.
#737728

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:28 pm, BOB said:

On July 5th, 2009 at 7:20 pm, lgm said:
If elected, would she resign the Presidency for the good of the nation to show she’s not a quitter?

Don’t know about Sarah, but I can’t think of anything better for America that for Barry to do just that, even the thought of Crazy Joe for President doesn’t dampen my enthusiasium for NO MORE BARRY!!
#737735

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:33 pm, rightisright said:

I’m with rambler and others(hard nosed conservatives), I’m ship full of the left and their hate spewing garbage. They say one thing and do the opposite… irregardless of the hurt and or damage they do. It’s time they paid for their insulting, demeaning remarks made with self righteous attitudes.

I got the impression from the Gov. and her legal eagles they put out a fair warning, she is full of the slanderous, degrading crap. In other words if your slanderous remarks go beyond a policy or public action we’ll be coming after you.

I hope Sarah fights like hell, she’ll win in the end, no doubt…besides I get the impression she can’t wait to start kicking some slime ball butt.
#737747

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:45 pm, Ragspierre said:

The media is a whole different animal now.

And a much more feral one, too. They are going for Palin’s jugular, and they NEVER did that to Reagan.

Again, which media?

I remember the night Reagan won his first term. The MONOPOLY broadcast media were on suicide watch. The mourning in the newsrooms was palpable. Wasn’t that the night that a major network anchor first said the country was having a fit of anger?

Reagan was called everything but a child of God. Don’t you remember the stories about how he was going to have g’ma eating cat food, how he was personally killing AIDS victims, how he was a racist, etc., etc., etc.

He was nuts, stoooopid, dangerous, had had a failed marriage, his kids hated him, was a B actor (on a good day), and more etc.

What about W? Is Sarah facing anything that he didn’t? Maybe you didn’t get all the vile stuff people said about him, his kids, his wife, Condi Rice, his dog…you name it.

But, no two ways about it, our society is coarsening. We can’t expect our blood-fight with Statists to get more civil as our culture goes the other direction. They are in it for all the marbles, and there has never been a time when more of the marbles were in play.

Which is why I say we have to play smart. Not soft. Smart. There’s what works, and there’s what feels good. Sometimes they are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Beating a thief to death with a cheater-pipe could feel good (therein lies a tale for another day), but Momma and the kids would go hungry as a result.

See?
#737749

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:47 pm, zeroangel said:

Hi guys!
#737750

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:52 pm, purplepeep said:

Ragspierre said:
One minor point…Uberman is not a news anchor, and is fast becoming a joke, as is his cable channel. He is strictly commentary, and even a lot of KosSacks are tuning out.

Not on “Evening News” basis, but MSNBC does drag him to anchor political coverage. Or, it used to – remember:KEITH OLBERMANN & CHRIS MATTHEWS FIRED! (MSNBC ANCHOR SPOT)

A good example of what I am trying to get across is Rush. He has people taking the most vile shots at him all the stinking time. He won’t even dream of responding, because he knows he has better uses of his time and talent, it will give his critics more exposure than they could EVER get on their own, and that ignoring them will KILL them.
He just cruises above all the nutters, making money hand over fist, saying stuff that needs to be said, driving his opponents into a frothing fit, and doing God’s work.

Like I said, Sarah has some lessons to learn. I think whoever advised her to go on SNL, for example, was wrong.

And I’m not thinking she should wildly lash out just for the helluvit, but lay out a reasoned wide indictment that most Americans already agree with and can say “yeah, that media is way over the top” and/or “it’s not doing it’s job”.

I think there is a balance she can achieve in taking on the hostile media and still be very effective.
#737752

On July 5th, 2009 at 8:59 pm, purplepeep said:

zeroangel said:

Hi guys!

That was “Ted Baxter’s” usual intro on the MTM show, y’know, ZA.

Hi, Ted.
#737753

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm, Ragspierre said:

I think there is a balance she can achieve in taking on the hostile media and still be very effective.

Eww… More agreement!

Very few people in America are better qualified to speak…in a very high-concept level…to the failure in our media. Global, big ideas…loss of civility, loss of decency, loss of integrity, loss of perspective, loss of objectivity. Point to structural failures. NEVER personalize it, but say it anyhow.

There you have a recipe to tap that distrust of the media that is growing in America. And the disgust…

Above the little rats.
#737754

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm, zeroangel said:

…it’s also a typical greeting.
#737757

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:15 pm, love2rumba said:

Again, which media?

I remember the night Reagan won his first term. The MONOPOLY broadcast media were on suicide watch. The mourning in the newsrooms was palpable. Wasn’t that the night that a major network anchor first said the country was having a fit of anger?

Reagan was called everything but a child of God. Don’t you remember the stories about how he was going to have g’ma eating cat food, how he was personally killing AIDS victims, how he was a racist, etc., etc., etc.

He was nuts, stoooopid, dangerous, had had a failed marriage, his kids hated him, was a B actor (on a good day), and more etc.

What about W? Is Sarah facing anything that he didn’t? Maybe you didn’t get all the vile stuff people said about him, his kids, his wife, Condi Rice, his dog…you name it.

But, no two ways about it, our society is coarsening. We can’t expect our blood-fight with Statists to get more civil as our culture goes the other direction. They are in it for all the marbles, and there has never been a time when more of the marbles were in play.

Which is why I say we have to play smart. Not soft. Smart. There’s what works, and there’s what feels good. Sometimes they are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Beating a thief to death with a cheater-pipe could feel good (therein lies a tale for another day), but Momma and the kids would go hungry as a result.

See?

Agreed, Rags. They did go after Reagan hard and nasty whenever they could when he was President, and Reagan f#’d them right back. The difference then versus now was they went for the jugular and were supercilious about it believing, I think, that his popularity was a flash in the pan, and he’d be gone so it would be cool to be an A$$hole toward him, but pull back to maintain the appearance of civility.

Today, the left for the most part reminds me of a paranoid animal locked in a cramped, filthy cage with no perceived recourse but uncivility and hate because they know they can be on the outside looking in again if they do so.

I also believe their behavior is the result of their gradual and generational abandonment of Judeo-Christian tenets of morality (no, I do not mean necessarily that they went to church/Temple/Synagogue, etc., but rather the practice and useage of the philosophical reasoning of what ought one should do if confronted with this or that was slowly abandoned), for which they have never developed a consistently-practiced replacement for the same Judeo-Christian thinking they chose to reject over time.
#737758

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:16 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

I remember the night Reagan won his first term. The MONOPOLY broadcast media were on suicide watch.

Damn- If Only, and here I could have loaned them a Ruger AND a Smith & Wesson, Colt, Marlin, JC Higgins (Sears and Roebuck) and a Winchester.

If Only-the bitterest words in the English language
#737759

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:23 pm, Ragspierre said:

Damn- If Only, and here I could have loaned them a Ruger AND a Smith & Wesson, Colt, Marlin, JC Higgins (Sears and Roebuck) and a Winchester.

Two problems there:

1. You couldn’t find enough “spherical objects” in the room unless there was a pool table; and,

2. You would have had to give them instructions on which was the “money” end. Assisted suicide was a universal no-no…

Ah, the good old days…
#737760

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:24 pm, purplepeep said:

Ragspierre said:
Global, big ideas…loss of civility, loss of decency, loss of integrity, loss of perspective, loss of objectivity. Point to structural failures.

Yup, the whole “politics of personal destruction by media” indictment, being out of touch/over PC, crudeness (e.g. pushng a mic into the face of family member of a murder victim to ask “how do you feel?”), which media is in bed with whom, things like the WaPo $25,000 elbow-rubbing & influence peddling gigs – it’s ad infinitum.

NEVER personalize it, but say it anyhow.

Yeah, I think a strategically used “and I can tell ya, by personal experience, it’s so” side note at the right times could be effective (as kind of a verbal “wink”) but quid pro quo personal stuff should be avoided for the most part.

I say “for the most part” as there is a sometimes a place for it and it should be done artfully, if possible. As you noted with Reagan – he had has fun, I recall when he mentioned about how “PacMan” was explained to him: how it was a little round guy who eats up millions of quarters every day – he said he thought they were talking about Tip O’Neill.
#737761

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:27 pm, purplepeep said:

zeroangel said:

…it’s also a typical greeting.

If we both say it at the same time it would be stereo-typical.

Dang, I’m funny.
#737762

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:31 pm, Ragspierre said:

Today, the left for the most part reminds me of a paranoid animal locked in a cramped, filthy cage with no perceived recourse but uncivility and hate because they know they can be on the outside looking in again if they do so.

Right. And it will get worse. That is dialed in, as power becomes more and more concentrated.

I said earlier this is a blood-fight. I was not using hyperbole.

But, we have to remember, those of us here are not your average American.

A little vignette: I was talking to a couple of friends the Friday after the House vote on CRAP & RAID. One of these guys is VERY political in Houston, and thinks THE ONE is the Anti-Christ. Both are Hispanic. Neither knew what I was talking about.

We have to remember, they are our target market. They have to be brought along carefully, or we just sound like nuts.
#737764

On July 5th, 2009 at 9:37 pm, purplepeep said:

love2rumba said:
they have never developed a consistently-practiced replacement for the same Judeo-Christian thinking they chose to reject over time.

I think they have, L2R – some might call it “secular humanism” or other highfalutin euphemism, but “anything goes” works better as a description.

(Come to think of it, “Absolute Relativism” would work as an accurate – albeit oxymoronic – highfalutin term.)