Strollerderby : election

Sarah Palin Speaks To Esquire About Kids And Things

Brett Singer — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:15:00 GMT

Sarah Palin is back. In truth, the Hockey Mom/Lipsticked Pitbull/former Vice-Presidential candidate never left. So before anyone hits me with a "Why don't you leave that nice woman alone!", remember that all of these quotes are from Palin herself, via an interview in Esquire Magazine. It's not like people put a camera in her house. We'll stick with the quotes that are about her kids. Here we go:

On Trig:
I'll tell you, yesterday the Anchorage Daily News, they called again to ask — double-, triple-, quadruple-check — who is Trig's real mom. And I said, Come on, are you kidding me? We're gonna answer this? Do you not believe me or my doctor? And they said, No, it's been quite cryptic the way that my son's birth has been discussed. And I thought, Okay, more indication of continued problems in the world of journalism.

Now, I don't want to feed the beast here. And there are certainly problems in the world of journalism. But in that paragraph, she doesn't say that she's Trig's mom. I understand what she means. But she doesn't actually say that she is Trig's biological mother. Just sayin'. (UPDATE: per the comments below, this was meant as a joke, not serious journalism.)

On Bristol's pending nuptials:
This is what I've been telling Bristol, before she gets married, is, Bristol, there are definitely gonna be tough parts in marriage. You have to look at those tough times and remember that you have essentially a business contract with this person. You've signed an agreement: You're going to be together. And you look at it that way as you work through the tough times, because I guarantee the better time is there on the other side. That's how we've looked at it.

To quote another song by Heart (who sang her theme tune, Barracuda), what about love? I kind of hope that there was more to this one because if that's how she feels about marriage, that's kind of a bummer. Not that I'm all flowers and puppy dog tails when it comes to marriage. But it's more than just a "contract." Isn't it?

On Bristol's name:
Two meanings in Bristol's name: I worked at the Bristol Inn, and Todd grew up in Bristol Bay. But also, Bristol, Connecticut, is the home of ESPN. And when I was in high school, my desire was to be a sportscaster. ESPN was just kicking off, just getting off the ground, and I thought that's what I was going to do in life, is be one of the first woman sportscasters. Until I learned that you'd have to move to Bristol, Connecticut. It was far away. So instead, I had a daughter and named her Bristol.

OK. Hang on. First, she says "two meanings" and then provides three. Second – ESPN? Does that mean that she considered naming the girl Boomer, after Chris Berman? This might seem like another opinion from a "pathetic blogger" (another quote of hers), but that's a strange choice. I mean, I like the Cartoon Network but I'm not naming my son Mojo Jojo. (I did suggest that the name Luke, so I could say, "Luke! I am your father!" But then my wife hit me really hard and I gave up.)

Lastly, a general comment on parenting and kids:
A courageous person is anyone who loses a child and can still get out of bed in the morning.

No disagreement there. I do wonder what prompted her to say that, but that's one thing she and I can agree on. (She was really worried about finding common ground with me, y'know.)

One thing that can't be said enough – when Palin says that she wants us to leave her kids alone, she has to realize that she puts them in the spotlight every time she does press like this. She doesn't have to do the interview. And if she does the interview, she doesn't have to mention her family all the time. I said it before and I'll say it again – if you don't want people to write about your kids, you should stop talking about them in the media.

There's a lot more, including the statement "Everything I've ever needed to know I learned through sports," a bit of "y'all" and "ya", and that she doesn't think of herself as "hot." Oh, and to make a good chili, you need mooseburger. The full interview is online at Esquire.com. G'wan. Read it. You know you want to. Y'all. Ya.

Source/Image: Esquire

Bart Simpson-Scientologist

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Ann Coulter Says Single Moms Are Bad For Society

Octuplet Mom Wants TV Career

Little White Whales Going, Going...Gone?

Parents Ripped Off On Inauguration Trip?

Girls More Confident Since Presidential Election

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:35:00 GMT

50 percent of girls ages 12 to 17 have more confidence since the presidential election, according to a study by the Girl Scout Research Foundation. The study of 3,284 adolescent girls also found that half of young women now believe they will be able to achieve their goals, and 55 percent feel more comfortable speaking their minds.

The Girl Scout Research Foundation speculates (unsurprisingly) that the inclusion of two female candidates—Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin—drastically affected young girls for the better.

I would guess that the election of the nation’s first black president has also increased girls’ confidence in their chances for success. Seeing an African-American family in the White House is a wonderfully concrete demonstration that glass ceilings can be shattered to smithereens.

Photo: Jezebel

Babble Podcast for January 26, 2009 (now with a working player)

Brett Singer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:41:00 GMT

Here is the ninth Babble Podcast.

You can either listen right here

or download the MP3 file by clicking here.

On today's episode:

1.    Quick news update:
- Obama goes after Limbaugh, kind of.
- Rod Blagojevich (who I've decided to start calling B-Rod) is just a bundle of fun
- The Dark Knight did not get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Some guy in his mother's basement is weeping.
2.    The Week in Blog
- Linda Ellerbee, mini cameras (not Mini-Me), and Jason Wu.
3.    Comment of the Week
- Sarcasm? Or something else?

Notes on this podcast:

Songs parodied:

- Los del Río, Macarena

Posts mentioned:

Linda Ellerbee Says Kids Should Skip School To Watch Inauguration

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Parents Who Waited Decade to Report Son Missing Now Murder Suspects

A Camera for the Mini Photog

Star Baby: Who is This Caped Crusader?

What Should Malia & Sasha Wear to the Inauguration?

Sasha Gives Barack Obama a 'Thumbs Up'

Video: Obamas' Inaugural Ball First Dance & Michelle Wears Jason Wu

Explicitly Nude: Madonna's Photo Up For Grabs

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Third Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

VIDEO: O'Reilly Upset About Two Year Old Bashing Bush

Is The Peanut Allergy Scare Overblown?

Past Podcasts

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Brett Singer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Remember Sarah Palin? Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, kind of overshadowed John McCain for a while, said the word "maverick" a lot? Tina Fey did an impression of her on Saturday Night Live? Ring any bells?

She's back. Well, to be fair, she never went away. But the Associated Press has published a story talking about how Palin "is going on the offensive against news organizations as well as bloggers she says are perpetuating malicious gossip about her and her children." They say she has, "personally reached out to media outlets such as People magazine and The Associated Press to complain about information she claimed is wrong."

What information? Well, that her daughter Bristol Palin and her fiancee, Levi Johnson, have dropped out of high school. She says that isn't true since they are taking correspondence courses. That sort of thing. Palin says that she is doing this to "set the record straight" and not because of political ambitions.

American University professor Leonard Steinhorn, described as "an expert on the presidency," isn't buying it. He says that Palin is positioning herself to run for Prez in 2012, and is "attacking the media as a way to generate support among a base she hopes will support her." (He's an expert, so he must be right.)

Here's the thing. I don't think it's fair to go after her kids. But someone needs to explain to the Governor of Alaska that if you don't want "the media" to talk about your family, you probably shouldn't invite them into your home, which she did with the Today Show in November after losing the election. No one forced her to do that. And if she wanted to do the interview, she could have done it alone. But she chose to do it in her kitchen while she cooked dinner. She clearly wants to have her family be part of her image, but she also wants to pick and choose what people write about them.

The problem is, it doesn't work that way. You can't have your cake and bake it on national television too. There are plenty of ways to keep your family out of the spotlight. One of them is very simple: keep them out of the spotlight.

Source: AP via HuffPo

Image

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

Sarah Palin Calls People About Grandson Tripp

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Babble Podcast for January 12, 2009

Brett Singer — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:24:00 GMT

Here is the eighth Babble Podcast.

You can either listen right here

or download the MP3 file by clicking here.

On today's episode:

1. Quick news update:
- Barack Obama is a celebrity? How about Bristol Palin?
- Al Franken won – maybe.
- The Jets didn’t make the playoffs, which is worse than the Giants losing to the Eagles. Not much worse. But worse.
2. The Week in Blog
- A six-year-old driving to school alone, extra nipples, and Jett Travolta.
3. Comment of the Week
- Nobody ever claps for parents. Today, we fix that.
4. The Last Word
- The Wii Fit lets me work out in my living room, away from the freaks at the gym.

Notes on this podcast:

Songs parodied:
- The Knack, My Sharona

Songs mangled:
- Led Zeppelin, Immigrant Song

Posts mentioned:

Parents Wait a Decade to Report Missing Child

Six-Year-Old Drives Himself to School After Missing Bus

Mom-to-Be Has Two Vaginas, Two Uteruses

Tripp Palin's Name Explained

Extra Nipples, Anyone?

Yup, This is a Fairy Door

Sasha Obama Brought Something Ugly To School

Update: John Travolta Son's Death Details & Statements

John Travolta's Son Dies

Funeral For Jett Travolta In Ocala

Stuff You Never Thought You'd Say -- Winter Edition

UPDATE: Kid Kissing A Pig - The Musical

Should Homeschooling Parents Be Certified?

Mom Saves Kids From Sinking SUV

More News About Missing Child Adam Herrman

Past Podcasts:

Babble Podcast for December 15, 2008

Babble Podcast for December 8, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 24, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 17, 2008

Entire School Board Recalled By Angry Students

JeanneSager — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:15:00 GMT

Note to boards of education: listen to your students, you're there for them. Or maybe you're not?

A collection of angry students at one California high school organized a recall election that might well be the first ever in the state to unseat an entire school board. The kids and their adult supporters collected enough signatures to authorize a recall vote on all five members of the board of education at the Big Oak Flat-Groveland Unified School District.

What made the kids this angry? The board fired a popular math teacher. Yes, a math teacher, not a football coach (although he is a former professional football player) or a gym teacher. A guy who teaches one of the core subjects. To be fair, he was also coaching baseball - but that wasn't at the heart of the kids' arguments.

The board released Ryan Dutton from his job teaching math at Tioga High in September over an allegation of plagiarism. Working toward his teaching credentials at Cal State Fresno, Dutton was accused in March 2008 of copying another student's homework. He denied the charge, and the university eventually found it was unfounded. Still, members of the school board say they're standing behind THEIR source, and they've refused to rehire Dutton. Nor have they revealed their sources.

Students have appealed to the board to no avail. So civics teacher Tim King helped them organize a civics project instead: collecting the necessary nine hundred ten signatures per school board member necessary to put the recall on the ballot. They got them. . . and more.

There's scuttlebutt, according to the Los Angeles Times, that these kids are being used to settle old scores in a fractious community. And while I'm often cautious about putting kids on the front lines of these kinds of arguments, I've seen what they can do. As a community reporter, I followed the case of a school librarian cut because of budget constraints, and the students who worked to have her reinstated. The kids were brushed aside by a school board that did not realize the gem they had in their midst - kids who cared enough about a librarian, with no ties to the sports community. They held lengthy executive sessions while the teenagers sat in the high school library, waiting patiently to have someone simply listen to their pleas. Never was there an explanation issued of the way budgeting works, of the intricacies of tenure. Nor was a thank you issued to the kids for their hard work.

Teachers can't always be reinstated simply because the kids care about them. But without the children, there is no school community, no school board. Not listening to them, at least providing some feedback and a "hey, you tried, but. . ." is tantamount to telling them you're not there FOR them.

Image: Los Angeles Times

School to Parents: Donate Toilet Paper

Having a Kid Alone? Don't Tell Me Why I Have it Better

Kids Can Build Habitat Houses Without Lifting a Hammer

The Obama Family Moves to D.C. Hotel – How Much Will Their Stay Cost?

SunnyChanel — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:48:00 GMT

Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama have made the big move. Without much fanfare, which I’m sure is very appreciated, Mama Obama and her daughters have checked into their temporary housing, the historic Hay-Adams Hotel. The family will be staying in a suite (or more likely a couple of suites) that they’ll be calling home until Jan. 15 when they can sleep in the Blair House, the traditional residence for president-elects.

When the Obama’s checked in there were just news crews there waiting to record the action. Although there wasn’t much chaos, that will surely change when Barack Obama checks in on Sunday.

The Hays-Adams hotel was established in 1928 and it situated right across the street from the White House and next to Lafayette Square. The hotel has 145 rooms and the Presidential Suite is a “distinguished and remarkable penthouse suite (that) features a separate living room and one-and-a-half bathrooms. The beautiful living room overlooking the White House, Lafayette Park and St. John's Church includes a large dining table as well as gas-lit corner fireplace. The master bedroom features a spectacular view of the White House.”

Really, how often do real presidents, or real presidents-elect stay in a hotel’s Presidential Suite? The room finally gets to live up to its’ name. But they’ll probably also book the Federal Suite, the hotel’s premiere living quarters. Each room costs between $2200 - $3200 a night. So if they booked two suites at the book rate for twelve days, they’re looking at a hotel bill of over $64,000 and that doesn’t include room service.

But then there are room extras like “custom Italian bed linens and towels, goose down duvets and pillows … plush microfiber bathrobes and slippers for adults and kids, Bose CD music systems with assorted CDs, exclusive Etro toiletries, complimentary Fiji bottled water and a nightly turndown service.”

Let’s hope they have a AAA card or a connection or two and are able to save a little on their stay. What’s the most you have spent a night on a family hotel stay?

Source: Salon/AP

Babble Podcast for December 15, 2008

Brett Singer — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:12:00 GMT

Here is the seventh Babble Podcast.

You can either listen right here

or download the MP3 file by clicking here.

On today's episode:

1.    Quick news update:
       - Shoes thrown at the President. It's not funny. Well, it was a little funny. And strange.
       - Big time fraud report: Bernard L. Madoff, Marc S. Dreier, and Rod Blagojevich.
         Rod isn't really a fraud case, I guess. But it fits.

2. The Week in Blog
- Kid hangs with an orangutan, a medic alert bracelet that's fashionable, Kerri Russel stripping.Well, not stripping exactly. Strips down. Whatever, just listen.

3. Comment of the Week
- Can we tie Rod Blagojevich to Obama? No? Can we try?

4. The Last Word
- Memo to McCain supporters: he lost. Obama won. Election's over. Deal with it.

Notes on this podcast:

Songs parodied:

- Hey There Delilah, Plain White T's

Just the one this week, but it is an epic tale of true love between a New York Yankee third baseman and one of the most popular pop stars of all time. Both of whom have young kids and should probably stop being so irritating in the public eye. All the time.

Posts mentioned:

Toddler Befriends an Orphaned Baby Orangutan

Bronx, Zuma Don't Make Top 2008 Baby Names List

A Guy’s Take on Stay at Home Moms and Dads (Part 1: The Cons)

Babysitter Made Pornographic Film With 2 Year Old

Students Watch Autopsy of Teen From School

Sweet Angel Child's Bracelet

Stuffed Alphabet Set

Stylish Medical Alert Bracelet

Details: Keri Russell Strips Down

Confirmed: She's Pregnant!

Kate Winslet Keeps Nude Scenes Real

Morning news: What's the Matter with Illinois?

Half Price Toys at Target

Movie Review – "Delgo"

Announce Your New Addition With Panties: Male Perspective

New Zealand Girl Treated Successfully With Cord Blood

Rite Aid Says They Will Stop Selling Expired Baby Products

Past Podcasts:

Babble Podcast for December 8, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 24, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 17, 2008

$7M Book Deal: More Rope for Sarah Palin to Hang Herself With?

JeanneSager — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:33:00 GMT

"You've got to hear this," a fellow Obamaniac insisted. A waitress at the diner where she'd been eating her breakfast had just spent a good portion of her service trying to convince her that Sarah Palin is highly intelligent - she only acted dumb because the Republican National Committee order her to "play the dumb broad to get men to vote for her."

My thanks go to that waitress. I have yet another reason to get down and kiss the pro-America ground I walk on because Sarah Palin won't be in charge of it. It's why I'm almost excited to read the results of a reported $7 million book deal expected for the former vice presidential candidate.

It's like my own daily affirmation a la Democratic Senate Candidate (and holding) Al Franken's alter ego Stuart Smalley. I'm good enough. I'm smart enough, and doggone it, she's not my vice president. Because, frankly (no pun intended), the idea of any woman throwing her support behind "a smart woman who's consented to dumb herself down" to win the approval of the guys who prefer the size of her rack to the size of her brain means women need a serious self esteem boost. It forces me to wonder how many women don't yet think they're good enough or smart enough to share their honest opinions with the world.

Want to feel better about yourself, smarter than someone else? Pick up a book that tells the tales of a woman who thumbs her nose at science and can't even read words strung together on a Starbucks cupholder that rests in her hand.You'll feel better in no time.

Image: Fox News

Kids Yell Assassinate Obama on Idaho School Bus

A Taste of Sasha and Malia's White House Rules: But Can They Paint it Pink?

From 52 to 48 With Love: When Families are Split Down Political Lines

Woman in Labor Holds Off Delivery Until After Voting for Obama

Trick or Treating With the Obamas: Scary or Too Cute?

Prop. 8 Protests Spawn Hope and Great Photos

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:22:00 GMT

Yesterday, thousands gathered in 300 cities across the United States to protest the passage of Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. The protests were a poignant and powerful reminder that no civil right is easily won.

Equality for gay families will be an uphill battle--all of the 30 states that have voted on gay marriage have banned it--but the impressive organization and high turnout of yesterday's peaceful protests demonstrate that the gay rights movement has the momentum to fight for as long as it takes.

Jezebel has posted a slideshow of photos of the protests submitted by readers across the country. I'm unable to post individual selections from the slideshow (aptly titled "Love Not Hate"), but, as you can tell from this one highlight on the right, it's worth browsing the whole thing, especially if you're feeling discouraged about the election's decidedly anti-gay rights outcome.

One of the photos shows a young woman carrying a sign that says, "Jesus Says Relax." I'd like to add to that my favorite Jon Stewart quote. Speaking of gay marriage a few years back, he said, "I really don't see what the big deal is--unless, of course, they're going to make it mandatory."

Photo: Jezebel

Kids at an Obama Rally: Photos to Make Your Day

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:30:00 GMT

I'm going to be irritatingly positive for the first in my life and point out the tiny silver lining to the Obama election pushback (KKK cross burnings, Idaho schoolchildren chanting, "Assassinate Obama," nooses hung from trees in Maine). It's no longer possible to deny that racism is alive and well in the U.S.--which means that we're all being forced to talk and think about the monumental impact of race relations in this country. Perhaps some people will be more likely to support, say, affirmative action now that they have been awakened to the deeply ingrained racism of many of their fellow Americans.

In the interest of keeping the "audacity of hope" Obama's election inspired in us going for as long as possible, check out these amazing photos taken at an Obama rally by a 17-year-old girl named Nida Vidutis. (The photo quality is better after the jump.)

They were posted to April Winchell's blog with some comments that are alternately moving ("a summation of the American dream in action) and hilarious ("later that evening the dads decided to get married").

Photos: Nida Vidutis/Flickr

Idaho Schoolchildren Chant "Assassinate Obama"

A Slideshow of Sasha and Malia Growing Up

How to Balance Work and Parenting--When You're the First Lady

Matt Lauer Talks To Sarah Palin In The Kitchen

Brett Singer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:35:00 GMT

Sarah Palin is off the campaign trail but not out of the spotlight. Now that she isn't running for anything, she's doing interviews left and right (that's not a political reference, by the way). This morning, NBC aired the first part of Matt Lauer's interview with the Alaska Governor; part two airs tomorrow, and there's even more coming on NBC Nightly News.

Sarah sat down with Matt in Alaska for a traditional interview (as morning news gigs go, I think Matt Lauer has it the worst – dude has to travel a LOT). He also spent some time at the Palin home, sharing a salmon and halibut casserole, which he said was quite tasty.

Some of the video is below (click here if the embed doesn't work).

Here are some highlights:

Matt says that the Palin family was, “down to Earth.” Palin herself is, “a working mom...making dinner for her family.”

As for Governor Palin, she was thrilled to be, “representing middle-class, hardworking American families” as part of the McCampaign. (I'm waiting for a candidate to say that they represent lazy people who don't care about money.) She “did not know” that the media scrutiny would be as intense as it turned out to be, and she was upset about the rumors that Trig was not her son. Still, it was all worth it because, “I knew we were on the right path...offering me and my family in service of my country.”

Todd weighs in, kind of. Asked about how the Palin family dealt with the crazy campaign schedule, the First Dude said, “our family is very adaptable.” As for the criticisms? It's just “part of the business.” It sounds like Sarah was more interested than Todd in tearing some of her critics a new one. Still, the Governor says that it's all, “part of this beast called politics in America.”

So what about all of the post-election mud that's been flying around our heads? And did the McCampaign keep her from doing interviews? Palin doesn't want to get into “inside baseball” with regard to “who was calling the shots in the campaign.” She makes it pretty clear that she, “loves doing interviews” because she wants to tell the American people what she plans to do to/for them. “You have to be able to speak through the media.” Lauer points out that she answered his question, “without answering it.”

Then we hear from Piper. She awkwardly answers Matt's questions about the campaign, saying that the hardest part was going to the rallies. She missed “a lot” of school, and its been hard to catch up now that she's home again. How would she feel about another campaign, like, say, in four years? “I don't know,” is the 7 year old's answer. Then mom jumps in and asks her daughter, “Would you want to do it again, sister?” Piper, without missing a beat, says, “Yes.” (UPDATE: apparently Piper was wearing high heels.)

I have several thoughts about this of course, but one thing comes to mind immediately. Governor Palin expressed frustration with what she calls a “double standard” regarding how the media covers her. “I don’t know if anybody’s asking Barack Obama, for intance, ‘Who did your makeup before you went on stage?’ But they’ve been asking me.” True. But when John McCain goes on Jay Leno tonight, I don't think he's going to be doing a cooking segment. Live by the mixing bowl, die by the mixing bowl, y'know?

Source/Image: NBC/MSNBC

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Palin Speaks Out On Special Needs Trusts

Morning News: McCain's Camp Starts Dishing On Palin

7-Year-Old Piper Palin Sports High Heels on The Today Show

With Hand Raised, Palin Swears 'I am Trig's Mom'

The Obamas Are a Great First Family

Babble Podcast for November 10, 2008

UPDATE AGAIN: Palin Prepper Defends The Gov

Brett Singer — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:15:00 GMT

ANOTHER update to the "McCampaign staffers can't seem to stop talking" story. From Gawker:

Republican and former Bush executive secretary of the National Security Council Steve Biegun has gotten in touch with National Review editor/wonderboy Rich Lowry to redeem the former vice presidential candidate by repudiating recent claims she has no idea who's in NAFTA and thinks Africa's a country. He calls the allegations "absurd," while managing to note that she had a "steep learning curve on foreign issues," as Lowry formulates it. It's nice someone is stepping out on Sarah's behalf, but is this half-hearted defense simply part of the larger scheme to discredit her for 2012?

I really am fascinated by this whole thing. The word I keep coming back to is childish. Someone bashes her, someone else defends her, the woman herself uses the words "jerks" and "stinkers." Now the person responsible for preparing the former VP candidate for her interviews says, "there's no way she didn't know Africa was a continent, and whoever is saying she didn't must be distorting 'a fumble of words.'" What does that even mean? Steve Biegun offers a theory about the charge that Palin didn't know beans about NAFTA:

He was briefing Palin before a Univision interview, and talking to her about trade issues. He rolled through NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Colombia FTA. As he talked, people were coming in and out of the room, handing Palin things, etc. She was distracted from what Biegun was saying, and said, roughly, "Ok, who's in NAFTA, what's the deal with CAFTA, what's up the FTA?"—her way, Biegun says, of saying "rack them and stack them," begin again from the start. "Somebody is taking a conversation and twisting it maliciously," he says.

Gawker says that, "this can only be the work of a Republican faction that wants Palin never to speak on behalf of their party again." I guess this could be Karl Rove sneaking his way back into the hearts and minds of the GOP. But after everything we saw this campaign season, I think there is a distinct possibility that the people speaking out about what went on behind the scenes at the McCampaign are NOT the best our country has to offer. At the very least, they're behaving very badly. Is it just me or do they sound like children, and not terribly well-behaved children at that?

Original post and updates are below. This is like "The Neverending Story." (Which, by the way, is only $4.99 on DVD. Not a bad deal.)

*-*-*

UPDATE: Palin Says Critics Are Jerks, Some Media People are Stinkers

Updating the earlier news regarding the comments made by one of Sarah Palin's aides, the New York Times is reporting that Governor Palin has made the bold move of referring to the "unnamed McCain campaign aides who have been maligning her in recent days" as "jerks." Also, some members of the media are "stinkers." No word on whether either group is made of greasy grimy gopher guts and mutilated monkey feet. It is also possible that the unnamed sources are, in fact, poopyheads infected with massive amounts of cooties. We'll stay with this story all night if we have to.

OK, OK, we're being silly, but so is everyone else. And we weren't involved in a Presidential election campaign.

Here's the direct quote from the Times:

Referring to the McCampaign staff members who have criticized her: "that’s cruel and it’s mean-spirited, it’s immature, it’s unprofessional, and those guys are jerks, if they came away with it taking things out of context and then tried to spread something on national news. It is not fair and not right."

As for the media: “For the most part, absolutely, media persons, reporters, have been absolutely right on and there has been fairness and objectivity...There have been some stinkers, though, who have kind of made the whole basket full of apples, once in a while, smell kind of bad.”

And there you have it. The original post continues below:

*-*-*

An aide to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has fired back at sources in the McCampaign who claim that Palin was, well, something other than a good VP candidate.

"This is so unfortunate and, quite honestly, sickening," Palin aide Meghan Stapleton said Thursday in a written statement. "The accusations we are hearing and reading are not true, and since we deny all these anonymous allegations, there is nothing specific to which we will respond.
"We have the highest regards for Sen. John McCain. Gov. Palin was honored to be chosen as McCain's running mate. And as governor of Alaska, Gov. Palin looks forward to working with President-elect Obama on securing energy independence for America."

Palin herself says she will not respond to "individual accusations."

"I won't comment on anyone's gossip or allegations that are based on anonymous sources," she said. "That's kind of a small, evidently bitter type of person, who would anonymously charge something foolish like that -- that I perhaps didn't know an answer to a question. So until I know who was talking about it, I won't have a comment on false allegations."

Others in the McCampaign are bummed out that things fell apart so fast. "Despite the acrimony, many McCain aides say they are sad the campaign team dissolved so quickly." No kidding.

I'm a little surprised as well. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Sarah Palin, she was chosen by the McCampaign. So if they had problems with her, wouldn't before the election have been a good time to figure that out?

Not to get too silly about this, but don't we tell our children to be good sports when they lose? And isn't this type of behavior the exact opposite of that? Frankly, the Presidential election is a hell of a lot more important than a soccer game. Sometimes talking about it doesn't help.

Source: CNN

Image: HuffPo

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Palin Speaks Out On Special Needs Trusts

Morning News: McCain's Camp Starts Dishing On Palin

Morning News: Students Kicked Out for Saying Obama's Name

With Hand Raised, Palin Swears 'I am Trig's Mom'

Eliot Spitzer Cleared of Prostitution Charges

Barack Obama Asked If Bill Clinton Was The First Black President

The Obamas Are a Great First Family

They say: Obama Wins

Did You Vote for Obama? Then This Book is For You!

SunnyChanel — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:19:00 GMT

If you voted for McCain, you needn’t continue reading. This ain't for you. This book is only for those parents out there who voted for Barack Obama. This brand spanking new book, by Jeremy Zilber with pictures by Greg Bonnel, is a “colorful book of rhythm and rhyme” and “is a fun and easy way to make sure your kids know you made the right choice in 2008!”. It features such illustrated tid-bits such as “She didn’t vote for a llama, Mama voted for Obama!” and oodles of other adorable scenarios.

Whimsical, cute and proud, this book is perfect for those of you still relishing in the fact that Obama won, you voted for him and who thirst for a way to share with your kid the awesomeness of the power of voting. And you know kids, they just love to say the name Obama! You can get more info or order your own copy here.

Babble Talk: Tackling Race

Jen Chaney — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:02:00 GMT

The past few days in America have been extraordinary, intense and record-setting, and not just in terms of the number of people who cast votes. I am pretty sure we collectively set a new world record for the number of times the sentence, "I never thought I'd see this in my life time," has been uttered in a one-week period.

All of us have undoubtedly participated in conversations about the historic nature of Barack Obama's election as President, as well as discussions about whether we should be placing so much emphasis on his "blackness." Not surprisingly, Obama's presidency is sparking new dialogue about race, dialogue that will undoubtedly continue, in heated fits and illuminating starts, over the next four years.

Which brings us to our kids, and this week's "Bad Parent" essay, written by Erin Blakely and entitled "Baby Bigot." In the piece, Erin expresses concern about whether her toddler might be prejudiced after what she refers to as "the Laurence Fishburne incident": the time her little boy saw the esteemed "Matrix" star in a New York restaurant, pointed at him and shouted, "Doggie!" She subsequently noticed that he only referred to African-Americans as "doggies," something that worried her and also forced her to do some soul-searching to determine whether she and her husband really embrace diversity as much as they like to think they do.

It sounds like Erin is still working through those issues, as so many of us are. I haven't quite experienced a Fisburne episode yet, but -- to bring this all back to the election -- one of the first high-profile people my son successfully identified was Barack Obama. He could have been helped by the fact that, as this super-awesome video demonstrates, Obama is a really easy name for babies and kids to say. I am sure it didn't hurt that on a couple of occasions, my husband and I pointed to images of Obama and told our son who he was.

But I got that ugly Fishburne-esque wake-up call a couple of times when my son saw other African-American males on television, pointed and said, "Obama." Geez, I thought, does he really think all black people look the same? That can't be, I told myself. He goes to daycare with students and teachers of virtually every variety of race and creed. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't think Obama is one of them.

Ultimately, I concluded that he's not even two and is still figuring things out. When he sees vague similarities between people and items, he tends to refer to them using words he knows, then waits for one of us to correct him. This explains why he often refers to any thirty-something-ish woman he sees in a book or on TV as "Mommy" -- regardless of her skin color, hair style or general demeanor --or why he thinks that any elongated object is a "tenn-y racket." (Actually, that might just be because he likes to hit crap.)

The key phrase, though, is that he waits for one of us to correct him. Which means as parents, we always have to be there, steering him on the right path. Like Erin, I strive to encourage him to treat all people equally, without regard to their skin color. I strive to make him a warm-hearted, open-minded young man. That process starts now, but the hard work will come when he gets older. The touch challenges will arise when he really begins to understand that there are differences between people and that, sometimes, those differences bring out the ugliest sides of human nature.

In the meantime, I take some comfort in the positive signs I see. Like this one: A few weeks ago, my son walked into our house and spotted a penny on the floor. He picked it up, the head-side gleaming in his hand. He looked down at the copper profile of Abraham Lincoln, then he looked at me and -- completely unprompted -- said, "Obama." A few days later, he did the same thing with a quarter: Took one peek at a silvery George Washington and declared, "Obama."

For some reason, he saw those founding fathers and perceived them as being the same as the presidential hopeful from Chicago. One could see that as a sign that he looked at something beyond race. It's a nice thought, and maybe it's true. But I didn't even think about race at the time. All I thought was, "Wow, that kid knows a president when he sees one."

Related Links:

Obama's Friday Schedule: Tackle Global Economic Crisis, Parent-Teacher Meetings

Bringing Some Color to Capitol Hill

Balancing Work and Parenting—When You're the First Lady

How to Keep Your Kid From Pissing off The McCain Supporters

Image: Daly & Newton/Getty Via Babble.com

They Say: Sarah Palin Knows Nothing

Brett Singer — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:15:00 GMT

Let the backbiting begin!

As Madeline reported over in Morning News, some members of the McCampaign is seemingly saying that Sarah Palin is to blame for John McCain not being elected President of the United States. Even you think that's going too far – I haven't heard anyone say that directly – McCampaign staffers are certainly telling tales out of school. And none of the tales are particularly flattering to Governor Palin.

As Fox News reports it, members of the McCampaign are now saying that there were, "gaps in [Palin's] knowledge." Gaps like not knowing that Africa is a continent. Not knowing which countries were part of NAFTA. Little things like that. As Howard Stern said on his Sirius XM radio show the other day, maybe it's OK for an average citizen not to know these things (he did say that everyone should know that Africa is a continent). But a Vice-President candidate?

The video (at HuffPo) of Bill O'Reilly discussing these revelations with a Fox News is particularly hilarious. Responding to the notion that Palin didn't know a lot of important stuff, he says, "You can tutor people," says Bill O'Reilly. "It's gotta be more than that." It does? Why?

Regarding Palin's refusing to be prepped for her now-infamous Katie Couric interview, Bill says, "She didn't want to be bogged down with a lesson before Ms. Couric talked to her." BUT then "Palin began to attack staff… she hadn't been warned." WHAT????

When the McCampaign wouldn't allow Palin to do an appearance on The O'Reilly Factor alone, Bill said they couldn't make it work "logistically." It makes O'Reilly sound like a guy who just wanted some alone time with Sarah.

Palin was throwing "tantrums… there was the throwing of paperwork and things of this nature." Then she met McCampaign staff wrapped only in a bathrobe. "She's a bit of a shopaholic." That's what the Fox News reporter says he was told.

Do you think McCain's loss was her fault? Or is this just a lot of blame shifting?

Source: HuffPo (also image), Morning News

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Palin Speaks Out On Special Needs Trusts

Eliot Spitzer Cleared of Prostitution Charges

Barack Obama Asked If Bill Clinton Was The First Black President

The Obamas Are a Great First Family

They say: Obama Wins

Woman in Labor Holds Off Delivery Until After Voting for Obama

JeanneSager — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Lakisha Smith wasn't going to let a little thing like her water breaking stop her from casting her vote for Barack Obama. The new mother from South Carolina refused to go to the hospital Monday night when her water broke and contractions began.

She made it through the night and even waited on line at the polling station to take part in the voting process. Smith, twenty-seven, then rushed to the hospital where she delivered daughter Keyonna Marie on Tuesday.

My stubborn daughter had to be induced to come into this world, so I don't know anything about the rush to the hospital with a baby on the way. But miss out on a historic moment like this? Not a chance. I'd have tried my darndest to do the same thing!

Image: City of Gainesville

Baby Boy Developed in Mom's Intestine Delivered Via Cesarean

How to Keep Your Kid From Pissing off The McCain Supporters

Do Men Really Have a Pregnancy Fetish?

Five Movies You Shouldn't Watch While Pregnant

Take Your Kids To Vote . . . NOW

Men with Baby Heads

Cole Gamble — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Disturbed yet? Depending on your temperament, these pictures are gonna crack you up or give you bad dreams. Either way, you can’t tear your eyes away

from them. And it all comes from this great new site I found where they switch the heads of grown men and little boys.

The site is called Manbabies.com and the real key to it is how well these images are photo shopped. They’re seamless, and freaky. But they seem limited to just guys and boys. What do you think, should we see some moms and daughters up there too?

More by this author:

10 WORST. BABY. PRODUCTS. EVER! (Part 1)

The 26 Most Disturbing Kids Movies Ever

The Sarah Palin Doll Brings in the Cabbage!

SunnyChanel — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:40:00 GMT

She may have lost the vice presidency but the Cabbage Patch Kid doppelganger of Sarah Palin was certainly a winner yesterday. This one of a kind Sarah Palin doll, created by the folks at Cabbage Patch Kids, was sold on eBay yesterday for, yes, $19,000…American dollars not Pesos. The winner of this auction was someone who perhaps had a hardcore Sarah Palin fetish, got their hands on the RNC checkbook, or just really believes in Toys for Tots, who was the recipient of all the proceeds of the sale.

Also sold were a pretty tame rendition of Joe Biden, that went for $3550.01. A John McCain doll (which looked an awful lot like the Biden doll) went for $6,000. And the President-Elect Obama Cabbage Patch Kid went for a respectable $8,4000. But yes, the world’s most famous hockey mom brought in the most cash, so in Cabbage Patch land, she is the by far the leader.

They say: Obama Wins

Brett Singer — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:11:00 GMT

CNN, The New York Times, and even Fox News have called the Presidential race for Barack Obama. (UPDATE: so has everyone else.)

Amazing to think that it's almost all over after so much campaigning.

Not much to say. I'm still going to watch the news for awhile; I'm like Yogi Berra – it ain't over 'til it's over, y'know? Then again, McCain just conceded. Wow. (Classy speech too, for what it's worth.)

UPDATE: I'm watching Barack's speech now. I can't imagine what must be going through his mind. Think about where he was in 2004. Wow. I know I should have something more articulate to say but "wow" is going to have to do. (It's late.)

My kids don't seem to care that much, which was actually sort of nice in a way. No matter who wins, they get up, go to school, eat lunch, run around, jump on my ribs – a typical day. Eventually I'll talk to them about this election, but not right now.

What about you – how do you feel?

image: me waiting to vote today

McCain's Mom's Morale Super Low

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

McCain Campaign Verbally Abuses an Innocent Child

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

They Say: Obese During Pregnancy? Hatch a Republican!

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

109 Year Old Daughter Of Slave Votes For Obama

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

Brett Singer — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:15:00 GMT

So the United States is picking a President today. But there are other candidates, and also many ballot measures in play today.

A quick round-up:

ARIZONA:
- Ban same-sex marriage.
- Require that any initiative involving spending or tax hikes be approved by majority of all registered voters, not just those casting ballots.

ARKANSAS:
- Create state lottery.
- Ban unmarried couples from adopting or being foster parents.

CALIFORNIA:
- Ban same-sex marriage.
- Authorize high-speed rail project.
- Require parental notification for a minor's abortion.
- Create 14-member commission to draw state legislative districts.
- Require all utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable energy by 2010.
- Ban cramped metal cages for egg-laying hens.

I think I'm noticing a trend here.

Several states are voting on ballot measures to "ban same-sex marriage." Personally, I find this bizarre. Isn't it already banned? Are people that freaked out at the possibility of two men or two women marrying each other that they need to put it on double secret probation? (For the record, I think if gay people are crazy enough to want to be married, it's fine. Go for it.)

Looking at the article on MiamiHerald.com, it looks like the to-do of an insane person. Authorize slot machine gambling, check. Allow state's first casino, check. Ban abortion and dog racing, check. Ban cramped metal cages for egg-laying hens, check. (Those are all from different states, not the same one.) That's not to say that all of the measures are insane, it's just funny to think about them out of context. "Let's see, today...Prohibit mandatory union membership and mandatory union dues, authorize slot-machine gambling, and make English the official language of government proceedings. Got it." Busy day.

Sources: Miami Herald, MTV

Read more:

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

109 Year Old Daughter Of Slave Votes For Obama

Brett Singer — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:45:00 GMT

The line to vote for President and other stuff today might be kind of long. If you get cranky, here's an inspiring story to keep you a little bit sane.

From the Austin American Statesman:

Amanda Jones, 109, the daughter of a man born into slavery, has lived a life long enough to touch three centuries. And after voting consistently as a Democrat for 70 years, she has voted early for the country's first black presidential nominee.
…
Jones' father herded sheep as a slave until he was 12, according to the family, and once he was freed, he was a farmer who raised cows, hogs and turkeys on land he owned. Her mother was born right after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Joyce Jones said. The family owned more than 100 acres of land in Cedar Creek at one point, she said.
Amanda Jones' father urged her to exercise her right to vote, despite discriminatory practices at the polls and poll taxes meant to keep black and poor people from voting. Those practices were outlawed for federal elections with the 24th Amendment in 1964, but not for state and local races in Texas until 1966.

First of all, the fact that anyone lived to be 109 is cool. More importantly, though, is her story. I can't imagine what it must have felt like for Amanda to cast her vote in this Presidential election.

Source/Image: Statesman.com

Read more:

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

What Do You Do When Your Kid is an Extreme Partisan?

Kelly Mills — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:25:00 GMT

This has been the most emotionally charged election I can remember since, well, ever, and it makes sense that the kids would pick up on that. But Slate's Emily Bazelon asks, what do you do when your children's political allegiances are extreme? She covers a Halloween experiment in which kids chose candy from either side of a porch: The Obama side--marked with a large sign and life-size cutout--and the McCain side, with corresponding signage and cutout. The blue neighborhood kids gave Obama 78 percent of the vote.

But when offered two pieces of candy at the Obama side versus four at the McCain side, support for Obama only dropped by ten percent. The kids were pretty fixed in their political ways, even though their vote obviously didn't "count" (hmm, like the electoral college.) And Bazelon notes that her sweet kids threw around the word "traitor" to candy defectors. And, she observes, with kids who are reared on lots of lessons in tolerance, it may be that McCain is one of the few people they can clearly think of as a bad guy.

It makes me just slightly uncomfortable to see children actively campaigning, if only because you know that until a certain age, the opinions they express are not likely their own. Then again, isn't it our job to pass on our values, political or otherwise? And I've seen this "death and destruction to candidate so-and-so" in my area too, from young children who just seem to want to be able to freely bash a clear villain. What about your kids? Does it bother you?

Take Your Kids To Vote...NOW!

Witch Tricks Obama Kids on Halloween

Obama Casts His Vote with His Kids

SunnyChanel — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:22:00 GMT

This morning, in Chicago, Barack Obama took his family to the polls to vote, I’d assume, for himself. After what they are calling a ‘two year marathon to the white house’, it all culminates to this one very important day. Obama, along with wife Michelle, brought his daughters Malia and Sasha to the polls. You can see a video of the Obamas casting their vote here.

Today, I will cast my own vote (and no there won’t be video) and I will also share the moment with my own daughter. Although she is not yet three, I want to instill, early on, the importance of voting. Growing up, I went to every voting day with my parents and couldn’t wait to turn eighteen to vote for the very first time. So take your kids to the polls, teach them about the process and to participate in our powerful right to vote. No matter if your candidate wins or loses, at least you can tell your kids that you were part of that decision and someday, they will be too.

Pic: Huffington Post

Why Monday Night Football Is Important To This Election

Brett Singer — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

You probably think that a football game has no bearing on tomorrow's election.

Silly voter!

First: both Barack Obama and John McCain will appear tonight on Monday Night Football. They will be interviewed by Chris Berman, a man whose idea of humor is referring to quarterback Jack Delhomme as "Daylight Come And You've Gotta Delhomme." (Get it? "Go home?" "Delhomme?" It's even funnier when he says it every single week.) According to media reports, "The interviews will give both candidates a last major chance to appeal to Americans during a coveted spot on prime-time television. Monday Night Football has averaged 12.2 million viewers this season." That's better than the typical halftime show, although I doubt Janet Jackson will show up and offer a wardrobe malfunction. And while I would personally love it if Obama quoted Chris Rock and said, "Redskins? That's racist! That's like having a team called the New York Ni**ers," I'm guessing he won't say that. But maybe McCain will? Nah. Wouldn't be prudent, you know?

Second: if the Redskins win the game, the incumbent party – the Republicans, in case you've forgotten – wins the election. This has been true since 1948, except for once. In 2004, the 'Skins lost and George W. Bush won. Obviously this isn't a lock. Still, this is one of those weird little things that make you believe in a higher power that has a sense of humor.

The predictions I've seen generally favor the Steelers tonight, but it should be close. So if you want to start obsessing a day early, you can stay up late tonight and watch the game.

Also of interest: Obama was on Monday Night Football back in 2006 to announce… that he was a Chicago Bears fan. Here's the video.

Sources: WSJ, CBC (also image), Sporting News