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This Is What Democracy Looks Like
www.NationalView.org's Note From a Madman
August 31, 2008
McCain Thinks the Second Most Qualified Person to
be President is Who?
Here's what my Republican, McCain-supporting brother had to say when he heard
that "The-Candidate-Formerly-Known-as-the-Maverick" selected little known Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin for his Vice Presidential running mate:
"I don't get it,"
-Perry Greenberg
Certainly his thoughts were repeated throughout GOP-land, even on Conservative
talk radio programs such as Laura Ingramm's afternoon show on XM Satellite
radio, where she also questioned the pick.
Then there were others who have chosen to follow McCain much in the same way
they have followed Bush these past seven-plus years: Blindly.
"I heard her speak, She's going to be tough... (ending in a sing-songy voice)"
-Someone who's name I'll keep anonymous
He doesn't get it.
In many past instances, when a Presidential hopeful has picked a no-name for his
Vice Presidential running mate, many have asked the question "Who?" as they
struggled to find out just who this person, one heartbeat away from the Oval
office is. For example, Dan Quayle was such a person as George H.W. Bush's
choice. Today we still don't know who that guy - the guy who couldn't spell
potato (it's not P-O-T-A-T-O-E), Dan) was and is, except that he looked and
sounded an awful lot like the guy who has occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
since January, 2001.
The first thought that came into my mind when I heard the choice no one
expected, and none on the Right side of the aisle could have possibly wanted,
was of Bush(41)'s Vice President:
Did McCain pick Palin because he couldn't find Dan Quayle's telephone number?
"I wish I could say that I knew something about her, but I just don't,"
-Roy Atwood, the former director of the journalism program and the faculty
member at Palin's Alma Mata, The University of Idaho, who signed her application
for graduation
With the choice of Palin, the question is not "Who?" but "Why?"
And that's where I come in.
Sarah Louise Heath Palin, has on her resume such achievements as Miss Wasilla,
the 1984 beauty queen of the town of Wasilla, Alaska with a population of less
than 7,000 people. To put that in perspective, there are zip codes in most major
US cities where more people have their mail addressed to. My little town of
Sayreville, New Jersey, has approximately ten times as many people as populates
Wasilla, Alaska. And this is important because prior to her one-plus year tenure
as Alaska's Governor, a state with approximately 700,000 residents, Governor
Palin was a town council member and then the Mayor of Wasilla.
Certainly a campaign, such as the McCain-Palin Campaign, screaming about the
inexperience of their opponent Senator Barack Obama, would think better than
choosing a candidate such as Palin, wouldn't they?
While Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was canceling all events and packing his
bag for a trip to Ohio, where McCain was preparing to announce his VP choice;
and while former GOP Primary challenger Mitt Romney was making the rounds on
behalf of his former, victorious rival McCain, the birthday boy (McCain) gave
himself the present of assuring Alaska stays in the Red column come this
November. The reports of the two would-be running mates were plain and simple:
they were PO'ed.
Looking at Palin's resume also makes one think of the age, health and counsel
which a modern-day president requires of his Vice President. Certainly the last
two Presidents relied on their second in command on certain issues, with the
later (George W. Bush) doing so to our detriment. What counsel, other than
satisfying the Religious Right could Palin help with? Certainly Palin is no
better as an aid to solidify that group than former Governor Mike Huckabee,
another McCain opponent in the primary, could be.
Of course Palin is a woman and, as the Senior Senator from Arizona and his
campaign advisors must believe, all women will vote for her on that basis. It's
the only conclusion that one can come to after hearing Palin's first speech as
McCain's number two. Here are some of the "highlights" as she addressed all
Hillary Clinton Democrats, but more to the point, Clinton women voters:
"I was just your average hockey mom in Alaska,"
"I've stood up to... the 'good old boy' network,"
"I think as well today of two other women who came before me in national
elections. I can't begin this great effort without honoring the achievements of
Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, and, of course, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who showed such
determination and grace in her presidential campaign. It was rightly noted in
Denver this week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest
glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren't finished
yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all."
-Palin
Certainly one can hardly wait to hear what Mrs. Ferraro and, in particular,
Senator Clinton have in response to a woman such as Sarah Palin. The two
aforementioned pioneers in women's politics in the United States have nothing in
common except for their gender.
Palin's first born child is a soldier either on his way to, or already in Iraq.
But as a parent one has questions about her fifth child, Trig Paxson Van Palin,
who was born with Down's Syndrome.
"We've both been very vocal about being pro-life. We understand that every
innocent life has wonderful potential."
-Palin, referring to the birth of her son just this past April, describing her
and her husband's Religious Right pandering political view
As a parent of a disable child, I am shocked that Governor Palin, just four
months after the birth of a what will be a severely handicapped child, would
accept McCain's offer. And I would have made the same conclusion had it been Mr.
Palin chosen instead of his wife. Leaving a four-month-old child at home with
baby-sitters to go on the campaign trail is bad enough. It's even harder to
believe that she is doing so to a child with Down's Syndrome. But that fits in
with the mantra of those such as Governor Palin: Love the fetus - indifference
to the child.
Palin is what the NeoCons would wish as their favorite daughter. Able to pander
to the Religious Right, she is first and foremost just another NeoCon. She
supports drilling in her home state's ANWAR region and is considered a "friend"
to Big Oil. Certainly if sitting Vice President Dick Cheney were to have another
daughter he would want it to be Sarah Palin.
Someone find out if Cheney was in Idaho, where Palin was born, in late 1963.
And in true Cheney fashion, Palin apparently has used her office inappropriately
for personal vengeance. As her Alaska State Trooper soon-to-be
ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, was seeking to end his marriage from her sister,
Governor Palin made several calls and sent several emails to Walt Monegan,
Alaska's top cop and Wooten's boss pressuring him to fire Wooten. additional
visits from the Governor and separate visits from her husband Todd added to the
barrage Monegan faced. For his disobedience, Monegan was fired.
"It was a significant factor, if not the factor,"
-Monegan, on his dismissal
Monegan's replacement, Chuck Kopp must have been hired swiftly and impulsively.
He had not been fully vetted by Governor Palin and resigned after a history of
sexual harassment came to light from back when he was the head cop in Kenai
City, Alaska. Kopp had been given a public reprimand by that city's town
council.
Certainly we've had enough of impulsive politicians these past seven-plus years.
Certainly we've had enough of the practice of "Revenge politics" which the bush
administration has mastered since 2001. Do we really want to have Sarah Palin
just a heartbeat away from the Oval office?
The advantages of having Palin run to become Cheney's replacement has to be very
enticing to the McBush "base of haves and have mores".
"Today, Sen. McCain made an exciting decision in choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah
Palin,. Gov. Palin is a proven reformer who is a wise steward of taxpayer
dollars and champion for accountability in government.
"Gov. Palin's success is due to her dedication to principle and her
roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic and serves as a wonderful example of the spirit
of America. By selecting a working mother with a track record of getting things
done, Sen. McCain has once again demonstrated his commitment to reforming
Washington.
"This decision is yet another example of why the American people can trust him
to make wise decisions and to confidently lead this country,''
-Bush
When Bush sees Palin he must see himself, and that's just plain scary...
... Especially if that's what McCain saw.
-Noah Greenberg
Right After Barack Obama's Inspiring
Speech
In the moments after Senator Barack Obama's acceptance speech, Fox News
Channel's host Brit Hume had the following to say:
"Before we get to our panel, we'll just let this play out for awhile,"
-Hume
So instead of Fox News Hounds barking about the failures of Senator Obama's
speech, Fox News decided to collect their collective thoughts and play a little
"campaign music" in the background. As confetti fell, there was music perhaps
orchestrated for a disaster movie, playing in the background without even one of
the Fox News anchors or "experts" chiming in with their pre-determined thoughts.
Much like Wednesday, when Fox's resident Liberal Alan Colmes was the anchor,
there was no quick quip and response from guest Karl Rove complaining that
Speaker Bill Clinton hadn't stuck to the deal which he (Rove) imagined the
former President made: That Clinton and all other speakers that might would talk
ONLY about National Security.
What other cable news channels were calling "plain talk", Fox news Hounds were
calling the following:
"Theatrics."
"A Great Show."
"Literally set up fireworks,"
"This is the same Liberal speech only with a better delivery,"
Confetti - $10,200
Putting 90,000 into a football stadium which usually holds 70,000 - $250,000
Leaving Fox News speechless for five minutes - Priceless
Just to put the Fox remarks in perspective. none other than Pat Buchanan stated
this about Senator Obama's speech, "This was not a Liberal speech."
Just why was Fox News watching anyway?
-Noah Greenberg
Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane
"What's-Her-Name?"
They're everywhere! You can't turn on your television set without seeing one of
them trying their darndest to just be seen. The Republicans are everywhere!
From President Bush taking a photo-op with his sleeves rolled up at FEMA
headquarters to Louisiana's Republican Governor (and former short-lister for the
McCain's number two slot) Bobby Jindal holding an extensive news conference with
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff by his side, the Republican leaders
who took Katrina off to celebrate John McCain's sixty-ninth birthday want, and
need to be seen.
They're actually doing more before Hurricane Gustav, a storm which might be as
bad as Katrina, and possibly worse, than they did in the three years after the
2005 storm hit.
And they're letting us all know it.
The Whit House web site is adorned with Gustav-related pieces and a picture of a
blue-shirt clad Bush in between Federal Emergency Management Agency
Administrator David Paulison and Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson. The first
item on the White House's home on the Internet(s?) is, "President Bush Attends
Briefing on Hurricane Gustav at FEMA".
Certainly "Paulie" and "Harvey" are doing a "heckofa job", perhaps even better
than "Brownie" did in Katrina's aftermath.
As I write this, John McCain is reorganizing his Republican National Convention.
There are signs that the GOP want to make this event to celebrate McCain's
nomination a telethon to aid those in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The GOP
will even have a charter plane standing by to take Gulf area attendees and
delegates back to their homes just in case. You can be sure there will be plenty
of cameramen and Fox News commentators there to record this unselfishness for
posterity.
A funny thing was mentioned in the news conference held by Governor Jindal and
Michael Chertoff. Jindal mentioned that there would be as many as 200,000 people
evacuated from Louisiana's low-lying areas, and noted that this was the largest
number which has ever been evacuated in his state's history. Funny how the
half-million New Orleans residents who lived in that city have dwindled in
number; and funny how that number in 2005, even though there were so many more
people needing help leaving The Big Easy then, is more than today.
And in more "good news" for the Republicans at the RNC Convention, it appears
that both President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney won't be making their
special appearance due to the impending catastrophe about to hit. At least now
the GOP won't have to have Cheney's face spread across the cable news networks
for all of America to see and hear. Keeping that guy in his bunker is the safest
move not made for them. However, if my crystal ball serves me correctly, we will
have a blue-collared video of President Bush live from FEMA HQ as a cheerful
"surprise" to the loyal, Red-Clad delegates appearing in the Twin Cities.
And after Hurricane Gustav hits, they will be visible yet again. Much like in
the wake of Florida's Hurricane Francis, we're sure to see President Bush
handing out water and other supplies to needy residents of the Gulf Coast. And
we're sure to see many a vehicle with the FEMA logo running down the Interstates
as if they're in support of an invading force.
Those at the GOP national convention will be shaking each other's hands and
slapping themselves on the back as their party takes the credit for saving New
Orleans "this time". They'll attempt at making us all forget what they did prior
to Hurricane Katrina. They'll show off their might in the aftermath of a storm
they'll call "worse than Katrina".
And then they'll wipe their slate clean. The lives lost; the people never to
return; the billions of dollars paid out to cronies instead of those in need and
just like that - Katrina is old news.
Take a picture, President Bush. Take it with John McCain. Make sure you put it
next to the one of the two of you cutting the birthday cake in 2005 just as the
previous killer hurricane slaughtered New Orleans three years ago.
THEN take your bows.
-Noah Greenberg
In response to, "A good night to be a Democrat," Denise writes:
It was a very good night to be a "voter" regardless of party. Obama - what an
awesome speech!!!!! What an awesome event!!!!!
In response to, "Racism and a Cup of Joe", Dorothy Schwartz writes:
Good catch, on the use of names as lack of respect -- and one of those aspects
of racism that white people are often not even aware they are guilty of.
Send your comments to: NationalView@aol.com
-Noah Greenberg