John McCain tapped little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate on Friday in a startling selection on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
In this Dec. 4, 2006 file photo, Todd Palin, right, holds the Bible for his wife, Sarah Palin, as she is sworn in as Alaska's governor during an inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska. As the political community turned desperate for any clues about the potential running mate of Republican Presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speculation moved toward several dark horse candidates including Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the so-called "hockey mom" credited with reforms of her tiny, out-of-the-way state. (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
In an announcement, the campaign said that Palin, who has been governor less than two years, "has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of."
"Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today," the campaign said. can National Convention.
Two senior campaign officials had disclosed McCain's decision a few hours before the Republican presidential nominee-to-be and his newly-minted running mate appeared at a rally in swing-state Ohio.
Palin, like McCain, is a conservative with a maverick streak who has shown a willingness to clash with others in her own party. A self-styled hockey mom and political reformer, she has been governor of her state less than two years.
At 44, Palin is a generation younger that Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, who is Barack Obama's running mate on the Democratic ticket.
She is three years Obama's junior, as well — and McCain has made much in recent weeks of Obama's relative lack of experience in foreign policy and defense matters.
In making his pick, McCain passed over several more prominent prospects who had figured in speculation for months — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge among them.
Palin flew overnight to an airport in Ohio near Dayton, and even as she awaited her formal introduction, some aides said they had believed she was at home in Alaska.
She is a former mayor of Wasilla who became governor of her state in December, 2006 after ousting a governor of her own party in a primary and then dispatching a former governor in the general election.
More recently, she has come under the scrutiny of an investigation by the Republican-controlled legislature into the possibility that she ordered the dismissal of Alaska's public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.
The timing of McCain's selection appeared designed to limit any political gain Obama yields from his own convention, which ended Thursday night with his nominating acceptance speech before an estimated 84,000 in Invesco Field in Colorado.
Public opinion polls show a close race between Obama and McCain, and with scarcely two months remaining until the election, neither contender can allow the other to jump out to a big post-convention lead.
McCain has had months to consider his choice, and has made it clear to reporters that one of his overriding goals was to avoid a situation like the one in 1988, when Dan Quayle was thrown into a national campaign with little preparation.
Palin has a long history of run-ins with the Alaska GOP hierarchy, giving her genuine maverick status and reformer credentials that could complement McCain's image.
Two years ago, she ousted the state's Republican incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski in the primary, despite having little money and little establishment backing.
She has also distanced herself from two senior Republican office-holders, sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don young. Both men are under federal corruption investigations.
She had earned stripes — and enmity — after Murkowski made her head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. From that post, she exposed ethical violations by the state GOP chairman, also a fellow commissioner.
She and her husband Todd Palin, have five children. The latest, a baby, was born with Down syndrome.
Here's what I don't get.
Why are so many people seemingly shocked by this?
I mean come on, McCain HAD to do something.
Obama's black, nothing he could do to trump that. Obama is charismatic, McCain has the personality just slightly more stimulating than a snail. She has a Monty Python name: (Michael Palin of Monty Python)
AND she's hot! (Rest easy theocrats, McCain esp. at HIS age isn't going to risk the meal ticket he's married to. He might be an asshole douche-bag, but he's NOT stupid).
Now, he wins back over some of the women. He's up against Obama AND Oprah. That's a Dynamic Duo that is DAMN tough to beat int this country. Now that they've thrown Biden in, well, you've come up with a pretty powerhouse team.
Just because he picked a woman, doesn't mean he's more "in touch" people. I mean come on. If you think Gerald Ford was an invisible Vice President... she won't be so much as a shadowy image on the wall. This is clearly just to woo the disgruntled Hilary voters who wanted a female president at all costs. Tick-tock. Don't fall for it ladies.
Yep...he picked a woman...too bad she has no job skills
At first glance a good call on his part. He will pull some of those Hilary supporters now.
Exactly the ones that were never really supporters of the Democratic party to begin with. Women who vote only to see a woman in office, regardless of whether she is fit to hold the office will LOVE this candidate.
I mean sure she's a first term Governor of a state with fewer residents than Austin.
But in all fairness she was a small town (5000 pop.) mayor before that.
And on city council too.
If John McCain dies in office (which at age 72 isn't entirely out of the question) we'll have a president in charge of a war on terror, a floundering economy and an oil crisis who's last job was as mayor of a city of 5000 people.
But to listen to the GOP, we've already won the war on terror, the economy problem is all in our heads (whiners) and if by oil crisis, you mean huge boom in the oil industry...well...yeah...we've got one of those.
Kylan cuteness So I'm not feeling well today. Earlier I had some tomato soup thinking that if I puke it would be the least disgusting of my options. Kylan asked for a bite but didnt like it. Sure enough a few minutes later I was puking in MIL's bathroom.
Kylan comes in mid hurl and starts saying "EWWWWWWW" at the top of his little lungs. The boy has never thrown up. Ever. So he really didnt know what the hell was was taking place. The look on his face was absolutely priceless. Pure utter confusion and disgust. So I'm finally done and wiping my mouth with some tp when he rushes over to see what I did to the potty. He looks up very concerned and says "Oh no!! The soup!" Then he ran back into the living room as I'm cleaning up. I walk out to find that he was looking at my mug and then he comes over and hugs me and says "Is ok. More soup."
He's now rubbed my cheek and checked inside my mouth several times. All while asking if I'm ok.
ABC Reporter Arrested in Denver Taking Pictures of Senators, Big Donors
Asa Eslocker Was Investigating the Role of Lobbyists and Top Donors at the Convention
By BRIAN ROSS Aug. 27, 2008
DENVER -- Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel. Asa in custody Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he was attempting to take pictures of Democratic senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel.
Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker, who works with the ABC News investigative unit.
A cigar-smoking Denver police sergeant, accompanied by a team of five other officers, first put his hands on Eslocker's neck, then twisted the producer's arm behind him to put on handcuffs.
A police official later told lawyers for ABC News that Eslocker is being charged with trespass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order. He also said the arrest followed a signed complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel.
Eslocker was put in handcuffs and loaded in the back of a police van which headed for a nearby police station.
Video taken at the scene shows a man, wearing the uniform of a Boulder County sheriff, ordering Eslocker off the sidewalk in front of the hotel, to the side of the entrance.
The sheriff's officer is seen telling Eslocker the sidewalk is owned by the hotel. Later, he is seen pushing Eslocker off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic, forcing him to the other side of the street.
It was two hours later when Denver police arrived to place Eslocker under arrest, apparently based on a complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel, a central location for Democratic officials.
During the arrest, one of the officers can be heard saying to Eslocker, "You're lucky I didn't knock the f..k out of you."
Eslocker was released late today after posting $500 bond.
Eslocker and his ABC News colleagues are spending the week investigating the role of corporate lobbyists and wealthy donors at the convention for a series of Money Trail reports on ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson."
Gee, someone trying to send a message much?
Last time I checked, sidewalks are PUBLIC property. Hence the manhole covers on sidewalks, because they are in the right of way.
Freedom of the Press? Press Pass my ass!
What a fucking asshole!!!
The guy's a member of the press. He's doing his job. Where the FUCK does miniature Jabba the Hut get off grabbing him like that, pushing him into the street? That cop should be FIRED!
by JohnAdams999 Wed Aug 27, 2008 at 11:41:28 PM PDT
The McCain ad which falsely accuses Obama of wanting to raise taxes, displays the lettering "HANG" above Obama's head in the ad. Details & image below.
Here's the image:
But the way the ad runs, there's a dark shadow through most of the "C", and the "E" at the end of the word.
Take out those two letters, and you have a new word right above Barack Obama's head.
We asked the McCain campaign about the image. Their response: "We're not even validating such an outrageous and preposterous claim with a comment."
Is this a coincidence? People spend hours and hours editing political ads, I really don't see how this could go unnoticed by the editors. Maybe they saw it and thought it wasn't noticeable or maybe they thought it wasn't important. Here's the commercial. See for yourself:
You know, normally, I take this stuff with a HUGE grain of salt. However, having been an editor myself for 14 years, I have a very, VERY difficult time seeing as how something like this would have gone past an editor unnoticed. It's equally as possible, that he MIGHT have seen it, brought it to someone's attention, and been dismissed.
After all, at the end, John McCain "Approved this message". Didn't he?
Magical Moments During Development Magic Moment: Getting to contribute 2 of the layers for an original a cappella song with the sound guys for Mushroom Men at close to midnight, last night.
I Really Like Our Next VP The story telling bit (quoted below) about riding the train and pondering the kitchen table conversations of normal Americans was SPOT ON. Great storytelling, great setup, great truth.
Politicians so frequently say...I met with George and his wife Janet in Provo, Utah and they're worried about their son in Iraq...or whatever.
Biden's method was much more effective. Instead of me trying to imagine who George and Janet are, what they look like, if they're real and the cirumstance under which they spoke to Joe Biden...I imagined (actually remembered) my parents sitting around their kitchen table having those same conversations.
Instead of some character in a story, it was us. All of us. Worried about our bills. Worried about our parents. Worried about our job...a legacy of worry perpetuated (or at least ignored) by the Bush Administration.
CNN can report the economy is doing better all they want to. Bush can tell me from the White House lawn all day.
The truth is...everyday Americans are suffering. So yeah. Some investors are doing well somewhere. But the majority of folks in America have no disposable income.
You can hip hip hooray about the flourishing free market economy all you want to. But if the majority of Americans have NO DISPOSABLE INCOME...they CANNOT participate in a free market economy.
It's like living in a socialist sate, without the benefits. You'll never be able to exceed the income of your "class" but you still aren't provided with the basic necesseities for an educated and healthy populace who can at least be proud of their country.
It's actually more like slavery.
When the slaves were freed they didn't just go out and celebrate their new freedom. They took jobs with the same masters. The did the same work for pay that was traded for that same room in the slave quarters. And thus America was born.
A friend and Hilary supporter recently said we (referring to Dems) will "carry the water" on Joe Biden.
I think Biden's speech was far superior to Hilary's.
I think he brings alot to the table. Experience. A common bond with Obama in a life of overcoming obstacles and coming through the other side a better person.
He's an excellent speaker, like Obama, but bringing a tough, down to earth ("That's bullshit!") quality to Obama's more conceptual message of "Hope."
They say McCain picked his VP tonight.
Can't wait to see that debate...no matter who it is.
The storytelling bit...
"Almost every single night, I take the train home to Wilmington, Delaware, sometimes very late. As I sit there in my seat and I look out that window, I see those flickering lights of the homes that pass by, I can almost hear the conversation they're having at their kitchen tables after they put their kids to bed.
Like millions of Americans, they're asking questions as ordinary as they are profound, questions they never, ever thought they'd have to ask themselves.
Should Mom move in with us now that Dad's gone? Fifty, sixty, seventy dollars just to fill up the gas tank? How in God's name, with winter coming, how are we going to heat the home? Another year, no raise. Did you hear they may be cutting our health care at the company? Now we owe more money on our home than our home is worth. How in God's name are we going to send the kids to college? How are we going to retire, Joe?
You know, folks, that's the America that George Bush has left us. And that's the America we'll continue to get if George -- excuse me, if John McCain is elected president of the United States of America. Freudian slip. Freudian slip."
Happy Moment of the Day Texting to each others cell Big Sister (me): Wanna meet up tomorrow? Little Sister (Ericka): What time? Big Sister: I should get out around 5pm. Little Sister: Ok most likely yes becuz i mite stay after school but i doubt it Big Sister: Alright, ill let you know the time tomorrow :) Little Sister: Ok thanks good nite luv ya :)
Ignore the text speak and look what she wrote...she loves me :) It made my whole day ^_^
Japanese / SciFi Links found 8/27 * * I'm starting to actually do research this semester. And sadly, I already have a massive, overwhelming list of bookmarks... so it's not really constructive of me to keep everything there. Instead I thought I'd put them in my LJ, that way I have a chance in heck of remembering what I found and why it's important. We'll see how it goes. I'll try to put everything behind a cut so no one is bombarded with long lists. And who knows? some of you might like this stuff, right?
school, school, school! In my usual fantastic way I found out today that I start school tomorrow (instead of the time I thought - Friday). Just in the nick of time! Luckily I managed to hid my start of surprise since I was in a meeting for the class I'm TAing, trying to sound competent. Hopefully I skidded just under their radar.
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