In today's pages: Palin, McCain and Gustav
It's pick-a-fight-with-Republicans day at the Times' Opinion Manufacturing Division, so get ready to hit the comment boards, people! Tell us how wrong we are, not once, not twice, but three times! Well, only one of those pieces comes from the Times' editorial board, and it actually praises John McCain and GOP leaders for their reaction to Hurricane Gustav. But this being the Times, the board leavens its praise for McCain with a helping of criticism of President Bush:
McCain once presented himself as the president's opposite, but in recent months has begun to sound more like him, embracing the religious right, amping up his hawkish rhetoric and promoting the sort of tax cuts he once attacked as irresponsible. Gustav gave him the chance to again show himself as his own man.
Columnist Tim Rutten agrees that Palin's pregnant teen-age daughter Bristol, as well as Bristol's boyfriend, their friends and teachers, should be off-limits to media scrutiny. But he adds:
That said, the fact of Bristol Palin's situation and the way in which she and her family have chosen to deal with it are legitimate issues, because they involve public policy issues on which Sarah Palin, candidate for vice president, has taken political positions. Palin, for example, opposes sex education in schools, including all access to contraceptive information for adolescents. Similarly, she believes that abortion should be illegal.
Palin and her family have made decisions in the face of personal challenges such Bristol's pregnancy that have been consistent with their personal beliefs, Rutten writes. But Palin's "particular brand of social conservatism," he opines, "would deny other American families and other American women the freedom to make these same intimate decisions according to the dictates of their own consciences, religious convictions and traditions."
Ouch. Finally, best-selling secularist author Sam Harris, founder of The Reason Project, offers some ghoulish actuarial data about McCain's chances of dying in office to support his argument that Sarah Palin simply isn't good enough to be the veep. "McCain has so little respect for the presidency of the United States that he is willing to put the girl next door (soon, too, to be a grandma) into office beside him," Harris writes. Hmmm. this "girl next door" just happened to be skillful enough as a politician and leader to become a governor, doesn't that count for something?
That's probably enough controversy for one day, but wait, there's more! On the editorial page, the board decries a proposal from the City Ethics Commission to require lobbyists to wear a scarlet letter special badge when they enter City Hall, and it urges Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign a bill barring merchants from electronically storing sensitive (read: hacker-enticing) credit-card data. On the op-ed page, author Karen Stabiner offers a modest proposal for easily family get-togethers at Christmas: celebrate a airline hub cities! (She's kidding.) And journalist-turned-author Stephen Kinzer notes how even leftists are growing tired of the increasingly authoritarian actions of Nicarauguan revolutionary-turned-president Daniel Ortega.
Sarah Palin was so mean and snotty last night. She was more interested in delievering a biting one liner than telling people what she would do as vice president.
Posted by: floris | September 04, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Hmm, look at this
Obama:
B.A in political science from Columbia University, with a specialization in international relations
J.D. in Law from Hardvard, graduated magna cum laude; President of the Harvard Law Review
12 years (92-04) teaching constitutional law
7 years State Senator: sponsored more than 800 bills
4 years Senator for Illinos, a state with 12.8 million people
Palin:
Bachelor's in journalism from University of Idaho
4 years Wasilla City Council (8000 people)
6 years Wasilla mayor (8000 people)
1 year "Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission"
20 months governor of a state with 660,000 people
Think about it
Posted by: Bob | September 03, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Damn Aldo, that was a hella smackdown.
Pregnant 17 year old girl, fair game. Adulterous (50??) something senator who 'knocks up' former aid, untouchable. (Google LA times + Edwards + Memo if you want to be sick)
The cool thing is, this is just gonna fire up all the so-called 'trailer trash' . There are lot of folks between the Sierras and the Eastern Slope of the Appalachians, so you guys just keep it coming. Please!
Posted by: Mitchell Young | September 03, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Nicholas says " It is time to stand up for your beliefs, time for us to put issues or race and sexism aside and vote for the party you believe in. If you ARE a democrat, remember why you are one, remember what brought you to the party."
As a lifetime democrat from a totallly democratic family living in MA, where the vast majority are democrat I am outraged at this comment. Does Nicholas know what the democratic party stands for? I joined the democratic party at 18 to fight for civil rights for all. At that time I thought I was helping people of all colors and genders gain equal rights. Today after the democratic primary it has become clear that democrats have been using women with their " talk" of equal rights for all simply to get votes. The reality is that the DNC stood by watching and encouraging the sexist and race baiting ploys of Obama and the media and Pelosi and Dean.......ect. To encourage media to push for Hillary to quit was a very sexist ploy........done by Pelosi and Dean.....now we have the Obama camp betting on when Sarah Palin will quit???????? Brace yourselves because Sarah Plain is in it to the finish of Obama.
Say Welcome President McCain and Vice President Palin
Posted by: soupyet | September 03, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Please - Please - Please
Bring back Romney !
before its too late.
Posted by: PulSamsara | September 03, 2008 at 12:27 PM
...and for those who are accusing the "liberal" media of being the cause of all this attention on Gov. Sarah Palin and her unmarried pregnant 17-year daughter, FoxNews has just announced that Jamie Lynn Spears has sent Bristol Palin a baby gift. Excuse me for feeling that I'm now living in a Jerry Springer Universe. Can anyone not see how completely wrong Gov. Palin is for the job of vice president? This national soap opera has got to come to an end -- surely Sen. McCain knew, or could have been advised, that he was opening a can of worms when he nominated Palin as his VP???
Posted by: Exotikat | September 03, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Has the Straight Talk Express derailed?
Are we beginning to see the signs of a candidate for President who cannot express himself?
More and more, this appears to be the case with John McCain. His temper fits, besides hiding all the signs of a true, psychological personality disorder, come from his serious inability to talk to people while under pressure. He is having serious difficulty applying a necessary element for someone in his position: strong mental and verbal acuity.
This glaring flaw is becoming front and center to anyone who pays half attention to his mannerisms, habits, behavior and inability to put together three impressive sentences without written talking points or note cards.
He has derailed every 'straight talk 'conversation during the last few months. He cancelled his appearance on Larry King; He was petrified of showing his inability to process information and do this with a lesser skill set than a junior high debater. He avoids all tough questions and whenever cornered, plays the POW card.
Bill Clinton had twice the IQ of George Bush. Look it up.
I seriously wonder, based on his total inability to think on his feet, if McCains IQ is even lower than the last GOP choice for the highest office in the land?
Other than this questionable "POW" story (Google "PW Songbird + admirals son") McCain is the least impressive political figure, from an intelligence standpoint, any party has nominated during the last 100 years.
Posted by: SteveKelson | September 03, 2008 at 11:29 AM
The Majority of the American Public is sadly showing off below average IQ. I am embarrassed to even have anyone outside this country read these comments. Many of you are complete embarrassments. You have trouble spelling the names of your elected officials, trouble spelling common everyday words, and even trouble putting together sentences.
As far as the crying, whining, woefully wronged women of this country, get a grip. Hillary had a fantastic race, historic race, as did Barack Obama.This fanciful "Democratic Party" as you all seem to blame for Hillary not being given the nomination, did not decide who get's the nomination. You decided, I decided, we decided. It's as if you think some all powerful entity took away from Hillary what was rightfully hers. I myself would have loved to have seen Hillary in the White House, but she was overcome by another strong individual, his name is Barack Obama, and for those Democrats out there, he is YOUR nominee. It is time to stand up for your beliefs, time for us to put issues or race and sexism aside and vote for the party you believe in. If you ARE a democrat, remember why you are one, remember what brought you to the party. I for one will take Pro-choice over pro-life, even if I would choose not to have an abortion, it's your right to decide for yourself when it happens in your family. I believe that Obama is the most qualified man or woman, black or white person that we have, I believe Hillary when she stands behind him.
To vote for McCain because he put a woman on his ticket means your voting with your emotions, not your beliefs. For those that voted for Hillary and think that the proper thing to do now is vote for McCain because he has a woman on his ticket, think to yourself, who will Hillary vote for? Would Hillary vote for a woman and disregard her belief system? Will you vote for McCain and see a woman in the office of Vice President over having your belief's represented by the Democratic Nominee that the country backed.
It sounds to me like my 7 year old daughter, if she doesn't get her way, she will throw a temper tantrum in spite of herself. If she is unable to watch a movie because she can't stay up til 11pm, she would rather go to bed at 9 just to prove a point. She hurts herself when she could have gone to bed at 10.
What point are you proving by voting for McCain, that your vote can be bought? Hillary and Obama have the same goals and want the same things for this country, vote for YOUR Democratic Nominee, vote your beliefs, don't vote with you anger, don't vote out of angst. Make your vote count for something, make your vote count for change, make your vote end the tyranny that the republican party has bestowed on this country. The time for change has come and that change is in your hands, come November 11th you decide the fate of the country and possibly the fate of the World.
Posted by: Nicholas | September 03, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Sarah C said "Her lack of experience is indefensible, and her right-wing values clash with those of mainstream America"
Sarah C. is concerned about a woman with executive experience gained while running a town and a state. She has labeled this woman as having a "lack of experience" which is "indefensible".........BUT no mention of Obama's extreme lack of experience for running anything other than a campaign.........and I assure you that Sarah Palin has run camoaigns too. I know Obama has copied almost all of Hillary's plans and will have no ability to get anything done but Sarah Palin seems to run on her own work and ethics.
Sarah C. is also concerned with Palin's "right wing values" clashing with mainstream America. Which right wing value is she concerned with? Palin's choice to have a down symdrone baby or her refusal to raise taxes or is it the idea that Sarah is likely to expose corupt Senators including democrats? Sarah C. should be more concerned with her own rights which were tossed out the window when the DNC nominated the weakest democratic candidate rather than the "most electable" candidate, Hillary. And does Sarah C. think Obama's Rev. Wright fits with mainstream America??????? Or delibertly exposing his young daughters to the Rev. Wright white hate sermons is America's mainstream........I hope not because exposing those kids to Wright was and is child abuse. Does Sarah C. prefer a child abuser in the White House?
Posted by: soupyet | September 03, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Saying Ms. Palin is a political reformer because she brought down corrupt Republicans in Alaska that were in her way would be like calling Joseph Stalin an anti-Communist because he killed so many of them. She is not a light weight, but she is hardly a breath of fresh air.
Posted by: Joe Louis Wildman | September 03, 2008 at 10:34 AM
The extreme, savage hatred being unleashed against Palin and her children by the Proggosphere (with the tacit approval and passive-aggressive participation of the mainstream media) is totally disproportionate to any political sin that she has committed.
As someone over at NRO noted recently George Bush had to invade and occupy another country to engender this level of hatred. There is no way to avoid the conclusion that Palin’s gender is responsible for the disproportionate antipathy for a VP candidate.
Posted by: Aldo | September 03, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Palin??? Think Harriet Meyers.
Posted by: Bob | September 03, 2008 at 10:03 AM
You would have to be blind in one eye and can't see out the other not to realize that Obama has been vetted more than any candidate in this century.
Palin has just started and already, it's bye bye birdie.
The thing is, the really interesting dirt is not about what she has done but what she has not done.
Sure, she made the good decision not to terminate her pregnancy because her child was Down Syndrome. But, then she literally abandons the poor dear.
Every time I see her daughter holding Ms Palin's baby, I see the daughter as the mother/wife. And, now, she is pregnant.
Again, though, that is not the really dirt. It is obvious that the children are not being parented.
But the question is, who is taking care of her man.
Now, that's where the real dirt is.
I say, give the man a drink and get him to talking. Just don't put him behind the wheel of a car.
Posted by: npeebles | September 03, 2008 at 09:57 AM
To the people who say Sarah is one heart beat away from being President and she has no experience, stop and think. She's not running for President, she's running for Vice President. Obama on the other hand IS running for President. He has less experience than Sarah and has to carry out the duties right now if he's elected. Sarah on the other hand has time for OJT and she has the experience, having been governer, which gives her a foundation on which to build. Obama has no experience, no foundation and we as the American public have not time.
Posted by: Sam | September 03, 2008 at 09:52 AM
My Congressman is Alcee Hastings. He's a convicted criminal ex-federal judge elected to congress.(next in line to pelose) Palin Pales in comparison. As a Democrat....I won't vote for Obama....He's top of the ticket with as little experience. I could see him as a tyrant.
Posted by: D. KENNEDY | September 03, 2008 at 09:47 AM
Sam Mathew said "He has clearly flip-flopped in his "lack of inexperience" weapon against his opponent just to suit his needs; he has clearly flopped in his judgment in the choice of the veep; he is clearly taking the American electorate for a ride on women's issues."
These are certainly the words of a woman hater. Clearly the experience issue is McCain's since Obama has no experience while Palin has run a town and a state, as well as exposing corupt officials in the Republican party. Sam is clearly terrified that a woman might be Vice President. Young women should ask one question when dating today......."Who do you support for President?".......and do not date any man that supports Obama unless you want to work in the kitchen.
Posted by: soupyet | September 03, 2008 at 09:35 AM
I don't think there is much ambiguity here. Sarah Palin was obviously chosen for what John McCain thought would be his own political gain. Her lack of experience is indefensible, and her right-wing values clash with those of mainstream America. I am infuriated that any candidate would put our country in the position of having such a person second in line to be president. The fact that McCain is 72 and has has cancer four times has me very frightened. A scenario where Sarah Palin becomes president of the United States is truly a nightmare.
Posted by: Sarah C. | September 03, 2008 at 09:22 AM
John McCain merits respect as a stellar citizen who is committed to the best for his country and neighbor. His readiness for the Presidency is separate issue. Senator McCain's lack of financial acumen has been twice revealed. He did so first by problematic management of campaign funds when it came to light that his funds were running out. He admitted without apology to not keeping close watch on campaign finances, saying that such things didn't interest him. Second, the Senator showed a gross absence of knowledge of his personal financial situation, i.e. unable to report off the cuff how many houses he and his wife own. I've never known a person unable to answer that question immediately. Further, it is more than shocking that a man slated as one of 2 candidates for the Presidency...the Chief Executive of our country and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces...would choose a running mate at the last minute! How long did he have to consider this most important decision for the person one heartbeat from the Presidency? These concerns are more than frightening. Our country is over 3 trillion dollars in debt and on shaky ground in the world community. There is no room for last minute, impulsive decisions of such high priority. There is no room for an Executive who does not find financial issues interesting.
Posted by: Corinne Bell-Rummel | September 03, 2008 at 09:13 AM
I have so many problems with Sen. McCain's choice for vice president that it would take too long to list and then explain myself. As to why the so called liberal media is perceived as attacking Gov. Sarah Palin with an intensity they have not shown towards Sen. Obama, I think there are two reasons, both valid. One, Obama has been on the national stage for months. If one could distill into a 48 hour period the times he has been criticized for one thing or another, it would outweigh everything that Palin has had to suffer. Those attacks against Obama include all the lies about his religious beliefs and his nationality. Two, George W. Bush was given a pass by the media during the equivalent time period. Now that the media appreciates the contribution they have made to the general decline in America's fortunes by not more forcefully critiquing the Bush presidency, maybe they have consciously decided to give the Democrats the same soft treatment they gave the Republicans in 2000 and 2004. That, in some small way, might serve to save the country and the planet.
Posted by: Exotikat | September 03, 2008 at 08:42 AM
Ever since Sarah Palin was announced as McCain's choice to be his running-mate the hive-mind at LAT has been obsessively banging the "not vetted" drum, explicitly and implicitly portraying her as an unknown quanity who is not yet ready for prime time (as a headline in today's print edition put it).
When John Edwards was a leading candidate to be Obama's running-mate the Times actively embargoed information that would have helped us vet him. Also, neither Edwards nor Obama are objectively more qualified for the offices they have been seeking than Palin is for the office of VP, but the Times has treated them as serious candidates who are ready for prime-time. Did Edwards and Obama get the extra gravitas gravy because they are Democrats, or because they are men?
Lastly, now that the Times has suddenly become concerned with vetting candidates for high office will you begin the overdue task of vetting Obama?
Posted by: Aldo | September 03, 2008 at 08:39 AM
How long will the people absorb the crap McCain et al are doling out for this election. He has clearly flip-flopped in his "lack of inexperience" weapon against his opponent just to suit his needs; he has clearly flopped in his judgment in the choice of the veep; he is clearly taking the American electorate for a ride on women's issues. Enough is enough; he is a great war veteran no doubt but I don't see him as a great President. He may put his country first but he also has to put his thinking first in order to sustain the country in its place and position. Lack of thinking and judgment first, does not in any way help in putting the country first for a President of a great nation.
Posted by: Sam Mathew | September 03, 2008 at 08:33 AM
I feel like the American mainstream media isn't ready to face the reality. I don't understand why the media has to pick on, or even attack, a woman who is trying to have a career and is dealing with a pregnant teenage daughter. Palin's family is not the only family in America who is having a pregnant teenage daughter. Bristol is not the only pregnant teenage girl in this country. At least, she decides to face her responsiblity. I'm pro-choise but I'm touched by her courage. It's not easy for a teenage girl to go through pregnancy. It's even worse when you know everyone talks behind you. (And the everyone is no longer in the high school...but pretty much everyone in America). Does having abortion make her a better person because she's not going to have the baby? I would think, being pro-choice, is to have the choice. If she has made the choice to keep the baby, please, let her do so.
It's a surprise that the media doesn't give a hard scrutiny when a teenage celebrity (e.g. Jamie Spears) gets knocked up when the teenage celeb has more influence to the younger generation than a daughter of a governor.
I just hope the media let the little girl go. It's quite obvious that plenty of the mainstream media is Obama friendly. Can't the media find something else to attack the republic ticket?! I'm not Republican but I'm disgusted by what I see everyday when I see what's being talked about in TV, newspaper, and on the net.
Honestly, i'm disapointed by the media, which is spending so much attention on the woman's teenage daughter instead of other important issues. what happen to the economic policy, the mess that we are going to leave behind at Iraq (regardless when we pull out), medicare/health insurance, social security, non-sense tax cut, energy policy, and our enviornment?!
Posted by: Michelle | September 03, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Obama said to lay off her personal life.
Biden said to lay off her personal life.
Mccain picked her and doesn't seem to mind her personal life.
Palin's experience and Obama's experience are far less than Mccain and Biden. Okay, we get it!
Now can we get back to what either Presidential candidate wants to do FOR THE COUNTRY.
Posted by: Kathie | September 03, 2008 at 08:30 AM
In the first real decision of what could be John McCain's presidency, he bungled it.
... looking more like Bush everyday.
Posted by: john | September 03, 2008 at 08:24 AM
NOW, the National Organization for Women will be calling for a National Boycott of US Magazine. Their continued sexist comments towards Sarah Palin is absolutely disgraceful! I have cancelled my subscription and have urged my corporate headquarters marketing department to cancel our advertising indefinitely in US Magazine and urge other clients to do the same.
I am a life-long democratic woman who supported Hillary Clinton along with 18 million others. I keep hearing Democratic strategists declaring that we "disgruntled Hillary supporters" will not vote for McCain simply because he chose a woman to be his VP. But this is NOT TRUE!
I along with thousands of other Hillary supporters WILL be voting for McCain and Sarah Palin because we WANT to see a woman as VP and voters like myself see it as a brilliant move by McCain to reach out to us women voters.
The TVangelists threaten us of Roe V Wade being overturn but fail to mention that both Bush administrations were Pro-Life and women still have the right to chose.
When Colorado Democratic Party leader Billy Compton intimidated Sacha Millstone asking her to resign as a Delegate because she had second thoughts on Obama was outrageous! When the sexist/racist Emil Jones called Delmarie Cobb who supported Hillary an "Uncle Tom" infuriates us women!
I am asking other Democratic women to join us in sending a message to our Democratic Party Leadership that THEY do not chose our Nominee by intimidating elected Delegates into voting for THEIR choice.
Posted by: Julie | September 03, 2008 at 08:17 AM