Strollerderby : todd palin

Morning News: Does LA Times Hold Key to Obama Downfall?

Madeline Holler — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:30:00 GMT

McCain's campaign is accusing the LA Times of intentionally refusing to release a video that they say could have serious implications on the Obama presidential campaign. The newspaper said it promised a source it would not release the video and the organization intends to keep that promise.

Meanwhile, the paper reported on the tape and its contents back in April of this year in a story about the candidate's ties to Palestinians and Jews when he was getting into Chicago politics.

In the tape, Obama pays tribute to Rashid Khalidi, a scholar and critic of Israel and an advocate for Palestinian rights.

Will this be just enough to twist the winds of this election? Then again, there's always this McCain 1964 car crash rejoinder for those paying attention.

Or, or, or ... do the Republicans have another weapon flying under the radar? Namely, Todd Palin? Apparently the ladies are lovin' Todd, what with his strong-silent-type-ish-ness and his manly (yet modern Mr. Mom) pursuits. Does Todd Palin make you wanna spread your wealth and vote GOP?

Like a crisp white shirt and well-fitting black slacks, the Palin wardrobe story has become a timeless classic. Today's Daily Palin $150K update: Editor and meanie Fred Barnes, who called loyal McCain campaign adviser-turned-Palin-adviser Nicolle Wallace a coward for not admitting SHE'S the mystery couture shopper, recanted late yesterday. He says he got some bad info.

As for Wallace, she says she was more than willing to lie there under the bus, taking full blame for the fiasco. Looks like she won't have to.

Sarah Palin has called on her fellow Alaskan, "Uncle" Ted Stevens, to give up his Senate seat and his campaign for re-election. Stevens was convicted on felony charges this week. Is Palin looking out for Alaska's best interest? If by Alaska, you mean Sarah Palin, then some say the answer is "yes!"

Think McCain is getting hosed in the press? Well aren't you ... correct! A study shows there are more negative stories about McCain. This explains why and it's not what you think.

ABC's asking you not to watch Obama's 30-minute broadcast tonight. Because they missed the deadline to sell the ad space to the Democrat's campaign. But they're acting all haughty about it.

Things are a little icy between McCain and his running mate. Does that explain why Joe the Plumber is out saying stuff like "a vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel." Man, that McCain's real good at sussing out experts on international politics!

In a bit of counter-intuitive news: Wall Street had its second-best day ever.

In some "think big picture" good news: the slowing economy and credit crunch means fewer credit card offers junking up your mail box!

Nebraska plays refugee camp to yet another abandoned teen, this time a 15-year-old. Parents of teens have until January to get their kids to a Nebraska hospital, since alarmed legislators have amended the law to include only newborn infants up to three days old.

Finally, the melamine milk contamination disaster in China isn't over. Even worse, they're finding the protein substitute in eggs now too. Just yuck.

Photo: HuffPo

Palin Plays the Race Card, Badly

Shannon LC Cate — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMT

"[Our] kids are Alaska native, they're Eskimos"
-Sarah Palin to People Magazine

"Some myths, and questions, persist about Todd Palin's Yup'ik ancestry. A few:

For starters, the PC terms...would be Yup'ik or (groan) Yup'ik Eskimo if the person is okay with it. Eskimo is not the most popular term to be used by non-"Eskimo" people in reference to them. Yup'ik is best."
- Writing Raven, Tlingit/Athabascan (Alaskan Native) blogger

Apparently, quite a bit of controversy has been swirling in Alaskan Native circles about republicans claiming that Todd Palin's fragment of Alaskan Native ancestry (he's 1/8 Yup'ik, the same amount of Cherokee in my lily white body) somehow makes Sarah Palin a pro-Native issues candidate. Her comment to People about her children being "Eskimos," given the status of the term among, er, actual people so-called might seem to betray her lack of knowledge of or sympathy toward their interests.

But we all know that language isn't Palin's forte. So let's check her record on the issues. According to poet and blogger Joy Harjo, (a Muscogee Indian), Palin's record on every Native issue to come before her as governor is abysmal. It seems Palin opposed subsistence hunting and fishing rights for Alaskan Natives repeatedly, in favor of unfettering commercial and sport hunting and fishing. That is, she opposed the ages old traditional methods of the Alaskan Natives for feeding themselves and their children to allow for easier access for tourists taking Moose trophies.

Her sympathies with the "Eskimos" seem to begin and end with cutesy, if non-PC references to her own children who regardless of their "blood quantum" of Yup'ik, seem to enjoy as many white privileges and snow-machining rights as their mother herself.

Palin's Kids Traveling on the State's Dime, She's Trying to Claim "State Business"

JeanneSager — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:53:00 GMT

Sick of paying full price for an airplane seat your kids never stay in anyway? Become governor of Alaska, and all that will disppear. The state's taxpayers have paid more than $21,000 in travel expenses for Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's kids to travel to spots they weren't even invited.

The Associated Press has reported Palin not only charged the state for her three daughters to accompany her on a trip to watch First Dude Todd Palin in a sled dog race, but she amended expense reports to make it look as though her kids were on official business.

Organizers of a number of the events say the kids were not only not invited, but never took part in the activities. On one report, Palin's daughters' supposed duties were listed as "to draw two separate raffle tickets" at a January gala in Anchorage. Was this because the governor's two hands were too full of BS to pull two separate tickets herself?

Trips across the state were the lesser of the evils. A total of 64 one-way and 12 round-trip airfare tickets have been charged to the state - not for the governor (who sold the state's gubernatorial jet to "save" money), but for her kids. One trip to New York City with eldest daughter Bristol apparently cost the state $1,385 for plane tickets to and from LaGuardia airport for the two Palins plus $707 a night for four nights at a luxury hotel overlooking Central Park. Four nights - and all the governor did was spent five hours at a conference. (In all fairness, she also met with Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg and toured the New York Stock Exchange on the trip, which must have taken up, oh, another day out of the four, at least).

Palin's predecessor, former governor Tony Knowles, had school-aged kids when he was in office too. He says he never found a reason to take them with him on state business and never charged the state for their expenses.

I agree parents should try as much as possible to fit their kids into their work schedules so the kids don't get the short end of the stick. She could have packed their bags and paid the bill, and this wouldn't be a problem. Buthere's a difference between bringing them along and amending reports to make it look like they belonged there.

That's what they call fraud - which Governor Palin apparently doesn't approve of in the ballot box, but doesn't have a problem with in the governor's office.

Image: Policelink

Source: MSNBC

GOP Shows Obama With Fried Chicken and Watermelon

Anti-Palin Ad Targets Parents With Teenage Rape Victim's Plea

Scare off Republican Trick or Treaters With the Obama Pumpkin

Hey Sarah Palin, Make Your Kids Go to School

Morning News: Pregnant With Palin

$150,000 Spent on Sarah Palin's Clothing

Morning News: Despite Damning Report, Palin Says 'See, I've Been Cleared!'

Madeline Holler — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:30:00 GMT

We're starting today's Morning News with this incredible Daily Palin: Sarah thinks the "Troopergate" report that found she had abused her powers as governor actually clears her of wrong-doing. But ... but ... huh?

We saw through the BS last week where she went ahead and cleared herself before the report was even out. But now that her ethics violation is a part of the public record?

Sen. Kim Elton, a state legislator and head of the council that launched the investigation, is unequivocal.

From the Alaska Daily News:

"Finding No. 1 says she violated the ethics law," Elton said. "Anybody who suggests that the report does not say she broke the law, they just need to read the report. They don't even need to read all 300 pages of it, just page seven or eight."

What the report comes down to is this: it was OK for her to fire the public safety commissioner. It was not OK for her to pressure the public safety commissioner and others to fire her state trooper ex-brother-in-law.

Also kinda creepy for Alaskans during the past two years of her governership was the pervasive presence of "first gentleman" Todd Palin. And he was all over that Troopergate mess.

Speaking of messes, John McCain's going to try to clean up his campaign. He's trying to decide on a brand new economic plan aimed right at the middle class. He's mulling about 30 different options.

Also late is the huge (and risky) play he intends to make for Pennsylvania. Which, granted, is not filled with Flyers fans so maybe he won't get booed.

McCain's also cramming for Wednesday's debate -- the last one -- and he promises he'll "whip" Barack Obama's "you know what." Now you're cleaning up the language, John?

Note of caution for McCain: who will whip whom when you appear on David Letterman Thursday night? Dave kinda chewed your "you know what" a few weeks ago when you canceled on him. At least God's on your side. (Seriously, get control of your supporters, man. They're freaking independent voters out!)

While McCain lines up the celebrities, body parts-whippin' and last-ditch promises to the forgotten middle class, what's Obama up to? Campaigning door-to-door in Ohio. Guess he's got some wiggle room in the polls. (When you're an Ohio voter and Barack Obama shows up, do you freak out first and then invite him in?)

Hey, do you guys remember this guy called Bush, George W. Bush? Yeah, well, turns out he's president. And has some important stuff to say. While he was saying his important stuff over the weekend, one New York TV station accidentally ("accidentally"?) interrupted the speech with an ad for a "Tale of Two Cities" performance. Interestingly (or was it well-timed?), the voice-over kinda summarized everything with the book's notorious opening lines: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Cue the guillotine! (Some weekend intern is either getting fired or promoted.)

Freaked out European leaders came together over the weekend and figured out what they're going to do to staunch the financial bleeding. They're dumping money into their banks too.

Federal housing data show that the much maligned Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not to blame for our current crisis. Rather the private sector is behind all the subprime lending that's at the core of this crisis. That used to be just so obvious.

In parenting news, we've got a tear-jerker. After not one but two babies wouldn't suckle her right breast, a British woman got tested and found they had shunned the breast due to cancer. Picky eaters!

Turns out, some cereals aimed at kids actually contain nutrition ... and not just sprayed on vitamins!

And your hyperactive child? Despite all the speculation, it might not be the food dyes.

Photo: timesonline.co.uk

Morning News: Oprah Makes an Election Eve Comeback!

Madeline Holler — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Oprah, girl, where have you been? Still chasing The Secret or what? Because you went and got your good friend Barack Obama all arena-ready during the primaries, put your hand over your heart and teared up, and then sort of dropped out of the presidential race. We feared you'd never get appointed secretary of book clubs if you turned your back on "the one" ("that one"?).

Yeah, yeah, we know you made a bunch of your viewers mad, what with passing up your good friend Bill's wife and also totally ignoring the ladies on the right. Did you remember your spirit (and billion dollar empire) and get out of politics as fast as you got in?

No matter, you're back! At least for the weekend.

Political spouses make the news this morning!

Michelle Obama told Larry King that McCain's "that one" comment didn't bother her. (That woman can so rise above.)

Cindy McCain's feeling much less generous when it comes to Obama, who she said has the ability to send a cold chill down her spine.

Today's itty bitty Daily Palin is about Sarah's other half (no, not John McCain ... her husband).

Todd Palin has finally answered questions about his role in Troopergate. He also attended a rally in Alaska with youngest daughter Piper. (I don't care who you're voting for, how cute is she?)

AIG is ready for a fresh round of handouts from the government. They've blown through billions already and say they need $37 billion more and they swear this time it's not for pretty hands and feet.

If you're paying a mortgage and/or don't live under a rock, you already know this. One in six homeowners owe more on their house than its currently worth.

In a show of too little too late, the school board in Gloucester "Pregnancy Pact," Mass., has voted to distribute contraception at its schools.

Also rethinking their strategy is the Nebraska legislature. All these teens getting abandoned at safe haven's is kind of making them feel weird. Of the 17 dropped off so far, only 4 have been under the age of 10.

The rate of overseas adoption in the U.S. is declining. And Brangelina won't be able to pick up all the slack.

Oh, random newsbit: This woman claims she's Elvis's half-sister. Don't you sort of want it to be true?

Morning News: Did McCain Refuse to Shake Hands With 'That One'?

Morning News: You Naughty Alaskans!

Morning News: Who's Winning With Only 30 Days Left?

Sarah Palin's a Doodler

Photos: smh.au; adn.com

Vice Stay-at-Home "Dude" ... or Something

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:29:00 GMT

As much as I disagree with his wife's views on, well, everything, I am finding myself more and more intrigued at the prospect of Todd Palin taking up residence at the Naval Observatory -- home to the vice president. According to a story in the LA Times, it's possible he'd be the most high-profile stay-at-home dad since ever.

In Alaska, he's known as the "first dude" -- a hockey dad who takes care of the kids while his wife, Gov. Sarah Palin, flip-flops on a variety of issues. He also races snowmobiles and once finished a race by riding 400 miles with a broken arm. I have a feeling raising five children under a media spotlight might not be that big a deal for him.

[AP photo]

Political Nanny: Mr. Sarah Palin, Alaska 'First Dude'

Madeline Holler — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:55:00 GMT

Less than a week has gone by since John McCain announced Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his choice for a running mate. Since then, well, since then bloggers, reporters, citizens of Alaska and Palin's hometown have filled in the details that McCain's vetters appeared to have overlooked. Short list: possible fake pregnancy, definite pregnant teen daughter, alleged abuse of power scandal, library book bannings, earmarks out the nose, bridges to nowhere once having been somewhere, a years-long flirtation with an Alaskan secessionist party, her first passport ever issued in 2007 ... the lists go on.

Oh, and her mother-in-law kind of wants to vote for Barack Obama.

Before we get Sarah fatigued (what? Too late?), let's take a look at her husband, the so-called "first dude" of Alaska, who also isn't without controversy (DUI 22 years ago, for example.)

The NY Times has a little profile of him, sketching him as a strong, quiet, outdoorsy type. He's into sports and fishing and especially racing in snow mobiles (know in the northern vernacular as "snow machines.") He's a four-time winner of the Iron Dog competition, a 2,000-mile race that is Alaska’s equivalent of the Daytona 500. He drove the last 400 miles of this year’s race with a broken arm after he was thrown 70 feet from his machine in a crash.

Also, since his wife was elected governor less than two years ago, he has been the primary caregiver for their four -- now five -- kids. Instead of moving the family to the state capital Juneau (some 800 miles away from their hometown of Wasilla), the couple opted to go the long-distance route.

He still finds time to train for the races between picking up kids and dropping them off and coaching various sports.

No word on whether his teen daughter's little indiscretion is the direct result of his over-involvement in snow machines and coaching.

Alaska First Couple

Todd Palin winning Iron Dog race

Strollerderby : todd palin

Morning News: Does LA Times Hold Key to Obama Downfall?

Palin Plays the Race Card, Badly

Palin's Kids Traveling on the State's Dime, She's Trying to Claim "State Business"

Morning News: Despite Damning Report, Palin Says 'See, I've Been Cleared!'

Morning News: Oprah Makes an Election Eve Comeback!

Vice Stay-at-Home "Dude" ... or Something

Political Nanny: Mr. Sarah Palin, Alaska 'First Dude'

Sarah Palin's Teen Daughter is Pregnant! We've Got Pics!

McCain, Palin oppose teen pregnancy aid and sex education

'Palin Should Go Back to the Kitchen' and 4 More WTF Comments About the VP Pick

Introducing Young Mr. Bristol Palin