Even the sportswriters want in on the Palin commentary

Bill Conlin, Brooklyn-born Philly sportswriter (how's that for a painful sports one-two?) offers this:

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was a top athlete. Alaska's governor was skilled at hoops, was a Triple A sled-dog racer and is the best shot since Annie Oakley. She also is said to be fond of burgers made of moose meat. In 1912, Teddy Roosevelt split from the Republican Party and founded the Bull Moose Party. Maybe Sarah Palin will found the Eat Moose Party.

Yes, we like our puns

H/T Instapundit

Nice profile of Wasilla

Brief, not condescending, and providing some insight by Nathan Thornburgh of Time Magazine.

A prediction

Sarah Palin will do to Joe Biden in the VP debate what Jesse Jackson said he would have liked to do to Barack Obama. Figuratively, of course.

This should play well with the male 18-112 demographic

She can do sports highlights better than Keith Olbermann:

Bristol Palin is Pregnant

Wow. I just read this via Matt Lewis from Townhall.com. I hope the deranged evil-doers over at the Daily Kos (I refuse to link to them) are happy. As Matt points out, this is unrelated to the unhinged Left's accusations of Trig actually being Bristol's son and not Sarah's. Personally, I agree with Amanda Carpenter that this could actually prove another boon to the pro-life constituency. Rather than abort her unborn child, Bristol plans to marry the father and start a family. Yet another tough choice made by the Palin family on the side of the sanctity of life:

STATEMENT FROM SARAH AND TODD PALIN

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, Sarah and Todd Palin issued the following statement regarding today's Reuters story:
"We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.
"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."

Go, Sarah, Go!

From Politico, the Palin effect is already evident:

17,000+ today for the McCain-Palin rally outside of St. Louis, according to a Secret Service magnetometer count provided by the campaign.As one veteran of Missouri politics said, that's the sort of crowd usually seen in October for a president — not in August for a candidate.It's also a record-best for McCain.Yes, yes, it's just about a routine crowd for Obama. But there is perhaps no better indicator of how Palin is helping McCain close the enthusiasm gap than the number of people showing up the past two days in Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Barack, who?

And now, Back to the Surge

Slightly off-topic for the purposes of this blog, but noteworthy nonetheless. Via Hot Air, Iraq Takes Over Anbar:

President George W. Bush described the transfer as a major victory against al-Qaeda extremists who once held sway in the area.
"Today, Anbar is no longer lost to al Qaeda -- it is al Qaeda that lost Anbar," he said in a statement.
Once dominated by Sunni insurgents, Anbar has been the scene of many attacks on U.S.-led troops in Iraq.
Now a bastion of tribal opposition, it is also the scene of an internal Sunni political struggle between the Iraqi Islamic Party, one of Iraq's main Sunni parties, and the Awakening movement, the first anti-al Qaeda in Iraq movement established in the country.
More than 25,000 U.S. troops serve in the sprawling Anbar province west of Baghdad; most of them Marines. They will remain for the time being but will shift their mission to supporting Iraqi forces, when needed.

What say you, Harry? Barack? Democratically controlled Congress? Anyone?

Yes, the surge was a success...and we are safer in the USA with Iraq settling into a stabilized democratic nation and an ally in the war on terror. While I disagree with John McCain on some serious issues, let's all remember that he was the leader who called for the surge when it was an unpopular political liability. That's true statesmanship. Obama, who opposed it from the beginning, cannot even bring himself to admit it worked, thanks to our courageous soldiers and the brilliance of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Oh, and his running mate, Joe Biden, a supposed foreign policy expert, had pushed for Iraq to be divided into three parts -- a plan that would have been disastrous. Someday history will look kindly on President Bush for having the true grit to go into Iraq, eliminate one of the world's most vile dictators, liberate a country and gut Al-Qaeda.

As for our so-called "standing" in the world, let's also recall that in the last several years, Western Europeans have elected pro-American leaders: Angela Merkel in Germany, Nicholas Sarkozy in France and Silvio Berlesconi in Italy. And Eastern Europeans, who know a thing or two about oppression, were always with us (Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, etc.), not to mention the Aussies and the U.K. I am so sick of this tired argument being perpetuated by those in the media suffering from Bush derangement syndrome, not to mention an odd distaste for their own country.

Do I have disagreements with President Bush? Absolutely! Particularly in the areas of runaway federal spending and amnesty for illegals. However, thanks to his stalwart leadership in the face of a hostile Congress and many members of his own party, Iraq is free from terrorist control, no longer a central training ground for bloody radical Islamic mischief. And yes, Harry, Barack and the rest of the Defeat-o-crats, it does make America safer.

God bless President Bush, Senator John McCain, General David Petraeus, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and the men and women of the United States Military. Well-done, good and faithful public servants!

Gerard Baker on Sarah Palin

Click over to Real Clear Politics to read the whole thing, but here are a few - as they say - money quotes:

Political history

Obama: Elected to statewide office only after a disastrous first run for a congressional seat and after his Republican opponent was exposed in a sexual scandal. Won seat eventually in contest against a candidate who didn't even live in the state.

Palin: Elected to statewide office by challenging a long-serving Republican incumbent governor despite intense opposition from the party.

Appeal

Obama: A very attractive speaker whose celebrity has been compared to that of Britney Spears and who sends thrills up Chris Matthews' leg

Palin: A very attractive woman, much better-looking than Britney Spears who speaks rather well too. She sends thrills up the leg of Rush Limbaugh (and me).

Executive experience

Obama: Makes executive decisions every day that affect the lives of his campaign staff and a vast crowd of traveling journalists

Palin:Makes executive decisions every day that affect the lives of 500,000 people in her state, and that impact crucial issues of national economic interest such as the supply and cost of energy to the United States.

Religious influences

Obama: Regards people who "cling" to religion and guns as "bitter" . Spent 20 years being mentored and led spiritually by a man who proclaimed "God damn America" from his pulpit. Mysteriously, this mentor completely disappeared from public sight about four months ago.

Palin: Head of her high school Fellowship of Christian Athletes and for many years a member of the Assemblies of God congregation whose preachers have never been known to accuse the United States of deliberately spreading the AIDS virus. They remain in full public sight and can be seen every Sunday in churches across Alaska. A proud gun owner who has been known to cling only to the carcasses of dead caribou felled by her own aim.

At the risk of sounding as if I am now "playing for the other team" (I still like boys, don't worry, Paulie!), I have to admit that, like Baker and Limbaugh, I've got thrills running up my leg, too. Six months ago, I began following the life and career of Sarah Palin as an avid reader of political blogs. The more I learned of her, the more I began to like her. Then came her interviews with Glenn Beck, Larry Kudlow and Maria Bartiromo, during which she displayed such a genuine love of country, pervasive wit and intelligence (especially pertaining to the energy issue vis-a-vis national security) and real likability, that I was completely smitten. Sarah had me from "Hey let's drill in ANWR!"

And another factor: While a highly accomplished female, Sarah remains a warm, respectful and down-to-earth human being, resistant to the "Ice-Princess" persona that so many of today's women seem to view as a necessary ingredient to success. I say this as a working woman who has had both male and female bosses. I don't know why so many talented members of my sex feel the need to resort to bitchiness and hostility when it comes to corporate life, but I have witnessed it time and time again. Not only is it unnecessary when one is totally competent, it is utterly distasteful. In another post, I plan to opine on the unfortunate phenomenon of male-bashing, taken on by Kathleen Parker in her book, Save the Males.

For now, I just want to bask in the joy of having Sarah Palin as a role-model and the Republican nominee for Vice-President in an election that has suddenly become much more exciting and dare I say, hopeful.

While We're on the Subject

Here's my sister-in-law Lisa's reply to some of her less enlightened co-workers' emails regarding the 2008 campaign, and Trig Palin in particular. In the interest of privacy, I've eliminated the name of the company:

To (Employer Name Deleted) -I usually don't response to e-mails such as these. I am sure that most of these e-mails are written in jest since you have established working relationships with each other. However, I have to put in my two cents for whatever it is worth.

With that said, I am the new kid on the block at (DELETED), so most of you have never met me. I am an educated, 45 year-old mother of four young children and have a 49 year-old brother-in-law with Down's Syndrome. First, let me say, my brother-in-law "suffers" from nothing except the overwhelming love and support of his family.

I respect other peoples' political views and opinions. And to be honest, neither McCain nor Obama would be my pick for President. That is usually the case in Presidential elections - you need to pick the better of the two. It's hard to believe that with all the millions of Americans - we are left with these two individuals to lead our nation in the most trying of times.

It is obvious that many Americans, including myself are impressed with Obama's speaking style, his ability to bring you in and inspire you to hope for something better. However, I don't want to be "hoping" that he can run the nation if he is elected.

As women, we all choose different paths in life. I respect the professional working woman, as well as the stay-at-home Mom. I can say this honestly since I have walked both paths. For me, I decided for the last ten years to be a full-time Mom. I will tell you this is the hardest position I have ever held especially compared to my high-level management positions.

I know very little about Sara Palin but I would not belittle her for being a mother of five. It is the mothers of America that shape the core foundation of this great nation - with values and morals. I was impressed with her passion and conviction yesterday.

All I am looking for in our leaders is ..... the integrity and the dignity to stand up for what is right and not to be persuaded by lobbyists and special interest groups..... to be responsible with my tax dollars and manage the national budget like it is their own personal one .... and most importantly, to keep this nation free and safe so that my children can look forward to more opportunities than I can ever imagine for them.

Let's wait and see - what Sarah has to offer. The debates will be interesting to say the least!Hope to meet you all soon. Lisa

(Updated formatting for easier reading)

A groaner of a palindrome

Did you hear about Al Gore's Italian cousin who shares Obama's taste in greens?

Arugala "Al-a Gur-a"!

(Okay, I used a variant spelling of arugula, so sue me)

I am an MSM reporter who went to Alaska seeking dirt on Palin

All I saw? Wasilla!

A Palin palindrome

Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?

Okay, I hope not too few!

H/T Fun With Words

Rich Lowry on Trig Palin

Rich Lowry of National Review penned a lovely tribute to the Palin family and their infant son, Trig, born in April of this year. Baby Trig was born with Down's syndrome, a condition with which Doc Paul and I are well-acquainted. Our older brother Ralph, born on October 4, 1959, shares Trig's characteristics, which means that Sarah and Todd's child will positively affect the lives of everyone privileged to know him as he grows into a happy, productive and lovable human being.

In his post, Rich tells the story of Ian, another beautiful soul who demonstrated the very best of humanity during a recent flight:

When I was thinking of Trig, I was reminded of an encounter
I had a couple of weeks ago on the Delta Shuttle from Washington to New
York. It was a mostly empty plane, but I went all the back to the very
emptiest part of the plane to spread out and enjoy he quiet. And there was a
man sitting in the very back row who immediately piped up, "Hi. I'm Ian.
Would you like to sit next to me?"He was a guy with Down Syndrome, maybe in
his twenties. I declined the offer, but we struck up a conversation. He was
going to New York for a family celebration, including for his birthday. I
told him I had a birthday coming up too and he lit up and came over to
vigorously shake my hand in congratulations—more delighted by my birthday
than his own.When the plane began to fill up a woman and her daughter came all
the way to the back with a huge bag. I began to wonder to myself if I should
offer to help them with it, when Ian popped up, told them he'd get it, and
lifted it up and shoved it in the overhead compartment. When two men came
down the aisle with a box they weren't sure would fit overhead, he intervened
and told them it would—"trust me"—and put it up for them.He chatted amiably
with his neighbors during the flight, and when we landed was up out of his
seat first thing to help that woman get her bag down.From this brief
encounter, I dare say Ian is friendlier, better adjusted and more
considerate than about half of the people on the streets of Manhattan or San
Francisco on any given day. Yet most of those people are
perfectly unperturbed by the elimination of babies with Down syndrome in the
womb. To hell with them. God bless Sarah Palin for bringing Trig into the world,
and may he shower those around him with as much sunshine as the gentleman I met on that flight.

To which I can only reply with a resounding "Amen!"

How incredibly tragic that 90% of babies discovered to have Down's Syndrome while still in the womb are aborted. One of the many strengths Sarah Palin brings to the Republican ticket is her "moral authority" on this issue. Here's a woman - already a busy mother of four, wife and governor - who chose to give birth to her child, knowing full well his life will be fraught with challenges as he navigates through the stages of infancy, childhood, adolescence and finally, adulthood. But Sarah rightfully sees her son as a blessing -- much as my parents did with Ralph -- in her words "a beautiful baby boy." And the image of Trig's big sister holding him lovingly in her arms as their mother accepted an historical nomination warmed my heart and inspired my soul just as much as Sarah Palin's fantastic speech. To quote Glenn Beck, the Palin family is "the real deal," a representation of the very best of America. God bless them!

Rich Lowry gets it

My sister made the connection to Sarah Palin and our own mother: both mothers of five, one with Down Syndrome. Faced with a choice to endorse the value of the life of the Down Syndrome child, both said yes. In my mother's case, she delivered while my father was in some far-off Pennsylvania town, performing a clerkship as a fourth-year medical student. Alone in her room, a pediatrician came in to tell her that the child she had delivered (while under general anesthesia, a common practice at the time) was mentally retarded, and really should be institutionalized, what with you being a doctor-to-be's wife. She fired him on the spot, and resolved there and then that her son, my brother, would have as normal a life as she and my father could give him. They did, and all who have known him, most especially his siblings, are better people for having had the privilege of knowing Ralph.

This is a small anecdote, written with grace by Rich Lowry, about a young man similar to my brother. It is not at all atypical of Down's folks, who have a lot to teach us "normal" types about spreading happiness to others. Trig Paxson Van Palin (Sarah Palin has stated that the "Van Palin" at the end was an homage to Van Halen), may you know the life that my brother Ralph has known and lived, touching hearts more deeply than most of us can possibly hope to.

POW-WOW '08

I saw this in a comment thread somewhere - I like it!

A palindrome from remote Alaska?

Nil aphar as Sarah Palin?

New video

Video of the Dayton Speech

Part 1



Part 2

Palin Comparison

Yes, I like the Palin Puns. I often find better stuff in the comments than in the blog post, and this is a case in point. Over at Hot Air, another commenter liked this comment by Damiano so much that she re-posted it herself (and, unlike Joe Biden, credited the author):

Palin is completely inexperienced and utterly incapable.

You heard me. The initial euphoria over the idea of a naughty librarian on the TV news each night for the next 4 to 8 years has worn off. Now, it back to hard, pragmatic reality and the reality is that she has no place in Washington, DC.

Want proof? Consider the following:

Only an amateur would speak off the cuff, as she usually does. Experienced politicians avoid speaking extemporaneously whenever possible. Otherwise, the electorate might find out what they really think.

If Palin had meaningful experience, she would have known that the job of Ethics Commissioner is SUPPOSED to be corrupt, thus saving her the trouble of resigning in protest and then running for the highest office in the state.

Only an amateur would attain political office by actually defeating opposing candidates at the ballot box. An experienced politician would have eliminated opposition candidates by protesting technical glitches in their nominating petitions or petitioning to change the party rules on how votes are counted in primary elections or hiring groups like ACORN to register 14 people who all, coincidentally, have the same names and reside at the same abandoned and boarded-up restaurant. Did she not once consider taking lessons from the Chicago political machine that got Obama elected? Sheesh.

Any experienced politician knows that upon assuming high office, you are supposed to demand a larger plane; not sell the useless behemoth that was recently purchased by your predecessor.

Only an amateur would implement a comprehensive energy and conservation policy shortly after taking office. A more experienced politician would have avoided the issue outright for at least 30 years while demonizing oil companies, then banning any voting on the topic followed by a recess vacation through the next election

Any experienced politician knows that once elected, you are not supposed to spend your first 20 months in office actually doing the job you were elected to do. You should be campaigning for another office – as Obama could have told her.

Sarah Palin was only supposed to TALK about government reform and utter platitudes about exiling corrupt, entrenched politicians – not actually do anything about it. She demonstrated her naivete by creating a smooth running government that included representatives of other political parties, thereby making it impossible for her to find a scapegoat if anything goes wrong.

Only a political greenhorn would thumb their nose at the environmental lobby by hunting and actually shooting moose and caribou. Worse yet, she foolishly told the truth: the proposed oil drilling site in ANWR is NOT the secret location of Eden but is, in fact, a barren wasteland.

What Sarah Palin does not seem to understand is that here in the 21st century, chief executives do not negotiate beneficial business deals for their states with foreign nations or take time to actually hang out with soldiers in Iraq. That time is better spent preening for the cameras in Berlin – something else a more seasoned and experienced politician such as Obama could have told her.

Holding oil companies accountable and successfully negotiating mutually productive agreements with them proves she does not understand their true purpose: if you work with them to the benefit of your state, you will no longer have a faceless villain to scare people into voting for you.

By creating new jobs instead of demonizing capitalism, Sarah foolishly enabled people to become more reliant on themselves and less reliant on government, hereby diminishing the dependant voter base – a classic newbie mistake. After all, if people have jobs, they will not have much need for the government and will be too busy enjoying their lives to protest the U.S., its corporations and, of course, opposing candidates.

Worse yet, Palin created a budget surplus and mailed it back to the taxpayers. Doesn’t she know that if the government generates a surplus, it’s doing something wrong? An experienced leader like Obama or Biden knows that taxpayer money belongs to the government – not to the people.

In another rankly amateurish move, she cooperated completely with government officials investigating accusations made against her. Experienced politicians know that you are supposed to stonewall, obfuscate, pressure libraries to expunge any record of unsavory political associations and ship potential witnesses off to Caribbean islands – another good reason not to sell the executive jet.

Yup, she is hopelessly inexperienced.