He was eating cake while the citizens of New Orleans were drowning. Talk about being tone-deaf.
Such actions like this one display qualities one should NOT want in a President. When one of the nation's major cities is drowning, public displays like this by our nation's leaders are despicable. Both men in the photo ought to be ashamed.
Now, for those of you wondering if it is possible for Obama to pull out Louisiana, let me give you some numbers:
The black vote is going to go 90% or higher for Obama. There are 885,797 black voters in the State of Louisiana. Let's be conservative and assume 90%70% of them turn out, and Obama gets 90% of that vote, which is what John Kerry Al Gore received among black voters in 2004 2000 nationally.
885,797 * .90.70 = 797,217 620,058 black voters voting 797,217 620,058 * .90.70 = 717,495 558,052 voting for Obama
There are only 2,908,342 registered voters total in the State of Louisiana. You cut that in half, and you get 1,454,171 + 1 = 1,454,172 to win outright, assuming a 100% turnout.
1,454,172 - 717,495 558,052 = 736,677 896,120 white voters Obama would need in an election that has 100% turnout. That's would mean Obama has to pull 38% 47% of the white vote to win. But that's assuming a 100% turnout, y'all.
The high water mark for a Louisiana election in terms of turnout was the Edwin Edwards - David Duke gubernatorial election in 1991, when 78.9% of registered voters voted.
So, let's assume we tie the high-water mark, y'all:
Using the same #'s from black voters as before, that means Obama needs to capture the votes of 429,847 589,290 white voters. That's a mere 22.6% 31% of white voters.
This is a single digit election, y'all. Obama can win Louisiana. It will be difficult, but not impossible. If you are a Democrat, and you want to be celebrating a return to a government that looks out for the little guy, and you have family or friends in the great state of Louisiana, then you have to get on the phone and talk to them. If you live here, you have to talk to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and tell them to vote for Obama.
LEAVE IT ON THE FIELD, y'all. LEAVE IT ON THE FIELD.
After the debacle of 2004, when the Times-Picayune punted on the endorsement, they came out with an endorsement today that has been praised in some quarters, and vilified in others. Today, they came out for Democratic candidate Barack Obama:
A president must navigate by an inner compass. Mr. Obama's steadiness and his ability to weather political storms bespeak self-confidence and a sureness of purpose. We are riding out a tempest, and he is, quite simply, even-keeled. He possesses expertise that should endear him to the New Orleans area.
He knows cities -- historic cities, gritty cities. He came by his knowledge pounding the streets of Chicago's South Side as an organizer, grappling with the needs of poor people. For our own great and complex city, we could use a national leader who appreciates that we are more than a sentimental memory of a college romp on Bourbon Street; that we are a culturally rich American treasure, filled with resilient citizens and worth protecting from the encroaching forces of nature.
As the child of a black father and a white mother, Barack Obama also understands the diversity that is the foundation of our area's culture. As an African-American man from a modest background, he understands and can speak to the plight of underprivileged black youth. He would have a large audience here.
Sen. Obama knows what it means to be an underdog. That should draw him to help in the recovery of metro New Orleans, the underdog city. When he spoke at Tulane University last February, he gained a firsthand understanding of the rebirth of our school system. He also spoke of the need to restructure FEMA and protect our area from future storms.
"I promise you that when I'm in the White House I will commit myself every day to keeping up Washington's end of this trust, and I will make it clear to members of my administration that their responsibilities don't end in places like the Ninth Ward -- they begin there," he said.
Surprisingly, the Shreveport Times, a paper I have long considered to be a conservative one, joined the Times-Picayune today:
Obama initially made his mark with the American public as an eloquent communicator and gifted politician. For almost two years his campaign has reflected grace and poise, whether inspiring thousands who flock to his rallies or addressing the blistering attacks launched from both inside and outside his party. He is reminiscent of past gifted leaders, whether FDR or Ronald Reagan, who were able to both project calm in uncertain times and to exhort Americans toward our potential to build a better future.
But the presidency demands not just image and rhetoric but substance. We believe Obama can deliver. In his first major decision as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Obama demonstrated more mature judgment than his opponent in choosing a running mate. In selecting a long-time U.S. Senator, foreign policy veteran Joe Biden, Obama answered the experience issue and reassured Americans they would have a vice president on standby who understands the levers of power.
Obama's controlled style also makes him the best choice for succeeding in a new political understanding that our problems can't be solved by distrust and disrespect, but through collaboration and compromise.
I wonder if Baton Rouge's Advocate, Lafayette's Daily Advertiser, and Monroe's News Star will show the same foresight, or will they join the American Press of Lake Charles and the Town Talk of Alexandria in looking backwards? (Note: Neither the American Press nor the Town Talk have endorsed ... but I fully expect them to endorse McCain.)
Over the last few weeks, Governor PBJ has been on the road stumping for Republican candidates. Here's where PBJ's been:
Missouri ... raising money for Republican gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof.
Mississippi ... raising money for ethically challenged Republican Senate candidate Roger Wicker.
Florida ... on the day that the Tigers were given a wake-up call in Gainesville, he was raising money for himself while touting Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Texas ... raising money in Houston for Republican hopeful Pete Olson, running for Congress in TX-22, Tom DeLay's old seat, currently represented by Nick Lampson, a Texas Democrat before hosting a fundraiser for himself.
That's where Governor PBJ's been for the past month ... raising money for Republican candidates and himself in Missouri, Texas, Mississippi and Florida. Pray tell, why is he raising campaign cash in states that he will NOT represent?
Could it be ... that he's getting ready to run for President in 2012? The definitive proof is shown at the right.
Now, it's normal for rising stars in politics to travel the country stumping for other political candidates in their party. Indeed, Barack Obama stumped for candidates all over the country in 2006. He even campaigned for the Senator from Connecticut that I was working to unseat through the candidacy of Ned Lamont.
But Iowa ... the site of the nation's first caucuses. Iowa, where many a Republican presidential contender was catapulted to the Republican nomination.
And Governor PBJ's heading there a mere eighteen days after the election. Folks, you don't head to Iowa if you're a rising political star just for the hell of it. You go there to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign, the first step of which is getting your name out there amongst the activists of your respective political party.
And Governor PBJ's already starting the process. The question we here in Louisiana have to ask him is this:
Are you going to run for President in 2012? If so, does that mean you will NOT be running for re-election as Governor in 2011, as running for President is a full-time endeavor in its own right?
Or, should you win re-election, are you going to abdicate your responsibilities as Governor in your quest for the Presidency?
Securing the votes in Congress to pass real immigration solutions into law isn't going to be easy. The next President - no matter who wins - will need to lead his own party first to get it done.
Let the record reflect that Barack Obama made the approach to John McCain tonight.
As the two shared the Senate floor tonight for the first time since they won their party nominations, Obama stood chatting with Democrats on his side of the aisle, and McCain stood on the Republican side of the aisle.
So Obama crossed over into enemy territory.
He walked over to where McCain was chatting with Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida and Independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut. And he stretched out his arm and offered his hand to McCain.
McCain shook it, but with a "go away" look that no one could miss. He tried his best not to even look at Obama.
Finally, with a tight smile, McCain managed a greeting: "Good to see you."
Obama got the message. He shook hands with Martinez and Lieberman - both of whom greeted him more warmly - and quickly beat a retreat back to the Democratic side.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that McCain is an angry old white man who can't believe he has to share the stage with this "young", "inexperienced", "naive", "uppity" black man.
As far as I'm concerned, I can't believe Obama has to share the stage with the epitome of white privilege run amuck.
The Senate will be convening tonight to vote on the bailout plan that the House rejected. While financial bills must originate in the House, the Senate is twisting the rules by including tax breaks that the House already rejected in an attempt to induce more Republicans to vote for the bill.
By the way, I am now firmly OPPOSED to this $700 billion giveaway to the banks. I changed my mind on it when I read from respected economist Dean Baker the following:
For the record, the restrictions on executive pay and the commitment to give the taxpayers equity in banks in exchange for buying bad assets are jokes. These provisions are sops to provide cover. There are not written in ways to be binding. (And Congress knows how to write binding rules.)
Nice to know that Congress is telling us all one thing, and the Treasury is telling the Wall Street banks another. Can we actually get some REAL leadership on this?
And no, John McCain ain't providing it ... he's too busy playing politics with it all. Unfortunately, neither is Obama, as he's going to vote for the bailout in the Senate tonight, even if it's larded up with yet more tax cuts to put us even more in debt.
The Democratic National Committee's "Count the Lies" project chronicles all of the lies, misstatements, and prevarications that Senator John McCain has made during this year's Presidential election- testing McCain's statements against non-partisan fact check organizations, his own voting record, and newspaper articles.
They're up to 78 lies so far, 14 of which were added yesterday, following the First Presidential Debate in Oxford, Mississippi.
I was particularly amused by the fact that McCain actually voted to study the DNA of those bears in Montana, considering he's been using this as an example of out-of-control spending for nearly five years.
Quoting:
Washington Post Fact Checker blog: McCain "Seriously Misstated: Lebanon Vote. "McCain seriously mistated his vote concerning the marines in Lebanon. He said that when he went into Congress in 1983, he voted against deploying them in Beirut. The Marines went in Lebanon in 1982, before McCain came to Congress. The vote came up a year into their deployment, when the Marines had already suffered 54 casualties. What McCain voted against was a measure to invoke the War Powers Act and to authorize the deployment of U.S. Marines in Lebanon for an additional 18 months. The measure passed 270-161, with 26 other Republicans (including McCain) and 134 Democrats voting against it." [Washington Post Fact Checker blog, 9/26/08: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/]
FactCheck.org: McCain Voted for $3 million to study the DNA of bears. "We've heard that one before. McCain's been playing it for laughs since 2003. The study in question was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, and it relied in part on federal appropriations. Readers (and politicians) may disagree on whether a noninvasive study of grizzly bear population and habitat is a waste of money. McCain clearly thinks it is -- but on the other hand, he never moved to get rid of the earmark. In fact, he voted for the bill that made appropriations for the study. He did propose some changes to the bill, but none that nixed the bear funding." [Fact Check.Org, 9/26/08]
Washington Post: McCain Repeats Lie That Obama Voted To Raise Taxes on Anyone Making More Than $42,000. "John McCain claimed that Obama voted in the Senate to raise taxes on anyone making more than $42,000 a year. This is misleading on several levels. The vote that McCain is talking about was a non-binding resolution on the budget that envisioned letting the Bush tax cuts to expire, as scheduled, in 2011. But these budget resolutions come up every year, and do not represent a vote for higher taxes in future years. In fact, Obama has said that he will continue the Bush tax cuts for middle and low-income taxpayers. He says that he will cut taxes for all but the wealthiest tax-payers." [Washington Post Fact Checker blog, 9/26/08: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/]
AP: McCain Repeats Troop Funding Lie. "MCCAIN: McCain said Obama voted to cut off money for the troops in Iraq. THE FACTS: Despite opposing the war, Obama has, with one exception, voted for Iraq troop financing. In 2007, he voted against a troop funding bill because it did not contain language calling for a troop withdrawal. The Illinois senator backed another bill that had such language - and money for the troops." [AP, 9/26/08: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRESIDENTIAL_DEBATE_FACTCHECK?SITE=ILEDW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT]
Like many of y'all, my initial reaction to the news that McCain would be suspending his campaign was "what the ...."
But after reading the statements from the McCain campaign and the White House, I've come to the conclusion that the play is for McCain to come in and save the day. Here are the statements:
"It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the administration's proposal. I do not believe that the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time."
"We welcome Sen. McCain's announcement. We are making progress in negotiations on the financial markets rescue legislation, but we have not finished it yet. Bipartisan support from Sens. McCain and Obama would be helpful in driving to a conclusion. The financial market crisis is a big problem that requires a big solution, and solving this in a bipartisan way will help prevent economic damage spreading from Wall Street to all Americans."
Well, folks ... I've just seen something I never thought I'd see in politics, mainly because I am not my grandparents' age. Back then, most Americans literally worshipped FDR, and they still do. Pray tell, what am I talking about? This:
Well, Mr. Kennedy may want to revise that statement in light of this article that John McCain had written for the September/October 2008 issue of Contingencies, the magazine for the American Academy of Actuaries:
"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."
E over at We Could Be Famous informs us of the latest poll on the Presidential race conducted in Louisiana by ARG, conducted over September 9-12 of 600 voters, with a margin of error of 4.5%. The overall findings are:
McCain
Obama
Other
Undecided
Likely Voters
50%
43%
1%
6%
The cross-tabs show that Democrats have some work to do in shoring up the base, as well as convincing Independents that Obama is the best candidate:
The 50 and older numbers don't suprise me, as older folks are generally more resistant to change. The 18 to 49 age cohort numbers are slightly suprising, as Obama leads in this age category by a larger margin nationally. Then again, Obama hasn't been on the air here in Louisiana, and what little news most folks are getting on the Presidential campaign is from the BSM.
McCain
Obama
Other
Undecided
White (68%)
72%
21%
1%
6%
African American (32%)
2%
90%
1%
7%
These numbers are the least surprising of all. Expect to see the number of African Americans supporting Obama to go up to 95% or so by the time Election Day rolls around. As for the number of white supporters, there is a way for Obama to raise those numbers ...
All he has to do is make a swing through South Louisiana and talk about coastal restoration, and building CAT 5 Storm surge protection for REAL this time, along the lines of what the Dutch and Brits have done for their coastlines.
That will knock some Louisiana folks upside the head, and will take them away from McCain, as they will be able to say, "I met Barack Obama ... and he's not the spawn of the devil y'all been telling me he is." So, Obama campaign staff, if any of y'all are reading this, please, please, send the good Senator through Louisiana for two events - one in Houma, and one in Crowley or Jennings ... and let Barack talk to South Louisiana!
* The asterisk is here because I don't think he can win without visiting the state and going on the air down here.
This is what we've got going on in our nation's economy:
A debt that has grown $7,700,000,000,000 during the Bush Administration
A war in Iraq that is costing $10,000,000,000 a month
A health care system, Medicare, that eats up $340,000,000,000 a year
A global warming crisis with national security and environmental ramifications which worsen EVERY DAY
The failure of 3 of the Big 5 on Wall Street - Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Merrill Lynch - in the last 8 months
And this is what John McCain has to say about our economy:
Seriously, John McCain doesn't get it. Nor does Mrs. Palin, but that's another post ... if we vote for this team of liars, we deserve the lack of change they will bring us over the next four years.
Over the last few weeks, I've watched this Presidential campaign unfold, becoming more and more disgusted with the kind of campaign that John McCain is running.
There's a reason he constantly invokes his status as a Prisoner of War during the Vietnam War ... it's to innoculate himself from the distasteful and downright shameful lies he is spreading about Barack Obama. I mean, think about it ... a veteran is normally treated as a man of honor, right? A Prisoner of War gets even more respect.
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?" he [McCain] asked guests at a Senate Republican fundraiser. "Because her father is Janet Reno."
We're talking about a man that enjoyed a good laugh and said, "that's a good question" in response to a supporter asking him about Hillary Clinton - "How do we beat the [an ugly word that begins with a b]?:
John Sidney McCain has no honor because liars have no honor. He is running the sleaziest campaign I've ever seen ... and I've worked or volunteered in Bronx and New Orleans political campaigns.
This was a strange speech, y'all ... it's not often that the Presidential nominee gets upstaged by his VP pick. But I think that happened tonight.
John "McSame" McCain claims that Obama believes he is the "anointed one" to save our country at our hour of need. Yet Senator Obama said last week that this campaign is not about him. It's about us. And pray tell, what did John McSame tell us tonight?
He told us that he's the better choice to be President because he was a prisoner of war. That being a prisoner of war made him love America more, which means he's the better man to be President than Barack Obama ever will be. I've never quite understood that logic, but I guess it's because I'm not a Republican.
McSame also LIED to us tonight. Not just once. Several times. I'll lay out some of the BIG ones for ya:
McSame told us that "I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise
them."
REALITY: Obama Will Cut Taxes, McCain Will Raise Them
"The Tax Policy Center, a research group run by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, has done the most detailed analysis of the Obama and McCain tax plans, and it has published a series of fascinating tables. For the bottom 80 percent of the population - those households making $118,000 or less - McCain's various tax cuts would mean a net savings of about $200 a year on average. Obama's proposals would bring $900 a year in savings. So for most people, Obama is the tax cutter in this campaign." NY Times, 8/24/08
"Mr. Obama wants to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and cut them substantially for low- and middle-income taxpayers. He would cut taxes for more households, and by a larger amount, than Mr. McCain, who would give the greatest benefits to wealthy households and corporations." Washington Post Editorial, 8/31/08
McCain's Health Care Plan Would Raises Taxes On Families By $1,169 In 2013: According to a report by the Center for American Progress, the tax credit in McCain's health care plan would fall behind rising health premiums and would raise taxes for the average family by $1,169 in 2013. Center for American Progress, 7/2/08 (pdf alert)
McSame told us " "I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them."
REALITY: Obama will negotiate trade deals with American workers in mind; McCain supported deals that cost Americans their jobs
Obama: "I think that NAFTA and CAFTA did not reflect the interests of American workers but reflected the interests of the stock owners on Wall Street, because they did not contain the sorts of labor provisions and environmental provisions that should have been embedded and should have been enforceable in those agreements." Associated Press, 10/10/07
McSame Supported NAFTA and CAFTA:
During a GOP Debate last December, McSame told the audience that "I'm the biggest free marketer and free trader that you will ever see" despite estimates that NAFTA has contributed to the loss of ONE MILLION American jobs since 1994. NAFTA vote and CAFTA vote. GOP Debate 12/12/07
McSame told us "For workers in industries that have been hard hit, we'll help make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one while they receive retraining that will help them find secure new employment at a decent wage."
REALITY: McSame has REPEATEDLY opposed VITAL TRAINING for WORKERS in hard-hit industries.
McCain Opposed $1 Million In Job Training Programs For Young People. In 2003, McCain sponsored an amendment to delete several provisions from the war supplemental spending bill, including $1 million for the Jobs for America's Graduates school-to-work program for at-risk young people for Training Employment Services. 2003 Senate Vote #118, 4/3/2003, McCain: Y
McCain Voted Against a Pilot Program to Provide Low-Interest Loans to Workers in Job Training or Assistance Programs. In 2002, McCain voted to kill an amendment requiring the Labor Department to establish a pilot program providing low-interest loans to workers in job training or job assistance programs to enable workers to continue making their mortgage payments. 2002 Senate Vote #119, 5/21/2002 McCain: Y
McCain Voted Against Providing Additional $4.1 Million For Job Training And Other Domestic Programs. In 1992, McCain voted against transferring $4.1 billion from defense to domestic programs, including Head Start, child immunization programs and the Job Corps program. 1992 Senate Vote #208, 9/16/1992, McCain: N
McCain Voted Against Providing $1 Billion In Economic Assistance, Including Job Training. In 1992, McCain voted against providing $1 billion for various programs designed to help those struggling economically, including job training funding. 1992 Senate Vote #146, 7/2/1992, McCain: Y
McSame told us that "both parties and Senator Obama passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies."
REALITY: That energy bill raised taxes on oil and gas industry, and McCain supports tax breaks for Big Oil
The AP reported, "Clinton is on shakier ground when attacking Obama for supporting "Dick Cheney's energy bill," and not just because it's a stretch to assign the vice president name - red meat to Democrats - to the legislation. The 2005 act that she describes as packed with billions of dollars in oil industry breaks actually raised taxes on the oil and gas industry by about $300 million over 11 years, according to the Congressional Research Service. The nonpartisan analysis found $2.6 billion in tax cuts for the oil and gas industry and $2.9 billion in tax increases. The bulk of tax breaks went to other sources of energy, including alternative fuels favored by both Clinton and Obama." [AP, 2/15/08]
McCain's Tax Plan Will Cut Taxes For Oil Companies by Nearly $4 Billion - Including $1.2 Billion for Exxon. A study by the Center for American Progress Action Fund noted that the corporate tax rate cut included in the McCain tax plan "would deliver a $3.8 billion tax cut to the five largest American oil companies" - ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Valero Energy, and Marathon. According to their analysis of Exxon's financial statements, the company would receive a tax savings of $1.2 billion under the McCain plan. Center for American Progress
McCain Opposes A Bipartisan Compromise to Expand Domestic Oil Production Because of Provisions that Would End Tax Breaks for Oil Companies. "A spokesman for Sen. McCain said that while he 'applauds the bipartisan effort,' he wouldn't support the proposal because 'he cannot and will not support legislation that raises taxes.'" Wall Street Journal, 8/2/08
So, McSame told us some things tonight while his record says another. Now do y'all understand why I, along with Democrats in the know, call him McSame? Because John McCain ain't about change ... he's just more of the same.
I watched last night's speech from the presumptive Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin. Before I get into the fact check, I want to say that Mrs. Palin is one of the most under-qualified members of a major party ticket in recent memory. Serving as Governor for 18 MONTHS and Mayor for 6 years does NOT compare to TWENTY SIX years in the United States Senate. That's the comparison that needs to be made ... to Senator Biden, not Senator Obama. But you want to make that comparison - 8 years as a State Senator in Illinois and 3 years as a United States Senator. Oh, you mean she has executive experience? Let's take a look at her record:
Palin said that "Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems - as if we didn't know that already. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all."
REALITY: She believes that we can drill our way out our energy crisis.
Asked by "Investor's Business Daily in JULY: "Some politicians and presidential candidates say we can't drill our way out of our energy problem and that drilling in ANWR will have no effect. What's your best guess of the impact on prices?"
Palin responded "I beg to disagree with any candidate who would say we can't drill our way out of our problem or that more supply won't ultimately affect prices. Of course it will affect prices. Energy being a global market, it's impossible to venture a guess on (specific) prices."
Palin said that "Senator McCain also promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest - and as a chief executive, I can assure you it works."
REALITY: Palin CUT funding for education, health care and seniors.
EDUCATION/CHILDREN Total: $396,000
Anchorage – Fire Lake Elementary School Replacement of Unsafe Sports Equipment. Palin vetoed $10,000. [FY08 Budget]
Tanana City School District – Repair School Bus. Palin vetoed $36,000. [FY08 Budget]
American Lung Association of Alaska – Asthma Control Program and Champ Camp. Palin voted $350,000. [FY08 Budget]
HOSPITALS/HEALTH CARE Total: $4,527,500
Ketchikan General Hospital Surgical Suite Expansion/Relocation. Palin vetoed $4,400,000. [FY09 Budget]
Ketchikan General Hospital – Replacement of Outdated Equipment. Palin vetoed $70,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Sitka – Community Hospital – Medical Equipment. Palin vetoed $31,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Statewide Independent Living Centers – Assistive Technology for Alaska's Centers for Independent Living. Palin vetoed $125,000. [FY09 Budget]
Kodiak Senior Center – Facilities repair and Equipment. Palin vetoed $15,000. [2007 Legislature Supplemental]
Palin said "I suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.
REALITY: Alaska has requested $ 589 MILLION in earmarks since Palin took office & as Mayor, she hired Wasilla's first federal lobbyist to secure earmarks for the town
According to Citizens Against Government Waste, under Palin's tenure as Governor, Alaska has asked for more than $ 589, 599,715 in pork barrel projects. 2007 and 2008 Pig Book
The LA Times reports that the State of Alaska has requested 31 earmarks worth some $197.8 million, according to Alaskan Senator Ted Steven's website. LA Times, 9/1/08
As Mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Palin hired a Washington lobbying firm that helped secure $8 million in earmarks for the town. The lobbying firm was headed by Steven Silver, a former Chief of Staff to Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. USA Today, 8/31/08
Senator McCain even criticized three of Palin's earmarks! There was a $500,000 public transportation project earmark in 2001, a $1,000,000 emergency communications center project in 2002, and a $450,000 agricultural processing facility project in 2002. LA Times, 9/3/08
Palin said that "In fact, I told Congress -- I told Congress, "Thanks, but no thanks" on that bridge to nowhere."
REALITY: Palin was FOR the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.
Palin said that "we are expected to govern with integrity, and goodwill, and clear convictions ..."
REALITY: I wonder how she plans to govern with integrity, as she is currently under investigation for abuse of power.
A Special Counsel has been appointed by the Alaska State Legislature to investigate claims that Palin fired a former state official because he refused to fire a state trooper who was involved in a bitter custody battle with Palin's sister. KTVA 11, 7/28/08
And she has hired counsel that is seeking to end the probe on claims of executive privilege ... hmmmm, where have we heard that one before? Talking Points Memo, 9/3/08
So there you have it, folks. Even Sarah Palin, the Alaska governin', evangelical Christian lovin', moose-huntin', hockey mama, soon to be grand-mama, fits right into McSame's campaign ... as she is not about change ... but more of the same.
As duplicative, repetitive diaries keep being posted on other websites about Sarah Palin, the agonizing aftermath of Gustav in Louisiana is being ignored, if it hasn't been forgotten already.
Don't get me wrong--but there's plenty of time to go into Palin's issues between now and the election (though as Obama has said, we shouldn't go into Bristol's pregnancy because that's a family problem of the Palins.) And those having to do with her work as a leader are important. But we should not lose sight of what's going on in Louisiana as we focus on them. Because the disaster and anguish continue in Gustav's aftermath.
He was eating cake while the citizens of New Orleans were drowning. Talk about being tone-deaf. 
Could it be ... that he's getting ready to run for President in 2012? The 
