A Veep After Rove's Heart? McCain Reformer Brand FAIL

by Josh Orton, Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 11:20:14 AM EST

Over the last eight years, our government has suffered a toxic management strategy at the hands of George Bush and Karl Rove: politics first. Loyalty before competency. U.S. Attorneys like David Iglesias were fired, despite competence, for a simple lack of political fealty.

Now hints are leaking out that Sarah Palin started abusing her authority early (via the Washington Independent):

If a small-town mayor ever ruled with an iron fist -- it was Palin. Eleven days after taking office in 1996, she mailed letters to each of the city's top managers requesting that they resign as a test of loyalty.

The Anchorage Daily News at the time reported the strange events: (via Nexis)

Mayor Sarah Palin sent the resignation requests Thursday to Police Chief Irl Stambaugh, public works director Jack Felton, finance director Duane Dvorak and Mary Ellen Emmons, the head of libraries. A fifth director -- John Cooper, who oversaw the city museum -- resigned earlier this month after Palin eliminated his position.

Cooper initially resisted resigning, but to no avail. Palin also later fired the police chief, saying she knew in her "heart" that he did not support her. She left the head of libraries a letter saying she was out -- though Palin later decided to spare the librarian after being convinced that she would tow the line.

Lovely.

This is the sort of detail most damaging to Palin, because McCain chose his running mate to reinforce his mythical image as a maverick, and continue his re-branding as a "reformer." We hear over and over from the right-wing that Palin "took on" the corrupt establishment in Alaska. David Brooks gushes with new-found Palin-love in today's column:

...she seems to get up in the morning to root out corruption. McCain was meeting a woman who risked her career taking on the corrupt Republican establishment in her own state...

Spare us.

Palin is the anti-corruption crusader the Republicans were hoping for? Loyalty firings? Potentially abusing the Governor's office to settle personal conflicts? Paper-thin claims of a personal fight against wasteful spending?

Good luck with that.




Tags: Sarah Palin, Karl Rove (all tags)

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A horrible VP pick (2.00 / 4)

She's what them English majors call an "albatross"...

Forgetting Sarah Palin


Join the fight to give students a real voice on campus: Forstudentpower.org.
by LibertarianSocialist on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 11:30:36 AM EST

Re: A horrible VP pick (none / 0)

hilarious!


Being Normal is for the Mediocre.
by Doug Tuttle on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 11:47:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Yikes (2.00 / 1)

What about Sarah Palin makes you want to serve her?

DONT GET ME STARTED ROFLCOPTRZ.

Er, sorry.  

Anyways, the loyalty test thing is spooky.


You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:03:13 PM EST

Re: Yikes (none / 0)

I really shouldn't go there, but...  can the question be answered in the Biblical sense?


I come here for the lulz.
by username on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:02:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's the thing (2.00 / 1)

It's human nature to reduce issues to the lowest common denomonator.  On other... less refined... forums I frequent, posters had a "thing" for Palin BEFORE she became the VP nominee, and the last few days were predictably full of innuendo.  

This is one reason that the pick was so cynical by McCain; he chose someone that would get a lot of attention for her attractive appearence and mastery of "guy arts" such as fishing and hunting, which not only drums up interest in general, but gives multiple built-in minefields to transverse when going after her.  In his debate, Biden will have to thread the needle between "you're sexist" and "don't hit the girl," and there's plenty of chances for a major gaffe along the way.

Is it fair?  No.  Is it accurate?  I think so.


You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:22:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That's the thing (2.00 / 1)

I was infinitely amused to see that "vpilf.com" was registered on August 4 to a Scottsdale, AZ company... ;)


I come here for the lulz.
by username on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:34:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

David Brooks has made an ass of himself (2.00 / 1)

He writes a glowing column on Sarah Palin, based on completely false claims, then tries to act like he doesn't think she's qualified. He even claimed Obama did not do well in his acceptance speech. Even loony Bill Kristol had to give Obama some kudos.


by Lolis on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:08:23 PM EST

I don't get Brooks sometimes (none / 0)

He knows that Obama is the real deal.  He's not stupid.  Most of his columns are "Sure, Obama is really awesome, but there's this one little spot that we need to pick at."

I don't see how he could go from annoying-but-honest to full-on talking points like this.

Maybe he just thinks she's hot.


You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:25:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't get Brooks sometimes (none / 0)

Brooks is just weird.  When he forgets to be partisan, he seems like a smart guy (at least on MacNeil-Lehrer), but he can also be a mindless hard-core partisan.  Then again, I guess we can all do that, but it's much more obvious coming from the other side.


I come here for the lulz.
by username on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:06:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: David Brooks has made an ass of himself (none / 0)

David Brooks is the prototypical conservative concern troll.


"In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." -Barack Obama
by blueAZ on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 03:58:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: David Brooks has made an ass of himself (none / 0)

You can predict everything that David Brooks is ever going to write.  He never surprises.

Plus, it's just his opinions.  Other columnists have sources to people in power.  Others, like Thomas Freidman or Bob Herbert give lots of "man on the street" stuff, where you get a view that you wouldn't ordinarily have access to.  David Brooks is just "stuff I was thinking about when I was taking a dump."


by Jordache on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 06:52:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It is a wonder (2.00 / 1)

that she was not part of the bush amdin. She is truly One Of Them!


Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:09:53 PM EST

Re: It is a wonder (2.00 / 1)

She is truly the gift that keeps on giving. No matter how she performs at the convention she is proving how out of touch with America she and McSame really are. America has turned to the left and they have taken a HARD right turn.


by venician on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:54:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I figured it out! (2.00 / 1)

McCain picked her to punish all of the fundies who would not let him follow through on his mancrush with Joementum... only reason I can think of for this pick now.


Oh Mammy Dear, we're all mad over here livin' in America
by JDF on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:25:22 PM EST

Re: McCain Reformer Brand FAIL (2.00 / 1)

Good Lord, this woman is a complete disaster and cannot be allowed anywhere NEAR the White House after the last 8 years. I've given to Obama 4 times now and apparently I'm going to have to again.


by Mullibok on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 12:30:39 PM EST

You are correct (none / 0)

We all need to try and give again. See more here:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/9/1/18354 /42159
Washington Woman

Progressive Blue

by kevin22262 on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:52:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Veep After Rove's Heart (none / 0)

Damn. what a creeper.


by alyssa chaos on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:02:01 PM EST

Another Cheney! (2.00 / 3)

She's Cheney on steroids! Loyalty oaths? She's making the wing nuts look sane.

Unbelievable. Every time the Rethugs raise the bar for the most outlandish behavior, they clear it with ease.


by Bob Miller on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:08:35 PM EST

Incredible! (2.00 / 2)

How can anyone say that these issues are not important??  If she was a he, people would be just as all over it as they are now.  I think it's sickening how she's used her 4 month old son as a political statement.  How she's abused power and how she's just plain lied.  The rethugs are right, she has a record and it's BAD!!!

Any woman who claims to have supported Hillary and now supports McPalin was lying about their support to Hillary in the first palce.  How can you support a woman who will try to over turn Roe vs Wade?  How could you support Hillary on ANY issue and say now that you support McPalin?  She is the polar opposite of everything Hillary stands for!!!  

I also feel this is a slap in the face to any INTELLIGENT woman!  Did they think we would take their word that she was "good" at what she did??  Oh, she's good all right!  She's good at being a bully and a thug, just like every other rethug out there!

If I had ANY doubts who I was going to vote for, they were put aside the minute they announced this choice.  There is no choice now, Obama MUST win!!!


by Pa Woman on Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 01:19:23 PM EST


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