The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

kritt11 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:39:07 -0000

Obama has been running for almost 2 years and has written two books. It would be a little pathetic if we knew the same amount about him as we do about an obscure governor whose name was announced a week ago!!!!!

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

JSpencer — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:27:14 -0000

The suggestion that we don't know any more about Obama than we do Palin is simply not true. (see how nicely I said that? ;-)

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

kritt11 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:09:14 -0000

She's certainly received better treatment than Hillary!

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

ChrisWWW — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:24:21 -0000

DLS,
What vicious attacks? Republicans keep saying that she is being attacked personally, and yet no one bothers to enumerate ANY of these supposed attacks.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

DLS — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:10:19 -0000

"But we now have to rally the wagons around her, given the nature of some of the attacks. It would have been far wiser to continually hammer her slim resume, but liberals went personal and nasty...and we had to protect her."

That part is true -- and the vicious attacks will backfire with many people and help her and the McCain campaign. But don't forget that the GOP in general is circling the wagons this year. McCain is weak and divisive, and hardly generates unity in the GOP, but he is the default choice this year (default, not desperation, as with Bush in 2000) and needs to be defended along with the White House.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Jim_Satterfield — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:09:05 -0000

Finding out Obama's plans is easy. His web site lays it all out.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Jim_Satterfield — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:07:54 -0000

OTOH, the segments where McCain's reps are saying these things just might make good Obama ads.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

DLS — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:07:35 -0000

No problem investigating and asking for details from both Palin and McCain about what they seek if they are elected. But may the media and so many of you do as much investigating the less experienced Barack Obama, the Dems' Presidential choice this year, and Biden, and what Obama and Biden plan to do if elected, too.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

JSpencer — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:40:10 -0000

Leon, I agree there are many sources, records, and people who have worked closely with Palin for many years that can shed light on just who she is and what she would be likely to bring to an influential national position. Here's a description of her from one of those Alaskans who has known and worked with her for a long time:

http://www.thenation.com/bl...

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

elrod — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:04:52 -0000

Sorry Jazz...
There might be more detailed stories out there about Palin's seclusion from the media.

Leonidas,
Her explanation of of vetoes in Alaska certainly suffice in an Alaska context. But, again, what will she veto as President (if McCain cannot serve)? She made strategic decisions about what to cut. That reflects her budget priorities. What are her priorities at the Federal level? That's what we need to know.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

kritt11 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:21:41 -0000

BTW, how nervy to hype change and pick another VP whose moves are swathed in secrecy. How can we expect more transparency and accountability in our elected officials if they are kept under lock and key. Voters need to be reminded of what they didn't like about Dick Cheney (who I'll admit, was always better behind the scenes and couldn't give a speech the way Palin can)

They can lock her up when the press starts sniffing around, but bring her out for big GOP fundraisers where the 3 G's hit all the right notes.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

kritt11 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:16:30 -0000

Its smart. They are controlling the message and the messenger-- so that her strengths can be highlighted, and her weaknesses disguised. That way they can saturate the media with "Reaganesque" pictures of her hunting caribou, and at the same time appeal to soccer moms with the tough hockey mom meme.

No embarassing questions about Troopergate. No indelicate inquiries about her advocacy of "abstinence only" sex education, and its apparent failure in her own family. No inconvenient queries about her rather thin resume or her relationship with Ted "Veco's best pal" Stevens.

Just bring her out to give 5 star speeches, that make conservatives remember why they vote for Republicans. Its brilliant, I tell you!

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Leonidas — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:54:49 -0000

McCain is doing fine, he had to shore up the right, Sarah Palin helped him to do this, now he can get back toward the center and finish pitching the big tent. Obama and Biden are both on the left side of theirs and though Obama can stretch his arms towards the middle they can't quite reach because he feet are still stuck on the left where his voting record is. Obama can talk the moderate talk somewhat, but since he has never walked a moderate or bi-partisan walk, talking shouldn't be able to get him far with folks who have studied his record and keep informed unless they are left of center by a good margin.

There are exceptions, however, one of my best friends, the most conservativve guy I know is voting for Obama. He hates everything Obama's platform stands for, but he is more concerned with McCain "the RINO: as he puts it (when he isn't saying McCain the Democrat) leading the GOP to sucess and thus making it harder for a Conservative hardliner to be at the head of the ticket again. Yes sad but true, this buddy is Pro-life, Pro-Guns, pro GITMO, Pro-Bush, Anti-Affirmative action, Anti- Public Healthcare, Pro-School vouchers, Pro-Patriot Act, Pro-Warrantless Wiretapping, etc., yet he is voting for Obama. He knows with Obama victorious the GOP will never move the the middle to work with him. Sad but true, but this is what my buddy thinks is best for the country, so I support his right to express it and applaud him for doing what he thinks is best, no matter how entirely moronic I think the thought process itself was.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

RememberNovember — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:34:47 -0000

well, in the candidates defense I'm sure they all have help- but it seems to me hers was a cookie cutter speech and didn't really tell much about her stances ( other than the obvious fact she's a hockey mom married to a snowmobiler and ex Mayor of a small town and Gov of Ak.)
McCain's whole campaign ahs been a referendum on Obama rather than a strong "maverick" platform- he seems to be talking the talk and not walking the walk.
I am so dissapointed in him, he had such promise in 2000, but a partisan hackjob killed that and he rolled over for them like Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army. Too little, too late.
I am seriously wondering why people have not looked at this man, his traumatic life experiences and wondered if this has had any impact-maybe not so much visible when you are one out of 100 members of a Senate but put onto the national stage every blemish and imperfection becomes magnified. Dr. Estes? Your thoughts?

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Leonidas — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:33:50 -0000

I suggest that folkes do a bit of reasearch on their own to get a feel for her way of thinking and managing and not relying overly much on what pudits and campaign staffs will try to feeed you.

For Example, certain records are easily found like Palin's vetos and letters explaining them. In Alaska there is the line item veto so this is a particularly good reference item to look at, since she can veto some parts and not others and leave little doubt as to what she really supports. Take a look at some:

The Bill: http://www.votesmart.org/bi...
The Veto Letter: http://www.votesmart.org/ve...

Here is another

http://www.votesmart.org/of...

and a third

http://www.votesmart.org/of...

He is another site with lots of information on her that is not stongly influenced by partisan agendas

http://www.ontheissues.org/...

So, you see, there are resources out there that you can find to help answer your own questions if you seek them out. Most folkes take only what the pundits prenet them with and don't do their homework, but if you really want to know more than what is spoon fed to you, often by folkes with agendas, its well work a few clicks on your computer to become more informed.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Jazz — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:13:13 -0000

I propose we kick Elrod out of TMV.

Why? Because I just had to delete an entire column I was working on last night. Elrod already wrote pretty much the entire thing.

*sigh*

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

Marlowecan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:02:15 -0000

McCain's pick of Palin for VP is ironic and impressively cynical . . . for its disregard of the very issues Elrod cites:

Having hammered Obama for being a "Celebrity" . . . McCain now appears to have picked his running mate precisely for her "celebrity potential"!

McCain may not make it to the cover of "People", "US" and "Redbook". . . but Palin can and will. Elrod notes a whole swathe of issues folks know nothing about her views on.
But does this not reflect McCain's Policy-Lite strategy? (his policy platform is notably lighter than Obama's.) I have argued that this gives Obama a clear advantage . . . and it may be that McCain's team agrees.

McCain's team has made this an election of personality and "narrative" over policies and issues. Incredibly, liberals and the media emphasized her strength by tacky attacks on Palin's family.

A lot of conservatives (cf: Noonan) I have talked to are secretly as horrified as Elrod at someone as "light" as Palin being so close to the Presidency.

But we now have to rally the wagons around her, given the nature of some of the attacks. It would have been far wiser to continually hammer her slim resume, but liberals went personal and nasty...and we had to protect her.

StockboySF said: "I know a lot of fun, bubbly vivacious and spunky people. Just because I like them doesn't mean they would make a good president".

Exactly!

Palin was a cynically inspired pick.

It undercuts McCain's memes of "Obama the Inexperienced" and "Obama the Celebrity".

But now McCain has his own personal "Celebrity" . . . which it seems is really what matters to McCain. I suspect it implies McCain did not think he could win on the basis of policies or ideas.

I both admire and am appalled at McCain's cynicism.
My partner -- who is very Left, and a Hillary-supporter now voting for Obama -- was annoyed at feeling sympathetic to Palin when she was being criticized in the media for not staying home and taking care of her child. Her vote will still be for Obama, but again she is very Left (yes, I am conservative, so our relationship is rather interesting at times :) . . . while it seems here McCain has made an inspired cynical play for Moderate Women.

My advice to Democrats would be to lay off Palin's family -- if you make the personal political, McCain will win.

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

pico13 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:10:05 -0000

If she actually WROTE her own speeches that'd be one thing, but from what I've read she has Bush's old speech writer doing that for her. If she refuses to grant interviews or publish material defining her views on the subjects you listed, it all leads me to believe she'll just be a puppet for people in the Bush administration. I'm sure Republicans are fine with that, but are independents?

Re: Sarah Palin enters her cocoon

StockBoySF — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:00:21 -0000

How can anyone actually vote for a person whose views they do not know? I thought this was a democracy and we got a chance to actually find out about our candidates. Excuse me if my meme the next four years is about all those (Republican) idiots who blindly voted for party without bothering to even care about the candidate's policies.

I know a lot of fun, bubbly vivacious and spunky people. Just because I like them doesn't mean they would make a good president (or vice president).

To me this is proof that the Republican Party is truly partisan and not a party about competence or even change. These Republicans are voting for someone simply because the candidate is a Republican.

I mean, come on! How can one truly say they are going to vote for Palin because they want change in the government when they don't have a clue as to Palin's positions on the most important issues our country faces and Palin won't give interviews?