Lefty Blogs Jerking Reporters by the Nose

This people have become a joke …

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13199.html

PALMER, Alaska — The liberal blogosphere was abuzz Friday with news that a friend of Sarah and Todd Palin had tried to seal his divorce records.

Surely, the Netroots speculated, that friend must be the unnamed business partner whom this week’s edition of the National Enquirer alleges — without proof so far — was romantically linked to Palin. The McCain campaign's characterization of the story as a "vicious lie" seemed to only fuel more speculation.

And then the moment of truth, as the motion to seal was denied.

The filings, housed in a district courthouse in this town about eight miles east of the Palin’s hometown of Wasilla, contained a lot of hot news — presuming, that is, you’re interested in the child-custody agreement reached by Scott Richter and his ex-wife Deborah Richter, or in the former couple's holdings, which include a recreational property that Scott owns with Sarah and Todd Palin.

That hasn’t stopped a stream of journalists and couriers from NBC, the Los Angeles Times, Court TV and other outlets (including this reporter, presently serving as Politico’s Alaska bureau) from making their way to the Palmer courthouse to photocopy, at 25 cents a page, the 75 or so pages in the Richters’ marriage dissolution file.

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DP: Republican Recycling

Flags headed for the trash and no longer useful to the Democrats find a new purpose …

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Republican Recycling

By David Harsanyi

Denver Post’s Post-Ed Notes

September 6, 2008

http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion/2008/09/06/republican-recycling/

This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story.

“What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”

I’m not sure what the DNC was supposed to do with unused hand-flags, frankly. But the Republicans are obviously questioning someone’s patriotism here.

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DFP: McCain, Palin: We need Michigan

NOTE: Norma Portwood-Stacer held a sign that said "Hillary Democrat for McCain Palin." She was visibly excited by the encounter, clutching her chest and bouncing up and down after a hug from McCain and Palin.

The other, Laurel Federbush of Ann Arbor, described herself as a left-wing independent who supported Dennis Kucinich for president during the primary season. She said she liked McCain's opposition to torture during interrogations on prisoners.

McCain, Palin: We need Michigan

By Chris Christoff, Kathleen Gray and Justin Hyde

Detroit Free Press

September 6, 2008

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/NEWS15/809060352

Buoyant and fresh from their party's convention, presidential nominee John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin promised a crowd of more than 7,000 in Sterling Heights on Friday that they'd shake up Washington in a way Democratic rival Barack Obama can't.

The duo, which this week revved up GOP hopes of a November victory, drove home themes of military resolve in Iraq, independence and McCain's patriotism, while they attempted to co-opt Obama's anthem of change.

"This is the ticket to shake up Washington because Sen. Obama doesn't have the strength to do it," McCain told a whooping crowd at the Freedom Hill park amphitheater. "Send a team of mavericks who aren't afraid to go to Washington and break some china."

It was McCain and Palin's second post-convention campaign stop, following one in Wisconsin.

Supporters coming to the event Friday afternoon backed up traffic for a mile from the park, causing rush-hour headaches for commuters.

With a sea of "McCain-Palin" campaign placards and American flags waving before him, McCain pleaded for help, saying he needed to win Michigan to win the White House.

He said that though he and his supporters may disagree on some issues, "I will never let you down, and I will always, always, always put my country first."

Their appearance reinforced the campaign messages of the convention this week and made it clear that national security and McCain's unwavering support of the war in Iraq, and government reform will be linchpin issues during the final two months of the campaign.

But aside from a renewed pitch to expand offshore drilling to reduce the nation's reliance on foreign oil, there was little mention of the troubled economy in a state with the nation's highest unemployment rate.

"I know in Michigan that times are tough. I know all you ask from government is to stand on your side and not in your way," McCain said.

A Gallup national tracking poll released Friday showed Obama's lead over McCain was down to 4 percentage points from 7. The poll -- with a margin of error plus or minus 2 percentage points -- included one day of surveys after Palin's much-watched acceptance speech Wednesday night.

McCain's visit came the same day the federal unemployment report showed automakers and parts suppliers shed 39,000 jobs in the past 30 days, and the industry has lost 127,800 jobs during the past year.

The job cuts in auto manufacturing, combined with 14,000 jobs cut from car dealers and auto parts vendors, were the largest contributors to driving the national unemployment rate to 6.1% for August, according to the U.S. Department of Labor -- the highest since September 2003.

Obama said the data showed the need for a second economic stimulus plan and reiterated his support for $50 billion in government loans for retooling automakers and parts suppliers to build more efficient vehicles.

"We need a fundamental change in our economy to help struggling families in Michigan, and we need to embrace policies that will help the American auto industry keep and create jobs here at home," Obama said in a statement.

Frank Butler and his wife, Peggy, drove from Plymouth to see McCain and Palin and couldn't have been more impressed.

"Every time I listen to him, I have more and more respect for him," Butler said. "And she was a grand slam. She'll be coming into Washington with fresh eyes, and hopefully she can do in the lower 48 what she's done in Alaska."

McCain was introduced to the late afternoon crowd by Palin, who drew cheers as loud as those for McCain.

Palin, whose oldest son is headed to Iraq with a U.S. Army unit, spent much of her remarks promoting a strong military. She mocked Obama for admitting in a television interview Thursday that the so-called surge of U.S. troops in Iraq has stabilized the war-torn country. Interrupted by chants of "Sarah, Sarah," Palin recited McCain's experience as a Vietnam War prisoner of war as testament to his resolve.

The Obama campaign said Friday it had received $10 million in campaign pledges since Palin's acceptance speech.

In his remarks, McCain also said he'd cut taxes, promote alternative energy and make the U.S. energy-independent with expanded oil drilling.

McCain and Palin were greeted at Metro Airport earlier in the afternoon by two Democrats, who said they'll vote for McCain.

Norma Portwood-Stacer held a sign that said "Hillary Democrat for McCain Palin."

She was visibly excited by the encounter, clutching her chest and bouncing up and down after a hug from McCain and Palin.

The other, Laurel Federbush of Ann Arbor, described herself as a left-wing independent who supported Dennis Kucinich for president during the primary season.

She said she liked McCain's opposition to torture during interrogations on prisoners.

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Governor Sarah Palin Delivers Weekly Radio Address

EMBARGOED	Contact: Press Office
Friday, September 5, 2008	703-650-5550

ARLINGTON, VA -- McCain-Palin 2008 today released the text of Governor Sarah Palin's radio address for tomorrow morning. This week, Governor Palin is delivering the weekly radio address for the first time. The text and audio file are embargoed until tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. EDT.

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO FILE HERE: http://www.johnmccain.com/Downloads/0905_PALIN_WRA.mp3

Governor Sarah Palin's Weekly Radio Address:

Good morning, this is Sarah Palin -- the governor of Alaska and candidate for vice president. When Senator John McCain asked me to join the ticket last week, he placed a lot of confidence in me, and I'm going to do my level best to be worthy of it. Senator McCain also asked me to fill in for him today in his weekly radio address -- he's putting me right to work.

In my speech to the convention last Wednesday, I wanted to share some basic convictions, and also to tell you a little about the path that shaped those convictions. I never really set out to be involved in public affairs, much less to run for vice president. My mom and dad both worked at the local elementary school, and my husband Todd and I, we both grew up working with our hands. I was pretty much your average hockey mom, raising kids, and joined the PTA. When I ran for city council of my hometown, and then for mayor, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and I knew their families, too. I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment, and I have no plans to join.

That was the spirit that brought me to the governor's office, when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau, when I stood up to the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the good-ol' boys network. Sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That's why true reform is so hard to achieve. But with the support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up, and in short order we put the government of our state back on the side of the people.

I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law. I came to office promising to control spending -- by request if possible and by veto if necessary. And today, our state budget is under control. We have a surplus. And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes.

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. In a McCain-Palin administration, we'll pursue a pro-growth agenda focused on creating jobs and reducing the tax burden. And with a maverick in the White House, Republicans are going to reclaim our good name as the party of spending discipline.

Our opponent in this election supports plans to raise taxes on income, payroll, investment income, business income, and altogether would increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. But ask yourself: If you're trying to run a small business, or to keep your job at a plant, or keep a small farm in the family, how are you going to be better off if he adds a massive tax burden to the American economy?

In Alaska, we've also made some serious reforms in energy policy. When oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue right back where it belonged -- directly to the people of Alaska. And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists, we broke their monopoly on power and resources. As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people. I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history. And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.

Energy security is one of the great issues in this presidential campaign, and I look forward to debating it. Our opponents keep saying that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems -- as if we didn't already know that. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines and build more nuclear plants, create jobs with clean coal, and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.

John McCain is a man who has always served his country and not just his party, and that's exactly the spirit we need in Washington today. Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests. The right reason to enter politics is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it. No one expects us to agree on everything. But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and a servant's heart. And I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as Vice President of the United States. Thank you for listening.

Sheridan Folger
Visit Let's Get This Right

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Sally Quinn Recants

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/27982

Sally Quinn Recants

Jennifer Rubin - 09.05.2008 - 10:07 PM

No one in the mainstream media had been harsher on Sarah Palin than Sally Quinn. In a blistering piece in the Washington Post earlier in the week she wrote, among other things:

Is she prepared for the all-consuming nature of the job? She is the mother of five children, one of them a four-month-old with Down Syndrome. Her first priority has to be her children. When the phone rings at three in the morning and one of her children is really sick what choice will she make? I’m the mother of only one child, a special needs child who is grown now. I know how much of my time and energy I devoted to his care. He always had to be my first priority. Of course women can be good mothers and have careers at the same time. I’ve done both. Yes, other women in public office have children. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has five children, but she didn’t get heavily involved in politics until they were older. A mother’s role is different from a father’s.

But now Quinn has seen Palin with her own eyes and is singing a different tune. On Fox today with Bill O’Reilly, Quinn had this to say:

I thought that she was amazing. in her speech. She was funny and smart and poised and confident. She gave a great speech, beautifully delivered. I think she is going to be a formidable opponent. all of that I think is — I was wrong about her. and I didn’t know anything about her. I probably didn’t know any more than John McCain did a few days before he picked her.

(Well, perhaps McCain knew plenty and chose her on this basis, but that’s a quibble.) O’Reilly went on to ask her if ”your column and other columns like yours rallied the folks to her side and actually helped the McCain-Palin ticket dramatically.” Quinn answered “I think you’re absolutely right.”

Oh my. A couple of thoughts come immediately to mind. First, kudos are in order. How often do mainstream media outlets and their columnists ever say “I blew it”? It is not easy to acknowledge error, let alone a gross and mean-spirited one. Quinn did. (My suggestion is that Palin’s first serious print interview should be with her. ) Second, could others follow? If the MSM beats a hasty retreat in the Palin Inquisition, the Obama camp will have no choice but to directly take her on or ignore Palin-mania and let it the McCain-Palin ticket ride the wave of popularity. Either would mark a sweet vindication for McCain personally and his team more generally.

Sheridan Folger

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TL: Non-profit hiring people to help Obama

NOTE: The non-profit advocacy group is hiring people to enlist support for the Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama.

…

The group, based in Denver, is hiring directors to run local offices and train college students and others as canvassers, paid at a rate of $6 an hour, to help elect Obama. The federal minimum wage is $6.55 per hour; in Pennsylvania it is $7.15.

Non-profit hiring people to help Obama

By Jerry Lynott

Times Leader (PA)

September 6, 2008

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Non-profit_hiring_people_to_help_Obama_09-05-2008.html

WILKES-BARRE – The contact person on the fliers is fictitious, but the jobs that Progressive Future is advertising are real.

The non-profit advocacy group is hiring people to enlist support for the Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama.

Fliers have appeared in the downtown as part of the group’s effort to build a staff of several hundred in Pennsylvania, said Dave Masur, state director for Progressive Future.

“We’re getting a lot calls, a lot of interest. We have staff on the ground,” Masur said Thursday.

A bright yellow flier taped to a street light pole on Public Square read, “JOBS FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE & THE ENVIRONMENT,” with the group’s name and contact information listed below.

But when people call the phone number and “Ask for Michael,” as directed, they’ll find out there is no one by that name on the other end.

The group has a limited budget and wants to use its money as efficiently as possible, Masur said. The fake contact name is a way to measure whether the flier is effective.

It is, he added. “We’ve been getting across the state, hundreds if not thousands of calls.”

The group, based in Denver, is hiring directors to run local offices and train college students and others as canvassers, paid at a rate of $6 an hour, to help elect Obama. The federal minimum wage is $6.55 per hour; in Pennsylvania it is $7.15.

Progressive Future considers Pennsylvania one of the three big swing states along with Ohio and Florida, Masur said.

It also considers education, health care and the environment three major issues on which Obama is stronger than his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain.

The flier had no indication it was political or in support of Obama’s campaign. Masur said another one the group uses says, “Jobs for Obama.”

The group is not attempting to deceive people and lead them to believe they are responding to an ad for jobs in any of those fields, Masur said.

“When people call the information is pretty clear,” he said.

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